Anime is influencing the fashion trends of Japanese schoolgirls, asserts business and media news site J-Cast, citing reports of a “seifuku (uniform) boom” by one of Japan’s biggest textile companies and recent fashion trends adopting elements such as kneesocks, long popular in anime.
Specific mention is made of two popular franchises, K-On! and Haruhi,with K-On! in particular already having fully authentic cosplay up for sale barely two months into its TV broadcast.
An abridged translation of J-cast’s report is as follows:
Seifuku are enjoying such popularity with female high school students that they are choosing to change out of their regular clothing into their uniforms even when outside of school. “Does this school have seifuku?” is a question that is becoming increasingly more common.
It is believed by some that this is due to the influence of K-on! and other popular school anime.
It appears that the number of school examinees (students studying for entrance exams) who are aiming for high schools on the basis that they have a popular seifuku.
Japanese uniform textile giant Nikke Group‘s chief PR spokesman speaks of a “seifuku boom.”
Seifuku have long been a symbol of the education system. Voices of students desiring the freedom to wear their own clothing have been raised in the past, which in turn led to a number of plain clothes high schools being established.
However, the reverse of that trend has recently come about, with the students themselves voicing their desires for school uniforms.
Kenritsu Kogane High in Matsudoshi City (Chiba Prefecture) is one of the plain clothes high schools, but is now planning to change to uniforms for its students in 2011. The vice principal had this to say regarding the change:
“Female students in particular spoke of how troublesome it is to pick different outfits every day, and parents too voiced the opinion that the need for more clothing purchases was expensive. Listening to the reports from middle schools and cram schools, we have decided to make the return to seifuku.”
“I want to wear one too…” After Seeing it in Anime?
There are some views that point out the potential influence of popular school-life anime.
The popularity of cosplaying anime character Haruhi Suzumiya, and most recently, the sale of the Sakuragakou school’s seifuku from the K-On! series currently airing on TBS.
One store selling K-On! cosplay, Cospatio, reports having sold 50 of their skirts and jackets, at a price of ¥30,000.
“Stories set on school campuses are incredibly popular in anime, and so there are probably many that think ‘I want to wear one too.’ Kneesocks were previously limited to an anime moe goods item. But now, they seem to becoming more of a fashion item.”
However, it does not seem that there are many students that wear the K-On! seifuku to school.
“It’s cosplay, so it’s something you just enjoy at an event or something like an all-girls band.”
In any case, regarding the question of anime’s influence, institutions such as Kenritsu Kogane High and the Nikke Group simply reply, “We don’t know.”
For those unfamiliar with Japanese youth culture, it should be pointed out that the influence and status of seifuku in the Japanese education system is a very long-standing tradition, and something such as a girl choosing a high school based on the appearance of its uniform would not have been shocking even over a decade ago.
Instead, the rise of the popularity of seifuku referred to above would be more an intensification of a long lived national charm with the uniforms, rather than a sudden reversal.
Those with a hankering to see something of the myriad varieties available may wish to peruse the vast number of seifuku images in the Channel, or the schoolgirl galleries.
Via J-Cast. Information on Cospatio’s K-On! cosplay can be seen here.
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Does the seifuku also apply to the male students? If so, TRAPS GALORE!
You're making a big jump in assuming all seifuku are for females...
lolz....I'll burn all of them if that happens
Ahhh, why can't our schools have uniforms over here?! I'd love to wear a school uniform with a skirt every day~ I know I could go to a Catholic school, but first off I don't want a uniform so bad that I'd ditch all my current school friends, their uniforms are ugly, and lastly I HATE Catholicism, despite being raised in a Catholic family. Dx
Oh well...I'll just live without it... ;^;
Relevant to my interest =3
wow even the fashion cycle is faster in japan i remember this happening in the mid 90's
I read seppuku at the first time I saw this article. FAIL isn't it?
Thtas one other reason i want to be a girl.
Kukuku one of the reasons i went to a private catholic school :D
TO BAD THERES NO LOLIS!!! *Cries and slits wrists*
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
not really anime
but
media
all sorts
from anime to internet to drama to games
>_>
seems like japanese developers wants to promote seifuku
good thing they succeed
Well I've always felt school uniforms were superior, back in my High school days I could always carry my Game boy in my Blazer pocket without any hassle.
ru kidding. K-on and Haruhi is not even known to common people.
Popularity of seifuku has been in Japan for looooooooooooong time- many ppl choose school by seifuku is common thing.
K-on and Haruhi did NOT influence girls-they don't even care for animation because animation is 'otaku' thing. they are into idols and stuff but not anime! only otaku wants to buy seifuku for their perverted thoughts or acts or somth.
don't just jump into conclusion
Your right thats not the 1st time i heard about " girls are not into all that anime stuff"
Indeed, if any media was influencing the students I'd think it was school life manga.
I simply reported what a non-otaku news site reported.
