Kogal
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kogal (コギャル kogyaru?) is a subculture of girls and young women in urban Japan, one of several types of so-called gals. They are characterized by conspicuously displaying their disposable income through distinctive tastes in fashion, music, and social activity. In general, the kogal "look" roughly approximates a sun-tanned California Valley girl, and indeed, there are even some linguistic similarities between these Western groups and Kogal. Both subcultures have derived entire sets of slang terms (such as "Kogalese" (コギャル語 kogyaru-go?)). Kogals are not to be confused with the ganguro subculture, although they are similar.
Kogals are known for wearing platform boots, a miniskirt, copious amounts of makeup, hair coloring (usually blonde or brown), artificial suntans, and designer accessories. If in school uniform, the look typically includes skirts pinned very high and loose socks (large baggy socks that go up to the knee). Kogals' busy social lives and desire for new material goods leads them to be among the first consumers of Japanese cell phone technology, and their taste in clothes tends toward names such as Burberry scarves and Louis Vuitton handbags. Kogals spend much of their free time (and their parents' income) shopping, and their culture centers on the Shibuya district of Tokyo, in particular the 109 building, although any major Japanese city is sure to have at least a small population. During the summer, kogals may sometimes be seen at the beach. They are generally not seen in high-end department stores.
Critics of the Kogal subculture decry its materialism as reflecting a larger psychological or spiritual emptiness in modern Japanese life. Some kogals support their lifestyle with allowances from wealthy parents, living a "freeter" or "parasite single" existence that grates against traditional principles of duty and industry. More may engage in the practice of "compensated dating", or enjo kōsai, which may at times border on quasi-legal prostitution. Internet-based usage of this term has led some Western observers to the mistake of believing that "kogal" means "prostitute".
The kogal phenomenon emerged in the mid-1990s and its effects can still be seen today in its numerous off-shoots of sub-categories, although conservative tastes in dress and hair color seem to be on the upswing. Interestingly enough, the Gothic Lolita aesthetic has been described as a reaction to the kogal look, in that it attempts to reclaim childhood innocence, though skeptics of this theory would point out that most Lolita merely model after J-rock cosplay and spend just as much, if not even more money on their appearance when compared to kogals.
The term's etymology is disputed: the most common theory is that it was derived from the Japanese word for "high school", kōtō gakkō (高等学校?), or kōkō (高校?) for short, although others claim that it comes from ko (子), the Japanese word for "girl" or "child". The "gal" originates from English. See gyaru.
[edit] See also
[edit] Further resources
- "Those Naughty Teenage Girls: Japanese Kogals, Slang, and Media Assessments", by Laura Miller. Journal of Linguistic Anthropology: Volume 14: Number 2 (2004).
- Metropolis - Feature - "No heels, no life"
- Bounce Ko Gals (Baunsu ko gaurusu) (1997)—a film by Masato Harada
- Super GALS! Kotobuki Ran—an anime series revolving around the life of Ran Kotobuki, the self-proclaimed "greatest gal in Shibuya."
- GALS! manga by FUJII Mihona— the manga that Super GALS! is based on.
- Short Cuts—a satirical, observational manga series by Usamaru Furuya, taking aim primarily at Japan's kogal culture
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| Subcultures: Bōsōzoku | Cosplay | Ganguro | Lolita fashion | Gyaru and Gyaru-oh | Kogal |
| Cultural phenomena: FRUiTS Magazine | Gyaru-moji | Harajuku girl | Japanese fashion | Kawaii | Visual kei |
