ANIME TATTOOS: ALL YOU’VE EVER WANTED TO KNOW

Anime is an incredibly popular cartoon genre all over the world, and some hardcore fans choose to show off their love through body art. If you’re getting an anime tattoo, you want to be sure that you’re getting the best artwork possible, as with any tattoo, so it’s important to look into different tattoo styles to see which ones fit best. Some work better than others when it comes to anime tattoos, and not every style does this genre of tattooing proper justice. We offer advice on which tattoo styles are best suited to anime tattoo designs, and show you some of our favorite tattoos out there right now. If you don’t know much about anime, be prepared to make a list of must-see series and films, and get some inspiration into your next tattoo.

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13-04-2020

New School Anime Tattoo Style

The New School tattoo style is the best one suited for anime tattoos, and there’s a good reason why we say that. This style is known for its bold, vibrant colors, and use of detailing and shading to create depth and a 3D effect. Anime cartoons are also known for a use of bold colors and details to tell a story, so combining these two for a tattoo is the perfect match. New School tattoos tend to feature cartoon-style designs anyway, so your beloved anime characters can easily be depicted in a tattoo using this tattoo style, without having to compromise color, detail or depth. A number of anime cartoons are drawn using a similar aesthetic to the New School tattoos, the only thing you need to do is make sure you find an artist who excels in this particular tattoo style to do the ink for you.

Illustrative Anime Tattoo Style

As far as tattoo styles go, Illustrative works with almost any kind of cartoon-type of design. The only difference between choosing an Illustrative or New School anime tattoo is the level of depth you want – do you want it to have a 3D effect, or do you want a tattoo that looks like a sketch or a painting? Both are great options, but with the Illustrative style, there tends to be more of a 2-dimensional appearance. If you’re looking for an anime tattoo that’s true to the original manga style, Illustrative may be the best style option for your ink.

Japanese Anime Tattoo Style

Japanese style of tattooing is all about sharp angles and over-exaggerated features. This style lends itself really well to anime series that are geared more toward the horror genre, because of the effects such designs can create. The process is normally done by hand, using specialized tools, so it takes longer than those done using tattoo machines, but the experience is a unique one that you’re unlikely to forget. If you want a true Japanese tattoo featuring anime designs, consider going with a Japanese style.

MOST POPULAR ANIME FOR TATTOOS

We scoured the internet to find the best anime tattoos that pay tribute to some of the most popular anime series and feature films. We delve into some of these shows, and give you some inspiration by showcasing the designs that we thought made for top notch anime tattoos. Learn about some of the most widely known anime series and gather inspiration for your next tattoo, all in one spot!

DRAGON BALL Z

Dragon Ball Z is an anime series that first aired from 1989-1996. There was a second round of episodes of the series which aired from 2009-2011, and a continued run from 2014-2015. This anime series is considered a childhood classic for many young adults. The show focuses on a boy named Goku and his friends as they defend the Earth against evildoers, robots, and other creatures from the universe. The original series followed the main character from childhood to adolescence, while the follow-up series continued into his adult life, with the addition of his own children and their adventures. Dragon Ball Z is one of the most recognizable names in anime cartoons, one that many are familiar with even without ever having seen the show.

It should come as no surprise that Dragon Ball Z is one of the top choices for anime tattoo designs. This Goku sleeve is one of the best we’ve come across, due to the amount of detail and the story it tells. Every piece of negative space in the area is filled in by something to do with the show, making an entirely DBZ themed sleeve. Hardcore fans take note – this is how you rock a killer Dragon Ball Z tattoo.

SAILOR MOON

If you were a girl in the 90s, odds are you’re familiar with Sailor Moon and her planetary gang. Along with her Sailor Soldiers, the titular school girl turns into her alter ego to fight off dark forces who try to capture the Legendary Silver Crystal, and save the solar system. The show ran from 1991-1997, making a huge cultural impact that lasts even now. Female crime fighters took the stage, and have continued to do so since the show’s run.

There are many design options for Sailor Moon tattoos, and there’s a huge variety of anime tattoos dedicated to Sailor Moon out there. The symbols for each Sailor are a popular choice, as is Sailor Moon’s crystal wand, but we felt that this particular design is one of the best we’ve come across. It encapsulates the heroine herself in her classic post-transformation pose. There’s zero question that anyone who has a tattoo like this is a huge Sailor Moon fan.

COWBOY BEBOP

Cowboy Bebop is an anime cartoon set in the future following the adventures of a bounty hunter and his associates. This show had a short run in the late 1990s, but is considered one of the greatest anime series of all time. Cowboy Bebop is said to be responsible for introducing a new audience of viewers in North America to anime in the 2000s after its initial run in Japan.

As far as anime tattoos go, this design is a winner. It features the main character and creatively adds some details of the show using his hair as a frame. The spaceship that the characters travel in is just as much of a character on the show as the people in it, so it’s fitting that it would be featured in an anime tattoo that pays tribute to the iconic show. There are tons of design options for anime tattoos of this particular cartoon, but this one is our favorite Cowboy Bebop one so far.

NARUTO

Initially published as a manga comic in 1997, Naruto was adapted into an animated series which aired from 1999 to 2014. Naruto is the third best selling manga series worldwide, making it one of the most popular anime series in the world. The two-part series follows teen ninja Naruto Uzumaki on many adventures as he seeks to be recognized by his village, while showing that he would be fit to, one day, become the leader of the village.

We chose this trash polka Naruto tattoo as our favorite because it’s so incredibly unique. This is the first anime tattoo that we’ve seen done in this style, and it works perfectly with this design. The chaotic style emphasizes the tumultuous nature of Naruto’s journey to become accepted and admired. Before seeing this design, we wouldn’t have said that trash polka is a good style for anime tattoos, but, clearly, we were mistaken.

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