Text | Doctor Neil's Notes
Editing | Doctor Neil's Notes
Introduction
Japan is a "uniform country", school uniforms are a symbol of their culture, especially uniforms are the most prominent.
The connection between Japanese people and school uniform culture has been fully reflected in animation, movies, books, and even the porn industry.
School uniforms are like cherry blossoms, katana , tea ceremony, etc. They are the essence of (the soul of Japan) and an important part of studying Japanese culture.
The concept and development of student uniforms
Japanese students have a wide variety of clothing. When girls choose school uniforms, the style can even affect their willingness to choose a school.
Among the many types of clothing, the two most representative types are: sailor clothing and formal clothing.
Sailor uniforms originate from the early British naval uniforms, which are naval uniforms. Sailor's uniforms come in many styles, ranging from light blue in summer to dark blue in winter.
The suit is a more popular uniform. It used to be the knight uniform of Poland . Compared with the simple navy uniform, the suit is more luxurious and mature.
The development of uniforms
From the perspective of the development of student uniforms, this is an emerging clothing that was adopted as a school uniform for students as early as the 1960s.
In the 1980s, when Japan's economic development reached its peak, traditional sailor clothing could no longer adapt to the luxurious life at that time. The call for school clothing reform became more and more intense, which triggered the "school uniform revolution", the most prominent feature of which was the suit.
Because suits are expensive, this "campus movement" is mainly concentrated in big cities. Remote areas and rural areas are still dominated by "sailor suits"; Sailor suits have a more complicated history.
In the early 20th century, Britain's colonial expansion and military power reached their peak, so many countries imitated their systems and costumes.
In Japan, the sailor uniform was originally a kind of naval clothing. With the advancement of civilization and the prosperity of the country, the sailor uniform was regarded as a "military-like uniform" and was widely publicized in schools.
In 1920, Elizabeth, the principal of Fukuoka Women's College in Japan, had studied in England and launched a full set of sailor uniforms in 1920, which set off a formal sailor uniform craze in Japan.
The development of sailor uniforms began with worshiping Western culture and military powers. After being introduced, it took root and developed in China. Now when talking about the uniforms of the British Navy, no one will notice its origin. A Japanese girl wearing a pleated skirt and socks, her sailor uniform has been completely Japaneseized.
Militaristic colors similar to military uniforms
Japanese school uniforms have been developed for more than a hundred years, but as mentioned above, their appearance is not due to a popularity, It is more of a desire for Western culture and war beliefs.
In 1853, General Perry, with four warships , broke through Japan's closed door, signed the "Japan-Miami Peace Treaty".
It brought invasion and shame, and also brought many advanced ideas and cultures.
With the outbreak of "Black Ship Incident", Western civilization has poured into Japan in large numbers. From officialdom to ordinary people, everyone is full of passion for transforming the country and enriching the country and strengthening the army.
It is these "military-like uniforms" that allow young Japanese people in the midst of war and social changes to strengthen their national pride and ignite the romantic fire in their hearts when facing the dual pressure of national disaster and responsibility. "Military-like uniforms".
The Japanese government is promoting the policy of "militarism starts from children" across the country, and is implementing the "National Excellent Student Act", which requires girls aged 15 to 20 to participate in sports such as archery, bidding, and thousand-meter long-distance running, in order to cultivate perseverance "military women."
In order to turn the girls' school into a base for "military ladies", so that girls can be the same as men, have been influenced by military ideas since childhood, and have deeply engraved the elements of country, war, military, and politics in their hearts. Until these teenagers, unknowingly, became a pawn in the war.
Under the cultural trend of this country, whether it is a man's bra or a woman's sailor suit, they have been given a very good mind control and brainwashing function.
The film "Purple Sun" directed by Feng Xiaoning tells the story of three people from different countries embarking on a difficult journey at the end of the Second World War:
In 1945, in Northeast China, in an empty wilderness, young men and women stood there neatly. The Japanese girl Akiba was still flirting with her lover. Her innocent heart did not know the cruelty that was coming, but deep in her heart, was full of desire for love and the future.
