This is so interesting about the axolotl, Jen. I just recently read about the origins of the Kawaii culture. And how it connected to female roles in Japan and stemmed from rebellious schoolgirl handwriting. And how the Sanrio company targeted those grown up schoolgirls later and hit the bull’s-eye, thus cementing kawaii for adults and company’s position on the market. 👌
Yes! There’s always a market for nostalgia. When kids grow up and have to become adults, there’s always that tug for the pure joy and play that they experienced as children. Anything that gives people a taste of that is appealing, and often people want to introduce their own children to the things they loved as a child, which turns those things into classics. Was this an article you were reading? I’d love the link or book recommendation if you have it.
This is so interesting about the axolotl, Jen. I just recently read about the origins of the Kawaii culture. And how it connected to female roles in Japan and stemmed from rebellious schoolgirl handwriting. And how the Sanrio company targeted those grown up schoolgirls later and hit the bull’s-eye, thus cementing kawaii for adults and company’s position on the market. 👌
Yes! There’s always a market for nostalgia. When kids grow up and have to become adults, there’s always that tug for the pure joy and play that they experienced as children. Anything that gives people a taste of that is appealing, and often people want to introduce their own children to the things they loved as a child, which turns those things into classics. Was this an article you were reading? I’d love the link or book recommendation if you have it.
The bit about targeting adult women was from “Pink purchasing: Interrogating the Soft Power of Japan’s Kawaii Consumption” paper https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/74dd/d39564f1d47a3bda65345568ccf227c92404.pdf
I found this paper and links to other material under Mina Le’s video “Everything you need to know about Japan’s kawaii industry”
Forgot link to video https://youtu.be/E-VoKwMDdLg?si=f--XOWG4PtZzKcS-