Serif Contrasted Waku 1 is a regular weight, very wide, very high contrast, upright, normal x-height font.
Keywords: headlines, magazines, posters, branding, packaging, editorial, fashion, dramatic, refined, theatrical, display impact, editorial elegance, modern twist, signature style, didone-like, hairline serifs, vertical stress, sharp terminals, high-contrast.
A high-contrast serif with pronounced vertical stress and crisp, hairline serifs. The letterforms show a distinctive split-weight treatment: strong, dark vertical stems paired with extremely thin opposing curves and horizontals, producing a sculpted, cutaway look in bowls and counters. Capitals are broad and commanding with sharp joins and tight apertures in places, while lowercase maintains a relatively standard x-height but with similarly dramatic thick–thin alternation. Numerals follow the same logic, mixing bold structural strokes with delicate hairline elements and occasional open, outline-like sections.
Best suited to display settings where its contrast and internal cutaway details can be appreciated—magazine headlines, fashion/editorial typography, posters, titles, and brand marks. It can work for short pull quotes or large subheads, but the strong striping and fine hairlines suggest avoiding small sizes and dense body copy.
The overall tone is assertive and luxurious, combining editorial elegance with a slightly experimental, poster-like punch. Its extreme contrast and stylized internal cutouts add a sense of drama and spectacle, reading as fashion-forward and attention-seeking rather than neutral.
The design appears intended to reinterpret a classic high-contrast serif model with a more graphic, contemporary voice. By exaggerating thick–thin relationships and carving bowls into bold-and-hairline halves, it aims to deliver instant visual impact while retaining a formal, serif-led elegance.
The rhythm in text is highly graphic: dark verticals create strong striping, and thin connections can appear to shimmer at display sizes. Several glyphs feature unconventional interior shaping (notably in rounded letters), which reinforces a distinctive signature but can make long passages feel busy.