Mermaids are having a moment.
Disney’s live-action remake of 1989’s “The Little Mermaid” has made a splash with audiences worldwide, but that doesn’t mean mermaids are only the stuff of fairytales: Earlier this spring, Netflix released “MerPeople,” a four-part documentary that investigates the fast-growing world of professional mermaiding.
In an industry now said to be worth around $500 million (about ¥71 billion) by some estimates, professional mermaids pull on custom-made tails to perform at aquariums, corporate events and children’s parties, coupled with strong online presences as influencers. There are also legions of mermaiding advocates who pursue the lifestyle primarily as a hobby, adopting a mermaid name (or “mersona”) and coming together in “pods” with other members of their community for meet-ups and photo shoots.