<p>Can't comment yet so I'll add an answer. </p>

<p>ギャル (<em>gyaru</em>) is actually the way they imported the English word "girl". </p>

<p>Then they imported the English slang "gal" on top of that as a back-<em>Romaji</em>-ized name for the current fashion.</p>

<p>(In addition to what Makoto said.)</p>

<p>If you can read the Japanese, here's a dictionary entry, but it doesn't help much:</p>

<p><a href="https://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/srch/en/%E3%82%AE%E3%83%A3%E3%83%AB/m0u/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/srch/en/ギャル/m0u/</a></p>

<p>Here's a wikipedia entry:</p>

<p><a href="https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%AE%E3%83%A3%E3%83%AB" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ギャル</a></p>

<p>And here it is in English:</p>

<p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gyaru" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gyaru</a></p>

<p>The Japanese is more complete and more interesting, of course.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-07-24T08:19:55.687Z
2017-07-26T00:41:32.820Z
2017-07-26T00:41:32.820Z
Joel Rees
<p>There is also a bit of a deeper meaning and as to why this trend came about. It goes way back to the World War 2 and a bit before. After occupation to make money, girls would well prostitute themselves, so a tanned girl was also a sign that they were out on the corner a lot. In the rebellion days of youth, in the 80s, it was a way to rebel in Asia, so it became a popular trend.</p>

<p>This is why you also get that "gals" are sluts or whores. In the west though, tanning became a positive thing while in the east it became a negative thing. Also why in the anime and the manga of <em>Hajimete no Gal</em>, the ex calls her a "slut". Also, <em>Hajimete no Gal</em> directly translates to "first time gal".</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-14T01:22:27.143Z
2017-09-14T03:05:45.307Z
2017-09-14T03:05:45.307Z
Siman
<p>"Gal" is the English transliteration for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gyaru" rel="noreferrer"><em>gyaru</em></a>, which is a fashion trend in Japanese culture.  This fashion trend includes things like:</p>

<ul>
<li>Tanning/darkening the skin</li>
<li>Wearing lots of shiny makeup (traditional Japanese culture is very modest with makeup)</li>
<li>Wearing lots of jewelry and has lots of accessories (fake nails, excessive nail/toe polish)</li>
</ul>

<p>Effectively, the "gals" in <em>My First Girlfriend is a Gal</em> are following the <em>gyaru</em> fashion trend.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-07-24T01:39:50.157Z
2017-07-24T01:39:50.157Z
Makoto
<p>In the anime <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_First_Girlfriend_is_a_Gal" rel="noreferrer">Hajimete no Gal (aka My First Girlfriend is a Gal)</a>, it's made abundantly clear in the first episode that "gal" is not just another feminine pronoun.  Based on the 2 "gals" in the show, and compared to the other girls in the show, it seems there's a marked difference in style, personality, and appearance to be labeled a "gal".</p>

<p>What is a "gal" in anime or Japanese culture?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-07-24T01:11:25.033Z
possibly related: [What is a “gal wife”?](https://anime.stackexchange.com/questions/35905/what-is-a-gal-wife)
Memor-X
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-07-24T01:18:58.540Z
That was an auto-recommendation, and it's not related.  That question is very specific to the anime/game the OP is asking about.
YetAnotherRandomUser
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-07-24T01:35:52.057Z
actually it wasn't an "auto-recommendation". rather i thought it was possibly related in which a gal girlfriend might be similar to a gal wife. i could be wrong however which is why i said possibly related rather than duplicate
Memor-X
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-07-24T03:08:11.143Z
An article on Crunchyroll about the series touches on this topic: http://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-feature/2017/07/20-1/elite-classrooms-and-gal-friends-get-hooked-on-these-new-summer-anime
Ross Ridge
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-07-24T11:16:26.187Z
@memor-x By "auto-recommendation", I meant the site recommended it as I was typing up the question.
YetAnotherRandomUser
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-07-24T19:23:35.733Z
I'm guessing [Galo Sengen](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EKTw50Uf8M) has already faded from public memory?
DJ Pirtu
<hajimete-no-gal>
What does "gal" mean in Hajimete no Gal and/or Japanese culture?
# What does "gal" mean in Hajimete no Gal and/or Japanese culture?
Posted by: username_0 on 2017-07-24
In the anime [Hajimete no Gal (aka My First Girlfriend is a Gal)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_First_Girlfriend_is_a_Gal), it's made abundantly clear in the first episode that "gal" is not just another feminine pronoun. Based on the 2 "gals" in the show, and compared to the other girls in the show, it seems there's a marked difference in style, personality, and appearance to be labeled a "gal".

What is a "gal" in anime or Japanese culture?
**Tags:** hajimete-no-gal
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: possibly related: [What is a “gal wife”?](https://anime.stackexchange.com/questions/35905/what-is-a-gal-wife)  
> **username_0**: That was an auto-recommendation, and it's not related.  That question is very specific to the anime/game the OP is asking about.  
> **username_1**: actually it wasn't an "auto-recommendation". rather i thought it was possibly related in which a gal girlfriend might be similar to a gal wife. i could be wrong however which is why i said possibly related rather than duplicate  
> **username_2**: An article on Crunchyroll about the series touches on this topic: http://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-feature/2017/07/20-1/elite-classrooms-and-gal-friends-get-hooked-on-these-new-summer-anime  
> **username_0**: @memor-x By "auto-recommendation", I meant the site recommended it as I was typing up the question.  
> **username_3**: I'm guessing [Galo Sengen](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EKTw50Uf8M) has already faded from public memory?  
---
## 3 answers
### Answer by username_6 on 2017-07-24. Score: 25 | Accepted answer
"Gal" is the English transliteration for [*gyaru*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gyaru), which is a fashion trend in Japanese culture. This fashion trend includes things like:

* Tanning/darkening the skin
* Wearing lots of shiny makeup (traditional Japanese culture is very modest with makeup)
* Wearing lots of jewelry and has lots of accessories (fake nails, excessive nail/toe polish)

Effectively, the "gals" in *My First Girlfriend is a Gal* are following the *gyaru* fashion trend.
---
### Answer by username_4 on 2017-07-24. Score: 7
Can't comment yet so I'll add an answer.

ギャル (*gyaru*) is actually the way they imported the English word "girl".

Then they imported the English slang "gal" on top of that as a back-*Romaji*-ized name for the current fashion.

(In addition to what Makoto said.)

If you can read the Japanese, here's a dictionary entry, but it doesn't help much:

[https://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/srch/en/ギャル/m0u/](https://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/srch/en/%E3%82%AE%E3%83%A3%E3%83%AB/m0u/)

Here's a wikipedia entry:

[https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ギャル](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%AE%E3%83%A3%E3%83%AB)

And here it is in English:

<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gyaru>

The Japanese is more complete and more interesting, of course.
---
### Answer by username_5 on 2017-09-14. Score: 0
There is also a bit of a deeper meaning and as to why this trend came about. It goes way back to the World War 2 and a bit before. After occupation to make money, girls would well prostitute themselves, so a tanned girl was also a sign that they were out on the corner a lot. In the rebellion days of youth, in the 80s, it was a way to rebel in Asia, so it became a popular trend.

This is why you also get that "gals" are sluts or whores. In the west though, tanning became a positive thing while in the east it became a negative thing. Also why in the anime and the manga of *Hajimete no Gal*, the ex calls her a "slut". Also, *Hajimete no Gal* directly translates to "first time gal".
---
