Go Tokyo Your Experience
With the rapid development of VTubers and the metaverse in recent years, people have been creating one or even several virtual personas in the online world. However, careful observation reveals that regardless of whether they are male or female in reality, most virtual personas online appear in female forms. This is particularly evident in Japan, where men seem especially inclined to take on the guise of virtual beautiful girls.
In this regard, a Swiss anthropologist recently conducted an in-depth study of this phenomenon and provided insights that sparked heated discussions among Japanese netizens. Now, let us explore how this anthropologist analyzes this trend～
Explore Japan from the perspective of a foreign PhD!
Based on the content of the NHK TV program ‘The Path to Regular Programs’ aired on April 14, the program delved into why Japanese men enjoy transforming into beautiful virtual girl personas online.
This incredibly cute virtual character is actually based on a middle-aged man.
The Swiss anthropologist Liudmila Bredikhina decided to conduct an in-depth study of this phenomenon.
Liudmila is very interested in virtual images, and her master’s thesis studies how the virtual images of Japanese people are related to gender ideology. She herself presents as the virtual image “Mila” online and shares her research insights.
This time, Japan’s NHK television station specially produced a half-hour program for her, documenting her trip to Japan to explore the culture of virtual images and anime in depth, and to see how she uncovers the hidden meanings behind these subcultures.
Since I started researching virtual worlds…
I have found that Japanese men are particularly keen on using beautiful girls as their virtual avatars.
So, why do Japanese men desperately want to become beautiful girls?
With such questions in mind, she set off on a journey to visit subcultural hubs including Akihabara and personally interacted with men who have transformed into virtual beautiful girls.
Through these in-depth interactions, Liudmila Bredikhina provided a summary of her journey at the end of the program.
She pointed out that Japanese men endure various pressures from aspects such as the economy, family, and career, but lack ways to release or even temporarily escape these pressures.
In contrast, the element of “cuteness” is highly admired in Japanese subculture; as long as one masters it, they can be forgiven for any mistakes and do not have to bear any pressure. However, in the past, it was often difficult for men to connect with “cuteness.”
Until recently, with the rise of VTubers and the metaverse, men finally had the opportunity to master this element of “cuteness” by creating virtual personas. Liudmila Bredikhina even believes that this liberating self-expression of “cuteness” may have a significant impact on human society in the future.
I think Japanese men want to become cute girls because mastering cuteness allows them to be liberated from pressure.
Because cute people can still be forgiven for their mistakes and do not have to bear responsibility.
Liudmila Bredikhina concluded that this cute concept originating from Japanese culture has great potential.
So, what do you think about such a perspective, where male friends take on the form of beautiful girls?
