The colorful and dense book is grounded in Murakami’s manifesto, which makes connections between traditional Japanese art such as wood-block prints and postmodern influences such as manga, anime, and toys. The resulting art and culture is a vibrant, forward-thinking, and compelling mix of of works that make little or no distinction between high and low culture or past and present. The Superflat publication was followed by the 2001 art show that attracted nearly 100,000 viewers at MOCA in Los Angeles.

Also featured are Aya Takano, Chiho Aoshima, Mr., and Hiromix, as well as designers (Groovisions), filmmakers (Hideaki Anno), animators (Yoshinori Kanada), and others.