Japanese artist Takashi Murakami has been commissioned by Google to produce the latest in its series of Google doodles.

The multicoloured cartoon, titled The First Day of Summer, entwines flowery bursts around gaping mouthed heads characteristic of the Japanese anime style.

The doodle represents the date of the summer solstice, much loved by druids, but the doodle's title is somewhat misleading – the solstice is the longest day in summer, rather than the first, although it may give new hope to those deluged in recent days and those heading to the Glastonbury festival this weekend.

Murakami's work is usually known for its appropriation of high art forms such as sculpture, which he then melds with low art themes from pop culture to mass media. He has produced a variety of contemporary work from 30ft sculptures to his so-called superflat paintings, in which he combines flat graphic imagery and colours to create highly patterned images.

Murakami has also carried out more commercial endeavours including a close collaboration with fashion designer Marc Jacobs, and in 2008 was included in Time magazine's 100 most influential people.