# Crafty Kawaii Character Designs These Cesc Grane Creatures are Inspired by Japanese Lore By Josh Triantafilou | Published 2012-05-17 | Pop Culture Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cesc-grane References: [behance.net](http://www.behance.net/gallery/Ykai/3854867) & [ceskills](http://www.ceskills.com/) Barcelona, Spain-based illustrator Cesc Grane works in the ever-evolving medium of digital illustration. This dynamic field allows for lots of creative exploration and, as such, requires its practitioners to be particularly focused; it's fruitful to explore and experiment, but it's also often necessary to buckle down and develop a coherent style. This is not a problem for Grane. The artist draws much of his inspiration from [Japanese aesthetics](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mofusand-1) as found in his illustrations, animation and [toy design](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/koiro). The cutesy, kawaii look of the style is breathlessly cogent but also allows for much flexibility. An advantage to those who employ this aesthetic is that they are free to explore varied subjects while easily maintaining stylistic coherence through such exploration. For example, in the character design featured here, Grane depicts various [monsters from Japanese folklore](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/monsters-by-monsters-now-and-then) as cute, cuddly creatures. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.0/10 - Popularity: 64% | Activity: 78% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Pop Culture](https://www.trendhunter.com/popculture) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Digital Kawaii Art:** There is an opportunity to explore and experiment with different subjects while maintaining stylistic coherence, which can be used in digital art for marketing and advertising materials - **Japanese-inspired Illustration:** There is an opportunity to create illustrations for media and advertising campaigns that incorporate Japanese folklore and aesthetics - **Toy Design:** There is an opportunity to create Japanese-inspired toys that appeal to both children and adults ### Sectors Adopting This - **Arts and Entertainment:** There is an opportunity for digital artists and illustrators to create unique art pieces to sell to the market, or to collaborate with the industry for video games, animation, and movies - **Marketing and Advertising:** There is an opportunity to incorporate the kawaii style in branding materials, product packaging, and campaigns to appeal to a younger demographic - **Toy Manufacturing:** There is an opportunity to create Japanese-inspired toys that can attract both children and adults, by incorporating cultural elements and maintaining a kawaii style ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Anime Horror-Style Reimaginations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/junji-ito-artwork.md) - [Character Art-Infused Leather Bags](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/moynat-x-kasing.md) - [Playful Character Graphic Apparel](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/monsters-collection.md) - [Character Crossover Figures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/skullpanda-x-sanrio.md) - [Playful Cat Illustrations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/open-meow.md) - [Playful Collectible Figures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/zsiga-care-bears.md) - [Sci-Fi-Inspired Classical Posters](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sen-donnan.md) - [Ceramic Collaborative Glazed Sculptures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/studio-arhoj-shape.md) - [Whimsical Character Ceramics Capsules](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/danza-collection.md)