Why Most Japanese Clip Art Looks Like This

And no, even though I love Takashi-san's clip art, this is most definitely not a sponsored video. But he was kind enough to let us use all the images for free, despite using over 100 of them!

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[LifeWhereImFrom]

And no, even though I love Takashi-san's clip art, this is most definitely not a sponsored video. But he was kind enough to let us use all the images for free, despite using over 100 of them! What a boss!

[iyuki_]

A blogger once confirmed this directly with Takashi-san: his arts omit buttons, pockets, etc., so that there is no sense of discomfort even when they are reversed. Plus, the color scheme complies with CUD (Color Universal Design), so that even color-blind people will not be confused.
All of them are designed to be cute, but based on solid rules.

[einjineer]

I thought the Japanese Government standardized the art style they use in a country, but it was just because of one man.
People of Japan need to give an award to this man. Thanks Irasutoya-sensei!

[merutography]

Dude I was living in Japan for a year until I one day realised that litterally EVERYWHERE the cliparts looked good and consistent. And for some reason I never questioned howww? Well, now I know. Thank you! 👍🏼

[aldiy]

If Takashi-sensei isn't filthy rich yet he is rightfully should be, His stuff is everywhere. It's incredible he made it all by himself.

[macaoron]

I feel like his clipart style has been around for earlier than 2012! This just goes to show how important art and design is, and how being selfless and kind results in a better society!

[scwhk]

I never knew that these clipart were made by just one person. Since these were so many of them, I always assume there are more one person making them but some how they would keep the same style. Thanks a lot for making this video and thanks Takashi-san.

[YSN]

This video explains a lot. I've seen this art style used here and there over the years. But I really started wondering when I saw both Vtubers and translators use the same style clipart in their thumbnails.

[Figgy]

I feel like people outside Japan wouldn't know about this topic, but seriously, if you're in Japan, this is the illustration/clipart used for

[Jordan-inJapan]

A video about clip art, using only clip art for imagery. That’s so meta!

But seriously, Irasutoya makes my job as a public teacher in Japan so much easier. We have strict rules about use of copyrighted materials in my office, I basically have to explain where any imagery I use comes from. But with Irasutoya stuff, there’s no need since it has a particular look that everyone recognizes. And yes, I sometimes use it in videos for YouTube too. 🍻

[cassiel]

I left Japan in 2011, so in the last few years I'd been totally puzzled as to where all this clip art had suddenly sprung up from and why everyone was using it! Explains a lot, thanks.

[KampersandH]

literally the Kevin Macleod of Japanese clipart, Takashi's stuff is everywhere and useful

[EddVCR]

What’s also awesome about Irasuto-Ya’s body of work is that you can find illustrations on _anything and everything_ . It’s become such a favorite pastime for people online to find the most obscure subjects on his site that it’s kind of become a meme.

Here are some examples:
• Second generation cult member
• Kids playing with busted portable consoles
• Horseshoe crab blood
• A person conjoining oil bubbles in ramen broth
• Office workers asleep underwater with tropical fish
• Blue curry
• Fish that’s been eaten messily
• An eye for an eye (my personal favorite!)

[kompto-confett]

Irasutoya has a huge variety of clip art images. For example, "the uncanny valley, ” “a fixed game, " "a puffer fish that spits water, " “people who play with oil floating in ramen soup, ” “people who is seen playing with VR game by others, " “an old man who pretends to take medicine”and so on...
It makes me wonder what kind of clip art images Irasutoya doesn't have.

[shironerisilk]

I imagine how proud he must be seeing his art literally everywhere! And also, it's so cute, I love it. This video is the best type: Things I didn't want I wanted to know. Thanks Greg and thank you Takashi-san!

[majibento]

I’ve always wondered why my Japanese teachers’ presentations had the same clipart style… thanks for the vid! I’ll be using this amazing dude’s clipart next time I need some

[suhben]

This is the video I didn't know I wanted. I have been big into Japanese Vtubers lately and had always noticed how they would use the same style illustrations as props, etc.

[UnConstant]

Takashi Mefune will be in our heart, my heart. This guy made thousands of illustrations for FREE, not like other companies, this is the only surviving kind people and almost no one knows who he is. I found him like 2 months ago when I was using Canva, trying to find something that fit in the same style was very HARD. This man saved my life!

[jonasozana]

I've been unsuccessfully trying to google this artstyle for so long, ever since I've noticed it was so ubiquitous in anything Japan related. Thank you so much!

[gwyn.]

Basically one man carried the entire Japanese clip art market