Favourite read (- or the modern samurai)

... is a Japanes men`s magazine. Why the hell would I want to read a magazine that is destined to men and which texts I can`t entirely understand? Well, maybe because this magazine is a mirror of a phenomenon on Japanese streets that amazes, amuses, baffles me over and over again. It`s the gyaru otoko which translates to "girl man". This is a funny expression, but right smack on the money... They are also called "Centaa Guys" which stands for "Shibuya Center Guys". That`s because Shibuya is their Mekka, that`s where you find them in the greatest density and where their favorite stores are located, like the 109 shopping mall at Shibuya crossing.
Shibuya is the absolutely, unchallengedly best place for people watching I`ve ever been to. For someone who is not yet used to Japanese style, it would probably be a visual overkill... I sometimes fo to Shibuya for studying Japanese. There`s a nice cafe with tables along the window, a perfect spot to study in peace and quiet and still be able to have some fun when you get a little tired of grammar exercises. The parading Shibuya fashion crowd is the best possible break from studies.
But back to the magazine for the modern samurai... It`s content? 90% Fashion, fashion, fashion, hairstyles, accessories and cosmetics. Besides a few pictures of hot chicks in bikinis to prove that the magazine is not destined at gays as one might suspect. And street style pictures from, yes Shibuya to demonstrate that the looks in the fashion pictures are not magazine fiction, but coming directly from the streets. The magazine is completed with adds from fashion brands of course, beauty treatements and plastic surgery to top it. I sent a copy of the magazine to my sister as a gift and she found it hilarious despite not understanding a written word. I am somewhat used to that style, so it`s less shocking to see those pictures, but still very funny.
It`s a certain age group (students) that shows those styles, because applying for any white collar job you would much probably be refused for displaying those " `80s rockstar" hairstyles. Although I know guys who had to cut their hair and dye it back to black for the office, but still maintain the rest of the "bling" when being off work. Bling meaning the over-lenght shoes with sharp toes pointed upwards, supertight, preferably torn trousers, prints being an asset, fur lines short jackets, over-sized sunglasses (day and night), bracelets, piercings, rings, armrings, big girls handbags, etc... Try walking around like that at night in certain European cities and you can be sure that you will get beaten up from some homophobes.
Not that the Centaa guys are gay, appearances are very misleading here. They are usually the ones who do "Nampa" as well, a kind of random pick-up on the streets. The technique is the following: Gather a couple of friends who look equally hot as you around you and stand next to a place that attracts lots of girls. Shoe shops, accessory shops, etc. Whenever a reasonable looking girl approaches you quickly decide which one of you attacks and your candidate then steps out to get her number. Talk to as many girls as possible, don`t be picky. Nampa is success through mass not class, it`s the mass mailing of flirt techniques. Needless to say that watching Nampa from a distance is quite hilarious. I gave up thinking that the girly guys are gay after being asked by one of them early in my Japan stay last year whether I wanted to play some sex games...
In Japan the men`s hairstyling business could be equally profitable as the women`s. I mean the Japanese do have really good thick hair and they have lots of cool looking hairstyles. But there is definitely a too much. That fringy long blond dyed hair, sticking out to all sides due to massive amounts of styling foam worn over a "trying hard to be lascive" facial expression is somewhat on the edge... "Gatsby" the most popular hair styling products brand is represented by the omnipresent Kimutaku (see Post "The talented Mr Kimura), Samourai shows a more target group face - the modern samurai is obviously looking nothing like those warrior types as seen in the movies. The modern samurai however is daring as well, daring by wearing that metro look with pride...
That look seems to be rather popular with Japanese women though. Most popstars have at least some of those attributes, younger tv stars as well. And in the "rent-a-boy" industry, the host clubs - according to the large adds and the groups of hosts you sometimes see in Shinjuku, this is the look that "sells".
In all fairness I have to say that this is not the look of the majority of young Japanese. But they are certainly one of the phenomen that you notice first and gasp at even after a longer stay here. While the stereotype of Japanese back home is that they are all wearing business suits, have the same hair cut and look plain - or the nutsy tourist type wearing sandals for a mountain treck, you quickly notice that people here are extremely fashion concious. Actually like nowhere else I`ve been before. Saying that Japan is the most fashionable nation on the planet probably holds true. Very daring, very fashion-forward and a lot of really, really cool styles. So the excesses shall be forgiven...