The short version: Akira is to blame. And I'm sure I'm not the only one that feels this way.<\/p>
The long version: Blame for what, you may ask? My deep love of anime, manga, city pop and every other piece of Japanese culture I consume.<\/p>
I was a fan of Japanese history and culture before I even knew it, thanks to characters like Snake-Eyes and Storm Shadow in GI Joe comics (or Action Force as we called it in the UK in the 80s) who trained in Japan as ninja, and the more obvious characters of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.<\/p>
Long story short(ish), one day in 1991 in art class at school, I was looking through a pile of magazines that came with Sunday newspapers, looking for some pictures to use in a project, when I saw a quarter page advert for a VHS called AKIRA. Everyone knows the cover by now, with Kaneda stood looming over Neo-Tokyo, laser in hand. But at the time this was something new, something different, something.... what was it?<\/p>
It was a cartoon, but it was rated 15 (I was 12 at the time, imagine my confused brain!). I tore out the picture, used it in my project and then kept it (in a partially ruined state) in my school bag. I needed to know more about this \"Akira\", but there was no internet and barely any information on Japanese animation in any magazines in the UK.<\/p>
Within a few months Island World Video, under the name Manga Video, released a few more videos and started getting coverage in video game magazines. And that was how I got hooked (although strictly speaking I ended up seeing Project A-Ko before getting to see Akira for the first time, but it was that tiny advert I randomly stumbled across that lead me to a life-long obsession).<\/p>
These days anime, and manga, are wide spread and pretty much mainstream. My love for them lead me to wanting to learn more about Japan and Japanese culture in general. This then inspired my artwork at art college, and after a long hiatus I finally started painting again a few years ago and that has inspired me to start this streetwear \"brand\".<\/p>
The aim of the brand is to create clothing and accessories that appeal to those with a love of Japanese pop-culture, but without directly referencing existing products or characters. Sure, there will definitely be obvious inspirations (some more than others), but for the most part I want this to be a brand that evolves into something purely original but sticks to it's roots.<\/p>"},"textColor":{"id":47559971,"value":"#{feature.text.color}"}}},{"id":2450288,"type":"button","published":1,"size":{"x":12,"y":0},"order":2,"items":[],"properties":{"text":{"id":47559972,"value":"Visit Our Main Site"},"href":{"id":47559973,"value":"https:\/\/www.childrenofwolves.com\/"},"borderRadius":{"id":47559974,"value":"#{feature.border.radius}"},"align":{"id":47559975,"value":"center"},"primaryColor":{"id":47559976,"value":"#{button.primary.color}"},"secondaryColor":{"id":47559977,"value":"#{feature.text.color}"},"primary":{"id":47559978,"value":"0"}}}],"properties":{"icon":{"id":46656287,"value":null},"title":{"id":46656288,"value":null},"backgroundColor":{"id":46656290,"value":"#{feature.background.color}"},"padding":{"id":46656294,"value":"6"},"fullWidth":{"id":46656295,"value":"0"},"fullBackgroundColor":{"id":46656296,"value":"#{feature.fullBackground.color}"},"published":{"id":46656297,"value":"1"},"conditions":{"id":46656298,"value":"[]"},"direction":{"id":47559876,"value":"column"},"textColor":{"id":47559877,"value":"#{feature.text.color}"},"buttonText":{"id":47559878,"value":"Visit Our Main Site"},"copy":{"id":47559879,"value":"
The short version: Akira is to blame. And I'm sure I'm not the only one that feels this way.<\/p>
The long version: Blame for what, you may ask? My deep love of anime, manga, city pop and every other piece of Japanese culture I consume.<\/p>
I was a fan of Japanese history and culture before I even knew it, thanks to characters like Snake-Eyes and Storm Shadow in GI Joe comics (or Action Force as we called it in the UK in the 80s) who trained in Japan as ninja, and the more obvious characters of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.<\/p>
