It includes objects, with Hello Kitty as the main emblem, and even styles of dress that aim to produce cuteness. Everything that seems beautiful or pleasant in some way provokes a sympathetic reaction. We use all kinds of words associated with this and other phenomena.
Beyond the differences, in colloquial language a Mexican says that a thing is cool to refer to something that is suggestive, but other similar terms are also used: cool in Venezuela, cool in Spain, cool in Chile or Colombia. The English word cool is used in a similar sense to the previous ones.
In recent years we have incorporated a term from Japanese culture, the word kawaii
In the Japanese language the word kawaii is usually translated as cute, tender, attractive or pretty. It was originally used to express the feeling of tenderness that babies and pets inspire. With the passage of time it began to be used in connection with a very rounded type of calligraphy and with toys and stuffed animals for children.
Characters in the anime world began to be labeled as kawaii in the 1960s. The Hello Ketty phenomenon caused a definite leap in the penetration of this idea in Japanese culture.
An advertising claim
In advertising language and aesthetics, the emotional connection with consumers is sought. For this reason, many companies and institutions in Japan have incorporated kawaii into their messages. A good example is the Japanese police force, which transmits a friendly image to the whole of society through a kawaii mascot.
Beyond the Japanese cultural context
In Japanese society this word is very present in all kinds of contexts, such as fashion, drawing, marketing or design. Somehow, anything that inspires a feeling of cuteness can be labeled kawaii.
Several related expressions are used among the Japanese. Something erotic and at the same time tender would be "ero kawaii" and something strange but at the same time beautiful is "kino kawaii". Today it is no longer an exclusive concept of Japanese culture, as it has become the heritage of the globalized world.
Other examples of Japanese influence in the West
Historically Japan has been a country disconnected from the rest of the world. However, in recent decades this trend has changed substantially. All kinds of aesthetic currents and trends have become fashionable, such as anime, manga, sushi, bonsai, wabi-sabi, tamagotchis or haikus.
It should be noted that among the Japanese, aesthetic values have a very particular dimension. In this sense, they use the concept of iki to express that something is elegant and at the same time sensual (geishas would be an example of iki).
Photos: Fotolia - Adrian Niederhäuser / ynchR
