Kawaii ( ???? , [ka? ai? i] , "loved", "funny", or "adorable") is a culture of cuteness in Japan. It can refer to the fascinating, vulnerable, shy and childish, human, and non-human goods. Examples include humorous handwriting, certain manga genres, and Hello Kitty.
The cute culture, or kawaii aesthetic, has become a prominent aspect of Japanese popular culture, entertainment, clothing, food, toys, looks and personal behavior.
Video Kawaii
Etymology
The word kawaii originally comes from the phrase ??? kao hayushi , which literally means "The face (someone) is aglow," usually used to refer to redness or reddening the face. The second morpheme is a cognate with -bayu in mabayui (??, ???, or ????) "dazzling, glaring, dazzling, too bright, very fascinating" ( ma - is from i "eye") and -hayu in Maps Kawaii
History
Original definition
The original definition of kawaii comes from Lady Murasaki The Tale of Genji , in which it refers to a sad quality. During the Shogunate period under the ideology of neo-Confucianism, women came to be included under the term kawaii as the perception of women becoming animals replaced by the conception of women as benign. However, the previous meaning survives in the modern Japanese Standard Japanese verb noun ????? kawais? (often written with ateji as ??? or ???) "embarrassing, sad, arousing, poor, sad, sorry" (etymological of the "face"/projection , reflecting, or transmitting light, flushing, flushing/looking, appearance "). The form kawaii and its derivatives kawais? and kawairashii (with the suffix -rashii "-like, -ly") is used in modern dialect which means "embarrassing/embarrassing, embarrassing/embarrassing" or " good, good, good, great, wonderful, beautiful, awesome "in addition to the standard meaning of" sweet "and" sad ".
Funny writing
The emergence of cuteness in Japanese culture emerged in the 1970s as part of a new writing style. Many teenage girls start writing laterally using a mechanical pencil. These pencils produce very fine lines, compared to traditional Japanese writing varying in thickness and vertical. The girls will also write in big and round characters and they add small pictures to their writing, like hearts, stars, emoticon faces, and Latin alphabet letters.
These photos will be inserted randomly and make writing difficult to read. As a result, this writing style caused a lot of controversy and was banned in many schools. However, during the 1980s, this new "sweet" writing was adopted by magazines and comics and put into packaging and advertising.
From 1984 to 1986, Kazuma Yamane ( ???? Yamane Kazuma ) studied the development of cute handwriting, which he calls the Handwriting of Adolescent Women Anomalies, in depth. This funny Japanese script is also called: marui ji ( ??? ) , which means "round writing", koneko ji ( ??? ) , meaning "kitten writing", manga ji ( ??? ) , which means "comic writing", and burikko ji ( ??? ) , which means "fake children's writing". While it is generally assumed that the style of writing is something that teenagers take from comics, he finds that teenagers have come up with the style itself, spontaneously, as an underground trend. The conclusion is based on the observation that hilarious handwriting precedes the availability of technical means for producing comic writing in comics.
Funny stuff
Tomoyuki Sugiyama ( ???? , Sugiyama Tomoyuki ) , author of Cool Japan, says funny fashion in Japan can be traced back to the Edo period with the popularity of netsuke.
Due to this growing trend, companies like Sanrio come out with merchandise like Hello Kitty. Hello Kitty is instantly successful and the cute obsession continues in other areas as well. Recently, Sanrio has released a kawaii character with a deeper personality that appeals to an older audience, such as Gudetama and Aggretsuko. These characters have enjoyed strong popularity because fans are interested in their unique uniqueness besides their aesthetic beauty. The 1980s also saw the emergence of cute idols, such as Seiko Matsuda, which is largely credited with popularizing the trend. Women began to imitate Seiko Matsuda and her cute style and behavior, which emphasized the helplessness and innocence of young girls. The market for cute goods in Japan is usually driven by Japanese girls between 15 and 18 years old. No longer confined to teenagers, spreading makes things as sweet as possible, even ordinary household items, embraced by people of all ages.
