REPORT
Jun Inagawa is an artist and DJ who has recently attracted a great deal of attention in the street scene. His original artwork is influenced by subcultures such as manga, anime and music – with so-called otaku fetishism as the source of his style. His work is in demand from brands that represent various contemporary cultures, and he has collaborated with Vlone, Neighborhood, Medicom Toy and Ging Nang Boyz. In 2021 he published his first book, Mass Media Crush, and suddenly found himself under the spotlight of the cutting edge culture scene. However, he views this humbly, saying: “I was just painting things I liked.... It feels weird to say it myself, but that probably fitted in to the time of SNS.”
Inagawa’s family migrated to San Diego, US, for his father’s work after he graduated primary school. He was fascinated by manga there: “I was reading them so I wouldn’t forget Japanese, but I was moved by the work of Yusuke Murata, who is also known as Eyeshield21 and One Punch Man. So I wanted to make comics too.” At first, Inagawa posted his manga and illustrations on Instagram to show his school friends, but his drawings caught the attention of Nakel Smith, a member of the skater team/fashion brand Fucking Awesome. He sent Inagawa a DM, saying “super cool. I want the original – can you come to LA?” Inagawa recalls, “I was into skating culture too, under the influence of my uncle, and Fucking Awesome were heroes of mine. So I took a day off school and drove to LA. We ate pizzas and chatted, and they said ‘let’s do something together.’” Following that, Inagawa collaborated with another apparel brand owned by a member of Fucking Awesome, called Paradise, and got further work from a designer they introduced to him.
These experiences led to Inagawa’s views on otaku culture changing. “Even today, the word otaku may evoke an anime geek ‘train man’ in Akihabara. But with the members of Fucking Awesome, or the legendary skater Jason Dill, not only when we talk about skating, but also when they say something like ‘this music is sick’ or ‘the food there is awesome’ I see the same passion in their eyes that I have when I talk about manga. Otaku is not just those Japanese geeks in Akihabara. In a way, all skaters, or anime lovers, or rappers are otaku. And they are all really cool.”
Inagawa’s family migrated to San Diego, US, for his father’s work after he graduated primary school. He was fascinated by manga there: “I was reading them so I wouldn’t forget Japanese, but I was moved by the work of Yusuke Murata, who is also known as Eyeshield21 and One Punch Man. So I wanted to make comics too.” At first, Inagawa posted his manga and illustrations on Instagram to show his school friends, but his drawings caught the attention of Nakel Smith, a member of the skater team/fashion brand Fucking Awesome. He sent Inagawa a DM, saying “super cool. I want the original – can you come to LA?” Inagawa recalls, “I was into skating culture too, under the influence of my uncle, and Fucking Awesome were heroes of mine. So I took a day off school and drove to LA. We ate pizzas and chatted, and they said ‘let’s do something together.’” Following that, Inagawa collaborated with another apparel brand owned by a member of Fucking Awesome, called Paradise, and got further work from a designer they introduced to him.
These experiences led to Inagawa’s views on otaku culture changing. “Even today, the word otaku may evoke an anime geek ‘train man’ in Akihabara. But with the members of Fucking Awesome, or the legendary skater Jason Dill, not only when we talk about skating, but also when they say something like ‘this music is sick’ or ‘the food there is awesome’ I see the same passion in their eyes that I have when I talk about manga. Otaku is not just those Japanese geeks in Akihabara. In a way, all skaters, or anime lovers, or rappers are otaku. And they are all really cool.”
Jun Inagawa is an artist and DJ who has recently attracted a great deal of attention in the street scene. His original artwork is influenced by subcultures such as manga, anime and music – with so-called otaku fetishism as the source of his style. His work is in demand from brands that represent various contemporary cultures, and he has collaborated with Vlone, Neighborhood, Medicom Toy and Ging Nang Boyz. In 2021 he published his first book, Mass Media Crush, and suddenly found himself under the spotlight of the cutting edge culture scene. However, he views this humbly, saying: “I was just painting things I liked.... It feels weird to say it myself, but that probably fitted in to the time of SNS.”
Inagawa’s family migrated to San Diego, US, for his father’s work after he graduated primary school. He was fascinated by manga there: “I was reading them so I wouldn’t forget Japanese, but I was moved by the work of Yusuke Murata, who is also known as Eyeshield21 and One Punch Man. So I wanted to make comics too.” At first, Inagawa posted his manga and illustrations on Instagram to show his school friends, but his drawings caught the attention of Nakel Smith, a member of the skater team/fashion brand Fucking Awesome. He sent Inagawa a DM, saying “super cool. I want the original – can you come to LA?” Inagawa recalls, “I was into skating culture too, under the influence of my uncle, and Fucking Awesome were heroes of mine. So I took a day off school and drove to LA. We ate pizzas and chatted, and they said ‘let’s do something together.’” Following that, Inagawa collaborated with another apparel brand owned by a member of Fucking Awesome, called Paradise, and got further work from a designer they introduced to him.
