Pixels to Skin

Increasingly often, if you look at a random person’s tattoos, you’ll see more than the usual motifs of roses, butterflies, and skulls. Video game and anime tattoos are everywhere now, with Pokémon and Dragon Ball Z dominating this tattoo subculture. Depending on who you ask, these tattoos surged in popularity between three and 10 years ago.

L.A.-based tattoo artist Dan McWilliams, who specializes in realistic, 3D-esque Pokémon tattoos, says he started noticing tattoo artists specializing in anime tattoos six or seven years ago. Michela Bottin, an Italian anime and manga tattoo artist previously based in New York, says she first saw these tattoos getting popular within the past three to five years. Troy Slack, an Australian anime and pop culture tattoo artist, traces it back to 10 years ago.

Nostalgia, these artists observe, is the driving factor behind this subculture. Most people want to commemorate a series they grew up with or pay tribute to formative childhood experiences. McWilliams, though, has tattooed people who have never seen a certain anime but whose child loves it so much they want the tattoo anyway. Slack has inked tattoos that center around anime series that are only two seasons old.

The Initial Boom

Bottin, Slack, and McWilliams all began receiving enough requests for these tattoos that they began specializing in them. For Slack, posting his early Disney cartoon tattoos on social media led to him getting video game and anime tattoo requests. Bottin, who also has a background in Disney tattoos, noticed that anime and video game tattoos were in far higher demand while she worked in the U.S. than in Europe. McWilliams started as an oil painter creating still lifes, and as he began posting work inspired by Pokémon and Dragon Ball Z, people would request tattoos.

Many people who seek out video game and anime tattoos are first-timers with no previous ink. Others already have plenty of tattoos — and often, as Slack and McWilliams note, people who show up with no tattoos have a full sleeve a year later. People with video game and anime tattoos frequently want all kinds of tattoos, and starting with something drawn from their formative years makes them less hesitant to pursue this goal.

Stylistic Threads

No two video game or anime tattoo artists have quite the same style. The unifying thread among these tattoos is a well-known figure from a franchise rendered hyper-realistically with bold color and clear lines. These tattoos may transport one back to more innocent times in their life or evoke the comfort of their favorite adulthood hobby.

A great example is McWilliams’ tattoo of two Gengars leaping forth from a Game Boy Color. The Gengar near the screen is entirely filled in and shaded, lending this beloved Pokémon a complete sense of three-dimensionality and nailing its vivid purple color. Below that is a glitchy, semi-transparent Gengar near the direction pad — no wonder, according to McWilliams, “I’ve had a lot of people say they weren’t sure if [my tattoos] were real or if they were Photoshopped.” This jaw-dropping tattoo might make you want to dig out your old Game Boy Color, see if it still works, and pop in Pokémon Red or Blue.

Alongside faithfulness to the franchise, another key aspect of video game and anime tattoos is the use of shading, light, and curvatures that ground something in both the fantasy and everyday worlds. Though no technique dominates, Bottin’s signature approach is especially notable. She leaves lots of skin breaks in her drawings, so some parts of her tattoos are entirely uncolored, resulting in strong contrasts. Slack similarly says that intense contrasts in his work are a big draw among his clients, and McWilliams says the same of his approach to color.

Debates Around Style

As is often the case with emerging scenes, those who were tattooing long beforehand can be quick to dismiss video game and anime tattoos. Bottin has encountered a standoffish mentality at certain conferences. She recounts that some artists would say, “This is not old school. This is not new school. This is not neo-traditional. This is not tattoos. This is cartoon.”

At some Italian conventions where Bottin has judged, she recalls that anime tattoos have been penalized because, in the eyes of other judges, a Pokémon is not a tattoo or work of art. Bottin sees it differently: “This person drew it. It’s not just a Pokémon. It should be considered as any other piece.”

Not all conferences are hostile to video game and anime tattoos. In fact, in the U.S., Anime Ink, GalaxyCon, and the VideoGame Tatts convention are passionate about this precise scene. Slack, who has won pop culture tattoo awards, says that these dedicated conferences are a recent development and that they’re getting more competitive. They may provide some much-needed respite in a world where some artists turn their noses up at this booming scene.

Here to Stay

The artists working in video game and anime tattoos are enjoying it as much as the people getting them. “Half the reason why I love doing anime and comic characters is, there are a lot of action shots that you can play with to bring the foresight of it closer and push some things away,” Slack says. “You can do a lot of fun techniques with it in that respect.”

“Before I started tattooing,” McWilliams says about his journey into Pokémon tattoos, “I only worked in graphite, so [color] was this whole new world for me… I almost feel like I’m painting. I never really feel like I’m working.”

“Anime is not just anime,” Bottin says. “There is a lot of work that the tattoo artists put behind it, finding their own way to do it.”

