Now that’s what I’m talkin’ about! More maids! I was wondering when we’d get part two!

Those girls in the video are pretty cute. All this moe stuff might not be so bad after all.
Can you say Chigusa Moe?

Is there a problem with the PDFs? I keep getting 404 errors while trying to download them. (I’ll be getting the audio on lunch)

They sound really happy to kick back and relax at the maid cafe.

So is MOE an adjective? I think I have a good idea about the meaning now, but I don’t know how to use it in a sentence.

So is MOE an adjective? I think I have a good idea about the meaning now, but I don’t know how to use it in a sentence.

Well, given that it’s a VERY slangy word, it’s very difficult to pin a part of speech on it. EDICT classifies it as a noun, which probably makes the most sense. It’s kind of like 病気 in that it’s a noun that’s used very much like an adjective. You can attach it directly to the end another noun to mean “an infatuation for X.” It can also be used “adjectivally” as Y in an X is Y sentence. It’s never used directly before a noun like other adjectives. Here’s an example of the difference between the 2 usages:

-眼鏡っ子萌え (noun: infatuation with girls who wear glasses. This is one of my personal 萌えs, btw )
-眼鏡っ子は萌え！！！ (exclamation: “Girls with glasses are so MOE!!!”)

The は in the 2nd use tends to get dropped in casual speech, so the 2nd use can look identical to the 1st, but they are different. You can usually tell it’s the 2nd use if it’s used as an exclamation.

Here’s an example of the effects of 萌え.

梨花ちゃん萌え！！！

Makes you want to do things like this:

They covered moe in that documentary I mentioned last week. The otaku were saying it when getting hand massages and during the maid lap chat. I think they were saying it to their figurines as well, which I found a little disturbing, since many of the characters are modelled on like 12 year olds, like the one Jason posted.

Anyway, it was from a series called Japanorama that aired on the BBC. You should be able to find it on a torrent website, since people outside the UK don’t have BBC channels. The otaku episode covers some very strange stuff involving a costume shop that sells schoolgirl uniforms in sizes for grown men, and guys who collect life-size latex dolls.

Just be aware that Japanorama, while based on fact, is not exactly the most serious of documentary series. And they tend to focus on the more extreme and strange sides of what they cover. Not all of us who collect figures talk to them.

which I found a little disturbing, since many of the characters are modelled on like 12 year olds, like the one Jason posted.

梨花ちゃん *is* 10, btw. Though this brings up something I think’s important when talking about 萌え. There’s debate over whether the infatuation of 萌え is sexual in nature. From my own experience with 萌え, I have to say no, not necessarily. Sexual attraction may be mixed in but they are 2 separate things. 梨花ちゃん is an excellent example. I am very 萌え for 梨花ちゃん. But not being a pedophile, that adoration is not sexual. If she was about 10 years older, things may be different, but I think that just goes to further show the separation of 萌え from sexual attraction. In a similar vein, I’m 萌え for bunnies, puppies, and kittens but I don’t want to get it on with one.

The argument that 萌え is inherently sexual further falls apart when you consider that many people are 萌え for non-human things like trains and computers. Again, I think teddy bears are really cute, but that doesn’t mean I want to get it on with one.

That reminds me, people should watch the 電車男 tv series. Besides just being awesome, it can give you more insight into the concepts of 萌え and キターー(゜∀゜)ーーッ！！

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Densha_otoko

How did you guys included hyperlinks, quoted text block, and images in the comment? Is there a secret API/tags that I do not know of?

its nuance is more like “i love it, but it’s untouchable.”

I don’t agree with that. It doesn’t have a sense “but it’s untouchable.” Though that may be true a lot of times, it’s not inherent in the word itself. I think a more accurate definition would be “a passionate fascination or adoration of something or someone that is not necessarily sexual.” 萌え also has a tendency to be a bit of an obsessive feeling. I don’t think it would be unfair to say 萌え is what drives a lot of ヲタク to be ヲタク. Unfortunately, this sometimes comes at the cost of other important things in life. :/

based on your description, this concept seems to describe the students feelings towards their teacher in Mahou Sensei Negima! (MAGISTER NEGI MAGI)

Well, it’s similar, but I think that with the Negima girls Negi’s young age sparks a kind of maternal instinct in them that’s not quite the same as 萌え. With the exception of Ayaka who’s pretty much a raging shotacon for Negi.

