Mr Babe: Japan launches style magazine for the larger man

(A sumo wrestler wears a loincloth during a warm-up bout. A magazine for chubby men is hoping to be a hit in Japan. Photograph: Thomas Peter/Reuters)

Likemanymenhissize,NorihitoKurashinadreadsshoppingforclothes.“Theskinnyjeanstrendhasdonemenofavoursatall,”the52-year-oldmagazineeditorsays,thelowerbuttonsofhisshirtstrainingalittleasheshiftsinhisseat.“It’sreallydifficulttofindanythingthatfitsproperly,soIoftenendupwithclothesthatIcanjustaboutsqueezeinto.”

At5ft7ininheight,andweighingjustover13stone(82kg),Kurashinaishardlysumowrestlermaterial.Butthisyear,aftermorethanadecadeaseditor-in-chief-ofMen’sKnuckle–amagazineaimedatyoung,andwaferthin,menworkinginTokyo’shugehostclubscene–the52-year-oldisonamissiononbehalfofallJapanesemenwhosharehisportlyproportions.

ThefirstissueofMrBabe–Japan’sfirstmagazine“bychubbymen,forchubbymen”–wentonsaleinOctober,aimedatareadershipKurashinabelieveshasbeenignoredbythecountry’sfashionandlifestyleindustry.

FeaturingJackBlackonthecoverand“stocky”amateurmodelsinside,Kurashina’smagazineofferstipsonfashionandgrooming,datingand,yes,dietandexercise.

“Ikeptaskingmyselfwhythereweresofewfashionableclothesforpeoplelikeme,”hesaid.“Thereareplentyofclothesforslimmen,andspecialistshopsforunusuallytallmen,butpracticallynothingforpodgymen.

“YoucouldsaythatJapanisbehindthetimes,butIthinkit’smoreaccuratetosaythatclothesmanufacturersherehavesimplynevergivenbiggermenasecondthought.Thereissomethingwrongwiththeideathatyoucanonlybecoolandattractiveifyou’rethin.”

Aimedprimarilyatmenintheir30sand40s,thefirstissueofMrBabehadsoldoverhalfofits50,000printrun–consideredahealthynumberinJapan’sdecliningmagazineindustry–withinafewweeksofpublication.

Whilethecountry’spublishingindustrywasquickertorespondtodemandforfashionandlifestyleadvicefor“plus-size”women,withthe2013launchofthemagazineLaFarfa,statisticsshowthat,infact,theobesityrateamongJapanesewomenhasbeenfallingforthepastdecade.

Bycontrast,a2013surveybythehealthandwelfareministryfoundthatalmostathirdofJapanesemenhadabodymassindex(BMI)of25orabove,atwhichapersonisconsideredoverweight.

“Justimaginehowmanypeoplethatrepresents,andhowmanymoremenlikethattherewillbeinthefuture,”saidKurashina.

WithJapanconfrontinglong-termdepopulationandapersistentlylowbirthrate,heregardshismagazineasmorethanjustanoveltyforanichereadership.Bygivinglargermentheconfidencetodate–andperhapstomarryandstartfamilies–hebelievesheisonamissiontoarrestJapan’sloomingdemographicimplosion.

Kurashinaishappytodescribehimselfas“pocchari”(chubby),butrecoilsattheuncharitableovertonesof“debu”,aJapanesewordbesttranslatedas“fatso”.Hesaid:“Debuhaslotsofnegativeconnotations.You’llfinditinthemagazine,butonlyinquotationmarks.Iprefertothinkofourreadersasstylish,largermen,notfatmen.”

Whileitbroachesthesubjectofovereating,MrBabeismercifullyfreeofadviceonweightloss.“Wedon’tshyawayfromhealthissues,butwe’dneverdreamoftellingpeopletoloseweight,”Kurashinasaid.“It’saboutenjoyinglifejustasyouare…butthatdoesn’tmeanyouhavetoavoidexerciseornotkeepaneyeonwhatyoueat.”

KurashinabelievesMrBabeisthefirststeptowardsredressingthebalanceinfavourofmenwhoareunfairlyblamedforsaggingaroundthemiddleastheyapproachmiddleage.“Whenwasthelasttimeyousawabigguymodellingclothesforhighstreetretailers?It’seasytocometotheconclusionthatwe’rebeingdiscriminatedagainst.

“Theproblemisthatmenintheir30sand40sarebusieratworkthanatotherpointsintheircareer.Theyspendalldayatwork,theygodrinkingintheeveningtorelievestress,anddothesameagainthenextday.Theydon’thavetimetogotothegym...it’snowondertheyputonweight.”

ThesecondissueofMrBabewillbroachanothersubjectthatcanturnclothesshoppingexpeditionsintothestuffofnightmares:whattowearduringtherelentlesslyhotandhumidsummermonths.SolvingthatandotherconundrumsfacingbiggerJapanesemenisnolongerjustajob,hesaid.“It’sbecomemylife’swork.”