title: Zoroaster

text: The Ahmadiyya Community views Zoroaster as a Prophet of Allah and describe the expressions of the all-good Ahura Mazda and evil Ahriman as merely referring to the coexistence of forces of good and evil enabling humans to exercise free will.


title: Zoroaster

text: Manichaeism considered Zoroaster to be a figure in a line of prophets of which Mani (216–276) was the culmination. Zoroaster's ethical dualism is—to an extent—incorporated in Mani's doctrine, which viewed the world as being locked in an epic battle between opposing forces of good and evil. Manicheanism also incorporated other elements of Zoroastrian tradition, particularly the names of supernatural beings; however, many of these other Zoroastrian elements are either not part of Zoroaster's own teachings or are used quite differently from how they are used in Zoroastrianism.


title: Zoroaster

text: Zoroaster appears in the Baháʼí Faith as a "Manifestation of God", one of a line of prophets who have progressively revealed the Word of God to a gradually maturing humanity. Zoroaster thus shares an exalted station with Abraham, Moses, Krishna, Jesus, Muhammad, the Báb, and the founder of the Baháʼí Faith, Bahá'u'lláh. Shoghi Effendi, the head of the Baháʼí Faith in the first half of the 20th century, saw Bahá'u'lláh as the fulfillment of a post-Sassanid Zoroastrian prophecy that saw a return of Sassanid emperor Bahram: Shoghi Effendi also stated that Zoroaster lived roughly 1000 years before Jesus.


title: Zoroaster

text: In the Gathas, Zoroaster sees the human condition as the mental struggle between "aša" and "druj". The cardinal concept of "aša"—which is highly nuanced and only vaguely translatable—is at the foundation of all Zoroastrian doctrine, including that of Ahura Mazda (who is "aša"), creation (that is "aša"), existence (that is "aša"), and as the condition for free will.


title: Zoroaster

text: The purpose of humankind, like that of all other creation, is to sustain and align itself to "aša". For humankind, this occurs through active ethical participation in life, ritual, and the exercise of constructive/good thoughts, words and deeds.


title: Zoroaster

text: Elements of Zoroastrian philosophy entered the West through their influence on Judaism and Platonism and have been identified as one of the key early events in the development of philosophy. Among the classic Greek philosophers, Heraclitus is often referred to as inspired by Zoroaster's thinking.


title: Zoroaster

text: In 2005, the Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy ranked Zarathustra as first in the chronology of philosophers. Zarathustra's impact lingers today due in part to the system of religious ethics he founded called Mazdayasna. The word "Mazdayasna" is Avestan and is translated as "Worship of Wisdom/Mazda" in English. The encyclopedia Natural History (Pliny) claims that Zoroastrians later educated the Greeks who, starting with Pythagoras, used a similar term, philosophy, or "love of wisdom" to describe the search for ultimate truth.


title: Zoroaster

text: Zoroaster emphasized the freedom of the individual to choose right or wrong and individual responsibility for one's deeds. This personal choice to accept "aša" and shun "druj" is one's own decision and not a dictate of Ahura Mazda. For Zoroaster, by thinking good thoughts, saying good words, and doing good deeds (e.g. assisting the needy, doing good works, or conducting good rituals) we increase "aša" in the world and in ourselves, celebrate the divine order, and we come a step closer on the everlasting road to Frashokereti. Thus, we are not the slaves or servants of Ahura Mazda, but we can make a personal choice to be co-workers, thereby perfecting the world as saoshyants ("world-perfecters") and ourselves and eventually achieve the status of an Ashavan ("master of Asha").


title: Zoroaster

text: Although a few recent depictions of Zoroaster show him performing some deed of legend, in general the portrayals merely present him in white vestments (which are also worn by present-day Zoroastrian priests). He often is seen holding a collection of unbound rods or twigs, known as a "baresman" (Avestan; Middle Persian "barsom"), which is generally considered to be another symbol of priesthood, or with a book in hand, which may be interpreted to be the Avesta. Alternatively, he appears with a mace, the "varza"—usually stylized as a steel rod crowned by a bull's head—that priests carry in their installation ceremony. In other depictions he appears with a raised hand and thoughtfully lifted finger, as if to make a point.


title: Zoroaster

text: Zoroaster is rarely depicted as looking directly at the viewer; instead, he appears to be looking slightly upwards, as if beseeching. Zoroaster is almost always depicted with a beard, this along with other factors bearing similarities to 19th-century portraits of Jesus.


title: Zoroaster

text: A common variant of the Zoroaster images derives from a Sassanid-era rock-face carving. In this depiction at Taq-e Bostan, a figure is seen to preside over the coronation of Ardashir I or II. The figure is standing on a lotus, with a "baresman" in hand and with a gloriole around his head. Until the 1920s, this figure was commonly thought to be a depiction of Zoroaster, but in recent years is more commonly interpreted to be a depiction of Mithra. Among the most famous of the European depictions of Zoroaster is that of the figure in Raphael's 1509 The School of Athens. In it, Zoroaster and Ptolemy are having a discussion in the lower right corner. The prophet is holding a star-studded globe.


title: Zoroaster

text: The Greeks—in the Hellenistic sense of the term—had an understanding of Zoroaster as expressed by Plutarch, Diogenes Laertius, and Agathias that saw him, at the core, to be the "prophet and founder of the religion of the Iranian peoples," Beck notes that "the rest was mostly fantasy". Zoroaster was set in the ancient past, six to seven millennia before the Common Era, and was described as a king of Bactria or a Babylonian (or teacher of Babylonians), and with a biography typical of a Neopythagorean sage, i.e. having a mission preceded by ascetic withdrawal and enlightenment. However, at first mentioned in the context of dualism, in Moralia, Plutarch presents Zoroaster as "Zaratras," not realizing the two to be the same, and he is described as a "teacher of Pythagoras".


title: Zoroaster

text: Zoroaster has also been described as a sorcerer-astrologerthe creator of both magic and astrology. Deriving from that image, and reinforcing it, was a "mass of literature" attributed to him and that circulated the Mediterranean world from the 3rd century BC to the end of antiquity and beyond.


title: Zoroaster

text: The language of that literature was predominantly Greek, though at one stage or another various parts of it passed through Aramaic, Syriac, Coptic or Latin. Its ethos and cultural matrix was likewise Hellenistic, and "the ascription of literature to sources beyond that political, cultural and temporal framework represents a bid for authority and a fount of legitimizing "alien wisdom". Zoroaster and the magi did not compose it, but their names sanctioned it." The attributions to "exotic" names (not restricted to magians) conferred an "authority of a remote and revelatory wisdom."


title: Zoroaster

text: Among the named works attributed to "Zoroaster" is a treatise "On Nature" ("Peri physeos"), which appears to have originally constituted four volumes (i.e. papyrus rolls). The framework is a retelling of Plato's Myth of Er, with Zoroaster taking the place of the original hero. While Porphyry imagined Pythagoras listening to Zoroaster's discourse, "On Nature" has the sun in middle position, which was how it was understood in the 3rd century. In contrast, Plato's 4th-century BC version had the sun in second place above the moon. Colotes accused Plato of plagiarizing Zoroaster, and Heraclides Ponticus wrote a text titled "Zoroaster" based on his perception of "Zoroastrian" philosophy, in order to express his disagreement with Plato on natural philosophy. With respect to substance and content in "On Nature" only two facts are known: that it was crammed with astrological speculations, and that Necessity ("Ananké") was mentioned by name and that she was in the air.


title: Zoroaster

text: Pliny the Elder names Zoroaster as the inventor of magic ("Natural History" 30.2.3). "However, a principle of the division of labor appears to have spared Zoroaster most of the responsibility for introducing the dark arts to the Greek and Roman worlds." That "dubious honor" went to the "fabulous magus, Ostanes, to whom most of the pseudepigraphic magical literature was attributed." Although Pliny calls him the inventor of magic, the Roman does not provide a "magician's persona" for him. Moreover, the little "magical" teaching that is ascribed to Zoroaster is actually very late, with the very earliest example being from the 14th century.


title: Zoroaster

text: Association with astrology according to Roger Beck, were based on his Babylonian origin, and Zoroaster's Greek name was identified at first with star-worshiping ("astrothytes" "star sacrificer") and, with the "Zo-", even as the "living" star. Later, an even more elaborate mythoetymology evolved: Zoroaster died by the living ("zo-") flux ("ro-") of fire from the star ("astr-") which he himself had invoked, and even, that the stars killed him in revenge for having been restrained by him.


title: Zoroaster

text: The alternate Greek name for Zoroaster was Zaratras or Zaratas/Zaradas/Zaratos. Pythagoreans considered the mathematicians to have studied with Zoroaster in Babylonia. Lydus, in "On the Months", attributes the creation of the seven-day week to "the Babylonians in the circle of Zoroaster and Hystaspes," and who did so because there were seven planets. The Suda's chapter on "astronomia" notes that the Babylonians learned their astrology from Zoroaster. Lucian of Samosata, in "Mennipus" 6, reports deciding to journey to Babylon "to ask one of the magi, Zoroaster's disciples and successors," for their opinion.


title: Zoroaster

text: While the division along the lines of Zoroaster/astrology and Ostanes/magic is an "oversimplification, the descriptions do at least indicate what the works are "not""; they were not expressions of Zoroastrian doctrine, they were not even expressions of what the Greeks and Romans ""imagined" the doctrines of Zoroastrianism to have been" [emphases in the original]. The assembled fragments do not even show noticeable commonality of outlook and teaching among the several authors who wrote under each name.


title: Zoroaster

text: Almost all Zoroastrian pseudepigrapha is now lost, and of the attested texts—with only one exception—only fragments have survived. Pliny's 2nd- or 3rd-century attribution of "two million lines" to Zoroaster suggest that (even if exaggeration and duplicates are taken into consideration) a formidable pseudepigraphic corpus once existed at the Library of Alexandria. This corpus can safely be assumed to be pseudepigrapha because no one before Pliny refers to literature by "Zoroaster", and on the authority of the 2nd-century Galen of Pergamon and from a 6th-century commentator on Aristotle it is known that the acquisition policies of well-endowed royal libraries created a market for fabricating manuscripts of famous and ancient authors.


