ICHIYA’s POP Eye – Emoticons

　From Kyary Pamyu Pamyu Moshi Moshi Nippon’s “ICHIYA’s POP EYE”.
  Today’s topic is Emoticons!
  Are you using emoticons on your smartphone? A heart symbol, note, animal or facial expression. It's funny that there are so many symbols, right? In Japan, emoticons were widely used ever since the Internet became available, and they evolved.
  This, for example, represents a smiling facial expression. 
(^_^)　　
  In the west, this is used to show a smiling face, right? 
 :-)

  In Japanese emoticons, the face is frontal, while in the west, it's sideways. While Japanese emoticons use the form of the eyes to express emotions, western emoticons express them through the mouth. There is a difference.
Let's take a look at different expressions. A very happy expression. The hands are up.
＼(＾▽＾)／
  Many people are even happier.
＼(≧∇≦)/＼(≧∇≦)/＼(≧∇≦)/＼(≧∇≦)/
  Crying. Tears are flowing down both eyes.
(T_T)
  Angry. The eyes are scary.
＼(*｀∧´)／
  Many people are angry. The form of their mouths shows dissatisfaction.
ヾ(｀ε´)ﾉヾ(｀ε´)ﾉヾ(｀ε´)ﾉヾ(｀ε´)ﾉ
  Apologizing. The face is lowered and both hands are attached.
m(_ _)m

  Japan is full of expressions other than letters. Emoticons have been used as replacement for letters for a long time. Every household had its family crest, which was used to communicate. It's said that 1000 years ago, there was even color-communication, in which the color combination of one's clothes expressed the feelings on that day.
  There are lots of onomatopoeia and mimetic words. "Niko-niko" stands for a happy expression. "Doki-doki" shows nervousness. "Hara-hara" indicates worries. "Ira-ira" shows anger.
  There was a lot of communication that did not use logical letters or language, but illogical symbols.

  The evolved forms of this are "stamps". In the smartphone application LINE, there are many emoticons called "stamps". Pictures of characters smiling, being angry, being surprised and so on are used to communicate. Communication takes place using only stamps, which means letters are not used at all. The Made-in-Japan service "LINE" is used by 500 million people on earth, so Japanese-style communication is spreading.
  A service was started to create and sell your own stamps, and within just a month, more than 10.000 stamp-sets were registered. The time has come where you can create your own pictures to express yourself.
  Letters were invented thousands of years ago. 560 years have passed since Gutenberg invented the letterpress. People have been communicating through letters since that time. However, will people start to communicate through pictures now?
  What do you think?