The types of Japanese subculture are so unusual and diverse that nowadays they attract a large number of followers around the world. There are many of them in Russia. This article has information on several of the most common types, their features and adherents.
Western influence
Considering the essence of Japanese subcultures, it is worth noting the significant influence of the West on them. The roots of all the phenomena and trends that you can find in this Asian country actually come from Western society.
It is interesting that initially the inhabitants of Japan treated Europeans exclusively negatively. For example, the Portuguese, who landed on the shores of this country in 1543, almost immediately received the nickname "southern barbarians". The appearance and clothing of Europeans for a long time was perceived by the Japanese as devoid of elementary beauty, and was ridiculed in every possible way. And when Tokugawa came to power, most Europeans were simply expelled from the country.
Second Wave of Westernization
A new wave of influence of European society on the Japanese has been observed since the end of the XIX- the beginning of the 20th century, when the Meiji Restoration took place in the country. Now European clothes are increasingly replacing Japanese ones. Looking Western was already considered fashionable and prestigious.
In the 1920s, young women who listened to jazz began to appear, ignoring the traditional rules of behavior for Japanese women. After the defeat in World War II, the Americans settled an entire area of Tokyo called Hirojuku. Japanese youth increasingly began to visit there to join Western culture. In the 1950s, Hirojuku began to be considered a symbol of Western culture, and it is from here that some subcultures of Japan originate.
Already at that time, young Japanese women were addicted to the solarium to get dark skin, and the guys wanted to be like hip-hop artists from the United States. To look like foreigners, many begin to lighten their hair.
Rejection of tradition
According to researchers, many Japanese subcultures are based on the denial of ancient traditions that have determined the mentality of the inhabitants of this country for centuries. Public expression of one's feelings, excessive emotionality has always been considered unacceptable.
Some trends, of course, have been preserved. For example, the Japanese even today put work for the benefit of the team higher than their own ambitions and the desire to move up the career ladder. These traditions can be traced in modern etiquette.
At the same time, a departure from the established rules can be traced in the Japanese subculture among girls. Now the idea of \u200b\u200bJapanese women is completely opposite to the fact that there were a couple moredecades ago.
Japanese girls
It is girls who often become the main representatives of the Japanese subculture. If earlier a Japanese woman was supposed to be always silent, meek and obedient, then they began to dress catchy and defiant, emphasizing their sexuality. In addition, they behaved deliberately cheeky.
Over time, the idea has spread in Japanese society that the representative of the weaker sex has every moral right to dress as she pleases in order to demonstrate to everyone around her, without exception, the inner conformity with her style of clothing.
The protest against traditional ways of life is extremely popular among today's youth, it is clearly seen in some types of Japanese subculture. For example, on Japanese television it is still forbidden to talk about the life of sexual minorities, and when in 2006 for the first time in the history of local television a documentary film about lesbians and gays was shown, it became a truly revolutionary event for the vast majority of residents. At the same time, musicians of fashionable Japanese bands wear stylized women's clothes, play out love relationships between men during their performances only to demonstrate their aesthetic ideals, shock and attract new fans.
The denial of traditional ideals often reaches the point of absurdity. For example, on the streets of the Harajuku district, which is still one of the most fashionable, you can meet men in skirts who are not representatives of sexual minorities, but women's clothes are worn todemonstrate your protest against society.
Victorian style
"Lolita" is a Japanese subculture that is based on wearing costumes from the Rococo era and the times of Queen Victoria of England. Recently, gothic fashion is gaining popularity. Today it is one of the most popular subcultures in Japan. Fashion, which you need to match to be considered one, is liked by many.
The classic "Lolita" costume, which today can be found on the streets of Tokyo and other major Japanese cities, consists of a knee-length dress or skirt, blouse, headdress, high heeled shoes (or boots with an impressive platform).
This style began in the late 1970s, when several major labels began selling such clothes. In the 1990s, the popularity of this subculture in Japan (whose photo you will find in this article) was added by the musical gothic rock band Malice Mizer.
It is interesting that the name Lolita in the name of the subculture itself is not directly related to the novel of the same name by Nobel laureate Vladimir Nabokov. This name was given to the representatives of this movement due to their costumes and style, which resembles dresses for children. At the same time, no emphasis is placed on their lifestyle and sexual preferences.
Views of Lolita
Now on the streets of this Asian country you can find several types of "Lolit". Classical is the most mature example, in clothing it is focused on the Baroque style. He is most often seen as mature andsophisticated style due to the use of intricate patterns, fabrics of muted colors. The makeup of these girls is rarely catchy, the emphasis is on the natural look.
Initially, "Gothic Lolita" became extremely popular. It arose as a social protest against careless and overly flamboyant gyaru, which will be discussed in more detail later. This type is characterized by gloomy clothing and make-up. Black eyeliner around the eyes, bright red lipstick are the main elements. As a rule, the clothes are black. In extreme cases, white, dark red or purple. Jewelry inherent in European Goths is popular. Goth style purses and bags featuring bats, coffins and crosses are also common.
