Yoko Minamino/ClariS -- Haikara-san ga Tooru（はいからさんが通る）

 

Last Friday night, as we usually do, we watched the latest episode of NHK information variety show "Chiko-chan", and found out that a franchise's original manga, the anime, the live-action movie and its theme song managed to revive a traditional form of clothing for graduating women.

Now, for some years, I'd known that the hakama was a popular but not mandatory special clothing that's worn by women during graduation ceremonies in Japan. But according to the "Chiko-chan" segment, it had been once worn as a regular school uniform a century ago during both the Meiji and Taisho eras but once World War II passed, the hakama disappeared from view for several decades.

But then, a manga titled "Haikara-san ga Tooru" (Haikara-San: Here Comes Miss Modern) by Waki Yamato（大和和紀）made its debut in 1975 followed by an anime in 1978. It detailed the romantic (and otherwise) adventures of high-flying, hakama-wearing Benio during the Taisho era.

In 1987, the live-action version starring aidoru Yoko Minamino（南野陽子）premiered at the end of the year, and during the "Chiko-san" segment, it was related that the rerun of the anime and then the popularity of the movie brought back the hakama to graduation ceremonies everywhere. It may have also changed Nanno's image as she had been one of the "Sukeban Deka" girls with her contemporary sailor suit high school uniform and deadly yo-yo.

Of course, the live-action movie had the aidoru also sing the theme song which had the same title of "Haikara-san ga Tooru". Sounding very late Showa era contemporary, its synth perkiness probably reflected Benio's personality herself. Written by Megumi Ogura（小倉めぐみ）, composed by Wataru Kuniyasu（国安わたる）and arranged by Mitsuo Hagita（萩田光雄）, Nanno's 10th single was released in December 1987 and was another No. 1 hit for her, finishing 1988 as the 19th-ranked single and selling 270,000 records. Along with its single status, "Haikara-san ga Tooru" was also included in the soundtrack for the movie. Not surprisingly, she appeared in that hakama on any music show performances which probably further boosted its comeback.

KKP contributor Joana Bernardo was the first to bring aidoru group ClariS to the blog with their cover of Wink's "Sabishii Nettaigyo"（淋しい熱帯魚）, and on that same special 2023 EP of the same name, the unit recorded their version of Nanno's hit. Cute video tribute to all of those music shows of the 1980s, too.