History Main / Geisha

* ''Film/RoboGeisha'' is the story of two sisters: Kikuyakko "Kikue" Kagusa, a Geisha who is renowned for her beauty, and Yoshie Kagusa, who works as a servant in the same teahouse as Kikuyakko. Yoshie suffers near constant abuse at the hands of her elder sister, who derides her lack of grace and potential for becoming a Geisha at every opportunity. While Yoshie for the most part tries to take this treatment in stride, at times her rage boils over and manifests itself in almost-superhuman feats of strength. Their lives change when the young heir of the Kagano Steel Manufacturing corporation notices one of these feats, and forces the sisters to become part of his private army of geisha assassins. Accepting their fate, the sisters quickly rise through the ranks of the geisha corps, constantly replacing their human flesh with ever more deadly and [[{{Cyborg}} bizarre mechanical body-parts and weaponry]], each hoping to out-do the other in their ongoing rivalry.

* Because Chamberlain Ooishi spent two years partying in the pleasure quarters [[ObfuscatingStupidity for cover]], any version of the story of ''The47Ronin'' will show some geisha and prostitutes.

For a long time the role of the geisha has been seen as mysterious, exotic, and alluring. Contrary to popular belief, geisha are '''not''' prostitutes (that would be ''yuujo'' or "pleasure women", of which the top tier were the famous ''oiran'' or ''tayuu''; prostitution as such was abolished in Japan in 1956 [[spolier: legally. And only defined very narrowly as certain kinds of sex acts (typically "the usual one"). In reality Japan has thousands of brothels and it is not at all difficult to purchase sex without any worry about prosecution, and being a sex worker does not have the stigma that there is in the West.]] , but rather artists, party hostesses and professional conversationalists, with stage names and distinct personal lives. On the other hand they weren't nuns either. Before [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII WWII]], geisha could be employed as professional mistresses, but sex with customers is off the menu these days. That hasn't stopped them from being prime FetishFuel material.

For a long time the role of the geisha has been seen as mysterious, exotic, and alluring. Contrary to popular belief, geisha are '''not''' prostitutes (that would be ''yuujo'' or "pleasure women", of which the top tier were the famous ''oiran'' or ''tayuu''; prostitution as such was abolished in Japan in 1956), but rather artists, party hostesses and professional conversationalists, with stage names and distinct personal lives. On the other hand they weren't nuns either. Before [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII WWII]], geisha could be employed as professional mistresses, but sex with customers is off the menu these days. That hasn't stopped them from being prime FetishFuel material.

* The cover of {{Kiss}}'s 1977 album ''Love Gun'' is a painting of the band members standing at the entrance to what looks like [[AncientGrome a Greco-Roman temple]], and on the steps just below them are several scantily-clad women in whiteface who could possibly be geisha, although they have long hair and are not wearing kimonos. In fact, given that Gene Simmons's "demon" makeup is directly inspired by ''kabuki'' theatre, and [[GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff the massive popularity Kiss have enjoyed in Japan since their earliest days]], that could very well be what these women are.

* The makeup that the ActionGirl team Kyoshi Warriors from ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' sport is influenced by geisha makeup in addition to using influences from Kabuki makeup plus their outfits are Samurai-influenced. It's not surprising that their makeup is based on Avatar Kyoshi's makeup.

* Quite a few American movies of the 50s and 60s would show some geisha for exotic fanservice: from ''My Geisha'' with Shirley McLaine undergoing a geiko henshin to re-seduce her fiance to ''The Geisha Boy'' with Jerry Lewis (not as a geisha, thank goodness) to ''The Teahouse of the August Moon'' with Machiko Kyo as the geisha "Lotus Blossom".

* ''VideoGame/PokemonSoulSilver'' and ''[[VideoGame/PokemonHeartGold Heart Gold]]'' features six Geisha (called "kimono girls" in the English version) who the protagonist meets though his or her journey, cumulating in an event where they use a dance ceremony to summon Lugia or Ho-oh depending on the version. (Who you have to try to tame.)

* YamatoNadeshiko: Averted. The image of a demure and shy Nadeshiko is the Japanese ideal of a ''wife'', whose domain is the hearth. Geisha aren't wives, so their talkative, flirty and unabashed attitude at a banquet is the opposite of that. The stereotype of geisha as servile doormats is mostly Orientalist fantasy, their obsequiousness stops at pouring sake for the guests (which they unload to the maiko, who as learn-by-seeing apprentices can't do a lot more than pouring sake and looking pretty).