The surging popularity of video game and anime tattoos is more than a fad. It’s a reminder that tattoos have always been a way for people to memorialize their most important experiences. This subculture shows us that the characters behind a screen can be as important to someone as the actual people in their life — and that a memorial to one is as powerful as a tribute to the other.

Anime NYC

New York City will be humming with eager anime fans this August 21-24 at Anime NYC in the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. Revel in anime, manga, and cosplay while exploring exhibits from major anime publishers and your favorite independent anime brands, attend screenings for some of the year’s hottest animes, and listen to panel discussions from publishers and fans alike. Many of anime’s biggest and brightest stars from the U.S. and Asia will be in attendance, excited to meet fans from all over the world.

Some exciting events happening at Anime NYC include seeing Yoko Takahashi, the singer of the “EVANGELION” theme song, perform on the main stage to celebrate the series’ 30th anniversary, and JAM Project as it celebrates the worldwide hit anime “One-Punch Man.”

Guests of Honor include Kenjiro Tsuda, the original Japanese voice of Seto Kaiba from Yu-Gi-Oh!, as well as Shu Sakuratani, the creator of “Rooster Fighter.” Additional Guests of Honor will be announced, who will speak on panels, meet fans, and celebrate anime and manga milestones.

Additional exciting areas at Anime NYC this year are the Gaming & Community Hall, where you can play and experience the hottest games out right now, as well as demo upcoming games from the independent developers themselves in the Play NYC area of the hall. Grab a bite at the Japanese Food Court presented by Dream Asia, where you can munch on a variety of Japanese cuisine. Check out the English voices of Vegeta by Christopher Sabat, Naruto by Maile Flannigan, Jujutsu Kaisen’s Suguru Geto by Lex Lang, and more.
animenyc.com

Rose City Comic Con

Rose City Comic Con returns September 5-7 at the Oregon Convention Center for an unforgettable pop culture experience. Despite its celebrity guest lineup, the event “is first and foremost about comic books, publishers, and creators,” bringing in more than 70 professional comic creator guests to its Artist Alley, who have completed work for Marvel, DC, Dark Horse Comics, IDW Publishing, Oni Press, and more.

Several big names behind some of the most popular comics are on the docket, including Amanda Deibert, with a remarkable resume that includes “Star Wars,” “Wonder Woman,” “Teen Titans Go!, and “Powerpuff Girls”; David Mack, the author and artist behind “Kabuki” and writer of Marvel’s “Daredevil”; and Arthur Adams, who has worked on legendary comics “Spider-Man,” “Batman,” and “The Incredible Hulk.”

And the celebrity guest names are nothing to balk at. Guests will get the opportunity to engage with the stars behind “Battlestar Galactica” and Mike Flanagan’s “Flanaverse,” as well as “Star Trek,” “Stand by Me,” and “Big Bang Theory” actor Will Wheaton, “Lost in Space” and “White Lotus” actor Parker Posey, and Henry Thomas of “E.T.” Additionally, Rose City Comic Con will welcome “The Goonies” cast members as they reunite for the film’s 40th anniversary.
rosecitycomiccon.com

GalaxyCon

With 18 scheduled events in 2025 and growing, GalaxyCon has rocketed into an impressive, action-packed event. From cosplay competitions to workshops, video gaming, a tattooing zone, exhibits, Q&A sessions with comic creators and anime voice actors, and more, guests have no shortage of entertainment and possibilities to enjoy.

The sheer multiplicity of happenings occurring at each event truly make GalaxyCon “A Festival of Fandom,” and its selection of services continues to swell. One of its newest features, Galaxie Ink, in partnership with River City Tattoo, offers comic convention-goers an extraordinary resource for on-site piercing and tattooing options.

Double down on the thrills with the Celebrity Signature Tattoo Experience, where celebrity meet-and-greets and photo and video opportunities await. Past celebrity participants include William Shatner, Danny Trejo, John Carpenter, David Howard Thornton, and James Marsters.

“Galaxie Ink works diligently to provide a safe and inclusive body art environment to fans from all walks of life,” the company states, further detailing, “Galaxie Ink has provided first-time services to several attendees who have otherwise felt intimidated or excluded from the body art world.”

GalaxyCon is currently held in 14 locations throughout the U.S., including New Orleans, Santa Fe, and St. Louis, offering comic convention seekers more options to partake in the festivities. The celebrity, voice actor, comic author, and cosplayer lineup is astounding, with names like “Hellboy” actor Ron Perlman, “Teen Titans” voice actor Tara Strong, DC Comics writer Mark Waid, and cartoonist Jo Wos on the itinerary.

Get dressed for the occasion and ready yourself for comic relief at GalaxyCon, where you can mingle with kindred spirits and celebs, get in on copious gaming opportunities, and soak up the knowledge of leaders in the comic industry. While you’re at it, mark the occasion with some excellent ink.
galaxycon.com