BART teams up with local boba shop for anime collaboration

(KRON) -- This October, BART is partnering with Yifang, a local boba shop, to promote its popular anime mascots. But have you ever asked who’s behind the art?

Thirty artists have been collaborating to bring these anime mascots to life. Nearly 500 California-based artists applied but only 30 were chosen. 

Each artist has a different task within the collaboration, some created the four main characters: Baylee, Nimbus, Jasmine, and Mira. Others then took the characters and put them on lanyards, stickers, and other merchandise. 

For the collaboration with Yifang, Bay Area artist Christine Tengco, also known as Rumikuu online, was chosen to create to cup sleeve. She miniaturized the characters and added tea and boba to the design. 

“I wanted to emphasize the characters but in a cute and simplified way,” Tengco said. “The artists put so much love into creating the characters, so I wanted to do them justice.” 

On Oct. 16, BART and Yifeng launched their partnership across the Bay Area. 

Yifeng locations close to Bart stations were chosen to host the collaboration. Fans could go to San Francisco’s Chinatown, Colma, U.C. Berkeley, and Downtown Walnut Creek to get the featured cup sleeve design and stickers of the four characters. 

Bart Chief Communications Officer Alicia Trost said, “Online the anime merch has been selling really well, and so we wanted to do more in-person events to promote the collaboration.” 

From Oct. 16-31, Bay Area residents were able to buy themed drinks named after each character. For instance, the character Jasmine was paired with a matcha tea with brown sugar boba pearls. 

When asked which character was her favorite, Tengco said, “I relate to Jasmine the most. She collects cute trinkets and memorabilia -- springtime of youth kinda girly.”

The Yifeng in Berkeley hosted a special pop-up event on Oct. 16 to promote the collaboration. Customers could get more themed merchandise than at the other locations. Dozens of college students and East Bay residents showed up at the tea shop.

“That day I got a lot of messages on social media. People recognized my art on the cup sleeve, and they wanted to congratulate my art,” Tengco said. 

Tengco said the collaboration with BART has driven more people to her online pages.

A dream for any small artist. 

Tengco has been a digital illustrator for the past 10 years. “Two years ago, BART had an open call for artists, I thought I should try it out. And I got in,” Tengco said.  

Now, her art is being featured all across the Bay Area. 

“I’ve seen my art change so much since the early years," Tengco said. "Back then, I imitated artists, but now I have my own style, and I love to make cute art. It’s really special when people recognize it as my style.” 

BART first started this campaign to gain more Gen Z riders, but it has grown into something more.

“In Japan and Taiwan, they use anime mascots for their train systems," Trost said. "It’s very popular, and we’re trying to build off their successful strategy.”

“Anime is so strong in the Bay Area, a lot of people here have grown up with it and still watch a lot," Tengco said. "It’s cool to see BART having anime mascots.”

“I really love this campaign, I love that anime is getting more recognition," Tengco said. "It doesn’t matter if you’re Gen Z or a Millenial, it’s about reaching a wider audience.

“Back in middle school, you were the nerd if you watched anime, always keeping it on the down low, but now, you’re the odd one out if you’re not watching it.” 

On Oct. 30, BART and Yifeng are hosting another pop-up -- this time at the Colma location. If you couldn’t go to the pop-ups, Trost said there will be more events featuring the anime mascots in the near future.