How Manga and Anime Inspired Designs are Taking Over The World

Anime has been around for decades and has inspired many designers in a variety of industries. In recent years, we’ve seen a surge in popularity of anime-inspired designs in the fashion, home decor, and graphic design industries. Here’s a look at how this Japanese animation style is taking over the world of design.

Photo by Dex Ezekiel on Unsplash

Understanding Manga and Anime

Anime and manga are two different types of Japanese media that have taken the world by storm. While they both originate from Japan, they have different styles and content. Anime is a type of animation that often has more complex stories and plots, while manga is a type of comic that is usually more simplistic. Even though they are different, they both have inspired many different aspects of popular culture, including fashion and design.

Anime designs often feature bright colors and exaggerated features, while manga designs are more subdued and realistic. However, both styles have influenced the way people dress and accessorize all over the world. For example, it is not uncommon to see people wearing shirts with anime characters on them, or people with manga-inspired tattoos. In addition, many fashion designers have been inspired by the unique style of anime and manga when creating their own clothing lines.

There is no doubt that anime and manga have had a profound impact on the world of fashion and design. As more and more people become exposed to these Japanese media, it is likely that we will see even more manga and anime-inspired fashion and design in the future. Who knows, maybe one day everyone will be wearing clothes inspired by their favorite manga or anime character!

Fashion

One of the most obvious places where you’ll see anime inspiration is in fashion. From streetwear brands to high-end fashion houses, many designers have been incorporating anime-inspired elements into their collections.

Anime and Manga

Photo by Huynh Van on Pexels

One of the most popular ways to incorporate anime into fashion is through graphics. T-shirts and other garments with images and logos from popular anime series are very popular among fans of the genre.

You will also see iconic anime names and characters printed on clothing items. For example, it’s not uncommon to see a shirt with the words “Naruto” or “Goku” printed on it.

Another popular way to add a touch of anime to your wardrobe is through cosplay. Cosplay, or costume play, is when people dress up as their favorite characters from anime, manga, or video games.

Photo by Muhammad Faiz Zulkeflee on Unsplash

This can be done for fun or for fashion. Many cosplayers take their outfits very seriously and put a lot of time and effort into making them look as accurate as possible.

One of the most popular examples of anime-inspired fashion is Lolita fashion. Lolita fashion is a subculture that began in Japan in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The style is characterized by frilly, girly dresses and separates inspired by Victorian and Edwardian clothing.

While Lolita fashion was initially met with some criticism, it has since gained a large following all over the world. Today, there are countless Lolita fashion brands that sell everything from dresses and skirts to shoes and accessories.

Photo by Small Giant on Unsplash

Another high-end fashion house that has been inspired by anime is Louis Vuitton. In 2016, the brand released a limited edition line of clothing and accessories featuring designs from the popular anime series, Sailor Moon.

The collection was a huge success, selling out in stores all over the world. Louis Vuitton isn’t the only luxury brand to jump on the anime bandwagon – Gucci, Dior, and Givenchy have all released their own lines of anime-inspired clothing and accessories.

This year Balmain is jumping on the trend by realising the Balmain x Pokémon Fall 2022 collection.

Image Source Balmain Website

It’s clear that anime has had a major influence on the world of fashion. From high-end designers to everyday fashion brands, more and more people are incorporating anime-inspired designs into their clothing lines.

Whether you’re a fan of Lolita fashion or you just like wearing clothes with your favorite anime characters on them, there’s no doubt that anime is taking over the fashion world.

Home Decor

Anime-inspired designs are also becoming popular in the world of home decor. You can find all sorts of home goods with anime characters and graphics on them.

One of the most popular items to buy is an anime body pillow. These pillows usually have a character from an anime series printed on them and are designed to be used as a decorative item or for sleeping.

Image Source Amazon Website

Another popular home decor item that features anime designs is bedding. You can find sheets, blankets, and pillowcases with all sorts of anime characters and graphics on them.

Posters and prints featuring popular anime characters or scenes are becoming increasingly popular. In addition, people are also starting to collect figurines and other memorabilia from their favorite series.

Incorporating anime-inspired design into furniture and other household items is another trend. For example, you can find coffee tables and lamps that feature characters or motifs from popular anime series.

This trend is likely to continue as more and more people become interested in anime and Japanese culture. So if you’re looking to add a touch of anime to your home, there are plenty of ways to do it!

Graphic Design

Anime has also had a big influence on the world of graphic design. Many designers have been incorporating anime-inspired elements into their work.

One popular way to do this is through the use of vector graphics. Vector graphics are images that are created using mathematical formulas instead of pixels.

