While it may appear on the surface to be an overtly feminine, traditional fashion, Lolita’s history and present iteration are rooted in rejection of the male gaze and societal expectations for women, as well as the building of women-centric community spaces. Of course, these things don’t make it feminist outright, but the result is a subculture well-positioned for the potential to embrace feminist ideals of choice, self-empowerment, and autonomy.
May 12, 2021 • Subscribe
More like this
Tokyo Fashion Subculture: Lolita
In this series, we will be exploring all the fashion subcultures that have made Japan the fashion powerhouse it is today. The Lolita subculture is one that is…
Tokyo Fashion Subculture: Decora
Decora fashion symbolizes everything Harajuku is known for. Read on to explore this Tokyo Fashion Subculture!
Cyber: Tokyo Fashion Subculture
Japan’s take on cyber fashion is gaining newfound popularity as we move into a world dominated by new algorithms, AI and the metaverse.
Ametora: Tokyo Fashion Subculture
Ametora, short for “American Traditional”, is best defined as being Japan’s own take on the fashion worn by American Ivy League College students and the British elite in…
Tokyo Fashion Subculture: Visual Kei
The popularity of the music genre, Visual Kei, went on to influence the start of a new fashion subculture with the same name.
Tokyo Fashion Subculture: Japanese Streetwear
In this series, we will be exploring all the fashion subcultures that have made Japan the fashion powerhouse it is today. Starting as a subculture in the back…
Tokyo Fashion Subculture: The Iconic Shibuya Gyaru
In this series, we will be exploring all the fashion subcultures that have made Japan the fashion powerhouse it is today. The iconic Gyaru is considered one of…
A-Kon 2022 Lolita Fashion Tea Party
A-Kon 2022 tea party gallery ft. lolita brands Angelic Pretty USA, Baroque from Korea, and lolita model Rin Rin Doll.
Plus Size Lolita Fashion Manufacturing from a Japanese Brand’s Perspective
Challenges of producing plus size lolita fashion pieces from the perspective of Japanese brands Atelier Pierrot and Metamorphose.
Sharp Blades, Soft Frills: Femme rebellion in lolita fashion, Japan.
Lolita fashion has been part of Japan’s rich alternative scene for over 40 years. It is a celebration of self and is intended to provide a ‘hyper-femme space’…
The wasted potential of Death Note’s women
In the hands of a writer who isn’t so brazenly disinterested in writing them, the women of Death Note—Misa, especially—easily have the potential to be the most interesting…
Analyzing The Fashion Of Demon Slayer
Sponsor: https://www.apari-shop.com/?ref=internetpitstop Instagram: @ apariart Twitter: @ apariart Website: apari.com Demon Slayer has become one of the most popular anime ever and you can spend all day talking about Demon…
The Infinite Potential of Japanese Pudding in Anime
f you’ve watched even a small amount of anime, Japanese pudding is incredibly hard to miss, specifically in the form of a caramel custard flan generally known locally…
Love Live! accused of plagiarizing lolita designs
Love Live! School Idol Project was accused of plagiarizing designs from Japanese and Chinese lolita fashion brands in their promotional art.
SWORDGAI: THE ANIMATION. WASTED POTENTIAL?
Hey guys what is up welcome back to my blog I’m so thankful that you guys took the time out of your day to read my blog post.…
Anime Feminist Recommendations of Fall 2020
Fall featured a lot of hotly anticipated titles from well-loved creators, but which managed to stick the landing?
Adachi and Shimamura, Akudama Drive, Gal & Dino, Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle, Talentless Nana
Anime Feminist Recommendations of Spring 2022
Starved for shows? We've got some delicious titles to add to your Summer watchlist.
Aharen-san wa Hakarenai, Healer Girl, Kaguya-sama: Love is War, Puella Magi Madoka Magica, The Executioner and Her Way of Life
Anime Feminist Recommendations of Fall 2021
In which a late-game contender for anime of the year makes its appearance!
Anime Feminist Recommendations of Fall 2023
We close out another Fall with something for just about everyone, from superheroes to work rom-coms to conspiracy thrillers.
SHY, Tearmoon Empire, 16bit Sensation: Another Layer, BULLBUSTER, My New Boss is Goofy
Anime Feminist Recommendations of Fall 2022
We closed out 2022 with one of the strongest seasons in recent memory and plenty of great titles to choose from!
The Little Lies We All Tell, Akiba Maid War, Do It Yourself!!, Mob Psycho 100, My Master Has No Tail
Anime Feminist Recommendations of Winter 2021
The team shares their picks from a season characterized by ambitious originals and solid sequels.
Cells at Work! CODE BLACK, D4DJ First Mix, Idoly Pride, JUJUTSU KAISEN, Laid-Back Camp
Anime Feminist Recommendations of Spring 2021
Let's look back at spring, a season so full of good stuff that there wasn't space to recommend everything we liked!
Fairy Ranmaru, Fruits Basket, ODDTAXI, SHADOWS HOUSE, Super Cub
Anime Feminist Recommendations of Fall 2024
The year closed out on a wide range of winners, from yakuza thrillers and fake marriages to fishing stories.
Nina the Starry Bride, Yakuza Fiancé: Raise wa Tanin ga Ii, Whisper Me a Love Song, 365 Days to the Wedding, Acro Trip
Anime Feminist Recommendations of Summer 2022
Come in out of that brutal summer heat and enjoy the anime crop we harvested.
Anime Feminist Recommendations of Winter 2024
We had a warm winter of romance---whether it involved middle school students, office workers, or giant robots.
