What’s next for Japan’s plus-size scene as weight-loss drugs and AI continue to rise?

Japan’s body positivity movement has cooled since its 2010s peak. Still, its plus-size industry remains resilient thanks to tight-knit communities, even as weight stigma lingers and artificial intelligence could mark another turning point. In Japan, the movement has largely been grass roots, with social media driving change over the past 15 years. “Before [social media], the average person was just a passive viewer. There were media outlets providing information, and people consumed it,” says Jun Takai, representative director of La Farfa, which manages Japan’s first fashion magazine for pocchari (chubby) women. “But now we have platforms where people can actually participate, so they start increasingly putting out their own [plus-size] content.” Debuting in 2013, La Farfa magazine helped normalise plus-size fashion and visibility in mainstream media. Demand was so strong upon its launch that it quickly shifted from a quarterly to bimonthly release. “Before La Farfa appeared in 2013, there was basically no information about what other plus-size women were wearing,” says Ui Ando, 32, a plus-size model and the magazine’s editor-in-chief. “So, people just hid their bodies because they didn’t know what else to do.” While the magazine ceased print publication in January 2025, it continues to provide the same rich content online and supports the lifestyles of plus-size women through projects like offline events. The 2010s marked the movement’s peak, with terms like “marshmallow girl” describing plus-size women with a soft, “fluffy” aesthetic. While things have since cooled, in part due to the wider availability of weight-loss drugs, plus-size options continue to grow in Japan. Numerous brands, from lingerie to shoes to wedding dresses, now cater to plus-size women. View this post on Instagram A post shared by ラファーファ マガジン (@lafarfa_jp) Mari Komiya, founder of one such brand, Taberunosky, and plus-size e-commerce site angeLsize, says it is a world of difference from when she was in her twenties and thirties, when options for cute clothes or styles for curvier body types were extremely limited. “You could find clothes that fit your size, but whether you actually wanted to wear them was another story,” says Komiya, 47. Taberunosky, launched in 2019, specialises in jirai-kei fashion, a Japanese subculture style combining dark, edgy elements with feminine embellishments. As one of the few plus-size brands with a stand-alone store in Tokyo, Taberunosky also draws many international customers eager to try on J-fashion in their size. Komiya says most visitors discover the store in the capital’s Ikebukuro district through word of mouth or influencers on platforms like Instagram. But while social media has increased acceptance of plus-size bodies and helped brands reach wider audiences, it also has its downsides. “Social media gave plus-size people a place to share their voices, which is good,” Takai says. “But at the same time, things like filters create a kind of fake world. Algorithms then keep recommending the same type of content, so you can end up seeing only biased information.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Taberunosky(タベルノスキー)大きいサイズ (@taberunosky) Rie Yamada, an assistant professor at the University of Tokyo Centre for Philosophy who researches eating disorders, says social media has also normalised constant comparison. “Social media in particular has a structure in which attention-grabbing posts can lead to greater visibility or financial gain, which may make it easier for extreme messages about body shape and beauty to spread,” she says. For Mariana LYS, a 36-year-old plus-size model, greater societal change is still needed, particularly in creating safer spaces for younger generations. “Considering people who are of my generation now have their own kids and they have the chance to really communicate with a lot more younger generations, my ultimate dream is to put a stop to body shaming within households at least,” says Mariana, speaking from experience. Mariana says many brands still focus on hiding the body, while some modelling work reinforces stigma by using plus-size bodies as “before” images. “If it’s markets like the US and Europe, I think even just within the category of wellness and fitness, people are more open to the fact that a lot of bodies can look different,” says Mariana, who has modelled for Nike and television advertisements in the past. Now, AI is adding a new layer of complexity, offering both advantages and challenges. Yamada warns that AI-generated and heavily edited images could distort body perception and contribute to the development of eating disorders. Takai says AI could replace e-commerce modelling once it becomes impossible to distinguish from real models. But he adds that those who have built a persona beyond pure appearance and fostered an emotional connection with their followers may still have an edge. Indeed, AI might paradoxically increase the value and opportunities for such people. Either way, the crew at La Farfa, who have played a key role in building the core culture of Japan’s plus-size community, remains confident that technology can never replace the value of human connection. “It’s almost like oshi-katsu [fan activities], but instead of supporting a celebrity, you’re supporting yourself,” Ando says. “That might be a healthy new way of enjoying things.”

What’s next for Japan’s plus-size scene as weight-loss drugs and AI continue to rise?

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Despite continued weight stigma and new AI challenges, Japan’s plus-size movement continues to thrive through community and social media

Despite continued weight stigma and new AI challenges, Japan’s plus-size movement continues to thrive through community and social media