カワイイ/kawaii : 未成熟と成熟の間で

Abstract

This paper argues on Japanese Popular Culture phenomenon, which is called kawaii(cute in English), largely diffused in global context since 21 th century. This paper examines how this culture is received and acculturated in reality in particular in France which is considered to be consumed the most Japanese popular culture. Kawaii culture tend to be represented as "immature culture" through Werstern modernist point of view in French media, though It is true that Kawaii culture is recreated and rediffused as Japanese legitimate culture, in order to use it even as public diplomacy, soft power by Japanese government after the bottom-up boom of this culture. Though this kawaii phenomenon, this paper reveals some problems and possibilities of the function of Japanese popular culture as intercultural communication tool in transcultural/global communication age between Japan and Europe.