Gender-ambiguous Japanese Model: KOM_I
The Japanese beauty industry is not, and never has been, short on models. In a nation so populous for its size (being only slightly larger than the UK, but with twice as many people), there are many hot and handsome people to choose from. But, just as with their general recognition in society as a whole, many non-binary models have largely gone unnoticed.
However, Japan does have a number of gender-ambiguous models and other, similar influencers, and today we’re focusing on one of the most iconic: KOM_I. Who are they, what’s their story, and… how does that underscore work?
Identity as a Gender-ambiguous Japanese Model
消息来源 girlschannel.net
Kom_I has not formally identified as non-binary in public at the time of writing: and they may not. As such, we are uncomfortable labelling them as non-binary, nor are we comfortable using pronouns that they may not be comfortable with, which is why we are using the more neutral singular “they.”
However, we would be remiss not to mention their nuanced view of gender and gender expression over the years. Speaking to i-D Asia in 2018, they said, “I think that everyone has both feminine and masculine ratios within them, and some people are 100:0 and others are 100:100. I always want to keep both sides strong in myself, but I sometimes feel the ratios changing.
“It’s similar with my taste in clothes — it can be more masculine or feminine depending on the day…One thing I can say with a passion is that when it comes to gender I have a longing for androgyny.”
Early Life and Career
消息来源 musiccolors
Born Misaki Koshi in Kawasaki in 1992, they took their stage name from combining the first to letters of their surname with the first of their forename for their Twitter account, to make “KOMI.” However, as this name was taken, they inserted an underscore to create the name “KOM_I,” which would be how they became known ever since.
They began their career in media in 2013 as a vocalist for the band Wednesday Campenella, despite having little to no experience in music, and still being a highschool student. They were supposedly chosen because Wednesday Campenella, which is a hip-hop/J-pop mixed-style band, had a style that was a bit incongruous with their voice, and yet which worked well. They were known for their high-energy performances, with props and crowd engagement, and a “karaoke style” where, despite the rest of the band being present to perform live, they took the stage alone.
As Wednesday Campenella began to become ore and more popular, so did KOM_I concurrently begin to attract public attention. They soon branched out into modelling as well as singing, before leaving the band in 2021.
How Do I Pronounce “Kom_I”?
This has been a matter of confusion for many fans who have not seen them perform live. However, they have made it clear that their name is pronounced “kom-ai,” with “kom” being the same as in “community.” This is more than a little appropriate, as they have been increasingly open as a member of the non-binary community in Japan for quite some time.
Recent Activities as a Gender-ambiguous Performer
In addition to their aforementioned musical career, KOM_I has been active as a model, regularly showing off androgynous styles that expresses what appears to be their shifting experience with gender, as displayed in a 2020 shoot with Japanese Vogue.
Additionally, KOM_I is involved in a multimedia project with non-binary artists Nanao Kobayashi (also known by the pseudonym FATHER) and non-binary Brazilian singer Filipe Catto, exploring the histories and cultures that is a joyous representation of identity and individuality.
These are the kinds of explorations of gender and representation that we desperately need more of in Japan.
