The Kyary Pamyu Pamyu controversy, explained
Kyary Pamyu Pamyu is one of the biggest J-pop artists around, but her career hasn’t always been squeaky clean.
Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, also known as Kiriko Takemura, first hit the mainstream in 2011 with the single “PonPonPon.” Since then, she has become a huge recording artist with massive popularity in Asia. Besides her music, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu is heavily associated with kawaii and decora culture and is often referred to as a “fashion monster.”
Despite her success, Pamyu has had her fair share of controversy, including inappropriate messages concerning a minor.
Kyary Pamyu Pamyu’s ‘shotacon’ controversy
In 2019, Pamyu was accused of being a pedophile following concerning statements she made on social media about P-Chan, a member of TEMPURA KIDZ. At the time, P-Chan was only 12 years old.
In now-deleted tweets, Pamyu talked about how she was in love with P-Chan. Some posts were also made with Pamyu attempting to make P-Chan shy and talking about how sad she was that P-Chan was going through puberty and was no longer a clingy kid. She spoke about how she would “wait for him” to grow out of this face.
In another photo, Pamyu was seen sitting on P-Chan’s lap.
Additionally, Pamyu also shared photos of Instagram star Dennis Kane to her Twitter back in 2015. She claimed that he “stole her shotacon heart.” At the time, Dennis Kane was only eight years old.
Following the backlash, Pamyu deleted her posts on social media and issued an apology. In her apology, she expressed her regret for causing anyone any harm. Overall reception for the controversy is mixed, with some stating there is a cultural difference that Western fans do not understand, and others believing Pamyu’s actions are inappropriate.
Kyary Pamyu Pamyu talks about body shaming comments
In 2021, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu took to social media to express her candid thoughts on body-shaming comments. In her X (formerly Twitter), she talked about how she wasn’t interested in flaunting her body and that she loved fashion, and that is what she wanted to spotlight.
Her tweet was shared by Japan Today, as well as additional statements from Pamyu. She stated, “I show items such as rings and shoes (on my social media), but I get comments like, ‘You’ve got chubby fingers! ‘ or ‘You have no ankles’ or ‘You have flat feet!’ It really makes me feel like not posting them anymore. Would I be cute if I lost weight? What I think is important is being the ‘you’ that you love.”
Pamyu earned praise for her post. Many agreed that people should not criticize other people’s appearances, as it sparks insecurities. Others reasoned that the reason people comment on others’ bodies is due to their own insecurities.
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