Japanese Toys & Japanese Tats: Karakasa Tattoo Man by SecretBase

Karakasa Tattoo Man Toy by SecretBase x TAG

Here’s a must have for all you collectors who like toy art and tattoo artToy Art Gallery partnered with SecretBase for the first fully painted edition of the Karakasa Tattoo Man. The figure was designed by Hiroshi of Three Tides Tattoo and features detailed tattoos with yellow, black and red sprays on light blue Japanese soft vinyl.

Karakasa Tattoo Man Toy by SecretBase x TAG

Karakasa (or Kasa Obake), are a form of Japanese spirit that originates when objects reach their 100th year of existence and thus become animate. Karakasa specifically is an umbrella spirit, and it’s typically portrayed with one eye, a long tongue protruding from an open mouth and a single foot, generally wearing a traditional Japanese geta.

vintage Karakasa toy, 1968

Above left is a Karakasa toy produced in 1968. There are tons of Karakasa drawings on deviantART. For the SecretBase x TAG Karakasa Obake Tattoo Man, the “possessed parasol” gets a second eye and keeps its tongue in its mouth. It’s an inked-up update, but the Karakasa spirit is still clear in the overall umbrella shape and single-footed stance.

Karakasa Tattoo Man Toy by SecretBase x TAG

Those tattoos are incredibly detailed! A lot of companies really stepped up their sofubi game this year! Click through for a short video clip featuring a Karakasa from the 1968 classic Japanese film, Yôkai Hyaku Monogatari I. The new Karakasa Obake vinyl figure by SecretBase x TAG is available for $100 here (and it looks like there may be only 13 pieces left)! If your holiday budget is tapped out, click through to watch the video and download a free Karakasa paper toy from France.

papercraft karakasa toy

Click HERE to go to Jerom’s blog and download his Karakasa paper toy (and other yokai)!

Karakasa Tattoo Man Toy by SecretBase x TAG

Click here to purchase the new Karakasa Obake vinyl figure by SecretBase x TAG.

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