If Seto San approves, then it MUST be cool
While cramming for midterms, I found myself lured to Danny Choo’s infamous blog. Deciding to take yet another 30 minute break after a beautiful 5 minute study session (I ended up failing the exam the next day much to my own surprise), I came upon a wonderful picture of man’s best friend, the Dakimakura (A.K.A Hugging Pillow for those less educated about these matters). BUT, instead of finding myself entranced by a cute, little, loli, I found myself staring at a picture of Simon from the anime, Gurren Lagann. Yes, I feel your pain my fellow men, as the Dakimakura code of “having only really cute moe girls on the pillow covers” has been shattered! HOWEVER…it got me thinking. Why are there only Dakimakura’s for guys. I mean, I’ll bet there are many times when a girl wouldn’t mind snuggling up against Shi Ryuuki from Saingoku Monogatari or hell, any man from the bishounen paradise, Fushigi Yuugi. For the ladies reading this post, please agree with me that the following is not what you would have chosen if given the chance to place one of your Bishounen McSteamies on a pillow cover. (Click on ‘Read more’ to see the image ;D, ho ho! Subliminal messenging)
Extrange: Boota is a Flasher
Okay first off, I have to give credit to whatever Japanese Company attempted at making a woman’s Dakimakura. But, why must it be Simon? I mean, sure, he grows up to be a major badass, but I don’t believe that many girls find Simon particularly attractive when he looks like he should still be in elementary school. Now, before all the Simon fangirls find my address and tear me to bits and pieces, I would like to repeat that I said many, not all. Also, this may be a bit off topic but WHAT IS UP WITH THOSE BANDAGES? Why does he even need them? In order to gain an official woman’s point of view of this dilemma, I showed my friend Subaru the picture of Simon and asked her what she thought of it. (plz tolerate teh im slang as i cant tipe frmally all ze tyme)
The Interview
Igunis: whats the first thing u noticed
Igunis: when u saw that picture
Subaru: oh
Subaru: he has something wrong going on with his butt
Subaru: and he looks like some pokemon character
Subaru: or beyblade
Igunis: hehe
Subaru: not attractive at all
Igunis: what about the bandages
Igunis: haha
Subaru: er
Igunis: i find them creepy
Igunis: that they unravel
Subaru: yeah they don’t look right on the right side
Subaru: why does he need them
Subaru: he doesn’t seem like he wants to be there either
Subaru: doesn’t give off that bishounen look at all
Subaru: he isn’t like biting them or anything or pulling them away like the typical bishounen either
Subaru: =o
Subaru: maybe if he was older looking and you know
Igunis: lol
FIN
Hah! So the bandages were strange! It appears that the anime merchandise companies have a false sense of what women want when it comes to female-orientated goods. After asking a couple of other girls what they thought of the Simon Pillow, they all seemed to agree that an older man would be preferred GREATLY. So the conclusion is: Bishounen’s are hot, Simon is not (Sorry Simon fangirls). Despite the overwhelming popularity of reverse harem animes such as Saiyuki or Fushigi Yuugi amongst the female anime fans, I can’t seem to find any sort of figures, apparel, etc. that has a bishounen-type man as the main feature. It’s as if the merchandise companies are afraid to branch out to the female sex, despite their astounding success with men.
This leads to my other point on the subject of the woman’s dakimakuras. Would girls even buy them if they were as widespread and available as men’s dakimakuras? Guys seem to have no problem buying large quantities of models, figures, and merchandise in general but what about girls? Modern society is being led to believe that men are the only ones that will partake in such matters as buying eroge or eating with a dakimakura. But what girl wouldn’t want to feed Takashi Morinozuka, from Ouran High School Host Club, some of their homemade cooking! Why haven’t girls reached the level of infamous otakuness as men?
The new age of Dakimakura?
I believe that girls are perhaps more fearful about being labeled as ‘one of them’ in society than guys. While male otakus have other male otakus to rant with about the newest eroge game that has come out, shameless girl otakus are generally one in a million. Fear of isolation from other girls may also come into play as to why girls are less inclined to take part in these guilty pleasures. Women are in general more social beings than men, and may have problems with only being able to talk to pillows of anime bishounens. This “woman’s pride” is preventing merchandise companies from delving into more female-orientated merchandise. I, for one, have seen thousands of well crafted female figurines but have yet to see a decent bishounen figure made.
