The Japanese schoolgirl star even comes with a personalised CD so you can listen to her calling you by name.

Ever since the trailer for PlayStation’s VR title Summer Lesson was shown at the Tokyo Game Show last year, people have been dreaming up ways of getting close to Hikari Miyamoto, the star of the virtual reality game.

Now there’s a way for fans to bring the video game character out of the virtual reality world and into their homes, with a brand new life-sized figurine of the star produced by Bandai and Tamashii Nations.

Standing at 165 centimetres (5 foot, 3 inches) tall, Hikari comes dressed in her signature school uniform, with incredible attention to detail that can be seen in her realistic eyes, hair and skin texture.

The model’s school uniform even looks like it’s made from cotton, and the student comes complete with an English Communication textbook in one hand, ready to brush up on her second language skills with her in-game, or real-world, tutor.

Adding to the realism is a pair of standard-issue school shoes and socks, and an adhesive bandage just above her right knee.

Not only does the figure look real, but she aims to sound real too, as she comes complete with a personal letter and a 10-15 minute recording that plays a personalised message from her to you, where she specifically mentions you by name.

▼ Hikari is ready to welcome you home from a long day at work, complete with vocal stylings.

Created with a high-precision 3-D printer, each life-size model is carefully crafted with utmost attention to detail. The high-quality figure also comes with a high price tag of 2.916 million yen (US$26,248). For those unable to splurge their savings on the life-size model, the figurine will also be available in a more affordable one-eighth scale version in August for 9,504 yen (US$85.60). Both figures also come with a code to download a bikini DLC outfit for the character in the game world, however, the smaller model doesn’t come with a personalised letter or CD.

While the official delivery date for the life-size figurine is yet to be revealed, registrations are currently being accepted online from those wishing to make a purchase. Before making an application, however, Hikari asks would-be buyers to be careful about three things. Firstly, they should check that they have enough space for her in their home. Secondly, Hikari asks whether the buyer has informed their family about the purchase, saying “They’ll be surprised to see me if I show up suddenly, so be sure to tell them first”. Lastly, they should check their wallet to make sure the purchase doesn’t send them broke. As she says, “If you wind up with hardly any money like me, you’ll be in trouble!”

Once you’ve checked off all those things, you have Hikari’s blessing to make the purchase, and then you can join the ranks of rare figurine owners like this fan, who welcomed a life-size anime character into his home last year.

Source, images: Tamashii

The Ojo-sama is the newest addition to the growing field of schoolgirl-style pajamas.

In Japan, it’s customary for students to have two different uniforms that they wear during the school year. One is for the colder weather of autumn and winter, and the other is for spring and summer, when the longer hours of sunlight and higher humidity necessitate lighter, breezier clothing.

So it’s only fitting that Bibi Lab, makers of the Sera Kore (“Sailor Collection”) line of sailor suit roomwear/pajamas, has just released a new model. Previously, the brand’s designers have shown their thorough knowledge of schoolgirl style with variations that represent different historical periods of Japanese sailor suit fashion, and this time Bibi Lab has decided to focus on a specific type of school with the all-new Ojo-sama-kei, or “Highborn Young Lady” Sera Kore outfit.

The one-piece Ojo-sama Sera Kore gets its name from the jumper skirt design. Teens being teens, many Japanese high schoolers try to get around their schools’ dress codes by rolling up or sagging their so that they differ from the standard length, wearing non-regulation dress shirts, or a number of other subtle forms of expression and/or rebellion. A jumper skirt, though, being a one-piece design, presents fewer opportunities to, well, skirt the rules, and as such it’s mentally associated with the sort of old-fashioned, traditional schools that blue-blooded moms and dads choose to send their daughters to.

And since art often imitates life, many manga artists and anime character designers choose to dress elegant, cultured or demure characters in a jumper skirt uniform as well.

The Ojo-sama Sera Kore is made from a 60/40 cotton/polyester blend. While some plutocratic parents might scoff at the very idea of wearing synthetic fabrics, the upside is that the Ojo-sama roomwear is machine washable, which is a big plus if you don’t have servants to ferry your clothing to and from the dry cleaner for you.

