The Joy of "Haafu," Revisited

I've written before about the Japanese affinity for attractive faces that are haafu, or half-Japanese and half-Western, and it seems that every time I turn on the TV I see a beautiful star like Becky, one of the top "talents" in Japan these days. The popularity of hybrid features extends to newscasters like Crystal Takizawa or Helene Hayama, who have accumulated many fans with their unique un-Japanese look. This love of blended Caucasian features seems to fill a special need in Japan, a country that believes itself to be almost entirely of the same genetic stock, although this is largely a social myth. Foreigners can be scary and unpredictable, like the crazy man who stripped naked and took a swim in the Imperial Palace moat a few months ago, or they might speak rapidly at you in English, or do something else that's unexpected. But a person who combines both Japan and America or Europe will likely be more approachable, speak Japanese and do the things you expect them to do. To many Japanese, the blending of East and West represents the ideal, as visualized by the fashion doll Licca-chan, more popular than Barbie here. Licca's mother is a Japanese fashion designer and her father is a musician from France, and she can speak both languages. That's so cute! Of course, haafu stars are popular with J-List customers, too, as seen with enigmatic stars like who bring fans the best of both worlds like Maria Ozawa or Cecil Fujisaki.

Half-French Helene Hayama is a bridge between East and West.