How Fashion Influences Manga and Anime
The inspiration for all those clothes our favorite characters wear has to come from somewhere. While we can spectate where some creators get ideas for outfits, here are two popular examples of fashionâs influence on manga and in turn anime.
Naoko Takeuchi, the creator of Sailor Moon.
The Sailor Moon franchise exploded both in and out of Japan after the original manga was published from 1991-1997. The 1992 anime is now a beloved piece of Saturday morning nostalgia for kids around the world. Though much of the art from Sailor Moon is directly from the runway. These looks, including that iconic Queen Serenity dress, are from a 1992 fashion week.Â
character and designer pairs from left to right: Calaveras & Christian LaCroix, Koan & Thierry Mugler, Setsuna & Chanel, Hotaru & Thierry Mugler, Serenity & Christian Dior
Takeuchi has been influenced by more than just high fashion. Sheâs also taken inspiration from the outfits of figure skaters, idol groups, figures in fine art and, the most obvious of all, the streets of japan, where the seifuku (Japanese girlsâ school uniform) is commonly found. Fashion from everywhere is infused into Sailor Moon as well Takeuchiâs other works, but if you think thatâs simply because Sailor Moon is a girly show meant to appeal to girls then you are about to be proven wrong.
Hirohiko Araki, the creator of Jojoâs Bizarre Adventure
Originally began to be published in 1986 and still ongoing, Jojo is a staple of boys manga that spiked in popularity outside of Japan thanks to its recent anime adaptation. Itâs known for its cast of macho men (and the occasional woman) that each have their own unique, though supernatural, fighting style as well as their unique senses of fashion.
âFashion is a part of each of the characters. Those wearing hats will keep them on, even in the ocean. The colors used were influenced by the designs of Versace, Moschino, Missoni and other Italian brands that were very trendy in the 80s when the series began,â - Hirohika Araki
Arakiâs charactersâ clothing designs and poses are inspired from fashion photography and illustrations.
All illustrations on left by Hirohiko Araki. Images on right from top to bottom: photograph from Vogue Magazine, illustration by Antonio Lopez, illustration by Antonio Lopez, illustration by Tony Viramontes
The iconic hand-in-face pose from Jojo originates from the world of fashion which clearly has had its influence on the creators manga and anime for decades. Whether it be through magical girls or burly stand users or anything else, fashion has found a new audience through manga and anime whether audiences are aware of it or not.
More comparisons between Takeuchiâs inspiration and illustrations.
More comparisons between Arakiâs inspiration and illustrations. x2