Aesthetics
Soichi Masubuchi ( ???? , Masubuchi S? Ichi ) , in his < i> Kawaii Syndrome , claiming "cute" and "neat" has set a precedent over previous "beautiful" and "delicate" Japanese aesthetics. As a cultural phenomenon, cuteness is increasingly accepted in Japan as part of Japanese culture and national identity. Tomoyuki Sugiyama ( ???? , Sugiyama Tomoyuki ) , writer Cool Japan, believes that "cuteness" is rooted in the culture of Japanese harmonization, and Nobuyoshi Kurita ( , Kurita Nobuyoshi , a sociology professor at Musashi University in Tokyo, has stated that "funny" is a "magical term" that includes everything acceptable and desirable in Japan. Gender performance
Japanese women who imitate kawaii behavior (eg, high-pitched voices, giggles) that can be considered as forced or not authentic are called burikko and these are considered gender performances. The term burikko ( ?? ) is formed with buri (?, "Amberjack", a fish), puns on furi (?, "to pretend or pose"), and ko (?, 'anak'). It was a neologism developed in the 1980s by comedians Kuniko Yamada ???? , Yamada Kuniko >) . Physical attractiveness
In Japan, being cute is acceptable for both men and women. Trends are men who shave their legs to mimic the neotenik look. Japanese women often try to act cute to attract men's attention. A study by Kanebo, a cosmetics company, found that Japanese women in their 20s and 30s loved the "funny look" with a "boyish round face". Women also use a plain look to further play the idea of ​​this cuteness. Having big eyes is one aspect that exemplifies innocence; therefore many Japanese women try to change the size of their eyes. To create this illusion, women can wear large contact lenses, false eyelashes, dramatic eye makeup, and even have East Asian blepharoplasty, commonly known as double eyelid surgery.
Idols
Idols ( ???? , aidoru ) are media characters in their teens and twenties which is considered very interesting or cute and which will, for a period ranging from several months to several years, regularly appear in the mass media, for example as a singer for pop groups, bit-part actors, TV characters ( tarento ), models in photo distribution published in magazines, advertisements, etc. (But not all young celebrities are considered idols.) Young celebrities who want to grow a rebellious image, like many rock musicians, reject the "idol" label.) Speed, Morning Musume, AKB48, and Momoiro Clover Z are examples of popular idol groups in Japan during the year 2000s & amp; 2010s.
Cute mode
Lolita
Lolita fashion is a style that is very famous and known in Japan. Based on the Victorian mode and the Rococo period, the girls mix with their own elements along with the gothic style to achieve a doll-porcelain look. The girls dressed in Lolita's clothes try to look cute, innocent, and beautiful. This appearance is achieved with lace, ribbons, bows, ruffles, pofs, aprons, and ruffled skirts. Parasol, Mary Jane's chunky heel, and Bo Peep's collar are also very popular.
Sweet Lolita is part of the Lolita fashion that includes more ribbons, bows and laces, and is often made from pastels and other bright colors. Another part of the Lolita fashion associated with "sweet Lolita" is Fairy Kei. Head dresses like a giant bow or hat are also very common, while lighter makeup is also used to get a more natural look. Curved hair extensions, sometimes accompanied by eyelash extensions, are also popular in helping the look of baby dolls.
Themes like fruits, flowers and sweets are often used as patterns on fabrics used for dresses. Wallets often go with the theme and are formed as hearts, strawberries, or stuffed animals. Baby, the Stars Shine Bright is one of the more popular clothing stores for this style and often carries a theme. Mannerism is also important for many Sweet Lolitas. Sweet Lolita is not just fashion, but also lifestyle. This is evident in the 2004 Kamikaze Girls film where Lolita's main character, Momoko, only drank tea and ate only candy.
Decora
Decora is a style that is characterized by wearing many "decorations" on yourself. It is considered a self-decoration. The purpose of this mode is to be as vibrant and characterized as possible. People who participate in this fashion trend use accessories such as multicolor hair pins, bracelets, rings, necklaces, etc. By adding several layers of accessories to clothing, fashion trends tend to have a childlike appearance. It also includes toys and multicolor clothing.
