Shun Sasaki is a laconic graphic designer who’s ready for the world stage. He explores the forgotten byways of ghost towns looking for anonymous signboards, broke through his girlfriend’s usual reserve with his poster “Typography,” and thinks the Norwegian-British design team “Non-format” is super cool.

1) What made you want to become a graphic or industrial designer?
I wanted to be a painter, but I lack the skill. I still wanted to create visual designs, though.

2) Who are your influences?
Takeshi Kitano, Ikko Tanaka, Kaoru Kasai, Niklaus Troxler, Josef Müller-Brockmann, Wim Crouwel, Non-format, and more.

3) What design movement(s) do you most identify with?
Bauhaus, most likely.

4) How would you describe your “process”?
When I have an idea, I try it out as soon as possible. If I find I’m not making progress with the concept, I dispose of it equally quickly. I do this over and over again.

5) What work(s) or project(s) do you consider your masterpiece(s)?
My “Typography” poster (below). My girlfriend doesn’t often praise my work, but she did like this one.

6) What are you working on right now?
An art exhibition flyer. I love designing publicity collateral for art exhibitions.

7) What’s your next project?
I’m hoping to design something for a foreign market. Up to this point in my career, I’ve only worked on Japanese projects.

8) How would you describe or categorize contemporary design?
I can’t describe in a single word, but personality seems to count at least as much as technique and skill.

9) What design movement(s) or designers do you dislike?
I dislike overly touched-up advertising. It’s ugly.

10) What characterizes your work or style?
“Simple.”

11) What is the most beautiful man-made thing you’ve ever seen?
I’m often impressed with amazing signboards made by unknown (or amateur) designers in the back streets of deserted towns.

12) What’s the most exciting thing about your profession?
I’m interested in the critical tension between semantic typography (letters as words) and asemic typography (letters as figures).

13) Which designer(s) should we keep an eye on?
Toru Kase.

14) Who would be on your “fantasy design team”?
“Non-format” is super cool.

Shun Sasaki is graphic designer from Tokyo, Japan. His portfolio site can be reviewed here: http://sasakishun.tumblr.com/.