title: Zoroaster

text: The exception to the fragmentary evidence (i.e. reiteration of passages in works of other authors) is a complete Coptic tractate titled "Zostrianos" (after the first-person narrator) discovered in the Nag Hammadi library in 1945. A three-line cryptogram in the colophones following the 131-page treatise identify the work as "words of truth of Zostrianos. God of Truth ["logos"]. Words of Zoroaster." Invoking a "God of Truth" might seem Zoroastrian, but there is otherwise "nothing noticeably Zoroastrian" about the text and "in content, style, ethos and intention, its affinities are entirely with the congeners among the Gnostic tractates."


title: Zoroaster

text: Another work circulating under the name of "Zoroaster" was the "Asteroskopita" (or "Apotelesmatika"), and which ran to five volumes (i.e. papyrus rolls). The title and fragments suggest that it was an astrological handbook, "albeit a very varied one, for the making of predictions." A third text attributed to Zoroaster is "On Virtue of Stones" ("Peri lithon timion"), of which nothing is known other than its extent (one volume) and that pseudo-Zoroaster "sang" it (from which Cumont and Bidez conclude that it was in verse). Numerous other fragments preserved in the works of other authors are attributed to "Zoroaster," but the titles of those books are not mentioned.


title: Zoroaster

text: These pseudepigraphic texts aside, some authors did draw on a few genuinely Zoroastrian ideas. The "Oracles of Hystaspes", by "Hystaspes", another prominent magian pseudo-author, is a set of prophecies distinguished from other Zoroastrian pseudepigrapha in that it draws on real Zoroastrian sources. Some allusions are more difficult to assess: in the same text that attributes the invention of magic to Zoroaster, Pliny states that Zoroaster laughed on the day of his birth, although in an earlier place, Pliny had sworn in the name of Hercules that no child had ever done so before the 40th day from his birth. This notion of Zoroaster's laughter (like that of "two million verses") also appears in the 9th– to 11th-century texts of genuine Zoroastrian tradition, and for a time it was assumed that the origin of those myths lay with indigenous sources. Pliny also records that Zoroaster's head had pulsated so strongly that it repelled the hand when laid upon it, a presage of his future wisdom. The Iranians were however just as familiar with the Greek writers, and the provenance of other descriptions are clear. For instance, Plutarch's description of its dualistic theologies reads thus: "Others call the better of these a god and his rival a daemon, as, for example, Zoroaster the Magus, who lived, so they record, five thousand years before the siege of Troy. He used to call the one Horomazes and the other Areimanius".


title: Zoroaster

text: The earliest recorded references to Zoroaster in English literature occur in the writings of the physician-philosopher Sir Thomas Browne who asserted in his Religio Medici (1643)-


title: Zoroaster

text: The Oxford English Dictionary attributes the English poet Lord Byron as the first to allude to the Zoroastrian religion in 1811 when stating-


title: Zoroaster

text: In E. T. A. Hoffmann's novel "Klein Zaches, genannt Zinnober" (1819), the mage Prosper Alpanus states that Professor Zoroaster was his teacher.


title: Zoroaster

text: In his seminal work "Also sprach Zarathustra (Thus Spoke Zarathustra)" (1885) the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche uses the native Iranian name Zarathustra which has a significant meaning as he had used the familiar Greek-Latin name in his earlier works. It is believed that Nietzsche invents a characterization of Zarathustra as the mouthpiece for Nietzsche's own ideas about morality.


title: Zoroaster

text: The German composer Richard Strauss's large-scale tone-poem "Also sprach Zarathustra" (1896) was inspired by Nietzsche's book.


title: Zoroaster

text: Zoroaster appears (albeit loosely-based) as “Sarastro” in Mozart's opera Die Zauberflöte, which has been noted for its Masonic elements, where he represents moral order in opposition to the "Queen of the Night."


title: Zoroaster

text: A sculpture of Zoroaster by Edward Clarke Potter, representing ancient Persian judicial wisdom and dating to 1896, towers over the Appellate Division Courthouse of New York State at East 25th Street and Madison Avenue in Manhattan. A sculpture of Zoroaster appears with other prominent religious figures on the south side of the exterior of Rockefeller Memorial Chapel on the campus of the University of Chicago.


title: Zoroaster

text: The protagonist and narrator of Gore Vidal's 1981 novel "Creation" is described to be the grandson of Zoroaster.


title: Gyaru

text: The term for was introduced in Japan by the American jeans company "Lee", who introduced a new line of jeans to their brand "Wrangler". When the women's jeans line 'GALS' was released in the 1970s; the term had been quickly used outside of its original branding and was adopted to describe the fashion by 1972. subculture was at its peak during the Heisei era. It had a large influence on Japanese fashion and its economy, its international economy, and its global soft power across the world through Cool Japan such as in Southeast Asia and internationally. Multiple brands branched out before eventually declining due to financial instability and changes in its target demographic. The terms usage peaked in the early 2000s and has gradually declined since.


title: Gyaru

text: This decline has been attributed to shifts in magazine industry, the exaggeration of the style in terms of its style use and progression, western media, and government policies. The meaning of the term gradually drifted to apply to a slightly older demographic whose apparent lack of interest in work or marriage resulted in these women being regarded as childish or as a hussy. Due to its past and its present connotation, it is now used almost interchangeably with ""; as the name of and its history is intertwined with the fashion subculture. Even though Japanese citizens have seen the style of from birth, impact, and decline, citizens have stated to have never had the intention of imitating the American style of daily apparel or of wanting to resemble it. Yet, it can be stated that this very same sentiment is argued against by other Japanese citizens.


title: Gyaru

text: The department store Shibuya 109, across the intersection from the Shibuya station in Tokyo, was a popular location for purchasing style clothing and was where this fashion subculture was most often seen. In the early 2000s, Shibuya 109 was considered the source of the newest and trendiest items or brands for , from popular and largely recognized brands to more independent local designers within that department store. Although 109 began as the primary source of style clothing, the style's growth in popularity saw brands branching out, having different brands of clothing being available at pop up stores, in conventions or through web shops that offered international shipping. Second hand and vending of apparel and accessories also increased their availability.


title: Gyaru

text: is a description of any gender, but is considered for women when referring to . Some groups and people follow a type of Japanese street fashion with many subcategories and substyles of which many types originated in the late 1970s. It is a fashion subculture that is considered to be nonconformist or rebelling against the Japanese standards of its society and beauty at the time when women were expected to be housewives and fit the Asian beauty standards of pale skin and dark hair. For Japanese women who saw those who participated in this fashion during its rise, they considered it a fashion style too racy and freewheeling; with some feeling it caused a ruckus, juvenile delinquency and frivolousness among teenage women. Its popularity peaked in the 1990s and early 2000s. They are also known for partying or clubbing, being rather provocative, being flirtatious, and unwinding and having fun.


title: Gyaru

text: Popular recurring models, icons and idols who may have been easily recognized during its peak were , , , , , , , , , , , , , and twins and . Other notable recently in this medium are , known for her magazine and online alias as and model , being known as . In Japan they are also both known for being models for Gravure from the books they have appeared in.


title: Gyaru

text: By the early 2010s fashion was typically characterized by tanned skin as it is considered a must in some substyles, they were also most often seen with highly elongated and decorated artificial nails. As for the appearance of a , dramatic makeup is considered to be essential as well in this fashion subculture or depending on which substyle one partakes in. The makeup typically consists of black eye liner, fake eyelashes, and sometimes a white eye shadow or a touch of that color is applied to either the inner eye corners or to the outer corners near the lower lash line of the eyes. This is to make them appear larger or to contour them to elongate the eye of the sclera. In the later years of this style, with the popularity of South Korea during that time the style would see the use of the South Korean makeup technique of increasing or creating a larger appearance of the under eye by applying makeup, such as highlighting the under eye and contouring the eye crease to make the eye bag appear prominent; this is known as . This should not be confused with periorbital puffiness, even though both look similar; one is a health condition while the other is done with makeup or by the use of plastic surgery such as botox. Also contouring different parts of the face to change facial features and highlighting the nose for a slimming effect is often done. Colored contacts are often seen especially circle lenses to change eye color from a distance and also to make their eyes appear larger with the extreme diameter of these lenses.


title: Gyaru

text: Hairstyling can differ from substyle within fashion subculture such as the hair texture, color or styling could differ from what one would participate in. Heavily bleached or dyed hair is most often seen; shades would greatly differ from dark brown to lighter shades of brown or multiple different shades of blonde. Hair is mostly styled either by curling it with a curling iron or having straight hair done by the use of a hair straightener. But some hairstyling may differ depending on which styles or substyle one would participate in; hair may be curled to create extra volume and heavily crimped up. The hair is crimped differently than in the West, this hair styling was called (); in English it means assorted streaks. This styling is named so, not only because of its enormous volume of hair, the usage of hair extension to achieve this look or even its use of an assortment of wigs to create this hairstyle. But this name comes from these streaks of hair that are made apparent by being held by gel. Since after the curling and crimping; the gel would be used to keep a type of hair streaks, that they were visible and these streaks would stay throughout the day.


title: Gyaru

text: Apparel for fashion differs depending on which substyle the individual has chosen to include themselves in and from where they would buy their items; this choice of brands can denote which substyle one is from or is participating in. Japanese street fashion brands or western fast fashion brands with general aesthetics would determine ones style in the fashion substyle depending on their appearance in an outfit. Some would have the luxury to buy from western luxury brands or even haute couture brands, but for most and even those who lived in Japan; they usually gravitated toward Japanese brands, depending on their style. Most of the apparel originated from Shibuya 109. A full outfit of only designer brands is not considered completely unless one is trying for a specific substyle. Yet, even those who participate in the substyle of wearing designer items do have different brands that do not all originate from the same designer, regardless of whether the brands are Western or Japanese. They would generally mix their whole outfit of different brands to create a look.