Image by gstudioimagen1 on Freepik

This allows for very clean and sharp lines, which is something that is often associated with anime. Many designers use vector graphics to create anime-inspired illustrations and logos.

Some popular graphic designers who have incorporated anime into their work include: Takashi Murakami, Junji Ito and Hayao Miyazaki. All of these artists have been heavily influenced by anime and have used it as a major source of inspiration for their work.

Takashi Murakami is a Japanese artist who is best known for his “superflat” style of painting. This style is heavily influenced by anime and manga.

Image Source Takashi Murakami Self-Portrait of the Manifold worries of a Manifoldly Artists 2012

Junji Ito is a Japanese horror mangaka (comic book artist) who is best known for his work on the Uzumaki series. His work is extremely graphic and often incorporates elements of body horror.

Junji Ito

Image Source Uzumaki by Junji Ito

Hayao Miyazaki is a Japanese animator, director, and producer who is best known for his work on the Studio Ghibli films. His films are highly imaginative and often have fantastical elements that are inspired by anime and manga.

Hayao Miyazaki

Image Source Hayao Miyazaki, Studio Ghibli

Another popular trend in graphic design that has been influenced by anime is the use of bright and bold colors. Anime is known for its use of bright, saturated colors, and many designers have been incorporating these same colors into their work.

This can be done through the use of color gradients or by using a limited color palette.

Final Thoughts

Anime has had a big influence on the world of design, and we’re starting to see more and more designers incorporating anime-inspired elements into their work. From fashion to home decor to graphic design, anime is making its mark on the world of design.

Shane Barker

About The Author

Clara is a school teacher, a yoga enthusiast, and a writer. Born in San Francisco and lived most of her life in Los Angeles. When not writing, she can be found hiking, taking the Metro, questioning this decision, and haunting local bookstores.

The Importance of Maintaining a Creative Mindset During Your Mental Health Journey

In this article we are going to cover the benefits of maintaining a creative mindset during your mental health journey.  We will share a variety of activities you can take part in and show the impact they can have on your mood and on your overall well being.

Research shows that almost 1 in 5 adults in the United States experience mental illness in a given time, and about 50% of the population will be diagnosed with a mental illness or disorder as some point in their life.  Thankfully, mental health treatments such as therapy, medication, and self-care, have made mental health recovery possible for most people. But it’s not a one-size-fits-all process, and it’s important to find what works best for you.

Let’s dive in.

What does it mean to be creative?

Creativity is about problem solving, finding new ways to do things, and enjoying what you love.

Creativity is all around us. It’s in the way we talk, the way we dress, and the way we interact with others. And, of course, creativity is most often intertwined with our hobbies and interests. But what does it mean to be creative? And how can creativity help your mental health?

The Cambridge Dictionary defines creative as “producing or using original and unusual ideas.” In other words, it’s a mindset where you can create original ideas, look at something in a new way, or make something different from what already exists.

 

(Image Source – royalty free from Pixabay)

Creators think outside the box with their ideas, allowing them to develop new solutions for problems that need solving. Entrepreneurs are creative because they turn societal nuisances and pain points into unique business ideas.

Of course, that’s just one example. Creativity comes in many different shapes and sizes. It’s considered an incredible tool for mental health and can improve your overall health in several ways:

Benefits of creativity on mental health:

  1. Increase self-esteem: You feel good about yourself when you create something new.
  2. Boost brain power: Thinking outside the box allows you to solve problems faster.
  3. Encourage socialization: Create an opportunity to get together with people that share your common interests.
  4. Reduce dementia: Research has shown that people who engage in artistic activities, like painting or sculpting, may be less likely to develop memory issues that could lead to dementia.
  5. Make you smarter: Certain creative activities help improve connectivity between left and right brains. The left side of your brain is responsible for motor functions, while the right side of the brain focuses on imagination. When both sides of your brain communicate with each other, your cognitive function improves.
  6. Improve immune system: Studies show people who journal their daily experiences actually have a stronger immune systems. It seems listening to music also has a similar impact.
  7. Relieve anxiety and stress: Artistic expression can help you feel more in control of your life by giving you a sense of purpose. It also allows you to forget about the stresses of daily life and focus on the task at hand.

Let’s take a closer look at the importance of maintaining a creative mindset for improving your mental health journey.

How can creativity help improve your mental health?

We have listed above the many ways in which engaging in a creative activity can help with your mental health and we’re going to look in detail at three examples: approaching problems from a different perspective, establishing connections with other people and finding a sense of purpose. If you have struggled with any of these before, make sure to read the below section in detail.

