Sebastian Masuda!
Born 1970. Began working in the 90’s in the worlds of theater and contemporary art. Since making Harajuku his base of activities in 1995, he has consistently created works that utilize a unique sense of color and cross over into the worlds of art, fashion and entertainment. Known as the leading figure of Japanese KAWAII culture, in 2011 was art director for Kyary Pamyu Pamyu’s music video PONPONPON, in 2015 produced the KAWAII MONSTER CAFÉ, both of which also helped introduce the world to KAWAII culture.
In 2014 held his first solo exhibition in New York titled Colorful Rebellion –Seventh Nightmare–. In 2017 as the Japan Cultural Envoy, 2016 traveled to Holland, South Africa, Bolivia, Brazil and throughout America, holding lectures, workshops, and created various artworks. He 2017 has created the participatory art project TIME AFTER TIME CAPSULE in 2014, unfolding at several locations throughout the world. Having experienced the fragmentation of the world during the pandemic, Masuda became deeply interested in the nature of community, and began to advocate for the Digital Tribe and examine it through his own Kawaii community.
He continues to create works utilizing all the phenomena of the world as materials.
6% DOKIDOKI!
6%DOKIDOKI is a shop/brand based in Harajuku, founded in 1995 by Sebastian Masuda as a place of creation.
Shop concept ‘Sensational Kawaii’ means ‘shockingly Kawaii’, ‘exceedingly Kawaii’ and ‘too Kawaii things and stuff’. We sell original items, select items and projects along to this shop concept.
Also, not only ‘fashion’ genre, it’s important role for 6%DOKIDOKI to expand culture all over the world. As a leading place/people/brand of Japanese pop culture, the shop is continuing original unique creation throughout events and show etc.
Twitter @6dokidoki
Instagram 6doki_official
Website https://shop.6dokidoki.com/
Haruka Kurebayashi!
Kawaii artist / Harajuku model
Twitter @90884
Instagram @kurebayashiii
Website http://90884.tokyo/
CYBR.GRL!
cybr.grl, also known as The Rainbow Lady, is a Filipino YouTuber, fashion designer, and mom based in the USA. Their love for Harajuku fashion began when they chanced upon a copy of FRUiTS magazine while browsing their local bookstore after school. Years later in 2018, they started a YouTube channel where they interview people part of the worldwide J-Fashion community and create videos trying to open healthy conversations about the hard stuff too. That same year, they also started a fashion brand called CANDY☆TRAP after feeling frustrated about the lack of colorful clothing options for everyone. Their colorful fashion brand CANDY☆TRAP is inspired by Decora fashion, a style that was born in Harajuku that is known for excessively accessorizing oneself from head to toe, a.k.a “Decora”-ting yourself! Through their content creation as well as their fashion brand, their hope and dream is to help spread Harajuku kawaii culture, rainbows, and happiness around the world! #KAWAII4ALL! You can keep up with cybr.grl online at https://cybr.grl.carrd.co 
CANDY☆TRAP!
CANDY☆TRAP is a colorful and fun fashion brand that was established in 2018 by cybr.grl, also known as The Rainbow Lady, a Filipino YouTuber based in the USA who creates videos on Harajuku kawaii culture. She decided to take the leap and reach her dream of starting her own fashion brand after realizing how hard it was to find colorful clothing options that weren’t just catered to kids because everyone, no matter how old they are, deserves to wear cute and colorful clothes! CANDY☆TRAP is inspired by Decora fashion, a style that was born in Harajuku that is known for excessively accessorizing oneself from head to toe, a.k.a “Decora”-ting yourself. Through CANDY☆TRAP, cybr.grl hopes to spread some happiness around the world, to empower others to show their true colors, and to encourage everyone to have fun with fashion! There is space for everyone, for every color of the rainbow! #KAWAII4ALL
PUVITHEL
Puvithel is an alternative fashion designer with a physical shopfront in Pittsburgh, USA. She has been making and designing original handmade jewelry, accessories, clothing and handbags for J-fashion and alternative styles since 2015.
