Subcultures on Ousho

There are many subcultures on Ousho. They are all part of the mainstream machine, just eating different products put out by it. How one has a single culture made entirely of subcultures is a topic of debate. What is the top level culture when all you have are small components? Note that these are different from counter-cultures, which do not partake of The Corporation and all it's wondrous offerings.

Gayu/Gayuo
The most popular subculture is the Gyaru/Gyruo culture, which is based around consumerism, fashion and "in" circles. Their sub-subcultures dominate, and it can trace an almost unbroken lineage back to 20th century old earth. And yes, there are experts on their history within (and without) their circles - it is a complex subject. One could say that this IS the culture of Ousho City and not be too far wrong - it is certainly the most visible and well known even if it isn't the majority of the population.

It is most popular with young people up to about their 30's, but as the population ages it spreads upwards. The look becomes more "sophisticated" as you move up in age levels. Personality wise, they tend to be very fashion and peer conscious, loving to portray a youthful and childish image free of the cares of the world. They eschew serious relationships, long term accomplishments (like higher education) and hard work (Living off the parents or a sugar daddy where possible, avoiding rough jobs where not). It lives by the concept: "Be comfortable and live at ease."

Gyaru-kei is the modern general gyaru style. It has many substyles such as Saike(Psyche), Rokku(Rock). Tends to be more eclectic and doesn't strictly include any of the below popular sub-subcultures. Tends to take a bit from each, and focuses more on the social and consumer aspects. Possibly the most consumerist as it is constantly trying to take a good bite from every popular style in an attempt to create one that stays fresh. Hair dying is popular. Seems to love moderate tanning as opposed to Kogal's lack of tans and other sub-subculture's love of dark tans.



Each style below Gyaru-kei has a few bits of idiosyncratic speech tendencies, but share much in common. Their speech patterns are less formal and more fluid than standard Japanese taught in schools, instantly recognizable to off-worlders and those who don't partake in it. They tend to be very energetic, carefree and sporty, preferring to spend time with their circle at malls and other shopping venues and parks to show themselves off.

Certain dance styles is popular amongst this subculture, a revival of parapara after falling on the way side in the 22nd century.

Subcategories
You can typically substitute "gayruo" in instead of "Gayru" in most of these, as the circles seem typically gender independent.


 * Banba: Can also be seen as a lighter, brighter form of manba, though they are distinct styles. Banba wear less of the white makeup than manba and wear brighter clothes. Club wear is popular. They also use more glitter, and have a neon touch to their hair. They use more extreme-looking types of false eyelashes and LCD contact lenses.


 * Bibinba: this look usually includes a lot of gold colors and jewelery.


 * Himegyaru: girls who dress very fancy. Hair colors vary from blond to black and is usually very big and teased. They wear expensive clothing from many so-called Import Brands. Social circles have a certain unwarranted self importance to them, hearkening back to the original style where the girls modeled themselves off of princesses.  The men style themselves in expensive clothing as well, though they tend to act with more poise.


 * Kogyaru: generally a high school student. Sex appeal manifests in and guides this one, tends to be heavy on the accessories.


 * Ganguro gyaru: a gal with an artificial deep tan and bleached hair. This style was popular in the late 2390s and early 2400's, and while that is no longer the case, there are still quite a few people who wear this fashion. Associated with promiscuous sexuality and revealing clothing.
 * Kogal: Once a separate fashion that's had a revival in both the post WW3 environment (when Uniforms were once again falling from popularity in Japanese schools) and in the 2390's, it has gone on the wayside.  It still exists, portraying itself like in the 2390's with sexualized Sailor-Fuku uniforms.  Tends to be light on the excess accessories, and most popular with high school aged crowds.  Not considered a Kogyaru style by fashion magazines (in spite of ancient roots linking Kogal as THE original gal fashion) as it is light on the accessories and somewhat less consumerist.  Eschews the dark tans popular with many other styles.


 * Kyoba bo-i: the male banba. The make-up is similar, but the eyes can be made up to look bigger to look more feminine. They accessorize excessively and commonly don bangs.


 * Mago gyaruo a middle school gal. Cuteness and pitiableness appears to be the focus.


 * Manba: deep tan and contrasting white make-up. Their hair is usually pastel-colored or blond, and very long and back-combed. Their clothes are neon and layered. Usage of fiber optic hair weaves are popular, possibly inspired one of the punk subcultures.


 * Oyajigyaru: from oyaji and gyaru. A gyaru who behaves in a masculine way, who drinks beer and uses rough language. Not very popular anymore, done typically for shock value or irony.


 * Oneegyaru: a gyaru who has graduated from high school, and thus become a more mature onee-san (literally "elder sister" but, here, "young lady"). The style is more sophisticated. Onii/Oniikei is the male equivalent (older brother). Sex appeal still guides choices like in Kogyaru, but is more subtle and alluring than overtly sexualized.

Lolita and Aristo
Lolitas and Aristos style themselves to be more refined than the other subcultures. With a certain poise and air to them, they stand out as a more grave and somber type regardless of their outward expression. Compared to its roots, it is a much narrow fashion and ascetic sense, especially as it grew to distance itself from the more social Gyaru. Its revival began much as its ancient roots, with a counter-culture to the growing sexualization of women. In time, it became just a regular culture, where one can be "against the mainstream" yet still be part of it. The subculture values more stable and longterm things, with formal long-term relationships being popular if not always deep. Literature is more appreciated amongst this subculture, and being well read or owning actual books is a status symbol. They speak more formally and with more reserve than your average citizen.

It is greatly diminished not only from its ancient roots but its revivals as well, with the two pervasive styles being Classic and Punk. Sweet style Lolita is becoming more popular amongst middle-school aged girls, but remains far behind the various Gyaru.

