KDDI, Japan’s second biggest mobile phone carrier, currently showcases a number of cell phone design prototypes (and a working one) in their five-floor Design Studio [JP] in central Tokyo (where I went today). The cell phones (and peripheral devices) are part of the so-called iida brand [JP], which is supposed to be focused on the development of unusual handsets only.

KDDI as a whole is well-known in Japan for their penchant for outlandish cell phones. We saw a number of their weird hardware prototypes (developed for the so-called KDDI Design Project) showcased live in the KDDI showroom in Tokyo and during the CEATEC exhibition last year. But the pieces made under the umbrella of iida, which stands for innovation/imagination/design/art, look even weirder.

KDDI au held a press conference on Tuesday [JP], introducing a handful of these handsets. I took pictures of all of them, which you can see below. They were designed by avant-garde artists Yayoi Kusama and Yoshitaka Mukae.

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