Puvithel is about unabashed self-expression and spans many styles, but she is best known for her lolita jewelry and menhera garments. Regardless of style, Puvithel’s items are loud – inspired by the in-your-face aesthetic of American gothic fashion. Puvithel believes fashion is a beneficial form of expression, a belief that is imbued in every item she makes. Every series has its own style and narrative to aid you in telling your own story.
Website: https://www.puvithel.com/
Instagram: Puvithel
Facebook: Puvithel
TikTok: @puvithel
Devilish Angel & Gabihime!
Gabihime is a light novel writer, illustrator, vtuber and the person behind the Cutepunk fashion brand Devilish Angel. Although currently in Atlanta, Georgia, her home community will always be in Austin. Gabihime is focused on making a place for people with chronic health problems in alternative fashion, and is a youth crisis mental health advocate. The first light novel in the Lovesong of Rooks series will be released to coincide with the world debut of Devilish Angel at Okashicon 2023! And no matter what you’ve heard, Gabihime is definitely not a vampire, so please don’t alert your local vampire hunters’ guild.
Kammie Pomeranian!
Melancholiaah!
His work can be heard on KONAMI’s arcade releases “beatmania IIDX 25 CANNON BALLERS” and the newest installment of DDR, “Dance Dance Revolution A20” in Japan.
In 2019, he released their first EP physically and digitally titled “世界の終わりで会いましょう。let’s meet at the end of the world.” featuring tracks produced by Melancholiaah himself, BEMANI artist Akira Complex, Creep-P, DJ Amaya, and many more with great success, leading to two singles released in 2020, “Last Paradise” and “puzzle box”, produced by BEMANI artist KIRAKU and Kamikaze Bitch and his first full album in 2021 titled “The Diary of Our Years Together” featuring tracks produced by Japanese rock bands “For Tracy Hyde” and “NUIT”.
In 2022, Melancholiaah released his second E.P. titled “IN MY SUNSET”, which was successfully crowdfunded and title track written by the legendary Yusuke Hata of Japanese shoegaze band Cruyff in the Bedroom and B-side track “Mado ni Kaeru” written by Michael of the upcoming Japanese shoegaze band “LUNE”.
Additionally in 2019, Melancholiaah has gained large recognition for the “Toad sings…” videos on Youtube, Twitter, and Tiktok alike with over 90,000 subscribers.
His goal is to create a feeling of love and acceptance with each other, and most of all, oneself with his performances. Crying out into the new world, he hopes to connect with everyone through voice.
Erin Lundquist!
Erin describes herself as a professional nerd. Having initially entered the entertainment world behind the scenes as a costume designer and art director, she fell in love with the world of audio and has since dedicated herself to developing her craft as an actor.
Brian Holder!
Victoria Bane!
Victoria Bane is a DFW based cosplayer with 21 years of experience creating costumes, foam smithing, prop making with a specialty in wig styling!
Always focused on improving and honing each new skill she learns, as well as improving upon old ideas,
Victoria is eager to share the knowledge she’s picked up along her cosplay Journey!
Instagram: @vickiebane
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@vickiebane
Youtube: https://youtube.com/@VickieBane9
Photo credits Instagram:
Anthy Himemiya (@alphonsemedia),
Ami Mizuno (@lemon.ikonphotography),
Charlotte (@ashsnapem_photography)
The Geeky Seamstress!
The Geeky Seamstress is an award-winning craftsmanship cosplayer, commissioner, and graduate theatre student based out of DFW, TX. Cosplaying since 2012, she has made dozens of cosplays spanning across all genres, with an emphasis on spandex, corsetry, and high-quality craftsmanship. A librarian by trade, The Geeky Seamstress enjoys documenting her builds and writing tutorials on cosplay when she’s not working on commissions or her next project.
Photo credits: YinYue Photo (Human Luna and Lisa from Genshin Impact) and StarGirlPhotos (Eternal Sailor Moon).
