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What’s the story behind this weirdly specific sitting/kneeling pose in Japanese media?

Lightning Count

Lightning Count

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Jan 27, 2019
16,074
Fuck off
Not sure how you would describe but a character (almost always female) goes down on their knees in a sitting position, but rather than tucking their heels under their butt as most people do when kneeling, the knees are brought together pointing inwards and the legs are splayed outward.

I have been curious about this, it's something I only ever see this in Japanese media, it's not a particularly comfortable or natural way to kneel, also this pose/mannerism seems to be exclusively depicted in females I cannot recall any instances of male characters doing this.

What is the significance of this? I have always wondered and I am sure I am not the only who had noticed this particular quirk.
 
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Deleted member 18944

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chandoog said:
any pics ?
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twistedkneecollapse.png


This is the least sexual picture I could find of what OP is talking about .......
 
Ferrs

Ferrs

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Oct 26, 2017
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I guess it's some of these cute uguu anime things, like that inward feet thing too.
 
Van Bur3n

Van Bur3n

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Oct 27, 2017
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All you had to say was "anime" instead of "Japanese media" OP and you could probably figure it out for yourself.
 
maxxpower

maxxpower

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That's also a really bad way to sit. My son has to wear shoe inserts because he would sit/kneel like that when he was a baby.
 
Yams

Yams

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Every time my wife gets drunk she sits like this on the floor while she takes her makeup off
 

Deleted member 35077

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It happens in real life before anyone says it is exclusive to anime., and it is done to express one's femininity, as it is seen as something only women can do, because the man's pelvis will cause problems in trying to do so, don't know if true or not on the later part. Basically to look cute.
 
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Calamari41

Calamari41

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Oct 25, 2017
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It also comes across as a vulnerable/defeated stance. Like the opposite of an athletic position. Make sense when you consider that it seems to happen when the character is overwhelmed, exhausted, or flabbergasted.
 
OP
OP
Lightning Count

Lightning Count

Member
Jan 27, 2019
16,074
Fuck off
Calamari41 said:
It also comes across as a vulnerable/defeated stance. Like the opposite of an athletic position. Make sense when you consider that it seems to happen when the character is overwhelmed, exhausted, or flabbergasted.
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Yeah, it frequently happens after/during scenes where main characters lose fights or are in a seemingly hopeless situation.

The cuteness side as a cultural representation of feminity is also an interesting explanation.
 

mrmoose

Member
Nov 13, 2017
21,190
Castile said:
It happens in real life before anyone says it is exclusive to anime., and it is done to express one's femininity, as it is seen as something only women can do, because the man's pelvis will cause problems in trying to do so, don't know if true or not. Basically to look cute.
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You're saying people do this in real life and it's not an attempt to simulate animation/comics?

I always figured it was just something like the sweat bead or vein popping out of head stuff (or the "we're blasting off again" Rumiko Takahashi pose) that was popularized as a way to express stuff in drawings.
 
Yams

Yams

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Oct 25, 2017
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mrmoose said:
You're saying people do this in real life and it's not an attempt to simulate animation/comics?
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scroll up. My wife does this all the time and she doesn't watch anime or read manga. In fact I know a few girls that would sit like this on the floor. They usually all skinny girls too
 

cecilpaladin32

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Apr 24, 2018
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Isn't this the way a lot of kids try and sit in elementary school but get scolded at and then get told to sit with their legs crossed on top of each other (I think it was referred to as "Indian style")?
 
Strangelove_77

Strangelove_77

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It's funny because you actually have to go out of your way to sit that way. It just doesn't happen naturally. Never seen anyone do it in real life.
 
Rookhelm

Rookhelm

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Oct 27, 2017
3,691
There's also that pose that women in anime do where one hand is placed at the chest, vertically. Like, it makes them look nervous or shy or something.
 

Deleted member 4552

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People in Japan do a fair amount of manga/anime-esque things.

It's pretty natural given that's what feeds into the media in the first place.

Of course it's not enough for the freaks who travel there thinking they will live in anime land, and trust me I met plenty of them.

I detest them so much.
 
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