JAPANESE SCHOOLGIRL CONFIDENTIAL SC

(W) Brian Ashcraft, Shoko Ueda
From manga and anime to movies, magazines, video games, advertising and music, Japanese schoolgirls are everywhere. For years, schoolgirls have shown up in internationally popular anime such as The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, films such as Battle Royale, and video games such as Street Fighter. In effect, the Japanese schoolgirl has all but replaced the "geisha-girl" as Japan's new female icon. By talking to Japanese women, including former and current J-pop idols, well-known actresses, models, writers, and artists - along with film directors, historians and marketers - the authors reveal the true story behind Japan's obsession with schoolgirls.