Kawaii came to be something that Japanese people highly uphold because it stands in contrast to the day-to-day stresses of life, says this blogger. Japan’s society is also big on altruism and maintaining kindness and decent manners with one another (via the University of Rhode Island). Kawaii provides a happy outlet away from those expectations and perhaps some relief to the average Japanese person. 

Because cuteness tends to elicit positive reactions from people, it is no wonder why men and women and children in Japan might aspire to be adorable all the time; it brings out good behavior. The fact that various industries in Japan have also adopted this trend makes kawaii a very prominent aspect of Japan’s culture. You can even say it is cuteness overload because nearly every major Japanese company has a kawaii mascot to represent their brand (via Japanese Shop). 

With every turn, one can apparently find some sign of kawaii being promoted in the culture. One of Japan’s biggest exports, anime, is the literal definition of kawaii (via Anime News Network). The manga drawing style of the animations originate from Japan, and one of the common features of the illustrations are the big and round eyes — a key component in what it takes to be kawaii. It’s also something to do with looking innocent and cute, and bringing out the nicer and kinder behaviors in people (via Reel Rundown).

And truthfully, when you see the popular Pokémon character Pikachu, aren’t you thinking, “Isn’t he just cute?”