"The schoolgirl is the main driver of Japan's Gross National Cool, and Brian Ashcraft's book is the best source for those hoping to understand why." —Chris Baker,
WIRED
Magazine
Japanese Schoolgirl Confidential
takes you beyond the realm of everyday girls to the world of the iconic Japanese schoolgirl craze that is sweeping the globe.
For years, Japanese schoolgirls have appeared in hugely-popular anime and manga series such as
Dragon Ball, Sailor Moon, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya,
and
Blood: The Last Vampire
. These girls are literally showing up everywhere—in movies, magazines, video games, advertising, and music.
Magazine has kept an eye on the trends emerging from these stylish teens, following kick-ass schoolgirl characters in videogames like
Street Fighter
and assassin schoolgirls in movies like Quentin Tarantino's
Kill Bill
.
By talking to Japanese women, including former and current J-Pop idols, well-known actresses, models, writers, and artists—along with famous Japanese film directors, historians and marketers—authors Brian Ashcraft and Shoko Ueda (who have both contributed to
's "Japanese Schoolgirl Watch" columns) reveal the true story behind Japan's schoolgirl obsessions.
You'll learn the origins of the schoolgirls' unusual attire, and how they are becoming a global brand used to sell everything from kimchi to insurance. In
, you'll discover:
Sailor-suited pop-idols
Cult movie vixens
Schoolgirl shopping power
The latest uniform fashions
Japanese schoolgirls are a symbol of girl empowerment.
shows why they are so intensely cool. Don't miss this essential book on the Japanese youth culture craze that is driving today's pop culture worldwide.
"Whether your preferred schoolgirl is more the upstanding heroine Sailor Moon or the vengeful, weapon-wielding Gogo Yubari of Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill, Vol. 1, you'll come away well versed." —
Publishers Weekly