The prominence of manga and anime culture in the fashion landscape

Social media has revolutionised the way audiences consume popular culture. Over the past few years, Gen Z and Gen Alpha audiences worldwide have been increasingly influenced by K-pop, anime, and gaming cultures. But who would have thought the Japanese art forms of manga and anime would become a noticeable trend in the fashion landscape? Appearing everywhere from runway shows to capsule collections, manga and anime-inspired fashion has fueled changes in modern streetwear aesthetics, cosplay culture, and luxury collections.  

The coming together of global fashion and the world of Japanese manga and anime culture is, however, not a new phenomenon. The creative character designs and clothing choices of anime have influenced the fashion universe before. The Kawaai-influenced modern streetwear takes its cue from comics featuring eerily unreal silhouettes and playful colours and has become the epitome of maximalism. 

The Balmain partnership with Pokemon, the Gucci × Doraemon capsule, and Loewe‘s Spirited Away collection stands for exclusive luxury with accessible art. Gucci's Lunar New Year campaign featured the well-liked manga icon Doraemon across different product categories. Katsuhiro Otomo’s sci-fi action series titled Akira created a rage in the cyberpunk fashion space with the Akira Red Biker Jumpsuit influencing several high-end streetwear brands like Comme de Garcons, Supreme, and Bape. On the other hand, brands like Uniqlo and Adidas have also collaborated with manga series like Dragon Ball Z while Loewe and Studio Ghibli’s 'Spirited Away' capsule collection is infused with anime reverie. Characters like No Face, the mysterious Haku, Sorceress Yubaba and Chihiro, and Susuwatari Soot Sprites are emblazoned across their signature designs.

Luxury powerhouses like Louis Vuitton, Prada, Loewe, Gucci, and Moschino have embraced manga on their runway shows. For instance, Jeremy Scott unveiled Anime Antoinette, a rococo royal for the Fall 2020 Moschino show. His Marie Antoinette collection got a Tokyo twist with motifs inspired by The Rose of Versailles, a popular manga comic. Louis Vuitton's Spring Summer 2021 menswear collection hit the runway in the form of inflated figures; the collection was based on manga illustrations of Reggieknow, a multi-hyphenate artist based in America.

Several beauty influencers are also translating manga aesthetics into make-up, hair, and nails. Tomihiro Kono, a Japanese wig artist cum influencer gained traction because of his creative repertoire ranging from anime style and rococo bouffant to biomorphic details. His Kira Kira eye design, which has a manga eye painted on a wig, is a perky yet modern take on wig-making. 

#ComicNails, an aesthetic straight out of a comic book, has quirky appeal and a vivid colour pop contour. Evie Culver, a digital creator and nail artist from Nashville, created an eye-catching cartoon nail featuring neon hues with a black accent to create a 2D look. Hello Kitty claws, Demon Slayers butterfly nails, Sukuna Ombre French tips, Sailor Moon Mani, Spirited Away nails etc, are some of the manga and anime manicure designs to try on. 

The viral Douyin Makeup, an attention-grabbing dystopian make-up, is inspired by manga aesthetics. It is a straight dive into the Japanese cartoon world featuring translucent skin, shimmery eyelids, and mauve blush. Manhua (manga-style eyelashes) are spiked in clusters and highlight areas of baby fat across the face. The manga and anime aesthetics—cartoonification and hyperrealistic fashion—offer an infinite canvas for self-expression and experimentation.