意識の深層 The Collision of Fiction and Reality in “Otokonoko” Culture:A Psychodynamic Analysis Based on Psychological Responsibility Avoidance, Adult Children Characteristics, and Abraham’s “22 Emotional Stages”
The Multilayered Background of the “Otokonoko” Phenomenon in Postmodern SocietyIn contemporary Japan, the term “otokonoko” (literally “male daughter”) has transcended mere cross-dressing and gender disruption to establish itself as a robust subcultural identity. This phenomenon — biological males pursuing feminine appearances — originates from the symbolic codification of “cute boys” in two-dimensional media such as animation and manga since the 2000s.However, as this culture expanded from digital space and social media into the three-dimensional reality, participants have faced severe cognitive dissonance between “idealized fiction” and “inescapable physical and social reality.”