"Plutoed" Voted 2006 Word of the Year. In Japan, we had two words. One was "Ina Bauer" which is a move in the field element in figure skating. It was a hit in Japan because of Shizuka Arakawa who got an gold medal in Olympic. The other one was "Hinkaku" which means dignity. It came from the hit of the book "kokka no hinkaku."
Some words I picked last year, "A prince of handkerchief", "Tarako Tarako", were ranked in the Top 10. Erokawaii is another word ranked in the best 10 too. Sometimes I wrote about "Kimokawaii," which means "weird but cute." So erokawaii? Yes, it means "erotic and cute." This term "erokawaii" was first made popular when used to refer to Japanese singer Kumi Koda. If you are a gamer, you may know her from Final Fantasy X2's theme song "real emotion / 1000 no kotoba." (I don't know if they were used for other languages・FF12 though.) If you are an animation otaku, you may know her as a singer of the movie Cutie Honey. In 2006, she released an interesting world fashion series "12 singles collection," then her fashion style "erokawaii" was a kind of trend last year.
I am not sure her fashion is erotic and cute. I think Jennifer Lopez's fits the term "erokawaii" more. Then I found sites that made me think "this is the Erokawaii for me." This is a great online shop, "lochers com." On the face of it, they are girly, pretty clothes but their messages are great. I want this. This is a Japanese illustration site 48s ways....hmm walking a thin line between too bad and funny. Is this joke funny and erotic, "cold sore seal?" ha ha ha.
By the way, erotic・can be produced consciously, but cute・would be to ooze charm from character. What do you think? At that point, I like Fujiko Mine. She is an erotic diva for me.
Did you see Japundit today?
http://japundit.com/archives/2007/03/02/5178/
That's your post (via Lost in Japan)
You are so popular!
Posted by: James Hart | Friday, March 02, 2007 at 06:46 PM
Interesting that you suggest an "erotic" reaction can be produced consciously but "cute" must be part of character. I can imagine how others might see the opposite as true.
From my very limited viewpoint on Japanese culture, for example, I see many things that seem "cute." I am under the impression that cuteness is a much-sought characteristic in Japan, and a great deal of effort goes into producing it. That might imply that cuteness can be consciously produced.
On the other hand, please forgive me, I don't often see many things from Japan that seem genuinely erotic. True, Japanese media exudes sexuality, but I'm not sure that sexual is necessarily the same as erotic. (And please note, I interpret U.S. media much the same way, blatantly sexual but rarely erotic.)
Perhaps both characteristics can be either manufactured or natural. Perhaps also, interpretation of these characteristics might depend both on culture and individual tastes. Perhaps the difference comes from female versus male viewpoints.
Or perhaps I'm just too old to understand :-)
Posted by: bshock | Friday, March 02, 2007 at 05:10 AM
Definately Fujiko! I love her! :)
Posted by: Sera | Friday, March 02, 2007 at 01:23 AM
Shock... AGasp, ATaken Back.
- The Title line: My erokawaii,
- Link to Japanese illustration site 48s ways....
Mari...."Obasan" (Ref. February 16, 2007 Mari article "You do it? so you are Old.") or is she a "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon".
Mari San is getting interesting...
"Too bad" I am 7 hr flying time away (need to added 90 min by way of Narita Express from Airport to City Center)
Posted by: snowfox | Thursday, March 01, 2007 at 10:51 PM