The first basic emoticons are believed to have appeared in the early 1970s, but Japan took the concept to a whole new level in the mid-1980s with Kaomoji. By combining Katakana characters, these emoticons allow for much richer expressions. If you want to install and configure Japanese emoticons on Android, you can always download an app from the Play Store, and today we recommend these two.
Kaomoji: the art of Japanese emoticons
A person screaming with excitement, another completely embarrassed, a madman throwing a table across the room in a fit of rage. These and many other expressions fit perfectly with the Kaomoji style, which dates back to 1985 and is usually associated with the launch of the Japanese online service ASCII Net. In fact, an article suggests that a nuclear scientist and user of that network was the inventor of several kaomoji, but apparently he never accepted the credit, saying he was only following patterns made by other users.
36 years later, Kaomoji have not lost any popularity; quite the opposite. But the final experience depends on how well they're integrated. On iOS, for example, you can add some kaomoji by enabling Japanese as a keyboard language. Anyone who wants to use Japanese emoticons on Android can download one of these two apps.
Kaomoji for Android
"Kaomoji - Emoticones Japoneses"
Developed by Meteor Rain, this app divides all available emoticons into six general categories, each packed with subcategories, making it easy to find what you're looking for. A simple tap copies the Kaomoji to the clipboard, ready to paste into any chat or messenger. It also includes an editor to create your own. It works very well... but the advertising in the latest build is excessive. If you can, buy the Pro version ($1.35 USD).
"Kaomoji - Japanese Emoticons"
Its direct alternative is the app from Kisara Labs, with a more traditional interface inspired by a notebook. The categories live in a hamburger menu, seven in total. This app also supports a floating window mode, though you'll need to enable the permission on your device. Its ads are more moderate, but the premium mode is a monthly subscription ($0.73 USD).
In summary
If you want the best of Japanese emoticons for Android, these and similar apps will help you. It's just a matter of finding the one that suits your needs, and the rest is surprising your friends with unique, colorful expressions. Enjoy!