While actual Japanese school uniforms can be extremely pricy, the Ojo-sama Sera Kore is priced at 8,400 yen (US$76). It’s currently available from online retailers Village Vanguard (here) for 6,048 yen, and also Amazon Japan (here) for 6,400 yen, so even if you’re not a trust fund kid, this is still an affordable luxury.

Source: Narinari, Bibi Lab
Top image: Bibi Lab (edited by RocketNews24)
Insert images: Bibi Lab, Village Vanguard (edited by RocketNews24)

Versatile ensemble allows you to adjust the schoolgirl/historical balance to your taste.

Historically, the kimono was Japan’s representative garment. In the modern era, though, some would say that the sailor suit schoolgirl uniform has become as visually indicative of Japan as the country’s indigenous robes.

So perhaps it was only a matter of time until someone created the Sailor Kimono.

The multi-piece set includes a sailor suit-style blouse with flowing, wide-flared sleeves evocative of traditional kimono, made of a machine-washable polyester/broadcloth cotton blended fabric.

Two ribbons are included. The first goes on the front of the blouse, a common motif in Japanese school uniforms. The second attaches to the back of the faux obi (kimono sash), mixing some contemporary cuteness into an old-school apparel accouterment.

The skirt, on the other hand, has no salutes to kimono culture, and is a pretty standard pleated design.

And if you’re in the mood for an entirely modern look, you can leave the obi off and unbutton the kimono portion of the detachable sleeves…

…which will give you a rather nice schoolgirl outfit to use as a cosplay costume or roomwear.

The Sailor Kimono set is priced at 17,064 yen (US$154), and is available from novelty retailer Village Vanguard here.

Source: Village Vanguard via IT Media
Top image: Village Vanguard
Insert images: Village Vanguard (1, 2)

Now you can complete your sailor suit schoolgirl outfit with a school bag from a variety of historical Japanese eras.

Japanese novelty clothing manufacturer Bibi Lab has been catering to the shy cosplayer market for several years now, with a number of schoolgirl “roomwear” outfits designed to be worn around the home and away from the public eye.

We’ve seen everything from “rich girl” school uniforms to sailor suit outfits for men, but for all the weird and wonderful cosy costumes they’ve produced, the company has just realised there was one thing missing from their range: some true-to-life schoolgirl accessories.

Here to amend the situation is Bibi Lab’s new School Bag Cushion range, which consists of three soft cushions, accurately styled on Japanese school bags from different eras to match their existing Sera Kore (“Sailor Collection”) line of sailor suit school uniforms.

First up in the range is the black-coloured satchel, which was commonly used during the Showa period (1926-1989). Seen here with Bibi Lab’s Kogyaru Style school uniform, which was popular in the ’90s, the bag harks back to a more retro era of schoolgirl fashion.

After the decline in popularity of the black leather satchel in the ’90s, the brown leather bag came into fashion. With increased durability, this type of bag was said to be a better match for blue or grey school uniforms.

Rounding out the collection is the navy blue Boston-style school bag. Usually made from nylon and polyester, this is the school bag most commonly used by students today. Bibi Lab’s cushion version makes a perfect partner for their JK (joshi kosei/female high school student) style of school uniform roomwear.

Made from a cotton and polyester blend, all the bags in the range retail for 4,200 yen (US$37.22) each and come with cute handles and a school emblem to create a realistic look. Instead of stationery and textbooks, these bags are filled with a soft piece of foam, with the attached zip allowing for easy removal so the covers can be washed.

According to a survey conducted by Bibi Lab, almost 20 percent of respondents said they didn’t feel like they could wear a schoolgirl outfit in public, but they would be happy to wear one at home if they were able to.

With this in mind, the company is continuing to appeal to these shy cosplayers with even more items to make dressing up at home more enjoyable, including a range of schoolgirl “indoor shoe room socks“. These are designed to look just like the “indoor shoes” students wear in Japan while in the corridors and classrooms of a school building.

The socks retail for 3,000 yen per pair, or alternatively they can be purchased as part of a set, which contains a Sera Kore school uniform, bag and socks, for 15,600 yen. To make a purchase, head on over to the official Bibi Lab site, or check out their online stores on Amazon, Marauchi and Village Vanguard.

Featured image: Bibi Lab
Insert images: Bibi Lab (1, 2)

These girls expertly throw each other around the ring to help promote high school sumo in Japan.

