New York, 1 April 2026 - The first Christie's auction devoted to the popular Japanese art forms of anime, manga, and movie posters made a strong statement, with the sale soaring to 407 percent of its low estimate and 90 percent of lots sold. Anime Starts Here: Japanese Subculture Reimagines Tradition offered an eclectic mix of traditional and contemporary works that captured collectors' imaginations, resulting in outstanding prices for objects traditional, contemporary, and those that drew parallels between the two. The sale established three world records, for works by Shiomi Ryosuke, Yayoi Kusama, and Shiozaki Ken, and attracted younger bidders as well as bidders new to the auction house.
A leading example was Shiomi Ryosuke's 2019 take on samurai armor, Wolf and Armor, which sold for 35 times its low estimate to make $698,500 as the top lot of the sale and set a world record for the artist. The top anime work was Ito Ikuko's Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, which realized $88,900, almost 18 times its low estimate. The top purely traditional work was an impression of Hokusai's iconic Great Wave, which made $228,600, six times its low estimate.
"Anime made a big statement," said Takaaki Murakami, Head of the Japanese and Korean Art Department. "Christie's showed that the New York auction market has been waiting to see popular, contemporary Japanese art forms stand alongside more traditional works. We are overwhelmed by the response, and look forward to continuing to bring popular Japanese works more and more into our sales."
Top lots
| Artist and work | Price realized |
|---|---|
| Shiomi Ryosuke, Wolf and Armor, 2019 (world record) | $698,500 |
| Katsushika Hokusai, Great Wave | $228,600 |
| Ito Ikuko, Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon | $88,900 |
Asian Art Week continues with the conclusions of two remaining online sales: South Asian Modern + Contemporary Art Online, running 18 March to 1 April 2026, and Arts of Asia Online, running 18 March to 2 April 2026.
(Press Release)
