TOKYO
Luffy (from “One Piece”), and Uzumaki
As model for efficiency and organisation,
Japan has grown into a modern,
technological hub. One of the major
biproducts of this rapid development is
Japan’s remarkable train system - the
Shinkansen. Known for its speed and
technology, these trains are one of the
most popular modes of transport in Japan
for people from all walks of life.
At the heart of the country are expanding,
developed cities which millions of people
call home.
Amongst these, Tokyo is perhaps the
greatest example: a stunning metropolis,
home to more than 37 million people and
one of the world’s wealthiest, safest, most
creative urban centers.
The Tokyo subway is a part of the
extensive rapid transit system that consists
of Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway in
the Greater Tokyo area of Japan.
Subway stations usually bring to mind,
images of dark, desolate, tunnels and are
mostly associated with unpleasant spaces.
But contrary to these beliefs, these stations
that house trains can sometimes be a
breath of fresh air in people’s busy daily
lives.
In early 2019, the walls of the Metro
Promenade at the Tokyo Metro Marunouchi
Line of Shinjuku Station got a make-over.
They were “punched in” with art to
celebrate the release of a highly anticipated
fighting game- “Jump Force.”
The design comprised of three wall arts that
created a wall being punched in, and was
on exhibition from February 18th to 24th.
It featured a 15 meter wide graphic art,
recreating the destruction made by three
popular characters in the game: Son Goku
(from the series “Dragon Ball”), Monkey D.
Naruto (from “Naruto”)
Another such an intervention was at
Tokyo’s Shibuya Station, a massive complex
with eight different train and subway lines.
Operated by three different companies, the
entire complex takes up several city blocks,
and in order to help passengers move from
one gate or platform to another, the whole
thing is connected by a series of huge
tunnels.
So with all that subterranean walkway wall
space, two of Japan’s biggest publishers
decided to create a massive mural starring
some of the anime/manga world’s biggest
stars.
The publishers of Weekly Shonen
Jump and Weekly Shonen Magazine,
decorated a 30m length of the Tokyo Metro
section of Shibuya Station with artwork
from their manga anthologies. Manga,
which are Japanese comics, have a massive
fan base the world over, with fans across
age groups.
The daily commute has become more
enjoyable as it now involves walking
alongside some of your favourite
characters. The crossover of the characters
is set against a series of high school
backdrops, giving it the effect of a manga
yearbook. Different characters mark various
sections of the station, depicting typical
high school scenes.
One such example up on the roof, the
preferred spot for emotional and brooding
teens in narrative fiction, is that of the two
old pals- Naruto and Sasuke. This
amalgamation of the much beloved fiction
into people’s daily lives has turned out to
be a fun way of bringing in a bit of vivacity
and zeal in every day’s monotony.

Exhibition at Shinjuku Station

Source: Google Images

Anime art at Shibuya Station

Source: Google Images

Anime art at Shibuya Station

Source: Google Images