These Conceptual Japanese Chairs Are Inspired by Manga

April 14, 20168:12 AM

50_manga_chairs003_kenichi_sonehara — A speech bubble chair by Nendo inspired by Japanese manga.

Kenichi Sonehara

Designers find inspiration everywhere, often looking to other genres to unlock new ideas. Now Japanese designers Nendo have created a series of 50 high-concept chairs for New York City gallery Friedman Benda inspired by the visual language of manga, currently on display at this week’s 55^th annual Milan Furniture Fair, the world’s largest trade fair for interior design.

50_manga_chairs051_kenichi_sonehara — All 50 chairs.
Kenichi Sonehara

“Manga is a means of expression with a high degree of flatness and abstraction, and which is composed of a series of lines,” the designers write in a project description.

50_manga_chairs044_kenichi_sonehara — Kenichi Sonehara

50_manga_chairs006_kenichi_sonehara — Kenichi Sonehara

50_manga_chairs042_kenichi_sonehara — Kenichi Sonehara

50_manga_chairs007_kenichi_sonehara — Kenichi Sonehara

50_manga_chairs004_kenichi_sonehara — Kenichi Sonehara

50_manga_chairs013_kenichi_sonehara — Kenichi Sonehara

50_manga_chairs011_kenichi_sonehara — Kenichi Sonehara

50_manga_chairs001_kenichi_sonehara — Kenichi Sonehara

Just as manga comics consist of “a series of frames on a single sheet of paper that creates a sequence,” they write, each of the 50 chairs represent a design element from manga—like a “speech bubble” chair meant to evoke sound (top); and emotional symbols like “sweat” or “tears” designed so that “a sense of story and character” could be felt.

50_manga_chairs021_kenichi_sonehara — Kenichi Sonehara

50_manga_chairs024_kenichi_sonehara — Kenichi Sonehara

50_manga_chairs030_kenichi_sonehara — Kenichi Sonehara

50_manga_chairs027_kenichi_sonehara — Kenichi Sonehara

50_manga_chairs031_kenichi_sonehara — Kenichi Sonehara

50_manga_chairs036_kenichi_sonehara — Kenichi Sonehara

50_manga_chairs037_kenichi_sonehara — Kenichi Sonehara

50_manga_chairs015_kenichi_sonehara — Kenichi Sonehara

These conceptual chairs were not created as safe havens for your weary behind. Instead, they are lined up in a grid, elegant in form and dripping with symbolism, waiting for viewers to use them as fodder to create their own manga-inspired storylines.

50_manga_chairs049_kenichi_sonehara — The chairs have a smooth mirrored surface.
Kenichi Sonehara

“With the abstraction of manga comics in mind, physical aspects such as colour and texture are intentionally avoided as much as possible,” they write, adding that they chose a mirror finish that “reflects the real world, just like manga does.”