Our Story

Ikaru started as a simple idea—not as a project or a brand.

In 2006, Alfredo Mele (designer and visual artist) created Ikaru as the mascot for our company, Indsign. It was a character with a couple of outfits that we used on stickers and internal materials. We loved it because it represented creativity and fun, but it never went beyond that.

During the pandemic in 2020, with more free time, Alfredo and Pachi decided to give this character a new life.

Inspired by years of research on communication, language, and symbols, Alfredo decided to transform Ikaru into something much bigger: a character with its own world and a clear mission.

That’s how Ikaru World was born—a place where art, storytelling, and design come together to spark curiosity and imagination, inviting people of all ages to reconnect with their dreams and the best version of themselves.

The name Ikaru comes from the Japanese word Hikaru, which means “to shine” or “light”. It reflects what we want to do: illuminate what connects us as human beings. Over time, we adapted the name to its current form to give it its own unique identity.


Today, Ikaru lives through different creative formats:

🎨 Ikaru Art: original and limited-edition artworks.

📖 Ikaru Paper: fantasy stories like El Despertar (The Awakening), where we share Ikaru’s fictional origin.

🛍️ Ikaru Design: t-shirts, stickers, and collectible pieces that bring his magic into everyday life.

 

Who is Ikaru?

Ikaru is more than just a character.

He’s like a friend who reminds you to keep dreaming, keep asking questions, and never stop exploring.

He represents curiosity, creativity, and connection.

Above all, he’s an invitation to aspire to a better world, starting with ourselves and the people around us.


👀 Fun Fact: The name Ikaru comes from the Japanese word Hikaru, which means “to shine” or “light”. But when you drop the “H,” the word Ikaru can also be interpreted as “to get angry” in Japanese.

✨ We love this coincidence because it reflects the duality of being human: we are both light and emotion—and through Ikaru, we want to connect with all the parts of ourselves that make us unique.


  • IKARU ART

    Represents the mature and complex evolution of the project's conceptual essence. At its core is a non-human character that instructs us about humanity and the constant changes we experience as human beings, translating them into a powerful visual language. This collection encompasses a variety of works including paintings, sculptures, and mixed-media pieces, all intended to move the viewer. The artist delves into a range of traditional techniques such as graphite, charcoal, sanguine, oil, and acrylic, complemented by digital techniques that enrich and expand the work's evolution. The first exhibition, titled "High Hopes: The Dream of Ikaru", unveils a selection of work created during the project's four-year consolidation phase.

  • IKARU PAPER

    Comprises a series of 12 books of short fantasy stories that narrate from the character's genesis to its adventures around the world. The first book, "Ikaru: The Awakening", allows readers to delve into the purpose of Ikaru's creation, its legacy, as well as the fears and sacrifices of a father for his child. This book was successfully presented at the Miami International Book Fair and is currently available on platforms like Amazon Books and Barnes and Noble. To enrich the stories, a series of three coloring books, agendas, and a line of greeting cards have been developed.

  • IKARU DESIGN

    Is a phase led by graphic artist Pachi Galavis, where Alfredo Mele's original illustrations are transformed into playful and innocent representations of our aspirations, from childhood to adulthood. Current, historical, folk art, professions, and festivities, among others, are addressed. Under an illustrative approach, the character of Ikaru is presented in a variety of poses, outfits, and costumes in a graphic world called "Ikaru World". This universe materializes through a product line that includes t-shirts, sweatshirts, bags, backpacks, and limited editions of collectibles such as fine art prints and professional skateboards. At this stage of the project, artists from different currents have been invited to collaborate, contributing their unique vision to the Ikaru universe.