For a few years now, we’ve been able to see that the world of fashion seems to be eternally on board of a boat trip in search of those childish toons that appeal to nostalgia and, at the same time, to a colourful aesthetic. A clash between what’s considered naive and fashionista that helps soften the almost too abrupt ways of contemporary life. We’ve seen Sponge Bob, The Simpsons, The Jetsons, Marvel superheroes, Peanuts and, of course, everything and anything that smells like Disney and Mickey Mouse. Above all, Mickey Mouse.
ARE MANGA AND ANIME THE NEXT FRONTIER OF THE FASHION WORLD?
The sneaker collection that adidas Originals has just launched is based on Dragon Ball Z characters, and it could be the first symptom of the next great fever that will take the fashion world by storm. A fever for manga and anime which, on our behalf, we hope will end up translating into a great number of collections with characters from Japanese productions that accompanied us through childhood.
But, a few months ago, adidas Originals surprised us with a movement that was more than just interesting by announcing a whole sneaker collection in which each model was inspired by a specific Dragon Ball Z character. We’ve seen sneakers honouring Son Goku, Son Gohan, Vegeta, Cell and Freezer, among many others. And the truth is that the world of streetwear, which is precisely the main precursor to the toon fever in its beginnings, has embraced with great fervour each and every drop of this extremely limited collection.
Does this mean that we’re finding ourselves on the first steps of a Japanese seismic wave that is going to shake the fashion world? Maybe so. And if so, here we’re going to talk about the five manga and anime series from our childhood that we hope will end up erupting into the best collections of the next seasons
EVERYTHING MIYAZAKI AND STUDIO GHIBLI. Hayao Miyazaki and all of the movies produced by Studio Ghibli seem to be the perfect door through which the world of fashion could access the inexhaustible sources that are manga and anime. Totoro, Porco Rosso, Chihiro, Mononoke… Miyazaki and Ghibli are overflowing with iconic characters and sublime creations that are awaiting their time to shine on all types of all-over prints.
CANDY CANDY. Japanese cartoons have always been known for their big eyes and their characters. And, on that note, there aren’t bigger eyes (and more stylised figures) than those seen in the fauna that inhabited the show Candy Candy. And also, the tragedies the main character had to go through, which could have been taken out of the most ruthless Greek and Roman plays, are the perfect excuse to add drama to any piece of clothing.
SAINT SEIYA. Netflix is producing a remake of Knights of the Zodiac in 3D. And so, we should be urging them, before this imminent disaster becomes a reality, to get a designer with special expertise in melancholy to take the original comic by Masami Kurumada (or the show that was based on it) to use it to carry out the homage to astrology that everyone seems to be waiting for.
EVANGELION. Neon Genesis Evangelion is, most likely, one of the weirdest, complex, dramatic and fascinating shows Japan has gifted the world. Which we have to add that it is full of wonderful images that join the usual manga aesthetic, the mechas (in other words: giant robots with a human form) and references to the bloodiest of Christian mythology. What else could we ask for?
SAILOR MOON. Anyone that has watched more than two anime shows in their youth knows that not everything is robots or punches: Japanese shows are crazy about magic and girls dressed in sailor or school uniform outfits that fight against implausible monsters. On that note, no bigger fantasy like Sailor Moon exists, where sequences of lunar transformations are just dying to be printed on top of the most stylised pieces of clothing.
