SHOWCASE

/ ARTIST / 2026

ARTIST: Nekojin Workshop
COUNTRY: Malaysia
CONTACT: nekojinworkshop.com
https://www.facebook.com/nekojinworkshop/
https://www.instagram.com/nekojin_workshop
Nekojin Workshop is a Malaysian character IP creator founded in 2019, known for its signature stained-glass-inspired art style and cat-themed characters. We create original IPs that span collectibles, lifestyle merchandise, exhibitions, and licensing collaborations. Since 2024, Nekojin has expanded internationally through events and partnerships across Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, China, and South Korea.

Our vision is to bring our original characters to the global stage through meaningful storytelling and creative collaborations. Through our characters, we hope to inspire joy, spark imagination, and connect people across cultures.

Starrt Sea - Acrylic Bookmark

A whale soaring through the night sky, where a sea of stars gently catches those who have fallen. It is a visual metaphor for hope, reminding us that even in moments of darkness, there is always something quietly holding us up.

Inspired by the beauty of stained glass, the illustration is composed of bold outlines and vibrant colours that come alive when illuminated. The bookmark’s long, vertical format enhances the sense of movement, allowing the whale to glide through an endless star-filled sky.

More than a bookmark, it is a piece that transforms light into part of the storytelling. As light shines through the artwork, it creates a new visual experience, inviting readers to pause, reflect, and discover comfort and imagination during their quiet moments of reading.

Gold Fortune - Acrylic Omamori

The Lucky Fortune Cat reimagines the traditional Maneki-neko through Nekojin Workshop’s signature stained-glass-inspired style. In Japanese tradition, the raised right paw is believed to invite wealth, while the left paw welcomes customers and good relationships.

By incorporating a transparent stained-glass design, we give this familiar symbol a playful new interpretation. Simply rotating the artwork changes the raised paw, allowing the Fortune Cat to “invite wealth” or “welcome blessings” from a different perspective.

This piece reflects our vision of blending stained-glass aesthetics with traditional culture, transforming a timeless symbol into an interactive artwork that celebrates creativity, light, and good fortune.

Catlaxy

Catlaxy marks the beginning of Nekojin Workshop’s stained-glass art journey and the first chapter of our original cat planet universe. It is where we first explored the idea of using light, colour, and stained-glass aesthetics to tell stories beyond the artwork itself.

The endless universe represents infinite creativity and possibilities, while the shooting star cat symbolizes hope, dreams, and blessings travelling across the galaxy. Each planet tells a different story, inviting viewers to imagine a world where every cat has its own home, culture, and adventure.

Moon Phases

The Moon has always been a symbol of cycles, transformation, and quiet companionship. Just like the changing phases of the Moon, our emotions and relationships are constantly evolving — sometimes bright and full, sometimes hidden in the shadows, yet always part of a beautiful journey.

Through Nekojin Workshop’s stained-glass-inspired style, each phase captures a different feeling and story within the lunar world. The gentle reflections created by light reveal the hidden layers of the artwork, reminding us that every moment, every emotion, and every connection holds its own unique beauty.

Lucky Star

Lucky Star explores the fusion of Western stained-glass aesthetics with traditional Japanese symbols of luck and blessings. Reinterpreting Eastern culture through a contemporary stained-glass style was both a challenge and an opportunity to create a new visual language.

Through vibrant colours, geometric compositions, and the beauty of light, this artwork transforms traditional meanings into a modern expression of hope, wishes, and positivity — showing that blessings and dreams are universal across cultures.

Transportation, Travelling, and the Gift - NFC Transit Card

We explore the fusion of character IP, technology, and everyday design. By combining Nekojin Workshop’s signature stained-glass-inspired style with NFC transit card functionality, we transformed a daily essential into a collectible piece of interactive art.

Through transparent materials and light-transmitting elements, the artwork creates a unique visual experience where colours come alive under different lighting conditions.

This project represents our continuous exploration of bringing art into everyday life — creating meaningful connections between creativity, functionality, and the people who experience it.

Oceanic Star

Oceanic Star expands the adventure of the Little Cat Prince by blending the mysteries of the ocean with the endless wonders of the universe. This artwork imagines a world where stars shine beneath the sea, creating a magical connection between celestial landscapes and marine life.

Through the combination of ocean creatures, cosmic elements, and Nekojin Workshop’s stained-glass-inspired style, the artwork explores new possibilities of colour and storytelling. The use of layered gradients creates a sense of depth and movement, allowing the ocean and stars to merge into a breathtaking visual journey.

This piece reflects our belief that imagination has no boundaries — where every adventure can lead to a new world of discovery.

Circus of Fortune

[Circus of Fortune] is a collaborative character project created with Central i-City shopping mall to celebrate the Year of the Horse through the joyful spirit of circus and festive traditions.

Inspired by the energy, excitement, and wonder of a circus, we reimagined the symbolic meaning of the horse into a playful character universe filled with happiness, blessings, and celebration. Through Nekojin Workshop’s signature stained-glass-inspired style, traditional festive elements are transformed into a vibrant and contemporary visual experience.

This collaboration showcases how character IP can bring brands and communities together, creating memorable festive experiences through storytelling, creativity, and cultural connection.

Reimagine Taiwan

Reimagine Taiwan is one of the first artworks in Nekojin Workshop’s Reimagine Series, a project created to reinterpret the beauty of different places through our unique visual language after years of participating in international exhibitions.

Through this series, we explore the identity of each location by combining its nature, culture, and everyday memories into a new visual story. In Reimagine Taiwan, we bring together iconic elements such as the Formosan leopard cat, black bear, and magpie, alongside local cuisine, landscapes, and cultural symbols.

Inspired by our stained-glass style, these elements are woven into a colourful narrative that celebrates Taiwan’s biodiversity, traditions, and warm human connections — allowing audiences to rediscover a familiar place from a new perspective.

Hanafuda

The Hanafuda Series reimagines the beauty of traditional Japanese flower cards through Nekojin Workshop’s signature stained-glass-inspired style.

Inspired by the 12 months of the year, each represented by unique flowers, seasonal elements, and cultural meanings, we carefully reconstructed these individual symbols into one harmonious composition. Through vibrant colours, geometric forms, and the interaction of light, the artwork transforms a traditional concept into a contemporary visual story.

Beyond representing the passing of time and changing seasons, this series carries the blessings and emotions associated with each month. Through Nekojin’s interpretation, the 12 months become a celebration of happiness, hope, and meaningful moments throughout the year.