Sledgehammer!
Sledgehammer Creative is an award-winning master crafter, prop fabricator, and cosplayer. He is a self-taught seamster, woodworker, and foam smith. He has been judging contests for the past 10 years.
He is best known for his appearance as Gibraltar from Apex Legends, as well as his large armor builds and countless prop recreations.
Sara Fujimura!
Sara Fujimura (Foo-gee-moo-rah) is the American half of her bicultural Japanese-American family and spends about a month each summer in Japan with her now-adult children. She started as a journalist, so it is no surprise that Sara’s young adult books contain a lot of facts to go along with the fiction. Whether you want to know about Japan (TANABATA WISH), the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918 (BREATHE), what it’s like to be an Olympic-caliber skater (EVERY REASON WE SHOULDN’T), or how unscripted television works (FAKING REALITY), Sara takes readers on swoony journeys to unusual places. She is a creative writing teacher and literacy advocate who is excited to support the next generation of authors. If you go to anime cons in Arizona, you may also see Sara as her alter ego, The Obento Lady.
EVERY REASON WE SHOULDN’T was named an NPR Best Book of 2020.
Sara is represented by Ann Rose of the Prospect Agency.
Find out more about my books HERE.
Love Notes!
Pixcelation!
SEPHI HAKUBI!
Sephi Hakubi, is a Progressive EDM and Hard Dance DJ and multi-media producer based in San Antonio, Texas who manages HakubiVerse, an otaku entertainment label that focuses on rave culture with Japanese-fandom influences, pioneering the style he calls AnimEDM. Beyond HakubiVerse, Sephi has been associated with many dance music collectives all over the world such as Neon Genesis Hardcore, JDS: Just Don’t Stop Productions, Music Around The World, and Team Brisk. Sephi utilizes his experiences in many of his interactions to become what he’s described as a “multi-media culture masher”, establishing the correlation between anime and electronic music. Sephi strives to make the electronic dance community relevant for fans by formulating his AnimEDM philosophy, a style of unique sounds and sights influenced from Progressive House, Trance, Eurodance, Hard Dance, and Hardcore music with Japanese inspirations. This AnimEDM philosophy encourages a place of friendship, musical freedom, and celebration for anime and rave fandom in hopes for providing a community for fans, known as Nightkids, seeking a realm of hope and happiness.
Sephi Hakubi’s style and philosophy amassed significant attention in the anime and rave scene as he performed for the masses at FAN:dom Con, San Japan, SukoshiCon, Realms Con, IKKiCon, Okashicon, Anime Sekai, MechaCon, Animatic Con, Anime Oklahoma, Banzaikon, Waifufest, and Kawacon; as well as, festivals such as, Unite As One, Tonyc Summer Jam, and Texas Silent Disco. Sephi was also honored to open for internationally recognized DJs like FYER (Bobby Duque & Gabriel Guardian), Kenneth Thomas, Darude, JJ Flores, Donald Glaude, Made Monster, Ferry Corsten, Fracus & Darwin, BT, Zoe VanWest, Shawn Jackson, Hartshorn, AliceOfSin, Jimni Cricket, and Steve Smooth. These experiences brought Sephi much valued wisdom during his adventures playing with world-renowned industry performers and these interactions and experiences would inspire his music with releases like Oceandrive and Once Upon a Space, released on HakubiVerse and available on many digital music shops and streaming services. Sephi continues to work in his music production while developing his own music label to define his AnimEDM concept for his fans to enjoy.
Sephi Hakubi Website: https://www.sephihakubi.com
HakubiVerse Website: https://www.hakubiverse.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SephiHakubi
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/SephiHakubi
Instagram: https://instagram.com/sephihakubi
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1WhWKMsaQ3QKgzD1KjnIj5
SoundCloud: https://www.soundcloud.com/sephihakubi
Mixcloud: https://www.mixcloud.com/sephihakubi
Twitch: https://twitch.tv/sephihakubi
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sephihakubi