On Instagram feeds cluttered with polished 3D renders and AI-generated everything, the retro charm of pixel art cuts through like a glitch in the matrix. And right now, one of the genre’s rising online stars just happens to be a 33-year-old Hongkonger.
For ex-gamers, or frankly anyone who grew up in the glow of a Game Boy screen, a single post by the creator known as Fatbeard delivers an instant dopamine hit of nostalgia.
He just went viral (thanks, Jimmy O. Yang)
Until recently, Fatbeard’s art mostly reached only a loyal following of gamers, artists and Japanophiles, with the odd viral post. His most recent traffic spike? Courtesy of none other than Hong Kong darling Jimmy O. Yang.
Earlier this year, the comedian and actor slid into his DMs after seeing one of his posts: a lovingly rendered 7-Eleven in front of Mount Fuji. The two struck up a conversation about collaborating on a tour poster. “Jimmy mentioned he loved the ‘old’ Hong Kong,” Fatbeard says, referring to an interview where Yang reminisced about leaving the city aged 13. “Since Jimmy has a global audience, I wanted to showcase the authenticity of the city and show people how amazing it can be.”
The tour poster never came to fruition, but Fatbeard began working on an animation instead, doing a deep dive into the comedian’s Hong Kong-related Insta posts and even going to his show. The resulting reel, which Yang shared with his 2.5 million followers on Monday, combines elements from Central, Sham Shui Po and Mong Kok, and features Easter eggs ranging from Yang’s favourite roast goose restaurant to the city’s 渠王 (Drain King) graffiti and several mischievous-looking Labubu.
He’s a self-taught artist (but studied economics)
You’d think someone this detail-oriented would have spent their formative years in art school, but that’s not the case. “I never had the opportunity to pursue an arts degree, despite my desire to do so,” Fatbeard says. Growing up in a traditional Hong Kong household meant economics won out over fine arts. Dropping art at A-level, he went on to study at Royal Holloway, University of London, getting an economics degree and continuing his art on the side.