1. Approach problems from a different perspective

Image by pch.vector on Freepik

  • Creativity can help you see things from new perspectives: When dealing with something unpleasant, it can be hard to see things clearly because your brain is solely focused on the issue at hand. Creativity allows us to step back from whatever problem we’re facing and look at it through a new lens, which means that we might find new answers that we didn’t see before.
  • Creativity helps us solve problems: Sometimes, our problems seem unsolvable. But once we use our imaginations instead of just trying to logically figure them out (which isn’t always possible), we may discover new ways to tackle the issue instead of getting stuck where we started.
  • Creativity teaches us how to better handle emotions: Turn anger or sadness into something more positive, like an art piece or poem. Or even just talking about your emotions with a family member or friend can help you better understand what’s happening inside your head.

2. Establish connections with other people

Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash

Loneliness can be harmful to your mental health. Studies show that  loneliness is linked to specific mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem, especially if you have suffered from loneliness for a long time.

You may need to get your creative juices flowing if you’re having trouble connecting with others. A creative mindset allows you to express yourself in a unique, genuine, and personal way that’s incredibly appealing to others.

When you meet someone for the first time, instead of just asking them what they do for a living or where they are from, ask them what they like to do in their free time. These questions will give you a better idea of who they are and what they’re into. If you share specific interests or hobbies, this could help create an instant bond.

At Design Cuts we put our community at the heart of everything we do, and for this reason we have created our very own Community Hub. as a place where people can come together, to learn, share and get to know each other.  Here you can get feedback on your design work, improve your design skills by taking part in weekly design challenges or just enjoy a chat with like minded people.

3. Find a sense of purpose

Photo by Danica Tanjutco on Unsplash

Creativity can help you feel like you have a purpose in life. When we’re creative, we often think that what we’re doing is meaningful and important to us and the rest of the world around us.

Using creative hobbies as an outlet

Photo by Victoria Bilsborough on Unsplash

Dedicating time to creative activities and hobbies significantly impacts mental health.

Whether writing, drawing a cute dog, or playing your favorite games or sports, enjoying your favorite hobbies has many benefits for everyone. Even more so if you are struggling on a mental health journey, for example, engaging in your favorite activities can help you achieve a state of “flow.” “Flow is the way people describe their state of mind when consciousness is harmoniously ordered, and they want to pursue whatever they are doing for its own sake” (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990, p.3).

If your passion lies in the arts, creating beautiful murals in the center of your town will make you feel like your work is meaningful and that you are bringing smiles to everyone who walks by your colorful display. And even if your talents lie in another field of creativity (like writing or coding), there’s still a sense of purpose: what you do matters and impacts other people’s lives.

Below we list a few activities you can enjoy and which will help you alleviate stress and improve your mood and mental health.

1. Playing Video Games

Video games are one of the many popular activities that people use to achieve “flow” and improve mental health. Playing video games, whether console or pc games, improves problem solving skills and critical thinking, relieves stress, and provides a sense of accomplishment when you reach goals. Even though there are misconceptions about the effects of video games on mental health, plenty of studies prove the many benefits.

Also, they’re accessible and convenient, as you can find cheap alternatives or bring portable consoles or laptops with you everywhere. For many people, video games help them achieve an excellent state of flow, which is undoubtedly positive for their well being.

(Image source)

Many professional gamers start streaming or playing popular video games as a creative outlet to relieve stress. And now, many of them have found a way to create a full-time job out of a simple hobby. Find something you enjoy doing and spend your time improving your craft.

2. Drawing and Painting

For example, drawing reduces stress and anxiety by giving you a safe, private space to express your thoughts and feelings. It’s a way to get in touch with your emotions without the pressure of having to articulate them verbally. You can draw whatever you want — it doesn’t have to be good or even make sense. And it’s not just some abstract process, either — drawing helps us focus on the details of what we’re seeing around us.

If you are in need of some inspiration for your next drawing, painting or scrapbooking project, please check our Tutorials Section on our Learning Hub and search for the activity you’d like to try first.

3. Photography

Photography is another hobby that helps put your mind at ease. When you take photos, you’re forced to step back from everything else going on in your life and focus on the moment. You can’t be distracted by other things because you have to focus on what’s happening in front of the camera lens. The act of taking photos also helps with relaxation and stress reduction because it gives your mind something fun to do while also giving your body physical activity by walking around when taking pictures.

4. Watching your favourite TV show

Having a  TV package subscription and flipping from channel to channel usually doesn’t directly benefit our mental health. But choosing channels with programs that make us laugh, relax or learn something new helps create positive emotions and gives us a new topic of conversation to use when meeting new people.