So, girls, what do you have to say for yourselves? Amiright? Or are my views completely distorted towards a male’s perspective. I probably can’t relay girl’s thoughts very well because I am a guy so I would like to hear some of your own responses. Of course, my fellow males can also reply as to why the dakimakura should only be a guy thing, *winks*
22 Comments
I have actually seen a Kamina dakimakura… but it was only fanart. Still, I’d totally buy that. As long as you keep things to yourself for the most part, there is nothing wrong in being a fangirl.
I’ve not seen actual bishounen-featured dakimakuras, but if (general) you can’t find posters and wallscrolls and figurines of bishounen, then you’re obviously not looking hard enough. A couple of female friends of mine (before anyone asks, they’re already taken; to each other, for that matter) have their house covered in bishie wallscrolls and posters. Whenever I have to use their restroom when I visit, it’s kind of hard to do my business when Seishurou is watching me from on high.
It’s hard to delineate a set of behaviours as “this is how fanboys act” versus “this is how fangirls act”. If one would imagine a sort of shaded line, at which an arbitrary point is designated as the “passionate about hobby only in private” end, and another arbitrary point is designated “openly passionate about hobby to one and all”, I’ve noticed that guys tend to be spread out almost evenly, with clumping towards the “openly passionate” end, but girls tend to clump around (but not at) the “in private” end, with a sudden spike at the extreme end of “openly passionate”.
Basically, where a guy would wear a Kotori Shirakawa T-shirt, a girl might seem more “mundane”, but get her going (about, say, favourite pairing), and I don’t think even FPS fanboys will be as frothy-mouthed. Some of the fanfiction communities, and I’ve been writing fanfics myself for over a decade, are scary.
Fangirls are what keeps the otaku industry going strong.
I agree with Subaru here, that Simon pillow is a little…creepy. I’d feel a bit like a paedophile if I bought it.
If I understand this shaded line of yours correctly, then I’m probably somewhere in the middle of it. I don’t mind people knowing I like bishies, but I don’t plaster my room with posters of the Host Club and Sagara. Probably because I don’t have the money to spare to do such a thing. ;_;
Despite being a girl, I end up buying merchandise aimed towards guys. Maybe it’s because the typical fangirl favorites usually end up boring me to tears, and I’d much rather watch something like Clannad than something like Gravitation. Then, I purchase figures, and the only ones available are the female characters. I’d really love a figure of Rin from Shuffle, but for now, I’ll stick with my Asa and Kaede.
I wouldn’t want a Simon pillow mainly because I haven’t watched GL, but if I were to purchase a pillow, I’d definitely prefer someone a bit more attractive.
That Simon picture is the most disturbing thing I have ever seen.
Otaku are generally stereotyped as guys, so anime companies would obviously direct their products toward the interests of males, who make up the greater part of the anime market.
Well, I enjoy anime on occasion, I don’t go out of way to decorate my room with anime goods. Hah I agree with Sly Sloth as well on that part. I see most girls are laid back about the whole anime thing. But then on the other hand I see girls who are in fact on the same level as most guys; to even far excelling most of the normal anime fans.
So maybe its less obvious that girls are interested less obvious though since less ratio about girl to boy is less..? I don’t know! Either way girls are interested!
Couldn’t really understand what you were saying DKellis about the arbitrary paragraph though.
Interested on what you meant. And agree with Sly Sloth ::cheapo:: D:
What I do notice is I see a million anime girls posters, figurines, and all that male oriented goods all over the place . Granted, most of the “otaku” population seems to be male but that doesn’t mean there should be such a lack of merchandise available easier(if there is any?) to fangirls. So just because there is little variety(?) doesn’t mean I have to resort with dealing with a little boy or cheap looking drawings. They make anime that focuses around girls, so I don’t see how they can’t have anything relatively nice you can buy online, or even see at a store.
Glad to know that someone is making a statement like this, go go Igunis~!
(apologies on the tl;dr comment post!)
Ummm… Hate to point this out, but I don’t think the pillow is aimed at the ladies. Prolly aimed at NAMBLA members. Doubt many women would be turned on by the flip side there, but I suspect there are guys who would be.
Now please post shots of Mikuru pillows. We must have balance in these things.
Hmmm… thank goodness you explained that this is a “hugging pillow” (when I finally discerned what it was for I was like “huh? I mean HA!??!”) or I’d have been totally lost.
