Lost in Translation, Found in Motorsport

A personal illustration for the Obsolete crew in Osaka.
Some Japanese phrases don’t translate neatly into English. A shared love of motorsport, thankfully, needs very little explanation.
After stretching the limits of Japanese hospitality—and possibly overstaying my welcome—I created this artwork as a thank-you to Papa Doi, Keiichi-san and the whole Obsolete crew in Osaka.

The Challenge

How do you say “thanks for putting up with me” when your Japanese doesn’t quite cover it?
For me, illustration felt like the right place to start. The aim was to create a personal gift built around a passion we could all understand: motorsport.

The Creative Approach

I approached the piece with the same spirit behind the gift: a little humour, plenty of affection and a shared enthusiasm for things that go fast.
Rather than getting tangled up in the perfect translation, I let the artwork do the talking.

Created For

Papa Doi, Keiichi-san and the Obsolete crew, Osaka.

Result

A personal thank-you across languages, and hopefully enough to secure an invitation back. 🎌

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