In 2014, many noted the death of gyaru culture as two of the prominent hostess and gyaru fashion magazines — Koakuma Ageha and egg — closed down.
Then in 2015, something seemed to give and there was a mini revival. Koakuma Ageha was relaunched and gyaru culture, especially the publishing side of it, seemed to be saved.
But here’s another piece of negative news that indicates that the partial renaissance won’t be pure sailing in these troubled publishing times.
Happie Nuts, another gyaru magazine, was relaunched in July last year. Founded in November 2004 when it changed its name from Happie, the title was also one of the 2014 gyaru casualties due to the bankruptcy of In Forest. Its clique of dark-skinned models were known as “Nuts Mates”.
But fans had hoped its prospects would be revived with a new company supplying the coffers.
Its last issue will be the March one with Saeko on the cover. Officially it is only a temporary suspension, meaning there is a possibility that Happie Nuts reappears in another form at a later date as the gyaru publishing revival stumbles on.
Other notable fashion magazine closures since 2015 include CUTiE, GINA and PICHILE.
