During her time at university, Kitaoka was heavily influenced by the works of Japanese pop art pioneers, such as Yayoi Kusama and Takashi Murakami. These artists' innovative approaches to art, which blended elements of pop culture, surrealism, and abstraction, resonated deeply with Kitaoka and encouraged her to experiment with her own creative voice.
In 2006, Kitaoka's big break came when she was selected to illustrate the cover art for the Japanese release of the popular light novel series, "The Familiar of Zero." The series, written by Yuki Kodama and Tsunehiro Tanaka, follows the adventures of a young girl who discovers she has the ability to summon magical creatures. Kitaoka's captivating artwork for the series helped to establish her as a rising star in the world of Japanese illustration. karin kitaoka