5/10

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOex0rqgkBU

Coworker posted in work chat music channel "happy weeb friday everyone i am back with ya boy takayan aka some very nice indie jtrap "

I think it's a fun song, and I've listened to it enough times tonight that it's stuck in my head, which is a pretty good indication that it's doing its function. Not my jam, but definitely a jam.

As far as the lyrics, they are pretty ////edgy////. Ex:
"Take care of other’s happiness
True self? Ohh... Where is it??
Sick of those abusive comments
It’s fine, soon or later, you’ll find your place to be"

I -- think that the audience for this is not me? Although, I have also watched Spinel's 'Drift Away' video on YY more times than I can count, and it hits the same sort of -- baseline tragedy of unacceptance and putting more than you get in. I think Spinel is the worst character in S.U., but I can understand why young kids would identify so much more with her than, say, Pearl (who has the more ///adult// problem of inheriting responsibility after a loved one is lost with 'It's Over, Isn't It?'

Spinel has been on my mind a lot (bc she is all over the S.U. subreddit) and the first thought I had when reading these lyrics on the YouTube subtitle ticker were "these lyrics appeal to what makes young people identify with spinel." BUT I'm missing a piece there, which is (concept that coworker explained) of Menhara:

"yeaaa takayan is an edgy lad. he indulges in menhera culture/aesthetic which is kind of like trying to make cute aspects of working through mental health as part of like normalizing/reclaiming it as part of your art. its a whole movement in japan similar to deco-kei, visual-kei, but somewhat newer as young people are attempting to embrace mental health in their own ways in a culture that historically doesnt believe in mental wellness/mental health until recently !"

Deeper definition:
Menhera (メンヘラ)* is a japanese slang term derived from “Mental Healther*”. It became the spark of a sickly cute aesthetic that takes the abiguous usage of the word “sick”, like as an insult for something nonconformist, literally as reflection of the social stigma which still hides behind the surface of “Kawaii Culture”. ( https://fymenhera.tumblr.com/info )

"It’s not the illness that is made cute - it’s showing that cute people aren’t immune to suffering as illness can hit everyone and that denying someone’s suffering, only because they don’t “look” like it, is dangerous and harmful."

His Instagram definitely confirms this edginess. First reaction to screenshotted IG post ( https://www.instagram.com/p/CFE3RrgjCTp/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link ) was ' this guy making cutting a cute thing huh?" -- but found the song and its lyrics from that post, and it's also very self lovey.

Anyway, I've listened to this song so many times today.