Between Fact and Fiction: Gyaru Subculture & Media Representation

In the aftermath of the 1991 Japanese economic recession, a rapid wave of societal shifts gave rise to some of Japan’s most well-known youth subcultures. Of these, the gyaru or "gal" street fashion subculture has regained international attention in recent years. This thesis examines the history of gyaru subculture and the representation of gyaru in Japanese media from the early 1990s to the present day. Particular focus is given to the fashion, language, lifestyle, subcultural practices, and media criticism of Heisei Era kogyaru, kuro-gyaru, and Reiwa Era gyaru. This study shows how the portrayal of gyaru in non-fictional and fictional Japanese media have sexualized, dehumanized, racialized, and Othered members of the subculture for almost 30 years, joining a long history of the Japanese public criticizing major shifts in girls' language and culture.