Originally from Israel and now based in Tokyo, Nitzan has traveled a path from classical art education and oil painting to tattooing. Her work is an immersion into the world of anime and manga — black-and-grey scenes from beloved stories, created with close attention to character and emotional nuance.
In this interview, we spoke with Nitzan about her journey into tattooing, working with manga, life and work in Japan, her experience with studios and conventions, and how she maintains a distinct artistic voice in a niche that is rapidly becoming mainstream.
Nitzan, could you tell us a bit about yourself? Where are you from, and do you have any artistic background?
Nitzan: I’ve always been drawn to art as a way of expressing emotions, identity, and personal stories. From a young age, I was constantly drawing and painting, especially working with oil paints. I studied art in high school and was always creating in one form or another. Drawing has been part of my life for as long as I can remember, and tattooing felt like learning a new artistic medium – one with infinite possibilities in terms of techniques and styles. I was immediately fascinated by the potential to grow, experiment, and continue learning through tattooing.
How and when did you get into tattooing?
Nitzan: I started tattooing about four and a half years ago, right after the COVID-19 pandemic began. I had always been interested in tattoos – the pop and rock culture I grew up with played a big role in my life, and many of the people I admired were tattooed. In addition, over the past decade in Israel, tattoo culture became much more visible, especially through Instagram. I began following and admiring tattoo artists whose work truly inspired me, and the entire field started to deeply interest me.
Nitzan: When the pandemic started, I was still working a corporate job. I decided to quit and originally planned to travel, but because of COVID, that wasn’t possible. Instead, I chose to take a three-month tattoo course and start learning how to tattoo. From the moment I began the course, I knew I wanted to do everything I could to become the best artist possible. I showed up every day to draw and practice as much as I could. I felt very strongly that this was something I truly connected with and wanted to grow in. After finishing the course, I joined a well-known and established tattoo studio in Israel – and that’s where my journey began.
Why did you choose anime tattoos? Could you tell us more about your style?
Nitzan: From a young age, I grew up watching anime on television in Israel, such as Pokémon, Dragon Ball, and Sailor Moon. Naturally, I began drawing the characters I loved, and I was always fascinated by how much emotion could be expressed through anime. As I got older, I discovered more series and went deeper into this world – I started reading manga and became an active part of the community.
When I began tattooing, even during my course, I was already practicing anime character drawings and anime-based sketches. I didn’t see many tattoo artists who were able to truly capture the beauty of anime and manga and translate it into tattoos. That motivated me to do exactly that – to give clients the opportunity to tattoo their favorite characters and scenes in a way that respects the original work while conveying the emotion, depth, and uniqueness found in each manga or anime.
Nitzan: I usually work in black and grey, using stippling techniques to create shading that closely resembles the textures found in manga. I focus strongly on facial expressions and on transferring the emotional depth of the scenes and characters my clients choose. I often add additional elements from the manga or story, such as text or speech bubbles. Many of my tattoos are composed within rectangular shapes, like manga panels, or other shapes such as hearts. Rather than drawing literal frames, I create the illusion of a frame through clean, controlled shading, resulting in tattoos that often look as if they were taken directly from a manga page.
Why do you work exclusively in black ink? Have you ever experimented with color pigments?
Nitzan: I think working with color is beautiful, and I personally have many color tattoos myself. However, when it comes to my own work, I’m especially drawn to my shading technique because it closely resembles the textures found in manga. When manga is adapted into anime and color is added, the original shading often disappears and is replaced by flat, colored animation.
In anime tattoos, color work is usually characterized by filling entire areas with color, which leaves no room for the kind of shading I create using stippling techniques. That texture is lost, and for me, that’s the most important and enjoyable part of my work. It’s the part I love the most – both because it’s the most fun for me to do, and because it truly defines my style. The result feels very unique, and I really love how it looks.
I’ve experimented with color in the past – it was interesting and beautiful – but I simply enjoy working in black ink much more.
What inspires you the most?
Nitzan: Of course, a large part of my inspiration comes from manga and anime – that’s my main source. However, I’m also deeply inspired by fashion, art in general, oil painting, and other artists working in animation and graphic design. Musicians, actors, and content creators on social media also inspire me. I have many hobbies and interests, and I naturally draw inspiration from a wide range of things around me. I’m also very inspired by K-pop.
Living in Japan is another huge source of inspiration for me. Fashion, manga, and anime originate here, and they’re a natural, everyday part of life in Japan. Being surrounded by this culture is incredibly inspiring. Additionally, the studio I work in is located in an area strongly associated with fashion and art, which constantly fuels my creativity.
Do your clients usually choose pre-made designs or custom pieces?
Nitzan: I do have flash designs available, but in most cases, my clients come to me with an idea – a character they love or even a very specific scene they want to tattoo. From there, we work together on the design. We talk about what’s important to them, and if they come with a more general concept, I suggest specific ideas that fit their vision, the placement, and the size they’re looking for.
Do you have any favorite themes or characters you enjoy tattooing the most?
Nitzan: Naturally, I love tattooing characters from anime that I personally enjoy. New anime series and new seasons are constantly being released, and often there’s a moment when everyone becomes incredibly excited and obsessed with the same show at the same time. Clients come to me during those moments wanting tattoos from a series they’re passionate about, and because I’m also part of that community, I usually feel just as obsessed with the same anime. It turns the tattoo session into a really fun, exciting, shared experience.
