Hi guys!
We are starting a new series where we share the inspiration behind every design we put out.
If you're new here, NO1 APPARELS is an anime apparel shop that focuses on subtle, minimal and wearable designs. We make anime clothing that feels like streetwear first, with meanings that only other fans will notice.
A lot of the pieces we create come from moments that hit us emotionally, and since many of you discovered us while searching for subtle anime shirts, subtle anime clothing, subtle anime merch or even anime inspired clothing, we thought it would be nice to bring you along on the creative process instead of just dropping the design and calling it a day.
Here’s the first one.
AKAZA and Why His Story Hit Us So Hard
We still remember walking out of the Infinity Castle screening just feeling really empty inside.
We went in fully ready to celebrate Akaza’s defeat (got spoiled), but somehow walked out feeling genuinely sad for him.
Moments like these remind us why we really enjoy creating Demon Slayer shirts that carry more meaning than just a design, just like our Set Your Heart Ablaze shirt inspired by Rengoku's final words.
How Akaza's Story Influenced the Design
For the longest time, Akaza was simply that guy we could not stand.
The character we always waited to see lose.
We never read the manga, so this was our first real look into who he actually was. And after watching the movie, it completely changed the plans we had for our Demon Slayer clothes and even the way we approach our anime clothing designs as a whole.
After the movie, everything made sense.
His entire life felt like one long chain of being placed in the wrong environment again and again.
It never felt like he wanted to be evil.
It felt more like he kept getting dealt terrible situations where every option was already bad, and suddenly you understand why he became who he became.
A boy who stole only because it was the only way to buy medicine for his dying father.
A son who still lost him in the end, no matter how hard he tried.
A kid whose tattoos branded him a criminal even though he never had the luxury of choosing anything better.
Every choice he made came from desperation, not malice.
Then he finally gets taken in by a family who sees him for who he really is.
They give him warmth, food, guidance, love.
He meets someone he wants to spend his life with and for once, it feels like life is finally giving him a chance.
And just when he goes to his father’s grave to share the good news that he’s taking over the gym and finally marrying Koyuki, he comes home and finds the two people he loves most already gone.
Why This Became One of Our Favorite Demon Slayer Pieces
That moment alone made us realise the kind of emotions we want our Demon Slayer Apparel to convey, because characters like Akaza carry so much more depth and tragedy than what we see on the surface.
By the time we left the cinema, we were no longer thinking of Akaza as the villain.
We were thinking of him as someone who never got the chance to live a normal life.
That was the moment we knew we wanted to dedicate a design to him, not just as another piece of anime clothing, but as something personal that fans of the series would understand immediately.
This is our take on Akaza in a way that stays subtle enough to wear anywhere, the kind of subtle Demon Slayer merch we wished existed when we first started watching the series.
We’ve seen a growing interest in apparel anime pieces and if you prefer clean and minimal designs over loud anime prints, this fits perfectly into what people often search for when they look for animeclothing or subtle anime merch.
Breaking Down the Design Details
The strokes on the back of the tee are inspired by the markings on his face, but we intentionally made them harsher and more aggressive.
We wanted them to reflect what his life actually felt like.
Not smooth, not gentle, but full of pain, loss and decisions no one should ever have to make.
Inside those strokes, you will see the kanji for 上弦 and 参.
They represent his position as Upper Moon Three in Muzan’s ranks.
上弦 translates to Upper Moon, and 参 means Three.
It is a small detail that Demon Slayer fans will catch instantly, and something that fits the subtle and understated direction we are building for our anime clothing.
We kept the whole design simple and wearable.
No loud graphics.
No big character portraits.
Just a clean piece that carries meaning for anyone who knows the story behind it.
Final Thoughts
That’s all from us today!
Really appreciate you guys taking the time to read this.
See you in the next post where we dive into another one of our Demon Slayer shirts that I think a lot of you will vibe with.
Love,
NO1 Team