In class we had discussed the way that tako is portrayed a cute a lot in advertisements and menus. It's become so big that it's rare to see a takoyaki stand without a cute octopus cartoon.
I want to look at not just cute tako cartoons, but other food that has been marketed as cute. Sushi and maki have also been subject to this "cute-ification," most commonly seen as plushies or cute accessories for young Japanese people.
It's interesting to see how Japan turns their food into "cute" and commercializes it. Even food many wouldn't consider "cute," like tonkatsu and curry, have been plushified or turned into toys.
I want to know if there's any reason why Japanese people love food accessories, toys, and tend towards the "cute" advertisements. Americans do this too occasionally also have fleeting obsessions with certain food accessories (pizza and tacos.) But these fads eventually fade out. However, the obsession in Japan has seemed to continue, or even grow. I think this project would be interesting to look into and study further.
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