frogonaut-kitty_001 | Family, Character, and the Start of a Series
frogonaut-kitty_001 — Frogonaut character illustration by Roger “emptypenz” Lealamanua.
frogonaut-kitty_001 is a Frogonaut character illustration created by artist Roger “emptypenz” Lealamanua. This piece introduces the Frogonaut series — a collection of playful animal explorers wearing frog-inspired astronaut helmets. Unlike much of my other work, which often explores themes of nature, structure, and balance, the Frogonaut series begins from a more personal place: family.
Each Frogonaut character represents an animal connected to someone in my life. Sometimes it’s their favorite animal, and sometimes it’s simply an animal I associate with them. Over time, the series grows into a small universe of characters built from those relationships.
frogonaut-kitty_001 is the first Frogonaut in that collection.
The Frogonaut Idea
The Frogonaut concept came from a mix of things I’ve always enjoyed — astronauts, cute character design, and anime influences.
Astronauts have always fascinated me. The idea of floating in space, exploring something vast and unknown, has a kind of quiet wonder to it.
At the same time, I grew up with two older sisters and was exposed to a lot of the things they liked — especially cute Japanese character design. I’m also a fan of anime, particularly the work of Miyazaki, where even simple characters can feel expressive and full of personality.
The Frogonaut suit became a way to combine those influences.
Astronaut exploration, kawaii character design, and playful animals all in one concept.
Why a Frog Helmet
The frog helmet specifically comes from a childhood memory.
When I was in elementary school in Hawaiʻi in the 1990s, my sisters and I would often visit a department store called Shirokiya at the Queen Ka'ahumanu shopping center (as in, I was the youngest and had to go with them wherever they wanted to go). Inside, there was a lot of Japanese character merchandise, including frog-themed designs like Keroppi.
That visual stuck with me.
When I think of cute animal characters, my mind still goes back to that aesthetic — rounded shapes, big eyes, and simple expressive forms. The frog helmet captures that feeling while also acting like a playful astronaut suit.
It’s not meant to change the animal.
It’s more like a costume that turns them into a small explorer.
Why the First Character Is a Kitty
frogonaut-kitty_001 was created for my mom.
She has always loved cats — enough that we joke about her being a bit of a cat lady. Because of that, cats are something I immediately associate with her.
Starting the series with a cat felt natural.
The design is simple and calm, with the cat comfortably sitting inside the frog helmet as if it belongs there. The goal wasn’t action or drama — just personality.
Character Design
Even though the character style is playful, the design still follows a few principles I tend to use across my work.
Balance.
Silhouette clarity.
Recognizable shapes.
The suit itself is intentionally short and stout. That kind of proportion tends to feel naturally cute. Bright colors also help reinforce that tone.
Small details like the paw emblem on the chest panel are important too. Each Frogonaut will have a symbol connected to the animal it represents. In this case, the emblem reflects the cat itself.
Those small design choices help give each character its own identity within the larger collection.
A Family-Based Series
The Frogonaut series will continue expanding with animals connected to different people in my family.
Right now, the characters planned include:
• a corgi and hamster for my second oldest sister
• a buffalo and squirrel for my oldest sister
• a raccoon for my wife
• a green dragon for my son
• a bear for my other son
• and a rabbit for my mom
Each one will become its own illustration.
Over time, the collection becomes less about individual drawings and more like a small character family.
A Different Kind of Work
The Frogonaut series is intentionally different from my usual art.
Most of my work — like the Driftwood series — explores themes about nature, architecture, and the relationship between organic and human-made structure. Those pieces are reflective and conceptual.
Frogonauts are the opposite.
They are light.
Playful.
Character-driven.
In some ways they’re actually harder for me to create because they fall outside of my normal flowing drawing style. But I have strong reasons for doing them.
They’re personal.
Some will simply become gifts for family members. Others might become prints, shirts, or designs that people can share with their own loved ones.
If someone sees a Frogonaut and it reminds them of someone they care about, then the character has done its job.
Beginning the Collection
Every series starts somewhere.
For the Frogonaut collection, that starting point is frogonaut-kitty_001.
The first explorer.
frogonaut-kitty_001 is available as a t-shirt print, bringing this playful Frogonaut character into the real world.
frogonaut-kitty_001 | Frogonaut character illustration by Roger "emptypenz" Lealamanua.
• 100% combed ring-spun cotton • Charcoal Heather and Carbon Grey is 60% cotton and 40% polyester • Fabric weight: 6.5 oz/yd² (220 g/m²) • Side-seamed construction • 1 × 1 rib at collar • Single-needle edge stitch 7/8″ • Blank product sourced from Bangladesh
