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On the early winter day of Dec. 1 in the city of Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture, which faces the Pacific Ocean, Milky Bunny aka popular top model Tsubasa Masuwaka held a solo concert. Titled “Milky Bunny Winter Tour 2013 Supported by Modelpress,” the concert packed in both male and female fans, referred to as MilkyBoys and MilkyGirls, who were overflowing with respect and admiration for Masuwaka. The venue was buzzing due to it being the last performance on her tour.
Milky brings a whole new meaning to the word kawaii (cute). Though it’s only one word, kawaii has different nuances depending on the culture. For example, things that color youth culture like disco clubs, Djs, and hip-hop music are inherent in the Shinjuku and Harajuku types of kawaii. Above all else, the characteristic of Japanese hip-hop that evokes this association lies in the fact that the content isn’t bogged down with problem solving and social issues, but is rather lighthearted, dealing with themes like love, happiness, and emotions that bring it close to that of a haiku. Cute female fashion also plays a part in this definition of kawaii, as does being assertive while still maintaining a level of modesty and shyness.
On the other hand is Akihabara, in which there is a gathering of anime and manga content as well as maids being used as mascot characters. This form of “Akihabara kawaii” was born from otaku culture, which also gave rise to the idea of moe.
Shibuya, Harajuku, and Akihabara. Kawaii culture means something different in each of these places. The word itself is multifaceted and is sometimes transfigured to mean “cute” and at other times to mean “stylish.”
Tsubasa Masuwaka is someone who embodies this “kawaii.” She began working as a model in the fashion magazine Popteen when she was 17, and she was instantly showered in attention. After that, she became a popular model and appeared on the cover of many fashion magazines. She received especially overwhelming support from the teen demographic, and the clothing and accessories she modeled sold out in an instant. The impact that her form of “kawaii” has had on the Japanese economy is said to be over 50 billion yen. When she began her venture into music, she began going by the artist name Milky Bunny. The name is a contradictory combination of the words “milky,” meaning obedient and docile, and “bunny,” meaning vigorous and lively. The name was a product of her wanting to “become a multifaceted artist.”
Though she showed her “milky” side in interviews, saying, “Solo concerts are 1 million times more nerve-racking,” she put on a cute rock show in front of the packed crowd in Nagoya for her last performance that pulled fans into the world of Milky Bunny.
The concert kicked off with her second single, “Zurui yo…” She then belted out “I Wish,” the theme song to the anime Fairy Tail, which is popular even overseas, as well as three new, unreleased songs.
The characteristics of Milky’s performances are her lyrics, many of which she wrote herself. I caught sight of many fans closing their eyes and listening to the ballad melodies spun together with lyrics like “Unbelievable words that have both good and bad meanings,” and “I don’t dare make goals.” Numbers with a rock vibe were also far from few. There were surely fans surprised by the gap between the cuteness she displayed while a model and what she displayed at the concert.
When she first started out, her fans were comprised solely of females, but over time this has changed, and at the concert about half of those in the audience were male. The audience spanned a diverse age range as well. The concert also had heartfelt moments like the MC expressing his earnest attitude toward her music by saying, “When she is performing as Milky Bunny, she is most like herself than any other time.”
For the second half of the concert, Milky transformed into a bunny-eared maid. After yelling out, “All that’s left now are upbeat songs!” she played charming and poppy tunes like “Bunny Days,” “Discord,” and “Nee, Kamatte?” one after the next. The building shook as the audience jumped and stomped In rhythm with her performance.
Milky reappeared for the encore wearing a concert T-shirt that she designed. Being a bit sentimental over the concert being the last in her tour for this year, she said, “I’m having fun. I feel like I’m at home here,” and “I don’t want it to end yet” and proceeded to belt out her new song tentatively titled “Milkshake SOS!”
During the concert, she performed many cute songs and rock-fueled songs and created an intimate atmosphere with her fans. For those of you interested in learning more about just who is Milky Bunny is, don’t take your eyes off Masuwaka as she continues reinventing the image of “kawaii”!
This is a Tokyo Otaku Mode original article.