Kawaii men
Although kawaii is usually a female-dominated mode, there are men who decide to take part in this trend. Some men decide to change themselves into women, more specifically kawaii women. They are able to change themselves by wearing wigs, false eyelashes, makeup, and wearing kawaii women's clothes. This is seen primarily in male entertainers, such as Torideta-san, a DJ who transforms himself into a kawaii woman while working in his nightclub.
Pop stars and Japanese actors often have longer hair, such as Takuya Kimura from SMAP. Men are also noted for often aspiring to see neotenik. While it does not quite fit the exact specifications of what it means to be cuteness for women, men are necessarily influenced by the same customs of society - to be attractive in a certain kind of way that society is acceptable. "In this way both Japanese men and women are in accordance with Kawaii's wishes in some way or another.
Products
The kawaii concept has had an influence on various products, including candies, such as Hi-Chew, Koala's March and Hello Panda. Cuteness can be added to the product by adding funny features, like hearts, flowers, stars, and rainbows. Funny elements can be found almost everywhere in Japan, from big business to corner markets and national government offices, neighborhoods, and cities. Many companies, large and small, use cute mascots to present their goods and services to the public. As an example:
- Pikachu, a character from PokÃÆ' Â © mon, adorns the side of ten ANA passenger jets, PokÃÆ' Â © mon Jets.
- Asahi Bank uses Miffy (Nijntje), a character from a series of Dutch children's drawing books, at several ATMs and credit cards.
- Japan's prefecture, as well as many cities and cultural institutions, has a cute mascot character known as yuru-chara to promote tourism. Kumamon, Kumamoto prefecture mascot, and Hikonyan, the city of Hikone mascot, are among the most popular.
- Japan Post Mascot "Y? -Pack" is a stylish mailbox; they also use other funny mascot characters to promote various services (among them the Savings Bank Pos) and have used a lot like stamps.
- Some police forces in Japan have their own moe mascot, which sometimes adorns the k-ban front (police squares).
- NHK, the public announcer, has her own cute mascot. Domokun, a unique and widely recognized NHK mascot, introduced in 1998 and rapidly taking on a life of its own, appears on Internet memes and fans around the world.
- Sanrio, the company behind Hello Kitty and other equally funny characters, runs Sanrio Puroland amusement park in Tokyo, and paints in some Air Air A330 EVA jets as well. Sanrio's line with more than 50 characters requires more than $ 1 billion per year and remains the most successful company to take advantage of fun trends.
Funny can also be used to describe a particular fashion sense of an individual, and generally includes apparently made outfits for children, regardless of size, or clothing that accentuates the cuteness of individuals who wear clothing. Ruffles and pastel colors are generally (but not always) displayed, and accessories often include toys or bags featuring anime characters.
Import non- kawaii
There have been occasions where popular Western products failed to meet the expectations of kawaii , and thus did not succeed in the Japanese market. For example, the Cabbage Patch Kids dolls do not sell well in Japan, because Japanese people consider their facial features "ugly" and "weird" compared to flat and almost non-properties characters like Hello Kitty. Also, the Barbie doll, depicting a mature woman, did not become successful in Japan compared to Takara's Licca, a puppet modeled after an 11-year-old girl.
Kawaii has gradually shifted from a small subculture in Japan to an important part of Japanese modern culture as a whole. There are a lot of modern goods featuring kawaii themes, not only in Japan, but around the world. And the characters associated with kawaii have a stunning popularity today. We can see "cute global" by billion dollar sellers like Poké and Mono Hello Kitty. "Triggered by the Internet subculture, Hello Kitty itself has hundreds of entries on eBay, and is sold in over 30 countries, including Argentina, Bahrain, and Taiwan."
Japan has become a powerhouse in the kawaii industry and pictures of Doraemon, Hello Kitty, Pikachu, Sailor Moon and Hamtaro are very popular in mobile phone accessories. However, Professor Tian Shenliang said that Japan's future depends on how much impact the kawaii has on humanity.