title: Gyaru

text: is a spectrum style. There are various subcategories of fashion depending on the choice of apparel and gender. The style as a whole is referred as a (); in Japanese or in romaji (). It consists of the most common way to name someone who is in style. As is not a singular style, it is an umbrella term for its many subcategories, sub styles or themes of since it is a spectrum style. The Japanese word for ( ) () translates to the English word type; meaning its usage refers to the fact that this fashion has so many subcategories and sub styles that it is indeed akin to a type or system of styles, in terms of fashion.


title: Gyaru

text: Often referred to as "foreign" or "western" and online as (). Women and even men who have found fashion outside Japan and have decided to participate in said fashion subculture; "western" includes countries also outside of the West, such as the Middle East. With the women who have gravitated towards this fashion by going or doing and its multiple substyles. While men gravitate to . "Western" or created their own communities or groups and forums which they communicate amongst one another. They also had lists of tutorials or YouTube playlists to help beginners to with their application of makeup and how to create the appropriate hairstyles. got its popularity outside of Japan due to the help of bookstores selling magazines in western countries and social media networks also helped the spread this Japanese fashion style further than its origin to other parts of the world.


title: Gyaru

text: That is not to say that during its popularity online in the past and even now that there is only positivity within its community.


title: Gyaru

text: Outside of Japan, most western participants have been subjected to websites dedicated to criticism of participants. Some of these website are currently active. These websites ridicule people's looks or appearance by giving them advice on how to better wear the style. A documentary has been made on YouTube, about three different Japanese street fashion styles and the journeys of these three participatants and how they navigated their way with these styles and the negative influences each of members of differing styles can come across online in their own style of choice. Even so, in 2011, these western or held their first event the ' Awards' which was created by an English with the online username Lhouraii Li. It was done to spread awareness of this style and to bring positivity back into the "western" community. These events lasted until 2014 with Lhouraii Li and these events were mostly done online. They were stopped in 2014 by the creator of the event, Lhouraii Li, due to online backlash against her online award show. Since 2014 there would not be another contest until 2016 where they were made into an event in the Netherlands and was broadcast through a livestream. Three years would past until this community award ceremony would be brought back in 2019 in the United Kingdom, just as in 2016 this was an in-person event and was only made into a live broadcast online for those not able to join the event. These contests were made so that one could vote for contestants within categories or subcategories of this fashion and gain Internet attention from peers by winning within a category.


title: Gyaru

text: During the early 2000s, most anime conventions saw a glorification of and presence as they held gatherings, meetings or events usually organized by their and fellow peers in these conventions in their country of residence or where the actual gathering would be held in. International and national meetings among members of the community were held on an almost annual basis.


title: Gyaru

text: As of late 2018, early 2019 there was a big boom in activity for the community caused by the comeback of egg magazine as well as a resurgence of in Japan. This has affected the community as well, as a new magazine had gotten published named "Papillon" in October 2019. The foreign magazine also made a comeback.


title: Gyaru

text: In 2021, the magazine 'GAL VIP' had gotten an article written about their magazines from Japanese website; it is the oldest magazines addressed and not the latest. Also in August 2021 a six-minute documentary on western or has been made discussing the substyle of and had been made viewable to the public through YouTube.


title: Gyaru

text: As stated before, the magazine "Papillon" was published in 2019, but there were two predecessors of magazines for before being "Gyaru-go" who only published on April 12, 2016, and "Gal-VIP" on September 1, 2012. They are both online magazines while "Papillon" has online and purchasable issues.


title: Gyaru

text: In 2012 the model Jun Komori committed fraud and helped with said fraud on an online auction website in Japan. She worked with the at the time thirty year old Ryusuge Suzuki, who was the penny orders section owner of the 'World Auction' website in Japan. She had to close her official web blog due to the backlash of her actions.


title: Gyaru

text: On February 3, 2015, in Shinjuku 'Lumine EST' mall three Rady shop staff were arrested and charged with both stealing apparel which amounted to 1,100,000 yen or 10,000 dollars when adjusting for inflation from various stores and selling it. This was calculated to be the equivalent of 5,000,000 yen which is 46,000 dollars; a grand total of 6,100,000 yen or 56,000 dollars of both theft and money laundering when calculated with inflation. It is stated that the crime occurred due to shop staff only getting paid about 880 yen an hour; the equivalent of 8 dollars. The brand Rady, closed its store within the same month in that very same mall in Shinjuku.


title: Gyaru

text: In 2014 a was arrested due to multiple cases of rape to gang rape happening within its and this would not be the last of these malicious ; in 2019 another was found with the same criminal delicts acted towards the members of their group.


title: Gyaru

text: In 2021, egg magazine created a video on their official YouTube channel by making a prank video and using domestic violence as the joke. They used makeup to create fake wounds or damage that can be created from the domestic violence and by the end of the video laughing at the prank video they made. All of the participants, models and the egg magazine model herself participated in the creation of the video, the decision to make it or complied in the creation of the video. The video shows the participants and models not taking domestic violence at serious face value. The date of the video's release was on International Women's Day as well as Women's History Month, which attracted even more criticism. Even though the video was supposed to be considered a prank; some of their Japanese and Western fans have shown their disdain for this video in the comment section. "Foreign" or community have come out and demanded other participants of this fashion subculture to report the video from YouTube. They also expressed shame that their favorite magazine, egg, had created this video without any forethought towards the actual subject matter or victims of domestic violence.


title: Gyaru

text: Following the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, clothing brand GALSTAR launched a fundraising event where they donated a percentage of their revenue to the Japanese Red Cross Society.


title: Gyaru

text: A regular pastime for is or in romaji known as (), is a dance performed mostly with hands and legs going back and forth from left to right and when performed in a group everyone should be evidently in synchronized with each other when performing parapara. It is mostly danced with Eurobeat music or covers of other song but with the aforementioned Eurobeat remix. Such a remix is for example songs from Japanese singer ICHIDAI being a famously remixed into eurobeat and danced to.


title: Gyaru

text: The one of the most famous parapara song and its tagline being 'GET WILD & BE SEXY' is synonymous with culture which was of a famous eurobeat song of the same name, by the group called Eurocker-Girlz also abbreviated to E-Girlz. There is a diverse choice number of songs that can be danced to parapara.


title: Gyaru

text: There are people performing parapara on YouTube in the past and even today; but the most dedicated channel to perform parapara on YouTube is the YouTube channel () or 'Para Para Yurakucho@Hong Kong', they are still active to this day. Another active platform with eurobeat has its own website that is being regularly updated by enthusiasts of Eurobeat on the website eurobeat-prime.


title: Gyaru

text: A common hobby is , or known in Japan as . These photo booths are often used by groups, couples, or individuals to capture ridiculous poses depending on the preferences of the participants. "Purikura" booths are mostly located in the electronic district of Tokyo, Akihabara, where they are a popular activity for both casual enthusiasts and professional models. In addition to being a hobby, "purikura" booths can be used as a way into magazines. Photos taken in these booths are used by magazines to scout for amateur models (who are often readers of these magazines themselves), referred to as () or () in Japanese.


title: Gyaru

text: A group of who often meet together to hang out is called a circle or a (), but can also be shortened to (). differ depending upon their membership criteria, such as gender, fashion style, region of origin, and age. There are two types of circles: (), small groups based around casual gatherings, and (), which plan, host, and have events with each other. The Japanese word () is a direct reference to the English word events. These events typically consist of clubbing, karaoké, purikura, going out to eat at fast food chains or restaurants, and showing their outfits off to one another.


title: Gyaru

text: One of the most famous groups is "Angeleek", which consisted of at least twelve members who predominantly wore . They have been promoted numerous times in egg magazine and on national Japanese television. Another prominent in the same district of Tokyo is Shibuya's "НЯК," also known by their Japanese name, . It boasted Shibuya's largest , with over a thousand members. As of 2021, Nachu, the leader of this , still has a website. "НЯК" has also made their own music. have seen a recent revival as of the 2010s with the creation of the newer group, "Black Diamond".


title: Gyaru

text: have their own themed cafés. Similar to maid cafés, waitresses wear attire and exhibit exaggerated personas in addition to other themed rituals. For instance, a general rule in cafés is the prohibition of polite honorific speech (). Other cafés, such as galcafé 10sion, offer services such as the chance to wear makeup or receive a full makeover. Another notable café targeted towards the subculture is Beauty Café by GirlsAward. Created by the prominent fashion event GirlsAward, this café employs reader models () as an additional draw.


title: Gyaru

text: There are many genres of music that are popular for and are sung or made by or to . From eurobeat, to EDM, Trance and other genres of music or eurobeat remixes they are casually listened to by . Eurobeat remixes are regularly danced to as well with parapara written in Japanese as ().


title: Gyaru

text: Singers such as , and are internationally famous, and regarded as inspiration for many "s". Other J-pop artists that were considered to be essential to listen to were LOVE to LOVE, GAL DOLL, and Juliet. But these are far from the only musicians listen to there are many such as singer know by her stage name Sifow also known as who at the time, was not only a model but also a singer for J-Pop as she had been a solo artist when starting her music career as Sifow. She has already announced her retirement from the music industry back in 2008 and has now her own established a cooperation for the advocacy of health; which not only relates to food but also agriculture and dieting as a business, it is called: Office G-Revo Corporation.


