Kawaii culture and the exploration of alternative gendered identities

A presentation at the second East Asian Popular Culture Conference , Kyushu University, January 12, 2021

Abstract:

Japanese kawaii has a global presence, but is especially popular in East Asia. The gendered development of kawaii has implications for the rest of the world as this eminently sharable aesthetic gains popularity and influence outside its country of origin.

Kawaii is often assumed to be a top-down commodity aesthetic driven by corporate profit. Yet recently various transnational, bottom-up subcultures and practices have arisen that continue the work of exploring alternative gendered identities initiated by kawaii culture in Japan.

This paper considers examples of new communities that deploy this aesthetic to promote inclusivity and support marginalized voices.

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