Their Promise

From left to right: Kyuzo, Shichiroji, Gorobei, Kanbei, Kikuchiyo, Katsushiro, and Heihachi; the heroes of Samurai 7.
Having see the whole series, this is one of my all-time favorite animes. I love the characters, the story, the action, the animation, pretty much everything about it, including the movie it's based on: Seven Samurai, considered one of the most influencial films of all time. I'm not sure i meant to have finished this when i did, but i needed to try to get my pics done faster, so i figured this would be a good place to start (which may have also influenced my decision to make it entirely ink )
Sketched in pencil, then outlinded and shaded in black ink.
Sumation of the name and meaning:
I wanted to portray the seven samurai as they were presented in the story: a bunch of men, different and varying greatly from one to the next, have taken it upon themselves to stand together and defend a village of farmers and peasants from a threat that most others believed was nearly unstoppable. I made this image to bring the viewer into that perspective; the perspective of those calling on them for help, to which they, while each in their own individual way, stand together as one to present their promise to give their own lives to protect the lives of those in need.