A Japanese officer stood on the podium and shouted angrily:
"American! Is he British? He is Chinese. The Russians are also attacking us! The Holy War in Greater East Asia is about to usher in the final decisive battle! Your father and brother both died on the battlefield! Who else will protect Manchuria and Japan?! Just you! You are the last life-saving straw of my Yamato! "Volunteer Military Service Law" , issued by the government! Girls over 17 must join the army or navy! Great! Great! "
Although they know that they have lost, in their minds, these young people have no life, and they will be honored to become victims of the empire.
This is a kind of absolute obedience to superiors, to authority, and to the empire.
So in the final stage of the film, Akiba could not help but point her gun at foreign friends; In the end, she was wearing a navy uniform and was killed by local officers.
Although today, the military cultural connotation in the sailor uniform has disappeared completely and has returned to the traditional Japanese visual aesthetics line, the origin of the sailor uniform is inextricably linked to militarism. It can be said that the sailor uniform was born and developed in an environment of militarism and is a unique culture of Japan.
The war gave it a twisted and tragic connotation of the times, and its strength reflected the sadness and pathology of Japanese militarism during the war.
Everything is dominated by men
If we say that wartime naval uniforms were designed to safeguard Japan's political and military interests.
So in the peaceful post-war era, students' school uniforms were not only for students' daily wear, but also added an exotic flavor. was like a unique military culture.
This is the male-dominated military uniform culture formed in Japan's society where men are superior to women.
The birth of student obedience is based on the traditional Japanese tradition of male superiority and female inferiority. Boys will wear school uniforms that represent military status, while girls wear sailor uniforms that represent the dominant status.
This is beyond doubt, but the sailor suit can only obey unconditionally.
In the entertainment culture dominated by Japanese men, wearing "sailor uniforms" is the main factor that makes people happy. Without school uniforms, Japanese men's entertainment and pornographic industries will lose a kind of psychological support.
In Japan’s masculine entertainment culture, animation is also a focus that cannot be ignored.
Moreover, in boys' comics, the role of school uniforms is almost irreplaceable.
There are many men in Japan who like to wear military uniforms, and among these three styles, the most popular is the "sailor uniform."
Boys’ preference for school uniforms is also an important factor in the trend of Japanese animation culture.
In the love game between the male and female protagonists, most of the girls are wearing school uniforms.
For example, the three classic works "Air", "Kanon" and "Clannad" are all produced by the well-known Japanese game company Key. They all wear school uniforms and are active in the games.
Among Japan’s 168 cartoons in 2012, included 94 works specifically for “otaku” men, and accounted for 56% of the total sales. Among them, 72 military-style cartoons accounted for 77% of all male-oriented works, which was 43% of the year’s works, almost half of the total.
The ultimate impact of student uniforms on the Japanese entertainment industry can be reflected in Japan's pornographic culture. This is an embarrassing issue, but its particularity and influence cannot be ignored.
Japanese erotic culture can always arouse the endless interest and exploration spirit of foreigners, but in Japan, this embarrassing theme is presented to the public in such a grand manner.
Japan is the world's largest adult video producer, and its pornographic industry has achieved the goals of market orientation, specialization and segmentation.
Japanese school uniforms also play an important role in pornographic culture. The combination of school uniforms and erotic culture is the highest and most extreme manifestation of the male-dominated Japanese entertainment industry.
Young girls in Japan do not simply wear school uniforms or sing songs to attract boys. Most girls will take pictures of things related to military uniforms. For example, HKT48's Yuko Sugamoto once unbuttoned her school uniforms on a series of school uniforms, and HKT48 is a popular youth idol group. In this photo, Yuko Sugamoto is only 17 years old.
Of course, in Japan's pornographic culture, this is just a trivial matter. Japanese people have become accustomed to photos of girls wearing sexy uniforms. is also very popular. There is no other country in the world. Even underage female students have become accustomed to it.
Gainax President Toshio Okada has a lot of research on otaku culture. He said in "Otaku is Dead" : "Whether it is gossip or comprehensive magazines.
Any magazine in Japan must show beautiful girls aged fifteen or six on the cover, let them put on swimsuits or uniforms and pose sexy.