"Sweet Lolita" came from Victorian England and the Rococo era. Here everything is focused on the childish aspect of the character. The costume is based on clothes of cheerful bright colors, which are also called "candy". Cosmetics emphasize the natural look in order to preserve the child's face. For such a "Lolita" the emphasis on infantilism is important. The indispensable attributes of the costume are lace, an umbrella, bows, ribbons. You can often see references to Alice from Wonderland, classic fairy tales, sweets and fruits.
"Punk Lolita" combines elegance with punk aggression. A popular costume consists of a skirt and a T-shirt (or blouse). On the feet, most often boots or boots with double soles.
I can't live without men
This advertising slogan of Europeanjeans in the 1970s became the motto for young girls who identify themselves as part of the Japanese gyaru subculture. Her name comes from the English corruption of the word girl, which translates as "girl".
Modern representatives of this movement have earned the epithets "degenerate schoolgirls" and "make parents cry." So they are evaluated because of the desire to break the taboos traditional for this country, for excessive passion for Western values.
Classic gyaru are distinguished by frankly frivolous behavior, a passion for fashionable and bright clothes, positive thinking in any situation, their own ideas about the ideals of beauty. It is noteworthy that men can also belong to this Japanese subculture (the photo of which you can find in this article). In this case, they are called gyaruo. When they appeared, they quickly became one of the key elements of street fashion.
Growth in popularity
In the 1970s, their popularity was primarily associated with the release of large circulations of Pop-teen magazine, which became a style icon for many Japanese women. Thanks to him, they learned to be sexy. Many more gyaru publications followed, with publishers often coming from the porn industry.
In the 1980s, the gyaru was joined by the so-called kogyaru, who were expelled from schools for refusing to wear the traditional uniform. They did this because of the desire to appear adults, to demonstrate their independence to others.
BIn the 1990s, many foreign journalists began to talk about kogara, noting that they practiced the activity of "paid dating". After such fame, many of them began to be directly associated with prostitutes. In the mid-1990s, documentaries were released in which representatives of this subculture were characterized as young girls who engage in prostitution for expensive accessories and fashionable clothes.
Gyaru variety
Over time, all sorts of directions began to stand out from the gyaru subculture. The most famous of them is the Japanese ganguro subculture.
Representatives of this style appeared in the 1990s, immediately beginning to distance themselves from the classical views of the fairer sex in the country. Their key distinguishing features were such elements as conspicuous tan, heavily bleached hair and bright clothing. They also have high-heeled or double-soled shoes.
It is worth noting that the style itself is considered budget, the clothes that ganguros prefer are not expensive. At the same time, the main costs are for a solarium and cosmetics. This style owes its popularity to pop singer Namie Amuro. It was she who introduced the fashion for bleached hair, tan and a style that combines a skirt with boots.
Many researchers note that the essence of this subculture is the denial of the classical ideas about female beauty in Japan, moreover, this is a kind of response to the social isolation in which the country has been for many years, and conservatism, so farpresent in most schools. The popularity of the style is also explained by the fact that young Japanese women dreamed of being like the Californian girls seen in films and TV shows in the 1990s.
In the media, you can often find negative assessments about this subculture. It is believed that its representatives are promiscuous.
Tan
Love for tanning beds distinguishes representatives of ganguro from other Japanese subcultures. Often their tan is so strong that girls look like mulattos.
Among ganguro there are several radical movements that are commonly called yamamba. They feature even deeper makeup, and hair can be the most radical colors.
Cartoon
One of the most popular Japanese subcultures is anime, or otaku. Moreover, she gained fame not only in Japan itself, but also far beyond its borders, including in Russia.
The main difference between Japanese animation is that it is intended primarily not for children, but for teenagers and adults. This is why she is so popular. The anime is distinguished by its characteristic backgrounds and characters, and is released in the format of feature films and television series.
The sources for anime are most often comics, light novels and computer games. Sometimes anime is drawn based on works of classical literature (for example, the Classic Stories series).
Festivals
Festivals and gatherings of fans of this subculture are held all over the world. Typically, this eventwhich lasts for several days. Festivals often become a popular platform for advertisers. Famous figures who have become famous in the field of anime are invited to the largest ones.
Festivals are always accompanied by cosplay, that is, dressing up as your favorite characters.
Anime Genres
There are several main anime genres in Japan:
- kodomo (for children under 12);
- senen (for boys under 16-18);
- shoujo (for girls under 16-18);
- seinen (for men aged 18 to 40);
- josei (for adult women).
By genre, there are samurai action movies, cyberpunk, idols (actions associated with pop stars), ecchi (based on showing erotic scenes), hentai (pornography), parapsychological, social, psychological thrillers and martial arts.
