At the turn of the millennium, international youth culture is dominated by mainly two types of aesthetics: the African American cool, which, propelled by Hip-Hop music, has become the world's favorite youth culture; and the Japanese aesthetics of kawaii or cute, that is distributed internationally by Japan's powerful anime industry. The USA and Japan are cultural superpowers and global trendsetters because they make use of two particular concepts that hide complex structures under their simple surfaces and are difficult to define, but continue to fascinate the world: cool and kawaii. The Cool-Kawaii: Afro-Japanese Aesthetics and New World Modernity, by Thorsten Botz-Bornstein, analyzes these attitudes and explains the intrinsic powers that are leading to a fusion of both aesthetics. Cool and kawaii are expressions set against the oppressive homogenizations that occur within official modern cultures, but they are also catalysts of modernity. Cool and kawaii do not refer us back to a pre-modern ethnic past. Just like the cool African American man has almost no relationship with traditional African ideas about masculinity, the kawaii shTjo is not the personification of the traditional Japanese ideal of the feminine, but signifies an ideological institution of women based on Japanese modernity in the Meiji period, that is, a feminine image based on westernization. At the same time, cool and kawaii do not transport us into a futuristic, impersonal world of hypermodernity based on assumptions of constant modernization. Cool and kawaii stand for another type of modernity, which is not technocratic, but rather 'Dandyist' and closely related to the search for human dignity and liberation.

Prepare for the cutest world tour ever with this miniature, portable, and even cuter version of Kawaii Doodle Cuties! YouTube celebrity artist Pic Candle shows you how to draw kawaii characters from every stop on the map! The Japanese word kawaii translates to “cute,” and this how-to book is chock-full of super-adorable images from your favorite spots around the globe. With doodles of food, nature, animals, architecture, fashion, and more, you will learn to draw cute artwork from countries all over the world! Learn how to draw a darling Eiffel Tower, macaron, and beret from France. Or master how to draw precious natural wonders like Australia’s Great Barrier Reef and enchanting architecture like India’s Taj Mahal. Or sketch fashion fun like a K-pop skirt from South Korea and charming transportation like a tuk tuk from Vietnam. Mini Kawaii Doodle Cutiesfeatures over 100 lovable, huggable characters and includes simple step-by-step illustrations and instructions, search-and-find puzzle patterns that you can color, and inspiration pages. Thanks to this adorable crash course in doodling all things kawaii, you’ll soon be enhancing your notebooks, stationery, artwork, and everything with unbelievably adorable illustrations!

Kawaii is a Japanese word that translates to "cute," and popular YouTube artist Pic Candle shows you how to doodle your way to adorable in this miniature, portable, and even cuter version of her best-selling Kawaii Doodle Class. This master class in cute features nearly 100 lovable, huggable characters and includes simple step-by-step illustrations and instructions, search-and-find puzzle patterns that you can color, inspiration boards that show you how to give your characters different facial expressions and zany accessories, and drawing pages to get your doodle party started. Your adorable drawing subjects include tacos, sushi, smoothies, clouds, rainbows, cacti, and more. Soon you'll be enhancing your notebooks, stationery, artwork, and more with your own unique kawaii world. Mini Kawaii Doodle Class is now in session!

A YouTube star teaches you to bake ridiculously cute, Japanese-style treats, with 75 brand-new, easy-to-follow recipes for totally original and delicious cakes, candies, cookies, cupcakes, and more. “A delightful debut cookbook.”—Publishers Weekly Kawaii means “cute” in Japanese, and cuteness is the main ingredient in these sweets. In Kawaii Sweet World, YouTube sensation Rachel Fong teaches you how to bake super-easy treats that are just as fun to make as they are to eat. Whether you’re a cookie rookie or a piping pro, you’ll find tips on all the basics, from whipping up the best buttercream to using a turntable to decorate—but this is no ordinary baking book. Why have a plain layer cake when you could have a cuddly corgi cake? These seventy-five utterly unique recipes include chocolate cupcakes that transform into snuggly koalas, cake pops that are twinkly-eyed narwhals, lemon cookies that turn into emojis, and cream puffs that become little pink pigs. With Kawaii Sweet World cookbook, the fun is baked right in.

“Kawaii” is a Japanese word that denotes “cute,” “lovable,” or “charming” although it does not have exactly the same meaning as those adjectives. This book proposes engineering methodologies for systematic measurement of the affective perception of kawaii, by using virtual reality and biological signals, and discusses the effectiveness of kawaii engineering for designing industrial products and services. Kawaii can draw sympathy from people and can embody a special kind of cute design, which reduces fear and makes dull information more acceptable and appealing. Following the introduction of the background of kawaii engineering in Chapter 1, Chapters 2 and 3 describe experiments on the systematic measurement and evaluation methods for kawaii products and affective evaluation experiments. Chapter 4 proposes a mathematical model to identify the physical attributes that determine kawaii in motion. Chapters 5 and 6 explain research that uses biological signals and eye-tracking. After a brief survey of psychological research on kawaii and cuteness in Chapter 7, Chapters 8 and 9 introduce the use of spoons designed to stimulate the appetite of the elderly and the practical implementation of an emotion-driven camera. Chapters 10–14 explain experimental research that examines kawaii perception of people from various cultural backgrounds. Kawaii Engineering will appeal to those who work on affective computing, product design, user experience design, virtual reality, and biological signals.

Dive with me into the colorful and diverse world of Japanese pop culture that inspires millions of people around the world. With my latest book "From Anime to Yumi Kawaii - A look behind the scenes of Japanese pop culture" you will gain a profound insight into the unique fashion trends and the rousing music of J-Pop. This book offers you a comprehensive overview of the diversity and influence of Japanese pop culture on the Western world. From manga and anime to J-Pop and cosplay to adaptations in film and literature - this book reveals the profound influences and the worldwide enthusiasm for everything Japanese. Experience the magic of anime and manga, learn the secrets of cosplay and J-Pop. But also discover the dark side of this fascinating world of imagination and innovation. Understand how Japanese aesthetics influence global trends. This book is a must-have for lovers of Japanese pop culture, for travelers, students and anyone who is curious about the creative trends and cultural treasures of Japan. Join me on an exciting excursion through the land of the rising sun. Whether you are a die-hard otaku, a passionate cosplayer or simply looking for new cultural discoveries - this book is your ultimate companion. Get exclusive insights, exciting background information and learn how Japan's pop culture has conquered the world. Discover the soul of modern Japan and its pop culture! "From Anime to Yumi Kawaii - A look behind the scenes of Japanese pop culture" offers those interested a profound insight into a fascinating world of manga and anime, J-Pop and their origins in traditional art forms. Immerse yourself in the colorful worlds of Studio Ghibli. Follow me into a world full of colors, creativity and uniqueness. Visit Tokyo's dazzling cosplay centers and maid cafes, look behind the scenes of Naruto and Dragonball, and explore not only the diverse fascination but also their effects on Japanese society. With gripping insights, this book takes you on a cultural excursion through modern Japan and its dazzling pop culture. For adventurers, artists, lovers and anyone who wants to discover the magic and mysticism of modern Japanese culture, this book offers you a multi-layered guide. With this book you will discover the infinite variety of Japanese pop culture - a must for anyone interested in the beauty and influence of Japan on the contemporary world. Ready for an adventure? Then dive in and experience Japan like never before! Yours, Hermann Candahashi