
Sometimes you have to search outside the box to find what you’ve been hunting for.
All cultures have their own standard of beauty, and Japan is no exception. Among the typical list of “ideal woman” attributes are things like pale skin, big eyes, slender arms and legs, and a…small face? That’s right, the size of your face can also play a factor in your cuteness. Small faces are thought to appear more cute and feminine in Japanese culture.
So, when you compile all of these elements into a big old “Ideal Woman Qualifications” checklist, your choices are pretty limited. Thankfully, Japanese Twitter users have helped us uncover The One. Prepare yourself to be amazed. Feast your eyes on this…
▼ Ta da!
…praying mantis.
https://twitter.com/_Aym1020_/status/746692177426669568Yep, this is the body you’ve been longing for. A praying mantis has many attractive features, including (but not limited to):
“Small face
Sharp features
Large eyes
Slender arms
Slender legs
Exquisite proportions”
This praying mantis strikes a coquettish pose reminiscent of Japanese gyaru fashion.
The initial Tweet quickly grew in popularity and continued to elicit responses that were both funny and eerily accurate.
“She’s a supermodel!”
“But she has no chest…!”
“You should add ‘can eat meat without gaining any weight.'”
“Don’t female praying mantises eat the males after they mate?”
“I guess that makes her super nikushokukei.”
You could say female mantises are man eaters in the truest sense of the word.
This may be a (hilarious) representation of Japanese beauty ideals, but this certainly isn’t the Ultimate Body Type. In fact, netizens have bickered over whether the slim, long-legged type or the slightly more curvy and busty type of girl was considered the Japanese beauty standard.
But in the end, we all know that it’s inner beauty and happiness that counts, right?
Or…maybe we should all just start idolizing the praying mantis.
Sources: JIN, Twitter, RocketNews24
Images: Twitter, Wikimedia Commons


Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Japanese Shinkansen becomes an overnight hotel for three nights this summer
Face lettuce appears in Japan, with the face of Death Note’s Light Yagami, but why?
Giant Evangelion Spear of Longinus to be installed at Japanese train station with Eva art trains
Starbucks Japan releases a miniature display rack so you can create your very own store at home
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Japanese Shinkansen becomes an overnight hotel for three nights this summer
Face lettuce appears in Japan, with the face of Death Note’s Light Yagami, but why?
Giant Evangelion Spear of Longinus to be installed at Japanese train station with Eva art trains
Starbucks Japan releases a miniature display rack so you can create your very own store at home
Dance with demons in Kyoto at this Edo-period Japanese Halloween festival
Japanese Coo-Che becomes a viral sensation, and everyone wants a taste
Kodama Shinkansen trains on popular Japan route get a whole new look this winter
Universal Studios Japan requiring consent form for adults-only horror attraction
Why is Taco Bell failing in Japan, even as the country falls in love with tacos?
New Shinkansen luggage drop-off system begins in Japan, making train travel even easier
Japan now has human refrigerators inspired by Japanese vending machines
Studio Ghibli releases anime T-shirts that pay homage to one of Hayao Miyazaki’s most personal films
Hatsune Miku collaborates with Hokusai’s art in new Vocaloid ukiyo-e illustration series [Pics]
99-year-old woman rescued while attempting to climb Mt. Fuji
Japanese convenience store releases Japanese convenience store-flavor fried chicken
Which country’s foreign tourists spend the most money per-person in Japan? Hint: Not the U..S. or China
Family Mart’s new Tokyo flagship convenience store doesn’t feel convenient, but is that a problem?
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Japan triples departure tax, foreign tourists and locals now must pay more to leave country
Family Mart opens new “Famima” flagship store in Tokyo that’s like a tourist attraction
Sanrio Character Poll announces winners, Hello Kitty absent from top 10 in many countries
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
Dance with demons in Kyoto at this Edo-period Japanese Halloween festival
Japanese Coo-Che becomes a viral sensation, and everyone wants a taste
Kodama Shinkansen trains on popular Japan route get a whole new look this winter
Universal Studios Japan requiring consent form for adults-only horror attraction
Why is Taco Bell failing in Japan, even as the country falls in love with tacos?
Eight great words for talking about summer in Japan in Japanese
99-year-old woman rescued while attempting to climb Mt. Fuji
Starbucks Japan adds a new summer Frappuccino to the menu, but is it as refreshing as it looks?
Studio Ghibli releases Japanese curry shirts in honour of anime about the studio’s staff
New Shinkansen luggage drop-off system begins in Japan, making train travel even easier
Which country’s foreign tourists spend the most money per-person in Japan? Hint: Not the U..S. or China
“We want to be Japan’s best cheap restaurant” says new (but also not new) Akihabara noodle joint
Hatsune Miku collaborates with Hokusai’s art in new Vocaloid ukiyo-e illustration series [Pics]
Foreign hiker on Mt. Fuji loses consciousness and dies, becoming climbing season’s second fatality