A Sign of Affection, Brave Bang Bravern!, Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?!, The Apothecary Diaries, The Dangers in My Heart
Anime Feminist Recommendations of Spring 2020
Just because several spring shows were delayed to summer and fall doesn’t mean there wasn’t some absolutely dynamite anime this season! We talked about three kinds of recommendations:…
Ascendance of a Bookworm, Kaguya-sama: Love is War, My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!, Princess Connect! Re:Dive, Tower of God
Anime Feminist Recommendations of Winter 2020
As if to balance out the light lists of 2019, the new year roared in with so many quality shows we almost didn't have space to recommend them…
Anime Feminist Recommendations of Fall 2019
The recs lists just keep on comin'! Last week, we celebrated the end of the decade. This week, we're zeroing in on the season and year that was,…
Anime Feminist Recommendations of Summer 2020
One series out of Netflix jail and another delayed from the spring season ride in to save an otherwise slim summer.
Diary of Our Days at the Breakwater, Monster, Monster Girl Doctor, APPARE-RANMAN!, BNA
Anime Feminist Recommendations of Winter 2022
Winter 2022 has been pretty hectic for the AniFem staff, but we still found time to make one of our biggest seasonal rec posts in almost a year!
86 EIGHTY-SIX, Princess Connect! Re:Dive, Sasaki and Miyano, Slow Loop, The Case Study of Vanitas
Anime Feminist Recommendations of Summer 2021
This summer's recs are definitely a case of quality over quantity.
Anime Feminist Recommendations of Summer 2023
Our latest recs are a grab bag of Summer shows, carryovers, and oddballs you might have missed.
Anime Feminist Recommendations of Spring 2024
Vibe with some great fantasy and returning winners, then put your middle fingers up to the licensors who buried the season's brightest gem.
Delicious in Dungeon, Girls Band Cry, Laid-Back Camp, The Duke of Death and His Maid, Train to the End of the World
Anime Feminist recommendations of Summer 2019
Like the Spring season before it, Summer was a bit light on shows that wowed us, but the ones that shone were pretty darn bright. Here are the…
Anime Feminist Recommendations of Winter 2023
This season had plenty of shows we liked, but only a handful that stood head and shoulders above the rest.
Endo and Kobayashi Live! The Latest on Tsundere Villainess Lieselotte, Technoroid OVERMIND, The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady
Anime Feminist Recommendations of Spring 2023
Hurting for summer shows? Your backlog's about to be spoiled for choice.
My Love Story with Yamada-kun at Lv999, Otaku Elf, Skip and Loafer, Tokyo Mew Mew, Mobile Suit Gundam
Anime Feminist recommendations of Spring 2019
A light season means a light recs list, but we still found a few goodies to share with our readers. Here are the team’s picks for the 2019…
Anime Feminist Recommendations of Summer 2024
We've got a lot of teens facing the end of the world this season: sometimes that means a messy break-up, and sometimes it's extremely literal.
Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines!, MAYONAKA PUNCH, Senpai is an Otokonoko, Twilight Out of Focus, VTuber Legend: How I Went Viral after Forgetting to Turn Off My Stream
Reign of the seven spellblades Episode 8: Potential rivals
Episode 8 of reign of the seven spellblades is setting up some potential rivals. Will they able to beat our main characters?
The pseudo-feminist shojo lead
If there’s one gripe that fans have with shojo manga, it’s the pervasiveness of weak female leads. Most readers are turned off by female protagonists who are romance-obsessed, average…
Kaibutsu-kun, Maid-Sama!, Ouran High School Host Club, My Little Monster
Weekly Round-Up, 8-14 January 2025: Simoun Retrospective, AI in Lolita Fashion, and Witchy Precure Cuts
AniFem Round-Up I’m a Noble on the Brink of Ruin, So I Might as Well Try Mastering Magic – Episode 1-2 Goes from zero to “slavery is good…
Medaka Kuroiwa is Impervious to My Charms, Simoun, I’m a Noble on the Brink of Ruin, So I Might as Well Try Mastering Magic
This Week in Anime - The Wasted Potential of Classroom of the Elite
It's not terrible, but it kind of feels like eating at a McDonald's that insists it's a 3-star restaurant. You might get an alright burger, but you're not…
Learning Japanese Through Subculture: A History
Whenever I go to classes, pubs, or restaurants, friends and classmates often asked me what kind of books I read. I would take out some bunko I’ve been…
Potential 2021 Gunpla of the Year! RG Hi-Nu Gundam
The RG Nu Gundam is considered by many as one of the best Gunpla releases thus far, so it’s no surprise that many got very excited with the…
Victorian Maid Gothic Lolita Outfit
Victorian maid inspired black and white gothic lolita outfit featuring Sheglit, Moi meme Moitie, and frilly cotton apron.
Pretty Cure: Feminist From the First
If you’re a Precure fan in the US, articles on the series can be hard to find, and the few that appear often dismiss it as a toy-selling…
Mediocrity VS. Squandered Potential
Is it better to have a show be fantastic with some really bad parts, or to have one be pretty okay with no detractors?
Summer 2012 Potential Watchlist
First, let’s see how accurate Spring Potential Watchlist was: 1. Accel World (Watching Potential: Average) 2 AKB0048 (Watching Potential: Average) 3. Eureka Seven AO (Watching Potential: High…
Weekly Round-Up, 10-16 June 2020: Studio D’ART Shtajio, Gender in FukaBoku, and Black-Owned Lolita Fashion Brands
AniFem Round-Up The intersection of queer and Deaf identity in I Hear the Sunspot Lex discusses the importance of intersectional representation, how this college romance manga succeeds, and…
FEATURE: Lolita in Wonderland - The RinRin Doll Interview!
A few words about post-pandemic Harajuku, Vtubers, and music with a fashion icon