Another type of tattoo I always enjoy doing is inspired by Studio Ghibli films. I’ve loved and admired their work from a young age. Their animation is incredibly beautiful, and their films always convey meaningful and emotional messages. I’m always happy to create tattoos inspired by Ghibli movies.
Do you have any special or favorite projects that stand out to you?
Nitzan: I especially love working on large-scale projects, and I plan to focus on creating more of them in the future. One project that really stands out to me is a sleeve I’m currently working on with a client from Germany, inspired by Spirited Away by Studio Ghibli. I feel a very strong connection to this piece, and it’s especially meaningful to me. In the future, I would also love to create a full back piece.
In addition to large projects, I’ve also really enjoyed tattooing designs inspired by Nana and Jujutsu Kaisen. Those projects were very exciting for me and are definitely among my favorites.
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Where are you working now? Are you part of a studio, or do you work independently?
Nitzan: I’m currently working at a studio called Tattoo Studio Yamada, located in Harajuku, Tokyo, Japan. The studio was founded by Ren Yamada, an incredible tattoo artist and someone I deeply respect both professionally and personally. The studio is home to around ten tattoo artists, each specializing in different styles and creating unique, high-quality work.
I first became familiar with the studio about two years ago, and when I moved to Japan, I started working with them right away. On a personal level, I feel that the people in the studio are very close, and there’s a strong atmosphere of shared motivation – both in terms of artistic growth and the development of the studio itself. That environment gives me a lot of motivation to work hard, and having that kind of support and inspiration in a workplace is extremely important to me.
How long have you been living and working in Japan? Why did you choose this country for your work?
Nitzan: I’ve been living and working in Japan for about a year and a half. Around two and a half years ago, I first came to Tokyo for a five-week trip. At that time, I was living in Germany and searching for myself. I knew I didn’t want to stay there, and I was looking for a place where I could feel a stronger sense of belonging and happiness.
I really enjoyed my time in Japan and made an effort to experience Tokyo as deeply as possible to understand whether I could see myself living here. Eventually, I made the decision to move. I feel that there are many people here who share similar interests to mine, as well as countless opportunities to grow and develop artistically. Japan is also an incredibly comfortable, beautiful, and inspiring place to live.
Additionally, there aren’t many tattoo artists here who specialize in anime-style work. I felt that people who love anime and travel to Japan could get tattooed here and leave with the best possible souvenir from their trip.
Could you share your experience working with studios and other tattoo artists?
Nitzan: After I started tattooing, I worked for about a year at a large and well-known studio in Israel called Gida. I believe that tattooing is an extremely personal craft – every artist has completely different techniques, preferred needles, and ways of working. Because of that, working in a studio is incredibly meaningful. You can learn so much from every artist around you, even if their tattoo style is very different from your own. I learned a great deal during my time there.
After about a year, I began working independently and started traveling across Europe as a guest artist. By that point, I already had an established client base, and my Instagram presence was growing. I researched where artists I admired were working or doing residencies, and I traveled throughout Europe to work with different studios and meet them. There were several reasons for this: I wanted to move abroad at that stage, build a client base in Europe, and – most importantly – connect with other tattoo artists and learn new techniques and knowledge from different professionals.
I was genuinely surprised by how many meaningful connections and friendships I formed. Suddenly, I had friends all over the world. I realized that while our personal experiences may differ, culture and location often matter less than we think – many of our experiences are actually very similar. I’ve built long-lasting friendships that I still have today, and that’s one of the things I cherish most about this field.
Later on, I found Hood7 Tattoo Studio and moved to Hamburg, where I lived and worked with them for two years. That was also an incredible experience.
Overall, I believe that the ability to travel while working, collaborate with artists around the world, and experience different cultures is one of the most unique and amazing aspects of tattooing.
What has been your experience with tattoo conventions?
Nitzan: In 2025, I took part in my first convention, the Tokyo Bay Tattoo Convention, where I worked for three days alongside several other artists from my studio, Tattoo Studio Yamada.
On the third and final day, I participated in the Best of the Day competition and was awarded third place. The tattoo I created that day consisted of two hearts featuring characters from Nana, one of my favorite anime series. The judges complimented my work for its extremely accurate detailing and the shading textures in my tattoos.
As my first convention experience, it was incredibly special and meaningful. I felt very proud to take part in the competition and to receive an award.
In general, tattoo conventions are always inspiring spaces – seeing so many tattoo artists from different places, levels, and styles, connecting with one another, and learning from each other. It’s truly a fun and enriching experience.
Do you currently have a long waiting list? How can clients book a session with you?
Nitzan: I usually schedule appointments one to two months in advance. Sometimes I still have availability for the following month, and occasionally even two to three weeks ahead, depending on my schedule.
Clients can book a session with me either through Instagram DMs or via the link in my Instagram bio, which leads to my booking form.
What are your plans for the future – in terms of creativity, travel, and conventions?
Nitzan: In 2026, I want to broaden my artistic horizons. The past few years have been very intense – I moved between two different countries, and each transition required a lot of adjustment and was emotionally challenging. I want to return to drawing more, reconnect with myself artistically, and focus on creating more original artwork. I also want to work on finding a healthier work–life balance, make time to rest, and visit my family more.
In terms of travel, I’d love to do a Europe tour and also travel to the United States to visit friends and family. When it comes to conventions, I’d be happy to participate in more tattoo conventions, meet more incredible artists, and continue learning and growing through those experiences.
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