The Two Rulers of the Ancient Egyptian Underworld / Osiris & Anpu (Anubis)——character designs for my original comic BASTT
In ancient Egypt, you might catch a cold that turns severe and leads to your death. But the good news is two handsome gods will be waiting for you in the afterlife to comfort you.
First, let’s talk about my understanding of the godhood of death. In early Egyptian history, jackals were often seen lingering near corpses. This made Anpu the focal point of an older, more primal cult centered around the concept of "death". After discussing this with GPT, I’ve confirmed that as worship of Osiris rose in later eras, Osiris took charge of governing the Underworld. As reflected in his costume design, he rarely moves around much; he mostly sits quietly on his throne to deliver final judgments and rulings over the souls of the deceased.
Anpu, by contrast, embodies the actual after-death rites and processes tied to "death". He roams constantly and guides wandering souls. In this comic, he leverages his unique ability to hold unfiltered, heartfelt conversations with spirits to travel through and investigate Duat. For this reason, his cloak is only worn during formal rituals. Without the cloak and rounded collar, we see his everyday attire as the god of death.
Now about Osiris’s character design. From what I’ve read of Egyptian mythology, he was torn into fourteen pieces out of betrayal, yet he never sought revenge on his brother’s child. If that’s not the definition of a good man, I don’t know what is. I’ve admired him since childhood for his incredible, almost intimidating inner calm. Osiris radiates quiet dignity and boundless forgiveness, so his outfit is kept deliberately minimalist. His floor-length fitted white robe incorporates more modern design elements than any other look in the series.
Within this comic, all figures connected to royal blood are marked by an upright serpent crown (refer to the illustration of the three Bastet sisters; the twin wolf princes also wore serpent crowns back when they were still royals). Osiris, who embodies approachability and gentleness, even hides this serpent motif within his headdress’s carvings (see carved relief on his crown in Panel 3). Overall, Osiris’s design aesthetic is understated, introspective, and harmoniously blended.
Anpu’s original Egyptian name was written as Inpw. The ancient Egyptians did not record vowels in their script, so his name could be pronounced Imepu or Anpu. When cross-referenced with his later Hellenized name Anubis, the spelling Anpu feels like the most natural transliteration. I am not a specialist in Egyptian linguistics, so please pardon any inaccuracies here. His costume design revolves around a core theme of asymmetry.
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