In Japan, sailor suit school uniforms denote youthfulness and innocence, but there’s plenty of strength behind the image too. Take the gun-slinging schoolgirl from the 1981 movie Sailor Suit and Machine Gun and its 2016 sequel, for instance, or the fighting schoolgirls in Japanese pose reference books. These seemingly contradictory virtues of innocence and power make for the ultimate badass schoolgirl, and whenever she makes an appearance, we can’t tear our eyes away from her.

Now a couple of fighting schoolgirls are stepping into the sumo ring to promote the 101st High School Sumo Kanazawa Tournament, which will be held in Kanazawa, in Ishikawa Prefecture, on 21 May. Using the 82 winning techniques of sumo, which include throws, twist downs, leg trips and body drops, these girls do a great job of demonstrating each move.

Check out “Sumo Girls Eighty Two Techniques” below:

That’s a lot of information to process in two minutes! Let’s take a quick look at all the moves that appeared in the video.

1. Oshitaoshi 2. Oshidashi 3. Tsukidashi  4. Tsukitaoshi 5. Yoritaoshi 6. Kimetaoshi 7. Kimedashi 8. Yorikiri 9. Waridashi 10. Okuritsuridashi 11. Tsuridashi 12. Okuritaoshi 13. Okuridashi 14. Okurinage 15. Sokubiotoshi 16. Tsukiotoshi 17. Hatakikomi 18. Hikiotoshi 19. Okurihikitaoshi 20. Sabaori

▼ The”rear lift-out” (below left) and “lift-out” (below right)
are usually performed by picking up the opponent by their mawashi loincloth.

21. Abisetaoshi 22. Ushiromotare 23. Hikkake 24. Tottari 25. Sakatottari 26. Katasukashi 27. Shitatedashinage 28. Uwatedashinage 29. Ketaguri 30. Kekaeshi 31. Susoharai 32. Tsumadori 33. Kozumatori 34. Susotori 35. Ashitori 36. Komatasukui 37. Sutokomata 38. Kainahineri 39. Uchimusou 40. Sotomusou

▼ The “inner thigh propping twist down” (below left) and the “outer thigh propping twist down” (below right).

41. Uchigake 42. Sotogake 43. Chongake 44. Ukurigake 45. Kakezori 46. Kawazugake 47. Kakenage 48. Watashikomi 49. Kirikaeshi 50. Uwatehineri 51. Shitatehineri 52. Kotehineri 53. Kubihineri 54. Zubuneri 55. Gasshohineri 56. Dokkurinage 57. Amiuchi 58. Harimanage 59. Sukuinage 60. Kotenage

▼ The “Hooking Backwards Body Drop”
involves placing your head under the opponent’s arm and forcing them backwards over their legs.

61. Uwatenage 62. Shitatenage 63. Makiotoshi 64. Oosakate 65. Ipponzeoi 66. Nicchonage 67. Koshinage 68. Kubinage 69. Yobimodosh  70. Oomata 71. Tsuriotoshi 72. Okuritsuriotoshi 73. Mitokorozeme 74. Nimaigeri 75. Tsukaminage 76. Yaguranage 77. Ucchari 78. Sototasukizori 79. Tasukizori 80. Tsutaezori 81. Izori 82. Shumokuzori

▼ The Ipponzeoi one-armed shoulder throw is particularly impressive.

The High School Sumo Kanazawa Tournament has been held every May since 1915. The new video to help promote their 101st tournament this year is being supported by the two “Sumo Girls” in the clip, actresses Misaki Jimbu and Chihiro.

To thank everyone for watching the video, Jimbu posted this thank-you message on Instagram.

Striving for authenticity, the video was shot over three days under careful supervision, and an official Sumo Girls campaign website was created, complete with traditionally styled pictures, which have been used in newspaper ads.

If the Sumo Girls have piqued your interest in the tournament, the event will open at 8:00 a.m. on 21 May, and tickets will be sold at the venue for 800 yen (US$7.04) each, which is an incredibly good deal for a day of watching the sumo world’s up-and-coming stars.