Subcategories

 * Classic - Classics dress in a plain, pseudo Victorian/Rococo/Baroque style. Knee length or longer dresses for women in subdued colors or black, limited jewelery and accessories, but very fine where used.  Men wear vests, button down shirts (often with separate collars) and slacks, all in subdued colors.  Footwear is functional, simple but elegant, often boots for men and low heels for women.  Long jackets, common amongst the whole of the population already, are similarly subdued and cut in specific ways.  Hats are a must for both, and gloves are very common.  Style is typically worn by those in their late teens to early 30's, with those beyond with a background in this style just adopting more toned down, "normal" style.


 * Punk - Punk Lolitas and Aristos are much like the classics, but take some aspects of punk dress. These include armbands, piercings, ties, hats and gloves.  Footwear becomes more fancy, with exaggerated laces, platform soles and off-coloring.  They switch up the color schemes, keeping the subdued base and highlighting it with safety pins, fiber optic piping and off-set colors for things like pocket openings, buttons and the like.  Both genders have a less smoothed out style in favor of something a bit more "lived in".  It retains its more intellectual background but focuses on certain types of literature and movies.  Carries a more relaxed way of speaking, but still distinctive.


 * Sweet - common amongst middle-school girls, it likes bright colors. These girls try to emulate dolls in appearance and princesses in behavior, striving to be "sweet".  Sometimes seen amongst early highschool age kids or in some cliques trying to be ironic.

Punk
The punk culture is eclectic. There are subdivisions within it, but they are much less distinct and subjective than Lolita or Gyrau. They dress in dark colors, typically in pre-distressed goods. They are prone to purpously damaging their clothing and crudely sewing or pinning it back together to look more rough and tumble. They often wear hooded jackets (not as popular planetside as long coats) or heavily modified trench coats, often sport tattoos (LCD is popular) and piercings and have an anti-establishment attitude. They appear to have started as a counter-culture, but have since drifted from their roots in neigh entirety. They buy almost all of their goods (and all of the supplies to make their own goods) from The Corporation, though occasionally they are known to delve into the black market. They have a few known enclaves based within nightclubs and the less traveled areas nearby where they congregate - these are well known to be unfriendly to so-called outsiders. Much of what they do is for shock value, from attitude to dress. Interestingly, parkour has apparently made a recent splash in the punk "community".

Like the Gyaru/o, they dislike hard work, rejecting the supposed "mindless loyalty" (dedication) deemed appropriate. Unlike the Gyaru/o, they dislike living off of someone else as a principal, favoring independence and togetherness with one's fellow subscriber. While some may share apartments with fellow members, stay with friends in alternation or sleep within minor clubs they help maintain, most of them still live with their parents, the harsh reality of lax work ethic keeping them in check.

Some of these "punk" groups style themselves in emulation of the Yakuza clans known to inhabit the city. This waxes and wanes in popularity, and ranges from parody to neigh convincing emulation, depending what is in at the time. How "authentic punk" they are is subject to debate.

The punk subculture tends to be more friendly to those who emulate them than others, expanding their numbers through example teaching. Most "insider" subcultures will reject you if you do not approach with the correct customs - Punks will teach you.

Rijekutonin
These are people who don't subscribe to any subculture, but reject the consumerist lifestyle of Seijounin as well. They are very much a minority in the City, and are best known for being either complete loners or having very tightly knit, small groups of friends. They ascribe little to no value to physical goods, enjoying them but rarely buying for the sake of buying. You dress how you want, buy what you want and are often associated with making black market clothing purchases, if not making their own. As it is a philosophical subculture, its hard to distinguish at a glance from the rest, especially the Seijoujin (as the Seijoujin are people who just buy into the mainstream). You can tell them most easily if they wear something well out of fashion or wear clothing and accessories that have signs of wear and use (typically Oushojin buy new things when they start to show moderate wear, never letting them look too "used"). Many of them are also considered Otaku, people who have hobbies and pass times they're far too excited by and dedicated to, often stereotyped as forming the "spice of their life".

Seijoujin
Seijounin is the "subculture" basically comprised of "everyone else" who subscribes to the consumerist lifestyle so pervasive in Ousho City. This is basically what you subscribe to if you don't subscribe to something else, and don't consider yourself above following someone else's example. This is most accurately called the culture of Ousho rather than Gyaru, but it has little identifiable quirks from fashion to speech - its all pretty much the norm. It lives by the idea of "Long Life the Self", and follows popular fashion trends which change more frequently (and cycle in and out) than the other more well known subcultures. It favors good looking but functional clothing that works in a wide variety of settings, ownership of any different "styles" but committing to none, and changing it up for your own sake. 75% of the population is this.

It's more forgiving than some subcultural groups because its easier to buy in and has no real attitude adjustments beyond what you were raised around - you're a normal citizen. Much easier to make friends as you likely share much more in common with them than if you tried to invade some kind of subcultural group.

This is the population that was once carrying the torch of Chonindo (which grew up in the Neo-Imperialist Period and managed to carry on strongly for many decades), but now live within an empty husk of it. They are loyal and skilled in their jobs, but continue to be so even when logically they should not be (when they are being used). They support mass culture, but subscribe to it so deeply that it becomes them. They take education somewhat seriously, but mostly focus on material things. They are big on leisure time, working just to be comfortable and secure (never stepping out of line so they risk said job) and avoid taking real risks. Their links to their cultural roots are superficial, never delving beyond a cursory understanding of anything outside their greatest interests. It's also generally expected to have a hobby or pass time outside of the social world that defines you; this is often where you make your friends. MMA and TV are very popular. Some Seijoujin are categorized as Otaku, people with hobbies and interests that excite them more than they should. This mindset isn't too common as its not socially acceptable, and forms the fringe gap between this and the above.