Japan is known as an anime powerhouse. The contents of anime it produces are unparalleled in quantity and quality. The word “animation” has a connotation of breathing life into lifeless things, which has something to do with the Japanese way of animistic thinking that assumes gods reside in “yaoyorozu (all things in nature).” The two words presumably derive from the same origin.

After Indian-born Buddhism was introduced to Japan, people became aware of the idea called “Sansensoumoku-shikkaijobutsu,” which means the Buddha nature exists even in inorganic things like mountains and rivers as well as in plants and trees. It may be no exaggeration to say that this animistic way of thinking is the origin of the modern-style anime-ism in Japan.

Although there are various interpretations, I think the collaboration by Yamaha Motor and GK Design was the first to create a design of slanted headlights for motorcycles. This can be one example of the anime-ism, which acknowledges the existence of a soul in a non-living object of motorcycle and accept that belief as it is. Western-style rationalism would specify that headlights should be something like flashlights. As it turned out, the Japanese-born motorcycle design with slanted headlights that look like a monster’s eyes has been adopted by overseas motorcycle brands.

As the human-centered design is beginning to lose momentum, why don’t we become more proactive in promoting the Japanese-style anime-ism that has been built on the idea of “Sansensoumoku-shikkaijobutsu”?

Takuji Watanabe

CMFG Design Dept.

Senior Director