back by absolutely nobody's demand, after a long absence, it's Random Card Appreciation Time, where we randomly appreciate a card! this episode ...

Summer Aya!

this card. this card is absolute perfection. from the moment I first looked at it, I fell in love, and the more I stare at it, the more I find to love.

the first thing to notice is the colours. Aya stands out beautifully against the clear blue background, but unlike other cards like her first 4* or her DreamFes card, the red on her swimsuit gives it a much more vibrant feel rather than emphasising her pastels like usual. her whole outfit save for very few details, just like her swim ring, is kept in warm colours while the background is entirely cool - it really gives off a bright, summery feel.

of course, there's Aya herself. her expression is super cute and beautifully drawn, setting itself apart from the usual ;D idol pose with that adorable cat mouth + blep. this is an expression that's cute and idol-like but still has a lot of character. she's also very dynamic without actually having to move much; the water as well as her flowing hair & cape (jacket thingy??) do that job well enough. it really looks like she's in the middle of a photoshoot and this was the perfect picture! I wonder how many times they had to do it over to get it this perfect?

but what really makes this card are the details, specifically in the colouring / shading. her skin is SO well done. they went for a softer style than usual with more blurry edges and lots of gradients & airbrushing and it looks AMAZING, as well as the generally brighter colour of the lines, but the thing that gets me the most is her stomach. they didn't have to shade it this realistically. but they did, and it gives the entire image so much more depth. it's the little things that really count to make the whole more complete. similarly, the reflection of the water on her leg? they didn't need to do that. but they did. and it does just a little more to integrate Aya into the background without burying her in it.

this, to me, is a card that just SCREAMS quality. it's ultimately pretty simple, but you can tell the artists put so much care into it and the end result is something incredibly refined that's just so goddamn pleasing to look at. I love everything about this card. please come home on your rerun bby