Nara has been noted to say he has drawn influence from anime, manga, Walt Disney, graffiti, renaissance paintings, illustration, and punk rock. He claims his biggest influence, however, is his childhood- landscapes of the countryside and isolation. Nara has also undoubtedly drawn influenced from the numerous people and movements he has collaborated with. Here are a few examples of Nara 's newer influences.

Banana Yoshimoto: Banana is a popular Japanese novelist. She has written Kitchen, and Goodbye Tsugumi, both of which have been turned into movies. She says her main themes are the impact of terrible experiences on a person's growth and the exhaustion of young people in contemporary Japan .

 

Superflat: A movement founded by Takashi Murakami and influenced by anime, manga and the otaku subculture. Other artists associated with the movement: Chiho Aoshima, Mahomi Kunikata, and Aya Takano. Super flat encompasses a broad style so the subject matter varies. Themes the movement often dealt with: Postwar Japan, sexual fetishism associated with otaku subculture, consumerism, and the fear of growing up, which Nara deals with.

 

Cerealart: A “company conceptualized to design, develop, manufactures and distribute a range of esthetically pleasing artist's projects to a broad marketplace.” Cerealart challenges the distinction between high and low culture. Through Cerealart, Nara currently sells two sculptures, an ashtray and an alarm clock.

 

Definitions:

Manga: Japanese comics often characterized by a very stylized look and in-depth plotlines. Manga tends to have a larger range of audience than American comics since there are comics available for all age ranges from kids to adults. Manga is also slightly more socially acceptable in Japan than comics are in America .

 

Anime: Animated shows based on manga with similar stylistic devices. Unlike American cartoons, story lines for anime almost always carry over from one episode to another. Long story arcs and character development are prevalent, especially in the shows aimed at slightly older audiences.

 

Otaku: Meaning something like “loser,” otaku refers to over obsessive anime fans. Often times, otaku is associated with adverse subcultures such as perverted or pornographic anime. In America however, otaku tends to loose its negative connotation and simply refers to a slightly overzealous anime fan. Whereas in Japan it would be rare for someone to actually refer to themselves as an otaku, it isn't uncommon in the states.