Talk:Cosplay restaurant

Emma of the manga Emma is a more traditional, but atypical maid.

The character differs from the traditional image of a typical housekeeper in being young, highly attractive, and usually wearing a maid outfit vaguely similar to a classic English or French design . In shōnen and seinen the outfit is almost universally fetishized: low-cut to show off the legs and chest, excessively colorful and/or frilly, and usually with white apron of variable length.

The types of characters who wear the costumes are often viewed dimly by fans as being an extreme take on the fetish combo of an 'ideal' housewife and an obedient servant, often with sexual connotations. In more wholesome terms, a fairly common device are meido harboring romantic feelings for their master or their wards (especially if they are younger).

Meido are often written in a comedic light, having employers with variably subtle embarrassing personality quirks which they put up with, having completely different personalities when "off the clock", or reprimanding their masters like children.

Many bishojo shows which contain scenes of characters in large households or doing spring cleaning inevitably produce art with the characters in these sorts of outfits.

[edit] Maid cafe

Wikipe-tan in a maid outfit

Main article: Cosplay restaurant

Since around 2000, cafes called "maid cafe" have opened in Akihabara, Tokyo. In maid cafes, typical manga-style maids serve tea and cakes. When a guest comes to the cafe, maids say "Welcome home, Master" even if it is the guest's first time there, because the maids play the role of maids belonging to the guest's mansion. Similarly, they say "Have a nice day, Master" when the guest leaves.

Maid cafes have become popular, and spread to other cities in Japan, and also in South Korea and Taiwan.

[edit] Maid fashion

The maid cafe boom has become such a major trend in Japan that the costume is now part of the Tokyo streetstyle fashion.Tokyo Maid goes streetstyle

[edit] Examples

Mahoro Andō (of Mahoromatic)

one of the most famous meido characters in anime fandom. Despite being heavily fanserviced by Gainax, she has an ironic hatred of perverted imagery

Emma (of Victorian Romance Emma)

attractive meido style character from a manga and anime aimed at older women, which may explain her much less fetishtic and mundane design.

He Is My Master

a gag manga and anime poking fun at various otaku fetishes, predominantly maids, with moderate lolicon material.

Hanaukyo Maid Tai

lies at the extreme end of the spectrum, full embracing the fetish in a comedic manner, and features scores of maids who work for the household (although most do not do any conventional housework).

Ebichu the Hamster in the anime of the same name

fufills the same role as a maid, complete with sychopantic devotion and a completely lack of tact concerning her owner's privacy.

Roberta (of Black Lagoon)

another warrior-maid character, similar to Mahoro. Despite appearing to possess physically unmatched power, she devotes herself completely to the service and admonishments of a young boy. In the meido fanservice tradition, whenever she begins fighting, the garters under her frilly maid outfit become apparent.

May (of Hand Maid May)

4-inch robot girl designed to help out around the house. She was accidentally ordered by Satome Kazuya, a student at the prestigious Osza no Mizu Industries University, when Satome's rival tries to sabotage his computer with a computer virus. Being a mere 4-inch robot girl, May ends up in a lot of comical scenarios with her master.

[edit] See also

• Moe (slang)
• Cosplay restaurant
• Nurse stereotypes - A phenomenon in fictional nurses similar to meido.