Before Kirill Dare became known for his anime tattoos, he was studying engineering at Bauman Moscow State Technical University, one of Russia’s most prestigious technical schools.
He had earned a state-funded place there, and from the outside, the path ahead seemed fairly clear. But Kirill had been drawing since childhood, and the closer he got to an engineering career, the more he realized he wanted to make a living creating art instead.
Then a classmate saw his drawings and suggested he try tattooing. Kirill took the idea seriously enough to start practicing in his university dormitory.
Years later, that experiment has grown into Rare Dare, a distinctive style that combines Japanese anime with the bold visual language of Western comics. Along the way, Kirill has written a book about drawing anime characters and built a following well beyond Russia.
We caught up with him to learn how it happened, who shaped his art, and where he wants to take it next.
How did tattooing start?
It really started with a conversation at university.
My classmate Danila saw my drawings one day and said, “You draw so well. Why don’t you start tattooing?”
So I did. I started tattooing right there in the Bauman dormitory.
At the time, I'd been drawing for years, but I hadn't seriously imagined I could build a career from it. Tattooing was becoming more visible around us, too. Friends were getting tattoos, and artists were sharing their work online.
That little suggestion made me see an opportunity I hadn't considered before. It's funny how someone can say one sentence and completely change the direction of your life.
Why did you leave engineering?
I had worked hard to get into university, but by my third year I was thinking about what my future would actually look like.
The most obvious engineering paths available to me didn't feel right. I wanted work that would let me express my own ideas, not spend my life in a career I couldn't connect with.
So I made a pretty big decision. I left university, quit my job, and committed to learning tattooing.
From the outside, I'm sure it looked irresponsible. Maybe it was a little crazy. But I knew that if I didn't give art a real chance, I'd keep wondering what could have happened.
Who first inspired your art?
My grandfather, Stas, was probably the most important artistic influence in my life.
Most of my family worked in factories, but he was an artist. He had been an honored artist in the Soviet Union and later worked in theatre, painting and designing sets.
He gave me my first academic drawing lessons when I was around five. His theatre workshop was full of sculptures, plaster casts, art supplies, and people making things. I loved being there.
When I was thirteen, I got into graffiti. He wasn't particularly impressed with that at first, but when I became more interested in drawing characters than lettering, he started teaching me anatomy, portraits, and how to draw people from life.
He passed away when I was eighteen, before I became a professional artist. I still think about how most of my family expected me to choose a technical career, yet I ended up following his path in my own way.
I think he would have understood.
How did your style develop?
I grew up loving Japanese anime, but Western comics were just as important to me, especially Marvel and Spider-Man.
Eventually, those influences came together. Today I mostly tattoo anime characters, but I use a lot of ideas from comic-book art: dramatic lighting, strong contrast, bold shapes, and dynamic compositions.
It's funny because I've barely done any actual comic-book tattoos. The influence shows up in how I approach anime instead.
I want to keep the original character recognizable and respect the mangaka's style, while also creating something that feels like a Rare Dare tattoo.
What are your favorite anime?
Berserk, One Piece, and GTO are some of my favorites.
Anime has been part of my life since long before I started tattooing, and I still love seeing how differently artists approach their characters. That variety is one of the reasons I enjoy working with anime designs in the first place.
Who helped build Rare Dare?
My friend Danila was the one who suggested tattooing, and my grandfather gave me my foundation in art. But my wife, Masha, has probably been the most important person in building this career.
When I decided to pursue tattooing seriously, she was working at a cinema while I put all my time into learning. The first year was difficult, and the second was mostly about finding my footing. She kept believing in me anyway.
Today she works with me full-time. She helps manage bookings, speaks with clients, and handles messages while I'm tattooing.
I could talk about her forever, honestly. Rare Dare has my name on it, but it was never something I built entirely by myself.
What makes a great anime tattoo?
For me, the important thing is that the tattoo still works as art, even if the person eventually loses interest in the character.
I try to preserve the original mangaka's visual style while bringing in techniques that make the composition strong on skin.
Maybe someone loves a certain anime right now because it reminds them of a particular time in their life. Ten years later, that connection might change.
But the tattoo should still be something they're proud to wear. I want the artwork, not just the character's popularity, to hold up over time.
When did things feel real?
There wasn't one moment when I suddenly felt successful. It happened in stages.
Artists whose work I'd studied for years started following me, liking my tattoos, and commenting on what I was making. That was a strange feeling. People who once seemed completely out of reach were suddenly interacting with me as another artist.
Then one of the biggest publishing houses in Russia reached out with an opportunity to write an educational book, Drawing Characters from Iconic Anime.
I never expected that when I first started drawing or tattooing. Seeing my experience turn into something I could share with other people made the whole journey feel very real.
When did people recognize your work?
One of the coolest things is hearing stories from clients about strangers recognizing their tattoos.
Someone will approach a client and ask, “Is that a Rare Dare tattoo?” Sometimes that person already has one of my pieces, or they're planning to get one.
Over time, people also started coming back for larger projects and bringing their friends, partners, and family members.
Those moments mean a lot to me. A tattoo leaves the studio with its owner. Hearing that people recognize it out in the world, and sometimes even connect with each other because of it, is an incredible feeling.
What project excites you most?
Right now, it's a huge Solo Leveling back piece featuring the Statue.
I had already done a Demon Slayer sleeve for this client, and he would mention every so often that he wanted to tattoo his whole back someday.
Then he asked if we could put that face across his entire back. I was immediately excited about what we could create.
We've completed the outline and shading, with several color sessions still to go. Even unfinished, the project has reached around three million views on social media.
It's one of the most ambitious pieces I've worked on, and I can't wait to see the finished result.
What pieces make you proud?
The Solo Leveling project is a big one, but some of my proudest tattoos haven't been the most popular online.
My Power tattoo from Chainsaw Man and Levi tattoo from Attack on Titan both pushed me technically. What made those pieces special was that other tattoo artists noticed them, including people I had admired for years.
Getting millions of views is exciting, of course. But sometimes recognition from someone who understands how difficult a piece was to create means even more.
I'm always looking for that next project that will challenge me in a new way.
What's next for Rare Dare?
I feel ready for the next chapter.
I've spent years building my style and audience in Russia, and now I want to travel, work in different countries, and participate in international tattoo conventions.
People have invited me to work in their cities, and I've received opportunities from places like the UK and Spain. Until recently, I still had goals I wanted to achieve at home first.
Now I'm excited to meet new artists, reach new audiences, and keep learning from the experiences that come with traveling.
I want Rare Dare to be known far beyond Russia. I'm ready to see how far this can go.
Meet Kirill Behind the Art
A classmate's suggestion may have led Kirill to tattooing, but the art behind Rare Dare has much deeper roots: a grandfather who taught him to draw, a wife who helped him build his career, and years spent blending anime with his love of comic-book art.
Today, that combination has made his work recognizable to fans and artists alike, with a new chapter of international projects still ahead.
Explore More of Rare Dare's Work
Kirill's portfolio is featured in the AnimeTattoos.com artist directory, where you can explore more of his colorful anime tattoos.
If your In Moscow Russia, Book with Rare Dare VIA Instagram!
