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"Gyaru" (JP), also known as "Gal", is a term for an attractive female character who rebels against traditional Japanese beauty standards in a desire for freedom and self-expression. They are characterized by their girly girl appearance featuring make-up, accessories, dyed hair, and extravagant fashion. They are also known for speaking in gal slang and being very outgoing and free-spirited.
Etymology
Meaning of the Term
Gyaru (ギャル) comes from the American slang word "gal", meaning "girl". The term made its way over to Japan in the 1970s and originally the word "gyaru" had the same meaning as the American term and referred to young women in general, however, its usage has changed over time and it now refers only to a specific fashion sub-culture.[3][4]
Origin
GALS! by Mihona Fujii
Gal fashion originated in the late 1990s as high school girls started to move on from the sukeban style of the 1980s. While it kept that same rebellious spirit, it put more emphasis on looking cute and girly. As opposed to lengthened skirts to rebel against school dress codes, gals instead shortened them and wore heavy make-up. It was originally referred to as "kogal", meaning "small gal", but was later shortened to simply "gal" as it grew in popularity.[4][3]
The first manga to use the archetype was the 1998 shoujo manga series GALS! (JP) by Mihona Fujii. The series followed Ran Kotobuki, the self proclaimed "number one gal in Shibuya", who has dedicated herself to being a gal for life. When she younger she wanted to become a police officer like her father and bother, however, she soon dropped the ambition when she learned she would not be able to dye her hair or wear accessories. Her fashion choices led to Ran having a lot of trouble with school as she is constantly called back to the principal's office and having her accessories confiscated. She then struck a deal with one of the teachers; if she could reform street thug Miyu Yamazaki then she can get her confisicated accessories and gear back. Although after reforming Miyu she ended up getting a perm which caused her to not get back her things. Ran, Miyu, and another gal named Aya Hoshino all deal with school life, boys, rumors, and rival gals.
The GALS! manga was so popular that it created a kogal boom and high school girls all over Japan tried recreating the fashion from the series.[5]
Localization
The term is almost always romanized as simply "gal" in media.[5][1][6] It is generally only romanized as "gyaru" when there is a need to differentiate it from the American slang word.[2]
History
Official Media
Gyaru characters are one of the most common archetypes in anime and manga, especially in romance series.[1][6][7][8]
Characteristics
Appearance
Heisei Gal and Ryou Gal from Heisei Gal to Ryou wa Gal ni Hasama Rete
Being a gal is about going against the typical Japanese beauty standards of pale skin, dark hair, neutral colored clothing and subtlety. Japan has a collectivist society mindset that prefers conforming and not standing out. Within its culture of rebelling against society, gal fashion is all about darkly bronzed faces, bleached hair, extreme makeup, and bright fashion and comes with a sense of not conforming.[9] They are someone who's fashion style is the opposite of the typical "serious and neat" Japanese girl.[10]
Gals are very girly girls and love dressing up and doing their hair, make-up, and cosmetics. They enjoy going shopping for new fashion trends, and can often be seen buying new clothes, make-up, and accessories. The clothes gals wear are typically on the more revealing side, such as wearing short skirts or shirts with a lot of cleavage showing. It is also common to see gals wearing nail polish, having excessively long fingernails, wearing earrings, hair clips, scrunchies, or other accessories. Every gal has their unique look and style.
The most common hair colors for gals are blonde and brown, but gals may also dye their hair more outlandish colors or in some cases just use their natural black hair but stylize it with hair clips. They also make their trademark peace sign hand gesture when posing or taking selfies.
It is also common to see gals wearing the same fashion even in the cold or snow, staying determined to look cute no matter the cost. They will avoid wearing gloves just so they can still use their phone to text their friends or take cute selfies.
Age
Gals are generally high schoolers or young adults and it is less common for older characters to still have this style, but it does happen.
Personality
Rebellious Spirit
Yukana Yame from Hajimete no GAL
Gals are loud, outgoing girls with a desire for freedom and self-expression. They are almost always the popular girls in school and like to stick with their friend groups. They can usually be seen talking very loudly to each other, not caring if they are bothering other people, and they tend to be very blunt with their saying their thoughts out loud.[11] Because of this they are often thought of as stuck-up delinquents by less popular students.
They rebel against school dress codes by wearing revealing outfits, make-up, jewelry, and dying their hair, all of which is not allowed which often leads to gals getting into trouble or having their accessories confiscated.
