Wakabayashi Yasushi
Wakabayashi Yasushi is a Japanese designer, known as the creator of the first Kaomoji. He used (^_^) to replicate a facial expression. Despite not creating the design until 1986, a number of years after the American Scott Fahlman, it is believed that the concepts evolved completely independently of each other.[1] This is despite them both using ASCII characters.
It kickstarted a movement in Japan, which later spread to other parts of the world.[2] It was frequently used in anime in the 90s and 2000s.[3]
His design and the impression that Kaomoji had on Japanese culture, also lead to a rise in other Asian countries creating their own versions based on Yasushi's concept.[4] Keurim mal in South Korea in the 1990s is one such example.
References
[edit]- ^ Karpinska, Marzena. "Digital Lingua Franca or a Culture-Specific Product Leading to Misunderstandings?". Thesis.
- ^ Meyer, Robinson (May 21, 2014). "The Best Way to Type ¯\_(ツ)_/¯". The Atlantic.
- ^ Peters, Lucia (March 9, 2015). "These Emoticons Are Way Better Than Regular Emoji". Bustle.
- ^ Bonilla, David. "En 2022, los emojis cumplen veinticinco años". La Voz de Galicia.