Also, I already did mention the very same things you did.
if this means more girls wearing kneesocks i'm not complaining of course it'd be even better with over the kneesocks XD
Dunno, that could very well be what they meant. The terms "thigh highs", "kneesocks", and "overknee-socks" appear to be used pretty much interchangeably.
Seifuku Banzai! (^o^) Wish we'd have some Moe Moe School Uniforms over here...
If by 'over here' you mean the US, just go to any catholic girls' school.
Skirts are too long.
"Catholic girls' school"
"Catholic"
"Skirts"
See?
All catholic schoolgirls are sluts. Don't you know this by now?
it's true. no expalantions necessary
I'm not complaining.. :3
o__o The seifuku are going to become more and more moe
time to transfer school to japan :D
~.~ I'm 19 years old...
Can I re-do my studies in Japan ? xD
and tasty. or tastier. or more tasty? you know what i mean.
Cosplay School sounds fitting.
Although...
*thinks of "Men" wearing the uniforms instead*
You know what? Never mind.
Need moar Maria†Holic.
you said it.
but i look good in a miniskirt,... never mind what?!!??!!
You're reminding me of the recent Cirno failplay...
I'd love to see that.
No you don't.
Trust us on this one.
I've been warned. I think I can believe you people.
Terminator wearing seifuku...
I CAME!
Seto no Hanayome?! @.@
Either way, muscular men and bishonen have their moe aspects.
YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG
http://sugoijapan.files.wordpress.com/2007/06/dsc05673_resize.jpg
Up with gakuran. :3
Wahahaha, exactly what I was thinking.
Holy shit, I came as well.
http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/3462/iayiucoumr.jpg
Cheers, my good men!
...wait, what am I saying?!
Nice
Seifuku are always good. But I don't know about Kneesocks. Wearing them seems like a reverse to the fashion code of the last century.
Blasphemy! How can you deny the power of Zettai Ryouiki!?
It's amazing enough that shows like these can influence otakus to buy guitars or even take up guitar lessons. Now this? Influencing high school students into wanting to have a uniform [if they don't already have one although if that was the case i can imagine the school girls wanting to change their uniform into something similar or an exact copy of the ones found in the anime.]
Seriously though, this moe shit is becoming a very good mind control/hypnosis tool for the Japs. Maybe they're actually planning to take over the world with this kind of shit. Maybe that's the reason why Rozen-Aso supports the industry.
The power of suggestion sure is strong. CONSPIRACY!
Your marketing ¥¥¥ at work!
Did you even understand me? I'm not marketing it. In fact i don't like it. But what i do like is their technology.
Its like how hip hop influence all the retards here in america
Like that Spencer poseur brat?
Anime influencing people is not a new revelation nor is it amazing IMHO. Did you forget the "Hikaru no go boom" in Japan? or maybe the pokemon craze? Things like this come and go. The bottom line is: anime sells.
You're one of those 9/11 loonies aren't ya? :<
No.
Man, my study about how the generations keep get dumbed down is proving true. People don't even get humor anymore.
"However, it does not seem that there are many students that wear the K-On! seifuku to school."
I'm assuming that means in a school without uniforms...since, if it had uniforms, wouldn't they be restricted on what kind of seifuku they could wear? Making that kind of uniform mandatory would have interesting results, haha.
Anyway, K-On! has cute uniforms. I like the blue/gray color scheme and the little ribbon.
Japanese girls have such cute uniforms. Mine was a disgusting cheap grey t-shirt with a maroon skirt. Ugliest thing to wear, almost everybody skipped the skirt since the shirt didn't look as shitty with a pair of jeans.
If it's for me, i'll choose to wear the uniform of Yasogami Highschool from Persona 4.. =w=
Ahh, Rise or Yukiko, such a delicious quandry
Good seifuku is not a bad seifuku.
The "omg God so many choices[makes my brain hurt]" thing made me laugh.
K-ON and Haruhi, both combined KyoAni has already conquered japan. World domination is imminent
lol wouldnt bet on it - we americans will tend to stick to our own american cartoon idols - like SPIDERMAN :p unless he dates haruhi
they are already targeting us...have you listened to Happy!? Sorry!! from the K-ON OP single? it sounds a little TOO MUCH like the old school spiderman opening deosn't it?
is it me or is the channel down for several days now...Artefact?
ok now i need help! i cant access the channel on my firefox!! it works on explorer...but i want to know how to access the channel please help...
It works fine for me, anyone else having trouble?
Try refreshing your cache, perhaps?
tried it but still isnt working....(clear private data)
maybe i should post this on the forums.....
There was some hassle about girls not wanting to wear skirts, and most people thought it was the end of seifuku and end of the world. Good to see things go into this direction. Fashion never stays for long though, but this seems a bit different, so maybe call it something else instead.
cool, when is the buruma going to be popular again?
^- THIS.