Welcome to AkaTako - your USA based source (with a small outpost in Europe) for underground and hard to find Japanese art: signed art books, limited edition prints and posters, licensed enamel pins and t-shirts, artist produced postcards and mini books, original drawings and paintings, and lots more. We ship worldwide!
Not sure where to start? Check out the more popular artists and items just below. A bit further down the page is a news feed of everything going on with AkaTako.

THE LATEST NEWS

Oct 26, 2020

A few new Tama items are scheduled to arrive to AkaTako in early to mid-November (depending on how fast international shipping goes....). You can buy both of these on pre-order and they will ship to you as soon as they arrive. Quantities are limited!

Some new postcards and buttons will also be added after arrival to AkaTako in November.

Tama 2021 Desk Calendar Tama t-shirt Full Defence

Click the images above for more photos and details.


Oct 25, 2020

Very unfortunately, it has recently been confirmed by multiple, reliable sources that the Suehiro Maruo account on instagram and tumblr is actually a "fan" account who decided to scam people out of hundreds of dollars. I link to them here in the hopes that you will take a few minutes to visit their profile, unfollow them untag any photos that you may have added, and to REPORT them to instagram/tumblr.

HOW TO REPORT:
INSTAGRAM REPORT
When viewing the profile, click the three dots at top right, Report... , It's inappropriate, Report Account, It's pretending to be someone else, Someone I know (can only choose celebrity/public figure if the real person has an instagram account to compare), submit.

TUMBLR REPORT
Seems to only work if you are in the mobile app but try on desktop too... Go to the blog itself, click the "human" shaped icon at top right, click Report, Report spam.
I am currently working on getting a copyright violation filed. It is impossible on tumblr to report impersonation of "Someone else". The person being impersonated has to do it themselves so ... report as spam has to be good enough for now.

Further, detailed info about this scam:

  • The account has taken posts from Suehiro Maruo's official Twitter and posted it to the fake accounts, often with English translations. These posts are usually a few days (or weeks) after the original posts by Maruo.
  • They curated (very well!!) a lot of archival images and artworks - photos taken from other accounts of Maruo himself, original artworks, statements he made about friends and other artists themselves, etc.
  • Around June 2020, they began to post about selling "a very limited number of orders commissions available now" and original artworks donated to benefit charities. They listed suehiromaruo1956 [at] yahoo [dot] co [dot] jp AND jigoku [at] maruojigoku [dot] com as the contact email addresses.
  • The jigoku email address is officially listed on Maruo's actual website BUT it seems to be unmonitored. The scammers ONLY ever replied using the yahoo address and NEVER replied using the jigoku address. This is one of many ways that they increased their appearance of credibility.
  • According to several emails I have been forwarded, they requested PayPal payment in US dollars ($) with the email address smaruoteam [at] aol [dot] com and also requested to be paid by "Friends and Family". Doing so removes the obligation for them to show tracking and delivery details to PayPal = very difficult to get a refund.
  • Their emails also detailed very specific breakdowns of pricing, images stolen from the Maruojigoku website for the signature and "Suehiro Maruo Team".
  • Most images of the originals they were "selling" were clearly scans taken from the Maruograph books (especially the pencil drawings/under drawings). Upon request for actual photos of originals they showed a haphazard stack of drawings with prominent price tags by Komiyama Bookstore (Tokyo). They claimed to be unable to provide a photo because they are "Mr. Maruo's international group of collaborators" and the originals would be sent direct from Komiyama Bookstore.
  • This is Komiyama Bookstore's official statement against this lie. Please read it (Japanese/English text).
  • I personally communicated with the owner of Editions Treville Publishing to get an official confirmation that this is in no way connected with Suehiro Maruo.
  • Suehiro Maruo published several tweets saying he has nothing to do with those accounts. The only social media that he uses is Twitter. I posted screenshots and translations to AkaTako Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

If you have questions, further information, screenshots, proof, any idea who this impersonator actually is - please contact me directly! So far I have heard Barcelona Spain and Colombia as supposed location. PayPal contact name is Johana Andrea Ceron Rodriguez..... Does anyone know this person? They clearly started off as a fan before they decided to start stealing.

If you sent money by PayPal, please contact the customer service immediately and inform them of this scam. If you can request the refund (if you didn't pay with Friends & Family), please do so right away! If you unfortunately sent money by Friends & Family, PayPal will tell you that they can't do anything except take your report. You should them file a claim with however you funded the purchase - your own credit card, your bank, etc. File a police report for THEFT if you need to. It is theft! If you need any supporting documents or information, please tell me. If you file a police report, or receive any more information, please tell me. I am doing my best to gather all information and to forward it to Tokyo for official proceedings.