Long story short(ish), one day in 1991 in art class at school, I was looking through a pile of magazines that came with Sunday newspapers, looking for some pictures to use in a project, when I saw a quarter page advert for a VHS called AKIRA. Everyone knows the cover by now, with Kaneda stood looming over Neo-Tokyo, laser in hand. But at the time this was something new, something different, something.... what was it?<\/p>
It was a cartoon, but it was rated 15 (I was 12 at the time, imagine my confused brain!). I tore out the picture, used it in my project and then kept it (in a partially ruined state) in my school bag. I needed to know more about this \"Akira\", but there was no internet and barely any information on Japanese animation in any magazines in the UK.<\/p>
Within a few months Island World Video, under the name Manga Video, released a few more videos and started getting coverage in video game magazines. And that was how I got hooked (although strictly speaking I ended up seeing Project A-Ko before getting to see Akira for the first time, but it was that tiny advert I randomly stumbled across that lead me to a life-long obsession).<\/p>
These days anime, and manga, are wide spread and pretty much mainstream. My love for them lead me to wanting to learn more about Japan and Japanese culture in general. This then inspired my artwork at art college, and after a long hiatus I finally started painting again a few years ago and that has inspired me to start this streetwear \"brand\".<\/p>
The aim of the brand is to create clothing and accessories that appeal to those with a love of Japanese pop-culture, but without directly referencing existing products or characters. Sure, there will definitely be obvious inspirations (some more than others), but for the most part I want this to be a brand that evolves into something purely original but sticks to it's roots.<\/p>"},"template":{"id":47559880,"value":"feature"}}},{"id":2417366,"type":"row","published":1,"size":{"x":12,"y":0},"order":2,"items":[{"id":2417367,"type":"pod","published":1,"size":{"x":12,"y":0},"order":0,"items":[],"properties":{"title":{"id":46656403,"value":null},"copy":{"id":46656404,"value":null},"image":{"id":46656405,"value":"#{image.default}"},"href":{"id":46656417,"value":null},"borderRadius":{"id":46656418,"value":"#{image.border.radius}"},"overlay":{"id":46656420,"value":"1"},"padding":{"id":46656422,"value":"6"},"fullWidth":{"id":46656423,"value":"0"},"fullBackgroundColor":{"id":46656424,"value":"#fff0"},"published":{"id":46656425,"value":"1"},"conditions":{"id":46656426,"value":"[]"},"ratio":{"id":46656427,"value":"short"},"titleSize":{"id":46656428,"value":"1"},"media":{"id":46657482,"value":"image"},"video":{"id":46657483,"value":"#{video.default}"},"autoplayInBackground":{"id":46657484,"value":"1"},"template":{"id":46657485,"value":"pod"}}},{"id":2417424,"type":"textBlock","published":1,"size":{"x":12,"y":0},"order":1,"items":[],"properties":{"padding":{"id":46657486,"value":"2"},"html":{"id":46657487,"value":"
\n So you've written a bit about you. You might now write a bit about your products, your\n business and your values. These sorts of commitments turn the softer story about your\n origins into commitments that people can depend on. It's important to make these things\n clear and credible. You might say\n <\/p>\n
\n And this way, by deciding a mission, a vision and values, you set your business on a\n course that will help guide everything you do.\n <\/p>"},"textColor":{"id":46657488,"value":"#{feature.text.color}"}}}],"properties":{"icon":{"id":46656391,"value":null},"title":{"id":46656392,"value":"Our Values"},"backgroundColor":{"id":46656394,"value":"#{feature.background.color}"},"buttonText":{"id":46656395,"value":null},"padding":{"id":46656398,"value":"6"},"fullWidth":{"id":46656399,"value":"0"},"fullBackgroundColor":{"id":46656400,"value":"#{feature.fullBackground.color}"},"published":{"id":46656401,"value":"0"},"conditions":{"id":46656402,"value":"[]"},"direction":{"id":46657478,"value":"column"},"textColor":{"id":46657479,"value":"#{feature.text.color}"},"copy":{"id":46657480,"value":"
