Where did the word "kawaii" come from, and is the sexism that can come with cuteness really all that innocent?
Aug 23, 2024 • Subscribe
More like this
Bocchi Culture: Japan’s Loner Lifestyle
Flying solo or bocchi culture is becoming increasingly common in Japan. But does this trend mask a deeper issue of social isolation?
Gaming's Unnecessary Obsession With Graphics
With the release of Elden Ring more than ever has this talk on graphics been in my mind I've always found it strange that so much of the…
Hafu: Navigating Japan’s Age Obsession as a “Half-Japanese” Woman
Navigating Japan's complex standards around age, as well as the overall obsession, can feel like a unique balancing act.
National Living Treasures: Japan’s Living Embodiments of Culture
How Japan's national living treasures preserve culture and the clever tactics - including Pokemon! - used to promote their work.
National Living Treasures: Japan’s Living Embodiments of Culture
How Japan's national living treasures preserve culture and the clever tactics - including Pokemon! - used to promote their work.
National Living Treasures: Japan’s Living Embodiments of Culture
How Japan's national living treasures preserve culture and the clever tactics - including Pokemon! - used to promote their work.
National Living Treasures: Japan’s Living Embodiments of Culture
How Japan's national living treasures preserve culture and the clever tactics - including Pokemon! - used to promote their work.
Shoujo Sundae Review: Kawaii: The Emergence and Evolution of Cuteness in Japanese Girl’s Culture
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8s_ZvM1om0 To follow up on their series on Japanese girls’ culture, The Japan Foundation provided a detailed presentation and open discussion on the emergence…
The Obsession With Video Game Graphics Must Stop!
I was perusing the news recently when I saw a headline from PC Gamer called “Oof: Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League lost Warner Bros. $200 million—which is…
Obsession: Dear Brother
Minor spoiler warning. 0:00 Introductory AMV "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow? 2:38 The Self Healing Messages Of Dear Brother 3:55 Nanako (Tomoko is goofy) 5:12 Rei (Tomoko is goofy 2) 5:59 AMV:…
Japan: Courts and Culture
By Helen McCarthy. Japan: Courts and Culture was originally scheduled to open in 2020. Like so many of that year’s best-laid plans, it had to be shelved. But…
The curious case of K-Pop’s obsession with Don Quixote
Hey friends, I hope you’re all doing well! Today’s gonna be a weird post. There, I admitted it. But it’s been something I’ve been thinking about since I…
the depths of obsession
“I don’t want to do this. I *have* to do this.” These are the kinds of words spoken in obsession, a state that’s easy to see from the outside,…
Yandere: Obsession not Love
– By SoumodeepSecond YearB.A. (Hons.) MathematicsSt. Stephen’s College Do listen to the eighth number from the October 2021 playlist. The word “yandere” comes from the Japanese wo…
Weekly Round-Up, 8-14 June 2022: Translation Critique, Persona Mods, and the History of Kawaii Culture
AniFem Round-Up Personifying and relating to neurodiversity in Love, Chuunibyou and Other Delusions “Middle schooler disease” might not be an actual illness, but Carmen Antreasian touches on how…
Anime & Manga Culture and Neurodivergence
In this video, I delve into why neurodivergent people may find anime and manga appealing. While being neurodivergent and interested in the subculture is not mutually exclusive, there…
Spoiler Culture and Anime Fans
Spoilers are bad right? I mean yeah they are! But not everything is a spoiler. Sometimes, spoiler phobia can go a bit too far.
Yasuke: Culture, Tradition and Identity
I binged the entirety of the 6 episode Netflix Original Anime Series Yasuke yesterday from famed Director LeSean Thomas (Legend of Korra, Canon Busters, The Boondocks). I went…
Manga Influencers and Hoarding Culture
It's easy to get swept up and just want to buy all the manga we see. But is it really a good idea? And not just for your…
【PR】Off the Beaten Path: Discover the Secrets of Japan’s Regional Culture
Journey beyond and discover the treasures of regional Japan, from comic book museums to the secrets of green tea. Adventure awaits.
【PR】Off the Beaten Path: Discover the Secrets of Japan’s Regional Culture
Journey beyond and discover the treasures of regional Japan, from comic book museums to the secrets of green tea. Adventure awaits.
Gagging on Sexism is Not Dead!
Hi readers! I’m sorry for the long stretch of silence! I am currently buried under a mountain of books and a small hill of essays as I finish up…
Mr. Villain: Hyperfixation or Obsession?
Is it obsession? Or, is it fixation? Is it a good thing? Or, is it a bad thing? Let's explore this in Mr. Villain's Day Off.