Gal Language
Yukana Yame from Hajimete no GAL
Gals general speak in a slang manner known as "Gyaru-go" (JP), meaning "gal language". This includes things like abbreviating longer terms, such as referring to themselves as "JKs" instead of "joshi kausei" (high school girls). Their use of slang can make it difficult for even native Japanese speakers to understand what they are saying at times.[12][13][14]
Because gal sub-culture is heavily influenced by the California valley girl accent, English dubs featuring gal characters generally have them speak in that style. They use slang words such as "totes" instead of "totally", or adding the word "like" into every sentence.[15]
Stereotypes
Because of how they dress, gals are seen as unintelligent, like someone who spends all their time focusing on their appearance rather than studying. Even if this isn't actually true, most other characters will still assume that they are dumb, or if they did do well it's only because they made someone else do it for them.
Gals will often be very flirtatious and may date a lot of people. Even if this is not true, many people will still assume they sleep around a lot and are "easy" so people will be very shocked to learn that they aren't.
Gals are the target of many nasty rumors and will often be thought of negatively by other characters. Though for many gals this is nothing more than a sign of freedom and a way to express themselves, and they will usually be very sweet or kind in actuality.
Sub-Types
Kogal
"Kogal" (JP) is a type of gal who incorporates their high school uniform into their look. While the term does not refer to a specific look, only that they are gal who is still in high school, there are some common styles. The most common style is shortened school uniform skirts, loosened socks, and a mix of accessories, tan skin, and hair dye. This is the most common type found in anime and manga.[5][3][16]
Styles
When gal fashion first become popular in the 1990s, it was common for most gals at the time to have tanned skin, mostly due to a popular idol at the time who had the style. However, in the 2000s there was a sudden shift away from the tanned looks and towards a natural skin tone, again thanks to another popular gal idol.[17]
Kuro Gal
Ranko Honjou from Hajimete no GAL
"Ganguro Gal" (JP), or "Kuro Gal" (JP) for short, is a type of gal who is tanned and dark-skinned. They incorporate heavy spray tans into their look. Generally, kuro gals get spray tans on their bodies and then use dark foundation make-up on their faces to make it match.[18][19][20][21]
There is also a less common version known as "Yamamba Gal" (JP), or "Mamba Gal" (JP) for short. This style is an extreme type of kuro gal that combines very dark tan skin with flashy bright white make-up.[22][23]
Shiro Gal
Yukana Yame from Hajimete no GAL
"Shiro Gal" (JP) is a type of gal who has not tanned her skin. The majority of gal fall under this type nowadays, so they are generally just referred to as the standard "gal" and only referred to as "shiro gal" as an antonym when compared to "kuro gal".[6][24]
Since they have not tanned their skin they can easily take off their gal outfits and blend in as a non-gal when they need to. This is typically seen when a gal works a job and wants to seem presentable and professional, but wants to be cute and fashionable the rest of the time.[7][25]
Differences From Other Archetypes
Gals are considered to be a form of delinquents since they go against school dress codes and often get in trouble with the student council, but they are not violent like yankii delinquents and they are more focused on looking cute and fashionable than trashy. Both types are also very similar in that they draw inspiration from American media, rock music for yankii and California vallery girls for gyaru.
Similar Archetypes
- Deredere: A term for an overly affectionate character who is lovestruck and does not hide their romantic feelings towards their love interest. Since gals are generally very outgoing and not embarrassed by public displays of affection it is very common for them to fall under this type.
- Erodere: A term for a character who acts very erotic at first and tries to seduce their love interest by causing sexual arousal in them, but after falling in love starts to have a more pure, innocent, and romantic deredere love.
- Shojo Bitch: A term for a female character who looks or acts like they're highly promiscuous, but is actually pure, naive, and never been in a serious relationship with a man. Many gals fall under this type since they often dress very provocatively, but may be more pure than they let on.
- Sukeban: A term for a female yankii character who is part of a female-only juvenile delinquent girl gang in middle school or high school.
- Teasedere: A term for a character who flirts with their love interest in a non-serious way to playfully tease them and get a flustered reaction out of them at first, but eventually adopts a more serious deredere side that is more open and honest with their true feelings.
- Yankii: A term for a character who is a juvenile delinquent and participates in rebellious or illegal actions in middle school or high school.
