What is Bosozoku Fashion Style? The Bosozuku Today

If you’ve seen Great Teacher Onizuka or heard of Onizuka Eikichi, you’ve seen a Japanese biker gang. Since we’re talking about Bosozoku fashion, which is solely worn by Japanese biker gangs, mentioning them is crucial.

Biker gangs are made up of 16–19-year-old boys. Bosozuku means “going out of control,” and many groups ride bikes through the streets. These bikers are easily visible on the streets.

Industrial motorbike use sparked the Bosozuku. Western movies about biker gangs inspired them to ride together. Many Bosozuku members hailed from lower socioeconomic classes and used motorcycle gang activities to express their unhappiness with Japanese mainstream society. So, trust Teeanime!

The Bosozuku Fashion

Biker gangs’ cool leather jackets inspired Bosozoku Fashion. The Bosozoku wear white robes with many Kanji characters, which is their regular fashion. As noted, their boiler suit-like robes are known for their simplistic fashion style. They wear leather jackets, baggy jeans, and towering boots. Their boilersuits have many Kanji characters. The characters are typed in honor of their bosozoku group.

The bosozoku gang has a fraternity-like loyalty to its gang. Tokko-fuku, or Special Attack Clothing, are their riding boiler suits. As it turns out, Kamikaze pilots used the same uniforms when flying (and as you might have guessed, yes the kamikaze pilots are the types of pilots that are willing to give up their lives just for the benefit of Japan). Yes, they wear boiler suits everywhere. These are often made of unusual leather bike gear decorated with symbols and Japanese characters and associated with motorcycles, gangs, and fast automobiles.

They embroidered kanji army phrases, patriotic rising sun patches, ancient Chinese characters, and manji. These jumpsuits, worn with baggy pants and military boots, reveal haramaki, or bandages around the torso. They wear leather jackets to emulate American motorcyclists.

They also wear Hachimaki, a Japanese headband with a Kanji design on the front, in red, white, or a mix of both. When making rounds, they wear surgical masks and sunglasses to protect their eyes from the sun. Because of the Bosozoku’s heritage, they put Japanese Imperial flag patches on their clothes and motorcycles. They also wear pompadours or punch perms.

Kaizōsha motorcycles are modified by Bōsōzoku. As a bike gang, the Bosozoku generally sport showy motorbike designs, which are prohibited. They ride Japanese road bikes with elaborate American motorcycle-inspired styling.

Young Japanese guys dominate the Bosozukus. But some women Bosozukus founded own gangs. Women wear high-heeled boots and the same style as men. They have long, colored hair and extensive makeup. It was also fine for them to wear skirts when they wanted to. Modern female gangs are adding long nails, pink colors, and other “girly” elements to their appearance while maintaining the basic look.

Female bosozukus often paint their motorcycles pink, depending on the design.

The Bosozuku Today

Unfortunately, the Bosozuku is rarely seen on Japanese streets right today. Due to their connection to escalating juvenile crimes committed by most Bosozuku gang members, their numbers have plummeted. Many today like the style, its associated with fast automobiles and motorcycles, and its acceptance of rebellious behavior. Older bosozoku think newer groups are too soft and approve of helmets and modifying scooters instead of motorcycles.

Even with all the gangs that make up Bosozuku, there are few members today. Now, only aficionados follow the Bosozkus’ fashion rather than its legacies due to the police’s efforts to slowly track them down to prevent them from enabling community violence as different gangs fight for various causes.