Wrestling’s villains want an audience to hate them. Ofooro wants to draw them. Their bad behavior and exaggerated personalities give him plenty to work with, especially when wrestling gets ridiculous.
Fans of Best Friends and Orange Cassidy may recognize his illustrations from their merchandise. His work has also featured Danhausen and Sue, Trent’s mother, whose personalities offer their own opportunities for humor.
A wrestling fan since age six, Ofooro discussed his creative influences in a 2021 interview with The Scrap. From children’s-book illustrators to the heels he affectionately calls “the naughty ones,” those inspirations reveal an artist drawn to the characters and absurd moments that keep fans coming back.
Drawing “The Naughty Ones”
Jake “The Snake” Roberts, Team Taz, and PAC were among Ofooro’s favorite wrestlers to draw at the time of the interview. He particularly enjoyed depicting heels behaving like assholes, making their misconduct part of the fun.
Calling them “the naughty ones” captures that affection. He could appreciate a villain’s attitude and still find something funny about the way they carried themselves. Their attempts to intimidate, antagonize, or annoy gave him material to play with.
Wrestling’s goofy moments were another source of inspiration. For Ofooro, enjoying what he watched was central to what he wanted to create. The humor in his work began with the things that entertained him as a fan.
The Influences Behind the Illustrations
Two of Ofooro’s artistic influences help explain that playful approach: Roger Hargreaves, the creator of Mr. Men, and Dick Bruna, the artist behind Miffy. He also named BEPA and Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz.
Hargreaves and Bruna built recognizable characters through simple, expressive illustration. Bruna’s work, in particular, uses strong outlines, limited colors, and carefully chosen details to convey expression. Ofooro’s appreciation for characters with personality, without excessive detail, connects his work to those influences.
Children’s-book illustration and a wrestler like PAC might seem like unlikely companions, but the contrast helps explain the appeal. An expressive, playful visual approach can give someone whose wrestling character is anything but cuddly an unexpected charm.
Fans can recognize the wrestler while enjoying the way Ofooro has chosen to interpret them. The character provides the starting point; the humor and presentation give the drawing an identity of its own.
Recognition From Fellow Artists
Ofooro’s merchandise work later became part of a broader conversation about the value of artists in wrestling. In May 2023, Ringside News reported comments from designer Angie, known as Twilight Palms, praising his contribution to Best Friends merchandise. Discussing wrestlers’ investment in artists, she pointed to the visibility of his designs at shows and the response they received from fans.
Fellow illustrator Mango offered a more specific perspective in her own 2021 interview with The Scrap. She named Ofooro alongside Flighty and Glitchbat as an influence, identifying his character design and clever punchlines as elements she wanted to incorporate into her work.
That detail gives his humor significance beyond an individual drawing. Another artist was paying attention to how he constructed a character and delivered a joke, then considering how those qualities could inform her own illustrations.
Explore Ofooro’s Work
Ofooro describes himself as a freelance artist and illustrator based in Tokyo. His website brings together his store, designs, and social links. Readers can also visit his official Pro Wrestling Tees page or support him through Ko-fi.
For someone who began watching wrestling at six, having his artwork worn by fans and cited by fellow illustrators gives that enthusiasm a place in the wrestling community. The enjoyment he described in his original interview comes through in what he chooses to draw, especially when the wrestlers are behaving badly.
The villains supplied the attitude. Ofooro found the punchline. And the designs gave fans another way to enjoy the wrestlers they love.