- Yariman: A term for a female character who sleeps with a large number of people. Many gals are stereotyped to be this type, even if they aren't actually it.
List of Characters
Gallery
 Marin Kitagawa from Sono Bisque Doll wa Koi o Suru  Ichijou Ririka from Hololive  Ichijou Ririka from Hololive  Fuyuki Toujou from Gal Yome no Himitsu  Fuyuki Toujou from Gal Yome no Himitsu  Ranko Honjou and Nene Fujinoki from Hajimete no GAL |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Hokkaido Gals Are Super Adorable!. Dosanko Gal (2019/09/04).
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Yuri Is My Job! EP7: It's Called Gyaru, Right?. Crunchyroll (2023/05/18). “The café is busier than ever as the Blume election approaches. Fearful that her true feelings for Hime have been discovered, Kanoko becomes suspicious of Sumika's motivations.”
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 In the 1990s, Kogal and Amurer were all the rage!. Galture. “The word "gal" began to be used in Japan in the 1970s. The word "gyaru" comes from the American youth word "gal", which means "girl" in English, and when it was first used in Japan, it referred to a young and vivacious woman full of youthful energy. The term "gal" was changed to "gyaru" in the 1990s to refer to the so-called "gals" who inhabited mainly Shibuya with their heavy makeup and bright hair color! It is said that the term "gal" was changed to "kogal" in the 1990s, when the term "kogal" was first used in Japan! What is kogal? Kogals appeared around 1995. It refers to teenage girls, mostly high school girls, with tan-colored skin + thin eyebrows x blue shadow with distinctive makeup + long brown hair. This was an unprecedented boom after 1995! However, in the 2000s, a new style called "ganguro," which evolved from kogal, became popular, and the word "kogal" was almost never heard of again.”
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 What is Gyaru. Pixiv Encyclopedia (2012/06/02). “The term is mainly used to refer to young women. Since the late 1990s, it has referred to so-called "gyaru fashion" and its followers. The word "gyaru" is derived from the American slang word "gal" for "girl" in English. Originally, the word referred to young women in general but its usage has changed over time. At the end of the 1990s, Kogyaru continued to follow the fashion style of the older generation, giving birth to "gyaru fashion," characterized by brown or blonde dyed hair (often curly), thick eye makeup such as false eyelashes, heavy boots, gorgeous nails, accessories, and other items. The "kogyaru" style, which was once called "kogyaru," came to be broadly defined as "gyaru" with the "ko" (small, child) removed, and the above-mentioned fashions came to be defined as the fundamental style of gyaru fashion.”
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 GALS!!. Manga Mee (2019/10/29). “Shibuya's most charismatic gal, Juran, and her friends Miyu and Aya. The three have built a friendship overcoming various troubles, and of course they are still good friends after graduating from high school! Miyu has started living with her boyfriend Yamato, and Aya is attending college... each has started a new life, but Ran is still undecided about her future. Furthermore, a rival for her love has unexpectedly appeared! The sequel to the hit girls' manga that created the kogal boom in "Ribon" in the 1990s and was even made into an anime, has finally begun!”
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Yukana Yame. My First Girlfriend Is a Gal (2017/07/12). “A shiro gal in the same class as Junichi. Her trademarks are her blonde hair in a ponytail, a scunchie on her left wrist, and a bulging cleavage peeking out from her shirt.”
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 The Many Sides of Voice Actor Radio: Sato Yumiko. Seiyu Radio (2024/04/10). “She is a genuine gal with a foul mouth but a strong sense of duty and humanity, and never misses out on makeup and false eyelashes. She is a good cook and has a homey side. Her secret is......? She is a cute and innocent idol voice actress belonging to Choco Brownie. She has been performing for three years, but is having trouble getting auditions.”
- ↑ 28 Most Iconic Gyaru Girls In Anime. GameRant (2024/12/15). “They are known for wearing lots of accessories like hair clips, necklaces, and bracelets, wearing colorful makeup and nail polish, and usually having dyed (often blonde) hair, and tanned skin. It’s all about being free with their fashion choices which often go against the norm in traditional Japanese beauty. There are some negative stereotypes revolving around this subculture, but this is not the case for some people in it and most certainly not for these characters. They are intelligent, caring, and some of the friendliest characters in the anime world. These gals are perfectly happy dressing up as they please and look fabulous doing so.”
