A while back, we took a look at the top 20 anime that fans want to be watching as they leave the mortal realm. But what if it’s not enough to spend the last moment of your life watching your favorite series?
Then maybe what you need is a way to express your love of Japanese animation from beyond the grave…and through the grave, for that matter, with an anime tombstone like the one this craftsman made.
Most graves in Japan are located on the grounds of a temple, but the gravestone itself is generally purchased off-site from a stonemason, many of whom specialize in that particular item. It might sound like a decidedly morbid line of work, but such stonemasons dot the Japanese commercial landscape. In front of workshops or sales offices you’ll usually find not only a collection of solemn samples, but also a few lighthearted pieces of stone statuary that show off the artists’ skills.
Twitter user and gravestone mason Hide was recently in the process of rotating out some of his display pieces. Among those he intended to toss was the stone pictured below, which featured some elegant marbling and smooth detailing around its incense holder.
But since he was going to be getting rid of it anyway, Hide decided to first have a little fun and make something truly unique: a gravestone decorated with the cast of smash-hit idol anime Love Live!
仕事終了!作業場の展示墓石処分する前にちょっと痛墓石的なの造って(彫って)みたw
— 😈ひで😈 (@t_hide3) July 4, 2015
ちょっとの間作業場の前に展示しとこぉかな♪彫面に白入れてますw pic.twitter.com/kArNaEHtDU
Hide is pleased enough with his handiwork that he’s reconsidering his initial plan to throw out the gravestone, and muses that he might put it back in the display area for a while. He’s also coined the term itahakaishi, or “painfully nerdy gravestone,” adding to the crowing ita lexicon that also includes itasha cars, itachoko chocolates, and itaita snowboards.
While the Love Live! gravestone isn’t part of Hide’s normal product lineup, a certain amount of customization goes into every customer’s order, and as long as you’re willing to pay him for his work, we can’t imagine he’d turn down your request for an itahakaishi of your own. Just be aware that in Japan, gravestones are generally shared by all generations of the same family, so before you call Hide up, you might want to talk to your relatives and make sure you’re all fans of the same anime, and also ideally that you agree on who the best girl is.
Source: Jin, Twitter/@t_hide3

A stone-engraver impresses with Love Live gravestones and wine bottles 【Photos】
Anime fan shows his hatred for Love Live! by dragging anime idol behind his itasha car
Love Live! poster showing anime schoolgirl in see-through skirt divides public opinion in Japan
The fish in rural Fukui that rivals Japan’s most auspicious sea bream
Japan’s craziest burger chain takes menchi katsu to new extreme levels
Japan Extreme Budget Travel! A trip from Tokyo to Izumo for just 30,000 yen [Part 2]
Starbucks Japan releases first-ever Hinamatsuri Girls’ Day Frappuccino
Foreign tourists in Japan will get free Shinkansen tickets to promote regional tourism
Which convenience store onigiri rice balls are the most popular? Survey reveals surprising results
We interview Japanese comedy duo Yumbo Dump, learn how to make noises with our bellies
And now, we eat a bear paw we bought in Japan’s Chiba Prefecture【Taste test】
Tokyo to Kyushu by ferry: An epic 21-hour journey on the sea
New service lets you turn manga pages into T-shirt designs, over 200 titles to choose from
Highest Starbucks in Japan set to open this spring in the Tokyo sky
Tokyo Skytree turns pink for the cherry blossom season
Japanese restaurant chain serves Dragon Ball donuts and Senzu Beans this spring
Yakuzen ramen restaurant in Tokyo is very different to a yakuza ramen restaurant
Japan Extreme Budget Travel! A trip from Tokyo to Izumo for just 30,000 yen [Part 1]
Japan has only one airport named after a samurai, so let’s check out Kochi Ryoma【Photos】
Japanese drugstore sells onigiri at pre-stupid era prices, but how do they compare to 7-Eleven?
Burning through cash just to throw things away tops list of headaches when moving house in Japan
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Foreigners accounting for over 80 percent of off-course skiers needing rescue in Japan’s Hokkaido
Super-salty pizza sends six kids to the hospital in Japan, linguistics blamed
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura Frappuccino for cherry blossom season 2026
The 10 most annoying things foreign tourists do on Japanese trains, according to locals
Take a trip to Japan’s Dododo Land, the most irritating place on Earth
Naruto and Converse team up for new line of shinobi sneakers[Photos]
Is China’s don’t-go-to-Japan warning affecting the lines at a popular Tokyo gyukatsu restaurant?
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Love Live otaku takes up two seats on bus for himself, four for his anime plushie crushes