10 Amazing Kawaii Tattoos
For years, tattoos were seen as a taboo, and scary thing to indulge in. Tattoo shops used to have this one image: a building that blares rock music through the speakers, big scary intimidating men, and worst of all: no numbing cream, just pure pain and needles.
Thankfully, over the years, the tattoo industry has changed immensely. The majority of tattoo artists aren’t all tall men with big muscles and scars on their faces, and you can enjoy getting inked while vibing to pop artists like Lizzo, Miley Cyrus, and more. Tattoo shops have become more of a comfortable and inclusive space; we’re seeing more and more women breaking out into the industry and fewer apprenticeship horror stories are being heard across the world.
Most of all, the things people are getting tattooed these days aren’t just subjected to Sailor Jerry-inspired flash on the walls. Having a stencil of your favorite anime or video game character is no longer considered the minority or “weird” in the tattoo world. These characters hold a certain level of nostalgia and pride in who we are as people today, or some clients simply want to get something fun. With this in mind, it’s not surprising that kawaii/anime/video game tattoos have absolutely exploded in recent years.
If you need some inspiration for your next adorable tattoo browse through this catalog of some Ohio artists who would be willing to design your next kawaii tattoo.
1. Xecksdeed
Crystal Harrington is the jack of all trades when it comes to cute tattoos. Anime, manga, cartoons, video games, magical, spooky, creepy, you name it she’s got it down. This smug-faced, peanut-loving Anya tatt was done at Anime Ink in 2022. Take a trip down to Olympus Tattoo Studio in good old Lakewood, Ohio to check her out!
This awesome Animal Crossing tattoo was done by the great Samantha Raptor. Samantha is an artist out of Drop Dead Tattoo in North Ridgeville, Ohio. She specializes in Disney/cartoon tattoos as well as glittery anime and video game designs. If you ever get something done by Samantha use the hashtag #raptortatties in your photo on Instagram!
3. June_Tattoos
Although this adorable Botan is more on the minimalist side it’s still so cute I couldn’t not put it in this gallery! The bold pink and blue colors contrast each other so well, and the fact that this artist only used a few simple colors but made this tattoo come out so beautiful is impressive! June is currently an apprentice at White Raven Tattoo, a private tattoo studio located in Westerville, Ohio. They’ve clearly shown so much immense talent and growth in their tattoo journey and I wish her nothing but the best in her career!
This Filbert the Wizard Frog was created by none other than Ash Wheeler out of Wooster, Ohio! This artist absolutely dominates the world of glittery, bold tattoos. This whimsical frog tattoo design is just one of many amazing pieces of art she’s done. Ash’s work compliments the client’s skin, the colors pop, and the nostalgic pieces bring a sense of warmth to the viewer. Check out her and her colleagues at Studio Vitruvius.
Kira, a tattooer at State Street Tattoo in Salem, Ohio, is responsible for this killer (and cute) Overwatch tattoo. D.va is a character loved and adored by millions around the world, it was only right she does the tattoo justice, and that she did! Kira’s Instagram is loaded with a mix of both eye-catching bright anime pieces and black and grey floral tattoos. She does both exceptionally well and deserves to be highlighted in the local tattoo community!
I have to admit, it was pretty tough just choosing one photo to showcase Stephen Jaunez’s talent. The New School/Illustrative/Spirit Animal specialist tattoos alongside June (mentioned above) at White Raven Studio. He currently has his books open so jump at the opportunity while it’s here!
Okay, I know this is the third artist I’ve featured from White Raven, but can you blame me? This studio is filled with fantastic artists and Janine is one of them, I couldn’t leave her out when it comes to the topic of adorable tattoos. The custom matching snails with sun shells for her client shows her creativity and seamless coloring technique. Check out more clean and cute designs on her Instagram!
A Nezuko and Sylveon tattoo is a collaboration I didn’t know I needed but Brent Buchanan delivered! This nerdy tattoo artist loves doing all things anime, manga, Disney, and cartoons. His page is filled with classic characters like Zelda, and Ponyo blasted on his clients in the most beautiful way. Brent is located in Ashtabula, Ohio, and works out of Fox & Crow Art Company, check it out if you’re ever in the area.
9. Samjlittle
Sam Little is a horse and reptilian mom from the great city of Columbus, Ohio, tattooing out of Last Moon Private Studio. If I had to describe her work in just one word, I’d say it’s flawless. Her linework, shading, color, composition, everything, is utterly flawless! I snatched this Pocahontas tattoo off of her Instagram since she’s one of my favorite Disney princesses, but her page is littered with other characters as well, check ‘em out!
This is my second time featuring Jenn in one of my tattoo posts already, but she just fits into so many topics on my blog, it’s hard not to include her! Jenn recently moved to Lakewood’s Beartooth Tattoo Co. and has been pumping out some amazing tattoos already. This Slowpoke Pokemon tattoo is one of my favorites to come out of that shop thus far! Although her books are closed until the fall, follow her to try to catch a day when she may be available!
