Rune Naito | |
|---|---|
内藤 ルネ | |
 Undated portrait of Naito | |
| Born | Isao Naito November 20, 1932 |
| Died | October 24, 2007 (aged 74) |
| Nationality | Japanese |
| Known for | Works pioneering the culture and aesthetic of kawaii; erotic illustrations for gay men's magazines |
| Notable work | "Rune Girl", "Rune Panda" |
| Style | Illustration |
| Partner | Ryu Fujita |
| Website | https://www.naitou-rune.jp/ |
Rune Naito (Japanese: 内藤 ルネ, Hepburn: Naitō Rune, November 20, 1932 – October 24, 2007) was the pen name of Japanese artist, illustrator, writer, and designer Isao Naito (内藤功, Naitō Isao).[1] His illustrations of "large-headed" (nitōshin) baby-faced girls, first drawn for Japanese magazines in the mid-1950s, are credited with pioneering the contemporary culture and aesthetic of kawaii (lit. "lovable" or "cute").[1] He is further noted for his contributions to the Japanese gay men's magazine Barazoku, the first commercially circulated gay magazine in Japan.