\n So you've written a bit about you. You might now write a bit about your products, your\n business and your values. These sorts of commitments turn the softer story about your\n origins into commitments that people can depend on. It's important to make these things\n clear and credible. You might say\n <\/p>\n
\n And this way, by deciding a mission, a vision and values, you set your business on a\n course that will help guide everything you do.\n <\/p>"},"template":{"id":46657481,"value":"feature"}}},{"id":2417369,"type":"banner","published":1,"size":{"x":12,"y":0},"order":3,"items":[],"properties":{"type":{"id":46656432,"value":"slim"},"title":{"id":46656433,"value":"An interview with our founder"},"copy":{"id":46656434,"value":"Blogs are are really good way of talking to your fans and they help grow your traffic."},"titleColor":{"id":46656435,"value":"#{banner.title.color}"},"titleBackground":{"id":46656436,"value":"#{banner.title.background.color}"},"copyColor":{"id":46656437,"value":"#{banner.copy.color}"},"copyBackground":{"id":46656438,"value":"#{banner.copy.background.color}"},"contentWidth":{"id":46656439,"value":"95%"},"textShadow":{"id":46656440,"value":"#{banner.text.shadow}"},"borderRadius":{"id":46656441,"value":"0px"},"buttonBorderRadius":{"id":46656442,"value":"#{button.border.radius}"},"buttonBackgroundColor":{"id":46656443,"value":"#{button.primary.color}"},"buttonStyle":{"id":46656444,"value":"secondary"},"buttonSize":{"id":46656445,"value":"standard"},"overlayOpacity":{"id":46656446,"value":"0.15"},"overlayColourStart":{"id":46656447,"value":"#000000"},"overlayColourEnd":{"id":46656448,"value":"#000000"},"overlayDirection":{"id":46656449,"value":"90"},"image":{"id":46656450,"value":"#{image.default}"},"video":{"id":46656451,"value":null},"videoThumbnail":{"id":46656452,"value":null},"media":{"id":46656453,"value":"image"},"align":{"id":46656454,"value":"center"},"verticalAlignment":{"id":46656455,"value":"center"},"font":{"id":46656456,"value":"#{heading1.font}"},"actions":{"id":46656457,"value":"[{\"text\":\"Read Our Blog\",\"href\":\"#\"}]"},"padding":{"id":46656459,"value":"6"},"fullWidth":{"id":46656460,"value":"1"},"fullBackgroundColor":{"id":46656461,"value":"#{banner.fullBackground.color}"},"published":{"id":46656462,"value":"0"},"conditions":{"id":46656463,"value":"[]"},"template":{"id":46657489,"value":"banner"}}},{"id":2417370,"type":"newsletterSubscribe","published":1,"size":{"x":12,"y":0},"order":4,"items":[],"properties":{"padding":{"id":46656464,"value":"6"},"spacing":{"id":46656465,"value":"64px"},"font":{"id":46656466,"value":"#{newsletter.title.font}"},"title":{"id":46656467,"value":"Don't miss out."},"copy":{"id":46656468,"value":"Don't miss out on the latest product launches and updates. Sign up to our newsletter"},"stacked":{"id":46656469,"value":"0"},"backgroundColor":{"id":46656470,"value":"#0000"},"textColor":{"id":46656471,"value":"#{newsletter.text.color}"},"primaryActions":{"id":46656472,"value":"0"},"formBorderRadius":{"id":46656473,"value":"#{form.border.radius}"},"buttonBorderRadius":{"id":46656474,"value":"#{button.border.radius}"},"borderRadius":{"id":46656475,"value":"#{newsletter.border.radius}"},"mailingList":{"id":46656476,"value":30600},"template":{"id":46656477,"value":"newsletterSubscribe"},"fullWidth":{"id":46656478,"value":"0"},"fullBackgroundColor":{"id":46656479,"value":"#{newsletter.fullBackground.color}"},"published":{"id":46656480,"value":"1"},"conditions":{"id":46656481,"value":"[]"}}}],"properties":{"title":{"id":46656241,"value":"About"},"isStorePage":{"id":46656242,"value":"1"},"ogImage":{"id":46656243,"value":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/thixpbjfwux3ueihetalq4i0mbg1uhgozm69vztrmp4imsp4.jpeg.jpg?w=1200&h=auto"}},"labels":[],"published":1,"sitemap":1,"divisionId":272050,"edited":true}