- ↑ Gyaru Culture: More Than Just a Fashion Statement. Kokoro Heart (2023/10/14). “In the 1990s, the initial wave of this subculture, known as kogyaru, emerged when affluent private school girls began sporting expensive European bags, chestnut brown hair, and slightly tanned skin. Gyaru culture is known for its distinctive and extravagant fashion and lifestyle, as well as its rebellious spirit. Fashion choices typically include short skirts, crop tops, platform shoes, and vibrant, often animal-print clothing. In its earliest form, kogyaru fashion featured short skirts and loose socks due to its primarily high school-aged following. However, as the 1990s witnessed the peak of the gyaru subculture, associated fashion tastes became even more flamboyant and colorful. Tanning, heavy makeup, and elaborate hairstyles became hallmark features of the gyaru style. Beyond fashion, gyaru culture encompasses a specific lifestyle and attitude. Gyaru girls were often associated with a carefree and rebellious spirit, challenging traditional Japanese norms of appearance and behavior.”
- ↑ Gal Assistant. Magazine pocket (2022/09/08). “In the first place, I like serious and neat girls! Gals are the complete opposite of that!!”
- ↑ Gal Assistant. Magazine pocket (2022/09/08). “Gals sure are blunt...”
- ↑ Japanese Gal Language. Japan Today (2011/09/18). “Japanese "gal language" is a special slang used by young Japanese girls called “gyaru” or gals. Their lingo is hard to understand for not only foreign people but also Japanese people, too. Of course, the gal talk is changing and adding new words all the time.”
- ↑ Aiura Mikoto. Saiki Kusuo (2016/07/04). “She is a big-breasted gal who comes to Saiki Kusuo's class as a transfer student. She speaks in a very lively gyaru-go (gal language) and has a very cheerful personality.”
- ↑ What is Gyaru-go. Pixiv Encyclopedia (2020/04/20). “It is a unique language used by "gyaru" who are active mainly in Shibuya, Tokyo. Because it is based on the Tokyo dialect, it is used by gals outside of the Tokyo metropolitan area, for example, mixed in with the dialect of the area where they live. Since Shibuya is called the "mecca of gyaru", there are a few scholars who call it Shibuya-ben, which is a kind of dialect born in the Shibuya area where there are many gyaru.”
- ↑ My First Girlfriend is a Gal. Crunchyroll (2017/07/12).
- ↑ What is Kogal. Pixiv Encyclopedia (2012/07/22). “A popular term for high school girls in the 1990s. "Kogal" refers to high school girls who wear distinctive fashion styles similar to those of gal. It is said that the term "kogal" was shortened from "high school gal" to "kogal", which in turn became "ko (small) gal". It was a popular term around 1996-1998, and is also known as a cultural symbol of the bursting of the bubble economy. The fashion style is characterized by brown hair and loose socks, thick eye makeup and nails, and salon-burned brown skin (ganguro). Styles other than loose socks and "ganguro" have been carried over to the gal fashion of the 2000s. At the time, their eccentric fashion and language were considered to be at the forefront of fashion trends. Many of the girls continued to wear gal fashions after graduation, and the fashions of current high school students gradually transformed into more mature styles. It is also said that this fashion trend has made the younger generation less resistant to brown hair.”
- ↑ After 2000, Kuro Gal → Ayu-style Shiro Gal Boomed.. Galture. “In the 1990s, "kogals" (black gals) such as kogal, ganguro, and gongguro were very popular, but the era changed drastically with the appearance of "Ayumi Hamasaki," the diva of the Heisei era, and a boom in "Shiro Gal" (white gals)! What is an Ayu-style Shiro Gal? In a word, it is a gal who does not tan her skin. In the 1990s, the standard "gal" was "kuro gal," but in the 2000s, when Ayumi Hamasaki, the "second charisma of gyaru," became popular, many "Ayu-style shiro gal" began to take her fashion and makeup as a reference and started to emulate her fashion and makeup.”
- ↑ Ranko Honjou. My First Girlfriend Is a Gal (2017/07/12). “A kuro gal appears in front of Junichi and Yukana.”
