<p>These type of otaku-owned car are called <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itasha" rel="noreferrer">Itasha</a> 痛車?, literally <em>&quot;painful car&quot;</em> (painfully embarrassing / painful for the wallet) and started with decoration of cars in the <strong>80s</strong> when Japan experienced a lot of growth and many wealthy people started importing many luxury cars. This decoration only really consisted of plushies, stickers and non-permanent features.</p>
<p>According to Wikipedia, fully-fledged Itasha only really started being seen in the <strong>21st century</strong> - when internet culture gave the anime industry a large growth sprurt - in advertising, greater fan communities and distribution.</p>
<p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20110718225635/http://www.otakuusamagazine.com/Events/Public/News1/Itasha_and_Intansha_1117.aspx" rel="noreferrer">Expert from Itasha article, Otaku USA Magazine, <strong>2009</strong></a></p>
<blockquote>
<p>Most often, stickers are put on the hood and doors of the car and then airbrushed. People who think, &quot;It's kind of embarrassing, but I really want to ride in an itasha! ... But I'd have to hide it from my family and at my job. [..] can quickly take the design off by attaching and detaching magnetic stickers.</p>
<p>Although printing cutting sheets of personal favorite characters and putting them on the car is a popular method, people who are really devoted will commission a specialist to airbrush their designs.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>This article mentions a few owners with itasha cars from <strong>2002</strong>.</p>
<p><strong>Notable Dates:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>In <strong>2007</strong>, the first Autosalone (itasha convention) was held.</li>
<li>June <strong>2008</strong>, Aoshima Bunka Kyozai launched &quot;ITASHA&quot; as one of the first offically licensed Itasha.</li>
</ul>
<p>It's not a purely-japanese phenomenon either, there are itasha to be seen in <a href="https://forum.lowyat.net/topic/1734133" rel="noreferrer">Malaysia</a> , Taiwan and the Philippines too. It hasn't become overly popular in the West just yet however.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-06-13T15:05:56.553Z
2015-06-13T15:05:56.553Z
2020-06-17T09:17:53.303Z
Toshinou Kyouko
<p>I occasionally see forum posts of people in Japan showing off their anime-styled cars and I saw some whilst in Japan also. I believe there's also groups of these people who have meetups and such.</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/SPmY1m.jpg" alt="enter image description here">
<img src="https://i.sstatic.net/Ow9arm.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></p>

<p>It's not just cars either, I've seen some boats and a few helicopters decorated too.</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/4m1w2m.jpg" alt="enter image description here">
<img src="https://i.sstatic.net/iGru1m.jpg" alt="enter image description here">
<img src="https://i.sstatic.net/vzBHUm.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></p>

<p>Obviously, these weren't around in the early days of anime - but when did they start appearing on the streets?</p>

<culture><itasha>
When did people start putting anime characters on vehicles?
# When did people start putting anime characters on vehicles?
Posted by: username_0 on 2015-06-13
I occasionally see forum posts of people in Japan showing off their anime-styled cars and I saw some whilst in Japan also. I believe there's also groups of these people who have meetups and such.

![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/SPmY1m.jpg)
![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/Ow9arm.jpg)

It's not just cars either, I've seen some boats and a few helicopters decorated too.

![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/4m1w2m.jpg)
![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/iGru1m.jpg)
![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/vzBHUm.jpg)

Obviously, these weren't around in the early days of anime - but when did they start appearing on the streets?
**Tags:** culture itasha
---
## 1 answers
### Answer by username_0 on 2015-06-13. Score: 15 | Accepted answer
These type of otaku-owned car are called [Itasha](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itasha) 痛車?, literally *"painful car"* (painfully embarrassing / painful for the wallet) and started with decoration of cars in the **80s** when Japan experienced a lot of growth and many wealthy people started importing many luxury cars. This decoration only really consisted of plushies, stickers and non-permanent features.

According to Wikipedia, fully-fledged Itasha only really started being seen in the **21st century** - when internet culture gave the anime industry a large growth sprurt - in advertising, greater fan communities and distribution.

[Expert from Itasha article, Otaku USA Magazine, **2009**](https://web.archive.org/web/20110718225635/http://www.otakuusamagazine.com/Events/Public/News1/Itasha_and_Intansha_1117.aspx)

> Most often, stickers are put on the hood and doors of the car and then airbrushed. People who think, "It's kind of embarrassing, but I really want to ride in an itasha! ... But I'd have to hide it from my family and at my job. [..] can quickly take the design off by attaching and detaching magnetic stickers.
>
> Although printing cutting sheets of personal favorite characters and putting them on the car is a popular method, people who are really devoted will commission a specialist to airbrush their designs.

This article mentions a few owners with itasha cars from **2002**.

**Notable Dates:**

* In **2007**, the first Autosalone (itasha convention) was held.
* June **2008**, Aoshima Bunka Kyozai launched "ITASHA" as one of the first offically licensed Itasha.

It's not a purely-japanese phenomenon either, there are itasha to be seen in [Malaysia](https://forum.lowyat.net/topic/1734133) , Taiwan and the Philippines too. It hasn't become overly popular in the West just yet however.
---