These experiences led to Inagawa’s views on otaku culture changing. “Even today, the word otaku may evoke an anime geek ‘train man’ in Akihabara. But with the members of Fucking Awesome, or the legendary skater Jason Dill, not only when we talk about skating, but also when they say something like ‘this music is sick’ or ‘the food there is awesome’ I see the same passion in their eyes that I have when I talk about manga. Otaku is not just those Japanese geeks in Akihabara. In a way, all skaters, or anime lovers, or rappers are otaku. And they are all really cool.”
Inagawa’s family migrated to San Diego, US, for his father’s work after he graduated primary school. He was fascinated by manga there: “I was reading them so I wouldn’t forget Japanese, but I was moved by the work of Yusuke Murata, who is also known as Eyeshield21 and One Punch Man. So I wanted to make comics too.” At first, Inagawa posted his manga and illustrations on Instagram to show his school friends, but his drawings caught the attention of Nakel Smith, a member of the skater team/fashion brand Fucking Awesome. He sent Inagawa a DM, saying “super cool. I want the original – can you come to LA?” Inagawa recalls, “I was into skating culture too, under the influence of my uncle, and Fucking Awesome were heroes of mine. So I took a day off school and drove to LA. We ate pizzas and chatted, and they said ‘let’s do something together.’” Following that, Inagawa collaborated with another apparel brand owned by a member of Fucking Awesome, called Paradise, and got further work from a designer they introduced to him.
These experiences led to Inagawa’s views on otaku culture changing. “Even today, the word otaku may evoke an anime geek ‘train man’ in Akihabara. But with the members of Fucking Awesome, or the legendary skater Jason Dill, not only when we talk about skating, but also when they say something like ‘this music is sick’ or ‘the food there is awesome’ I see the same passion in their eyes that I have when I talk about manga. Otaku is not just those Japanese geeks in Akihabara. In a way, all skaters, or anime lovers, or rappers are otaku. And they are all really cool.”
The works shown in this exhibition are related to Magical Girl Destroyers, a TV anime based on Inagawa’s own ideas that is currently in production. It is a prequel to Otaku Hero, which INAGAWA has developed since high school: a society in which the exclusion of otaku is legalized, where magical girls and otaku heroes stand up to the government. For the exhibition, original artwork and concept art for the production has been 2.5-dimensionalized with StareReap2.5.
“The embossed expression of the characters is refreshing. It is as though the painting is coming alive, with a different kind of reality compared to anime or manga,” says Inagawa, with a sample in his hand. On top of making original artwork in 2.5 dimensions he also tried to develop new ideas, like combining different printing in layers and making collages. Although he does not go into specific details, some of the works contain a special intention in the way they are layered: “the release of the anime is not for a while, but watching it after seeing the work exhibited here may lead to some discoveries.”
He also comments, “I think it is cooler than I imagined. And whether it is cool or not is an important element.” His past exhibitions have welcomed fans of anime, rock and hip-hop. As a pioneer on the horizon of ‘cool’, Inagawa welcomes all in a friendly manner, drawing them into his world. “I want various kinds of people to come and see this. In that way, the exhibition space may create some chemical reaction. That is part of the fun.”
“The embossed expression of the characters is refreshing. It is as though the painting is coming alive, with a different kind of reality compared to anime or manga,” says Inagawa, with a sample in his hand. On top of making original artwork in 2.5 dimensions he also tried to develop new ideas, like combining different printing in layers and making collages. Although he does not go into specific details, some of the works contain a special intention in the way they are layered: “the release of the anime is not for a while, but watching it after seeing the work exhibited here may lead to some discoveries.”
He also comments, “I think it is cooler than I imagined. And whether it is cool or not is an important element.” His past exhibitions have welcomed fans of anime, rock and hip-hop. As a pioneer on the horizon of ‘cool’, Inagawa welcomes all in a friendly manner, drawing them into his world. “I want various kinds of people to come and see this. In that way, the exhibition space may create some chemical reaction. That is part of the fun.”
The works shown in this exhibition are related to Magical Girl Destroyers, a TV anime based on Inagawa’s own ideas that is currently in production. It is a prequel to Otaku Hero, which INAGAWA has developed since high school: a society in which the exclusion of otaku is legalized, where magical girls and otaku heroes stand up to the government. For the exhibition, original artwork and concept art for the production has been 2.5-dimensionalized with StareReap2.5.
“The embossed expression of the characters is refreshing. It is as though the painting is coming alive, with a different kind of reality compared to anime or manga,” says Inagawa, with a sample in his hand. On top of making original artwork in 2.5 dimensions he also tried to develop new ideas, like combining different printing in layers and making collages. Although he does not go into specific details, some of the works contain a special intention in the way they are layered: “the release of the anime is not for a while, but watching it after seeing the work exhibited here may lead to some discoveries.”
