Dakimakura
Encyclopedia
A is a type of large pillow
from Japan
. The word is often translated in English simply as "hug pillow". From a semantic standpoint, dakimakura are no different from Western orthopedic body pillows, and are commonly used by Japanese youth as "security objects". However, from a western perspective, the word "dakimakura" is primarily used to indicate the popularized image of love pillow
s with graphic illustrations of female characters of a bishōjo
style.
culture, leading to the production of pillow covers featuring printed images of Bishōjo
from various anime
or galge
. Many of these early otaku dakimakura covers were released through Cospa
, a character goods and apparel store which continues to release official dakimakura covers to this day.
Sometimes called a Dutch wife
, although the original definition of this phrase is closer to the chikufujin
.
featured an episode
where American actor James Franco
(as himself) is supposedly in love with a dakimakura. Jenna Maroney
(played by Jane Krakowski
) starts a fake relationship with Franco to counteract these rumors.
, which includes a Kasumi (from Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball
) dakimakura.
Pillow
A pillow is a large cushion support for the head, usually used while sleeping in a bed, or for the body as used on a couch or chair. There are also throw pillows , which are pillows that are purely decorative and not designed for support or comfort...
from Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. The word is often translated in English simply as "hug pillow". From a semantic standpoint, dakimakura are no different from Western orthopedic body pillows, and are commonly used by Japanese youth as "security objects". However, from a western perspective, the word "dakimakura" is primarily used to indicate the popularized image of love pillow
Love pillow
In Japan, love pillows are a subset of dakimakura and a type of inflatable sex toy. They usually have life-size pictures of anime characters or porn actresses on them....
s with graphic illustrations of female characters of a bishōjo
Bishojo
is a Japanese term used to refer to young and pretty girls, usually below university age. Bishōjo is not listed as a word in the prominent Japanese dictionary Kōjien...
style.
History
During the 1990s, dakimakura began to intertwine with otakuOtaku
is a Japanese term used to refer to people with obsessive interests, particularly anime, manga or video games.- Etymology :Otaku is derived from a Japanese term for another's house or family , which is also used as an honorific second-person pronoun...
culture, leading to the production of pillow covers featuring printed images of Bishōjo
Bishojo
is a Japanese term used to refer to young and pretty girls, usually below university age. Bishōjo is not listed as a word in the prominent Japanese dictionary Kōjien...
from various anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
or galge
Bishojo game
A , or , is "a type of Japanese video game centered on interactions with attractive anime-style girls". These games are a sub-genre of dating sims targeted towards a male audience....
. Many of these early otaku dakimakura covers were released through Cospa
Cospa
is a Japanese clothing company specializing in the production of cosplay costumes and other apparel for the otaku fan base. The company started in May 1995 as the child company of Broccoli. The name "Cospa" comes from an acronym for .-External links:* **...
, a character goods and apparel store which continues to release official dakimakura covers to this day.
Sometimes called a Dutch wife
Dutch wife
Dutch wife may refer to:* a long body-length pillow better known as a dakimakura* a Zhufuren, a wicker or bamboo pillow-shaped "cage" which is kept in the bed on hot nights to improve air circulation* a prostitute* a sex doll* a hot water bottle...
, although the original definition of this phrase is closer to the chikufujin
Bamboo wife
A Bamboo wife, Zhufuren , Jukbuin , or ', is the East Asian version of a Dutch wife, a hollow bamboo form roughly the size of a human body....
.
In popular culture
The NBC sitcom 30 Rock30 Rock
30 Rock is an American television comedy series created by Tina Fey that airs on NBC. The series is loosely based on Fey's experiences as head writer for Saturday Night Live...
featured an episode
Klaus and Greta
"Klaus and Greta" is the ninth episode of the fourth season of the American television comedy series 30 Rock. It was written by co-showrunner and executive producer Robert Carlock and directed by Gail Mancuso. The episode originally aired on the National Broadcasting Company network in the United...
where American actor James Franco
James Franco
James Edward Franco is an American actor, film director, producer, screenwriter, author, painter, performance artist and instructor at New York University. He left college in order to pursue acting and started off his career by making guest appearances on television series in the 1990s...
(as himself) is supposedly in love with a dakimakura. Jenna Maroney
Jenna Maroney
Jenna Maroney is a fictional character on the American television series 30 Rock, played by Jane Krakowski.-Fictional biography:Jenna was born Ystrepa Grokovitz on February 24, 1969 and grew up in Bakersfield...
(played by Jane Krakowski
Jane Krakowski
Jane Krakowski is an American actress and singer. She is most well known for her performance of Elaine Vassal on Ally McBeal, for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award, and for her current role as Jenna Maroney on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock, for which she has been nominated for three Emmy...
) starts a fake relationship with Franco to counteract these rumors.
Further reading
- An article on the release of a Japanese limited edition XboxXbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
, which includes a Kasumi (from Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball
Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball
is a beach volleyball game by Tecmo released in 2003 exclusively for the Xbox. The game is a departure from the rest of the Dead or Alive series which otherwise consists of fighting games and marks the first game in the series to have a Mature rating due to the very revealing swimsuits featured in...
) dakimakura.