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text: Prominent Japanese models or members who have participated in fashion may also attempt to have a musical or acting career. Debuting egg magazine model and well known model from popteen magazine, , known by her stage name as Milky Bunny, model also had a music career, using her given name Rina as her stage name. Debuting as a model for ranzuki, MensEGG and egg magazine and most known for her career in popteen magazine as a model, has also had a career in the J-pop industry as an idol under the stage name 'Pikarin Shiina'. She is under the management of music coorporation, AVEX Inc. Egg models and formed as a J-pop duo. Both and have not only tried to achieve a musical career for themselves; they created in 2010 the idol group that consist of only with the objective to achieve the same amount of popularity as AKB48. At the time of auditioning there were at least four thousand applicants for this group. This was then narrowed to 24 members and then doubled, creating a group of 48 members. Including the creators who participated in the endeavour, there were fifty members. The idol group is called GAL's ( GAL's). They have two songs in their discography with Aina Tanaka and Yuma Takahashi. In 2011 they also collaborated with girl group GAL DOLL to continue to achieve their endeavor of having an idol group with only members to have the same amount of fame as AKB48. A television program produced by egg magazine called GAL-TEN, which consisted of only models from that magazine, had their own J-pop single titled -GAL or (-GAL) in English. Another Japanese idol group (), which consisted of three members; being Ami Tokito, Gal Sone and Nozomi Tsuji. The group was produced by Tsunku by his label Inc. and the Hello! Project. Natsuko Sone, better known as Gal Sone, is known not only as a J-Pop singer, but also as a Japanese competitive eater. Being the most member, most fans have gravitated towards her in the group. To this day, most enthusiasts of this style gravitate towards her, as she still wears the style. The group have only one hit song, 'Boom Boom Meccha Maccho', which was released on 20 June 2007. One of the older J-pop music that should be noted is (), . It was the first J-pop group to be created from reader models from egg magazine. The J-pop group , debuted in 1997 and lasted until 2007. Their debut single is 'Love is real'. Members of this group were , and or known by their egg magazine nicknames as AKI, CHIKA and HIRO; they are gravure idols. Idol group YA-KYIM also have used a model such as in the music video () with . Lil'B is a Japanese musical duo which consists of singer () and female rapper (). They have created at least nine songs in four years; from 2008 until 2011. They should not be confused with the rapper Lil B despise the group and the rapper having the same stage name. J-pop artist in romaji (), she is known by her stage name , she is an artist that is known for her R&B inspired J-pop songs These singer that has fans and used to have the appearance of a , is Miliyah Kato or better known from her stage name (); considered a J-pop artist with urban influences who not only made pop and J-pop music but also R&B. Japanese rapper WISE is known to have both worked with models and other notable Japanese artist that have a following with enthusiasts. He has been featured in the past with two different Japanese artist with fame, even for enthusiasts, being Kana Nishino and Japanese R&B singer () . With Dear he had a notable model perform in his music video, . WISE and Dear would also make a music video with and other models such as Nicole Fujita for the song (). This was not the last time that WISE worked with Kana Nishino since in 2013, together they would create a song called: (). Another duo are Sakurako and Kaede from Sweet Licious. Another group of idols "s" listen to is Rhythmic; they had also a music video with . "Katy" magazine model made a music debut in 2011 with her song "mirror". Another music video that contains footage of is the song () from KG and singer Jamosa.


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text: A with a notoriety in music for are from the circle or "Angeleek". They produced a eurobeat song that was made for parapara. It is on the album () or read as "Meloraba" with an album that multiple such as famous and a fashion brand known as 'Rady' had produced their own music on said album. Another , that of "black diamond", are among the very few prominent to have built a career outside of being a . They were the previous owners of the "ganguro café", "black diamond" and have created music in the past. They also have tried to reform their as an idol group again when the new generation of "black diamond" began. This endeavour, "Black Diamond -from 2000-" has created music as well, but they later disbanded.


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text: In 2011 the Japanese musician Nakano; performed an album with a eurobeat DJ, DJ . ̄They worked together on the album , this album's singles would also be remixed into eurobeat tracks as well. When this album had been made, two of their songs from said album had gotten produced into a music videos; these were also performed with models. The song is still available to see on YouTube. In 2020 model Yuki Kimura had a collaboration with DJ Hello Kitty for a seven-hour livestream.


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text: Most of the aforementioned are or have been musicians; some are still artists with a cult following, while others are remembered by the community because of their music. But most of those mentioned no longer participate as musicians. They have either stopped creating music or have never finished an album since their debut, but still are, have or had a aesthetic and influence on the media during their musical careers. Some have had no success outside the subculture during their careers, especially those debuting as a musical act but having a small fan base or being only known within the subculture. Therefore, most of these artists have only single song in their discography.


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text: In 2019 Japanese rap group 'Zoomgals' debuted their career into the Japanese music industry; their group consist of six members with some already having notoriety within the Japanese music industry. Their name is based on the video conferencing program Zoom; as their first music video debuted their group with the use of the program. The group consists of rappers Haruko Tajima, Akko Gorilla, ASOBOiSM, Valknee, Marukido and Namichie. As stated, some of these members within the group have already been already present within the music industry such as Haruko Tajima and Akko Gorilla already being present since 2017. Rapper Valknee has also debuted her own career apart from being in the rap group 'Zoomgals'. 2019 was the year were J-pop and R&B singer, Thelma Aoyama released her song ～We are the world～ or ()～We are the world～. The magazine egg has been recently debuting multiple of their models from their magazine into the Japanese music industry; four of these models being (), (), () and (). All four are also most known by their magazine nicknames being: (), (), () and (). Kirei Suzuki debuting into the J-pop industry as an J-pop artist while Momoa Seto, Yūna Furukawa and Ami Oda have debuted as their own rap group called () in English translates to ; a reference to their magazine they work for. They have also collaborated with singers and rapper Doja Cat and SZA by covering their song Kiss Me More.


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text: Some artists have also created popular songs about subculture, such as MANON's "GALCHAN MODE". The Japanese music company AVEX Inc. has pushed towards a new artist within the style, being () or pronounced Kalen Anzai. She debuted with her song (). She was later first recognized by the style from her song 'GAL-TRAP'. She did not recognize herself as a or even what is now called "pos-"; this is a term for that are still participating post Heisei era. She is currently producing music.


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text: Western music has also seen and has given use to within their music videos. Such as British indie pop band Kero Kero Bonito's lead singer Sarah Bonito being featured in Filipino artist Zeon Gomez or known from his stage name Ulzzang pistol or U-pistol. With their 2014 collaboration song titled 'Kawaii Pink 2'. Within that music video one can see multiple magazine flip throughs of multiple popteen magazines.


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text: "Gals!" was a manga that had much influence on fashion, it is a manga that centers completely on the subculture. This manga has become once again renowned in the subculture of . Though it is said that a reboot of the series may be impossible. Other mangas having ties to subculture are for example: "Gal Japon", a slice of life manga surrounding the subculture published in 2010. The 2018 manga called "My Roomie Is a Dino" and has received an anime adaptation in 2020. The manga with deep rooted relations to the subculture and is an ongoing series is the manga "Super Baby"; it features a protagonist named Tamao, who lives near locations or near locations representing or are influenced by , such as the mall 109. This manga centers on fashion and subculture it started publishing in 2017. Debuting in 2017 and is still being published today, the series "Yancha Gal no Anjou-san". Debuting manga from 2019, "Hokkaido Gals Are Super Adorable!" and is still being published as of 2021. In January 2018, the manga "My Dress-Up Darling" had received publishing and is presently still an on-going series; this manga received an anime adaptation, which aired from January 2022. "Citrus", a yuri manga and anime, has a protagonist who is befriended by a character who describes themselves as a " in disguise".


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text: Many other mangas have characters in or related to . For example, "Peach Girl", a manga that started publication in 1997. The 2003 manga "Bijinzaka Private Girls High School" or , had a titular character named Nonomiya En, she is in a shōjo romance as well a comedy manga. In 2005 or in English "Galism: Love Supreme Sisters" manga was released. A shōjo, romance, high school and comedy manga. In 2009, the manga "KECHONPA" was published, instead of being a shōjo manga, it had a drama driven plot. Also in 2009 the anime "Hime Gal Paradise" ran on Japanese televisions and revolves around a main character who is initially ordinary but enters a high school where every student is a . In 2014, the manga and anime series "Please Tell Me! Galko-chan" is published. It mostly discusses topics ranging from gender differences, sexual behavior or body complexes and differences in both the female and male bodies. Galko-chan is the protagonist of this manga and she is a herself but she also has an older sister; who is also a . The manga and anime After the rain has a on chapter six of the manga and on episode 3 of the anime named "Raining Tears" or as an AV Idol on a VHS.


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text: A stop motion anime series named "Milpom" was created to promote the lifestyle, especially in its television pilot. Notably, the mall of Shibuya 109 is shown as the first shot as the scene in the pilot and is present during its entirety. But it eventually drifted towards other Japanese fashion subcultures instead of only centering on the subculture. It was released in 2015 and lasted until 2017, due to lack of interest and bad reviews from both Japanese and foreign viewers. The voice actresses of this series consist of magazine models, especially within its series such as Anna Yano who appeared in mer and KERA magazines and Saki Shibata from the magazine mer as well. But the most notable and voice actresses for this anime are the popteen models Hikari Shiina and Ai Matsumoto, they are also the very first characters to appear since the pilot and remain until the last airing of "Milpom". Hikari Shiina voice-acting Milpom and Ai Matsumoto voicing the secondary lead, Pon-pon; after the pilot her name had been changed to Silky.


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text: There are mangas that feature a or are characters influenced by this style but they are not considered by fans. These mangas are "Gal Gohan" which was published in 2016, the 2017 series "My First Girlfriend Is a Gal", "Don't Toy with Me, Miss Nagatoro" and "Cleaning" published in 2018. They have characters within its series, have the archetypes of a or are dressed and addressed as a within its series. But due to the nature of its manga, the romance subplot having an age gap between characters, the actual plot going to unconsenting actions towards the character or simply the participants of this fashion regarding these as not being the proper representation of what they want or want to be seen as representation. Most of these readers resent these manga series or their depiction of its fashion subculture.


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text: Other manga that have ties to the subculture but do not have it as their main plot point include the manga "Komi Can't Communicate" which debuted in 2015. Its ties to the subculture is the side-character Rumiko Manbagi. She is introduced as a in the manga. In 2021, the manga "Bleach" had a one-shot where they introduced a character named YuYu Yayahara, a lieutenant under Lisa of 8th division. She is portrayed as a .


