Guys just wanna be girls
Mark Schreiber
Over the past several decades, Japan's trend-conscious urban youth have spawned subcultures known as "bosozoku" (biker gangs), "yankees," and "teamers." Writing in Aera, Yukiko Hayami -- a journalist who specializes in reporting on youth culture -- introduces a flamboyant new breed; the first, she says, in which guys mimic the style and makeup of gals. These young men are called "Center Guys." The name derives from Centaa-gai (Center Street), the main drag in a conflux of roads just north of JR Shibuya station.
The Centaa-gai district, lined with fast-food outlets, trendy clothing stores and shops hawking mobile phones and funky accessories, is the place for the capital's trend-conscious youth to hang out. Here, one can spot the Center Guys -- male versions of the already famous yamamba (witch), squatting by the curb or leaning nonchalantly against graffiti-scrawled buildings.
At first glance, it's not always easy to distinguish the "guys" from their female counterparts -- except for their deeper voices and Adam's apples. On both, hair can be any color but natural black. Ganguro (blackface) complexions, tinged a deep reddish brown, are highlighted by white eyeliner and white lipstick. Cheeks are adorned with decals of flowers, stars, or stripes resembling warpaint. They look like performers in a psychedelic minstrel show.
What is it about the Center Guy lifestyle that these fellows find so compellingly appealing?
"Life for men is a real drag," sighs one, a 20-year-old high-school student. "We don't get to put on makeup or dress-up fancy. If I could be born again, I'd want to be a girl, and work in a dress shop."
"I get all my duds from other 'guy' friends for free, so it hardly costs me anything," he explains. "Before, when I dressed up in ordinary gear, nobody spoke to me. But when I walk down the street dressed up this way, it's easy to make friends. It's fun. You know, the only way to get girls' attention is to imitate them."
That, then explains it: since the yamamba girls approve of this male concession to their own outrageous garb, it's natural for similarly attired kids to strike up friendships. But, asks Aera, what does that say about a fellow who prefers these outrageously attired witches to traditional beauties?
"Actually, I like those black 'witches,' " confesses another Center Guy, an 18-year-old university freshman. "If you put a normal pretty girl and an unattractive yamamba side by side, I'll pick the 'mamba' any day. My previous girlfriend was one, and now I'm hooked on the type. They're free spirits and I like the way they raise hell."
"They're easily susceptible to loneliness, so they dress up in loud fashions as a way of making friends," he adds. "But actually many of them have a strong character."
Although it should be obvious, it's also pretty clear the Center Guy lifestyle is intended to aggravate the sensibilities of the older generation. "My folks can't stand it," the young chap grins to Aera. "When they first saw me dressed up like this, they looked so mad, I thought they were gonna kill me. But I made it into university and am earning credits, so there's nothing they can do about it now."
