Just when I thought I became numb to all the weird stuff in Japan, kegadoru, which means "injured idols" when literally translated, comes along and scores one for Japan. Yes, those maid costumes are no longer the favorites of Otaku fans in Akihabara.
Wrapping yourself in bandages and eye patches is now the latest fad to hit Japan, at least for attention-seeking girls. One girl explains why she does it.
"When you're covered in bandages, everybody pays attention to you and worries about you. They also provide a chance to start talking to guys, who'll ask you how you hurt yourself, so the bandages are really, really good," she tells Weekly Playboy.
She also explains why the guys love it.
"One guy into the injured woman look told me that the reason he likes it is because he loves the idea of seeing a thin woman's body wrapped in bandages because it looked kind of like bondage and made him want to protect her from harm. I think those wearing the bandages get on well with the guys who want to look after them because they don't want them to get hurt."
And they have more interviews in the article with a psychologist and a porn novelist, who both have intriguing and differing views on this trend. See the article for their views (linked below).
This may only be gaining momentum only in Akihabara, but I'm sure this will spread like wildfire to the rest of Japan pretty soon (since girls in bandages tend to show more skin as you can see).
[Source: Mainichi via GridSkipper]