HIKE Inc. is launching CRAFTALE (Craftale), a new brand that combines Japan's traditional craftsmanship with modern narratives such as anime, manga, and games to create new value. As its first project, CRAFTALE presents a collaboration between the anime 'My Hero Academia' and a historic Kyoto workshop, releasing art pieces featuring characters rendered in the traditional ukiyo-e woodblock printing technique, available starting Friday, July 31. Rather than merely preserving traditional techniques, CRAFTALE aims to revitalize Japan's unique 'craft' by fusing it with contemporary works, allowing fans who own these pieces to become 'custodians of tradition' and part of a new story.
Background of the Project Launch: A Challenge to Elevate and Pass On the Value of 'Japanese Craftsmanship'
CRAFTALE is a project that merges Japanese craftsmanship with storytelling to create new value.
Japan's unique 'crafts' and 'artifacts,' cultivated over a long history, are gradually losing their perceived value over time. Instead of simply preserving them, we believe that by integrating them with modern works, we can pass on their charm to the next generation and to the world. By creating entry points to traditional crafts through anime and manga, we aim to deliver 'authentic' experiences to younger audiences and international fans, ensuring the sustainable inheritance of these techniques.
Furthermore, by collaborating across historical and genre boundaries, we believe both the works and the techniques can mutually enhance each other's value—an initiative that holds deep significance for the creative works themselves. This effort is expected to energize the broader landscape of Japanese craftsmanship and elevate the overall value of Japanese culture.
CRAFTALE hopes to co-create, together with the public, a new narrative where those who hold these pieces become inheritors, passing Japan's traditional craftsmanship into the future.
First Release: Ukiyo-e Woodblock Print × Anime 'My Hero Academia'
Ukiyo-e woodblock prints once served as a 'media' to record the culture and passions of their era for posterity. The 'musha-e' (warrior pictures) that captivated Edo-period audiences can be seen as the equivalent of today's 'shonen manga.'
The core theme of the anime 'My Hero Academia' deeply resonates with the way traditional artisans have passed down their skills across generations. Mr. Kenshi Takenaka, the printer from Kyoto's historic woodblock workshop 'Chikusado,' stated: 'We didn't invent woodblock printing. We're merely receiving what has existed and passing it on as an intermediary. My role is to connect what I've inherited.' He approached the creation by aligning the anime's themes with his own craft.
Viewing this work as 'modern culture worth preserving for the future,' Chikusado created an original, fully hand-drawn design depicting the climactic battle scene featuring 'Izuku Midoriya,' 'Katsuki Bakugo,' and 'Shoto Todoroki.'
Master Craftsmanship and Dedication in the First Collaboration
Fully Hand-Drawn by Kyoto's Master Artisans
Inspired by the final battle of 'My Hero Academia,' the characters' dynamism is reconstructed using the distinctive lines and colors of woodblock prints.
The Pinnacle of Traditional Techniques
The carving technique, etching characters' personalities onto blocks with lines as fine as 1mm. The printing technique, requiring intense focus and physical discipline to apply vibrant colors with absolute precision—only achievable through relentless training and unwavering dedication.
A soulful dialogue between two artisans has brought forth a new chapter in this heroic tale.
A Valuable 'Lifetime Piece'
This product features a professional, framed finish, designed with the quality to be passed down as an art piece for generations.
Depicting 'My Hero Academia' Characters with Ukiyo-e's Unique Techniques
Following the ukiyo-e tradition of portraying heroes of the era, artisans from the historic woodblock workshop 'Chikusado,' founded in 1891 (Meiji 24), have created original artwork. The battle scene, imagined as the final confrontation, is a true 'Reiwa-era ukiyo-e.' The artists, carvers, and printers interpreted the anime, using their imagination to reflect each character's personality through poses and intricate details.
Izuku Midoriya
Katsuki Bakugo
Shoto Todoroki
Official X: https://x.com/craftale_PR
Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/craftale_pr/?hl=ja
Further details will be announced later via social media (X, Instagram).
Product Overview
・Product Name: 'My Hero Academia' Ukiyo-e Woodblock Print
・Lineup: Izuku Midoriya, Katsuki Bakugo, Shoto Todoroki (3 types total)
・Price: ¥55,000 each (tax included, with frame and certificate)
・Sales Start: July 31, 2026 (Fri) 7:00 PM – (ends when target quantity is reached)
・Sales Method: Official website and select physical stores
・Production: Chikusado (Kyoto)
・Planning & Release: CRAFTALE (HIKE Inc.)
・Copyright Notice: ©Kohei Horikoshi / Shueisha, My Hero Academia Production Committee
Future Developments
CRAFTALE will deepen collaborations with craft-producing regions across Japan. By combining the worlds of creative works with artisans' skills, we aim to shine a new light on Japan's proud manufacturing industry and craft stories that will conquer global markets.
About HIKE Inc.
Company Name: HIKE Inc.
Address: JRE Nishi-Shinjuku Terrace, 3-2-4 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0023
Established: March 14, 2018
Representative: President & CEO, Masataka Mika
Business: Animation / Live Entertainment / Merchandising / Rights Management / Game Development / Content Marketing & Promotion / Creative Production (2D/3D animation, design, book/manga editing, video production, graphic design, live/event production, web production) / AX & DX Solutions / Global HR
Official Website: https://hike.inc/
[When publishing this information or images, please display the following copyright notices:]
©HIKE Inc.
©Kohei Horikoshi / Shueisha, My Hero Academia Production Committee
*Content is subject to change without notice.
FACT BOX
- Source: PR TIMES
- Category: New Product
- Products / services: CRAFTALE