Kabedon: How to confess your love like a Shoujo ML

When it comes to unique trends and quirky phenomena, nothing hits quite like the phrase “oh Japan”. If you’re familiar with the unusual trends and customs that we routinely discover from the eastern kingdom, you’ll love how silly this wall slamming romantic trope is.

If you have no idea what kabedon is, don’t worry. I’m here to break it down for you.

Kabedon is the combination of the word “Kabe” (wall) and the onomatopea “Don”, it’s a cutesy romantic proposal trope from Shoujo manga where the male lead will trap the female lead and slam on the wall behind her before confessing his feelings for her. This is mostly seen in anime and manga but has seeped into shows and movies over the years.

How to kabedon like a boss

Wanna find out how a smooth main character confesses his love? Well my dear student, the “art” of a successful Kabedon involves 3 fundamental steps:

1. The approach

Usually the male lead, approaches the female lead during some casual argument or confrontation and when the dialog reaches its most heated point, he interrupts the mood by getting close to her face and trapping her between him and the wall.

2. The wall-slamming

In the middle of the love interest’s sentence, the male lead will suddenly slam his hand against the wall behind her, startling her and interrupting the argument. The intensity of the argument and the timing of his actions are crucial to convey his internal emotions during this passionate argument. If you time it wrong you’re just a weirdo psychopath threatening violence in the middle of a heated discussion.

3. The reaction

At this point, the love interest on the receiving end of the slamming confession will react with surprise, shock, or get flushed at how close the lead is getting. This is a critical moment that can lead to various outcomes, such as a confession of feelings or an acknowledgment of attraction. Whichever way it goes, the plot advances in a more intimate manner than before. It’s often set at the beginning part where they’re both aware of their feelings for each other for the first time.

Origins of romantic wall slamming

The term “kabedon” is generally agreed to have been established by voice actress Ryoko Shintani in 2008 with its trendsetter being L DK, a 2009 shoujo manga series that popularized the entire trope. That said, the trope itself has examples dating back to manga from the 1980s.

One reason it’s gained so much traction is due to Japan’s unique cultural values. Physical affection and intimacy are often depicted as taboo or awkward in Japanese media, especially outside of romantic relationships. Kabedon allows creators to explore these themes without being too explicit or crossing boundaries. It’s also a way for the Japanese audience to feel like they’re getting away with something naughty without actually being explicit in any particular way.

The Kabedon has made a huge splash in Japanese pop culture, especially in shoujo manga, anime, and romantic dramas. It’s a trope that is often used to create memorable and iconic scenes. Some popular examples of it in Japanese media include:

Anime and Manga

Countless anime and manga series feature wall-slamming moments. A classic example is in Ouran High School Host Club, where Tamaki Suoh uses Kabedon to express his feelings to Haruhi Fujioka.

J-Dramas and Movies

Japanese dramas and films also frequently incorporate Kabedon scenes. From Five to Nine and L-DK: Two Loves, Under One Roof (live action series of the original manga) are just a couple of examples where Kabedon plays a crucial role in the plot.

Variety Shows and Parodies

Kabedon has become so iconic that it has also been parodied in various Japanese variety shows and comedy skits. In fact let’s talk about variations on the original.

Kabedon Variations

Like with anything else trendy, it starts to get copied and remixed until you get a few too many variations. Some of them are great, but others will leave you wondering who in the world would do this?

The self-aware reference

Kabedon has become such a common trope that it’s become fun for the creators to poke fun at its existence where they blatantly point out it’s happening. But the fun part is that even when the 4th wall is broken, the effect is the same if not better.

The boy on boy

This one is common with BL/yaoi manga in which the main character and the love interest are both boys. It’s weird I need to explain that but some of you have had respectable and innocent childhoods so don’t look it up if you wish to remain pure. For the sake of protecting your innocence, you can use your imagination here.

The soft & slow

Instead of a hard wall slam and pattern interrupt, the soft and slow method focuses on extending the tension and keeping both you and the love interest in suspense.

Shonen kabedon

Last but not least, although the kabedon is usually a shoujo manga/anime thing, it also happens in shonen manga & anime. It’s usually done in frustration during an argument or confrontation show of strength to shut up a rival or team member.

Wrapping up

So there you have it, folks! Kabedon might be a weird concept at first (it probably still is to many of you), but it’s actually a fun way for creators to poke fun at Japanese societal norms of distance and explore themes of intimacy. Who knows? You might just find yourself the target of a passionate kabedon confession someday. 😳

While it may be rooted in Japanese culture, its appeal both for romantic and comedic purposes is universal, transcending geographical boundaries to create a shared sense of wonder and fascination. So, the next time you encounter a Kabedon scene in your favorite anime or manga, you’ll have a deeper understanding of the artful and dramatic gesture that lies at the heart of Japanese romance.

P.S. If you struggle with reading social cues, do not attempt this. Serious. I don’t wanna be responsible for any restraining orders because I wanted to share a fun concept. If this article ends up on a court proceeding I’ll be really mad okay?

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