[yowlingcat]

As other commentators have mentioned, the analogy to "kawaii" is inaccurate and inappropriate; it's much closer to what's been termed Corporate Memphis[1] than kawaii. Key differences:

- Corporate Memphis uses an abridged contrast ("flat") full range palette that is meant to a) be legible and b) not stand out. Human forms are flattened, with intentionally minimized, abstract differentiation between entities. This makes sense because the emphasis is on legibility and universal visual communication, not flair.

- Kawaii uses uses an expanded range palette with a lot of emphasis on pastels and cel shading to create a 2.5D world that is probably aesthetically closer to Surrealism. Kawaii human forms are caricatures, full of cartoonish distortions. The whole point is expression, quirkiness, flair and alternate reality building.

[1] https://qz.com/quartzy/1728767/why-editorial-illustrations-l...