Brava for ITALIAN MANGA!

CACTUS, MOOFIA, ADIOS the Grim Reaper and his girlfriend Ciao Ciao – the Italian-born cartoon characters who rival Japan’s best-loved manga heroes – have invaded CentralWorld.
They’re the cheery cast of creatures conceived by street artist Simone Legno and printed on all sorts of lifestyle items marketed under the Tokidoki brand.
But they’ve arrived in Bangkok as full-size sculptures and are ensconced right through March at Groove, the mall’s new retail and dining space.
Legno, a Rome native who co-founded Tokidoki and now serves as its creative director, tells us he drew incessantly and was forever chewing on pencils. Japanese manga became an inspiration for an eventual online portfolio dubbed Tokidoki, which means “sometimes” in Japanese.
The cartoons’ niche appeal blossomed into a global hit after entrepreneurs Pooneh Mohajer and Ivan Arnold spied the artwork and convinced Legno to move to Los Angeles and get into retail in partnership with them.
Legno filled in the details for us on a recent visit to Bangkok.

SO ITALY SAW A LOT OF JAPANESE POP CULTURE WHEN YOU WERE A KID?
Starting in the ’80s it was huge there. Even my mum knows characters like Mazinger and Doraemon! It was so popular – every kid of my generation was watching Japanese anime.
And, for me, it wasn’t just about the dialogue in the cartoons – I got to see the Japanese lifestyle. I’d see the fast trains, the students, the cherry blossoms, the rice balls, the kimonos and so on and started to develop this passion for Japan. When I was 19 or 20 I went there for the first time.

WHO WERE YOUR FAVOURITE JAPANESE ANIME CHARACTERS?
There are many. As a boy I was so into robots – and I still am! When I shop I look for old robots that were produced when I was a kid, which I couldn’t have at the time because I wasn’t spoiled at all.
One that I really liked was called Daitarn 3. I also really like boxing anime like Ashita no Joe and Ganbare Genki and Tiger Mask very much. For cute stuff, I like Doraemon.

YOU WERE ALSO IN A PUNK BAND AND THAT SEEMS TO SHOW THROUGH IN YOUR ART.
I’m influenced by everything I experience. There’s a big part of punk rock in there because I was in a punk band for 10 years. Now I’m doing a full line of punk characters.
Before, my style was obsessively Japanese, but now I’ve added way more icons from American pop culture like burgers, diners, cars and elements like diamonds and bling. I’m really just mixed up with a bunch of different street cultures!

TELL US ABOUT YOUR WORKING STYLE.
I can’t work in a studio or office like some artists because I get distracted and forget what I was thinking about. I have 23 people working at my company and they’re like, “Simone, look at this”, “Simone, please read this and talk to this person and that person” – all day long.
So, when I have an important project to finish, I don’t show up at the office. I prefer to be by myself. Also, I often carry a sketchbook with me so that whenever I have an idea I can draw it so I remember it. And I travel a lot, so I like to work on the plane, because no one can call me, and that’s perfect for working.

HAS BANGKOK OFFERED ANY INSPIRATION?
Yes, of course! I was here the first time 10 years ago with my family, on vacation, and the city has changed a lot. What inspires me most is the fact that it’s a city that never sleeps, plus the vibes and especially the ornaments and vibrant, fresh colours you have. It’s very fascinating.
WHAT DO WE GET TO SEE AT GROOVE?
These are pieces I picked from various styles and characters for everyone to enjoy – both the guys and the girls. This is the first time I’ve displayed my work like this, so it’s very special in that sense.
None of these six characters are the usual ones you see. I’ve added something new, modifying them a bit to make them look different. The biggest one is Tokidoki Karl Lagerfeld. I’m sure the fans will like it.

 TOKIDOKI LAGERFELD?
 Get a look at Simone Legno’s Tokidoki crew at Groove at CentralWorld anytime until the end of March. They’re free to see.
 Also, check out www.Tokidoki.it.