Artist: Javi Rosario - Waukegan, Illinois
Before Javi Rosario was creating anime tattoos full-time, he was working in a corporate kitchen while building his skills as an artist whenever he could.
His connection to anime started much earlier, though. Growing up around older cousins who watched anime, drew, and did graffiti introduced Javi to art from a young age—and eventually helped shape the kind of artist he would become.
Today, he specializes in character-driven anime tattoos, with a love for bold black and grey work that stays true to the characters his clients grew up watching.
We caught up with Javi so you can get to know a little more about the artist behind the work.
How did you get started tattooing?
Before tattooing full-time, I was working as a dishwasher in a corporate kitchen while building my skills as an artist on the side.
As my work improved and more people started trusting me with their tattoos, I realized I couldn't keep giving tattooing only an hour or two of my time.
Eventually, I left the kitchen behind and decided to give tattooing my full attention.
Where did your love for anime begin?
A lot of it came from my family.
I grew up around my older cousins, and they were always watching anime, drawing, and doing graffiti. Naturally, I wanted to do what they were doing, so I started drawing too.
That's really where my love for anime art began, and years later it became the foundation for the kind of tattoo artist I wanted to be.
What are some of your favorite anime?
One Piece, Vinland Saga, and Fullmetal Alchemist are some of my favorites.
Anime has been part of my life since I was young, so being able to work with characters and stories from that world as an artist feels very natural to me.
And if you’re a fan of any of those series too, you already have something to talk about when you sit down for your session.
Why anime tattoos?
For me, it was seeing my clients' reactions.
There is something special about finishing a tattoo and watching someone light up when they finally see it, especially when their friends, partner, or family are there getting excited with them.
Seeing how happy people were to have these characters brought to life on their skin was what made me realize this was something I wanted to keep doing.
What matters most in your designs?
I want the character to actually feel like the character you love.
It has always been important to me that my tattoos closely resemble the original anime or manga. I pay attention to the expression, details, composition, and the things that make that character recognizable in the first place.
I especially enjoy character portraits and black and grey work, but every client comes in with a different vision.
Some people want their character smiling. Others want them angry, fighting, or captured during one of their favorite moments from the series.
My job is to understand what the client wants and build the tattoo around that.
What tattoo changed your career?
Definitely my Zenitsu tattoo from Demon Slayer.
It was one of the first anime pieces I created that reached a much larger audience. More people started discovering my work, sharing it, and reaching out to me specifically for anime tattoos.
I still have that piece pinned on my profile because of what it represents.
It was one of those moments where I realized people were starting to recognize me for exactly the kind of work I wanted to be known for.
Who helped shape your journey?
I've been lucky to have a lot of support around me.
Early in my career, I had a friend named Jesús who helped me understand tattooing and the industry better.
Later, while working at a studio called Evolución, the owner, Cris, encouraged me to keep growing, invest in better equipment, learn about different machines and inks, and take my craft more seriously.
My family and friends have supported me from the beginning too, and since coming to the United States, my wife has probably been my biggest supporter.
Having people around me who believed in what I was building made a huge difference.
What can clients expect from you today?
I'm still constantly trying to get better.
Right now I'm experimenting more with color, exploring different techniques, and figuring out what I can add to my style while still keeping the things that make my work feel like mine.
I've also changed the way I work so I can spend more time designing and preparing for each tattoo rather than simply trying to tattoo as many days as possible.
For me, it's about continuing to improve, giving my clients a great experience, and creating something they're genuinely excited to wear.
Meet Javi in the Chair
From watching anime with his older cousins to building a career around bringing those same kinds of characters to life, Javi's relationship with anime has followed him for years.
So whether you've already booked your appointment or you're just discovering his work, hopefully you now know a little more about the person behind the tattoos.
If you haven't booked with Javi yet and his work feels like the right fit for your next tattoo, we'd love to hear your idea.
