Totoro and Catbus sukajan is two iconic Japanese looks blended by a U.S. fashion brand【Photos】
BoxLunch shows springtime flare with its Studio Ghibli collection.
Studio Ghibli's anime films are widely considered to be among the high-water marks of the Japanese animation world, but they've proven popular far beyond their country of origin. Likewise the sukajan, a type of jacket originating in the Kanagawa Prefecture town of Yokosuka, has earned worldwide recognition for its fashionable mix of contrasting-color satiny fabrics and embroidered imagery of soaring dragons, leaping koi, and other romantic symbols of Japan and the Far East.
And as further proof of their international popularity, there's now a Totoro/Catbus sukajan created by a U.S. fashion brand.
BoxLunch isn't exclusively an anime fashion label, but rather a provider of pop-culture themed apparel, accessories, and housewares in general. With anime having now firmly solidified itself in the American entertainment landscape, though, BoxLunch has plenty of items for fans of Japanese animation, including some new springtime items. The most eye-catching addition to the lineup is the My Neighbor Totoro Catbus Sakura Jacket, which mixes images of the Ghibli stars with a cherry blossom motif.
▼ The back of the jacket has the Catbus' name written in Japanese script plus the year of My Neighbor Totoro's Japanese theatrical release.
Depending on the material, sukajan can be very expensive, but the satin polyester shell BoxLunch uses keeps it at a relatively affordable US$79.90, and makes it machine washable to boot, according to the company's website.
If you're looking for a more snuggly jacket, BoxLunch also has a My Neighbor Totoro Cherry Blossom Zip Hoodie with all three Totoros (Big, Medium, and Small) for US$64.90 with a cool cherry blossom zip pull.
The Totoro trio also appears on the My Neighbor Totoro Cherry Blossom Totoro Women's Cardigan (also US$64.90), with some Soot Sprites keeping them company at their cherry blossom-viewing ocarina concert.
Finally, if you're more of a Spirited Away fan, BoxLunch is also offering a Haku Cherry Blossoms Embroidered Crewneck pullover (US$54.90) with Haku in his dragon form on both the front and back, along with flocks of Yubaba's pursuing Shikigami servants and the movie's title written in Japanese.
All of the items can be ordered through BoxLunch's online store (sukajan here, hoodie here, cardigan here, and crewneck here).
Source: BoxLunch
Top image: BoxLunch
Insert images: BoxLunch (1, 2, 3, 4)
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