Rabat – What do a Tokyo street corner, a New York high school hallway, and a Moroccan street have in common? Increasingly, the answer is someone dressed like their favorite anime character.

In recent years, the fashion industry has seen the rise of anime-inspired fashion outfits, prompting fans to show off their love for anime through carefully selected clothing pieces and accessories. The phenomenon began in Japan and quickly made its way to many other countries.

This kind of fashion trend is said to come from the concepts of “otaku culture” and “kawaii culture”. An “otaku” is seen in Japan as someone who’s obsessed with some interests, and “kawaii” is used to refer to “cute” or “lovable”. Nowadays, however, anime-inspired clothing has transformed into a means of self-expression for a person.

Social networks such as TikTok and Instagram helped bring anime trends into mainstream fashion. Searching for hashtags #AnimeOutfits and #AnimeFashionInspo leads to different combinations based on various characters. 

You can wear a dress inspired by “Nana” with knee-high boots like “Sailor Moon’s”, or for a more masculine look, the fashion in Hirohiko Araki’s “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure” can be stylish in a “bizarre” way. 

History

In the 1990s, youth used fashion as a means to defy traditional norms of dressing, trying out bright colors, striking combinations, and various styles. As time went on, Harajuku–a term for experimental Japanese street fashion that rejects standard societal norms– became a hub for a number of fashion movements, including Lolita style, Gyaru, Ura-Harajuku street fashion, and cosplay.

There have been many anime series that created the fame of fashion trends. “Sailor Moon” (1992) and “Nana” (2005) are the ones that played a key role in establishing the trend.

The author and artist Naoko Takeuchi’s approach to dressing the characters of “Sailor Moon” was something of a breakthrough in her era. Her designs lean into the show’s fantastical storytelling through both haute couture and ready-to-wear, and attentive viewers can find direct echoes of real runway pieces throughout the series. 

Sailor Uranus and Neptune wear looks that remind us of Atelier Versace’s autumn/winter 1993/94 collection. Sailor Saturn’s bodysuit copies a Thierry Mugler haute couture piece from autumn/winter 1992/93, first modeled on the runway by Kristen McMenamy. 

Princess Serenity’s famous gown has a shape inspired by Greek columns. It is based on the Palladium dress from Christian Dior’s spring/summer 1992 haute couture collection, designed by Gianfranco Ferré.

While “Sailor Moon” introduced a lot of people to anime fashion, Ai Yazawa’s works did much more than that. Her manga series “Paradise Kiss” is about fashion design students, making fashion the main focus of the story, while her more popular series, “Nana”, where the titular superstar wears Vivienne Westwood’s iconic Orb necklace and armor ring, shows how fashion can represent a person’s personality.

The great admiration Yazawa has for Vivienne Westwood is visible throughout her work since fashion transmits thoughts and ideas rather than simply being an element of the visual identity.

Anime-inspired street fashion is also not limited to women’s fashion. Men’s fashion has also been influenced by anime culture, especially through collaborations between fashion brands and famous anime names. 

The brand Ground Y is part of designer Yohji Yamamoto’s fashion house and has worked with series like “Neon Genesis Evangelion” and “Chainsaw Man”. This collection merges anime references with the darker colors and oversized shapes the brand is known for. 

Fans can wear such clothes to show their interests without wearing clothes with characters prominently featured on them.

Another significant example is “Akira”, a sci-fi film created by Katsuhiro Otomo in 1988. Its motorcycle theme has become very popular in streetwear. The movie’s style has inspired fashion designers to use its images in clothing even decades after the film came out.

Figures of fashion inspired by anime

The connection between anime and fashion has also reached numerous celebrities, fashion brands, as well as online influencers, thus making the characters’ clothing more visible.

In 2023, the fashion brand MSCHF created the giant red Big Red Boot, which was likened to popular anime footwear, such as “Astro Boy”’s. The original design quickly gained popularity in the media and proved how animated visuals can inspire current footwear design. 

The Nigerian stylist Wisdom Kaye is another good example of the anime influence on everyday and high fashion. 

Kaye is known for his extravagant outfits and online activity. He is also known for turning clothes of animated characters into realized outfits. For instance, his interpretations of Monkey D. Luffy’s costumes from “One Piece” include details recognizable to viewers and designer items.

There are many celebrities who have incorporated anime style into their fashion styles. For example, actor Michael B. Jordan worked with Coach on a line influenced by “Naruto” and used ideas from the series in contemporary accessories or clothing. 

Rapper Megan Thee Stallion, for her part, can be seen as an open anime fan through cosplay.

In this regard, it reflects how people refer to fashionable styling from television characters, as it does not require them to wear the complete costumes in order to be connected with a series.

This can include a hairstyle, a particular color combination, T-shirts with graphics, or even shoes.

As anime is gaining popularity through innumerable streaming platforms, social media, and international collaborations, it is evident that anime influences streetwear fashion trends as well.