Akanbe
Encyclopedia
, also spelt , is a Japanese facial gesture. It consists of someone pulling down their lower eyelid
to expose the red underside towards someone. It is considered an immature taunting gesture. It is often accompanied by the person sticking their tongue out.
The use of the term was first mentioned by early 20th century author Katai Tayama
, in his 1909 story , as a gesture used by the male students in the story. In the story, it gives the etymology as a corruption of .
The gesture is used often in manga
and anime
by tsundere
characters.
Eyelid
An eyelid is a thin fold of skin that covers and protects an eye. With the exception of the prepuce and the labia minora, it has the thinnest skin of the whole body. The levator palpebrae superioris muscle retracts the eyelid to "open" the eye. This can be either voluntarily or involuntarily...
to expose the red underside towards someone. It is considered an immature taunting gesture. It is often accompanied by the person sticking their tongue out.
The use of the term was first mentioned by early 20th century author Katai Tayama
Katai Tayama
Katai Tayama was a Japanese author. His most famous works include Inaka Kyōshi and Futon . He is noted for establishing the Japanese literary genre of naturalistic I novels which revolve around the detailed self-examinations of an introspective author...
, in his 1909 story , as a gesture used by the male students in the story. In the story, it gives the etymology as a corruption of .
The gesture is used often in manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
and anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
by tsundere
Tsundere
is a Japanese character development process that describes a person who is initially cold and even hostile towards another person before gradually showing their warm side over time. The word is derived from the terms , meaning to turn away in disgust, and meaning to become 'lovey dovey'...
characters.
In popular culture
- In anime such as DoraemonDoraemonis a Japanese manga series created by Fujiko F. Fujio which later became an anime series and an Asian franchise...
and Crayon Shin-chanCrayon Shin-chanis a Japanese manga and anime series written by Yoshito Usui.Crayon Shin-chan follows the adventures of five-year-old Shinnosuke "Shin" Nohara and his parents, baby sister, neighbors, and friends and is set in Kasukabe, Saitama Prefecture, Japan....
, the term has been used as a pun. Parodies of invaders or Darth VaderDarth VaderDarth Vader is a central character in the Star Wars saga, appearing as one of the main antagonists in the original trilogy and as the main protagonist in the prequel trilogy....
have been called Akanbēdā. - Watarirouka Hashiritai, subgroup of Japanese idol group AKB48AKB48AKB48 is a Japanese female idol group produced by Yasushi Akimoto.The group has achieved enormous popularity in Japan. Its ten latest consecutive singles topped the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart...
, released as #1 single in 2010 called "AkKanbe Bashi."