Part of the confusion stems from a misunderstanding of “kawaii,” which is Japanese for “cute” but also connotes a lovable or adorable essence. Sanrio recruited Shimizu and other ...

Anime fans powered up in their best cosplay all weekend long for all things Japanese pop culture at Kawaii Kon.

In Japan, ‘cute’ is a big deal. Their own word for it, kawaii (“ka-why-ee”), is more of an ethos than an adjective. Shops and billboards are filled with big-eyed fluffy figures.

These adorable amphibians, native to Mexico, have become a beloved icon in the kawaii (Japanese for "cute") aesthetic, inspiring countless illustrations, plush toys, and, of course, coloring pages!

Others are a bit more narrow, like kawaii metal. Created in Japan when Babymetal was formed, kawaii metal (also known as ...

Richard Magarey, better known as Ladybeard, is a cross-dressing pro wrestler and a heavy metal singer from Adelaide who’s made it big in Japan. Ladybeard is a Japan-based Australian wrestler ...