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Grilli Type new typeface GT Maru is a wild and wonderful collision of cultures

In a vibrant, joyful collision of visual and verbal communication, Swiss Type Foundry Grilli Type has unveiled its new typefaces GT Maru; a harmonious expression combining Japanese and Latin writing systems into a single wonderful and wild typeface.

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Colorful illustration featuring "Grilli Type" and "GT Maru" text with a smiling sun, rainbow, clouds and stars on a blue background

Coming from the mind of Grilli Type co-founder Thierry Blancpain, GT Maru was an exercise in finding the balance between form and function; a difficult task due to the vibrancy seemingly bursting from the letterforms, but a task successfully achieved nonetheless – resulting in a totally charming and excitable typeface that is an illuminating departure from the brutal and stark typefaces we see in the contemporary typographic scene.

Illustration of a sleepy lemon with Zs floating above it, holding a lemon slice, with the word "chill" below in GT Maru typeface

Following four years of traveling to and from Japan, alongside a perpetual pondering of the joyful tone of visual communication in the country, Thierry began exploring the 'maru' ('roundness') of Latin script, experimenting on how the two worlds could cohesively combine.

GT Maru Family typeface specimen showing Maru and Mono font weights, Mega and Emoji character sets on a light blue background

Subsequently the outcome is pretty prolific, with five weights, including proportional and monospace subfamilies, and an enormous dual emoji set to accompany it. With the emojis coming in monochrome and colour, there will certainly be an icon to help you out when words just fail to express your thoughts – such as an emoji of Thierry's own dog Barley!

Yellow tiger face with pink ears and white snout smiling above red "WILD" text on blue background
Bold orange numerals and symbols with black outlines on bright blue background, showcasing GT Maru typeface characters
Futomaki GT Maru Black typeface sample showing a smiling panda-like character with rounded features on a bright blue background, with Japanese sushi description text below
The pangram "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog" displayed in colourful GT Maru typeface with each line in a different bright colour against a black background
Cute pink octopus character with rounded tentacles on blue background, labelled Takoyaki, GT Maru Bold, Octopus Balls Tenkasu & Beni shoga, credited to Osaka street vendor Tomekichi Endo from 1935
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