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text: Non orientated series have also seen the appearances of characters. A non- anime, being the well known series "Pokémon" has also had a representation; first in the original anime within the first season on episode 15 called "Battle aboard the St. Anne" or in Japanese (); by the team rocket members, Jessie and James. They are both disguised as a mix that might now resemble to and respectively; but it is simply an early representation of at that time. The recent representation is in the 2018 movie "" a character would be present within the movies story; the in question is Risa. But the Pokémon series already had a representation; rather a representation by the actual Pokémon, Jynx. The only issue is that this is still in debate within fans and Pokémon company themselves since the appearance of this Pokémon in 1996 for "Pokémon Red and Blue" on the Game Boy and the series since. Another serie can be exemplified by the comedy anime "Mr. Osomatsu", which has a character called Jyushiko Matsuno. She is the female counterpart to one of the sextuplets. Another being the series "Skull-face Bookseller Honda-san" which has also had appearances of characters who are of influence; being two and one that are customers. The first being a customer that is also a Fujoshi looking for books of her liking; she appeared in the second chapter of the manga, named: 'Yaoi girls from overseas'. She also appears in the first episode of the anime; the other two characters appearing within later episode of the series as clients as well. Another non orientated series is the shōnen series "Sgt. Keroro" with the character Angol Mois. In her human form she takes the appearance of a . The anime series Great Teacher Onizuka has a group of students.


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text: When episode 6 of the mini anime series of the smartphone rhythm game named () or "Leo/need Style" first premiered on YouTube in 2022, it was accused by American or Western viewers of "doing/promoting blackface" and "cultural appropriation" due to a scene inspired by fashion substyle of perceived as being blackface. The next day, the episode was withdrawn indefinitely and a public apology in both English and Japanese was uploaded on the official Twitter account. The removal of the episode is controversial and many fans of the game and show, either Japanese and American, were disappointed with the company's decision, with some blaming SEGA for its "bending the knee" and "listening to outraged Twitter users who insist that everyone should respect foreign cultures while applying and imposing their own Western prejudices, views, puritanism and imperialism against foreign media and subcultures". The episode was reuploaded to YouTube on March 15, 2022, with some modifications.


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text: Some movies either center around or have a influence to give it either a cult following or for a nostalgic factor for those who participated in .


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text: In 2009, Japanese model Rina Sakurai from the magazine had a role starring in her own film and debuting as the protagonist of the movie 'GIRL'S LIFE', the protagonist in the movie Haruka Ichinose is also a just as Rina Sakurai. A renowned scene in the movie is Haruka having to choose a name for herself since she started working as a hostess in a "kyabakura" and after a minor disagreement with the hostess bar's manager regarding the nickname she originally proposed, she reluctantly decides to be nicknamed ; a reference to the magazine for which she models.


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text: "Colourful", the 2010 anime movie; does not have a as the protagonist but does have one as a predominant secondary character who is and has the issues that stem from being . Being the character Hiroka, not only from her appearance to her nonchalant attitude but , forms a major part to her role as a character and in her arc in the plot.


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text: "Flying Colors", a Japanese coming of age film released in 2015, has a protagonist, Sayaka Kudo, and examines her hardships as a and her attempts to conform to Japanese expectations and to succeed academically, such as being accepted into university. In Japan, this movie was well received in terms of cinema viewing and box-office revenue. But the "foreign" community, on social network services and in their written reviews, they indicate a dislike of this movie. It stems from focus on personal growth and its divergence from what enthusiasts expected to see from this film.


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text: The Japanese movie Sunny: a movie that came out in 2018, has the plot of a group of Japanese female high school students who are now adults reminiscing about their youth in the 1990s and during their time being . The thing about this Japanese centric movie is that it never happened or started in Japan; well the origin of this movie. "Sunny" from 2011 is a movie that has beats in term of the plot line instead taking place in South Korea during the 1980s. While having heavier implications such as the Gwangju Uprising and the democratization of South Korea as a country. As for the Japanese 2018 recirculation it is entirely about the whole 1990s , conflicts and just Japanese high schooler dilemmas.


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text: There are many commercial based products for or endorsed by them or their companies such as magazines.


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text: Among the many magazine ads were the advertisements for popteen magazine which had a partnership with the Japanese food company Ezaki Glico with their snack Pocky. These advertisements were called 'Deco-Pocky' which were sponsored by the magazine themselves to promote Pocky but by either creating new desserts or decorating the Pockys themselves into gaudy snacks. Pocky has also made Japanese television commercials with Tsubasa Masuwaka. Another Japanese brand that collaborated with Tsubasa Masuwaka but this time a Japanese candy brand for a commercial for chewing-gum. The Japanese chewing-gum brand (), from the company Kraft Heinz; made a commercial debuting their new flavor at the time. Other noteworthy commercial collaboration would be for the Japanese tea and coffee brand UCC Ueshima Coffee Co. for the commercial of their product of 'Paradise Tropical Tea'. The Japanese McDonald's company has created an advertisement with Tsubasa Masuwaka for a marketing tie-in with Sanrio characters, being the "Sugarbunnies". These were for a line of Happy Meal toys, that are hair accessories such as scunchies and plastic rings with their likeness. In 2019, a Japanese restaurant and café made use of the subculture to promote its location with the use of desserts that are catered to the Heisei era demographic by having a parfait titled .


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text: Japanese fashion brands have also had a way to create commercials to promote their own brand. For example, the brand 'Rady' created their own J-pop and eurobeat-esque song to promote their brand.


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text: Other commercials where Tsubasa Masuwaka participated in were for example, a Valentine's Day-related commercial for Universal Music Japan, a commercial that is for at the time a streaming service or digital music distributing platform to purchase particular songs curated for Valentine's Day from Universal Music Japan. Japanese general merchandise and department store Ito-Yokado made an umbrella commercial with Tsubasa Masuwaka for their subsidiary company Seven & I Holdings. The Japanese fast fashion brand Uniqlo made a brand deal with many famous Japanese entertainers or either people to act positively about their new puffer-jacket; it is to note that Tsubasa Masuwaka herself makes an appearance for her endorsment of the clothing product.


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text: Various endorsement of cosmetic products, ranging from different makeup products to false eyelashes from non owned cosmetic companies to created and owned cosmetic companies were immense during the Hesei era.


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text: A owned cosmetic company would be Tsubasa Masuwaka's cosmetic line of () " and false eyelash brand () ". Both of these cosmetic brands are manufactured and sold by the Japanese company (). Both of these brands still exist but with a different packaging and for a different clientele. The cosmetic company () also known by its license name (); best known for their false eyelash brand () released many commercials during the 2010s with many models from that time period. Out of many models used in these commercials most notably are: (), (), (), () and ().


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text: Japanese fashion brands have also had a way to create commercials to promote their own brand. For example, the brand 'Rady' created their own J-pop and eurobeat-esque song to promote their brand. Their song is featured on an album featuring various artists. and the brand LADYMADE often used models in their music videos at the time, such as model Yuka Obara. Another brand COCO*LULU also creating a J-Pop girl group called COCO-GIRL, to promote their very own brand as well. This J-pop group consisted of notable models of that time; such as: (), (), () and () or better known from their magazine nicknames as (), (), () and (). They do not participate in the same magazine, Anri Nakajima and Nicole Fujita are from popteen, Shiho Īda is from egg and Ikumi Ōta is from ranzuki magazine.


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text: There are many advertisements for wigs from varying Japanese companies with promotional endormsent from various models.


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text: There are three notable wig brands, (), () and (); in English they are written as Aquadoll, LOVES WIG and Prisila. Aquadoll made a commercial with the use of many models to even actresses participating within its commercial to promote their various wigs. LOVES WIG made multiple commercials for wigs created with popteen model Kumiko Funayama's endorsement. While Prisila made a commercial with the endorsement of popteen model Nana Suzuki for a smaller array of wigs such as clip-on bangs and clip-on extensions. Prisila is also known for its tagline that has not only been present in commercials on Japanese television but in various magazines as well, such as 'No wig, no life!'.


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text: Japanese hair dye products have also had a variety of advertisements based on the subculture that were also present during that time and can still be seen through YouTube. There are two notable hair dye brands noted in the subculture being () and (); in English being "Palty" and "Beauteen". These two brands have been endorsed by two known models, Tsubasa Masuwaka and Kumiko Funayama. They had been the endorsers for these brands but one being the promotional model for "Palty" while the other for "Beauteen". Kumiko Funayama appearing in "Beauteen" commercials while Tsubasa Masuwaka having appeared multiple times in these commercials, with some commercials having appearances of popteen model Yui Kanno for "Palty". Tsubasa Masuwaka has even appeared in the advertisements for its male hair dye variant of "Palty". Even South Korean Pop group KARA have participated in 2011 for a commercial for the "Palty" brand with Tsubasa Masuwaka as the one placing the hair dye on her hair while KARA singing since the begin of the advertisement by promoting their new J-Pop at the time song, () .


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text: Among the amount of wig products and hair dye-based advertisements produced for there have also been electronic hair tools or accessories created during the popularity of the subculture for enthusiasts. Tsubasa Masuwaka has participated as the endorser for a portable hair straightener collection called: TsuyaGla Perfect. They were produced by the brand () , it is a hair straightener including accessories such as plastic covers to create curls with them to almost the same effect as a hair curl with a hair curler. They were produced in candy pink, midnight navy and virgin white. CJ Prime shopping also made a professional version of the 'TsuyaGla Perfect' hair straightener with the endorsement of Jun Komori as model. This version being simply called: TsuyaGla Pro. The very same Japanese company have also made a wave hair curling iron and regular curling iron with Kumiko Funayama as the model who endorses this product, this time the product is called TsuyaGla Wave and TsuyaGla Curl.


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text: In 2021 a selection of gashapon had been released to the market, that are made to resemble various folded origami paper cranes which are made by . They have been under scrutiny from the Japanese public for its poor appearance. But these origami have been made to have this appearance from the very beginning due to the artificial nails of the who made them. To add to these gashapons variety and rarity of these gashapon is the fact that though the set is only five different colored variations, they are all even the duplicates entirely different from each-other due to the fact that they are made by hand and aren't factory made gashapon; each one also comes with a philosophical question or phrase when collecting one of these hand-made origami cranes. In 2022 magazine egg produced a series of capsule toys for both , those who want to rekindle their love for or collectors. The selection of these capsule toys range from six different magazine covers made into keychains, plastic pins with slang and new models from the magazine in metal pin with the added bonus of all of these variants having an added magazine logo as a sticker. On September 14, 2022 Sanrio made a collection of 17 items based on subculture. What is available are four mascots in keychains, accessory cases and hair clips.