Event information
High School Sumo Kanazawa Tournament / 高等学校相撲金沢大会
Address: Ishikawa-kenritsu Utatsuyama Sumo Arena, Ishikawa-ken, Kanazawa-shi, Suehiromachi
石川県立卯辰山相撲場石川県金沢市末広町
Open: 8:00 a.m. on 21 May
Tickets: 800 yen each (available at the venue)
Website

Source, images: YouTube/hokkokushimbun

The outfit comes with a sweet cap, a petticoat and a tiny hanger for storage.

From cookware to number plates, pretty much anything and everything in Japan has the potential for a splash of added kawaii cuteness. One of the most popular everyday items that’s frequently wrapped up in cute is the humble PET bottle, which we’ve seen in director’s outfits and even weird and whacky underpants. Those types of additions do leave a large part of the bottle’s body exposed, though, so now there’s a new way to totally conceal more of your drink in sweetness: with a sailor suit school uniform.

▼ The outfit even comes with a tiny hanger for storage.

From behind, it’s difficult to see any part of the bottle at all, with a cute beret included in the set to cover the lid of the bottle.

Underneath the skirt, a petticoat with layers of frills works to give even the slimmest of bottles a beautiful anime-style A-line silhouette.

▼ Who needs a doll when you can get your PET bottle to cosplay?

The sailor suit even has a set of concealed clasps, which allows it to “hold hands” with other cosplaying PET bottles.

While the outfit looks pretty, it’s also functional too, with a special lining to help keep your drink hot or cold.

The sailor suit uniform has lots of cute details, including a faux school emblem on the left-hand breast.

And to really catch the eyes of passers-by, the clasps can be used to attach the dressed-up drink to your bag, so it can join you wherever you go!

Retailing for 4,212 yen (US$37.92), the Sailor Suit PET bottle outfits can be purchased from Village Vanguard online stores, with deliveries scheduled for the end of May.

Source, images: PR Times

The inspiration appears clearly Japanese, but the garments’ origin isn’t.

Fashion trends tend to move pretty quickly in Japan. Past booms have included platform-style thick-soled shoes, imitation fox-tail accessories, and navel-baring short tops, and this year, the in-vogue look is exposed shoulders.

So if you combined that with one of Japan’s enduring aesthetic affinities, the sailor suit schoolgirl outfit, you’d probably get something like this.

The polyester dresses are available in two color schemes, both making use of the classic school uniform tones of white and navy blue. An elastic waist helps provide a neat, slender silhouette without giving up much in the way of comfort.

Feminine and dressy, but also with a dash of whimsical playfulness, these garments tick a number of the boxes many fashionable Japanese women have on their personal checklists when shopping for new styles.

But as much as these dresses might seem like something Japan would go wild for, they’re actually being offered by online fashion retailer OASAP, which has its offices in the U.S. and Hong Kong. The company’s English-language website officially refers to it as the “Off Shoulder Elastic Waist Midi Dress” and makes no mention of Japan or school uniforms, though the inspiration seems pretty obvious.

Thankfully, though they look like Japanese school uniforms, they’re not priced like them. OASAP lists them here for US$31.99, whereas on Amazon Japan they’re available for 3,233 yen (US$29). That’s far less than an actual Japanese sailor suit would set you back, and you can put the money you have left over towards buying fancy chairs to lug out into the forest if you’re in the mood to recreate the dresses’ woodland photo shoot.

Sources. Amazon Japan/OASAP, OASAP
Top image: Amazon Japan/OASAP (edited by SoraNews24)
Insert images: Amazon Japan/OASAP, OASAP (edited by SoraNews24)

Just in time for summer vacation, the Japanese P.E. uniform gets transformed into something for grown-ups.

Japan is entering its rainy season right now, but just on the other side of the that is the part of summer made for spending time at the pool and beach. So Tokyo-based swimwear manufacturer Footmark figured it’s the perfect time to unveil the latest addition to its collection of “School Swimsuits for Adults,” which takes the simple styling cues of the swimsuits Japanese students wear in P.E. classes and adapts it for adult use.

As with last year’s version, the 2017 design, called the Asymmetry Skirt One-piece, is meant to be feminine and sporty, but not overtly sexy or revealing. The short sleeves provide coverage for the shoulders, and the arm openings are tailored to keep the wearer’s underarms relatively out of sight.

