Retro Futures, Anime Dreams
When Crunchyroll approached Pocko looking for an artist to celebrate Animay, the choice landed on Ardhira Putra. His dynamic compositions, bold nostalgic palette, and deep personal connection to anime culture made him the most fitting artist for the brief.
As for Ardhira, he self-described himself a lifelong anime fan. He grew up looking forward to Sunday mornings for the wide variety of stories that invited him to dream big and use his imagination. Anime, he says, was one of the biggest influences that got him into drawing in the first place.
Ardhira reimagined Crunchyroll's beloved mascot Hime against giant steel buildings and a clear blue sky, capturing the feel of a vintage cinema advertisement with a retro-futuristic twist : vibrant banners, bold patterns, and a sense of cinematic energy that is unmistakably his.
The result is more than a commission. It's a tribute to what anime has always done: share stories, spark imagination, and send positive energy out into the world — to viewers old and new.