Palm-size in Seattle
$350–$850
A color character piece usually takes 2–3.5 hours at palm size.
Ages well
3/5
Anime and manga have had a large Western fan base since the 1980s, and anime tattoos have grown from niche fan art into a recognized specialty. Artists who focus on anime translate a 2D drawing style, with large expressive eyes, clean lines and flat or cel-shaded color, into a design that works on curved skin.
Popular approaches include bright cel-shaded characters, black and grey manga panels with screentone-style dotwork, and soft, painterly scenes inspired by Studio Ghibli films. Character likeness is everything: a slightly off eye or mouth shape makes a famous face look wrong. Seattle hosts Sakura-Con, the largest anime convention in the Northwest, every spring, so the local fan community is large.
Anime tattoos get an aging score of 3 out of 5. Pieces with solid black outlines and saturated flat color age well. Pastel palettes, thin outlines and tiny facial details soften fastest, and character faces are where blur is most noticeable. Choose a size where the eyes have room.
18 studios in Washington list anime work, 3 of them in Seattle. Always check an artist's portfolio — style is about the artist, not the shop. See the 25 artists who list it.
Showing all 3 studios
Central District, Seattle
Not Occult Tattoo is a tattoo shop at 2018 E Union St in Seattle. The shop offers styles including fineline, blackwork, American traditional, neotraditional, illustrative, anime, and geometric, and accepts walk-ins.
Greenwood, Seattle
Strictly Irezumi, formerly Raijin Tattoo, is a tattoo studio in Seattle. It specializes in Japanese Irezumi and offers custom tattoos in styles including illustrative, fine line, micro-realism, realism, anime, and script.
Greenwood, Seattle
8212 Greenwood Ave N
Showing all 15 studios
Lacey, WA
Sorry Mom Ink is a tattoo studio in Lacey, Washington, with a flagship location on Freedom Lane that welcomes appointments and walk-ins. The studio describes its work as custom-designed and lists styles including illustrative realism, fine line, watercolor, American traditional, and black and grey.
Ellensburg, WA
The Roost Tattoo Studio is in Ellensburg, Washington. The studio offers tattooing, and its artists accept tattoo requests.
Tacoma, WA
TygerWolf Tattoo is a custom tattoo studio in downtown Tacoma. It offers free consultations and uses a booking form to connect clients with a preferred artist or match them with an artist for their idea.
Kennewick, WA
Golden Skull Tattoo is a locally owned tattoo shop in Kennewick, Washington. It offers custom tattoo design and cover-ups, with styles including black-and-grey, illustrative, and anime tattoos.
Des Moines, WA
Local Roots Ink is a tattoo studio in Des Moines, WA. The studio says its artists work in styles including Polynesian, realism, anime, and fine-line tattoos, and asks clients to schedule a consultation before booking.
Tacoma, WA
Tattoo Asylum is a tattoo studio with artists who specialize in several tattoo styles. One artist seeks clients interested in creating custom, one-of-a-kind pieces.
Olympia, WA
Baker's Dozen Tattoo is a tattoo studio in Olympia, located at 307 4th Avenue East. Artists manage their own schedules and clientele, and appointments are arranged directly with them through their social media or personal websites.
Bonney Lake, WA
Paradox Tattoo Gallery is a custom tattoo shop in Bonney Lake, Washington. The studio describes a consultation process to match clients with an artist for their tattoo concept.
Renton, WA
Rum Thai Tattoo offers tattoo services in the Bellevue, Renton, and Seattle area. The studio offers custom tattoo design, cover-up tattoos, and permanent cosmetics.
Walla Walla, WA
Walla Walla Tattoo Co. is a tattoo studio at 420 W Main St, Suite 1, in Walla Walla, Washington. It offers consultations to discuss ideas and design options, and says it creates unique tattoos using clients’ inspiration.
Kent, WA
134 Washington Ave N
Washougal, WA
Octopi Ink is a tattoo parlor in Washougal, Washington, offering custom tattooing and consultations. The site describes artists’ styles as including illustrative, realism, anime, and geometric designs, and says booking is by appointment only.
401 W 13th St · Vancouver
3231 Broadway · Everett
3001 S Mt Vernon St · Spokane
Artists
Cleopatra Ink · Tacoma
Local Roots Ink Studio · Des Moines
Unknown Tattoo Co. · Snohomish
Bakers Dozen · Olympia
Octopi Ink · Washougal
TygerWolf Tattoo · Tacoma
Skye Tattoo · Arlington
Absolute Ink · Burien
Sorry Mom Ink Tattoos and Piercings · Lacey
Mom's Custom Tattoo & Body Piercing · Spokane
With Love Tattoo · Bellingham
Stanwood Tattoo Company · Stanwood
Rum Thai Tattoo · Renton
TygerWolf Tattoo · Tacoma
Pronoia Ink Studio · Tacoma
Lux Studios VA · Vancouver
Walla Walla Tattoo Co. · Walla Walla
Tattoo Asylum · Tacoma
Bakers Dozen · Olympia
Ivy Ink Tattoo · Kent
Steadfast Art Collective · Kirkland
Names, roles, styles and photos come from each studio’s own website, and every profile links to its source. Professional information only. How artist profiles work
Look for an artist whose portfolio includes several healed anime pieces with accurate character faces, especially the eyes, which are the hardest part to get right. Artists who are fans of the series you love tend to nail details like color palettes and expressions. Ask how they'd adapt the character to your placement.
Bright colors fade somewhat over the years, especially in the sun, and pastels fade fastest. Anime pieces with strong black outlines and saturated color hold up well. Sunscreen on healed tattoos and an occasional touch-up keep them vivid.