* ''Literature/MemoirsOfAGeisha'' and its film adaptation tells the story of Chiyo, a little girl whose dirt poor family sells her in order to make ends meet. Some of her companions in fate end up being sold to brothels, but the pretty Chiyo is lucky enought to be bought into a geisha house to be a servant, and later, if she proves worthy, an apprentice, thus becoming the famous geisha Sayuri. Despite how the book gives the impression of being a biography and based on real life, it's pure fiction and contains its share of inaccuracies. The one most aficionados would name first is the auctioning of the virginity of maiko about to graduate as geiko.

* FemmeFatale: Often play the part in Japanese tales and older literature, but not to the extent that the "castle-topper" oiran did in theatre plays
* GorgeousPeriodDress: Their costume is an obsolete style, and quite a deal more showy than the modern fashions
* KimonoFanService: The style they wear screams "teh sexx" in Kimonese
* RavenHairIvorySkin: Black hair, white make-up, bright red lipstick
* TrainingFromHell: They undergo demanding training, and some works like to exaggerate it
* YamatoNadeshiko: The image of a demure and shy Nadeshiko is the Japanese ideal of a ''wife'', whose domain is the hearth. Geisha aren't wives, so their talkative, flirty and unabashed attitude at a banquet is the opposite of that. The stereotype of geisha as servile doormats is mostly Orientalist fantasy, their obsequiousness stops at pouring sake for the guests (which they unload to the maiko, who as learn-by-seeing apprentices can't do a lot more than pouring sake and looking pretty).

* ''Manga/MademoiselleButterfly''

For a long time the role of the geisha has been seen as mysterious, exotic, and alluring. Contrary to popular belief, geisha are '''not''' prostitutes (that would be ''yuujo'' or "pleasure women", of which the top tier were the famous ''oiran'' or ''tayuu''; prostitution as such was abolished in Japan in 1956), but rather artists, party hostesses and professional conversationalists, with stage names and distinct personal lives. Before [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII WWII]], geisha could be employed as professional mistresses, but sex with customers is off the menu these days. That hasn't stopped them from being prime FetishFuel material.

* [[spoiler: Hotaru Enjouji]] from ''Manga/{{Kizuna}}'' was this in the past.
* Kichiji from ''Manga/HaikaraSanGaTooru''.

* Because Chamberlain Ooishi spent two years partying in the pleasure quarters for cover, any version of the story of ''The47Ronin'' will show some geisha and prostitutes.

* ''Literature/MemoirsOfAGeisha'' and its film adaption tells the story of Chiyo, a little girl whose dirt poor family sells her in order to make ends meet. Some of her companions in fate end up being sold to brothels, but the pretty Chiyo is lucky enought to be bought into a geisha house to be a servant, and later, if she proves worthy, an apprentice, thus becoming the famous geisha Sayuri. Despite the fact the book gives the impression of being a biography and based on real life, it's pure fiction and contains its share of inaccuracies. The one most aficionados would name first is the auctioning of the virginity of maiko about to graduate as geiko.
** In fact, the book was "inspired" in the life of a real life geisha named [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mineko_Iwasaki Mineko Iwasaki.]] Iwasaki got so upset at the author, Arthur Golden, that she sued him and then wrote her own book (''Geisha of Gion'') to counter all the fictionalization.

* Portrayed pretty accurately in ''Theatre/TheTeahouseOfTheAugustMoon'', with Sakini specifically explaining to Capt. Frisby that Lotus Blossom is not a HighClassCallGirl but provides entertainment, conversation, and companionship.

''Geisha'', also known as ''geiko'' or ''geiki'', are traditional Japanese female entertainers whose skills include music and dance, fine conversation, and tea ceremony. Geisha are easily recognizable by their hairstyle, their elaborate {{kimono}} and their white make-up. Geisha who have not yet completed their training are called ''maiko'' ("dancing girl"), and tend to be more colorfully arrayed than their adult counterparts, with different hair pieces for each month, and different styles according to the level of apprenticeship. A young maiko is apprenticed to an ''onee-san'' (big sister), a fully-fledged geisha from whom she learns by example.

* YamatoNadeshiko: The idea of the demure and shy YamatoNadeshiko is the Japanese ideal of a ''wife'', whose domain is the hearth. Geisha aren't wives, so their talkative, flirty and unabashed attitude at a banquet is the opposite of that. The stereotype of geisha as servile doormats is mostly Orientalist fantasy, their obsequiousness stops at pouring sake for the guests (which they unload to the maiko, who as learn-by-seeing apprentices can't do a lot more than pouring sake and looking pretty).

