I take pleasure in seeing my “Man and Letters” series being appreciated, when typography has so much going for it.

Playing with type was significant to Tanaka’s work, though he strived to avoid an instantly recognizable style. Describing his process, he compared design to cooking since both require “ingenuity and technique, and the guest’s satisfaction determines the success or failure of the design” (Saiki). As a designer, he carried out his clients’ visions instead of allowing his style to dictate. He likens this to being an actor, describing his process like “an actor who gets a script and thinks, ‘this character is an arrogant guy, wears a beard, and struts around” (Saiki). His sense of service pushed him to immerse himself in his clients’ vision rather than his own.

In 1998, two years before his retirement, Tanaka still reigned as the top graphic designer, continuing to work with long-time clients (Saiki). For the last 15 years of his career, he designed a series of posters for client Morisawa & Co., named “Man and Writing,” which he started after seeing and being inspired by the graffiti in New York’s Soho. While many Japanese designers focus on visuals supported by typography, Tanaka took a reverse approach of focusing on type as an artform itself.