Actually, men and women have differences in sexual responses, but according to greatest sex therapists ever, Masters and Johnson, men and women are MORE ALIKE than they are different. In libido scale, women, too, feel the same way as men… though there are, well, differences. Still, I think that these kinds of merchandise would never appeal to the XX chromosomes since the society gave them all these ridiculous taboos and restrictions regarding sexual explorations and fulfillment and thus they are left to feel guilt whenever they indulge in anything that satisfies their sexual appetite.
You said, “Women are in general more social beings than men, and may have problems with only being able to talk to pillows of anime bishounens.” Indeed, females enjoy more the foreplays and sweet talks that this kind of SOLITARY PLAYTHING fail to provide. However, according to studies, women frequently reach orgasm by pleasuring themselves than with a partner. So my coclusion, ditch the Dikamuras for women and invest in a plaything that will really appeal to them (and you know what sort of plaything I am talking about -hehe) OR just be better in bed and provide your partner the satisfaction that she very well deserves.
PS. I enjoy this post.
oh it is Dakimuras not Dikamuras..
A fine post. If a little odd.
I always figured the bandages were a blow-cushioning thing. Or like in Bleach where the hero wears bandages as part of his costume, and they come in use as ready-to-hand cloth for, well, bandaging wounds.
Or maybe he has an embarrassing skin condition.
lol, I am aware that my posts are odd. Be sure to expect more odd posts when I’m not blogging a series later.
@ DKellis, I like your description of the shaded line. I wish I could think of an explanation like that haha.
What I’m intrigued by though, is that even though there are some openly passionate females, why hasn’t the female-orientated merchandise market expanded. I think if some girls perhaps try making a petition (as cheesy as that sounds) and getting some bishounen figures or dakimakura’s made, then perhaps there would be a slow increase of females from the private end to the passionate end. It would be interesting to see the result.
that simon dakimakura is intended toward males.. believe it or not. If that dakimakura is for females, there’s no point of him showing his butt.. @_@
Since the first time I saw Shimon’s dakimakura (which is quite a while back), I seriously thought it was aimed for guys -___-; since it was his ‘back’ which is being exposed, not his fly.
Even if its for guys, it just goes to show how there is more merchandise targeted towards “those sorts of guys” than girls neh?
Alright
first stop
First impression : BOY LOVE!! SHOTA!! UKE!! WTF!!
lol
Second impression : I seriously doubt girls, even girls who like ukes, will buy this darkimaru
But i can tell you
Guys ahhem will buy it
esp for the ahhem cute ahhem position that the little boy is facing ahhem
and i will say the person will be ahhem hugging him ahhem from the right ahhem where his cute butt ahheeeeeem will be *beep*
Right
As for the bandage
I have never seen this character or anime or watever before
So i assume his character design is that he is normally in bandage ( as in the “normal” view)
So technically, if you want to undress him, you have to also undress the bandage *shrugs*
If you want to see products for girls or female orientated
Try the Gintama bed sheet covers or better yet
the AWESOME viewfinder king size bedsheet
You sleep inbetween 2 gorgeous guys
Naturally still wearing clothes enhehehehehe
thats what i call female-orientated goods
Less Simon dakimura and moar Boota plushies.
Becase moles wearing sunglasses are cool. And cute.
Um yea…
I agree not what I would pick for a huggy pillow.
Hubby-sama is much more manly and well responsive ^-^ But if I didn’t have a hubby-sama and needed a huggy pillow, I definitely would NOT pick one like that or similar to that.
But then again of course if you gave me the choice between a huggy pillow and a Super Deluxe model of the Strike from Gundam Seed, I’d rather take the Gundam.
Of course I’m a bit of a tomboy, so I’m probably not really indicative of most fangirls.
Although I do have a fangirl squeal that can deafen most males and dogs in a 50 mile radius. As poor hubby-sama found out when I opened the presents he got me this year.
Course its not all bad for him. Note to guys, a happy, happy woman. Means a VERY happy man who won’t have need for huggy pillows! ^_^
I i’m not mistaken i don’t think it’s an actual sold dakimakura, but a fan art as is the Kamina one. I do agree there aren’t enough male figures, as a female figure collector out of the 60+ figures i have only 9 of them are male. I know if i ever find a way to screen print it myself i’d sell the Kamina one as i know lots of women would buy it!
IKR?! i need an itachi dakimakura or something xDD lulz jk~ but seriously, it’s unfair that there are only dakimakuras for men only.
Yeah, I’m sorry but I don’t find that image attractive at all.
Although there arn’t many hugging pillows for women I have found a few featuring Bleach characters (Ichigo, Ulquiorra, Toshiro, Grimmjow, ect.), but it is still very outnumbered.
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