Have you seen anime characters with a strand of hair defying gravity and pointing upwards? What if I told you it’s a hairstyle called Ahoge?
The ahoge hairstyle is characterized by a single strand of hair that stands out from the top of the head. This strand of hair is usually longer than the rest of the hair on the head.
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Table of Contents
What does Ahoge mean?
Ahoge is a Japanese word that means “frizzy” or “tuft.” It can be a single thick strand or a tuft of hair that rises from the center of the head.
The word describes a hairstyle in which a lock of hair stands out from the rest of the hair. Ahoge comes from the Japanese words “aho” [アホ] which means “fool” or “idiot” and “ge” [毛] which means “hair.”
This hairstyle is often seen in anime and manga characters, but it is also popular in real life, although it is a bit different from what is presented in anime.
Ahoge with 2 strands can also be called shokkaku [触角] which means antenna, due to its insect-like appearance. The number of strands can be named by the counter [本].
Also read: Counting in Japanese – Indicators and Counters
Ahoge in Real Life vs Anime
While in anime the hairstyle is portrayed with few and unique strands of hair pointing above the head, in real life they often go unnoticed because they are very thin.
If you have a curl or a rebellious strand of hair that stands out even after brushing or combing your hair, you probably have idiot hair.
Ahoge is a natural characteristic of hair created without the use of tools. They also tend to appear near the top of the head, but can be in any corner.
Ahoge Personality
The Ahoge hairstyle is most often seen in young girls. In works, it often represents a childish, innocent, foolish, clumsy, naive, pure, energetic, or lively character.
Anime or manga characters with Ahoge tend to be a bit more cheerful and oblivious than their peers. Even their personality depends on the author.
In real life, a person with Ahoge may be a bit careless or just have rebellious hair. A pompadour can end up creating these loose strands.
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The Origin of Ahoge
The origin of Ahoge is somewhat uncertain, as having strands of hair standing out from the hairstyle may have been normal since the beginning of humanity.
We know that in anime, characters with Ahoge began to gain popularity after Love Hina, where its protagonist Naru Narusegawa clearly had this type of hair.
Of course, there are other older manga and anime characters with Ahoge, one of them is the famous Asari-chan released in 1978.
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