Pop Mart: Our New Obsession
We here at Japan Curiosity absolutely love decorating our nerd space with figures. Whether they’re from anime, games, shows or simply because they look amazing. Enter Pop Mart.…
My Current Gaming Obsession – Forager
Let’s take a look at Forager, a little indie game I can’t seem to put down!
Tonikaku Kawaii | Episode 8 and 9
Episode 8 I always thought that Nasa was one weird dude, but I can see where he got that from. Nasa’s parents are on another level of weird,…
Tonikaku Kawaii | Episode 10 and 11
Episode 10 My favourite episodes of Tonikaku Kawaii are when we get to see Tsukasa and Nasa be all gushy, cute and when they spend time together. I don’t know…
Tonikaku Kawaii | Episode 6 and 7
Episode 6 Having just finished one comedy in Uzaki-chan wa Asobitai!, I thought that it would only be fair if I carried on my little marathon I have…
TONIKAWA: Over The Moon For You, Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out!, Historical
Books on Japanese Culture and Society
This past semester I taught a class on Japanese science fiction and fantasy, and I was surprised by how interested my students were in learning more about the…
Digimon Tamers, Konaka, and Cancel Culture
In the latest episode of “Discovering Your Favorite Creators’ Alarming Beliefs,” the writer of Digimon Tamers, Chiaki J. Konaka, recently penned a new script for the show’s 20th…
The Concierge – Magic and Consumer Culture
The Concierge is an upcoming anime movie that I had the luck to see at Fantasia. Be the first to find out what it's all about!
Subaru Natsuki: Entitlement and Waifu Culture
Subaru Natsuki was a very divisive character when Re:Zero aired. Some called him a perfect Gary Stu while others criticized him for being such an idiot. When I…
Fan Content and Pop Culture References
The Impact of Akira on pop culture is still noticeable today in many different forms. One of the most notable has to be Kanye West’s official music video,…
King Yama And Japanese Popular Culture
I was watching Ultraman Taro when a kaiju, Enmargo, appeared that caught my attention. Bearing a sword and shield, his crown adorned with the kanji for King and…
Japan’s Most Liveable Cities – Ranked with Data
By collecting extensive data on 119 large Japanese cities and scoring them on a variety of factors, we found an answer to a tough question.
When pop culture meets culture war
Dragon Quest III HD-2D and the pitfalls of producing content in a polarized world
Shinkalion and Japan’s Railway Museum
On my winter 2023 trip to Japan, I happened to do a good deal involving trains and train accessories. This is Part 1 of my experience, focused on…
Tonikaku Kawaii
Tonikaku Kawaii is a 2020 Romantic Comedy anime series from a Japanese studio that is working hard to live up to their name, Seven Arcs – formerly Seven…
“Pop” Culture
This is one seriously deranged offering. This is a very binary show: either you like it a lot or you hate it a lot. You also need to…
Carnivore Culture
By Jeannette Ng. Beastars is the story of Legoshi, an achingly awkward wolf who struggles with his carnivore side as like many of his fellow classmates, he is…
Playing Music is my new obsession.
I haven’t played a video game since I last posted months ago. It’s because I give all my free time to playing music and learning. I love it.…
My New Obsession from my Internship
So I have been gone for a while now, but I have good reason. I was doing my internship. I’m sorry for just dropping off the face of…
Dragon VTubers: Your New Obsession Awaits
Unleash the power of mythical dragon VTubers! Meet Zentreya, Paiyumi, Arly Darkfire, and Thornscale and be amazed by their unique streams.
Entrepreneur Mariko Nishimura Bridges Tech and Culture
Mariko Nishimura wears many hats: programmer, marketer, media creator, businesswoman and entrepreneur. She makes them all look good, combining a high-energy, outgoing personality with a deep-seated curiosity about…
Taiko Drum History and Culture in Japan
What are those big powerful drums you see at festivals in Japan?
Why is Japan’s Food Suddenly Infested with Frogs?
Who brought all these frogs? As the little green creatures proliferate in Japan, they're suddenly showing up in salads and udon.
Johnny Be Bad: A rare interview with Japan’s boy Idol-maker and pederast
Having decided that “Are you or have you ever been a pederast?” might be somewhat too direct a question to put to the dear old chap, I lobbed…
The Kojiki and Japan’s Earliest Literature
Kobayashi Eitaku, Izanagi and Izanami, c. 1885Via Wikimedia Check out the Read Japanese Literature podcast. Episode 1: The Kojiki—Gods having sex, founding of the imperial dynasty, and some of…
Manga Store Kawaii
I've opened 'Manga Store Kawaii!'. It's selling Japanese Manga, Doujinshi and stuff. You can find lots of yaoi items. Please click the botte...
