Anime lovers rejoice! Your time to shine has finally arrived. Anime Month 2025 is upon us, so we wanted to provide you with some anime-themed DIY craft ideas for the occasion. Remember that you can access any of the guides mentioned by downloading Hoopla, which is free with a library card.
What Month Is Anime Month?
Anime Month is observed in July for a few reasons. First is the fact that there are numerous significant anniversaries that take place during the month of July, including popular anime like Ranma ½: Reawakening Memories (Part 2), Lupin III: Legend of the Gold Babylon, Akira, and Pokemon: The Movie 2000, just to name a few. Additionally, July is one of the four most important months on the anime calendar for the release of new anime movies and manga along with January, April, and October.
Now’s the perfect time to prepare yourself for all sorts of new anime and manga by completing some fun arts and crafts. Below, we’ll provide you with a variety of resources for getting started.
Anime Month DIY Craft Idea 1: Drawing Anime
If you’d like to take a shot at drawing your own anime, a few guides you can reference include:
Chibi Art Class
In Chibi Art Class, Yoai provides tutorials on bringing your favorite
anime characters to life by providing you with step-by-step instructions.
In Japanese, Chibi is slang for “short,” which is the perfect description
for the characters this guide teaches you how to draw.
Anime Art Class
In Yoai’s follow-up to Chibi Art Class, Anime Art Class, you’ll learn to draw
some of your favorite characters down to the very details that make them
unique. From their captivating clothing to their hair and accessories, you’ll learn
how to do it all by following the steps listed in this guide.
Drawing and Painting Anime and Manga Faces
In Nao Yazawa’s Drawing and Painting Anime and Manga Faces, you’ll learn about
the must-have supplies for drawing the wide range of emotions your favorite
characters express. This guide also helps you advance your skills by providing
tips on definition, color selection, and more.
Design Your Own Anime and Manga Characters
If you’ve ever wanted to design and draw your own anime character, T.B Choi’s
Design Your Own Anime and Manga Characters is a great place to start. The expert
advice provided to readers provides all the insights you need to bring your idea to life!
Anime Month DIY Craft Idea 2: Amigurumi
Amigurumi is the Japanese art form of knitting and crocheting small, yarn-stuffed creatures. A couple of resources that can help you get started include:
Knitted Amigurumi Sea Creatures
In Knitted Amigurumi Sea Creatures, you’ll learn how to craft cute sea creatures
like jellyfish, octopi, hermit crabs, and more. You’ll also pick up knitting basics like
abbreviations and specific techniques that you may not have known about before.
Amigurumi: Woodland Animals BingePass
We’re moving from sea creatures to woodland animals thanks to Stacey
Trock’s Amigurumi: Woodland Animals series by Craftsy. With the Amigurumi: Woodland Animals BingePass you’ll learn all about counting stitches, marking, and selecting
supplies. She also provides insight on finishing with child-safe details.
More Knitting and Crocheting Ideas
If you’ve ever thought about getting into knitting or crocheting, now’s the perfect time to get started. Some resources that can help you with some anime-inspired creations include:
Cute and Cuddly Crochet
The 12-step process author Lauren Bergstrom provides in Cute and Cuddly Crochet
is an excellent starting point for beginners. The tips she provides enable you to
create adorable creations that are perfect for gifts or decorations.
Kawaii Crochet
In Melissa Bradley’s Kawaii Crochet, she provides readers with traditional Japanese
crochet patterns that include fortune cookies, fruits, and more. Whether you’re new
to the world of crochet or a seasoned expert, Kawaii Crochet provides a multitude
of ideas to choose from.
DIY Anime Month Craft Idea 3: Kawaii Clay
The kawaii style emphasizes cute and endearing qualities. And with these guides, you can create clay kawaii figures that make for great gifts or home decor.
Kawaii Resin and Clay Workshop
You’ll learn about the necessary tools, techniques, and tricks for creating breathtakingly
adorable creations in Alex Lee’s Kawaii Resin and Clay Workshop. You’ll also learn
how to perfect the arts of shaping, proper color adding, casting, and curing.
Crafting Cute: Polymer Clay the Kawaii Way
In Dani Banani’s Crafting Cute: Polymer Clay the Kawaii Way, you’ll learn how to make
50 different kawaii creations using polymer clay that’s affordable and available at your
favorite arts and crafts store. Some of the creations you’ll learn how to make include
food figurines, plant holders, earrings, and more.
*Title availability may vary by library
Kickstart Anime Month by Downloading and Completing These Free Activity Sheets!
And lastly, to kick off Anime Month with a bang, we’re giving you free activity sheets that you can use to make the anime adventure you’ve always dreamed of a reality! Once you finish, be sure to upload your creation on Facebook or Instagram and tag us @hoopladigital. When you’re ready to take a break from drawing anime, crocheting, or creating kawaii clay figures, download Hoopla to peruse our growing anime collection. Considering how much anime content gets released during July, check back often to make sure you don’t miss anything.
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