Our story: from a boutique in Tokyo to a fragrance house in the UK
Anisence began with one fan's curiosity. On a trip to Japan in 2023, our founder Rin started wondering how every note in a fragrance might connect to the character behind it. Back home, that question turned into Anisence.
Chapter I · Where it began
From a boutique in Ginza to our first collection
Rin has loved fragrance since she was young. She collected 1ml samples of perfumes she couldn't yet afford as full bottles, just so she could spend time in the world of scent.
In 2023, during three months studying business and Japanese in Japan, she visited Primaniacs in Ginza, Tokyo, a boutique devoted to anime fragrances. As she smelled each character's scent, she got curious about how every note might connect to the character behind it. Every Anisence fragrance still starts with that question.
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April 2023
A life-changing trip to Japan
Three months studying business and Japanese, looking for ideas that could bring a piece of Japan home to the UK.
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Ginza, Tokyo
The spark at Primaniacs
Character fragrances that made Rin wonder how each note could link back to a personality.
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July 2023
Anisence begins
Back in the UK, her mum Branka thought anime-inspired fragrance was the best of all Rin's ideas. The first bottle and label designs didn't work out, but with persistence and help from family and friends, Rin found the right people to bring it to life.
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Countless nights
Researching every note
Studying what fragrance notes symbolise, how they make people feel and how they match each character's personality. That research became the method behind every scent.
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The first collection
Five Jujutsu Kaisen characters
Nobara, Itadori, Megumi, Gojo and Sukuna. Gojo was the first fragrance developed, and Megumi was the hardest to finalise.
Our first collection
Jujutsu Kaisen
The first real test of our method: five characters, five completely different stories.
Shop the JJK collection
"A fragrance crafted not just to smell beautiful, but to feel like the character."
Chapter II
The name
Anime + essence = Anisence
The name says exactly what we do. We aren't trying to make a perfume that smells like a show. We're trying to capture the essence of a character: the thing that makes them who they are, the part fans recognise straight away.
Sometimes that's obvious, like a commanding presence or a bright, playful energy. Sometimes it's hidden under the surface, like the warmth behind a cold exterior or the ambition waking up in someone who never seemed to care. Those layers are what we chase, and they're why no two Anisence fragrances are built the same way.
- Ani
- The characters
- Sence
- Their essence
- Together
- A scent you wear
Chapter III · The people behind every scent
Perfumers, artists and storytellers
Since July 2023, Anisence has grown from one person's idea into a team of four: creators, artists, researchers and storytellers. Every one of them plays a part in turning a character into a fragrance, from researching symbolism to drawing the original artwork.
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Rin
Founder & CEO
A fragrance lover since childhood, Rin started out as an assistant perfume stylist and then worked at the head office of a bespoke perfume company. Today she leads every composition, from the first note to the finished bottle.
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Inuzunaa
Illustrator & animator
He draws every illustration and character-inspired piece in his signature style. His work is a big part of what makes Anisence look and feel like Anisence.
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Wakubii
Storyteller & VA
The bright face of Anisence. Wakubii creates our content and voices our TikTok story animations, shaping the emotional world behind each scent.
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Branka
Photographer & Rin's mum
The eye behind every Anisence photograph. Of all the business ideas Rin brought home from Japan, Branka believed anime-inspired fragrance was the one, and her encouragement got everything started.
Focus & Shoot (opens Branka's photography site in a new tab)
What we stand for
The rules we don't break
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Character first
Every note has to earn its place by saying something true about the character. No filler, no trend-chasing.
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Wearable, always
A great concept still has to be a great perfume. If it doesn't wear beautifully, it doesn't leave the studio.
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Try before you commit
2ml samples and scented blotter sets mean you can meet a character before buying a full 50ml bottle.
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Fan to fan
We're part of the same community we make for. The characters you request are the ones we want to bring to life next.
More than a bottle
Something you'll want to keep
We wanted opening an Anisence order to feel like a collector's moment. Alongside the fragrance, orders come with our own original artwork and thoughtful packaging, so every bottle feels like it belongs on your shelf as much as on your skin.
- Original Anisence artwork cards, created in-house
- A drawstring bag for storing and travelling
- Eau de parfum in 2ml, 5ml and 50ml
Continue reading
How does a character become a scent?
Follow our process step by step, from the first character study to the final top, heart and base notes.