Before Research:
The tone of the image is what first draws the viewer in. Fudo is looking very intense and lost in thought, while his disciples are almost playful with the imagery that the artist took. The line usage is also very striking, for instance take the details in the dragon on the sword or the usage of the flames behind Fudo. The detail is also very striking, just look at Fudo and the detail done to his hair and clothing, it's so clear and distinctly done. Finally, the color usage is very interesting. It is unclear if the saturation is due to aging or if it was intentional, but regardless of that facet, the colors used on Fudo, his disciples, and the flames behind Fudo all add quite a bit to the tone of the image and help to declare the intensity shown by the Red Fudo.
After Research:
The Red Fudo depicted here is formally known as Fudō Myō-ō and is one of the major deities within Japanese Esoteric Buddhism. It is theorized that his angry demeanor is to remind those that view him of the demons within hell. His rope that he is holding is used to tie up and subdue demons while the sword is meant to cut through ignorance with the dragon around it meaning a cleansing lightning. He is also seated upon rocks thus referring to the "Fudo" in his name which directly translates to "Immovable". The flames behind him are meant to purify the mind and melt away material desires. So even though he appears to be an angry demon or perhaps a chaos deity, he is actually meant to help souls find enlightenment via Buddhism.
References:
Schumacher,
M. (n.d.). Fudo Myo-o (Fudou Myou-ou) - Wrathful Messenger Who Protects
& Serves Dainichi Buddha, Japanese Buddhism Art History. Retrieved
October 7, 2018, from http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/fudo.html
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