The ita-bag contest showcases your favorite anime characters in the most painful way【Photos】

The results are a bright kaleidoscope of repetition and fandom that makes our eyes burn.

Of the many trends in Japan, the “ita” trend is the certainly one of the most attention-grabbing. Whether you have a car decorated from front to rear in colorful anime graphics (itasha) or a room decorated with your favorite character or series (itaheya), the result is impressively forceful when you look at it. After all, the “ita” in the words stands for “painful” and it’s hard to keep looking at anything “ita” for a long period of time.

The anime, manga, and idol goods flea market website otamart recently held an ita-bag contest. With a much smaller surface area to work with, the bags might be less impactful, but the results are pretty much exactly as one would expect.

▼ Grand Prize Winner
Amatsu Ida from Prince of Stride

▼ Runner-up
Maki Nishikino from Love Live

Each of the bags features an impressive amount of repetition of the same character. It’s a bit like the “99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall” song in visual form. The two bags above were chosen from among 1,764 entries. It’s amazing that someone could successfully judge 10 of these bags, let alone a thousand, as each entry looks to pack in as much fandom as possible. Does button arrangement or symmetry count for something? We aren’t sure, but we are definitely sure that the following bags received honorable mentions for their clever, yet loud, arrangements.

▼ Sharo from Is the Order a Rabbit?

▼ Kei Tsukishima from Haikyu!!

▼ Jushimatsu from Mr. Osomatsu

▼ Natsume Asahina from Brothers Conflict

▼ Jean-Jacques Leroy (J.J.) from Yuri!!! on Ice

▼ Yugi Muto and Nami Yugi from Yu-Gi-Oh!

A prize for the contest was also given to the most well-designed bag, which sported a classier look, but still exudes that perfect ita-bag flair.

▼ Good Design Winner
Osomatsu and Karamatsu from Mr. Osomatsu

We can only imagine that the success of the otamart ita-bag competition will prompt more in years to come. For those who haven’t had their fill of the ita-lineup, be sure to check out these cars, trucks, rooms and this bag for more painful visuals.

Source: Kai-You
Images: otamart

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