Is kawaii out?

Visual Novel Community Off Topic
#1

I just read a rather scholarly paper on the subject of kawaii in Japanese culture.

It offers interesting insights into the social background behind the emergence of the style and substance of “cuteness” as a way of life among young Japanese, particulaly young women, during the 80’s to mid-90’s. Besides the obvious connection to childhood simplicity, kawaii can be seen as a serious protest against traditional values and responsibilities. The tone of the article, which was published in 1995, makes one wonder if the trend may now be regarded as passe. Fascinating reading…

#2

The writing and slang part of the whole kawaiiness will probably never die, it may fluctuate between near-extinction and gross overuseism, but things like “Atashi” and the elongated “Desuu” will stay around. Sortof like how teenage girls will forever dot their i’s with hearts. As for everything else, I don’t really have any say with it. Mostly because I didn’t read most of the paper.

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精神 の 神

#3

I probably should have excerpted a few quotes for a lead-in. Here’s one

quote:
However infantile slang was not limited to the contrived over-use of puritanical kindergarten adjectives. ‘Sex’ became popularly referred to by the morbid term nyan nyan suru (to meow meow).

#4

You got to be kidding, they actually referred to sex as nyan nyan suru (to meow meow), that is funny.

Yeah I agree with Seishin I don’t think the Kawaiiness will fade away, it will always be around if not always openly visible.

#5
quote:
Originally posted by SCDawg:
You got to be kidding, they actually referred to sex as nyan nyan suru (to meow meow), that is funny.

Excuse me for a moment.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHA

#6

Also a good thing to keep in mind - the article dates from '95.

… so if you ask people to “nyan nyan suru” nowadays you’ll be … archaically cute?

#7
quote:
Originally posted by Nandemonai:
Also a good thing to keep in mind - the article dates from '95.

... so if you ask people to "nyan nyan suru" nowadays you'll be ... archaically cute?

Hey retro's in, so you just might still be with the 'in crowd', then again maybe people would just laugh without getting the joke.

#8
quote:
Originally posted by SCDawg:
Hey retro's in, so you just might still be with the 'in crowd', then again maybe people would just laugh without getting the joke.

Or they may think that you are Kowaii [img]http://princess.cybrmall.net/ubb/wink.gif[/img]
#9
quote:
Originally posted by wanfu2k1:
Or they may think that you are Kowaii [img]http://princess.cybrmall.net/ubb/wink.gif[/img]

Quite possibly. [img]http://princess.cybrmall.net/ubb/tongue.gif[/img].

#10

This is an outsider’s opinion, as I don’t really live in Japan, but I think kawaii’s actually coming back IN. For quite a while there kogals and oversexed, experienced girls were the in-thing, but that particular trend seems to be dying out. I remember reading an article very recently about how a lot of girls are rethinking their behaviour as far as sex and fashion are concerned and are thinking about a more conservative approach.

Kawaii never really dies out anyway, though. Even if it’s a less-than-innocent version of it.

#11
quote:
Originally posted by Kyrie:
(...)For quite a while there kogals and oversexed, experienced girls were the in-thing, but that particular trend seems to be dying out. (...)
Kawaii never really dies out anyway, though. [img]http://princess.cybrmall.net/ubb/wink.gif[/img] Even if it's a less-than-innocent version of it.

Well much like the "Valley Girls" (scary thought but I think they are coming back "in" too) I have a feeling that neither the oversexed experienced girls, nor kawaii will die out, one will just overshadow the other from time to time, but both will always be there, at least that is my opinion on why it might not always be visible but always there in society.

#12

I wish I had read the copyright date on the book. I was just in a bookstore glancing at a book that went into Japanese culture–especially as it pertained to gaijin fitting into society. Insofar as that book was concerned, kawaii was still a very real thing to be contended with in Japanese society. As far as I could tell, the book was fairly recent.

#14
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