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text: In a competition for the Japanese music company, AVEX Inc.; won a special background for Japanese flip phones with Sanrio and (), AVEX's digital music distribution company to create a specific Hello Kitty character that resembles herself. Another Japanese electronic brand Fujitsu that made a collaboration with both and three brands from the Shibuya department store 109; these being Cecil McBee, COCO*LULU and Pinky Girls. This collaboration was made through the use of their flip phones products from the line of NTT Docomo. The electronics company Panasonic produced in 2011 the Panasonic Lumix FX77, a camera praised for its use of face altering functions such as adding makeup onto a photographed bare face. This was commercialized with the use of at the time model ; it was presented by the American news broadcasting television program CBS News on their YouTube channel. The Japanese company (), written FuRyu that produces machines has made a collaboration at the time popteen model for their new machine in 2011. In 2011 made a commercial for an iOS 3 application called "iinurepublic"; an application to recreate your dog as an avatar and discuss with other dog owners. Another iOS 3 application from 2011 is no make-up application "The " or "The " . It is an application that does the inverse of most photography applications for selfies it removes make-up instead of adding it. There is also a version as well. The corporation Heiwa which produces pachinko machines is also had collaborations with such as and for making a pachiko machine; called .


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text: Even SEGA have used as participants to promote a product, a commercial for the 1999 video-game "Seaman" on the Dreamcast with discussing the product. Another video-game company; that being Nintendo themselves have used three models from the magazine popteen such as , and to act in a commercial for the Nintendo DS game titled "Threads of Destiny" which was produced by Alchemist and released in 2008. The only difference being that Nintendo used models established from popteen magazine or well-known at the time, while SEGA opted for unknown to actual citizens who participate in the substyle who auditioned to act as these characters solely for this commercial or they could just be actresses. A recent video game commercial can be the promotion with the browser and mobile phone game "Candy Crush Saga" for their Japanese promotion with a from the circle "Black diamond"; who by promoting said game was wearing 3D decorated artificial nails that appeared as candy. A smartphone application game that have featured models, singers that have a or had influence on "s" or characters that are from or are often used as motifs by "s" is from the Naver corporation and Line corporation from their software application line of Line games being known as the free-to-play application Line Play. Which is a social networking and avatar virtual community application that is not only used by but does have influences within the game and commercial partnerships. The use of these would be through in-game gashapon machines through either in-game currency or by microtransactions where items of virtual furniture or clothes could be acquired by playing them. The ones to note are from J-pop singers () and (); model (), () and characters from the Sanrio or San-X line or the character Kumatan by ().


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text: Manga had also its fair share of commercials dedicated to the subculture. A manga that had an ad on Japanese television during the Heisei era and during its publication would be "Gals!" with its commercial not only created to serve as a marketing strategy to bring new readers to the quarterly shoujo manga magazine Ribon, the publisher of "Gals!" at the time. It was not necessarily targeting the demographic but due to its story, the origins of the manga itself and the merchandise available for purchase at the time. It is likely that past have purchased this exclusive merchandise from Ribon or current now seek these accessories for themselves out of nostalgia. This would not be the only commercial created for and featuring characters from "Gals!", as Tomy made multiple commercials dedicated to electronic devices with the "Gals!" branding. Also have also had a part in commercializing or making a wider audience interested in manga or anime; such an example can be found from magazine which had a partnership with the manga "Attack on Titan".


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text: models for the magazine Ranzuki have also held an event in the department store Shibuya 109. The models were Natsumi Saito, Arisa Kamada and Rena Igo.


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text: One such example of commercial marketing centering or entirely base on the premise of having "s" to promote a brand's product, would be for a tampon commercial that happened in Tokyo were a hundred "s" of either famous, who have notoriety in Japanese magazines or online through social networking services to simply enthusiast. They participated to display their approval for a brand of tampons by walking through Tokyo with fans that would have the tampon's brand name on it.


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text: The car dealership () or made a commercial in 2020 using an actress with the appearance of a . The Japanese car-licensing service () or also made an advertisement with a actress.


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text: On the Internet, there are many makeup tutorials and event videos of meeting each other on YouTube. Many videos discuss this fashion subculture, such as article videos, history videos, makeovers and questionnaire videos. Also the only way to take a look into the Heisei era period and how Shibuya's famous mall, Shibuya 109 looked like then from the inside and out. Is through the YouTube channel: "TokyoFashionMoEStyle"; a YouTube channel established in August 2012. From September to December 2012, it posted a series of videos examining Shibuya's fashion style and publicising the stores that were then in Shibuya 109. It was presented by Japanese JELLY magazine model Mana Honda. Another YouTube channel dedicated to culture, especially towards the "mama" subculuture, would be the Japanese YouTube channel 'kaorimama1'. This channel was established in June 2010, and published videos from 2010 until 2012. It had many and a series of episodes dedicated to the "mama" lifestyle called "BeMamaTV". This series had a show that would be published online in three parts and it debuted in 2010 and lasted until 2012. It is unclear if this YouTube channel had any commercial ties with the magazine I LOVE MAMA or if it was its own channel. Also another channel that has a multitude of content on is "Travel i TV"; it consist of reuploads of a Japanese television program about traveling abroad with "s". The duo have a YouTube channel all about LED and sometimes ASMR about electric use. There is also a video that has been uploaded by the YouTube channel of the older women's magazine as the Jinsin channel; that has the twins and giving a make-over to an elderly women to resemble them.


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text: There are also many parody videos of this style and even Japanese television program fragments remain viewable on YouTube, making a farce of "s" and "s". One of the most famous is the 2011 (), created by the Japanese music group 'Policeman' , (), which achieved brief popularity outside of Japan as an Internet meme. A recent parody that can be also interpreted as an honoring of every notable that has appeared in manga, anime and hentai is the YouTube video "Sushi". It is a reference to an actual sushi restaurant in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.


title: Gyaru

text: There are also many characters from various Japanese media who have a connection. For example, in the "Yakuza" series, especially in its third iteration, "Yakuza 3". It debuted a side-mission which would then be included with its gameplay and features in later sequels. Where in fictional Kabukichō or as the game refers to it as "Kamurocho", the player would need to recruit women to join a hostess club. These women were actual from the magazine "Koakuma Ageha". These models are used as actual character models in the game; their whole appearance was replicated to the smallest detail to have them created and placed as 3D characters. These models from "Koakuma Ageha" are Sayaka Araki, Nemu, Rina Sakurai, Eri Momoka, Riho Nishiyama, Rina Aikawa and Shizuka Muto. They have even been compared to their replicated three-dimensional counterparts. These characters would become hostess of these fictional hostess clubs; if the player chooses to do this side-mission and complete it. But the hostess club section of the game first appeared in "Yakuza 2"; in the sense of visiting the clubs themselves and not in the similar way as in the third game where the player recruited actual members for the clubs. They even have their own magazine in the games called "Kamutai Magazine" which is also replica of the actual magazine "Koakuma Ageha". This content however was cut in the Western releases of "Yakuza 3".


title: Gyaru

text: In "Danganronpa" the character of Junko Enoshima is inspired by subculture. The "Persona" series also has a . In "", there is a named Yuka Ayase. "" has a enemy as a character. The player must defeat her to proceed in-game; she is known as Shinobu Jacobs who is encountered later in the game.


title: Gyaru

text: The "Wagamama Fashion: Girls Mode" series, known as Style Savvy and Style Boutique in North America and the PAL region respectively; is based on multiple Japanese street fashion subcultures and has a main focus on brands and selling apparel. The video-game has a variety of different brands and styles but also some of these that can be interpreted as mimicking or representing some fashion brands. For example, the in-game apparel brand AZ*USA (AZ-USA in the West) has a striking resemblance to the brand D.I.A.; another one would be the brand CherryBerry (April bonbon in the West) also having its own representation of the style. Most probable inspiration would be the brand COCO*LULU. The Nintendo DS was the first to introduce this series by the developers syn Sophia and then later got three sequels on the console's successor the Nintendo 3DS. In the West the word new would be added to the pre-existing title of Style Savvy and Style Boutique. In total this franchise would make at least three games on the Nintendo 3DS for this series but with the addition of the Nintendo DS in total the series would be at least a quadruple series.


title: Gyaru

text: The video-game franchise "Animal Crossing" by Nintendo also had a , but she only appeared in a spin-off game of this series. Specifically the "" on the Nintendo 3DS, the character named Lottie appears in that video-game for the first time, she is a character represented as an otter. After multiple encounters with her; there will be an in-game event on the third day of gameplay, where her uncle Lyle will state himself that she wears too much makeup in a game dialogue and in a later in-game event she can even be found without her makeup. She will state to the player character, that it was due to the fact she woke up too late for work but would often wear her makeup to impress a male colleague by wearing makeup; the colleague's name in game is Digby. This character has recently been added to the Nintendo Switch version of Animal Crossing; "" through the paid downloadable content of "". Another video-game franchise with a character is in the "Dragon Quest" series. On the Nintendo DS game "Dragon Quest IX" has a being the fairy character, Sandy. The video-game company, Nintendo did not only cater to by the use of video-game promotions with or video-games related to the subculture. They have a series of applications that can be used for both the Nintendo DSi and Nintendo 3DS, they can be found on the Nintendo DSiWare and on the Nintendo eShop. It is a applications for both video-game consoles developed by the company Atlus. In Japan this series of applications are known as () and abroad as the 'Sparkle Snapshots' series. Nintendo has also made with the use of amiibo a costume for the Wii U game "Splatoon" a outfit for female inkling characters. Also in addition "Splatoon 2" inkling idol Marina voice actress is a ; known as Alice Peralta and has also her own group with the voice actress of Pearl as the LAIDBACKS.