* ''MademoiselleButterfly''
* In ''ZodiacPI'', the mystery revolving around Gemini focuses on a pair of twins (of course) who are also ''maiko.'' The solution to the mystery is that [[spoiler: one of the twins was wearing the wrong headpiece for the particular month -- she had used the headpiece to stab the man who was stalking her, and could no longer use it.]]

* [[spoiler: Hotaru Enjouji]] from {{Kizuna}} was this in the past.
* Kichiji from HaikaraSanGaTooru.
* [[spoiler: Satsuki]] from ''Manga/ThermaeRomae'' is a part-time onsen geisha (like her mother was) and does traditional dances for the inn guests.

* ''TheTwilightSamurai.''
* Because Chamberlain Ooishi spent two years partying in the pleasure quarters for cover, any version of the story of The47Ronin will show some geisha and prostitutes.

* In James Clavell's ''Shogun,'' Kikuchiyo is a forerunner to a geisha, with a manager, an apprentice, and an exceptional level of refinement at all the arts of entertainment (including that of love). In fact, she is the inspiration for her manager, Gyoko (a now retired entertainer) to suggest to [[MagnificentBastard Toranaga]] a class of women exclusively for the performing arts.
* ''MemoirsOfAGeisha'' and its film adaption tells the story of Chiyo, a little girl whose dirt poor family sells her in order to make ends meet. Some of her companions in fate end up being sold to brothels, but the pretty Chiyo is lucky enought to be bought into a geisha house to be a servant, and later, if she proves worthy, an apprentice, thus becoming the famous geisha Sayuri. Despite the fact the book gives the impression of being a biography and based on real life, it's pure fiction and contains its share of inaccuracies. The one most aficinados would name first would be the auctioning of the virginity of maikos about to graduate into geikos.

* The cover of {{Kiss}}'s 1977 album ''Love Gun'' is a painting of the band members standing at the entrance to what looks like [[AncientGrome a Greco-Roman temple]], and on the steps just below them are several scantily-clad women in whiteface who could possibly be geishas, although they have long hair and are not wearing kimonos. In fact, given that Gene Simmons's "demon" makeup is directly inspired by ''kabuki'' theatre, and [[GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff the massive popularity Kiss have enjoyed in Japan since their earliest days]], that could very well be what these women are.

* In ''PacificOvertures'', the number "Pretty Lady" is sung to a pretty Japanese girl whom the three sailors can't figure out if she's a geisha or not.

''Geisha'', also known as ''geiko'' or ''geiki'', are traditional Japanese female entertainers whose skills include traditional music and dance, fine conversation, and tea ceremony. Geisha are easily recognizable by their hairstyle, their elaborate {{kimono}}s and their white make-up. Geisha who have not yet completed their training are called ''maiko'' ("dancer child"), and tend to be more colorfully arrayed than their adult counterparts, with different hair pieces for each month, and different styles for her levels of apprenticeship. A young maiko is supported by her ''onee-san'' (big sister) and when she fully graduates, she will be a single entertainer/businesswoman.

The role of the geisha has for a long time been seen as mysterious, secretive, and alluring. Contrary to what some might say, geisha are '''not''' prostitutes (that woud be ''yuujo'' or "pleasure women", of which the top tier were the famous ''oiran'' or ''tayuu'' of ukiyo-e fame. Prostitution as such was abolished in Japan in 1956), but rather are artists, party hostesses and professional conversationalists, with stage names and distinct personal lives. Before [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII WWII]], geisha could be employed as professional mistresses, but sex is permanently off the menu these days. That hasn't stopped them from being prime FetishFuel material.

It is interesting to consider that prior to [[JoshiKousei Schoolgirl]] or [[{{Meido}} Maid]] character types, geisha were considered the archetype of Japanese femininity, and as such, the term "YamatoNadeshiko" could be applied to them.

* In ''{{Kizuna}}'', Enjouji's mother used to be a geisha, which is how she came to have a son with a yakuza boss.

* YamatoNadeshiko: The very idea of geiko is to be as pleasant company as possible to a male Japanese audience, so if a geiko isn't a YamatoNadeshiko in her private life, her business self will still be one.

* ButNotTooWhite: For Japanese men, geishas ringingly defy this stereotype. In fact, the white paint ''itself'' is FetishFuel.