Your Action-Packed Mission: Celebrate National Anime Day

Draw in closer…focus…channel your power. Give everything you’ve got to celebrate National Anime Day! Come meet some creatives at Funko who share why they’re so drawn to this fandom. Then, check out ways to join in the celebration. Let’s go!

Set off on a journey with anime fans from Funko. We’ve reached out to a Funko artist, a graphic designer, and a creative service coordinator. Find out why they’re fans and how anime inspires their work.

Scott Mucaro, 3D Visual Artist

When drawing for anime, one of the biggest things to remember is to keep the poses dynamic and interesting! So much of a character’s personality or intentions can be read just from how they’re posed, or what their facial expression is.

Goku is one of my favorite anime characters to draw. Even when I was in elementary school, I used to make little doodles of Goku on everything. I always thought he was one of the coolest characters. The determination and persistence to protect his friends and beat the big bads just made him such a fun character to watch in action growing up, and it's hard to not want to draw your favorite characters.

Dragon Ball has to be my favorite fandom. It's one of the oldest anime I can remember watching. I used to catch all the new episodes of Dragon Ball Z as they were airing on Toonami back in the day. From the show, to the video games, to the toys and collectibles, it's definitely one of my all-time favorites! I definitely like Shonen anime for sure as well. Yu-Gi-Oh! is one of my older favorites, and My Hero Academia, Demon Slayer, and Jujutsu Kaisen are some of my more recent favs!

I have a ton of Pops! from all those shows I just mentioned, but a bunch more from other shows, too, including Pokémon, Naruto, Trigun, One Piece, Ouran High School Host Club, Cowboy Bebop, and so many others!

On the rendering side of things, one of the ways we can try to capture that anime style is by using interesting materials. Often, characters might be using magic or certain abilities, and whether it's a unique translucent clear, or a bright fluorescent glow, we can create materials as we need them to best fit each character and help retain their styles.

Alexis Garcia, Associate Visual Designer

My favorite anime is Jujutsu Kaisen, which says a lot because it is the only show I actively choose to watch that I know is going to wreck me. I try to avoid things that will make me cry or cause emotional damage, but there are just so many good bois and bad-a** women that I am willing to go through the pain.

I could list so many other series I like, such as MHA, Haikyu!!, Demon Slayer. I often spend my breaks catching up on the latest episodes as they release.

My anime Pops! collection has many of the classics—JJK (of course), Hunter x Hunter, Demon Slayer, Haikyu!!, Fairy Tail, DBZ, Bleach, MHA, Pokémon, and Avatar: the Last Airbender. One of my favorite anime Pops! Is Muichiro from Demon Slayer. I got him at my first in-person event during FunKon at our HQ Store.

One of my favorite things about anime, and the marketing materials that go along with them, is the way they’re able to capture movement. You can often hear fans talking about how cool a fight scene looks or the way the magic a character possesses is so pretty. Finding a way to capture that same excitement in a static format is definitely a challenge. Finding ways to translate that same feeling into either the typeface or background is one of the reasons I love working on anime projects. 

Branden Irizarry, Creative Service Coordinator, Marketing

Anime is my favorite fandom because of the range of genres and art styles I've encountered over the years. 

My anime Pop! collection includes Black Clover, Jujutsu Kaisen, Demon Slayer, One Piece, My Hero Academia, Ouran High School Host Club, and Dragon Ball Z. My favorite anime series would have to be Black Clover, Jujutsu Kaisen, and Demon Slayer. Each has its own unique style and storyboard that captivates my curiosity.

From the visual aesthetic to the storytelling of each episode, whether it's action, romance, or comedy, each series has its own personality that resonates with many people.

You’ve trained for this! If you’re an anime fan, get ready to celebrate because today’s the day. If you haven’t already planned something, or if you’re a friend who wants to surprise an anime fan, here are a few ideas:

• Anime Watch Party. Host a marathon of anime series for friends and family. Serve up favorite foods you’ve seen characters eat and munch on them during the show.

• Create. Practice drawing a favorite anime character, or write your own manga story.

• Dress up. Throw an anime cosplay party and reward the best outfits with Funko Pop! prizes. (Ideas from Dragon Ball Z, One Piece, My Hero Academia, Demon Slayer, and Jujutsu Kaisen follow below. Access our entire anime selection here.)

• Prep for National Haiku Day (April 17). Write a haiku or two dedicated to the anime fandom. You could:

--Capture the noodle bowl/foodie tropes of favorite anime shows:

Wide ocean waves fall / The journey’s set before me / Wait. I see noodles.

--Recreate those goofy “first-crush” moments:

In training, intense / My crush walks by with a smile / My brains melt inside

--Relay the nostalgia of watching your favorite anime series:

Rain in the distance / Anime shows on TV / All homework can wait

Follow @OriginalFunko on social media this April and May for exciting new anime drops and other surprises! Share your photos, haikus, and other creations as well. We can’t wait to see what draws you closer to this fandom.