Takashi Murakami

“Manga uses Japanese traditional structures in how to teach the student and to transmit a very direct message. You learn from the teacher by watching from behind his back. The whole teacher-master thing is part of Asian culture, I think.”

“Every day, I have new ideas. It makes my brain tired, so I spend time taking care of company quality, finding new artists, and taking care of the young artists.”

“Like many other kids, I liked watching anime.”

“My mum and dad were a little like tiger parents. I hate that, but at the same time, I am a little bit proud.”

“I actually feel like the phrase 'big in Japan' is not appropriate for me. The reason is that there are more people who sympathize with my practice in America than there are domestically in Japan.”

“טענתו של מורקמי כי ביפן אין גבוה ואין נמוך מולידה את הרעיון שהכול שטוח. רעיון ה'סופר פלאט' בונה עולם שאין בו עומק ולא פרספקטיבה, הוא מבוסס על תרבות האוטאקו אשר חיה ונושמת שטוח, על חוסר הפרספקטיבה המשטחת של האומנות היפנית ועל תרבות הצריכה השטחית של החברה היפנית.”

“חמודיות, אגרסיביות ומיניות הם שלושה ז'אנרים החוזרים בעבודותיו של מורקמי.”

“ההגדרות של מה נחשב כחמוד היום לא יהיו בהכרח תקפות עוד מאה או מאתיים שנה.”

“ניסיתי ליצור תיאור של אברי מין בצורת דמויות.”

“העולם בעתיד יכול להיות כמו יפן היום – סופר פלאט (Super Flat).”

“בתחום 'האמנות' יכול להיווצר תסכול שדומה לניסיון לצפות בפוטבול אמריקאי בלי להבין את הכללים.”

“If I have a certain opinion, I try to incorporate that into my work.”

“As a young artist in New York, I thought about postwar Japan - the consumer culture and the loose, deboned feeling prevalent in the character and animation culture. Mixing all those up in order to portray Japanese culture and society was my work.”

“When I was little, I guess I was just an ordinary kid. But then things changed when I was in junior high. You know, kids that become geeks become one because of something. Like, they aren't good at sports, or girls don't like them. I, too, for some reason, got into things like science fiction and, well, especially science fiction as an escape.”

“My Miyoshi studio in Japan is located in the northern part of Saitama, which puts it in quite close proximity to Fukushima. As such, we can feel the effects of radiation.”

“Our family was poor, but my parents gave us money for education.”

“It's true that I pick up many ideas from different Japanese things.”

“The theme my generation explored was the relationship between capitalism and art.”

“My own belief is that rather than getting involved in trying to change the reality of social-political things, creators can be involved in and express in different ways and be meaningful in different ways, so for me, it's important to leave messages to people of the future and to be engaged with the people now.”

“I don't think it's an unnatural thing at all for my collaborations or projects to be seen as art but entertainment at the same time.”