Oct 9, 2020

Two large format, rare Toshio Saeki prints are now available.
The "Akai Hako" print is from the famed 1972 boxed series and is in excellent condition. The "JAIN" print is a lithograph issued in 2005, limited to 30 pieces with hand written details. Both prints are signed and will ship flat in a reinforced parcel.

Toshio Saeki Akai Hako Print
Toshio Saeki Akai Hako Print
Toshio Saeki JAIN Lithograph Print
Toshio Saeki JAIN Lithograph Print

Please click the images above for more details and photos.


Oct 8, 2020

Just added to AkaTako, a mini, postcard sized original painting by Em Nishizuka. "Leuco Twin Chan" are two cutie girls who have been infected with the zombie parasite leucochloridium also known as "crazy eyes".

Em Nishizuka Leuco Twin Chan Original Painting

Click the image above for more details.


Sep 11, 2020

Now available to ship from AkaTako's USA shipping location, Chika Yamada's SIGNED and NUMBERED limited edition art prints! Printed on heavy weight paper, each print is limited to only 25 pieces.

Chika Yamada After School Print
Chika Yamada
After School Print
Chika Yamada Collection Habits Print
Chika Yamada
Collection Habits Print
Chika Yamada Illusion Print
Chika Yamada
Illusion Print
Chika Yamada It Might Be Smoke Print
Chika Yamada
It Might Be Smoke Print
Chika Yamada Drifting Print
Chika Yamada
Drifting Print
Chika Yamada Meeting in May Print
Chika Yamada
Meeting in May Print
Chika Yamada Relation of Train Jellyfish and Transparent Umbrella Print
Chika Yamada
Relation of Train Jellyfish
and Transparent Umbrella Print
Chika Yamada Smoke Clouds Print
Chika Yamada
Smoke Clouds Print
Chika Yamada Spring Breeze Print
Chika Yamada
Spring Breeze Print
Chika Yamada Window Series - Breathing Print
Chika Yamada
Window Series - Breathing Print

Click the images or titles above for more details or to place an order.


Sep 7, 2020

Makiko Sugawa enamel pins are now in stock at both EU and USA shipping locations. Actual photos of the pins and their backing cards have also been added.

Pins are limited edition of only 100 pieces each. Double posts with deluxe push back locking clasps, 1.75" high.

Makiko Sugawa Enamel Pin

Click the image above for more details.


Sep 5, 2020

Two brand new signed, numbered, limited edition A2 size posters by Shintaro Kago! They are an edition of 100 pieces each and will be hand signed and numbered. Orders will be filled in the same order they are received: earlier orders get earlier numbers. Buy BOTH and save $1 on the price!

PRE-ORDER now, posters should arrive to USA shipping location around September 14 and then to EU shipping location around September 30.
[Now in stock at both USA and EU locations!]

Shintaro Kago Poster Mandala Aquarium SIGNED Shintaro Kago Poster Two Spirals SIGNED

Click the images above for more details. Actual images will be added after the posters arrive.


Aug 29, 2020

Many new styles of Hajime Sorayama limited edition art prints are on their way to AkaTako's USA location! (Arrived and in stock!) Each is signed and numbered. Some are part of a regular edition of vintage prints, some are artist proofs, etc. Details are listed in the description of each specific print.

HAJIME SORAYAMA LITHOGRAPH PRINTS:

Hajime Sorayama Lithograph Print 38 Hajime Sorayama Lithograph Print 39 Hajime Sorayama Lithograph Print 42 Hajime Sorayama Lithograph Print 44 Hajime Sorayama Lithograph Print 46
Hajime Sorayama Lithograph Print 56 Hajime Sorayama Lithograph Print 61 Hajime Sorayama Lithograph Print 62 Hajime Sorayama Lithograph Print 65 Hajime Sorayama Lithograph Print 66
Hajime Sorayama Lithograph Print 67 Hajime Sorayama Lithograph Print 68 Hajime Sorayama Lithograph Print 69 Hajime Sorayama Lithograph Print 71 Hajime Sorayama Lithograph Print 73
Hajime Sorayama Lithograph Print 74 Hajime Sorayama Lithograph Print 76 Hajime Sorayama Lithograph Print 78 Hajime Sorayama Lithograph Print 79 Hajime Sorayama Lithograph Print 80
Hajime Sorayama Lithograph Print 81 Hajime Sorayama Lithograph Print 82 Hajime Sorayama Lithograph Print 84    

HAJIME SORAYAMA GICLEE PRINTS:

Hajime Sorayama Giclee Print 30 Hajime Sorayama Giclee Print 31 Hajime Sorayama Giclee Print 32 Hajime Sorayama Giclee Print 33
Hajime Sorayama Giclee Print 34 Hajime Sorayama Giclee Print 35 Hajime Sorayama Giclee Print 36  

Click the images above for more details.


X