Paper short abstract:

Yuru-kyara are cute and quirky mascots representing regional areas in Japan. I show that yuru-kyara can also be understood as monsters, or yōkai, transformed through processes of domestication. Exploring monster domestication offers insight into the entangled nature of human-monster relationality and how this shapes the monsterbiome – and the planet.

Paper long abstract:

Translated as “loose characters” or “mascots”, yuru-kyara are most often understood as cute and quirky public relations personnel for towns, prefectures, government bodies and businesses throughout Japan. However, this understanding obscures how yuru-kyara are highly agentive monsters, or yōkai. This paper first looks at the historical adaptations and transformations of yōkai, examining how these changes have been shaped by human social contexts. It then goes on to suggest how yuru-kyara are a subspecies of yōkai who have emerged through the process of domestication. I suggest that the analytic of domestication is fundamental to understanding the very particular change that yōkai undergo to become yuru-kyara. Domestication has shaped yuru-kyara bodies and behaviour and resulted in the ferocious, wild, and scary being replaced with the cute, pleasing, and useful. Like other examples of domestication, the domestication of yuru-kyara is intended to meet human needs and desires. Yuru-kyara have become valuable and beloved commodities, and are used to shape public discourse, attitudes and beliefs. Ultimately, this paper aims to show how exploring monster domestication offers insight into the entangled nature of human-monster relationality and how this shapes the monsterbiome – and the planet.