Men’s bras are advertised on Wish Room’s website.

Men's bras getting a lot of support

“This bra does wonders for your figure, sir.”

“It does, doesn’t it. Very good. I’ll take it. And maybe one more, for when I play baseball.”

The dialogue is imaginary but based on a singular fact unearthed by Weekly Playboy (Dec 22-29): There are bras for men. And men are buying them. In droves.

“It went on sale Nov 8, and since then, it’s constantly being sold out. Now we’re having to ask customers to wait a whole month,” says a spokesperson for underwear maker Wish Room.

Weekly Playboy assigns the story to a young part-timer named Maiko, whose first question, quite naturally, is: Why on earth would a man want to wear a bra?

“Well, we started hearing a while back from male customers who said they wanted a bra,” the spokesperson explains. “Lately women have taken to wearing men’s underwear as a matter of fashion. Why shouldn’t the reverse be true too? So we developed a bra for men.”

Maiko’s next step is to tap two of her male Weekly Playboy colleagues as test cases. She has each of them don a man’s bra (somehow they each manage to procure one despite the shortage) and describe their impressions. The fellow in the black bra is called Naoi; the one in the white, Bakko. Naoi is “a bit on the metabo side,” meaning overweight—“his belly sticks out more than his chest,” smirks Maiko. Bakko’s build is slim and athletic. They have this in common: adaptability. With a little getting used to, the unfamiliar garment fits them like a glove.

“Normally, whenever I go up or down stairs I can feel my breasts flopping around,” says stout Naoi, “but with a bra on, I don’t get that at all.”

There’s more. “My posture isn’t good, I stoop, but with the bra on my backbone straightens. And when I sleep with it on, I don’t snore like a chainsaw!”

Good for him—but what about the svelte Bakko? You’d think he’d have nothing to put into a bra, but there’s more to this than meets the casual eye, as he explains to Maiko: “My nipples are dark and very big. They show even through a T-shirt. But look, Maiko! With this bra on, you can’t see my giant nipples!”

Something about wearing a bra makes a man feel … well, “like first love,” says Bakko, “an inexpressible tightness in the chest, to the point that when I play the cello with a bra on, I seem to get a mellower tone out of it.”

Bakko plays baseball too, and he finds a bra gives him better batting form. “I recommend it to pro baseball players with batting problems,” he says.

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Latest 15 of 77 Total Comments Show All

rurika at 09:26 PM JST - 13th December

My nipples are dark and very big. They show even through a T-shirt

Sorry to disappoint you, but they may still show through a bra. There are other things you can do to hide your nipples such as using pasties.
herefornow at 09:27 PM JST - 13th December

telecaster -- wow, live a little. Your seriousness about everything is what "is wrong on so many levels".
cwhite at 12:13 AM JST - 14th December

I think they need a better name and something a bit more sporty
JmannGod at 05:47 AM JST - 14th December

am131 wrote: 'JmannGod, I like to know how you know 30% of japanese men sit down to take a leak. I think bakko in the article could've just put a couple of band aids if he wanted to cover his nipples.'

It was reported on in the Guardian earlier in the year after research into growing trends in Japan (sorry no link... look for it yourself)
AlfGarnett at 06:08 AM JST - 14th December

They had abaht this on the BBC a bit ago.

Blooming fatties should try living on a pensioners money, wouldn't have man boobs then. Or maybe tehy is just kinky like. You know, like wearing womens clobber an all that.

Maybe younger men should exercise and lay offf the American fast food junk and you don't get womens style bodies.
HonestDictator at 06:59 AM JST - 14th December

This is straight outt Seinfeld xD. Not many men have man boobs, but women always have some. This is not a lucrative market except for the folks that don't really take care of themselves. But with obesity going up in JPN, maybe they might make a lot more... but its a slim chance.
Nessie at 09:47 AM JST - 14th December

Not many men have man boobs, but women always have some.

Not always.
buddha4brains at 07:32 AM JST - 15th December

Wow a lot of anti-fatties here. The story also gave equal time to Mr. Svelt and he seemed to like also. Perhaps he's being ignored because he threatens many of the svelt posers on this board.
Apsara at 09:06 AM JST - 15th December

If these garments were supposed to be manly, they wouldn't come in pink satin. They're just an excuse to crossdress. I have no problem with people crossdressing in their free time, but trying to pass off wearing a satiny bra as necessary for some men is silly.
TheguyNextdoor at 08:28 AM JST - 16th December

I dont care if you are secure in your manhood, its still extremely gay!!! not the happy kind, the pillow biter kind!!!! gay!!!
CMEANDU26 at 08:48 AM JST - 16th December

Hey come on there are some guys that would rather wear the Manzier than to go to the gym and tone their body up. I mean I am a big guy and there is no way in hell that I would wear that. I mean how would a girl look at you when you try and get close. I mean she is going to think your GAY too. So that is why we say GAY. Look they are selling this thing to men who have no self confidence. I mean what is going to be next...The Mankini? I mean if I see that at the beach I will have to move. Guys don't waste your money on this. Put it into a gym membership and go. It's the New Year. Trust me. You will be happier with the gym then the Manzier.
whitepocky at 12:26 PM JST - 17th December

Only in Japan
Honen at 03:12 PM JST - 27th December

"It's not a bra! It's a pectoral muscle supporter!"

("ブラじゃないよっ！！　大胸筋矯正サポーターだよぉぉ！")
daveyc21 at 01:48 PM JST - 29th December

"There are bras for men. And men are buying them. In droves."

Men bras? Being bought in droves? Only in Japan! Although I am a pretty flexible guy, I do not get this at all. I have no problem with women wearing fundoshi, and men wearing t-back underwear, or even going cowboy, but come on, men's bras?!
Sarge at 10:17 PM JST - 21st January

"This bra does wonders for your figure, sir."

Why do I suddenly feel ill?