Product Review

Kawaii is a word that originated in 1970s Japan when schoolgirls adopted the term to describe everything cute. This word is now understood world-wide and identifies a particular trend of visual aesthetics (Hello Kitty being the most famous). Kawaii is a recognizable art form practiced by artists all over the world and covers the visual gamut from commercial art (stickers, clothing, calendars, pens, pencils, erasers, video games) to high-brow contemporary art (e.g. Takashi Murakami and Yoshitomo Nara).

Presented primarily through full page images, Charuca (a Kawaii artist herself) has curated an international collection of the most popular adorable, hilarious, and sometimes dark Kawaii art being made today. Charuca begins each chapter with a small description of the artist and her feelings towards his or her work, creating an artistic dialogue spoken mainly through the loud, brightly full-colored images that flood each page. Some of the artists she selected include:

Aranzi Aronzo
Bubi Au Yeung
Bukubuku
Charuca
Devil Robots
Hiroko Yokoyama
Itokin Park
Marichan
Meomi
Paul Shih
Ryoko
Takidoki
Yukiko Yokoo