10 great Japanese tattoo ideas for your next tattoo

1. 心を燃やせ

The first one we have on the list is “Set your hear ablaze” from Demon Slayer. This iconic quote was mentioned numerously by Rengoku Kyojyurou, the fire hashira. The Demon Slayer movie: Mugen Train has a box office of 40,430,000,000 JPY making it the most seen and sold movie in the history of Japanese films. This shows how anime and manga are now recognized not only among foreigners but among the Japanese people as well. You just cannot miss this quote if you want a Demon Slayer tattoo…!!!

2. 生殺与奪の権を他人に握らせるな

This quote is again from Demon Slayer, said by Tomioka Giyuu. This quote is also known as the scene at the beginning of Kamado Tanjiro’s journey of joining the Kisatustai, a group of talented swordsmen/women who unite to battle the Demon Slayer version of Michael Jackson. The quote itself means to “not let others get a grip of your right to live or die,” persuading Tanjiro to have more strength mentally and physically in order to be able to protect his sister truly.

3. 戦え

Up next we have “Fight” also known as “Tatakae,” said by Eren Yeager to himself…quite literally. It comes from Attack on Titan a.k.a. AoT where a bunch of guys and girls fight naked giants who can’t walk straight. However, I’ve never seen a story well told and plotted as much as Attack on Titan, and would like to give my deepest respect to Isayama Hajime, the author. Nonetheless, the phrase “Tatakae” become such a legendary meme on the social network that it is now tattoo worthy. While it does have an aspect of being a meme, the true lesson it teaches us (or is more likely to be

4. 進撃の巨人

This one speaks for itself. Having a tattoo with the title “Attack on Titan” doesn’t only look cool but makes you remember the footsteps of Eren and the rest of their quest of saving the world…their world?

5. 火影を越す！

“Surpassing the Hokage.” Ah, yes. How can we forget Naruto? This character is literally our childhood. We grew up seeing his growth and journey, and thus his words mean more than what is simply written. It is a memorial piece with bravery and human development peacefully sealed into it. It all started with his ambitious dream, and we were all witnesses to it. If you have it as a tattoo, it’ll be a great reminder of how you should never give up on your dreams and follow your heart. Who knows, it might be a great kick starter for a conversation, too!

6. 許せサスケ…これで最後だ

Runners up for Naruto is “Forgive me Sasuke, this’ll be the last” by Itachi. Who doesn’t like Itachi? Well, not me and probably 99% of the Naruto fans out there. This quote was heartwarming as well as heartbreaking and it just has a special place for all of us Naruto fans. It presents true, self-sacrificing love and shows the extent to which love can make us do. It wouldn’t be overexaggerating even if I said Itachi is what made half of Naturo’s story possible. Therefore his words are tattoo worthy.

7. 海賊王におれはなるっ！

Next is Luffy’s “I’m gonna be the pirate king!” This is just simply something cool to have. While there’s no profound teaching or lesson in this quote, it recalls our childhood (and adulthood as it’s still an ongoing anime piece) and great adventures. Caution that this would definitely look better if you had the full quote and not just Pirate king “海賊王.”

8. 生ぎたいっ！！！

Who remembers this from One Peace? This was such a tear-bursting scene where Robin finally opened her heart to the Strawhats. She’s been experiencing hatred and a lack of hope all her life, and this was the moment when she shouted her true wish; to have a faithful crew where they want her from the bottom of their hearts. While I cannot talk for someone else, I genuinely believe this can be a symbolic tattoo for anyone experiencing depression or any kind of discomfort but found hope or still hanging on a thread and wanting to live. Not every day is sunshine and rainbows and a small tattoo or watching/reading your favorite anime/manga can definitely help during those times.

9. 私が天に立つ

This one is one of my personal favorites. It’s said by Aizen Sousuke from Bleach, and it means “I’ll be on top.” When I first read this, it literally gave me goosebumps. It’s still one of the coldest lines ever said, and it just shows how awesome of a character he is. These personal quotes aren’t limited to MY personal favorites. If you have a favorite character, use their lines and go for it!

10. 卍解

I hope you all noticed that the image above has a Pocky (Japanese chocolate snack) instead of her sword! This one was just too funny not to post. “Bankai” is from Bleach and it might be the most popular line in Anime history, lining up with Tatakae. I mean, who hasn’t screamed “Bankai!!!” while posing and imagining yourself powering up? This tattoo idea is extra special because while most Japanese kanji tattoos tend to be a little cringe, this one is incredibly cool even from a Japanese perspective. (The other ideas are above-average coolness, but this one is just on another level.)

Honorable mention:

サタンミラクルスペシャルウルトラスーパーメガトンパーンチ！！！

For the special honorable mention, we have this punch name that Satan yells in Dragon Ball. He’s a character that everyone doesn’t love but also cannot hate. However, his long funny punch name can be a great niche tattoo to have! Just to let you know, he’s actually screaming “Satan miracle special ultra super megaton puuuuunch!!!!” Yes, it is an interesting one to have, but if you ever encounter someone who can tell where it’s from by looking at it, you know that person’s a keeper.

I hope you liked my personal Top 10 Japanese anime-based kanji tattoo ideas! The ones above aren’t to limit your options, so I hope they can widen your perspective on Japanese tattoos. If you don’t know what to choose or can’t find the perfect spacing let us know! We provide the perfect fit for your requests and provide the best words, font, spacing and meaning for your next tattoo.