And according to Barbara Fredrickson, a psychologist at the University of North Carolina, “experiencing positive emotions can have a long-term, sustainable impact on well-being. When we feel good, our minds open, and our awareness broadens – making us more able to think creatively.

So the next time you’re mad at yourself for watching Friends or The Office for the millionth time, don’t stress about it. Think of it as a simultaneous calming effect that’ll indirectly help you build future social connections and foster creativity.

What is the lesson here? Anything is possible in this world. If you feel lost, channel your energy into building a creative mindset and focusing on your favorite hobby. It isn’t a wasted time if it makes you feel happy. And you never know what could come of it.

Wrapping up

A creative mindset is a way of thinking, not a talent. You don’t have to be born with it. It’s about learning to see the world differently, approaching problems from unexpected angles, and spotting opportunities where others don’t see them. This can be applied to all areas of life — personal or professional — whether finding solutions to problems or simply looking at things from an alternative perspective.

Maintaining a creative mindset is essential for anyone seeking to improve their mental health. Looking at problems from different angles, being open to new ideas and experiences, and working towards long-term goals are all ways that creativity can help you manage stressors in your life.

Creativity allows you to express yourself and do things that you enjoy. Isn’t that what life is all about?

Shane Barker

About The Author

Shane Barker is a digital marketing consultant who specializes in influencer marketing, content marketing, and SEO. He is also the co-founder and CEO of Content Solutions, a digital marketing agency. He has consulted with Fortune 500 companies, influencers with digital products, and a number of A-List celebrities.

 

Top 10 Products to Make your Halloween Extra Spooky

We’re bringing you our best 10 Halloween resources to help you kick this holiday up a notch and make it the spookiest one yet. There are ghosts hanging from trees, carved pumpkins resting on porch steps, and mountains of sweets yet to be devoured. We hope these will help with all your Halloween plans – from planning parties and haunted houses, to crafting decorations and invites – and get the scene ready for the eeriest day of them all. Make use of them wisely and have a killer Halloween!

Dreadful – A Spooky Typeface

Dreadful Typeface is best used for headings, quotes, apparel design, invitations, posters, greeting cards, product packaging, and much more!

Black Magic

A spooky selection of textures, patterns and graphics to add some dusty, distressed chalk style to your darker designs!

Perfect all-year round for lovers of gothic style, witchcraft, magic, and old-skool spook, the pack also includes Halloween-specific designs for when everyone embraces a little more horror! Combining simple, linear styles as well as more detailed illustrations, this versatile set covers a range of spooky styles from sinister skulls to friendly ghosts.

Halloween Watercolor Collection

This big Halloween collection consists of high quality, hand painted watercolor graphics. Included are witch hats, pumpkins, broomsticks, banners and so much more. It’s perfect for DIY projects, cards, invitations, greeting cards, etc.

Kids Halloween Characters And Elements

A cute Halloween themed set of characters, lettering, patterns and templates for greeting cards. Using this collection, you can also create your own design: add your text, change the background as well as the composition of the characters! The illustrations and patterns are suitable for creating greeting cards, invitations, labels, stickers, posters, wrapping paper, banners, blog themes and so on.

Spooky Night – Halloween Set

The set of wonderful Halloween illustrations. We added carved pumpkins to the set as well as the cute ghosts, bats, candles, moon, trees and so on!

This set is a good choice for your Halloween projects and for decorating your celebration. These illustrations could look amazing as greeting cards, invitations, stickers, wrapping paper, party supplies, copybook covers, clothes, banners and a lot more!

Halloween Ink Pen Collection

Trick or treat your designs with these hand drawn, black and white Halloween illustrations.

Cute Halloween Collection

With this set, you will receive cute hand drawn witches, halloween elements, variations and different scenes, pre-made cards, 4 night backgrounds, and various solutions for using graphics…

Witchcraft Secret Graphic Set

This large set has dark, gloomy and strange illustrations, and patterns for the implementation of bold ideas and the presentation of dark sides.

12 Halloween Seamless Patterns

This is a set of vector Halloween seamless patterns in Orange, Yellow, Grey, Black and White. It’s perfect for greeting cards, wallpapers, pattern fills, web page backgrounds, wrapping papers and more.

Happy Pumpkins

This Happy Pumpkins Watercolor Collection includes pumpkins, wreaths, floral elements, frames, and more graphics for DIY designs. This set is just what you need for the perfect fall and Halloween projects, invitations, craft & DIY projects, paper products, party decorations, and much more.

We hope you have a spectacular Halloween, full of laughs and scares! If you found this article helpful and made use of one or more of resources, we’d love to know in the comments below.

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