Now Viewing: bousouzokuTag type: General Bousouzoku are Japanese delinquent biker gangs. "Bōsōzoku (暴走族, literally "running-out-of-control (as of a vehicle) tribe") is a Japanese youth subculture associated with customized motorcycles." [...] " Traits and historyThe word bōsōzoku is also applied to motorcycle subculture with an interest in motorcycle customizing, often illegal, and making noise by removing the mufflers on their vehicles so that more noise is produced. These bōsōzoku groups sometimes ride not wearing motorcycle_helmets, also engage in dangerous or reckless driving, such as weaving in traffic, and running red lights. Another activity is speeding in city streets, not usually for street racing but more for thrills. With many bikes involved, the leading one is driven by the leader, who is responsible for the event and is not allowed to be overtaken. Japanese police call them Maru-Sō (police code マル走 or 丸走), and dispatch a police vehicle to trail any groups of bikes to prevent any possible incidents, which can include riding very slowly through suburbs at speeds of 5–10 mph, creating a loud disturbance and waving imperial Japanese flags [ rising_sun ], to start fights which can include weapons such as wooden_swords, metal pipes, baseball_bats and Molotov_cocktails. These bōsōzoku gangs are generally composed of people under the legal adult age, which in Japan is 20 years old. They were first seen in the 1950s as the Japanese automobile industry expanded rapidly. The precursors to the bōsōzoku were known as kaminari zoku (雷族, "Thunder Tribe"), urban motorcyclists more akin to the British rockers. Many, if not most, bōsōzoku members came from a lower socioeconomic class and may have used the motorcycle gang activities as a way to express disaffection and dissatisfaction with Japanese mainstream society." [...] " Stereotypes and media characterizationsThe stereotypical bōsōzoku look is often portrayed, and even caricatured, in many forms of Japanese media such as anime, manga, and films. The typical bōsōzoku member is often depicted in a uniform consisting of a jumpsuit like those worn by manual laborers or a tokkō-fuku (特攻服) [ tokkoufuku ], a type of military-issued overcoat with kanji slogans [ clothes_writing ] usually worn open with no shirt underneath showing off their bandaged torsos and baggy matching pants [ baggy_pants ] tucked inside tall boots. Tokkō-fuku in Japanese means "Special Attack Uniform", which is the uniform of the Kamikaze pilots, which in Japanese were called the Tokkō-tai (特攻隊, "Special Attack Battalion"). The uniforms will most likely be adorned with militaristic slogans, patriotic rising_sun patches, ancient Chinese characters, or manji [ swastika ]. They will also often wear a tasuki, a sash tied in an X around the torso, a look inspired by Japanese World_War_II fighter pilots. Leather_jackets, often embroidered with club/gang logos, and even full leather suits are also seen as common elements of the bōsōzoku look. Among other items in the bōsōzoku attire are usually round sunglasses, long hachimaki headbands also with battle slogans and a pompadour hairstyle most likely akin to the greaser/rocker look or perhaps because of the hairstyle's association with yakuza thugs. The punch perm is considered a common bōsōzoku hairstyle as well. Surgical_masks are also stereotypically worn by bōsōzoku, perhaps to conceal their identities. Females are also shown dressed in a similar style, but dress in a more feminine manner with long and often dyed hair, high-heeled boots and excessive make-up." From < en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bōsōzoku > Bousouzoku attire: bandage tokkoufuku jumpsuit baggy_pants rising_sun manji_(symbol) / swastika (卍 or 卐) tasuki leather_jacket hachimaki pompadour surgical_mask Bousouzoku weapons: bokken wooden_sword shinai pipe baseball_bat nail_bat Molotov_cocktail See also: banchou yakuza Other Wiki Information Last updated: 08/31/15 1:42 PM by surveyork This entry is not locked and you can edit it as you see fit. |
     
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