The Japanese writer, Haruki Murakami (春樹 村上) who has captivated book lovers all across the world, has now released a new line of T-shirts in collaboration with UNIQLO.

The collaboration that brought one of Japan’s most famous authors and one of its largest and most known manufacturers features a line of T-shirts inspired by Murakami’s novels.

There are eight graphic T-shirts in the collection, from which one has a very minimalistic design, while the rest have more elements included and are more elaborate.

Besides the motifs inspired by his literature works, you’ll also discover his passion for music, cats within the designs, and two tops that have his new outgoing project as reference.

The collection also features a set of Haruki Murakami stickers and pin badges that come in three different patterns.

The T-shirt with the most simple design is the green one that has written the title of one of his most famous novels, Norwegian Wood, and the author’s name.

The rest of the motifs showcase a few of his other literary masterpieces such as Kafka on the Shore, Dance Dance Dance, 1Q84, Sputnik Sweetheart, and Pinball, 1973.

Thoughts on the designs and personal review

As a fan of Haruki Murakami and his works, I was more than excited when I heard of this collaboration.

Actually, on the release day, I even took the morning off to be the first in line when the Uniqlo nearby opens its doors to customers (that is how much I was looking forward to it!).

To my surprise, I wasn’t the only one waiting outside of the shop before its opening, and quite a few middle-aged people were waiting before me.

When the doors opened, everyone went straight to the Murakami tops and started looking for their sizes, taking one from each design.

I managed to find my size for only three of the T-shirts and purchase the ones I wanted most.

 

However, I took some time to carefully scan each pattern and see if I didn't miss any detail.

 

Before revealing what are I managed to purchase, I will try to briefly describe the collection so you can get a better image of how it looks like:

Kafka on the Shore motif

The Kafka on the Shore-inspired T-shirt has a beautiful navy color, a silhouette of a bird on the front, and a short extract from the novel.

I felt that both the pattern and the navy color are easy to match, and it doesn’t stand out that much, either. Therefore, it is probably easier to play with your outfits, and it is also safe to wear on many different occasions.

Pinball, 1973

The Pinball, 1973 is a white top with the novel's name on the back and a quote from it, written in uppercase letters, on the front: JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING LOOKS BETTER FROM A DISTANCE. 

It also has an illustration that gives off retro vibes and looks pretty fashionable. I feel that it is also a good balance between the letters and the art and it would look cute paired with jeans, for example.

Dance Dance Dance

Another white top, with a pocket on the front and an adorable mini-illustration featuring two silhouettes dancing, is the Dance Dance Dance shirt.

 

The back of it is more retro and has the same art (duplicated and much bigger).

 

You will notice the book's title on the back along with a quote that says:
  If you listen carefully, you can hear these things.
If you look carefully, you’ll see what you’re after. Dance・Dance・Dance, Haruki Murakami

IQ84

I first saw this T-shirt on the Uniqlo website before its release, and I must say I found it creative and was so excited to try it on.

It comes in black color, and on its back, there is the name of the book and author. What made me want this T-shirt was the front image, which has a quote from IQ84, but the fascinating part is the mirrored version of the letters.

The quote says:
Don't let appearances fool you.; and I remember the first time I saw it on the website, I looked a couple of times to decipher what it's written.

Sputnik Sweetheart

The last top from the novel series has the title Sputnik Sweetheart on the front and a quote that says:
Understanding is but the sum of our misunderstandings on the back,
The T-shirt is white and simple, so easier to incorporate it into your outfits.

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Murakami Radio

Two tops feature designs from the author’s ongoing project, Murakami Radio, and his book that has the same name written in 2001.

The white T-shirt features a cat staying at a desk and is the same art work used to advertise his show at Tokyo FM.

On the back it is written:
BOOKS, MUSIC, and CATS 
have been my friends from way back.

The second shirt is a black one with a quote from Murakami himself on the back of the T-shirt:

 

"For me, the trick to writing a novel, or shall I say elements, is the same as music. First, there must be a rhythm. Then you need harmony. And improvisations. These three elements are extremely crucial for me".

The T-shirts cost 1,500 yen each, and you can also buy the stickers for 390 yen or pin badges for 590 yen (per piece).

The collection is available in the Uniqlo stores and online.

Haruki Murakami is the main reason why I got interested in Japan's culture and Japanese literature, so this collection meant a lot to me.

 

For now, I managed to only purchase three of the T-shirts from the line-up, and my purchases were: the IQ84 T-shirt, the Dance Dance Dance one, and the Murakami Radio white T-shirt.

Books, music, and cats are three essential things in my life and have been my long-time friends since a very young age (later, coffee also joined them).

I thought that this particular T-shirt reflects a bit of who I am as a person as well, so I am more than happy to have found the right size in the store.

Besides the tops, I also bought a set of stickers that are now decorating my writing desk and gives me will-power during my work/study hours.

You can check out the Uniqlo Official Website if you want to find more information about the new Haruki Murakami x Uniqlo graphic tees or purchase any of the items.

Related Links

• Haruki Murakami x Uniqlo Collection
• Murakami Radio Tokyo FM