◯◯ Date
This was a term used not only when taking purikura (photo booth pictures) as a couple but also among friends, regardless of their relationship.
For example, if you went shopping with a friend, it could be called a "shopping date♡," or if you went to see a movie, it could be called a "movie date♡." It was very convenient because it could be broadly used!
IN 〇〇
It became fashionable to write "IN" followed by the place you went to, such as "IN Shibuya" or "IN SHIBUYA," when mentioning your destination or where you hung out.
〇〇 to 〇〇
For example, phrases like "From Donki to Karaoke~!" were commonly used to scribble down the flow of one's plans for the day!
Going to 〇〇 / Went to 〇〇
Common usages include "I'm going to go have a drink!" and "I went to karaoke!".
It was common to report the day's plans in doodles as a memento of playing with friends.
Baka-Ko / Baka-Jyoutou
"Baka-Ko" = "Silly Child."
You might feel there's no need to emphasize being "foolish"...
However, it seems to also convey the nuance of "us being in high spirits."
〇〇 Couple / 〇〇 Married Couple
This phrase was often used when couples took purikura (photo booth pictures).
A shared umbrella illustration was also a standard doodle.
Since only those with boyfriends could write such doodles, I remember feeling envious when I saw a friend's couple purikura with "〇〇 Married Couple" written on it.
I Love You / LOVE / Lovey-Dovey
These were doodles used to flaunt the degree of being lovey-dovey, often seen during "Chu-puri(kiss puri)" () as well.
It was also frequently written to boast about the closeness with friends.
The word "lovey-dovey" was sometimes playfully altered to "labo-labo."
The way of writing varied, including in hiragana as "らぶらぶ," or as "Love×2" or "Love②"!
.Chu-puri(kiss puri): A type of pose where a couple takes photo purikura while kissing.
Anniversary
Phrases like "Today marks 10 days of us being together♡" or "Our 3rd date♡" were used, almost as if every day was an anniversary, overusing the term "anniversary."
Boyfriend (Girlfriend) Wanted
Currently, I use it to show off that I'm single!
Many people may have set it as their own icon on their nostalgic "Zenryaku profile" () or "mixi" ().
"Wanted" was sometimes written in hiragana as "彼氏ぼしゅー".
.Zenryaku Profile: A web service for introducing one's profile, often referred to as "Zenryaku Prof," which became extremely popular around 2007.
.mixi: The name of a SNS that was popular at the time. Like "Zenryaku Prof," it allowed users to write profiles, tweet about their daily lives like Twitter, and join communities of interest to interact with strangers, making it a very convenient and popular SNS at the time.
〇〇 Group / 〇〇 Alliance / 〇〇 Duo
Names were given to close groups of friends, forming a 〇〇 Group.
When it was just two people, their names were written followed by "Alliance" or "Duo."
Incidentally, there was also the term "〇〇 Family"...
"Words that make us feel nostalgic."
Looking back, many of these phrases might make us feel "embarrassed" or "cringeworthy"!
At the time, influenced by dramas like "Gokusen" and "Kisarazu Cat's Eye," there was a trend towards valuing the strength and bonds of friendship, resulting in many phrases designed to showcase the closeness between friends.
The prevalence of school dramas during the 2000s also played a role.
Furthermore, instead of simple graffiti, the trend was to make it flashy, and the sense of style in graffiti was important.
Nowadays, with smartphones being the norm for taking photos, It seems that the number of young people taking photo booths is decreasing.
When taking Purikura now, it seems that the trend is to keep it simple without graffiti.
There may be many words that are difficult for young children today to understand, but I hope they find it amusing and think, "There was a time like this."
