Senior Capstone

Proposal:

For my senior project, I am creating a ramen restaurant/company. Japanese culture and media are becoming increasingly mainstream, which will give me a look into design outside of the United States. Ramen is one of the main staples of not just Japanese but all Asian cuisine and is very diverse when it comes to flavor and presentation. I wanted to create a Japanese cuisine company that is more of a branded chain restaurant because there are not that many available in the United States. Cultural food chains are seen, but not many that focus on Japanese pop culture. The main goal is to design a company specializing in a fun, youthful, and enjoyable aesthetic.

The name of this company will be Fumiko Ramen, which translates to Beautiful Ramen. The reasoning I had for this was because of the image of Japan that foreigners tend to see. It is well known as a wonderful and eye-catching country. Also, the company will be aligned with a specific type of style that has been in the media, known as city pop. This style features saturated colors and an aura of pop art. There is a lot of Japanese graphic design that features this, and it is something I believe I could learn from.

My main audience will be teens and young adults, because most of the mainstream media that comes out of Japan is intended for a young adult audience. This is seen in shows, movies, music, games, and food. Fumiko Ramen is a place where young adults can go with friends and family and experience the cultural delicacies that they enjoy.

My deliverables for this project will be the following pieces:

- Menu

- Website

Home, menu, contact, info page, and ordering ahead.

-Storefront

- Logo

- Three instant ramen cups

-Take out packaging

-Bag, Box, Container Sleeve, Cup

Objectives:

To independently research, design, and produce a logo, website, take out packaging, ramen cups, storefront, and menu.

To understanding for who and what purpose my company is marketed towards.

To apply learned skills of working in the Adobe suit to create my projects deliverables with high quality.

To analyzing what deliverables will need most attention and sort my time accordingly.

To evaluate all the critique and feedback I receive on design elements and choices of my project.

To create a cohesive ramen restaurant that has thought out branding through its design elements that can be recognized for the products that it sells.

Company Profile:

The company Fumiko Ramen Is a ramen restaurant company based out of Pittsburgh, With locations all over the U.S. Fumiko Ramen is the Japanese ramen food chain to go to, whether dining in with friends and family, special business occasions, or for a grab and go spot for lunch.

Our mission:

At the heart of our Fumiko Ramen lies a simple yet powerful mission: to bring people together with the flavor and culture of ramen. We are dedicated to crafting delicious, high-quality ramen that honors traditional Japanese techniques while embracing bold, modern flavors. Every bowl we serve is a celebration of craftsmanship, community, and comfort — made with fresh ingredients, slow-simmered broths, and noodles prepared to perfection.

Our mission extends beyond food. We aim to create meaningful experiences that nourish not just the body, but also the soul. Whether it’s a quick lunch, a cozy dinner, or a shared moment among friends, we believe ramen has the power to connect people across cultures and backgrounds. That belief inspires us to maintain exceptional standards in everything we do, from sustainable sourcing practices to the welcoming environments we cultivate in each of our locations.

Target Audience:

The target audience for Fumiko Ramen is the younger generations. Specifically aiming for 14 to 20-year-olds. This is because Japanese multimedia is becoming more mainstream in the social media of these generations. Highly animated and out-going pop culture in shows, movies, games, music, and other media resonates very well with the young Western audience.

Having the animated city pop style with bright characters for the Fumiko Ramen brand will bring in this audience. Students and young adults getting lunch with friends, going out to eat, and birthdays are the typical things that come to mind. Being able to eat good ramen is a fun and delicious experience for these
age groups.

Research Synopsis:

My research started with a quick look at Japanese American restaurant chains in America, looking at there website, locations, what they serve, and overall brand identity. I was only able to find two businesses that where well branded and had locations across the U.S. After that I looked up inspiration for the Japanese pop style i wanted to go with. Japanese city pop is where it started from, coming out of the technology economy boom from Japan in the
70s and 80s.

Combining western style and culture with a bit of Japanese culture and innovation. Reminiscent of synth-wave, this is where the modern Japanese animated pop culture came from. Using that and looking at Japanese modern design and media for the branding elements, language, typography, and illustration. I also looked at ramen manufactures’s websites like Maruchan for website style and layout.

Process:

My Process work started with logo ideas that would set the framework for Fumiko Ramen’s brand identity. This includes elements such as graphics, shapes, type, and color.

I started experimenting using halftone patterns, using them in the background of the deliverables. Heavily relying on bold strokes and text in the menus and the instant ramen cups. For the ramen cups, I illustrated three characters plus one that I had to scratch. These were the Cow, Pig, and Chicken for the different flavors of the ramen. The menu held me back a bit. While finishing the instant ramen cups, I was following the bold pop style too closely for the menu, and it was not improving.

As I began to develop the website and packaging, I went back and fixed up the menu, giving it more readability and structure, then blending in the style and brand elements. The website was designed efficiently while loosely following trends from other ramen websites.