originates from japan, stems from the word itai which means pain. the reason why is because these are usually bags with a clear front displaying tons of merch from a character (usually anime). most people choose a certain character they like, a ship/pairing, or maybe even just a whole series.
did you see the group of people at anime expo with ita bags? it was wild! some person had like 5 or more pieces of the same pin!
by cactus5390 December 28, 2017
An ita bag is any type of bag (handbag, backpack, tote, etc) that is decorated with fandom merchandise. This can include can badges/buttons, enamel pins, keychains, cards, plushies, and more. The purpose of an ita bag is to display the owner's love for and dedication to a particular character or piece of media.
In Japan, where they originate, ita bags are typically adorned with dozens of the same official badge of one anime or manga character. "Ita", meaning "pain" in Japanese, is usually said to denote the "pain" of the owner's wallet from spending a fortune on gachapon machines in hopes of getting the same badge.
In America, ita bags vary much more. They can have any amount of pins, from 2 to over 100. Repeat bags aren't nearly as common; bags with all different kinds of pins are popular. Ita bags themed around more than just a single character are also more common, such as bags about a ship, game, series, entire franchise, or even every fandom the owner likes. They also commonly have non-fandom decorations on them in addition to merchandise, such as rosettes.
In Japan, where they originate, ita bags are typically adorned with dozens of the same official badge of one anime or manga character. "Ita", meaning "pain" in Japanese, is usually said to denote the "pain" of the owner's wallet from spending a fortune on gachapon machines in hopes of getting the same badge.
In America, ita bags vary much more. They can have any amount of pins, from 2 to over 100. Repeat bags aren't nearly as common; bags with all different kinds of pins are popular. Ita bags themed around more than just a single character are also more common, such as bags about a ship, game, series, entire franchise, or even every fandom the owner likes. They also commonly have non-fandom decorations on them in addition to merchandise, such as rosettes.
I like your ita bag!
by thehundredline December 17, 2024