papa_levante
oh! darling
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Anybody else just go off the deep end for kawaii?
Kawaii is Japanese for "cute."
Some examples are Hello Kitty and Sanrio products.
Kawaii is Japanese for "cute."
wikipedia.orgince the 1970s, cuteness, in Japanese kawaii (可愛い?) (literally, "loveable" "cute" or "adorable") has become a prominent aspect of Japanese popular culture, entertainment, clothing, food, toys, personal appearance, behavior, and mannerisms.[1]
Some examples are Hello Kitty and Sanrio products.
As a cultural phenomenon, cuteness is increasingly accepted in Japan as a part of Japanese culture and national identity. Tomoyuki Sugiyama, author of "Cool Japan", believes that "cuteness" is rooted in Japan's harmony-loving culture, and Nobuyoshi Kurita, a sociology professor at Musashi University in Tokyo, has stated that "cute" is a "magic term" that encompasses everything that's acceptable and desirable in Japan.[9]
On the other hand, those skeptical of cuteness consider it a sign of an infantile mentality.[9] In particular, Hiroto Murasawa, professor of beauty and culture at Osaka Shoin Women’s University asserts that cuteness is "a mentality that breeds non-assertion ... Individuals who choose to stand out get beaten down."[9]