Heisei Gyaru: Tsu-chan Teaches us Gyaru-go!

One the 29th of January Fashionsnap released an article about Tsu-Chan and her gal days, we have now translated it for you and hope you’ll enjoy it as much as we do!

Tsu-chan has been giving us some nostalgic love recently, so this was a fun interview to translate!

🦋 "Gyaru-go Diary"; What was Heisei Gyaru to Tsu-Chan?

Now and in the past, “Gyaru” has been one of the building pillars of what is known as “Japanese Culture”. Currently it is the year of 2021. It’s the beginning or new era, Reiwa, in which we’ve now entered the third year of. In what way does “Gyaru Culture” carry on? By comparing “Heisei Gyaru” and “Reiwa Gyaru” we can visualize the change to gyaru.

For this article we reached out to former Popteen model, Tsubasa Masuwaka. Also called “the 100 million yen Gyaru” thanks to the fact that everything she wore in magazines sold like hot pancakes, but this phenomena became known as “Tsubasa Selling” (Tsubasa-ure). Tsubasa is still very active; she is a model, runs her own clothing store “Eat Me” as well as she is the editor-in-chief for the magazine TOKYODOT.

As such we asked this “Heisei Gyaru Charisma” Tsubasa to look back on her time when her gyaru mind was at its highest and answer some questions.

 

🦋 Translation of profile

- Handle Name (HN) Nickname

Masuwaka Tsubasa, Tsu-Chan

- Reason for Nickname

I’ve been called Tsu-chan since Junior High is why!

- What’s your type in guys?

Someone interesting, a bit weird.

- What’s your type in girls?

Someone easy to get along with, someone that doesn’t shittalk or gossip about others.

- What celebrities do you like?

Ayu, Namie Amuro, Barbie Dolls and Blythe Dolls.

- What are your favorite brands?

Rodeocrowns, Liz Lisa, I like secondhand and mix coords.

- What phone do you have?

I have a flip-phone phone from Docomo and a WILLCOM. (Editor note: Willcom was a phone that allow unlimited calls, so popular to have both)

- Something you think about doubtfully?

Did everyone do profiles like these?

- Something you’ll only talk about here.

I’m the editor-in-chief at TOKYODOT!

- How to talk together

If you see me on the street, please talk to me!

🦋 Gyaru-go Question Time!

Fashionsnap asked Tsu-chan some question that she then responded to in both gyaru-go as well as normal Japanese, which we have translated for you!

 

- Which do you like better, the sea or the mountain?

Hmmm… I can’t swim, so I guess I like the mountains better? I’d love to go camping with everyone!!! We’d have tents and cook together, it sounds like so much fun! However, I also love fishing so I want to go to the sea to fish. I guess I love both! lol

 

- What do you think one has to do to become rich?

If you make other people happy then steadily money comes to you, I think. I don’t think much about rich people, but I want them to use their money and keep the economy going. 

- What do you think gyaru is?

If your way of thinking and being is gyaru then no matter what you look like and what age you are, you are gyaru! Gyaru are amazing!

We hope you enjoyed this short profile and interview with our Gyaru Icon Tsu-chan!
You can see the original interview here.