Analysis of Lolita Fashion through the Movie "Kamikaze Girls"

Although the title is kamikaze, this movie does not relate anything with the World War II. On the contrary, the story is about the main character, Momoko, who wishes to live in the world which was filled with lace, pink colours and the music of Johann Strauss. During the movie, she kept saying “I wish I was born in Rococo period”. For her, wearing this kind of clothes is only exit from her monotonous daily life.

Not only In addition to Momoko, there are more people who are crazy about this stuff. We call them as ‘lolita fashion lovers’. So-called Lolita fashion includes doll-like appearances, frilly dresses. Many accessories such as tiaras, ribbon bonnets and parasols which help them to appeal their grace are considered necessities for Lolita girls. This style obviously became popular fashion in Japanese subculture. One store which specialized on this industry recorded $13.4 million of the revenue only in one year (Yukari Iwatani, and Thomas Lisa). 

Now the question is that how this fashion attracted so many Japanese. Since Japan is well known for their harmony-loving culture, this phenomenon seems to be irrational. If we look at it into the big picture, it will all make sense.

One remarkable characteristic of Lolita girls is that they refuse to be mature. In the movie, Momoko was offered job from top fashion designer, but she declined the offer. Working means she has to be grown up. She is the typical NEET. Whole Japanese society is suffered from this new trend, NEET (Not in Employment, Education or Training).

Unlike their parents who devoted lives to the work, the NEET in Japan even does not have willing to find a job. They are ‘post-bubble’ generation. Because they saw how their parents lives changed from the ‘bubble era’ when Japan enjoyed the economy boom to endless recession. From this experience, they became skeptical to keep the same path as their parents’. Although the reaction between NEET and Momoko is slightly different, their hidden desire – prolonging the adolescence period - is same. Wearing a replica of Victorian children dress certainly gives a big relief to them.

Contrary to its’ analysis, the concept of clothes is just lively and vivacious. They do not care about how the other people look at them. They do, because they like it. What is wrong to be different? They simply overcome all the ponderous criticism with smile.

“People often choose to be unhappy to be a ‘normal’. I would rather choose which may seem to be weird but happy one” (Kamikaze Girls).

  

Works Cited

Yukari Iwatani, kane, and Thomas Lisa. "Japan's Latest Fashion Has Women Playing Princess for a Day." Wall Street Journal 20 11 2008, n. pag. Print.

Kamikaze Girls. Dir. Testuya Nakashima. Perf. Anna Tsuchiya. 2004. DVD.