Why do Japanese turn historical figures into “Cute girls”?

Why Japanese turn everything into “Cute girls”?

King Arthur, Warships, Horses — Why do Japanese people turn everything into “Cute girls”?

Is it because Japanese Otaku are such perverts…?

Hey! You must respect other culture! It is Japanese traditional same as Sushi, Kimono, Ninja!

Is it traditional? Sure! Because Japanese have been doing it since the Edo period.

Ukiyo-e “The Romance of the Three Kingdoms”

“Parody of Liu Bei (J: Gentoku) Visiting Zhuge Liang (J: Komei) in Wind and Snow” [Around 1820] (Art Institute of Chicago)
Artist : Utagawa Kunisada

This Ukiyo-e(Japanese woodblock print) was created about 200 years ago. The parody of the Chinese story “The Romance of the Three Kingdoms”. It is one of the most famous war chronicle where heroes engage in fierce battles.

And This is the famous scene called “Three Visits to the Thatched Cottage”. The main three heroes, Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei, are originally men but turned into women. They visit Another main character, Zhuge Liang’s house. He is also depicted as a woman. He is inside the house in the background.

Below is another Ukiyo-e by another artist Katsukawa Shunsen. He also turned three heroes into cute girls.

Katsukawa Shunsen “やつし玄徳雪中訪孔明”

Below is also same scene by other artist Tsukioka Yoshitoshi. But it is “not turned into cute girls”.

Tsukioka Yoshitoshi “三国志図会内” ,小宮山昇平,明治１６. 国立国会図書館デジタルコレクション httpsdl.ndl.go.jppid1301406 (参照 2024-09-30)

Which do you prefer?

Novel “The Romance of the Three Kingdoms”

Parody of The Romance of the Three Kingdoms “Keisei Sangokushi” [1830-1834]
Author : Bokusentei Yukimaro
Illustration : Utagawa Kunisada

Same story “The Romance of the Three Kingdoms” but as a novel with pictures. Illustration are drawn by same artist Utagawa Kunisada.

If you look at well, you can tell black things are letters. Maybe you can tell some hiragana letters. So try to read it! (I cannot because letters are so different from now.)

Novel “The Water Margin Outlaws Of The Marsh”

Parody of The Water Margin Outlaws Of The Marsh “Keisei Suikoden” [1825-1835]
Author : Takizawa Bakin
Illustration : Utagawa Toyokuni, Utagawa Kuniyasu, Utagawa Sadahide

This is also parody of famous Chinese heroes story “The Water Margin Outlaws Of The Marsh”. Author Takizawa Bakin is one of the most famous writer in Edo era. He changed setting of the story from China to Japan, and the genders of the characters have been swapped: male characters are now female, and female characters are now male.

This became so popular and published till three editions. That’s why illustrators have three different names.

As you notice, they have same name Utagawa. It is the biggest grope of Ukiyo-e.

This Author Bakin’s version is most famous but other author Itami Chin’en already wrote this girl parody at 1783. 240 years ago.

Parody of The Water Margin Outlaws Of The Marsh “Onna Suikoden” [1825-1835]
Author : Itami Chin’en
伊丹椿園『女水滸伝 4巻』[1],菊屋安兵衛,天明3. 国立国会図書館デジタルコレクション https://dl.ndl.go.jp/pid/2554633 (参照 2024-09-30)

Summary

So now you know turning everything into cute girls are our traditional cultures.

But why Japanese make those heroes into a cute girls… Why not？ Who hates cute girls!?

And these works were created by the top professionals of that time. To earnestly and seriously engage in something ridiculous. That is the same now as it was in the past. And we love it!