In Forza Horizon 6’s The Art of Driving series, hosted by famed auto photographer Larry Chen, three artists who created stunning in-game murals, explore the regional identities of Tohoku, Kanto and Kyushu. Among them is Inko Takita, a UK-based Japanese manga artist whose work leans playful, character-driven and deeply rooted in everyday life. Tasked with creating a cast of billboard characters inspired by Tokyo’s Shibuya Crossing, Takita approached the project less like static illustration and more like building a living, breathing world—one where personality, humor and local nuance coexist within the high-energy backdrop of the game.What makes Takita’s contribution stand out is how it slows things down, or at least conceptually. While Forza Horizon 6 thrives on speed and spectacle, her characters are layered with backstories, cultural references and small, human details that reward a closer look. Drawing from Kanto’s food, fashion and music scenes, her process blends research with instinct, resulting in figures that feel both exaggerated and familiar. In our conversation ahead, Takita reflects on balancing narrative with motion, embedding tradition into contemporary visuals, and why even in a high-speed game, the most lasting impressions often come from the quieter, more personal moments.Your work has a softer, more playful visual language—how did you approach translating that style into the world of Forza Horizon 6?What I had in mind was an explosive, fun feeling. I imagined these characters as having colorful personalities, creating moments of drama within the Forza Horizon world. They’re not standing still—they’re posing, strutting, hopping, singing, doing whatever they feel like. As part of the process, I drew from the history, culture and real people of the Kanto region. I packed all of that into their visuals first, then refined and pared things back to arrive at what you see now.You often incorporate traditional motifs into contemporary compositions—what cultural references did you draw from for this project?Yes, I adore traditional motifs and love to play around with them. The hot bun shop’s house crest is my own design, but it’s inspired by kamon—family crests that many traditional households have. Sakura, the horror storyteller, wears an outfit and holds a candle styled after traditions from around 200 years ago, when summer ghost storytelling became popular. After each tale, a candle is blown out, so the space grows darker as the stories go on. Eek.Compared to the high-speed nature of the game, your work feels more intimate and narrative- driven—how did you think about that contrast while creating your piece? That’s true—I was focused on a narrative-driven approach, much like how you choose your vehicle. Each car has its own beauty, character, personality and strengths. When we admire machines, we often look beyond the surface—into their details, stories and how they connect to performance. At high speed, you might only catch a glimpse of a car or character, but when you take a closer look, there’s so much more to discover.What did being part of The Art of Driving series mean to you, especially within a project that blends global gaming with local culture?Isn’t a globally distributed game one of the best ways for a wide audience to experience local cultures? I wasn’t just involved in creating 2D art for Forza Horizon 6—I also got to experience it firsthand, from driving and drifting real cars to making hot buns, listening to live jazz and connecting with local people in Japan. The series was full of excitement and joy for me, and I hope it brings that same feeling to everyone watching. And I have to add—my father, a huge Nissan Skyline GT-R fan, was definitely a bit envious.When players come across your work in the game, what kind of feeling or story do you hope it leaves them with?I hope players enjoy their playful appearances and feel that these characters are confident in who they are, grounded in their local lives without needing validation from others. It’s okay to be a marine life enthusiast and a jazz musician, like Norio-kun, or to reinterpret fashion rules in your own way, like Chika-pin. I hope their stories encourage people to follow what their hearts desire without hesitation—reasons and support will come later, and that’s what shapes our stories.If your artwork could come to life for a day, what kind of story would it tell?They would be imperfect human beings, causing mishaps and trouble in hilariously comical ways. But they’d win us over with their stories—the hot bun man sharing generations of shop history and the importance of local connections, much like in The Art of Driving series. Norio-kun would play his saxophone, talk about what inspires his music, and probably ask us to listen to Japanese jazz while we drive. Each of them would entertain us in their own way, offering a fresh perspective on life.What’s your favorite everyday moment in Japan that you wish more people noticed—and maybe even saw in the game?I’d say it’s those moments when you feel the changing of the seasons—the sound of insects, the angle of sunlight through a window, or the feeling of reaching for a new T-shirt or a woolly jumper. I’ve realized that what we wear, eat, sing and talk about is deeply tied to the season we’re in, and it goes beyond just temperature. You can experience that in the game too—every season in Japan feels worth exploring and driving through. The season you’re in always feels like the best one.**This interview has been edited for length and clarity.