Maid cafes are a relatively recent phenomenon in Japan that has become fairly popular, even among non-otaku. If you go to any sites that cover modern Japanese life and culture, you are likely to eventually run into an article on the now almost ubiquitous maid café.

The allure isn’t hard to understand. Cute girls dressed up as maids (and in some cases, guys as butlers), serving you a variety of (hopefully) tasty food and drink, in a place where no one will judge you for being there. It’s kind of like a private club, without the steep membership requirements.

And so, a combination of that feeling, an otaku-wide love of maids, and the recent boom in moe culture in Japan have led to a wide range of maid cafes being opened across the nation. They’re profitable, not too hard to start and maintain, and like I’ve said, popular. 

A segment of the non-Japanese otaku population laments the lack of maid cafes in their countries, wishing that one would be started so they could enjoy the same experience as their Japanese counterparts.

The interesting thing is, we already have them in the United States. We just call them “Hooters”. 

Now, before you start arguing about how Hooters isn’t the same, how they’re not maids, etc., please hear me out. First, I’m not saying that Hooters is the exact same thing as a maid café. However, it’s effectively the American equivalent.

Hooters is a restaurant chain whose main allure are the waitresses. While some might claim that their buffalo wings are the reason that a lot of people go back, time after time, I think that most people would agree that the reason most people go to Hooters are the women. 

In any case, the similarities between a maid café and Hooters are striking. 

a)      a place where specialty waitresses (maids, women who are particularly well endowed) serve the patrons

b)      a place where one feels that they will not be judged by the other people there

c)      a place that is fairly well known to a growing part of the population

While the methods might be different (cute and moe versus sex appeal), the end result is the same – bring customers in to enjoy the atmosphere and service (and spend money). 

Unfortunately, there will likely not ever be a Japanese style maid café in the U.S. for a good, long while. While Japan is in the midst of an ‘otaku boom’, where fannish things are more tolerated, things here are still at the point where a café where all of the waitresses had to wear maid outfits might be seen as weird, at the very least, if not out and out fetishistic.

But if there were “real” maid cafes in the U.S. (or whatever country you live in, not counting Japan), would you patronize them? Why? If not, why not? Are there any other kinds of café that might entice you?

(Personally, I’d like to see a “bunny girls in glasses” café.)

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I write my posts a day or so early, normally.  As a result, sometimes I have things to add after I’ve gone and put my mental meanderings up for all and sundry to gawk at.

Well, here’s what I’m going to add for today.   If you want to get actual magazines of Spwug for anyone for any upcoming holiday, you should do so this week.  After December 7th, I can make no promises.  If you want to send either a magazine or a subscription to someone for a gift, do mention it in the  special notes section of the order page.

Same goes for preorders of the Comedity book.  We will send your giftee a note in the mail that they can open up in lieu of the actual book, what with the still larval stage of that item.  The process for the book is still rolling along, though, never fear!

I now return you to your regularly scheduled rant.

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So recently a list came to my attention. It’s probably well past making the rounds, but I’ve been busy, so I just saw it yesterday. It is a list of the ““50 greatest fictional weapons.” “Now, I don’t actually know everything about all sci fi and fantasy, nor am I an expert on comics or all that, but I feel that perhaps this list is somewhat in error. For example, they list Glamdring, Gandalf’s goblin detecting sword, but do not include Bilbo’s sword ‘Sting’ on the official list. I’d say that we see far more action with Sting than with Glamdring, what with the story actually following BILBO through the action, but hey, that’s just me. And hello? The One Ring might actually outrank them both on MY list.

Hitler’s handgun makes it to number 39. Um. Ok, I understand that it was in the comic there, but if all it takes to be one of the greatest weapons ever is to be a threat to a super hero or villain, then this list is sadly short. And speaking of comic book weapons…

I appreciate the grand power of Green Lantern’s ring. I do. I am one of the few women I know that can recite the whole poem-battle-cry. But honestly, at number one on the list? I mean, for a large part of it’s life, it could be defeated by a color. A color! FOrgive me for paraphrasing, but the thing could be defeated by a buttercup, and it wouldn’t even have to be an EVIL buttercup! I dunno, I kinda think that the light saber deserves a higher status. It’s not merely badass, but it’s pretty indiscriminate. If it can reach you it can slice and dice you. AND as is pointed out right in it’s entry, the light saber can be identified by mere sound.

*pantpant*

Ok. Well, I guess I’ve gotten my ranting out of my system. If you had YOUR say on this list, what would you put?

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