Japan’s Next Top Mascot: An Analysis of the Use of Character Marketing and Commercial Cute in Japan
Keywords:
Japan, Mascot, Commercial CuteAbstract
Japan is absolutely obsessed with mascots, yet these lovable characters are just one part of the larger narrative of the commodification of cute (kawaii) within Japan. This paper will seek to understand what “cute” is, and how it has become so pervasive in contemporary Japanese society, namely through the use of character marketing. I will also take a look at market trends that assisted the rise of commercial cute in Japan’s postwar economy. Moreover, I will address three examples of cute characters by exploring the rise to power of Hello Kitty and that of two regional mascots (yuru-kyara). I will analyze the ways in which cute characters and products based off them are able to provide empathy and bridge the alienation of the modern age. This paper will provide arguments supporting the economic and emotional support that cute creates for Japan, as well as discovering how cute has gone global through an analysis of Japanese soft power, which forms the basis of Japanese cultural diplomacy.
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