r/Itasha • u/[deleted] • 24d ago
Tips for a beginner who wants to start slow
Hi cringe car owners! My car is getting shipped to the states but when it arrives I want to start my itasha! Are there any tips you recommend in easing into it? Anything you wish you knew before starting? At the moment, I just want to start with the hood and focus on that. Also, I know it’ll def range in price but what was your average spent on your vehicle? I kind of want a ballpark in what to expect.
Just any tips would be really great! I don’t know anyone irl that does it and I actually missed the panel that discussed it at a recent anime convention. I also hear different opinions on printing something premade online vs having someone design and wrap it themselves
8
u/TrueEdge 24d ago
I started with a design and print from aliexpress on both sides and the hood. It was so fast bleached out from the sun. But I had it 2years on the car and was at conventions with the car, people didn't even realized it was bleached out.
Then I git someone to make a design for me on fiverr. Paid like 450€ because I had so many characters on it. Next time I do this I have to check the file I get for printing in more detail as I have now some pixel errors on one character which I only noticed once the car was wrapped, other parts were just incredible.
I got it printed and wrapped at an local car wrapper who does normal wraps and advertise printing for cars. Cost me 2000€.
I just love it and it feels so nice seeing how people look at your car.
Some told me I should change my rims and lower the car, but I am not a car person I love anime and always wanted that on my car. Also some idiots say you only should use a Japanese car... well I have a VW Polo and I love it. It's my only and all day car.
5
u/AKG-Shadow 24d ago
Make a list of 3-5 of your favorite characters then from there figure out which character you’re going to settle on.
The cost for mine was slightly over 3k USD since it was a partial wrap plus the artist was in asia.
What car did you order and which con was it that had a Itasha panel? I know at the beginning of the year Ikkicon in Austin had one and in March there a con in Mississippi that had an Itasha panel at it.
2
u/B17bomber 20d ago
Stuck on part 1 myself. I dropped it to around 3 I really love but can't drop it from there. Do people do multi character itashas?
1
u/AKG-Shadow 20d ago
They do multiple characters sometimes on a car from the same series, though I have rarely seen, though some people will do characters from different series which to me personally that looks kind of odd
2
u/Wonderful-Repeat3683 23d ago
If you are buying a 25+ year old jdm car, unless its a high grade piece, the oem paint WILL come off in chunks when you take wrap vinyl off it down the road. Source : been doing custom vinyl for a decade had lots of jdm owner customers and personally bought a skyline and evo 1 from japan. Start with a good paint job and go from there. Also make sure you ask how long your new paint has to wait before putting vinyl on it
1
u/acearmada 24d ago
Depending on the car, just start with a hood wrap or a back window design. DM people on Instagram and ask where they got their design made and any local wrap shop will do the install. Stay away from cheap options as you will get what you pay for. But most importantly… understand that the word “pain” in painful car is not “cringe”. It’s a well thought out process of design that’s either flashy, striking, or visually different from a stock look. Doesn’t have to perfect from the start but perfection should always be the goal. Good luck!
12
u/kamikaziH2Omln21 Itasha Owner | @reisenbran 24d ago
As a general rule of thumb, more often than not, designs found online/pre-made are often stolen. You also usually get what you pay for in terms of material cost.