At the neckline, the polyester/urethane material gathers to provide a bit of flair without showing off much cleavage. Down below, the skirt, as alluded to in the product name, has an asymmetrical drape to it, and is sewn in such a manner to always cover the hips and create the appearance of long legs and a compact backside.

Footmark says its target market is shoppers who don’t like the bright colors and bold patterns common to many women’s swimsuits, and who also want a single piece of swimwear they can use either for exercising at the pool or frolicking in the ocean. In keeping with the school swimsuit theme, the Asymmetry Skirt One-piece is offered in only two shades: navy blue and black.

The swimsuits are available in sizes small to extra-extra-extra-extra-extra-large, with prices ranging from 7,236 yen (US$65) to 8,316 yen, with the larger sizes carrying higher price tags. Orders can be placed through Footmark’s online shop Ukiukiya (small to large here, extra-large to extra-extra-large here, larger sizes here) or through Ukiukiya’s Rakuten store (here, here, and here), with shipping scheduled for mid-July.

Source: PR Times
Images: Ukiukiya

It turns out that high school girls look and act very differently now compared to a decade ago.

Japanese Twitter users are always keen to share their everyday observations about life in Japan with fellow users online. When it comes to discussing school-related topics, creative artists have been quick to sketch out some interesting comparisons, showing us the difference between schoolgirls who bundle up for winter vs. those who don’t, and the types of uniforms worn by schoolgirls in different prefectures around the country.

Now it’s time to take a look at schoolgirl life from another angle, thanks to this side-by-side comparison from Japanese Twitter user and artist @petit_flare, which appeared online less than a week ago.

最近よく見る今のJKと10年前のJK（現アラサー）の比較絵、私も独自の見解で描いてみた　もちろん個人差あるし制服の特徴とかは学校によっても全然違うけどあくまでその時代に多かった特徴の参考までに！ https://t.co/yYCyuz6IKB

—
さといも屋@3日目東7く14b (@petit_flare) June 06, 2017

Since it was posted, the Tweet has racked up over 220,000 likes and 130,000 retweets, with people loving the points made in the drawing, which focuses on the trends, fashion, technology and pastimes that have evolved over the past ten years for the Japanese schoolgirl.

According to @petit_flare, the schoolgirl on the right, from 2007, had the following appearance:

• Hairstyles were thicker up top, with the ends of the hair in a sharp, shaggy style
• Eyebrows thin and angled
• Ribbon tie had long cords
• Leather or nylon schoolbag with decoration
• Short-length blazer
• Uniqlo men’s cardigan
• Skirt rolled up at the waist two to three times, to give it a shorter look
• “Sock Touch” (a roll-on glue-like product that helps socks stay up on legs) required

The current 2017 schoolgirl, on the other hand, looks like this:

• Hairstyles thicker towards the ends, with a heavy cut to the ends of the hair
• Eyebrows thick and horizontal
• Ribbon tie attached with a hook
• A simple rucksack
• Long-length blazer
• Skirt made so that it can’t be shortened – school badge on the hem, a thicker, belt-like waistline that’s difficult to fold, double pleats etc.
• Socks low and crumpled

When it comes to technology, entertainment and social networking sites, the 2007 girl enjoyed these trends:

• Social networking and communication tools like Fumikomyu, Mobile Space, Real, Zenryaku Profile
• Taking purikura photos and then copying them at the convenience store. Scissors were at game centres so individual purikura could be cut up and distributed amongst friends in the group
• Bands like 175R, Bump of Chicken, Radwimps, Asian Kung-Fu Generation, Ellegarden, 7188, and Beat Crusaders
• Manga and anime series like Haruhi Suzumiya, Lucky Star,  and Hetalia: Axis Powers
• Niconico video sharing website had just been created
• Otaku geeks all had their own websites
• The dark past of Maho no i-land (a free website creation site service for mobile phones) revealed itself, as devices were hacked by Trojan malware
• Genesis of Aquarion anime TV series was popular
• Open-shut or slider-type mobile phones, no smartphones

In 2017, our modern-day schoolgirl lives with these trends:

• Social networking and communication tools like Instagram, Twitter, Line, and Snow
• Purikura photos are square. You don’t need scissors anymore to divide them (now they can be sent digitally to smartphones)
• Bands like One Ok Rock, My First Story, Shishamo, Blue Encount, Alexandros, Back Number, and Kana-Boon
• Manga and anime series like Love Live!, Mr. Osomatsu, and Uta no Prince-sama
• Otaku geeks now live at Pixiv (Japanese online community for artists)
• For now, as long as you have an iPhone, it’s okay

With high school trends changing rapidly, it won’t be long before we need another update from @petit_flare to let us know what’s cool at school! 

