Japanese girls: why they are so cute!
The list is long: dove fingers, squeaky voices, baby noises, giggles, cute makeup, airheads, pig tails, flower prints, pastel one-pieces, furry cuddly dolls, etc. Popular images shared around the world of Japanese girls are all about cuteness.
There are many plausible theories floating around the internet as to why Japanese women are so cute. Some theories range from how they are depicted in manga and anime as having a direct effect on young Japanese girls. There are also social demands placed on young women by men to be pretty and slim. Marketing strives to attract business for all things cute and cuddly throughout Japan. Then there is the media, and so on. All of these reasons have some validity.
My opinion on all this is relatively simple. The key word here is trends, which come and go here in Japan, along with marketing schemes started by celebrities and media moguls. The “Kawaii” or “cuteness syndrome”, as it is called in English, did not start overnight. I contend that it started around the latter half of Japan’s “bubble economy” when prosperity spread throughout the country, how else could Japanese girls finance their shopping expeditions? Some experts may argue against this by saying that the origins of “kawaii” began long before this. Depending on what aspect of “kawaii”, they are correct. My point of view is much more contemporary and practical.
Seika Matsuda was and still is the person largely credited with starting this “cute” trend in the 1980s. She was the first “cute” idol, singer-songwriter to flood the television airwaves when Japan it was experiencing its economic boom and eventually its subsequent decline.
Ms. Matsuda has been hailed as the eternal goddess by television networks across the country. For 32 years, her influence has been felt in almost every aspect of Japanese industry. She has inspired generations of TV personalities and songwriters like Ayumi Hamasaki, who has also been idolized by just about every super-cute young Japanese girl. Everything from the way she dresses to the way she puts on her makeup. The way she talks and walks is emulated by cute Japanese girls.
Like Matsuda Seika, Ayumi Hamasaki has been marketed by major companies for her cuteness as shown in their television commercials, music videos, and live performances.
Japanese girls are cute due to the direct and indirect influences of these two women. The media helps perpetuate this cute image that young girls find fashionable by incorporating cute girly dolls and accessories like “Hello Kitty.” It’s all a big business that has been making millions of dollars worth of cute products and clothing for decades. Japanese girls are cute because they are fashionable and society glorifies this trend. This trend is part of the culture of Japan now and has become a big draw for foreign tourists.