Liquid Death x Junji Ito | Multimedia
This project explores a fictional collaboration between Liquid Death and horror manga artist Junji Ito, combining a contemporary beverage brand with a pop culture figure known for unsettling visual storytelling. The goal was to merge both brand identities into a cohesive campaign that feels authentic to each while creating something visually unexpected. Collaboration includes four limited-edition can designs inspired by characters from Ito’s work, along with a social-media-focused motion graphic advertisement and a 8.5in. x 11in. poster advertisement.
Software Used: After Effects, Photoshop, Illustrator
Project Type: Multimedia | Motion Design, Illustration, Physical Print
Project Duration: 1 month
Instagram Ad
In this Instagram advertisement we get to see the combination of the poster ad and the variety of differnt flavors that come with this collaboration. Bringing the custom manga illustration to life by moving through the comic as if the viewer is reading. Then spiraling into the different flavors this collaboration has to offer.
Plan/Research
Process
Digital Illustrations
Create Assets
Moc-Ups + Animate
Lunar Down
Lunar Drown draws inspiration from Ito’s cosmic and existential horror themes, using stark imagery to suggest inevitability and loss of control. The skull-like figure and patterned forms reflect humanity’s fragility when confronted with forces beyond understanding. Integrated with Liquid Death’s dark humor and aggressive branding, the can presents apocalypse and absurdity side by side transforming existential dread into a bold, collectible design that feels both ominous and satirical. Manga reference (Junji Ito: Deserter)
Black Split
Black Split draws from Junji Ito’s exploration of fractured identity and psychological unease. The can’s illustration focuses on a haunting, intimate portrait of the character Tomie that feels simultaneously calm and disturbing, reflecting the quiet dread often found in Ito’s character-driven stories. Paired with Liquid Death’s irreverent branding, the design transforms inner turmoil into a striking visual statement, turning the act of hydration into an encounter with subtle horror. The result is a can that feels personal, unsettling, and impossible to ignore. Manga reference (Junji Ito: Tomie)
Hissing Stillness
Hissing Stillness is inspired by Ito’s use of animals and unnatural forms to convey creeping discomfort. The central imagery captures a moment suspended in time unnatural yet oddly serene mirroring the tension between silence and threat that defines much of his work. Combined with Liquid Death’s bold, anti-establishment tone, the can presents horror as something quietly invasive rather than overtly violent, reinforcing the idea that fear can exist in stillness as much as chaos. Manga reference (Junji Ito Cat Diary: Yon & Mu)
Flesh Petal
Flesh Petal references Junji Ito’s fascination with bodily transformation and obsessive beauty. The illustration emphasizes symmetry and repetition, evoking the hypnotic pull of obsession while maintaining a clean, graphic presence suitable for commercial packaging. By merging this disturbing elegance with Liquid Death’s playful defiance, the design reframes body horror into a visually captivating product that blurs the line between attraction and discomfort. Manga reference (Junji Ito: Uzumaki )
Print Ad
In this print advertisement I wanted to mimic the similar grunge style Junji Ito is known for having in his mangas. I decided to use images from different stories he’s created as a reference and create my own custom manga page promoting the drink. In this story the character is served the Liquid Death beverage and then after drinking it his head spirals open in a similar fashion to Ito’s story Uzumaki.
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