Source, images: Twitter/@petit_flare

It’s like Transformers with Japanese schoolgirls, only with panties, bras and breasts playing a key role in each transformation.

In the world of anime, anything is possible. From zipper-wielding superheroes to a talking butt that solves crimes, there’s nothing that the illustrated world can’t handle, and now that includes schoolgirls who transform into mecha at the blink of an eye, all while flashing their underwear.

The new anime, called Henkei Girls, or Transforming Girls, is so bizarre it’s being called “the craziest anime in Japan” by its Japanese makers, and judging by comments on their introductory YouTube clips, viewers are in total agreement.

What makes the anime so bizarre is the way that breasts and underpants become key features of the robot or vehicle that each girl transforms into. To ease us into their bizarre fantasy world, DLE.inc, the Japanese anime production company behind the project, is currently releasing a number of short clips introducing us to the characters and their transformations, starting off with a schoolgirl named Haru, who first appeared online back in May.

▼ Haru exposes her cleavage while giving us all a glimpse of her panties after she transforms into a fighter jet.

Last month, a schoolgirl called Rin appeared on the scene, in a clip that makes use of numerous up-skirt shots.

▼ Her underwear even appears on the vehicle she transforms into.

▼ The car has cleavage too.

This month, they’re giving us a look at a transforming girl called Itsuki. In their most risqué clip yet, the character coyly undresses before the transformation, with phrases like, “You want me to…here?” and “It’s a little embarrassing”.

▼ Itsuki’s weapon appears to be the “Brassiere Rolling Cutter”.

▼ There are distinct sexual overtones to this character’s transformation.

Bringing the character vocals to life are popular voice actresses Kana Hanazawa, who plays Itsuki, and Mao Ichimichi, also known as M·A·O, who plays Haru. The character of Rin is voiced by professional Japanese cosplayer, voice actress and model Enako, who is bringing her vocal experience from the video game world to anime for the very first time.

With five main characters in the series, we still have two more transforming girls to meet, with one being introduced later this month on YouTube, followed by the final character video, scheduled to appear online in August.

After they’ve all introduced themselves, it will be time to enjoy the CG anime shorts for Henkei Girls, which are said to revolve around “a world where seemingly ordinary high school girls can “transform” into various vehicles and robots.” Each episode will focus on a new girl as they get into various situations and use their shape-shifting gifts in order to get around everyday high school life.

While they’re keeping hush on the exact details of the anime, the popularity of these introductory video clips proves there’s an audience out there hungry for more Transforming Girls. To keep up to date with developments, check out the official website or follow them on Twitter for more details.

With so much love online for the new project, we have a feeling fans will be passing the time until the end of August with fan art featuring the new magical characters. Either that or they’ll be getting their hands dirty in their workrooms, crafting out amazing real-life transformer models like this one!

Source: Henkei Shojo Press Release
Featured image: Henkei Shojo Press Release
Insert images: Henkei Shojo Press Release, YouTube/DLE Channel (1, 2)

Students across Japan kindly ask any teacher who suggests this rule be looked into.

School dress codes have always been a source of controversy around Japan. With each school exercising their own authority on how long your bangs can be or what color underwear you must have, it sometimes makes one wonder if it’s all really worth cramming everyone into an arbitrarily chosen aesthetic uniformity.

For Twitter user Yuichiro, who was taking a trip down memory lane, the item in question was the humble ponytail. Generally considered a conservative hairstyle suitable for the office or other formal environments, one school considered it to be a tad bit risqué for them.

Yuichiro’s look back to his middle school days of 2013, has triggered a lot of discussion on Twitter for the reasoning behind it. According to his thread, a teacher in their 20s or 30s was behind the proposal on the grounds that ponytails, and the way they revealed girls’ necks, “conjured lustful feelings in boys.”

