01 What's the deal with catgirls? (About nekomimi)

<h2 style="text-align: center;"><strong>Today's Question<br /></strong></h2> <p>On this episode of <em>chimon Japan</em> we ask: What's the deal with catgirls?</p> <h2 style="text-align: center;"><strong>Topics Discussed<br /></strong></h2> <ul> <li>The history and origins of the trope of the catgirl</li> <li>What <em>nekomimi</em> (猫耳) means</li> <li>The existence of "catboys" (male nekomimi characters)</li> <li>Yōkai reminiscent of catgirls such as bakeneko nd nekomata</li> <li>The depiction of bakeneko women in Edo era ukiyo-e woodblock prints</li> <li>The supposed connection between catgirls and Osamu Tezuka's amanga <em>Ribon no Kishi</em> (<em>Princess Knight</em>)</li> <li>The 1978 manga <em>Wata no Kunihoshi</em> (<em>The Star of Cotton land</em>) by Yumiko Oshimaand its role in popularizing the trope of the catgirl in manga and anime</li> <li>The character of Felicia from the <em>Darkstalkers</em> franchise</li> <li>A list of some of the most popular catgirls in Japan in recent years</li> <li>Whether catgirls have night vision</li> <li>Whether catgirls use litter boxes</li> <li>Whether catgirls have four ears or two ears</li> <li>Whether cats with human ears are as cute as girls with cat ears</li> <li>The Japanese title of <em>Josie and the Pussycats</em></li> <li>And more!</li> </ul> <h2 style="text-align: center;"><strong>We Want Your Questions<br /></strong></h2> <p>Is there something about Japan that confuses you? Is there something about Japanese culture that you would like to learn more about? Is there something in Japanese history that you would like us to explain? We're always looking for new questions about Japan to answer, so if you have one, please send it to <a href= "mailto:ichimon@japankyo.com">ichimon@japankyo.com</a>.</p> <h2 style="text-align: center;"><strong>Special Thanks</strong></h2> <p>Opening/Closing Theme: Produced by Apol (<a href= "https://www.youtube.com/user/apolxcore">YouTube</a>, <a href= "https://twitter.com/apolxcore">Twitter</a>, <a href= "https://www.facebook.com/apolmu