LWLies x Japanese Cinema print

LWLies are releasing a special print, celebrating iconic Japanese cinema, to help raise money for the relief effort in Japan, following the Tōhoku earthquake on March 11.

Illustrated and designed by LWLies creative director Paul Willoughby, the print features characters from 20 iconic films that truly capture the spirit of the land of the rising sun.

From Ozu’s classic Tokyo Story to several decades of J-Horror including Ringu, Audition and House, right through to the stars of Studio Ghibli in Spirited Away and great anime like Perfect Blue, Willoughby has captured the beauty and creativity of Japanese film.

The print will cost £40 and is available only in a limited-edition run of 50 from the LWLies shop, with all proceeds going to Mercy Corps and Shelterbox, both working in the Tohoku region. All prints are signed by Paul Willoughby and numbered.

Mercy Corps is providing immediate relief to families in Japan’s evacuation centres, as well as setting up programmes for longer-term emotional support and economic recovery. Their ‘Comfort for Kids’ programme provides post-trauma support for children and they are now developing plans to assist the elderly in the region.

Cornwall-based ShelterBox were one of the first international aid agencies to arrive in Japan after the earthquake. Since then, their response team has been working closely with local authorities to support misplaced families.