He also comments, “I think it is cooler than I imagined. And whether it is cool or not is an important element.” His past exhibitions have welcomed fans of anime, rock and hip-hop. As a pioneer on the horizon of ‘cool’, Inagawa welcomes all in a friendly manner, drawing them into his world. “I want various kinds of people to come and see this. In that way, the exhibition space may create some chemical reaction. That is part of the fun.”
“The embossed expression of the characters is refreshing. It is as though the painting is coming alive, with a different kind of reality compared to anime or manga,” says Inagawa, with a sample in his hand. On top of making original artwork in 2.5 dimensions he also tried to develop new ideas, like combining different printing in layers and making collages. Although he does not go into specific details, some of the works contain a special intention in the way they are layered: “the release of the anime is not for a while, but watching it after seeing the work exhibited here may lead to some discoveries.”
He also comments, “I think it is cooler than I imagined. And whether it is cool or not is an important element.” His past exhibitions have welcomed fans of anime, rock and hip-hop. As a pioneer on the horizon of ‘cool’, Inagawa welcomes all in a friendly manner, drawing them into his world. “I want various kinds of people to come and see this. In that way, the exhibition space may create some chemical reaction. That is part of the fun.”
Inagawa checking samples. Some pieces of his work feature QR codes, which you can scan with your smartphone for a link to his playlist.
Inagawa checking samples. Some pieces of his work feature QR codes, which you can scan with your smartphone for a link to his playlist.
Controlling the levels of the surface so that the central figure appears to be coming forward. Although the pieces cannot be touched in the exhibition, the texture of the surface evokes figure dolls, which Inagawa says is one of the attractions of StareReap 2.5.
Controlling the levels of the surface so that the central figure appears to be coming forward. Although the pieces cannot be touched in the exhibition, the texture of the surface evokes figure dolls, which Inagawa says is one of the attractions of StareReap 2.5.
“Some people say that Jun Inagawa has merged otaku and street, but I am just faithfully painting what I like,” says Inagawa.
“Some people say that Jun Inagawa has merged otaku and street, but I am just faithfully painting what I like,” says Inagawa.
JUN INAGAWA
Anime concept creator/Artist/DJ
Born in 1999. Having been fascinated by anime and manga from a young age, he began drawing. His junior high and high school years were spent in California, US, where he was strongly influenced by street culture. He began his creative career in LA in 2017. He collaborated with Vlone and Paradise there, and after returning to Japan developed his style with the influence of Japanese punk and techno culture, attracting attention in various underground scenes. He worked with Ging Nang Boyz, Neighborhood and Medicom Toy, and published his first art book Mass Media Crush through Meaz. He is also an active DJ in the group Yagi, led by Okamoto Reiji.
Production of the television anime series Magical Girl Destroyers, to which he is contributing original ideas, has been confirmed.
https://magical-mad.com/
Anime concept creator/Artist/DJ
Born in 1999. Having been fascinated by anime and manga from a young age, he began drawing. His junior high and high school years were spent in California, US, where he was strongly influenced by street culture. He began his creative career in LA in 2017. He collaborated with Vlone and Paradise there, and after returning to Japan developed his style with the influence of Japanese punk and techno culture, attracting attention in various underground scenes. He worked with Ging Nang Boyz, Neighborhood and Medicom Toy, and published his first art book Mass Media Crush through Meaz. He is also an active DJ in the group Yagi, led by Okamoto Reiji.
Production of the television anime series Magical Girl Destroyers, to which he is contributing original ideas, has been confirmed.
https://magical-mad.com/
JUN INAGAWA
Anime concept creator/Artist/DJ
Born in 1999. Having been fascinated by anime and manga from a young age, he began drawing. His junior high and high school years were spent in California, US, where he was strongly influenced by street culture. He began his creative career in LA in 2017. He collaborated with Vlone and Paradise there, and after returning to Japan developed his style with the influence of Japanese punk and techno culture, attracting attention in various underground scenes. He worked with Ging Nang Boyz, Neighborhood and Medicom Toy, and published his first art book Mass Media Crush through Meaz. He is also an active DJ in the group Yagi, led by Okamoto Reiji.
Production of the television anime series Magical Girl Destroyers, to which he is contributing original ideas, has been confirmed.
https://magical-mad.com/
Anime concept creator/Artist/DJ
Born in 1999. Having been fascinated by anime and manga from a young age, he began drawing. His junior high and high school years were spent in California, US, where he was strongly influenced by street culture. He began his creative career in LA in 2017. He collaborated with Vlone and Paradise there, and after returning to Japan developed his style with the influence of Japanese punk and techno culture, attracting attention in various underground scenes. He worked with Ging Nang Boyz, Neighborhood and Medicom Toy, and published his first art book Mass Media Crush through Meaz. He is also an active DJ in the group Yagi, led by Okamoto Reiji.
Production of the television anime series Magical Girl Destroyers, to which he is contributing original ideas, has been confirmed.
https://magical-mad.com/