Vanessa Shimon is a designer and illustrator driven by a passion for storytelling. Her interdisciplinary practice spans printed matter, brand identities, packaging, motion design, and more

Eventually
Illustration, Artist’s Book

We Will Not Be Silenced
Social Campaign, Motion

    

Planet 2049
Editorial

Taste of Teyvat
Brand Identity, Social Media

Miscellaneous
Personal Work

LOVE, LUCK, GACHA

Brand Identity, Editorial, Merch

BFA Communication Design ‘24 Thesis, Parsons School of Design. Featured on the Parsons Communication Design Instagram

 Where do we draw the line between harmless fun and a damaging addiction? 

As an adolescent, I was introduced to gacha: a monetization mechanic in which money/token is exchanged for a random prize. Consumed by an arcade game, I amassed hundreds of its collectible cards. My love for gacha extends to its various incarnations: gacha machines (gachapon), blind boxes, trading cards, and video games. 

This multimedia project offers an informative, critical, and empathetic dive into gacha.

The 92-paged, coptic-bound book explores four forms of gacha: their history, evolution, appeal.

The style embodies the “Japanese cute” or “kawaii” aesthetics of gacha, conrasting sharply with the ostentatious visuals of traditional gambling. This juxtaposition highlights the role of design in transforming the stigma of gambling into a seemingly innocuous spectacle.

The playful aesthetic of gachapon is a key inspiration for the typography. On the cover and section openers, the letters are stacked and jumbled, mimicking the arrangement of toy capsules inside the machine. Circular motifs and soft, rounded edges further emphasize the whimsical, childlike design that defines the gacha world.

Meanwhile, the gachapon randomly dispenses capsules containing stickers and labels. The stickers, featuring symbols of luck (cats) and trickery (rabbits), mock the rigged game of luck, while the labels taunt players for participating. Designed to frustrate and thrill, the gachapon is a critique of gacha through the medium itself.

"LOVE, LUCK, GACHA" blends anecdotes and critical perspectives, urging audiences to reflect on the complexities of gacha and by extension, the human desire to accumulate to no satisfying end.