The Rise of Anime Streetwear

 

Anime has risen a bit in popularity over the years and made its way into fashion. While I do enjoy some anime I don't consider myself an anime fan. Those who have consumed hundreds of anime or closely follow the production of upcoming anime, anime artists, attend anime panels, or purchase a lot of anime merch are the ones I feel more comfortable giving the label. Still, I would like to discuss how the popularity of anime in recent years has affected fashion.

Back in the late 90s when I was first introduced to anime through Pokémon, Sailor Moon, and Cardcaptors they were just considered cartoons as the years passed the term anime got introduced to me. Then, it was really niche regulated to children who didn't know the difference between cartoons and anime and teenage and adult nerds. While I was in high school these groups did not particularly care for fashion outside of wearing graphic tees that had anime on it and for some reason around that time those horrible button-up Dragon Ball Z shirts were popular.

That's how a lot of anime apparel was and some still are. They were loud and just had characters plastered on the front with no consideration for balance or subtlety. These just screamed I'm into anime at an annoying front. Now while I still wouldn't quite say anime is mainstream it has no doubt become popular. New anime movies are shown in theaters now versus back in the day where you had to import them or find them through the internet by certain means. We also have anime that are exclusive on streaming services like Netflix when before we only had the likes of Crunchyroll and Funimation. Toonami in the 2000s definitely played a part in this. Celebrities like Megan thee Stallion, Saweetie, Ariana Grande, and Michael B. Jordan have expressed their affection for anime. There gave also been rappers in the past who name dropped Naruto and Dragon Ball Z in their songs along with Kanye West having allusions to Akira in his "Stronger" music video years ago. 

Actually, hip-hop and anime has had a connection for decades. Streetwear has been popularized by black people and hip-hop since the 1980s and these communities have built their own fashion lines. On the opposite end in Japan we have seen hip-hop influence in anime like Samurai Champloo and Devilman Crybaby. So considering that multiple artists have put out their own fashion brands it's not surprising when someone like Kanye who had this anime reference and who also had a relationship with Nico the creative director of Uniqlo it makes sense when an Akira and Supreme collaboration is made.

It doesn't stop there. you can pick up clothes with anime imagery at top retailers like Hot Topic, Forever 21, SHEIN, and even Target. I've also seen kiosk at malls with gaudy anime shirts as well.

Michael B. Jordan wearing his Naruto x Coach denim jacket with Megan Thee Stallion beside him sporting a Naruto crop top.

There have also been officially licensed anime merch with big names attached like Adidas and when Michael B. Jordan collaborated with Coach for a Naruto inspired line. Corporations have started to see anime as profitable for better or worse. It's quite common to see people wearing a Naruto shirt or hat since anime merch is so accessible now. Fan art of popular anime characters dressed in fashionable streetwear usually Supreme is a common thing on the internet now. I feel this is an evolution of the 2000s when we would see thugged out versions of cartoon characters like Spongebob and Bugs Bunny on t-shirts. I've slowly seen anime fans dress up a little bit better. It may be due to the kinds of people becoming new fans or the amount of new options available to us, but it has noticeably changed. 

YouTuber NavaRose's Demon Slayer Jeans

 

In the DIY community there has been a surge of people customizing jeans with anime imagery. These could either be printed on through means like a vinyl machine or hand drawn with fiber markers or even a Sharpie. These have gained popularity through online platforms like Tik Tok and Pinterest. This is personally one of my favorite implementations of anime streetwear.

Anime clothing now isn't even just regulated to established anime. A lot of the apparel out there have generic or original anime girls on them in kawaii or provocative poses or some that just have Japanese phrases that are often found in anime. Most of the apparel out there is still pretty bad and like with gaming apparel you have to look for it. It's unlikely you'll find anything good from one of the major retailers, but here are a few places where I have found some stylish gems:

Imouri

This New York based brand features original anime art printed on shirts, hoodies, joggers, shorts, and even sneakers. Their apparel can range from minimal designs like this striped tee to more intricate pieces like this jacket or this graphic tee that displays the anime character as if she was on a magazine cover. Imouri also has a physical store you can visit in New York as well if you prefer in person purchasing.

 

 

Japan LA: 

On the opposite coast we have Japan LA. This LA based company also has both on-site and online stores. Most of their merchandise is trinkets like key chains, bags, and plushies, but you can also buy a few pieces of clothing as well. I particularly like this Sailor Moon tee. Not only do the colors look amazing, but the fabric looks soft. They could've just put a big image of Sailor Moon on a white tee and called it today, but they took in consideration of color contrast and asymmetry to make it look more interesting.

Valeza Lifestyle

Valeza Lifestyle has anime inspired Japanese streetwear. Their inspiration is more utilitarian and Japanese fashion inspired than most of the others on this list. They are a Filipino owned company based in and their collection consists of jackets of various designs including reflective hoodies.

Atsuko

Atsuko is definitely more the creative anime apparel sites out there. You do have your basic graphic tees, but they also have hoodies and vests that break the mold like check out this One Piece hoodie with a panel pattern or this Evangelion vest and shorts combo. It's among the best I've seen on the internet. Also regarding the graphic tees they do have some that are just stand graphic tees with a character image or text, but there are other ones that are bit more creative like implementing an 80s or early 90s aesthetic. Some of their items do go a bit on the pricier side like their satin hoodies that are $120 each. Definitely give them a look.

Slashed Co

This store will actually open on June 20th, but I'd keep an eye on it. Created by cosplayer Kissmyashe, this brand will focus on anime streetwear. So far a Demon Slayer Tanjiro baseball jacket has been revealed so far, but even with that single piece there are many ways to style it as the creator demonstrates.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CejgeLJJA-5/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

These are just a few to get yourself started. Honestly, a lot can be found through Instagram ads or reposts from cosplayers if you don't like the retail store options. I'm not sure if anime clothing is just a fad right now, but the fans selling items from their Etsy or small business site will keep them alive for all of our otaku hearts.