Cheek Armor Cup, Tiger Form, Crimson & Gold

Among Koga's works, the highly popular Hoyoroi-hai (Cheek-Armor Cup) series takes the kawari-kabuto (eccentric helmet) of Sengoku warlords as its motif, expressing the way of life and spirit of these men.

"The present age is truly one of gekokujo," says Koga.
As social media developed and everyone came to hold a voice, an era emerged in which one's own will to aim high and courage to speak up mattered more than one's origin or hometown. Within this worldview, {Hoyoroi Sakazuki} takes the kawari-kabuto (distinctive helmets) of Warring States warlords as its motif, expressing the human way of life and spirit — an encouragement for today's high-minded warriors living in the present.

This work takes the legendary Sengoku warlord Takeda Shingen, foremost among his peers, as its theme, drawing inspiration from his epithet, "Tiger of Kai." It is paired with a work themed on Uesugi Kenshin, the "Dragon of Echigo."

The crimson and gold tones express the process of rusting and discoloring over the passage of time. A work distinguished by its subdued, subtle coloring.