Ganguro
Encyclopedia : G : GA : GAN : Ganguro
is a fashion trend among many Japanese girls which peaked in popularity from the late 1990s to the early 2000s, an outgrowth of chapatsu hair dyeing. The Shibuya and Ikebukuro districts of Tokyo are the center of ganguro fashion.The basic look consists of bleached hair, a deep tan, both black and white eyeliners, false eyelashes, platform shoes (usually sandals or boots), and brightly colored outfits. Also typical of the "Ganguro Gal" look are cell phones covered with purikura stickers, tie-dyed sarongs, mini-skirts, hibiscus flower hairpins, and lots of bracelets, rings and necklaces.
Extreme trend followers further bleach their hair up to a platinum blond shade, get even deeper tans, wear white lipstick, multicolored pastel eyeshadows and tiny metallic or glittery adhesives around the bottom rim of the eye sockets (See Yamanba). Popular Ganguro magazines include Egg, Popteen, and Ego System.
In an interview with Tony Barrell, Shoichi Aoki, the creator of FRUiTS magazine, stated: "Ganguro was a phenomenon that was specific to Shibuya, about 1km away from Harajuku—which we have been talking about—and they were totally different so FRUiTS as a rule didn’t really take them up. Only a few times we’ve covered ganguro in our magazine. Where they came from is actually a mystery, no one really knows but there is some speculation that they were girls who were infatuated or fascinated with Janet Jackson or black American musicians or perhaps Naomi Campbell, the supermodel, but it’s still a mystery what their origins were."
Some foreign observers speculate as to 'who' these ganguro are "meant" to look like. Some say that because of the blonde hair, hibiscus flowers, and extremely tan skin, they want to look like America's west coast girls. A handful of others believe it is an obsession with being black. A more nuanced explanation is that the Ganguro girl is a unique style evolved from Japan's own original culture in response to the media/entertainment pop culture of the West. It is worth noting that these girls generally do not study hard in school or pursue athletics or traditional artistic goals. Like certain subcultures in the West, the style may be a form of self-expression in opposition to conservative mores. The heavy tans pose a significant health risk, most notably non-specific lifelong skin damage and Cancer, thereby conspicuously showing a disregard for the future.
There is some dispute surrounding the etymology of the word "ganguro". Some academics claim that the name derives from "顔黒" (black face), but (past) ganguro practitioners themselves invariably say it derives from "ガンガン黒" (exceptionally black). Some people see it as racist and compare it to the blackface of early 1900s culture in America.
Perceptions of ganguro in Japanese manga
Peach Girl Manga
"Peach Girl" is a manga minimally involving the ganguro phenomenon, as its protagonist Momo is misconstrued to be shallow due to her tan skin. However, she denies being classed as 'ganguro' frequently throughout the storylines on the claims that both her skin and hair colour have come about naturally.GALS! Manga
In "GALS!" one of Ran Kotobuki's major annoyance is the Ganguro Trio, also known as Tan Faces Red, Yellow, and Blue. The Ganguro Gals tell Ran that they are way beyond season and that they will not let seasons demean our cheap chill or thrill..hack//Legend of the Twilight
In the manga version of .hack//Legend of the Twilight, Rena, one of the protagonists is insulted numerous times by Zefie, who calls her 'Ganguro Girl', which she whole-heartedly denies. This is a way of making fun of Blackrose, a .hack character clearly based on the Ganguro style.Imadoki! Manga
"Imadoki!" is a manga by Yuu Watase. A character named Arisa Uchimura (内村有佐) is a ganguro girl - she is nicknamed "Raccoon" by other students. She falls in love with Ogata, and after becoming pregnant with his child, attempts to ask him out, to no avail. In the end, she removes her make-up for one last attempt, at the Rose-giving Festival.See also
References
- Klippensteen, Kate, and Everett Kennedy Brown (photographer). Ganguro Girls: The Japanese "Black Face". Cologne: Koenemann, 2001. ISBN 3-8290-7926-5.
- Blackfaces, Witches, and Racism Against Girls, by Sharon Kinsella, in Bad Girls of Japan, edited by Laura Miller and Jan Bardsley, Palgrave, 2005.
External links
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