Norm-breaking flashy fashions, wild behavior, unique speech and writing practices, these are some of the aspects of the gyaru culture that continue to fascinate on-lookers. This predominantly female-centered subculture developed in Shibuya in the 1990s and its participants are known for their unconventional ways of expressing their identity. Since its emergence, many substyles have developed within the subculture. Recent discussions regarding this often highlight how the gyaru of the 1990s and 2000s differ from the present day gyaru. These eras or styles are commonly referred to as Heisei gyaru and Reiwa gyaru respectively. This study compared the linguistic practices, also known as gyaru-go, of these eras of gyaru, an area that has yet to be explored in academia. This was done by examining slang used in the gyaru magazine Egg. By comparing the most frequently used slang terms in the November 2000 issue and in the Autumn/Winter 2024 issue, the study identified slang which were employed in both magazines as well as slang whose usage have decreased in the Reiwa gyaru lexicon. Furthermore, similarities in linguistic practices in both eras were found, such as abbreviating expressions and unique script choices. A significant difference, however, was the overall decrease of slang terms in the 2024 issue, as well as lack of sexually nuanced slang, which appeared frequently in the 2000 issue. These results suggest that, despite the use of distinct slang and orthographic conventions in both magazines, Reiwa gyaru-go may be shifting toward more conventional language compared to Heisei gyaru-go.
My von Weissenberg (Thu,) studied this question.