13/04/2026
Hiro Mashima didn’t come up with Panther Lily out of nowhere — he took inspiration from John Blacksad, the detective from the Blacksad comics, created by Juan Díaz Canales and Juanjo Guarnido.
If you compare them, it actually makes a lot of sense. They both have that serious tone, imposing presence, and that “quiet but dangerous” energy. Not identical, but the vibe is definitely there.
Basically, Mashima took that more grounded, noir-style influence and adapted it into his own anime style — and it ended up becoming one of the most unique designs in Fairy Tail.