The Kawaii Project Turns Icons into Cutesy Japanese Cartoon Characters
Elise Ying-Hei Ho — December 11, 2012 — Pop Culture
References: kawaiiproject.tumblr & kotaku
The Kawaii Project, which originally started in September, has been getting quite a bit of attention online lately with its cutesy artwork, turning iconic and everyday characters into adorable big-eyed anime characters.
Originally focusing on political renderings with hilarious over exaggerated comments from both political parties such as, "Romney-san, I will never forget you..." the blog quickly evolved to include various pop culture icons as well. The Tumblr blog features popular characters from movies such as Tony Stark from Iron Man, Agent Phil Coulson, Jabba from Star Wars and real life characters such as Obama, Romney, Chairman Miao and many more. The user takes requests from fans to "kawaii" -- meaning cute in Japanese -- them, sending their own photos or requesting certain characters to be transformed.
Originally focusing on political renderings with hilarious over exaggerated comments from both political parties such as, "Romney-san, I will never forget you..." the blog quickly evolved to include various pop culture icons as well. The Tumblr blog features popular characters from movies such as Tony Stark from Iron Man, Agent Phil Coulson, Jabba from Star Wars and real life characters such as Obama, Romney, Chairman Miao and many more. The user takes requests from fans to "kawaii" -- meaning cute in Japanese -- them, sending their own photos or requesting certain characters to be transformed.
Trend Themes
1. Kawaii Art - Opportunity for artists to create cute and playful versions of well-known characters, tapping into the popular Kawaii aesthetic.
2. Anime-inspired Marketing - Brands can leverage the popularity of anime by incorporating anime-style artwork and characters into their marketing campaigns to attract a younger audience.
3. User-generated Content Transformation - Platforms or apps can be developed to allow users to transform their own photos or artwork into anime-style illustrations, opening up new creative possibilities.
Industry Implications
1. Art and Design - The art and design industry can explore new opportunities in creating anime-inspired artwork and products for a growing market of anime enthusiasts.
2. Entertainment - The entertainment industry, including movies, TV shows, and video games, can incorporate anime-style characters or collaborations to appeal to anime fans globally.
3. Technology - The technology industry can develop innovative apps or software that allow users to easily transform photos or artwork into anime-style illustrations, catering to the growing demand for user-generated content.
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