The Japanese Foreign Ministry also recognizes the power of merciful merchandise and has sent three 18-year-old women abroad hoping to spread Japanese culture around the world. The women wore uniform costumes and maids were common in Japan.
Manga and Kawaii magazines have brought tremendous benefits to the Japanese press industry. In addition, worldwide revenue from computer games and marketing tools is close to $ 5 billion, according to a Nintendo press release entitled "This is Pokémon mon Planet".
Influences on other cultures
Kawaii's products seem to gain more popularity beyond the Japanese border into other Asian markets, and appear to be more popular in the US, especially among young anime and manga fans as well as among those influenced by Japanese culture. Funny goods and products are very popular in other parts of East Asia, such as China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan, and Southeast Asian countries such as Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Sebastian Masuda, the owner of 6% DOCIDOKI and a global supporter for kawaii influences, takes quality from Harajuku to the Western market in his shop and his artwork. The underlying belief of this Japanese designer is that "kawaii" really saves the world. Kawaii infusion to other markets and world cultures is achieved by introducing kawaii through modern art; audio, visual, and written media; and youth fashion trends of Japan, especially in high school girls.
Kawaii Japan seems to operate as a center of global popularity because of its relationship with making the production of culture and consumer products "funny". This mindset is pursuing a global marketplace, giving rise to many applications and interpretations in other cultures.
The spread of the youth mode of Japanese and "kawaii culture" is usually associated with Western societies and trends set by designers who are borrowed or taken from Japan. With the rise of China, South Korea and Singapore as the economic hub of Asia, the merchandise and popularity of Kawaii products have shifted back to the East. In this Asian market, the kawaii concept takes various forms and different types of presentations depending on the target audience.
In Asia
Taiwanese culture, especially the government, has embraced and increased kawaii to a new level of social awareness. The introduction of the A-Bian doll is seen as a symbol development to advance democracy and help in building collective imagination and national identity for the people of Taiwan. The A-Bian doll is a figure similar to sports figures, famous individuals, and now political figures who use kawaii images as a means of self-promotion and potential sound. The creation of the A-Bian doll has enabled the staff of Taiwanese President Chen to create a new culture in which the "kawaii" image of a politician can be used to mobilize support and elicit votes.
Japan's popular "kawaii culture" has influenced the youth of Singapore. The emergence of Japanese culture can be traced back to the mid-1980s when Japan became one of the world's economic forces. Kawaii has grown from several children's television shows to the sensation of the Internet. Japanese media is used so abundantly in Singapore that young people are more likely to emulate their Japanese idol mode, learn Japanese, and continue to buy Japanese-oriented goods.
Asian countries in China, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Thailand produce kawaii goods for international consumption or have websites destined for kawaii as part of youth culture in their country. Kawaii has taken a life of its own, spawning the formation of kawaii website, kawaii home page, kawaii browser theme and finally, kawaii social networking page. While Japan is the origin and Mecca of all things kawaii, artists and businesses around the world imitate kawaii themes.
Kawaii really became "bigger" than herself. The current world linkage via the Internet has brought kawaii to a new level of exposure and acceptance, resulting in a kawaii "movement".
The Kawaii concept has become something of a global phenomenon. The cuteness of Japanese aesthetics is very attractive to people all over the world. The widespread popularity of Japanese kawaii is often credited with it being "odorless culture". The abolition of exoticism and national branding has helped kawaii to reach many target audiences and reach every cultural, class, and gender group. The highly suitable kawaii character has made it a global hit, generating a global image of Japan that is shifting from its notoriety to hard rock gardens to being famous for "cute worship".
In 2014, the Collins English Dictionary in the United Kingdom incorporated "kawaii" into their latest edition, defining it as "Japanese artistic and cultural style that emphasizes the quality of cuteness, using bright colors and characters with looks like little child. "
See also
- Aegyo
- Chibi (slang)
- Japanese culture
- Kawaii metal (music genre)
- Moe
- Yuru-chara
References
Further reading
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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