Talented Digital Artist Draws Everyday Inanimate Objects As Anime Characters Complete with Kawaii Sidekicks

Ely Bulnes • Writer and Editor

Sep 12, 2024 11:30 AM EDT

Welcome, internet explorers. According to Japanese folklore, which is influenced by the animistic aspects of the Shinto religion, everyday objects have souls just as humans do. The nature of this belief varies across Japan. Some believe that only great natural phenomena such as mountains and trees have souls, and others believe that every single mundane thing has a soul. There also exists a belief that inanimate, man-made objects only gain a soul one-hundred years after their creation. Then they become sentient and even play tricks on their owners. The term for these self-aware objects is Tsukumogami.

Anthropomorphism is not exclusive to Japan - in fact some form of it can be found in just about any culture. Korean illustrator Rino Park (@RinoTuna) turns random, everyday objects into anime characters with his incredibly-detailed drawings, capturing the essence of these items and translating their features into unique fashion choices, character designs, and human personality traits. If these inanimate objects had souls, it's clear that Rino Park has accurately depicted them with his art. https://www.instagram.com/rinotuna/?hl=en