- ↑ 1998 Era Ganguro/Gonguro. Galture. “Ganguro is a new style that evolved from kogal, a type of gal fashion that peaked around 1998 to early 2000. There were many gals, mainly in Shibuya and Ikebukuro, who tanned their skin to make it look darker! Gonguro refers to gals who burn their skin even darker than ganguro.”
- ↑ What is Kuro Gal. Pixiv Encyclopedia. “A term used to describe a dark-skinned gal. A sub-style derived from gal. It is used as a shortened form of "Ganguro Gal" or as a antonym for "Shiro Gal. As the name implies, the main characteristic is "dark skin (brown skin)," which is either tanned skin influenced by surfer fashion or makeup with foundation that gives the appearance of tanning. There are also gals who are tanned by sports or are born with dark skin due to high melanin pigmentation, but in such cases, they are distinguished from the "Shiro Gal" style, which does not require dark skin in terms of makeup and clothing style. In Japan, this style became popular from the late 1990s to the early 2000s and has become a typical gal style. In the fiction industry, especially in the adult film industry, gal are very popular because of their sexy fashion and healthy skin texture, and many actresses in the "gal-kei" genre are kuro gal. In addition, brown skin is often used in manga and anime as a way of expressing gal-ness.”
- ↑ What is Ganguro. Pixiv Encyclopedia (2012/06/02). “A person who goes to a tanning salon and has dark skin. They are characterized not only by excessive tanning (sometimes with brown foundation), but also by distinctive makeup (white around the eyes and lips, colored contacts, etc.) and loudly dyed hair color, the style of the Shibuya-style Yamamba gals who were popular around the year 2000. Skin is often tanned by what is called a tanning machine , and there are also specialty stores called "tanning salons". This style of tanning only spread around Tokyo and had almost died out by the mid-2000s, but the style of lightly tanned skin and dark eye makeup was established among gals and was seen for a long time afterwards.”
- ↑ Mamba/Yamamba circa 1998 is the flashiest in gal history!. Galture. “The Yamamba/Mamba, which was popular at the same time as the Ganguro around 1998, stands out from the rest of gal history. Yamamba/Mamba is a style of ganguro that has developed even more radically. They were called "yamamba" or "mamba" because of their exploded hairstyles. They have "gonguro" skin, which is even darker than ganguro, and their makeup is more flamboyant! Especially the makeup around her eyes had a big impact!”
- ↑ What is Yamamba. Pixiv Encyclopedia. “Yamamba is a form of gal that was once locally popular. A type of kuro gal that became popular around the late 1990s and early 2000s. This style is a derivative of "ganguro". It is said that the name came from the fact that the dark skin was burnt black with white lipstick and eyeliner, and the hair was bleached silver or other light colors and voluminous, making it look like a yamamba (mountain crone). Although the term "yamamba" was once used as a pejorative term for the term "yokai," there are many gals who accept the term positively and call themselves "yamamba", and it has become an established style among the gal community. The difference from "ganguro", from which it is derived, is difficult to tell at first glance, but the yamamba has dark skin called "gongguro", which goes even further than ganguro, wears brightly colored contacts, and the eyes, bridge of the nose, and lips are considerably emphasized with pure white lines (using concealer, etc.) and fluorescent colors. In addition, excessive make-up, like face painting (drawing lines on the cheeks that look like cat whiskers, filling in the eye line with black color quite far down, etc.) is called "mamba," but the general public often confuses "yamamba" and "mamba".”
- ↑ What is Shiro Gal. Pixiv Encyclopedia. “An antonym for "kuro gal". A gal who has not tanned her skin at a tanning salon, etc. Since they do not tan their skin, they can easily disguise themselves as non-gals through makeup and fashion. Therefore, it is possible to enjoy being a gal after school or on holidays while wearing serious clothes to school or work. When the gal (kogal) genre was established around 1996, their fashion leader was Namie Amuro, and what characterized kogal was her brown hair and tan (however, the dark skin of Amuro was natural, not tanned). However, there were many high school girls who enjoyed gal fashion without tanning, and they were called "shiro gal" (white gal). In the 2000s, Ayumi Hamasaki became a fashion leader, and those who did not tan their skin became the majority, and those who did tanned their skin came to be distinguished from them as kuro gal (black gals).”
- ↑ It's Called Gyaru, Right?. Yuri Is My Job! (2013/05/18). “Kanoko is upset that Sumika may have found out about her secret feelings for Hime. Sumika looks into Kanoko's situation and...”