AKB48 The Popularity Around Japan

Okay, there are some things that didn't get me when it comes to Japanese media, why are AKB48 are so so popular throughout Japan? We could here the songs during public places, radios, TV, etc. Even the members of AKB48 were played in J-Drama, Tokusatsu, and Variety Shows.

 

For the same reason than American Idol is popular in the US? People like seeing cute girls dancing around singing simple pop songs. And really, there isn't much else to show on TV. Most TV shows I see are basically like a Regis Philbin show - food, minor celebrities, simplistic game shows, videos of places around the country (usually to show off some local cuisine), or other countries (again, usually to show off the cuisine, or some random piece of Japanese culture or product that made it into another country). In short, Japanese TV is actually worse than US TV, and they tend to focus in on celebrity news just as much. AKB48 is really no different than the US media's fixation on Britney Spears or any other singer/actress.

 

They are the girl next door idol group or as they say, ones you can actually meet every week by going to their performances in Akiba. Fans love that kind of interaction and hey, these girls are poor performers just like the majority of Japanese entertainers. They can't dance or sing very well but the locals find that more realistic lol

However, they are already on the way out.

 

On the way out? The news the other day said that 25% of the population of Japan tuned in to watch the results of the featured singer vote that was held a couple of weeks ago.

 

Their fandom is moving on to newer younger groups, the popular girls have "graduated" and sales are down.

 

Age 22 = pop star death.

I heard something horribly disconcerting not long ago, from an acquaintance that was at one time an aspiring singer. It was made pretty clear to her that she could get somewhere on her own, but at some point if she wanted the big contract she'd have to fuck her way to get there. I asked her about these girl bands and what not and she said that most of them probably did. I assume people like Utada Hikaru who have an "in" in the industry are exempt, but some of the cookie cutter start-ups are not.

 

That's like asking why Justin Bieber got popular.

 

This sort of stuff happened 30 years ago with the Kitty Club. It's popular because of Pokemoning.

 

^^ pun of the day, earth still has a chance... :witless: :smile-new:

 

Aren't they just Pedophile jerk off materal?

 

Running trend with idols in Japan. Super Creep Factor: Watch the 1994 "OTAKU" documentary

 

Your Cultural lesson for today

 

They also sang for Wreck-it-Ralph soundtrack, possibly America can get into AKB48?

 

Much worse and it'll get to where it's hard to say whether the otaku are creepier, or so many people dolled up to look similar.

 

i like the culture, just not enough to associate myself with crowds more than three heads total!
limits mind you, and isn't 'otaku' a reference to a japanese killer? (if i get called an 'otaku' to my face, it goes south for them)
can't say i'd consider myself to such a degree, preferred 'GUILTY WEABOO' tbh.
1, the culture is cool to a degree.
2, i'm a lot more helpful to asian folks than i am toward my own nationality, sick of seeing/hearing english all the time!
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watched the documentary as suggested above, i drew the line at partaking at conventions. (and the schoolgirl shit)
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i have no problem with it, can take it or leave it, choices are seldom available in life.
another thing, at least the community appears to be a LOT more genuine than normal mainstream BS communities.
...
put a pistol to my head, force me to choose, guess where i'll end up?! :witless:
[edit]
typo...

 

I think people are reading into it too much if they think that there is some sort of widepread culture of otoku/creepy guy in Japan. I have seen no evidence of these kind of people, except when I went to Akihabara, in the AKB48 building, no less. No, the AKB48 popularity is more similar to the American Idol phenomena, where people get to vote for their favourite idol, and it becomes a big marketing tool. My girlfriend was telling me one of her coworkers purchased two CDs so he could vote twice in the latest vote for who would be the featured idol. Not to mention that the majority of fans are likely women. I think people like this are genuinely interested in this kind of music.

I'm sure that from an outside perspective, it looks like the only people who are interested in this kind of entertainment are creepy old men, but that is purely because that is the kind of stories that make it out of Japan. And as I said in my earlier post, there is not much else on TV.

 

I'm pretty much over Jpop. 10 years ago was my peak of Jpop listenage since then I've moved on to Japanese hip hop and several months back I made a thread on here about Japanese hip hop, if you're new here, it's a good read.

 

It's true. Several CEO/Chairman friends/acquaintances have fucked these AKB girls (some before they were legal). They told me it runs about $20k a night.