母からPTAでポニテ禁止の校則が出来たよ。理由は男子の欲情を煽る可能性があるから。って聞いて冗談か何かかと思ってたら生徒総会で紙渡されてその記載があった時は「何考えてるんだよ」って思った。やべぇよ

—
ゆういちろう@ずωだ通信担当 (@yuuitirou528) July 29, 2017

Yuichiro was unsure whether the older teachers were for or against the proposal but his mother, who was at the PTA meeting where it was discussed, said there were more than a few confused people with one adult commenting, “So, if I wear a ponytail, all the boys will be after me too?”

Yuichiro was surprised as well, because as a teenage boy himself he never really considered a girl’s neck all that interesting relative to other body parts. Young netizens agreed that the neck wasn’t all that arousing, even though some people may be into it…which they believe was likely the case with the teacher who proposed the rule.

“I think it’s the teacher who gets all horned up by ponytails.”
“It was definitely an old guy who had the idea that the napes of necks are sexual.”
“When I was a junior high student, I was not excited by that at all. I liked breasts.”
“So, pigtails are okay then?”
“Yeah… I’m not at all into necks.”
“Heck, some people are turned on by horses asses, but I don’t see anyone banning that teacher from school.”
“Yeah, it’s definitely old guys who are into necks.”
“The guy who thought up this rule is the one to look out for.”
“Does this make Your Name an adult video then?”

It should be noted that ponytail bans are not common in Japanese schools. Some schools do maintain a no-ponytail policy, but only as a remnant of very old and strict rules that no one had bothered to change. Most educational facilities draw the line at dye jobs or perms, and stricter schools will put the kibosh on untied hair below the shoulder line.

However, those are all more about imposing conformity than “protecting the female students.” In this case the school was clearly considering restricting the freedoms of female students based solely on the premise that male students are automatically suspected of being sexual predators.

So everyone loses, and therein lies the anger among young people. Yuichiro was – and still is – also confused by this proposal but in the end said he never bothered to fight it. He tweeted that his school was on the chopping block anyway, and this year has been assimilated due to lack of students caused by the country’s shrinking birthrate.

If only the previous generation had worn more ponytails…

Source: Twitter/@yuuitirou528, Itai News
Top image: Pakutaso

Japanese origami master shares folding steps to make something more challenging than a paper crane.

Aside from origami’s pure beauty, what makes the paper-folding art form so fascinating is its versatility, From a sheet of paper, even beginners can quickly learn to make such popular Japanese motifs as cranes, maple leaves, and shuriken.

Of course, those simple projects are just the beginning of what you can do with origami. If, for example, your skills are on the same level as origami artist Masato Kikuchi’s, for example, you can make a Japanese schoolgirl, complete with school uniform and knee-high socks.

さすがにこの展開図見せられても何も言えない https://t.co/c1zNwsmYIg

—
ksのK⊿ (@PSvndBguHfKPMTl) August 12, 2017

The amazing artwork was photographed by Japanese Twitter user @PSvndBguHfKPMTl, and shows an astounding level of detail. Kikuchi, a member of Orist, an origami club at the University of Tokyo, included the uniform’s sailor collar and ribbon, and also made sure the skirt has a series of crisp pleats. The schoolgirl even has a modest haircut that would keep her on the safe side of most schools’ dress code and grooming rules, and appears to be wearing a mask, perhaps to ward off germs so she won’t get sick before an upcoming exam.

And as if all of this wasn’t impressive enough, there’s the fact that Kikuchi folded the schoolgirl out of a single standard-size piece of uncut origami paper. In spite of having a near-mystical level of skill, Kikuchi isn’t a magician, and thus has no qualms about revealing his secrets, displaying the pattern to fold the schoolgirl next to his finished artwork for all to see.

While it’s a bold move for an artist to show others how to duplicate his work, Kikuchi probably doesn’t have to worry about a proliferation of origami schoolgirls from other enthusiasts making his creation seem any less special. Our brains are having a hard enough time just processing all those folds, and we’re fairly certain the intricate, precise creases are well beyond what our fingers are capable of copying. But even on that front, Kikuchi is willing to help, as he periodically gives lectures through the Japan Origami Academic Society, which lists its classes here.

Source: Jin
Images: Twitter/@PSvndBguHfKPMTl

New design and colors from designer with a knack for mixing sailor suits and swimwear.