Okada also said that a person who knows nothing about Japanese culture Foreigners who don't know much about Japan will think that Japan is full of pedophiles as soon as they enter a store and see rows of magazines on the shelves.
Looking at the connotations of Japan's three major male-oriented entertainment cultures, whether it is girl idols, cute animations, or the porn industry, why do student uniforms dominate?
Is school uniform really so in line with men’s values? Men are much more active with young students and girls than with mature girls, and Luo Behind Li's complex is an ambiguous psychology.
Under the influence of patriarchal aesthetics, girls will decide whether to leave school based on their age, so school uniforms in otaku comics will also be widely publicized. In the porn industry, students' school uniforms also play a decisive role.
The contradictory Japanese film and television culture
In Japan, in addition to entertainment, Japanese movies and film culture are the most impressive. Film and television is An effective way of cultural exchange, has always been the main way of exporting a country's culture.
Most of our impressions of Japanese military uniforms come from movies and TV series of various themes.
Although in film and television works, the main scenes of student military uniforms are school dramas, this does not mean that wearing school uniforms in school must be a theme of pure love.
Japanese movies and culture are contradictory. The inspiration of love, dreams and life in military uniforms coexist with violence and bloodshed.
Violent aesthetics first originated in Hong Kong. This unique theme was quickly favored by many outstanding directors around the world. John Woo , Takeshi Kitano , Quentin Tarantino , are three different violent aesthetic schools in Hong Kong, Japan and the West respectively.
However, neither the aesthetic taste of Hong Kong's special period conveyed by John Woo's "Hero Series" nor Quentin Tarantino's postmodernist style can display such a strong aesthetic of violence in a pure and dust-free student society.
Japan's violent aesthetics tends to use school uniforms to create strong contrasts, from bright and gorgeous to complex and exaggerated, from quiet to spotless, wandering between rough and elegant.
In Japanese violent aesthetic films, in addition to creating contrast, can also play a role in exaggerating tragic emotions and creating broken beauty.
The Japanese have a special love for the "sense of brokenness". There is a "tragic sense of brokenness" in Japanese aesthetics. Many Japanese movies end in tragedy. Even if it is not a tragedy, there will be some regrets and they will not pursue perfection.
The tragedy complex is not only an inner psychological reaction of the Japanese, but also an aesthetic orientation of the Japanese.
Japanese people like dramas, tragedies, watching movies, reading tragedies, and even reading novels.
school uniform is the best tool to express sadness and pain. school uniform represents a series of beautiful words such as youth, vitality, purity, etc. In tragedy, it can create a sense of desolation. is the favorite one of Japanese people and often appears in movies and movies.
Japan's "Battle Royale" is a classic work for many people who love Japanese violent aesthetics. The setting of the film is: 42 junior high school students were told to kill each other during their graduation trip to determine the final winner.
But now the social ethics no longer exist, everything has returned to its original state, there is only the struggle for survival, and the ugliness, fragility, evil, selfishness, and nakedness of human nature are revealed.
received mixed reviews after the film was released. The director showed unambiguous scenes of violence in the film, showing the naked humanity in extreme environments with shocking images. used students' school uniforms and "teenage fights" to create shocking visual effects. When it was released in Japan, it also set a limit of under 15 years old.
Conclusion
Japan is a country that is keen on the "uniform" system, but no school uniform can replace Japanese culture. In Japan, school uniforms are no longer “only for students”.
In order to enable girls who have left school to continue to enjoy the fun of school uniforms, school uniforms have also separated from the original school uniforms and become a generally accepted personal clothing, and gradually developed into a school uniform brand for young girls.
Japanese school uniforms have been developed for nearly a century. From the perspective of this small element, we can see the social changes and cultural trends in Japan in recent years.
As for how school uniforms will develop in the future, we don’t know, but what is certain is:
The cultural connotation of student uniforms with contradictory meanings is deeply rooted in Japan and will not be easily changed.
The student uniform will continue to influence and create Japanese culture with the image of "sacred and secular", and will run through the entirety of Japanese culture.
References:
Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press: "Culture and Language"
Nanjing Normal University Press: " Cross-Cultural Communication - Hidden Culture in Foreign Languages and Literatures "
