I’ve lamented it many times before, and I’m sure I’ll be whining about it for years to come– girls just don’t get enough anime merch. Companies are happy to churn out a million Yoko figures and hugging pillows for even the most obscure bishoujo show, but when it comes to pandering to female audiences, the machine comes to a screeching halt. As a result, the only option we have to satiate our wish to collect is to turn to doujinshi and buy the occasional trading figure. That’s not good enough! Doujin stuff is great and all, but I want acknowledgment from the animation companies themselves! I want them to tell me, “You have [sick and twisted] desires, so we will satisfy them!”
So that’s why I’m glad for those rare times a full-sized (none of that jumbo cushion crap) fabric representation of a male character comes out. They may be sold out before I even get to think about them, but dammit, it’s something! Here’s a run down of all the official releases that I know of.
These came out in 2007, and are actually bedsheets, not dakimakura. Gintama seems like a weird choice in terms of content, since it’s a long-running comedy/action Shonen Jump anime. It’s very popular with fangirls though, so I imagine it must have been doubly so in 2007.
Anyway, these bedsheets are rare in loot pictures. Actually, I don’t think I’ve even seen a picture of these, since every picture of these has the Gintoki one as a pillowcase. Unless these people are skilled at turning bedsheets into pillowcases, I think its safe to say those are bootlegs.
The Simon dakimakura came out in 2008, but I don’t think it actually exists. For one, this is an utterly bizarre character choice. If Gainax wanted to whore off one of their male characters, wouldn’t Kaworu be the more logical and profitable choice? And if this was meant to ride the Gurren wave, wouldn’t it make more sense to make one of Kamina? Or even adult Simon? But even if we lose the bishonen angle and go with the idea that this dakimakura meant for cross-gender appeal, that still doesn’t make sense. He looks like a boy, not a trap, as seen in his prominently-displayed chest. So who in the world was meant to buy this pillow?
I’ve also never seen this dakimakura in a fan’s loot picture. Ever.
This Rippongi pillow isn’t due until next month, October. If I’m not leaving anything out, that’s a full two-year gap between official male dakimakura releases. Anyway, Miracle Train is an amusing show, but don’t think it set the fujoshi world afire. Still, the Miracle Train committe has pulled out full stops to appeal to them (off the top of my head, there was a yaoi café event and the creation of the Ikebukuro station — I’ll have to write another post about that later), so a dakimakura seems like the logical conclusion. Picking Rippongi makes sense, since he’s the most popular character on the show.
Finally, we have these lovely Durarara bedsheets, which are slated for release in November. Very similar situation with Gintama bedsheets– same company, same cross-gender appeal, same crazy fujoshi fandom. Admittedly, I haven’t seen Durarara yet, so I don’t know what the fuss is about yet, but I’ve seen these guys everywhere since the show’s aired. And looking through the character goods, I’m led to believe that these guys are the main characters, and the show’s about their homosexually-charged rivalry. Is that correct? Hahaha.
Anyway, that’s about it for the body pillows. I really hope I’m missing some. There are a few cushions of male characters, but those are mostly just promo art pasted on a small pillow. It may be a little something, but it’s a cop out. I’m sick of cop outs– just give us what we really want!
I Am In Dire Need Of A Butler 
WIth regards to DRRR, no. The show has an ensemble cast of about 20 or so ‘main characters’ and those are just two of them. Izaya is pretty much the perfect seme, while Shizuo is insanely powerful, but more likely to be fucked over (pun intended) by Izaya. But then, that one could go in any direction. I personally think this is one of the most valid yaoi ships with the highest potential for awesome in fan media (not that I’ve looked at any of it.)
At Otakon ’10 I saw a bunch of Gintama figures – mainly those two guys – and those things are amazing. Super-bisshy, super high-detailed, super expensive. the dakis are kind of hilarious. I know fangirls seem to love Gintama but… I just can’t see it! I can’t see finding anyone from the show attractive! (Not just because the chara designs are ugly, but because the characters are all dirty bastards). Anyway, I do fully support owning those two dakis, because even I can’t deny the awesomeness of having Gintoki or Hijiakata in your bed. It needn’t even be sexual. They can just be *there*.
I see…I would have never guessed, all I see in fanart are those two and that Celty chick. I really ought to check the show out though, that sounds like a VERY interesting relationship…
And damn, so that’s how I’ll be able to find those figures now, through conventions! And haha, that’s so true! It seems to me though that a lot of bishie characters are kind of assholes, so it makes sense in a weird way~
I can’t really see the profitability of a male dakimakura. From a business perspective, it doesn’t make such sense. Firstly, making the dakimakura attractive alone is an achievement. And by attractive, I mean by not using promo art, or at least making it look like a real dakimakura, not like that one of Simon with him running.
And the audience is smaller too. Profits would have increased – dare I say 200%? – if the dakimakura was female. People buy that easy. And also, when you compare states of undress, the female dakis win handsdown. Perhaps it’s all a matter of art.
I suppose if official male dakimakura were to take off as a niche market on their own, increased interest and time is needed to make it nearly as successful as the pre-existing dakimakura market.
Valence, you’re back!
You have a point there about the art — companies don’t seem willing to do full-sized pillows/bedsheets with suggestive male art. I didn’t mention these in the post because they were limited edition, but a few years back there were Vampire Knight bedsheets that you could only get through the magazine it run it. Full-sized, suggestive poses. Sold like gangbusters. Also, there were some half-sized pillows for Togainu no Chi awhile back , also with suggestive poses, and those were so popular they were released it again. So maybe it all boils down to art and the property they’re using.
I really wish they’d put some DRRR dakimakura out, because I’d really like them. I think if companies want to make things that appeal to women, they should think about how and when we’ll be using them. I don’t want to get anime bedsheets, because let’s face it, we women bleed once a month unless we’re on birth control, and I wouldn’t want to ruin the sheets by accident if my period comes too soon! So I refuse to buy bedsheets.
I do, however, have plenty of dakimakura. And if I could get one of Izaya or Shizuo, then that’d be just swell. I already have a trap in my hands (Jun from Happiness! )… or should I say, in my arms and between my legs at night. But a manly man would be awesome.
I know Dancing Queen got a Kamina dakimakura specially made for her by someone on … I believe it was Ebay. I’m about to look into that myself, honestly, because when people can make high-quality dakis for half the price and of a favorite character you can’t have otherwise… then damnit, I’ll do it!
Oh shoot, I hadn’t even thought of that! Imagine trying to clean them? The absolute worse!
And yeah, it seems the only way to go for male dakis is either doujin (which would be ridiculously difficult to obtain) or custom. Thanks for the heads up!