

This style has evolved to include Guro–kawaii (grotesquely cute), Ero-kawaii , Kimo–kawaii (“creepy cute”), and Busu-kawaii (“ugly cute”). The artworld is also seeing “cuteness” flourish, despite the popularity of cartoon characters and consumerism.

This is what makes them so charming because viewers can project their emotions onto the characters, whether they are tiny children or adorable animals.įurthermore, kawaii art characters are often outlined in thick black lines and have a limited palette of pastel colors. They are small and compact, with wide eyes and a small nose.

What makes something Kawaii Art?Īlthough there are many kawaii characters to choose from, they all share a few commonalities.

Japan appointed Hello Kitty their official tourism ambassador in 2008 and invited the rest of the globe to celebrate Japan’s proud kawaii heritage. She was on many products and even her-themed bullet train. Hello, Kitty has been recognized worldwide almost fifty years later. Yuko Yamaguchi designed the adorable white cat with a pink bow and no mouth. In 1974, Japanese stationery brand Sanrio introduced its iconic character, Hello Kitty. Kawaii_Culture_in_Japan_A_Bibliometric_Analysis_an Download Famous Kawaii Art Characters Although Marui Ji was banned in schools, advertisers loved the playful style and it led to the creation of one of the most iconic kawaii art characters today. The new, cute style allowed youth to express themselves. Many believe this trend was a response to Japan’s rigid culture after World War II. The curvy lines of the stylized script included curvy, noodlelike lines alongside hearts, stars, and cartoon faces. There were many names for the stylized script, including Marui Ji, Konerko Ji, (round writing), and Nuriko Ji, (fake child writing). Japan’s kawaii tradition is thought to have started in the 1970s when teens developed childlike handwriting. Stereotypically feminine imagery is a product culture. kawaii doesn’t have to be gender-specific. Now, you can apply it to an adult woman and you will have an understanding of Burriko. You can think of the adorableness that you would associate with a preschooler. It’s evident in the kawaii style of dress and subcultures such as Lolita (think frilly dresses and bows), fairy-Kei, (pastels and colorful hair, wings), and decode (numerous accessories, bedazzled every item), and many other ways. This slant on began with women mimicking a style called Burriko, which means “woman who acts like a child”. It is not only cuteness that has infiltrated media and been used as an expression but also carries the stigma of being feminine.
