Latex or grinding? Cosplay, hip-hop or gothic? In Japan, subcultures bloom like cherry blossoms in spring. And once the Japanese have dedicated themselves to their scene, there is no stopping them. Then enthusiasts become passionate fans and people who live their culture – at home, on the street, today and tomorrow. Irwin Wong has photographed the coolest ones and, together with gestalten, created an encyclopedia of subcultures. “The Obsessed” is their stage and the following view is your amuse bouche.
Photos: Irwin Wong, design
The Obsessed
From hip Melbourne to even hipper Tokyo: Irwin Wong has called the Japanese capital his home since 2005, a home where subcultures bubble up like bubbles in mineral water. From cosplay to gothic, rockabilly, hip hop, lolita to anime: nowhere else do so many passions come together in one city that are as colorful as the maki and nigiri that the Japanese eat like their favorite scene. Irwin Wong and gestalten bring together the coolest, most unusual, funniest and most incredible fans and their stories in the book “The Obsessed”, a work that oozes passion and fascination from its pages. Irwin Wong & gestalten, “The Obsessed. Otaku, Tribes, and Subcultures of Japan”, ca. 40.-
Akizuki Ai
Sweeter than triple-sugared tea: anyone who meets up with Akizuki Ai for a tea gossip is celebrating Lolita fashion just like her. Tutus and florals, bows and ruffles, rose and pink and baby blue and so much of it that a minimalist would burst into tears: This is part of the Lolita movement, which celebrates sweetness, innocence and cuteness like the English king celebrates tea time. Akizuki Ai can’t remember a time when she didn’t roam the streets with her doll’s eyes batting and her head covered in bushes – and maybe that’s why she’s like the queen of the Lolitas, who would give up even the most beautiful hairband for a ceremony with Ai.
Tanganmen
Ozawa Dango would never have dreamed of creating her own subculture with her love of the Cyclops mask. But Chimo, as she calls her character, arrives. The masks sell better than ice-cold green tea on a hot summer’s day. Chimo is a normal girl who likes cool clothes – and only has one eye. In 2012, Dango celebrated the premiere of her alter ego at the indie festival Design Festa, where she was almost overwhelmed by the enthusiasm of the audience. If you’re looking for something unique, visit the Monster Party coffee shop in Akihabara, which was one of the first to celebrate Chimo masks on a large scale.
Kamen Joshi
The S on your chest and your fist to the sky? Yawn. Superheroines can also be different – as proven by the Kamen Joshi, so-called underground idols who relate to the cape-wearing Superwoman like Nirvana to the Backstreet Boys. Catwalk-style costumes, masks straight out of a horror movie and an attitude that scares off anyone who dares to question their legitimacy: these are the Kamen Joshi, anti-heroines as far removed from the mainstream as Japan is from Europe.
Grow Hair
Wearing a school uniform is all it took for Kobayashi Hideaki to become famous. Even as a three-year-old, the now 58-year-old was fascinated by the cute uniforms, which he was always denied. A ramen restaurant’s advertising campaign finally gave Hideaki a good reason to show up in his dark blue sailor uniform: Anyone who sat down at the counter in this outfit would receive a free meal. Since then, the gray-haired man has only taken off his uniform to wash it and is a real tourist magnet as Grow Hair or Sailor Uniform Grandpa.
Toriena
Who still talks about turntables? Toriena is revolutionizing the Japanese music scene with her electro tunes – but they come neither from the computer nor from the Transformer, but quite simply from the Gameboy. Nintendo is delighted, as this gives the 30-year-old console a new lease of life. Many people shake their heads at Toriena’s musical instrument, and she? She loves it despite – or perhaps because of – its 4-bit sound.
Curage
Latex is more than just a fetish base. In Tokyo, it’s actually art. Kid’0 is the founder of the Kurage brand and an artist in the processing of brightly colored material. Numerous Japanese entertainers rely on his expertise and his costumes, and Kid’0 also tours the world with his designs and a show without limits.
