Summary
Japanese fashion brand Uniqlo has become a go-to place for anime and game fans to get their nerdy fashion fix around the world. The affordable brand often has t-shirt collaborations with some of the biggest series in gaming and anime, and with stores around the world along with an online store, they are easy to get a hold of, too. Some of the big collaborations Uniqlo has done in the past includePokémon,Attack on Titan,Chainsaw Man, andFinal Fantasy. Even now, they have shirts fromOne PieceandKaiju No. 8.
A new and exciting line was just announced this month, though, coming mid-September at least to Japan. This time, the collaboration is with a popular Japanese musical artist namedKenshi Yonezu. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because he is behind the music in somevery popular anime and video game titlesin recent years. Because the shirts in the collection are based on popular songs that Yonezu has released, several different popular series are represented, along with a piece by the legend Hayao Miyazaki himself.
The Kenshi Yonezu Collection at Uniqlo
A Little Something for Everyone
The full range of t-shirts in the Kenshi Yonezu collection are based on songs or singles that the artist released for a game or anime, and one for his most recent album “Stray Sheep.” There are six designs in total, each in a different color. One of the most recognizable songs by Yonezu will be"Kick Back," the opening songfrom Chainsaw Manlast year. To celebrate that song, there is a white shirt with main character Denji on the front. “Kick Back” is the first Japanese song to be certified gold by the Record Industry Assocation of America (RIAA).
Other shirts include one based on the song “Pop Song,” which Yonezu released in 2022 to be used in a commercial forPlayStation. The character on the shirt was drawn by Yonezu himself, and he appeared as that character in the “Play Has No Limits” commercial. The main theme for the 2022 movieShin Ultraman, “M87,” was also sung by Yonezu. The shirt is black with a drawing of Ultraman also done by Yonezu.
Final Fantasy XVIis also represented with a drawing of the wolf, Torgal, who was a fan-favorite part of the game. Again, the drawing is done by Yonezu himself, and is on the back of a black shirt with the game’s logo on the front. Yonezu sang the Japanese theme song for the game, “Tsuki Wo Miteita-Moongazing." That makes five out of six shirts, all with a design not only based on Kenichi Yonezu’s work but also drawn by him. The final shirt in the collection, though, stands out as something a little more special for fans in Japan.
Miyazaki’s First Uniqlo Piece in Japan
It’s About Time
One piece in particular in the Kenichi Yonezu Uniqlo collection is getting Japanese people excited, and that is the one based on Studio Ghibli’s latestaward-winning filmThe Boy and the Heron. The shirt has a drawing done by Hayao Miyazaki himself, depicting main character Mahito sitting at a desk and reading a copy of the novelHow Do You Live?, which inspired the movie. Kenishi Yonezu sang the song “Spinning Globe”/”Chikyugi,” which plays during the ending credits of the movie, and the cover art for that single is what is on the shirt.
What is making everyone so excited is the fact that this is the first time that Studio Ghibli has had any shirts for sale at Uniqlo in Japan. Depsite being a Japanese company, Uniqlo has only had Studio Ghibli shirts for saleat its stores in Taiwan, Thailand, and Singaporebefore. Studio Ghibli may be one of the most famous Japanese animation studios in the world, but they never collaborated with any Uniqlo shirts in their home country. This special shirt fromThe Boy and the Heronfor the Kenshi Yonezu collection is truly special because it is opening the door for Studio Ghibli to potentially have more shirts for sale in Japan in the future.
TheKenshi Yonezucollection has only just been announced in Japan, so there is no news yet about whether the shirts will also be for sale internationally or not. Many othergaming and anime shirtshave made their way to Uniqlo’s international stores in the past, though, so there is a good chance that these will as well. In the meantime, if you are in Japan after mid-September, you may pick them up in person or online for 1,990 yen (USD $12.85) each.
