Via Anime News Network I discover that Japanese publisher Ichijinsha is to launch a new magazine called WAaI! boys in skirts. Those of you who watch a lot of anime will know what this is all about. And yes, it does seem to be causing a fair amount of heartburn amongst American males.
I suppose I should link to a report about Tokyo’s all-male maid cafe as well. They even have an English language web site.
It is a part of the maginalization of anime and manga that causes the heartburn to me. Part of the appeal of Anime and Manga to me is that it isn’t a genre like Moe. It is that it is diverse enough to let something like WAaI happen and Planetes do well. More ane more anime and manga are going towards very hardcore Japanese culture and that is seeping over to American fan culture, also.
An important omission from the article is host clubs– the real gender complement of maid cafes. Host clubs are staffed by men, dressed as men, and the clientele is women who are looking to spend an evening surrounded by subservient attractive men. They have, as well, a similar very unpleasant side to them.