With Japan currently on summer vacation, school uniforms are hanging idle in closets. That doesn’t mean the iconic outfits aren’t still inspiring fashion designers, though.

Moira Kuchikaseya, head of Moira Design, has repeatedly worked styling cues from schoolgirls’ sailor suits into her creations, starting with the aptly named Sailor School Swimsuits she unveiled last year. Originally available in orthodox white and navy, the unique one-piece is now offered in an eye-catching olive green. While it isn’t a hue you’re likely to see on legitimate school uniforms, it’s definitely an intriguing color for swimwear that manages to be eye-catching without resorting to intense hues or plunging necklines.

Moira Design has also rolled out a brand-new design for 2017, in the form of the Sailor Marine Swim. Unlike the Sailor School Swimsuit, which sticks to the modest cut used for P.E. swim class uniforms in Japan, the Sailor Marine Swim is bikini.

The two-piece swimsuit is actually part of a three-piece set, since it includes the jaunty cap seen in these photos. While the string-sided bottom is pretty skimpy, there’s actually a lot of coverage up top, with the draping color keeping the sun off the wearer’s upper back.

▼ The top is held in place by wide shoulder straps and a tie in the back.

While the snazzy olive color of the Sailor School Swimsuit isn’t an option, buyers do have their choice of pink or sky blue for the Sailor Marine Swim.

Of the two new suits, the 12,000-yen (US$110) olive Sailor School Swimsuit is the less expensive, though at 13,500 yen for the Sailor Marine Swim the price gap isn’t all that wide. Both can be ordered here through novelty retailer Village Vanguard’s online shop, as can the rest of Moira Design’s swimwear lineup.

Source: Village Vanguard
Top image: Village Vanguard
Insert images: Village Vanguard (1, 2, 3)

Cats may not be crazy about water, but that doesn’t mean they don’t look unbelievably cute wearing sailor suit fashion.

It’s sort of ironic that while high schools in Japan stipulate that students must wear uniforms, the schoolgirl outfit is so popular that some people look for excuses to keep the motif in their wardrobes even after graduating. That sentiment has brought us sailor suit swimwear, roomwear, and even kimono, and now schoolgirl-inspired fashion is going beyond the bounds of humanity.

Designer Mam recently snapped and shared a series of photos of her latest creation: a schoolgirl-style collar for your pet cat!

さっき見たら卒業してました https://t.co/5TfgAaNPiL

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猫首輪アトリエMam@ﾃﾞｻﾞﾌｪｽ (@atelier_mam) August 20, 2017

Sporting the traditional navy, white, and red color scheme, the collar sports a draping section at the back, and in the front there’s a kerchief for maximum cuteness, as opposed to the necktie that’s part of some schools’ uniforms.

女子高生(２歳/オス) 夏なのでセーラーな首輪を作りました⚓️ https://t.co/76LXdxRdv0

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猫首輪アトリエMam@ﾃﾞｻﾞﾌｪｽ (@atelier_mam) August 18, 2017

While the kerchief is actually pre-knotted, once the collar is placed on your kitty it creates the illusion of the ribbon being tied around its shoulders, with a little piece of crimson fabric sticking out in back.

Photos of the schoolcat collar were instantly met with cries of “Too cute!” and “I want one!” from online commenters. Luckily, Mam does indeed have an online shop, which can be found here, where dozens of her gorgeous collar designs can be ordered. The schoolgirl-inspired one isn’t available just yet, though, since it’s still in the testing stages. Mam promises that it’ll be for sale soon enough, though, and that she’ll make an announcement on Twitter once you can finally buy it for yourself.

おはよう～。 https://t.co/KPR3On0Qmi

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猫首輪アトリエMam@ﾃﾞｻﾞﾌｪｽ (@atelier_mam) August 22, 2017

In the meantime, you can tide yourself over with these adorable photos of Pino, the schoolgirl collar’s model…who’s actually a male!?!

But hey, if there’s sailor suit roomwear for men, it stands to reason that male cats can dress up like schoolgirls too.

Related: Mam online shop, Twitter
Source: IT Media
Top image: Twitter/@atelier_mam
Insert images: Twitter/@atelier_mam (1, 2)