3 days ago
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
What is an ‘ita bag'? Plus the most popular toys, dolls and figures now
The 'Ita bag' hashtag went viral on Weibo – China's answer to X – in summer 2024 when Quan Hongchan, who won two golds in diving at the 2024 Paris Olympics, showed off gifts given to her by fans, from badges to cute toys, inside her transparent PVC bag.
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An ita bag, which means 'painful bag' in Japanese, humorously denotes the great pain – and expense and effort – the wearer has put into lavishly decorating their bag. The bag is usually made of canvas or nylon with a clear see-through front.
The trend stems from Japan's otaku subculture, which is defined by obsessive fans of interests such as video games, anime and manga. So invested were otaku in their interests that they would go through great lengths to seek out merchandise from their favourite titles or franchises and carry them inside a personalised bag.
This manifestation of love and obsession soon caught on among trendsetters and the ita bag became an essential fashion accessory for people attending concerts and conventions.
While keychains, badges and buttons remain popular choices for decorating an ita bag, there is now also an array of more elaborate items that can turn a PVC bag into a mobile shop window.
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Here are five that will induce much pain this summer.
