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Anime is a medium with a plethora of genres, but none are as specific as the Cute Girls Do Cute Things genre. It’s a specific subgenre of real-life anime that’s popular enough to get its own theme tag on MyAnimeList. While the term is usually associated with the moe culture of the early 2000s and 2010, the genre is starting to make a comeback with the recent trend of realism and romance coming to the fore in the anime mainstream.
But what sets Cute Girls Do Cute Things, often abbreviated to CGDCT, from other real-life anime with female protagonists? Where did it start and what kept it going? And of course, why is it seeing a resurgence? CGDCT is a very specific subgenre of the life segment and may not be for everyone, but it shouldn’t be overlooked.
What Makes an Anime CGDCT?
Now there is a difference between a female-led life stage and a CGDCT anime. Frankly, the main difference is in the content; is the sole purpose for the female protagonists cute? If the anime you’re watching focuses more on plot than cuteness, then it’s not true CGDCT. Some anime like the recent one Keep your hands off the Eizouken! does feature an all-female cast doing healthy things together, but the anime focuses more on the plot progress where the girls make their anime than the cute moments, so technically it doesn’t count. Keep your hands off the Eizouken! however, is still worth checking out.
The perfect example, and often considered the banner of CGDCT is Could!, and is rated highest under the CGDCT tag on MyAnimeList. While there can be a minute or two in an episode where the plot progresses, albeit marginally, most of the episode focuses on the cute and adorable antics of the equally adorable girls. The girls’ relationship, their daily lives and the stereotypical cute things they do together make up over 90% of the show.
The early 2000s and 2010s were full of CGDCT anime. Except for K-up!, other notable entries in the genre include: Lucky Star, Is the Order a rabbit?, Yuru Campand Not Not Biyori. Every once in a while there is a CGDCT with a twist, such as: Last tour of the girlthat’s a war-themed CGDCT, and the infamously-gruesome School-Live that barely makes its way into the CGDCT genre. Most idol anime also fit into this genre, especially when they focus more on the girl’s antics than the plot or music.
What Makes CGDCT Worth Watching?
As with any genre, that is entirely up to your taste. That said, CGDCT is worth checking out. CGDCT is best known as plotless media. But that’s the beauty of it; it’s something you can totally relax in, or get away from, without missing any important elements. CGDCT is usually predictable, School-Live excluded, but that is not only part of the draw of CGDCT, but also part of life. The predictability makes the genre not only feel familiar, but also easy to watch, regardless of your mood.
Mainly because the world is becoming more and more stressful to exist in, healthy and simple shows like those in the CGDCT genre are more fun than jumping from a tiring day at work to an emotionally draining drama series or an energetic shounen combat arc. Both have their place, but where the CGDCT really shines is when you’re too tired or too busy to invest in complex plots or high-energy action sequences, and shows without extensive content are easier to enjoy to the fullest.
Is there a revival in the genre?
While many of the legendary series in this genre were from the 2000s to the 2010s, this past year has seen a resurgence of this genre along with the recent uptrend in slice-of-life anime. It seems to put more emphasis on the plot though, the anime itself still exists for the sake of cuteness and healthy moments and instead uses a more linear storyline to inspire the cute moments that make up the rest of the show. Recently anime like Sleepy princess in the demon castle, Cue!and the return of popular idol series such as: Zombieland Saga, Love life!and dragon girl the past two years have only shown that the demand is there.
This season alone there are CGDCT anime like Great Doll, Teppen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, and the isekai twist on the genre Alternative World Pharmacy. Next season also has a few more entries in the genre, so while it’s no guarantee the genre will return to its 2010 glory days, it’s a step in the right direction. However, nothing is final. This year, each season has seen plenty of anime and romance at the top of the ratings, but only time can tell if anime will really gravitate toward CGDCT again, or if the effect is more residual due to the rise in slice-of-slice. live anime again. Only time will tell, but for now we can enjoy this brief revival while it lasts.
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