'Insect Men': The latest anti-social Japanese males

Finally women have someone to loathe even more than the 'herbivore men'

67%

Users liked this

Tell others what you think!

I thought they said that the beetles were huge in Japan? (Photo by Flickr user merec0)

Japanese site Real Live introduces us to a brand new term: 'insect men' (昆虫男子, konchu danshi). These insect men are the latest incarnation of the 'herbivore men' (草食男子) who have become famous over the last few years for being too passive in love.

What are the tell-tale signs of an insect man? Much like bugs, they daringly go after women. Yet somehow, despite initiating conversations with women, they look completely unapproachable. The insect men also won't look people -- especially women -- right in the eyes. The article plainly states, "They are a much more pathetic breed than the herbivores."

The 'insect' part of the name is actually a pun on the Japanese word "mushi" -- the sound of which can mean "bug" or "ignore," the latter being what women do when they are approached by an insect man.

According to the article, the insect men's big moment is coming on April 3 with the release of the film "Insect Detective Yoshida Yoshimi." Not that women will start liking the insect men all of a sudden, but at least they will have their 15 minutes.

add to favorites

W. David Marx is CNNGo's Tokyo City Editor. Originally hailing from the American South, David studied East Asian Studies in New England and then worked for the magazine Tokion in the Lower East Side. After moving to Tokyo in 2003, he has completed a M.A. in Consumer Behavior, worked for an ad agency, written freelance for magazines such as GQ, Brutus, Weekly Diamond, and Nylon, founded numerous niche blogs, and recorded two albums on New York-based indie labels.