Abstract
Since the surge in the popularity of AKB48 and groups alike,
Ja p a n’s “kawaii princesses” (Kimura 46) have become ubiquitous
in various forms of Japanese media, spreading their cute images
all over the archipelago.
The Japan Times once insisted that these multimember female-idol groups “must be pure but sexy, docile yet energetic, reserved but always cheerful for photos” – an “impossible set of ideals” (“Editorial”), which were originally to attract the otaku (geeks) of Akihabara. However, the element of a pure and innocent fantasy has become well accepted by the general public once it
appeared in the mainstream media because this is a kind of quality
that is attractive to a large population. The pop girls eventually
became icons, symptomatic of a “national idol,” by which “‘we,’
‘Japanese’ ‘all’ know and love
Ja p a n’s “kawaii princesses” (Kimura 46) have become ubiquitous
in various forms of Japanese media, spreading their cute images
all over the archipelago.
The Japan Times once insisted that these multimember female-idol groups “must be pure but sexy, docile yet energetic, reserved but always cheerful for photos” – an “impossible set of ideals” (“Editorial”), which were originally to attract the otaku (geeks) of Akihabara. However, the element of a pure and innocent fantasy has become well accepted by the general public once it
appeared in the mainstream media because this is a kind of quality
that is attractive to a large population. The pop girls eventually
became icons, symptomatic of a “national idol,” by which “‘we,’
‘Japanese’ ‘all’ know and love
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages | 209-212 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Volume | 15 |
| No. | 1 |
| Specialist publication | Japan Studies Association Journal |
| Publication status | Published - 2017 |
Keywords
- kawaii princess phenomenon
- AKB48
- pop girls
- icons