Attributes of imouto-moe and the Dark Side
As a faithful and indiscriminate consumer of the unhealthy 2D product "imouto-moe", I was surprised to find myself not going ga-ga over Yaya (Shugo Chara). Twin-tailed, lolicious and a tad spoiled, she's the embodiment of the imouto archetype I've worship all throughout my 2D fandom. So just what was the missing key ingredient? Was it because she's not a LHL? (Light-haired loli) Or that she didn't have a onii-chan to love? As I scrolled through my mental list of IM bishoujos, it suddenly hit me.
I never felt it for Yaya. Maybe the 'spoiled' component of her imouto-moe tipped the scale, so I found her more annoying than lovable. To give an idea of the imouto-moe I ascribe to here's a non-exhaustive list of 10 names hastily pulled out from my MAL.
Konomi (To Heart 2)
Kokoro (School Days)
Ilya (Fate/Stay night)
Shiori (Kanon)
Shinobu (Love Hina)
Kana (Otoboku)
Karen (Sky girls)
Mina (Tokimeki Memorial ~Only love~)
Mei (Clannad)
Gretel (Black Lagoon 2)
Ah, the shy, innocent, clueless or vulnerable bishoujos (ok one's mentally disturbed but still, I'd adopt her if I could). I know this looks vaguely like my favourite lolis list intersecting with my favourite imoutos. While this is no coincidence, I must emphasize that imouto-moe, siscon and loli charms are not quite the same things though they share some common traits. Much as a violent blond twin-tail character does not a tsundere maketh, mere outward attributes aren't enough to summon the much-coveted imouto-moe. It is the inward qualities that bring out the brotherly instincts from only the most honourable of otaku.
It's a pity that eroge has largely abused imouto-moe to spawn a dark side of the charm. By adding a sexual dimension to imouto-moe, 'protection' turns to 'sexploitation'. Many a noble otaku had embarked on this glorious path with the intention of protecting this fragile beauty only to succumb to its twisted cousin - imouto-porn. (I swear Japan has the highest number of graphic publications in the world that features sisters doing their brothers.) But such is the dangerous path of a imouto-moe warrior and tread carefully he must else the very lolicious Sora-chan may not be wearing a mizugi in the sidebar.
Towards incest-free imouto-moe!
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January 29th, 2009 - 11:13
Yaya is just way too danm genki for her own good. That, and she is so spoiled it’s annoying.
I hereby present a Guardian Banishment Act to vanquish her from the Guardians.
January 29th, 2009 - 11:33
Hmm… I find myself personally drawn to the more mischievous lolis. Characters like Ilya, Mei, and Mika (Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu) are lolis that have knowledge and awareness that belies their loli nature. They tend to be more perceptive than those well beyond their years. But at the same time, they do tend to show a weakness that just makes them even more adorable and does evoke that mamoruism in me. Perhaps a few years ago, all it would take is a vulnerable loli to awaken that protective onii-chan in me, but now I tend to prefer the more mischievous ones. But really, that goes for any bishoujo of any type. I prefer the witty ones who actually have a clue and enjoy using the knowledge they have to tease the people around them. Although, I guess I can’t say that’s always the case. Nunnally is one loli who is kinda oblivious, but still really hit that protective onii-chan button in me.
January 29th, 2009 - 11:36
Yaya is too childish, I think. I mean, that’s her chara and all but it seems overdone at times. For me, that actually made her less appealing. Anyway, imouto’s are great but I’ll take Amu over Yaya any day
January 29th, 2009 - 12:37
January 29th, 2009 - 13:02
Stripey, I thought you supported the awkward relation of (blood-related twins) Haruka and Sora Kasugano (from Yosuga no Sora)?
I guess that must have been Dark Stripey, your evil twin.
January 29th, 2009 - 14:56
Well, tecnically, since Yaya has a younger brother she’d be of the onee-san type, so maybe that’s it.
January 30th, 2009 - 03:28
Incest is Wincest.
January 30th, 2009 - 06:44
Nosgoroth: I haven’t see SC 2nd season but I don’t suppose she grows up there either else she’d need to change her Shugo Chara.
Nazarielle: Ahh we are of one mind on our imoutos and lolis too.
I enjoy the precocious types like Mika (Nogizaka) and Hinako (Myself, yourself) only that I classify them under loli charms. This class of bishoujo impresses me because they are seemingly mature beyond their age yet retain a touch of childlike innocence that makes them cute. But they don’t involve the onii-chan in me somehow. Nevertheless, they are a well-loved by me. 
anonymous_object: Amu for me any day, every day.
Given Yaya’s chara, it’s kinda hard to have character development unless she has a 2nd chara.
Kabitzin: I’ll tell Stripey to use that excuse should his wife ever stumble on him reading imouto-porn XD
Sixten: Yes, curses! My Dark twin has been spoiling my good name. In fact it was him who put up Sora’s pic in the sidebar which I know not how to remove XD
escaru: Although I have to say she bares all the physical traits that market imouto-moe. She needs a 2nd Shugo Chara, possible an onee-type to develop her character.
Di Gi Kazune: LOL! If they don’t have kids and their parents don’t hang themselves after finding out, I suppose there could be winners
January 31st, 2009 - 16:38
Interesting thought. I’ve been pondering the nature of escapism for a while (emotional, i.e. invokes protection, and physical, i.e. invokes…er…other urges), and I think you pretty much hit the nail on the head. When dealing with moe, there’s an extremely fine line between pure and impure, and it’s a line that the hapless otaku can cross without even realizing it.