HELLO! PROJECT HARAJUKU: FEMALE J-POP IDOLS PHOTOS AND TOKYO MUSIC STORE.
J-Idols fall outside my jurisdiction. I’ve heard horror stories about Akiba-kei concerts – sweaty otaku packed in a small room, waving their arms in frantic choreography for six hours straight while two kawaii “singers” prance around the stage in short skirts…
I did, however, enjoy the Hello! Project store window in Harajuku. I don’t know much about H!P, but I hear it’s the umbrella company for a number of female Japanese pop idols – including Hangry & Angry. The official store sells photos of the bands and various concert goodies…
… but I only stopped to take pictures of the window, which displays Goth/Punk band costumes (some of which can be bought). It’s fun to see how the outfits are individualized and yet belong to one band/brand image.
What do you think of J-pop Idol culture? It gives me the willies, sometimes…
Song of the Day #62: Morning Musume – W Robo Kiss
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you live in tokyo now?
Not at the moment… I took these photos when I was there a few months ago. :)
if its catchy you might find me liking the tune…however, i wouldnt want to see them in concert
Haha yeah, I hear the hardcore Akiba concerts are straight out of Dante's Inferno…
I love the skirts on the right and left of the bottom photo! The material used and the layering are somewhat similar to a skirt I found at a thrift store, but it barely compares to these beauties :)
I know almost nothing about J-Pop, having hated almost all music from this genre for all my life. (I always find the sound screechy. Sorry.) I just clicked around the Hello Project website to see who they represent. The Morning Musume (Good Morning Girls) is definitely their most successful “product” and most reprentative of female J Idols, I think — meaning an endless array of interchangeable girls who fit into the tiny mold of the perfect sex object, looking tame, domicile, “kawaii,” and dumb. They also all look like the female characters from all those male dorm fantasy mangas (a single shy, academically unsuccessful, not particularly attractive male student living among a group of very kawaii girls with mostly very huge boobs, who all hit on him like mad and want to crawl into his bed).
Yet things have been changing a bit lately… There has emerged a tiny batch of charismatic female idols who can really sing and are obviously in control of their career and who don't fit the bill of the aforementioned traditional female J Pop Idols at all. These are those whom you'd easier imagine them being dominatrixes than playing the accommodating maids of the Akihabara maid cafe fame. Anna Tsuchiya is one example. Think Japanese Beyoncé.
I like to think of this as a sign of the slowing changing and increasingly more independent female role in Japanese society, even though they are more exceptions than the norm, but their success does say something. :)
you live in tokyo now?
Not at the moment… I took these photos when I was there a few months ago. :)
if its catchy you might find me liking the tune…however, i wouldnt want to see them in concert
Haha yeah, I hear the hardcore Akiba concerts are straight out of Dante’s Inferno…
i like the last skirt ^_^
I love the last outfit. It's ADORABLE.
The style's a little more complicated…but it's beautiful nonetheless…
The outfit on the very bottom right is sooo adorable.
And as for the Jpop culture, Im with you.
Some of the outfits are like, o__O
But they are well put together very nice, just not something I would wear.
Oh and just wondering, do you speak any Japanese?
It would be cool if you did like a blog teaching the basics and easy-to-pronounce stuff
Ive been trying to teach my one friend japanese but she just fails at it :P
<333
Ah, I'm not great at Japanese but I'm making efforts to keep learning!
There are some great resources online, both on YouTube and websites, that your friend might find helpful. I think diligent effort is really the only way to improve… keep her motivated and I'm sure she'll get better!
I also can't listen to the music except as a novelty.
I like Anna Tsuchiya; I think we'll see more singer/actresses that cut against the grain.
I hope so. : )
I love the skirts on the right and left of the bottom photo! The material used and the layering are somewhat similar to a skirt I found at a thrift store, but it barely compares to these beauties :)
I know almost nothing about J-Pop, having hated almost all music from this genre for all my life. (I always find the sound screechy. Sorry.) I just clicked around the Hello Project website to see who they represent. The Morning Musume (Good Morning Girls) is definitely their most successful “product” and most reprentative of female J Idols, I think — meaning an endless array of interchangeable girls who fit into the tiny mold of the perfect sex object, looking tame, domicile, “kawaii,” and dumb. They also all look like the female characters from all those male dorm fantasy mangas (a single shy, academically unsuccessful, not particularly attractive male student living among a group of very kawaii girls with mostly very huge boobs, who all hit on him like mad and want to crawl into his bed).
