Kawaii Tattoos Aren’t a Fleeting Trend — They’re a Lifelong Ode to Innocence
For these five tattoo artists, cute characters are forever.
Long before they graced your TikTok feed, kawaii characters lived in cherished childhood memories. They were stamped on lunch boxes, pencil cases and water bottles — and for members of the Asian diaspora and beyond, characters like Hello Kitty and Rilakkuma became long-standing passions that carried into adulthood. While today’s microtrends struggle to remain relevant years down the line, some kawaii fans have made a lifelong commitment to their favorite characters by permanently marking them onto their skin.
On the internet, the growing interest in “trinkets” and other cute collectibles is sometimes dismissed as a toxic consumerist ideal, rather than a genuine hobby. For kawaii fans, this opposition leads outsiders to believe that cute characters are merely a phase shaped by momentary trends. As a result, first-time tattoo clients often feel discouraged from seeking out cutesy tattoos — since kawaii art is seen as less sustainable than more traditional work. But, in spite of Gen Z’s obsession with tattoo removal, kawaii tattoos aren’t always the result of spur-of-the-moment decisions and fleeting trends — they’re a genuine way for fans to reconnect with the most vulnerable parts of themselves.
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For this reason, kawaii tattoo artists are pushing back on the notion that their work is bound to fade away. While artists widely agree that tattoos don’t necessarily require a sentimental meaning, many realize that cute tattoos in particular are especially tender for clients. Dasarang Son specializes in kawaii tattoos and finds that most clients have an innate connection to the characters they choose to get tattooed, “For many, it is tied to a feeling, a memory, or a part of themselves they don’t want to lose. Sometimes it’s a character that gives them comfort during a difficult time [or] a reminder of someone they love.” Beyond that, the idea that kawaii motifs are a passing trend has never discouraged the artist. “Meanings don’t fade when trends change. If anything, they grow stronger with time. A tattoo is something you choose to carry for life,” Son tells Hypebae.
While some tattoo fans believe that kawaii work will not hold up compared to traditional art, Heather Owen-Burrows finds the exact opposite to be true. Early on into their tattooing career, Owen-Burrows was influenced to opt for simple tattoos rather than the cutesy ones they actually desired. “I wish I would have got a kawaii character sleeve, or a Studio Ghibli sleeve. But instead I got tattoos of plants and nature because I thought it would be more timeless. I really wish I could go back and just get tattoos of what makes me happy instead of worrying if I would grow out of it. I’m 29 now and I haven’t grown out of cute things and at this point I don’t think that I ever will,” the artist tells Hypebae.
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Beyond just looking cute, kawaii art is a way for both artists and clients to bond over their shared interest. In the case of tattoos, they become an outward manifestation of a passion for kawaii culture. “I think like all tattoos, a kawaii tattoo is a visual representation of an interest that person has. It can be something deep like a memory or shallow like just a cute design they vibed with. When I see a stranger with a cute tattoo, I know we have something in common,” Seo Yeon Han tells Hypebae. Similarly to their clients, most kawaii tattoo artists attribute their work to their childhood love for cute things. “Kawaii characters are a big source of inspiration for my tattoo designs and fuel my passion for creating. I love sharing my hyperfixations, and it’s always such a joy to fangirl with clients who share the same interests in the same kawaii characters,” Amy-Lee Wong says.
Not only are kawaii tattoos personally significant, but their childlike nature also allows wearers and artists to tap in to concealed parts of themselves. “There’s so much emotional and sentimental value in kawaii tattoos. I look at kawaii tattoos as a living shrine that honors softness and innocence, when adulthood often pressures us to leave [them] behind,” tattoo artist Arcissa Jackson says. She notes that in a world that constantly undermines the value of kawaii art, people that proudly wear the style have a sense of courage that she deeply admires.
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Jackson also notices that there’s an interesting juxtaposition between the way that tattoos are perceived as “tough” and how kawaii fans deliberately opt for cutesy designs. For many of her clients, this stark contrast can be empowering. “I like to think of it as the iron hand behind the velvet glove — cute and soft on the outside, but tough as nails on the inside. Most of the people I’ve tattooed embody a bit of both. So the idea of getting inked with something sparkly and cute just makes sense,” she says. For Owen-Burrows, kawaii tattoos are also inherently feminist because of this. “Getting a tattoo of something you love — even though others might see it as childish — is quite empowering,” she adds.
As for the future of kawaii tattoos, artists have no doubt that their work will continue to be an evocative way for their clients to honor their childhood passions and reunite with the most authentic versions of themselves. While the rest of the world might see cute characters as a fleeting phase, devoted fans are here to remind us that just like their tattoos — the kawaii movement will never fade.
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