Definition: Roughly, something or someone who inspires feelings of instant affection.
What you should know: The term “Moe” is hard to describe. To put it simply, “Moe” is the ability of a character to make you want to hug, comfort, or adore them.
If a character is cute, clumsy, and young, they are considered “Moe.” In this sense, “Moe” also describes a character’s ability to invoke a desire to protect them because of some sort of vulnerability.
For example, Tsundere are emotionally guarded characters that can’t express their true feelings for fear of rejection. They are “Moe.”
But it could also be used to describe a specific fetish. Glasses, maid outfits, cat ears, all these could be considered “Moe.”
Western Equivalent: The west hasn’t really caught the “Moe” fever, but there are some western examples of “Moe” like culture. The Christmas song “Santa Baby” is often sung in a cutesy female voice that could be considered “Moe.”
Special Note: Lucky Star (Moe incarnate)