I guess the second photo from my original post wasn’t the kind of “kawaii” that somebody wanted…
So, let’s try again…
There, that “kawaii” enough? Oh well, let’s analyze the s#!t out of it!!
This is a coffee drink that, according to the source site, is from Ikebukuro Station. If my mediocre comprehension of Japanese is correct, the person who posted this picture enjoyed this drink even though the smoke from the smoking section was bothersome.
Let’s break down the basic kawaii elements. First, it’s depicts a friendly animal. He is smiling, has round features, and little marshmallow ears. He looks like a bear that is just ecstatic about the chance of being digested. He also resembles Winnie the Pooh. I don’t know how well known Winnie the Pooh is in Japan, but to an American customer, the bear would invoke childhood memories of reading about the Hundred Acres Wood and all its inhabitants.
The cuddly figure in the drink gives the customer a warm feeling inside before they even begin to drink it. The person who posted this picture explained how the drink was nice and sweet, so the picture is like a hint of what is to come.
Photo Source: http://www.enjoytokyo.jp/id/chihonari/118014.html
Yes, something without morbidity! I agree with you on everything Nate, the round images, the friendly smile and the little marshmallow ears are just the definition of cute. This drink is really meant to inspire some sort of childlike feeling within the drinker, and I noticed this of many different drinks while I was living in Beppu. Even at restaurants like Joyfull or the small place outside of Beppu-eki, you could get children's drinks (not that I did mind you) with cartoon characters inscribed into them. I don't think I ever saw a Winnie the Pooh drink, but Japan certainly has enough things to substitute it with. What a nice change of pace over the last few images I saw.
ReplyDeletethis IS "kawaii". Pooh bear is actually HUGE in Japan, and I have no doubt that this image would invoke the same emotions in a Japanese viewer as it would in an American. It is a little morbid, however, that one is meant to then CONSUME this "kawaii" bear of whom we have so many fond childhood memories. It's also very interesting that this childhood image is created on top of coffee, which is a very "adult" drink. Of course, Japan does have a very different view of adults enjoying the benefits of "kawaii", but it's still an interesting view of the "kawaii" culture.
ReplyDeleteAnd I resent what Evan said. He commented on my image before this, and it was NOT morbid.
Definitely a cute image. Also I think the cup, saucer, and spoon the beverage is served with adds significantly to the cuteness of the image. This isn't something you would want to eat with just any spoon...
ReplyDelete-Michael T.
Looking beyond the bear image itself, the whole atmosphere created by drink, utensils, and the image I think give some interesting 'intersections' on the idea of cute like Mike mentioned. The cup and saucer are elegant china, the spoon rather decorated silver-immitation. There's a certain european class to the elements in this way, or at least they read that way to me and that could be problematic because when I see a cup like that I think high tea.
ReplyDeleteSo with this elegant, older image, we have the cute bear added on to the drink itself as a complete 'set' calling attention to the quality of the drink, the time and care that went into it's creation ("just for you, the consumer"). The added 'cute' then to an elegant image strikes at the idea of a young girl at heart, drawing on the well known appeal of the cute and elevating it's status because of the china ware. It's dignified-cute, one could almost say, which I'd argue could be considered a sub-genre of cute. "Elegant Loli" is a type itself, after all, a combination of victorian aesthetic and the young-girl style that evokes elegant dolls...
--Lindsey