Anime has gone far beyond its original roots and found its way into many areas of Japanese culture, including fashion. From Tokyo, the heart of the Japanese anime and fashion industries, it has also spread to the West and can be seen on the catwalks of Paris and New York as well as the streets of almost any major city.
If ever there was a cross-cultural phenomenon, it would have to be anime. In Japan, the early animators were highly influenced by the cartoons of Walt Disney and other Western pioneers of animated cartoons. They applied their own unique style to their creations, however, and anime became a distinctively Japanese form of art based on the manga comic book style.
As manga and anime grew in popularity in Japan, so did the rivalry between their artists and and producers. Ever more complex plot lines and elaborate drawings were created. From the fairly simple drawings of early anime like Astroboy, anime characters and backgrounds became increasingly sumptuous and highly detailed. Illustrators looking for a fresh and exciting look turned to Victorian England and Rococo design for their inspiration. Especially in the anime designed specifically for girls and young women, costumes became a big part of the creation of anime. Read the rest of this entry »