title: Gyaru

text: The "Super Gals!" anime series had its own video-game, it is a series of threequels published in 2001 and 2002; produced by Konami for the Game Boy color and the PlayStation. The anime series "Hime Gal Paradise" also had its own video-game on the Nintendo 3DS published by Nippon Columbia-games.


title: Gyaru

text: Another video-game that had popularity amongst , is the as avatar fashion web browser game and virtual community which later became a series on the Nintendo DS as a sequel series is "Poupéegirl".


title: Gyaru

text: Japanese television have a had an enormous amount of based television broadcasting during the Heisei era. These television programs could be centering around to even commercials being made by using "s" that would be famous or not, as actresses to popularize and market a multitude of products. For Japanese television broadcasting these shows at the time, these varied from being shows that are made by for , that were not only to boost their popularity and moral as a Japanese fashion style and to do the same for the participating models in these programs as well. But also to either market, popularize the magazines or the stores in Shibuya 109 that were shown in these programs since they were either producing or had a contract with a television program or station for these shows to be made. Most of the models did not have a problem with these shows either since they were probably contracted by their magazines to participate in them. By using these models; the magazines would also to get more notoriety and marketability by doing these shows and so would these models.


title: Gyaru

text: For example, some television programs would make a single segment about current trends that were happening at the time. Such as in the Kantō region, that being of Tokyo; there were many small segments of programming sometimes dedicated to the subculture. One being in its earliest form about and their love for tropical clothing and a new type of thigh-high socks that looked like bell-bottoms that had at the time been released in Shibuya 109. Another is during the 2010; looking for the latest trends then that were happening with the subculture. A show created by for is GAL-TEN, a show produced by egg magazine and broadcast by TBS Television in the 2010s. Other television segments used or models to promote the show and the models themselves; such as this segment promoting model Rina Sakurai. Another example of television segments about could be about make-up application. Such as the big eye trend of the early 2010s called ; These make-up techniques are said to make your eyes resemble one of a child. One could also take the example of a television segment on parapara competitions with and even participating all around Japan who are all from a certain ; from the Kanto region of Tokyo all the way to Osaka. Other examples are a television segment about three and their way of making money through being a Sugar baby by the means of using older men with the older internet system of Japan for ; while doing so one of the participants explains having made 200,000 yen and when adjusting for inflation made about 1,400 dollars with three dates in one day.


title: Gyaru

text: Shows that have relevancy to the actual lifestyle or subculture of , that would appear during the Heisei era; would be the television special about the or "s" in general. For example, the "Angeleek" had its very own episode on Japanese television, fully dedicated to their events, general outings with each-other and how they made a younger generation than them participate or join their group to continue its legacy. Western have been also featured on Japanese television, the Spanish "Hysterical" have appeared twice. They have appeared in Spain and while visiting Japan. Other that have also been featured were the American "Diamond Gal" for a segment on a Nippon TV program. This segment had been created with over exaggerated situation, acted or staged moments to provide the show with a sort of drama. Western have already had an appearance on Japanese television as early as 2013, with footage of a Japanese variety broadcast having a whole segment dedicated to various western that were either in Japan at the time or from around the world. Others that reflected and tried to capture the daily lifestyle of on Japanese television would also be the Japanese FashionTV segments known as "Tokyo Girls". The first episode of this series would be of following a day in a shop-staff one spo daily custom. The only proof of this episode existing since FashionTV deletion of these episodes is a tumblr with gifs of this episode. There is also on that very same tumblr the proof in gif; of the episode of the shop staff "Miauler Mew" being followed for that episode.


title: Gyaru

text: But there were also shows that would have nothing to do with the subculture but would have "s" or "s" for one episode or a segment in an episode and they would use these "s" as either a popularity stunt for the program or to be participants to become a farce of that episode in a show. Some of these program segments can be made as a light hearted prank; for example the actress Yumiko Shaku, has to disguise herself as a to see the reaction of her dog, a chihuhua. But due to the loyalty and great sense of smell of her dog, it is already able to recognize that it is her. Even if some were there to educate the Japanese masses on the fashion subculture, the harsh comedy applied to the style or participants by the hosts of these shows is apparent. An example of either a full segment or episode to degrade participants from a Japanese television program can be seen on YouTube titled as () . It is uncertain if this was the name of the actual show or that it is entirely different.


title: Gyaru

text: South Korea has also had influences from the subculture but it was not used in a way that both Japanese or participants would not have thought. South Korean Comedian made a depiction of a or in 2012 in its most comical and bordeline insulting way towards . This was made for a KBS Entertainment Awards which was shown on KBS2; a sketch-comedy show called Gag Concert. By him using the character , he depicted a character that is so self absorbed that she barely takes notice of those that are speaking directly to her and is portraited as an idiot. This depiction was created with barely any knowledge of the actual culture or how most participants thought it should be represented. Park Seong-ho, stating himself in an interview that: 'He did not know the style, in any sense. He did not even know what it exactly meant from the start. He just created the character from what little knowledge he had, such as the heavy makeup and their way of speaking Japanese'. It is most probable that this sketch alone caused an outrage online due to how it has interpreted as offensive towards Japanese audience from his representation of or most likely Japanese people; due to it being a blatant farce. But KBS2 have also made a report on the "ganguro" substyle in Japan with a . The famous to Kanae Watanabe has had an episode on her life on the Polish broadcasting channel TVN.


title: Gyaru

text: Western audiences also had appearances of on The BBC had English known for her online alias 'Lhouraii li' on BBC Three's Snog Marry Avoid? in 2010. Other appearances have also been on Televisión Pública of the "Sugar Queen" for a broadcasting of a Matsuri in a park in Argentina.


title: Middle-earth

text: Middle-earth is the fictional setting of much of the English writer J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy. The term is equivalent to the "Miðgarðr" of Norse mythology and "Middangeard" in Old English works, including "Beowulf". Middle-earth is the human-inhabited world, that is, the central continent of the Earth, in Tolkien's imagined mythological past. Tolkien's most widely read works, "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings", are set entirely in Middle-earth. "Middle-earth" has also become a short-hand term for Tolkien's legendarium, his large body of fantasy writings, and for the entirety of his fictional world.


title: Middle-earth

text: Middle-earth is the main continent of Earth (Arda) in an imaginary period of the Earth's past, ending with Tolkien's Third Age, about 6,000 years ago. Tolkien's tales of Middle-earth mostly focus on the north-west of the continent. This part of Middle-earth is suggestive of Europe, the north-west of the Old World, with the environs of the Shire reminiscent of England, but, more specifically, the West Midlands, with the town at its centre, Hobbiton, at the same latitude as Oxford.


title: Middle-earth

text: Tolkien's Middle-earth is peopled not only by Men, but by Elves, Dwarves, Ents, and Hobbits, and by monsters including Dragons, Trolls, and Orcs. Through the imagined history, the peoples other than Men dwindle, leave or fade, until, after the period described in the books, only Men are left on the planet.


title: Middle-earth

text: Tolkien's stories chronicle the struggle to control the world (called Arda) and the continent of Middle-earth between, on one side, the angelic Valar, the Elves and their allies among Men; and, on the other, the demonic Melkor or "Morgoth" (a Vala fallen into evil), his followers, and their subjects, mostly Orcs, Dragons and enslaved Men. In later ages, after Morgoth's defeat and expulsion from Arda, his place is taken by his lieutenant Sauron, a Maia.


title: Middle-earth

text: The Valar withdrew from direct involvement in the affairs of Middle-earth after the defeat of Morgoth, but in later years they sent the wizards or Istari to help in the struggle against Sauron. The most important wizards were Gandalf the Grey and Saruman the White. Gandalf remained true to his mission and proved crucial in the fight against Sauron. Saruman, however, became corrupted and sought to establish himself as a rival to Sauron for absolute power in Middle-earth. Other races involved in the struggle against evil were Dwarves, Ents and most famously Hobbits. The early stages of the conflict are chronicled in "The Silmarillion", while the final stages of the struggle to defeat Sauron are told in "The Hobbit" and in "The Lord of the Rings".


title: Middle-earth

text: Conflict over the possession and control of precious or magical objects is a recurring theme in the stories. The First Age is dominated by the doomed quest of the elf Fëanor and most of his Noldorin clan to recover three precious jewels called the Silmarils that Morgoth stole from them (hence the title "The Silmarillion"). The Second and Third Age are dominated by the forging of the Rings of Power, and the fate of the One Ring forged by Sauron, which gives its wearer the power to control or influence those wearing the other Rings of Power.


title: Middle-earth

text: In ancient Germanic mythology, the world of Men is known by several names. The Old English "middangeard" descends from an earlier Germanic word and so has cognates such as the Old Norse "Miðgarðr" from Norse mythology, transliterated to modern English as "Midgard". The original meaning of the second element, from proto-Germanic "gardaz", was "enclosure", cognate with English "yard"; "middangeard" was assimilated by folk etymology to "middle earth". Middle-earth was at the centre of nine worlds in Norse mythology, and of three worlds (with heaven above, hell below) in the later Christian version.


title: Middle-earth

text: Tolkien's first encounter with the term "middangeard", as he stated in a letter, was in an Old English fragment he studied in 1913-14:


title: Middle-earth

text: This is from the "Crist" poems by Cynewulf. The name "Éarendel" was the inspiration for Tolkien's mariner Eärendil, who set sail from the lands of Middle-earth to ask for aid from the angelic powers, the Valar. Tolkien's earliest poem about Eärendil, from 1914, the same year he read the "Crist" poems, refers to "the mid-world's rim". Tolkien considered "middangeard" to be "the abiding place of men", the physical world in which Man lives out his life and destiny, as opposed to the unseen worlds above and below it, namely Heaven and Hell. He states that it is "my own mother-earth for "place"", but in an imaginary past time, not some other planet. He began to use the term "Middle-earth" in the late 1930s, in place of the earlier terms "Great Lands", "Outer Lands", and "Hither Lands". The first published appearance of the word "Middle-earth" in Tolkien's works is in the prologue to "The Lord of the Rings": "Hobbits had, in fact, lived quietly in Middle-earth for many long years before other folk even became aware of them".


