This business article looks at the meaning of cuteness in Japanese culture. The writer provides quite a range of views, from the people who think it shows something important about the Japanese psyche to those who think it means the culture is going to hell in a handbasket. I liked the attitude of model/actress Yuri Ebihara, who (according to the article) has become the living epitome of cuteness these days:
“I make it a point never to forget to smile,” said Ebihara, often seen in TV ads and on billboards. “If someone doesn’t find me cute, I want to know why because then I’ll work on it to get better at being cute.”
She seems to be a tad overly intense about it. Anyway, the article covers a lot of ground, from netsuke to maid cafes, and is definitely worth a look.
The New York Press takes a look at the latest from BeBeautiful and is not overly impressed. Meanwhile, Active Anime looks at one of the stranger manga hybrids, the Helen-Keller-meets-Astro-Boy edu-manga, and manages to keep a straight face.
