Japan’s kawaii culture is more than cute—it’s a global movement reshaping fashion, branding, and emotional connection.

From Hello Kitty to Pikachu, the country changed what the world considers adorable. But do these characters represent joy — or rage? By Ligaya Mishan Artwork by Hiroshi YoshiiKimiaki Yaegashi and ...

Represented by cultural icons from Sanrio's Hello Kitty to Hasbro's My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, the Japanese concept of ‘kawaii‘, or cuteness, has become a part of global culture. As a 2017 ...

Born from the trauma of World War II, this bow-wearing cartoon icon became a powerful tool for diplomacy, reinvention, and cultural soft power. Dressed in a kimono, Hello Kitty performs a classical ...

KYOTO—A sign on a train platform directs visitors to “The Future,” a pink-colored venue filled with cuteness that has made ...

The Japundit takes us into a discussion on the aesthetic sensibility of kawaii. (Kawaii translates approximately as “cute“.) Global Voices stands out as one of the earliest and strongest examples of ...

Kawaii Kon, Hawaii’s premier Anime Convention, is back this year to celebrate all things anime, manga, and Japanese culture from March 29th to 31st. Offering a plethora of activities and events, ...

Japan is famous for its culture of cuteness — better known as kawaii — embodied by popular characters like Hello Kitty or unique fashion subcultures such as Lolita and Decora. In Tokyo, the undisputed ...

You can trace the word “kawaii” all the way back to the start of the 11th century, when an early form of it, “kawayushi,” which at the time translated more to “having pitiable qualities,” appeared in ...