It’s summer again in Japan, which means the return of many things, like shaved ice snacks, seeing guys’ nipples through their shirts, and Obon festivals. And much like these things, we can also count on idol/blogger/cosplayer/gamer extraordinaire Shoko Nakagawa, a.k.a. Shokotan, to be covered in the discarded husks of cicadas every summer.
This is an annual ‘tradition’ which can be traced back as far as 2008 where the beloved celebrity adorns herself with exoskeletons shed by those sizable bugs known for flying around with all the grace of a drunk truck driver and making a sound that is either pleasantly relaxing or ear-piercingly annoying depending on your proximity to them.
First, on 7 August Shokotan released an image of herself with her hair down and weighted down even further with the husks of about 100 cicadas.
Some countries have ice cream trucks and opened fire hydrants every summer, we get this.
今年も夏がやって来ました http://t.co/AnabQknxmA
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中川翔子@炭水化物がまん (@shoko55mmts) August 07, 2015But that was just the prelude to a bigger event. During the Rock In Japan concert in Yoyogi Park, Shokotan performed in front of an audience of 8,000. Then, in the middle of her set she took a box containing 1,000 hollow cicadas and proceeded to dump it all over herself.
しょこたん…おかしいだろ。 http://t.co/PfyrChrwlE
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.*ʚ⑅⃝笑福亭佑理⑅⃝ɞ*. (@mczyuuri) August 09, 2015After that she lay down on stage and began to take a bath in the insect remains.
Shokotan later explained on her blog that the experience was a “testament to living” and that while surrounded by the “crisp rustling sound” of the shells she had never felt more alive.
【訃報】しょこたん、幸せそうに眠る。
詳細： twintailsokuhou.blog.jp/archives/39480… http://t.co/fPdo9bB6Gn
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ついんてーる速報 (@Buche_d_noel) August 10, 2015Netizens had this to say about Shokotan’s cicada fun 2015.
“Gross.”
“Maybe it’s just caramel corn…”
“She’s serious gone off at the deep end.”
“I thought it was cute when she did it five years ago. This time I feel kind of sick.”
“Don’t those things have parasites on them, like ticks or something.”
It would seem that the cicada antics aren’t received overwhelmingly well, but I guess when you decide to affix molted cicada skins to your hair you’d have to expect a little negative feedback. And if you think that’s the weirdest of thing this cat licking, Pokémon game chewing celeb is into, then you don’t know Shokotan.
Source: Shokotan Blog, Alfalfalfa (Japanese)
Featured images via Twitter
Origin: Japanese celeb Shokotan unveils her 2015 cicada shell fashion, then bathes in them
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