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She has the cuteness of a small animal and although she is small and quiet she is a hard worker.
"Moe" (JP) is a term for a character who is the embodiment of being "cute" and innocent. They give off feelings of strong affection and behave in cute ways that make people have irresistibly endearing feelings of adoration and desires of protection toward them.[1]
Etymology
Meaning of the Term
Moe (萌え) is a Japanese word meaning "cute (attractive in a delicate way)".
Origin
Although the exact origin of the word "moe" is unknown, there are several popular theories that the term might have stemmed from the name of anime heroines, such as Hotaru Tomoe from Sailor Moon (Tomoe is written as 土萌, which includes the same kanji meaning cute) or Moe Sagisawa from the 1993 anime Kyouryuu Wakusei. The term first became popular in 1993-94 among users of Japanese bulletin board systems.[citation needed]
History
The character Lum from the 1978 manga Urusei Yatsura is widely regarded as being the first "moe" character.[2] She is also credited with inventing and popularizing the idea of a "waifu", or a fictional female character that the audience has great affection for.[3]
Characteristics
According to manga artist Ken Akamatsu, the feeling of moe is that of a "maternal affection" and is a "pure love which does not include any suggestive action and is an exceedingly peaceful desire."[4]
In his article he defines three conditions for moe:
- The character cannot have suggestive actions or messages.
- The person feeling moe must be stronger.
- The moe feeling must make the current state desirable.
A person's attraction to a moe character is not one of romantic desire, but rather a natural feeling of "protection".
Gap Moe
There is a concept in Japan known as "gap moe" that refers to the idea that moe can come as a result of a gap between two seemingly opposite personalities. If the gap is in a beautiful direction it creates an unexpected surprise of satisfaction which leads to moe.[5][6]
This concept is the basis for many "dere types" which rely on this gap as the main appeal for these characters. The two most popular examples of having a gap for appeal are tsundere and kuudere. With tsundere the gap moe derives from the idea of a character who comes across normally as quite harsh, strong and confident on the surface, but who is actually very loving, caring and filled with emotional turmoil or insecurities which causes people to want to protect them. With kuudere the gap moe derives from the idea of a character who appears completely emotionless on the surface, but is actually more passionate and loving than most on the inside which causes a very appealing dynamic.
Both of these "dere types" have a large gap between two seemingly opposite personalities that results in a large amount of satisfaction when these characters finally show their deredere side. It can make the audience feel like they watched that character grow as a person and feel large amounts of pride in them for finally making it to that point.
Gap moe can also come as a result from an unexpected twist in what one might expect from initial impressions by looking at someone. For example, a monster musume who looks large and scary at first glance but is actually super cute, adorable and the friendliest person you'll ever meet. This unexpected twist causes people to become very attached to that character, especially if their appearance on the surface causes them turmoil, such as being unfairly judged for looking a certain way.
Personality
Moe characters are very innocent and kind. They give off feelings of strong affection and behave in cute ways that make people want to protect them. Moe characters are usually portrayed as having similar traits as a deredere, being sweet and affectionate the majority of the time and making those around them happy. They may also be shy like a hajidere and hide behind those they trust when they get scared. A lot of bakadere characters also fall under this due to their childlike sense of wonder and innocence.
Similar Japanese Archetypes
- Deredere: A term for a character who does not hide their feelings towards their love interest from beginning to end and are sweet and loving towards them the entire time.
- Hajidere: A term for a character who is normally very shy and timid and blushes from embarrassement whenever they are near their love interest, but eventually overcomes their shyness and becomes deredere for them.
- Idol: A term for a character that is a popular singer or performer that many people look up to and idolize.
- Mahou Shoujo: A term for characters that are magical girls.
- Meganekko: A term for a cute and sweet female character who wears glasses.
List of Characters
See Moe/Japanese Characters to see characters from Japanese media.
See Moe/Non-Japanese Characters to see characters from non-Japanese media.
Gallery
See Moe/Gallery to enter the full gallery.
 Hotaru Tomoe from Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon  Mirajane Strauss from FAIRY TAIL .gif "Usagi Tsukino from Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon (3).gif (1.31 MB)") Usagi Tsukino from Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon  Ameri Azazel from Mairimashita! Iruma-kun  Senko from Sewayaki Kitsune no Senko-san  Kanon from PriPara |
References
- ↑ What is Moe. Pixiv Encyclopedia.
- ↑ Love in the Moe Realms – A Concise 'Dere' Guide. Otaku Lounge (2014/04/08).
- ↑ Exploring the ‘Lum Effect': Urusei Yatsura's Impact on Modern Anime. ZenPlus (2023/07/06).
- ↑ The World and Mind of the Tsundere: Moe and the Gain-loss Effect. Animents (2014/09/21).
- ↑ What is Gap Moe. Nico Nico Pedia (2010/05/14).
- ↑ What is Gap Moe. Pixiv Encyclopedia (2010/07/10).