Sakura-san!

Thank you for that explanation, that’s exactly what I think of Miki Moe.

I’m her fan because she is hot and she is like the sister I never had!!
Beside her friendship, she is a sample or model to follow for me!! Thanks everyone S_R_C

PS: By major dream is to know her in person so please her audio blogs should stay in JP101 until the end.

wow this is the second time i hear about this word
and today while watching a japanese drama …i heard
MOE ….and i was like ..oh my God !!!!
the funny thing is that it was not translated
arigatou

rigoさん、that is funny they didn’t translate it!

and as for ヲタク狩り (otaku hunting), we actually DO have a lesson involving that!
it’s an Intermediate conversation coming out on friday

marky

Can you recommend any shows that have a “darker” feel to them?

Higurashi no Naku Koro ni (”When they Cry”; 1st season), Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai (2nd season), Paranoia Agent, and Darker than Black are very good. Though Paranoia Agent’s the only one that’s been completely released outside of Japan so far. HIgurashi 1 has 3 DVDs out in America so far (maybe other countries, too. I don’t know).

Does Japan have any adult-oriented cartoons similar to Family Guy or South Park? I would like to see what the Japanese consider foul humor.

I don’t think it’s that common really. At least not in the same vein as Family Guy or something like that. Though a few do come to mind. One is Crayon Shin-chan. I’ve only seen a little bit of the English version of it. Some of the later episodes of Excel Saga got pretty racy (especially the extra, I think, 25th episode). Then there’s Puni Puni Poemi from the same people who did Excel Saga, but I absolutely hated it. That’s an hour of my life wasted I’ll unfortunately never get back. Then there are some that are just completely off the wall, like Pani Poni Dash. Which, unlike Puni Puni Poemi, is very good.

Hi my first time postin. Cool lesson thanks a lot lookin forward to more maids. Hahahaha.

Scott-san -
Pani Poni Dash is wonderful comedy/parody. I love how Rebecca keeps hiding behind the curtains whenever scared. miyamotosensei wa kodomopoi.

miyamotosensei wa kodomopoi.

ま、ベッキーは結局１１歳の子供なんだけど。

Jason -
I meant that more in the sense that a teacher shouldn’t be acting like a child.

Contrast Becky with another child teacher from mangaland - Negi Springfield, who, although just 10 years old, tries to act as grown up as he can. Sure, he sometimes makes childish mistakes, but he usually tries to act more like an adult.
Becky just acts childish, and doesn’t make an attempt to act grown up.

I would say moe describes Himeko’s feelings towards Becky.

Yes, Himeko is definitely 萌え for Bekcy.

Here’s the official site for all of Akamatsu’s work

AI Love You,
Love Hina,
Mahou Sensei Negima!

Back to what makes someone 萌え, personality is a big factor too, not just looks. Here’s an example I came across recently.

This is Akihime Sumomo from Nanatsuiro Drops. She’s a pretty typical 萌え-looking character. Very cute. The problem is that she’s an annoying, whinny little crybaby. So much that I stopped watching the show after only 3 episodes. So despite her appearance and unless annyoing whinny crybabies just happen to be your thing, she is very 不萌え (不萌[ふも]え being a word I just made up to mean “un-moe”).

I’m probably really showing my otakuness by now, but oh well.

ＯＯＰＳ！　Ｉ　ｇｕｅｓｓ　ｅｖｅｒｙｏｎｅ　ｃａｎ　ｔｅｌｌ　ｗｈａｔ　ｉｎｐｕｔ　ｍｅｔｈｏｄ　Ｉ　ｕｓｅ　ｆｏｒ　日本語

I watched some of Kashimashi a while back but dropped it about 1/2 way in. I spent most of the time going “what?” and “why am I watching this (besides for Tomari)?”

Max -
I’ll see if I have enough time on my weekend to make a video. I’ll try a few parts, if I can.

Jason -
What about Janpu-chan? I’d have to say that from mangaland, my favorite charecter was AI Love You’s 40chan, although her alter-gender/ego (40kun) just got on my nerves.

Jason, you’re cute. The ふもえ personality thing was so not typical guy.

In my comments above, I did forget to mention my favorite energetic hacker

wat are u talking about