Zettai ry?iki (????, lit. "absolute territory") refers to the area of bare skin in the gap between overknee socks and a miniskirt (or shorts). It can also be used to describe the clothing combination. The term first became widespread in otaku slang as one of the attributes of moe characters in anime and manga, but it is now used by the general public in Japan.
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Classification and ideal proportions
The ideal ratio of the length of the miniskirt, the exposed portion of thigh, and the over-knee part of the socks is often considered to be 4:1:2.5, with a tolerance of 25%.
Zettai ry?iki fans classify it by visible bare skin area, that depends on height of the socks and length of the skirt. A zettai ry?iki is graded from grade E (too much leg is seen, the skirt is also too long) to grade A (short skirt, high socks, short exposed area).
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Popularity
The clothing combination is very popular in Japan. As with loose socks, a special "socks glue" can be used to glue the socks to the legs for a perfect look.
Japanese advertising agency WIT launched a campaign in 2013 which paid women to wear temporary tattoos on their upper thighs promoting various products and media. They were encouraged to wear skirts and long socks to highlight the area.
On February 8, 2014 a specialty shop called "Zettai Ry?iki" dedicated to overknee socks and tights opened in Akihabara, Tokyo.
In an episode of the anime Nana Maru San Batsu, a series about participants in quiz shows, Mari was running through practice questions with Shiki, and asked "The area between the hem of a miniskirt and the tops of a knee-high is called by what name," with the answer of "zettai ryoiki" followed by an explanation.
Etymology
The term originates from the 1995 anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion, where it was used with a different meaning. In an insert leaflet that came with VHS cassettes, the expression "Zettai Ky?fu Ry?iki" (??????, "Absolute Terror Field (territory)") was used as a translation of the English-language term "A.T. Field" (A.T.?????) from the anime into Japanese. An A.T. Field was a type of a protective energy shield, dubbed a "holy area no one can intrude upon" (??????????????) and made a being using it impervious to attacks. Also, the term could refer to "impenetrability of souls" (???). The Neon Genesis Evangelion manga also gave a shortened version of the term, "Zettai Ry?iki", in furigana next to the words "A.T. Field". The idea of a "holy area no one can intrude upon" was where the current meaning of the term originated. The expression first spread in the otaku community and then started to be widely used outside of the otaku subculture. For example, it is now included in the general-purpose dictionary Daijisen.
Trademark application
On February 13, 2006, the Japanese company Banpresto, which produced video games based on Neon Genesis Evangelion, filed two applications for registration of the term "Zettai Ry?iki" as a trade mark. Both applications were rejected on June 26 on the basis of unpaid registration fees.
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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