Masaki Apsy

Maki Asai (浅井 真紀) is a prominent Japanese illustrator and mechanical designer whose work has had a significant impact on the world of plastic models and character design. Born in 1973, Asai graduated from Tokyo’s Tama Art University, where she studied graphic design. Early in her career, she became well known for her “M.S. Girl” (Mobile Suit Girl) illustrations—a series of drawings that personified Gundam mobile suits as feminine characters. By reimagining bulky, militaristic mecha as graceful young women wearing stylized armor, she infused the mecha genre with fresh charm and helped spark a growing trend of “mecha musume” (mechanical girl) designs.

Building on this success, Asai collaborated with Hobby Japan magazine around the mid-2000s, contributing both artwork and design ideas. In 2011, she joined Good Smile Company’s “Busou Shinki” project as a mechanical character designer, crafting weapon and armor details for small, poseable action figures. Her breakout moment as a kit designer came with the launch of Kadokawa’s “Megami Device” line in 2017; Asai was responsible for the initial sculpt concepts and fine mechanical detailing that defined the series’ aesthetic. Under her guidance, Megami Device quickly became celebrated for its balance of delicate, feminine proportions and realistically articulated armor plating.

Across more than two decades, Maki Asai has published several artbooks—collecting her personal illustrations, paint guides, and step-by-step build tutorials—that inspire hobbyists worldwide. Her fusion of mechanical precision and soft, character-driven style has not only popularized the “mecha musume” subgenre but also influenced countless model designers and illustrators who seek to blend human form with robotic elements. Asai’s ongoing work continues to bridge the gap between mechanical engineering and character art, making her one of the most influential figures in modern plastic-model culture.