When crafting the perfect female anime protagonist, manga artists and writers would often get inspiration from the aesthetic concept "Yamato nadeshiko." In pre-modern times, a Japanese woman labeled as Yamato nadeshiko was known to be beautiful and refined. The concept is so strong, that Japanese women strive to be Yamato nadeshiko in the public eye.
✕ Remove Ads
Yamato nadeshiko comes from antiquity. However, anime and manga writers and artists continue to model their female protagonists after the Yamato nadeshiko persona, implying that the ideology of Yamato nadeshiko is still important to teach young women today.
RELATED: What is Moe in Japanese Manga and Anime?
What is "Yamato Nadeshiko"?
The Japanese term "Yamato nadeshiko" derives from two words. "Yamato" is a poetic name for Japan. When using "Yamato" in Japanese poetry, it refers to the country of Japan and its culture and values. "Yamato" also refers to the pre-modern era of Japan (specifically before the Meiji Period (1868–1912). As for "nadeshiko," the word translates to a delicate and fringy pink wildflower known scientifically as the dianthus superbus. These wildflowers are similar to carnations, and they grow in Japan's highlands.
✕ Remove Ads
When these two words are combined, it translates to "a flower of Japanese womanhood." "Yamato nadeshiko" is an aesthetic and cultural concept and a floral metaphor used in describing the proper Japanese woman. Noble Japanese women are Yamato nadeshiko because they were raised in wealthy households and learned proper etiquette and Confucian ideology. According to Yamato nadeshiko, the ideal Japanese woman embodies neo-Confucian ideology: a woman should be submissive and docile in front of authority but still showcase her charm and feminine beauty to others.
RELATED: Does The Anime Industry Have A Nostalgia Bait Problem?
Sei Shonogan's The Pillow Book is a great primary text in pre-modern Japanese literature that best describes the concept and applications of Yamato nadeshiko. The text is either Sei Shonagon's journal or commonplace book featuring lists, poetry, and random observations she had as a court lady to Empress Consort Teishi from the 990s to the early 1000s. Through her writings, Sei Shonagon describes the life of court ladies, who strive to be graceful and virtuous, embodying feminine beauty and proper court etiquette. The concept of Yamato nadeshiko may seem outdated, but it continues to be embraced in contemporary Japan.
✕ Remove Ads
How Female Anime Protagonists Embody The Yamato Nadeshiko Concept
The aesthetics and values of a Yamato nadeshiko-inspired character are within some of the most popular female protagonists in anime and manga. The Yamato nadeshiko trope is in the female protagonists of romantic comedies. Female protagonists like Sawako Kuronuma from Kimi ni Todoke and Tohru Honda from Fruits Basket are soft-spoken, kind, and display a strong sense of selflessness. For example, whenever Sawako's friends, Ayane Sano or Chizuru Yoshida, are sad, Sawako cheers them up with her innocent antics. Similarly, Tohru shows empathy and kindness towards the Sohma family as they undergo trauma and personal struggles due to the Chinese zodiac curse. For instance, when Kyo Sohma transforms into a monstrous beast, Tohru willingly accepts Kyo for his scars and insecurities. Sawako and Tohru are proper ladies for self-sacrificing, putting someone's needs above their own, and forgiving so easily.
✕ Remove Ads
RELATED: Lerche's After-School Hanako-Kun Anime Set to Debut This October
Similarly, in My Happy Marriage, Miyo Saimori illustrates strong Neo-Confucian values of loyalty and filial piety. Miyo obediently accepts her father's orders for an arranged marriage to Kiyoka Kudou. Miyo has feelings for Kouji Tatsuishi, but she brushes those feelings aside when she gets into an arranged marriage. When arriving at the Kudou household, she instantly situates herself in doing the household chores even though she now has servants to do those tasks. Furthermore, she obediently follows any order that Kudou has since he is the head of the household, and she constantly apologizes to Kudou for her clumsiness and for not living up to being the ideal proper Japanese woman. Miyo has a strong sense of loyalty and respect towards her family and the male authoritative figures within her life. She marries Kudou to increase her family’s reputation and wealth, even though her family mistreated her since childhood. Set in the Meiji Restoration, Miyo's freedom is confined to the household and the orders of a male figure; thus, she still upholds the Yamato nadeshiko persona.
✕ Remove Ads
The Modern "Yamato Nadeshiko"
Today, the concept of Yamato nadeshiko is a bit controversial. What was once an honorable title for a woman is now an outdated title that encourages the traditional gender role of women. However, anime and manga writers embrace the Yamato nadeshiko persona in their female protagonists and add a modern twist to it. For example, in My Happy Marriage, Miyo is a people-pleaser; rather than asserting herself in conversations, she just timidly obeys orders even if she disagrees with them. Yet, when Miyo's younger sister, Kaya, orders her to break up with Kudou, Miyo refuses. Miyo shows her bravery and a willingness to undergo torture for what she wants. Through Miyo's character, she illustrates her power of choice by putting her needs above others, breaking that submissive female identity.
✕ Remove Ads
RELATED: Mushoku Tensei: Was Buying Juliette The Right Thing For Rudeus to Do?
Likewise, in Tomoko Hayakawa's The Wallflower, the main female character, Sunako, isolates herself from society and shuns all forms of beauty after being rejected by her crush at school. As a result, four handsome high school boys get hired to teach Sunako how to become a proper lady and gain self-confidence in herself. These young guys teach Sunako how to dress and speak like a lady, reflecting on the values and etiquettes of a Yamato nadeshiko. However, the series goes beyond traditional gender norms of a woman by also showing that a proper woman can be assertive and strong. For example, whenever the young guys get in a fight, Sunako would lend her physical strength to help them. In My Happy Marriage and The Wallflower, female protagonists learn the proper mannerisms and behaviors of a Yamato nadeshiko. However, the series also emphasizes the importance of independence and self-confidence within young women, which is a contemporary value.
✕ Remove Ads
The concept of Yamato nadeshiko is a great way of adding identity to female characters in anime and manga. Series like The Wallflower and My Happy Marriage pay homage to Japan's traditional feminine values while also incorporating feminism ideology, showcasing to audiences that women can be more than submissive domestic housewives. As a result, female protagonists are well-developed characters combining modern feminism with the traditional Yamato nadeshiko persona.
