Fire Emblem Engage artist Mika Pikazo apologizes for tweets about piracy from nine years ago 

Popular illustrator Mika Pikazo posted an apology on her official Twitter account on July 13 after past tweets in which she talks positively about piracy and admits to doing it resurfaced and caused negative reactions among a portion of users. The artist was also accused of copying the works of fellow illustrator Yoneyama Mai. 

Mika Pikazo is a Japanese illustrator and character designer popular for her colorful and vibrant art style. She is known for working on Nintendo’s Fire Emblem Engage, the light novel Apocalypse Witch: To the Strongest of an Age of Plenty and several Fate Grand Order character designs. 

Recently, several of Mika Pikazo’s past tweets had been dug up by users, causing negative reactions as the illustrator talks favorably of piracy in them. The tweets date back from 2014, during Pikazo’s two-year stay in Brazil after graduating high school. The tweets have since been deleted, but as far as their content goes, Pikazo talks about how being in Brazil changed her view of piracy and how it’s much easier to download pirated content than go out of your way to buy expensive CDs and DVDs. She admits to downloading Japanese software and anime as well. 

On July 13, Pikazo addressed the matter in a Tweet in which she apologizes for her words and actions and says that she did not have a thorough enough understanding of piracy at the time despite being a creator herself, and mentions being under the influence of a different environment. Responses to the tweet have mostly been positive, with people expressing their support for the illustrator. 

However, a portion of users took issue with Mika Pikazo for different reasons as well. There has recently been criticism directed at Pikazo for her exhibition pieces being similar in style and concept to the works of popular illustrator Yoneyama Mai. Some users found the similarities to be too striking to be written off as inspiration and suspected the artist of copying. A tweet offering a side-by-side comparison of the two artists’ exhibition pieces has been gaining attention recently. 

Some users have even gone as far to imply that Pikazo’s apology for the piracy from 2014 may be an attempt to divert attention from the accusations of copying, demanding that issue to be addressed as well.