title: Middle-earth

text: The term Middle-earth has come to be applied as a short-hand for the entirety of Tolkien's legendarium, instead of the technically more appropriate, but lesser known terms "Arda" for the physical world and "Eä" for the physical reality of creation as a whole. In careful geographical terms, Middle-earth is a continent on Arda, excluding regions such as Aman and the isle of Númenor. The alternative wider use is reflected in book titles such as "The Complete Guide to Middle-earth", "The Road to Middle-earth", "The Atlas of Middle-earth", and the series "The History of Middle-earth".


title: Middle-earth

text: Tolkien's biographer Humphrey Carpenter states that Tolkien's Middle-earth is the known world, "recalling the Norse "Midgard" and the equivalent words in early English", noting that Tolkien made it clear that this was ""our" world ... in a purely imaginary ... period of antiquity". Tolkien explained in a letter to his publisher that it "is just a use of Middle English "middle-erde" (or "erthe"), altered from Old English "Middangeard": the name for the inhabited lands of men 'between the seas'." There are allusions to a similarly- or identically-named world in the work of other writers both before and after him. William Morris's 1870 translation of the "Volsung Saga" calls the world "Midgard". The poem "The Gray Magician" (1918) by Margaret Widdemer says: "I was living very merrily on Middle Earth / As merry as a maid may be / Till the Gray Magician came down along the road / And flung his cobweb cloak on me..." C. S. Lewis's "Space Trilogy" calls the home planet "Middle-earth" and specifically references Tolkien's legendarium.


title: Middle-earth

text: Within the overall context of his legendarium, Tolkien's Middle-earth was part of his created world of Arda (which includes the Undying Lands of Aman and Eressëa, removed from the rest of the physical world), which itself was part of the wider creation he called Eä. Aman and Middle-earth are separated from each other by the Great Sea Belegaer, though they make contact in the far north at the Grinding Ice or Helcaraxë. The western continent, Aman, was the home of the Valar, and the Elves called the Eldar.


title: Middle-earth

text: On the eastern side of Middle-earth was the Eastern Sea. Most of the events in Tolkien's stories take place in the north-west of Middle-earth. In the First Age, further to the north-west was the subcontinent Beleriand; it was engulfed by the ocean at the end of the First Age.


title: Middle-earth

text: Tolkien prepared several maps of Middle-earth. Some were published in his lifetime. The main maps are those published in "The Hobbit", "The Lord of the Rings", "The Silmarillion", and "Unfinished Tales", and appear as foldouts or illustrations. Tolkien insisted that maps be included in the book for the benefit of readers, despite the expense involved. The definitive and iconic map of Middle-earth was published in "The Lord of the Rings". It was refined with Tolkien's approval by the illustrator Pauline Baynes, using Tolkien's detailed annotations, with vignette images and larger paintings at top and bottom, into a stand-alone poster, "A Map of Middle-earth".


title: Middle-earth

text: In Tolkien's conception, Arda was created specifically as "the Habitation" ("Imbar" or "Ambar") for the Children of Ilúvatar (Elves and Men). It is envisaged in a flat Earth cosmology, with the stars, and later also the sun and moon, revolving around it. Tolkien's sketches show a disc-like face for the world which looked up to the stars. However, Tolkien's legendarium addresses the spherical Earth paradigm by depicting a catastrophic transition from a flat to a spherical world, in which Aman became inaccessible to mortal Men.


title: Middle-earth

text: Tolkien described the region in which the Hobbits lived as "the North-West of the Old World, east of the Sea", and the north-west of the Old World is essentially Europe, especially Britain. However, as he noted in private letters, the geographies do not match, and he did not consciously make them match when he was writing:


title: Middle-earth

text: He did confirm, however, that the Shire, the land of his Hobbit heroes, was based on England, in particular the West Midlands of his childhood. In the Prologue to "The Lord of the Rings", Tolkien writes: "Those days, the Third Age of Middle-earth, are now long past, and the shape of all lands has been changed..." The Appendices make several references in both history and etymology of topics "now" (in modern English languages) and "then" (ancient languages);


title: Middle-earth

text: Both the Appendices and "The Silmarillion" mention constellations, stars and planets that correspond to those seen in the northern hemisphere of Earth, including the Sun, the Moon, Orion (and his belt), Ursa Major and Mars. A map annotated by Tolkien places Hobbiton on the same latitude as Oxford, and Minas Tirith at the latitude of Ravenna, Italy. He used Belgrade, Cyprus, and Jerusalem as further reference points.


title: Middle-earth

text: The history of Middle-earth, as described in "The Silmarillion", began when the Ainur entered Arda, following the creation events in the Ainulindalë and long ages of labour throughout Eä, the fictional universe. Time from that point was measured using Valian Years, though the subsequent history of Arda was divided into three time periods using different years, known as the Years of the Lamps, the Years of the Trees and the Years of the Sun. A separate, overlapping chronology divides the history into 'Ages of the Children of Ilúvatar'. The first such Age began with the Awakening of the Elves during the Years of the Trees (by which time the Ainur had already long inhabited Arda) and continued for the first six centuries of the Years of the Sun. All the subsequent Ages took place during the Years of the Sun.


title: Middle-earth

text: Arda is, as critics have noted, "our own green and solid Earth at some quite remote epoch in the past." As such, it has not only an immediate story but a history, and the whole thing is an "imagined prehistory" of the Earth as it is now.


title: Middle-earth

text: The Ainur were angelic beings created by the one god of Eä, Eru Ilúvatar. The cosmological myth called the "Ainulindalë", or "Music of the Ainur", describes how the Ainur sang for Ilúvatar, who then created Eä to give material form to their music. Many of the Ainur entered Eä, and the greatest of these were called the Valar. Melkor, the chief agent of evil in Eä, and later called "Morgoth", was initially one of the Valar.


title: Middle-earth

text: With the Valar came lesser spirits of the Ainur, called the Maiar. Melian, the wife of the Elven King Thingol in the First Age, was a Maia. There were also evil Maiar, including the Balrogs and the second Dark Lord, Sauron. Sauron devised the Black Speech (Burzum) for his slaves (such as Orcs) to speak. In the Third Age, five of the Maiar were embodied and sent to Middle-earth to help the free peoples to overthrow Sauron. These are the Istari or Wizards, including Gandalf, Saruman, and Radagast.


title: Middle-earth

text: The Elves are known as "the Firstborn" of Ilúvatar: intelligent beings created by Ilúvatar alone, with many different clans.


title: Middle-earth

text: Originally Elves all spoke the same Common Eldarin ancestral tongue, but over thousands of years it diverged into different languages. The two main Elven languages were Quenya, spoken by the Light Elves, and Sindarin, spoken by the Dark Elves.


title: Middle-earth

text: Physically the Elves resemble humans; indeed, they can marry and have children with them, as shown by the few Half-elven in the legendarium.


title: Middle-earth

text: The Elves are agile and quick footed, being able to walk a tightrope unaided. Their eyesight is keen. Elves are immortal, unless killed in battle. They are re-embodied in Valinor if killed.


title: Middle-earth

text: Men were "the Secondborn" of the Children of Ilúvatar: they awoke in Middle-earth much later than the Elves. Men (and Hobbits) were the last humanoid race to appear in Middle-earth: Dwarves, Ents and Orcs also preceded them. The capitalized term "Man" (plural "Men") is used as a gender-neutral racial description, to distinguish humans from the other human-like races of Middle-earth.


title: Middle-earth

text: In appearance they are much like Elves, but on average less beautiful. Unlike Elves, Men are mortal, ageing and dying quickly, usually living 40–80 years. However the Númenóreans could live several centuries, and their descendants the Dúnedain also tended to live longer than regular humans. This tendency was weakened both by time and by intermingling with lesser peoples.


title: Middle-earth

text: The Dwarves are a race of humanoids shorter than Men, and larger than Hobbits. The Dwarves were created by the Vala Aulë, before the Firstborn awoke due to his impatience for the arrival of the children of Ilúvatar to teach and to cherish. When confronted and shamed for his presumption by Ilúvatar, Eru took pity on Aulë and gave his creation the gift of life but under the condition that they be taken and put to sleep in widely separated locations in Middle Earth and not to awaken until after the Firstborn were upon the Earth. They are mortal like Men, but live much longer, usually several hundred years. A peculiarity of Dwarves is that both males and females are bearded, and thus appear identical to outsiders. The language spoken by Dwarves is called Khuzdul, and was kept largely as a secret language for their own use. Like Hobbits, Dwarves live exclusively in Middle-earth. They generally reside under mountains, where they are specialists in mining and metalwork.


title: Middle-earth

text: Tolkien identified Hobbits as an offshoot of the race of Men. Another name for Hobbit is 'Halfling', as they were generally only half the size of Men. In their lifestyle and habits they closely resemble Men, and in particular Englishmen, except for their preference for living in holes underground. By the time of "The Hobbit", most of them lived in the Shire, a region of the northwest of Middle-earth, having migrated there from further east.


title: Middle-earth

text: The Ents were treelike shepherds of trees, their name coming from an Old English word for giant. Orcs and Trolls (made of stone) were evil creatures bred by Morgoth. They were not original creations but rather "mockeries" of the Children of Ilúvatar and Ents, since only Ilúvatar has the ability to give conscious life to things. The precise origins of Orcs and Trolls are unclear, as Tolkien considered various possibilities and sometimes changed his mind, leaving several inconsistent accounts. Late in the Third Age, the Uruks or Uruk-hai appeared: a race of Orcs of great size and strength that tolerate sunlight better than ordinary Orcs. Tolkien also mentions "Men-orcs" and "Orc-men"; or "half-orcs" or "goblin-men". They share some characteristics with Orcs (like "slanty eyes") but look more like men.


title: Middle-earth

text: Dragons (or "worms") appear in several varieties, distinguished by whether they have wings and whether they breathe fire (cold-drakes versus fire-drakes). The first of the fire-drakes ("Urulóki" in Quenya) was Glaurung the Golden, bred by Morgoth in Angband, and called "The Great Worm", "The Worm of Morgoth", and "The Father of Dragons".