Yet things have been changing a bit lately… There has emerged a tiny batch of charismatic female idols who can really sing and are obviously in control of their careers and who don’t fit the bill of the aforementioned traditional female J Pop Idols at all. These are those whom you’d easier imagine being dominatrixes than playing the accommodating maids of the Akihabara maid cafe fame. Anna Tsuchiya is one example. Think Japanese Beyoncé.
I like to think of this as a sign of the slowly changing and increasingly more independent female role in Japanese society, even though they are more exceptions than the norm, but their success does say something. :)
I also can’t listen to the music except as a novelty.
I like Anna Tsuchiya; I think we’ll see more singer/actresses that cut against the grain.
I hope so. : )
Not sure if you've heard about this:
Japan inducts ambassadors of cute
http://www.cscoutjapan.com/en/index.php/japan-i…
Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has recently declared three of Japan's pretty young things to be Pop Culture Ambassadors of the country…at least for their respective niche fashion groups.
Models Misako Aoki, Yu Kimura, and Shizuka Fujioka have been drafted to represent the lolitas, gyaru, and high school girls of the Nation of Cute, and travel the world promoting Japanese pop culture.
(Typical female J Pop idols to boot. Huge groan. Are they selecting attractive international representatives-cum-celebrities or premium-brand hyper obedient mail-order brides?)
i like the last skirt ^_^
Oh wow, I hadn't seen this – thanks for sharing. I think I'll do a post about it… lots to mull on!
I love the last outfit. It’s ADORABLE.
The style’s a little more complicated…but it’s beautiful nonetheless…
The last outfit’s my favorite, too
The outfit on the very bottom right is sooo adorable.
And as for the Jpop culture, Im with you.
Some of the outfits are like, o__O
But they are well put together very nice, just not something I would wear.
Oh and just wondering, do you speak any Japanese?
It would be cool if you did like a blog teaching the basics and easy-to-pronounce stuff
Ive been trying to teach my one friend japanese but she just fails at it :P
<333
Ah, I’m not great at Japanese but I’m making efforts to keep learning!
There are some great resources online, both on YouTube and websites, that your friend might find helpful. I think diligent effort is really the only way to improve… keep her motivated and I’m sure she’ll get better!
Hey, I teach Japanese part time. If you need some help, lemme know. :)
Glad to be of some help.:)
I was just skimming through my exploding RSS reader when I saw that one.
This should interest you too — and is also relevant to today's post:
FRUiTS Magazine produced boutique opens in Shinjuku
http://www.cscoutjapan.com/en/index.php/fruits-…
Those four girls are FRUiTS street snaps regulars and I vividly recall seeing at least three of them on recent FRUiTS covers. The one in the green dress seems to appear in the street snaps of Zipper and CUTiE quite often as well. It looks like they have all become official FRUiTS store clerks.
Not sure if you’ve heard about this:
Japan inducts ambassadors of cute
http://www.cscoutjapan.com/en/index.php/japan-inducts-ambassadors-of-cute/
Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has recently declared three of Japan’s pretty young things to be Pop Culture Ambassadors of the country…at least for their respective niche fashion groups.
Models Misako Aoki, Yu Kimura, and Shizuka Fujioka have been drafted to represent the lolitas, gyaru, and high school girls of the Nation of Cute, and travel the world promoting Japanese pop culture.
(Typical female J Pop idols to boot. Huge groan. Are they selecting attractive international representatives-cum-celebrities or premium-brand hyper obedient mail-order brides?)
Oh wow, I hadn’t seen this – thanks for sharing. I think I’ll do a post about it… lots to mull on!
Glad to be of some help.:)
I was just skimming through my exploding RSS reader when I saw that one.
This should interest you too — and is also relevant to today’s post:
FRUiTS Magazine produced boutique opens in Shinjuku
http://www.cscoutjapan.com/en/index.php/fruits-magazine-produced-boutique-opens-in-shinjuku/
Those four girls are FRUiTS street snaps regulars and I vividly recall seeing at least three of them on recent FRUiTS covers. The one in the green dress seems to appear in the street snaps of Zipper and CUTiE quite often as well. It looks like they have all become official FRUiTS store clerks.
Just got my hands on the April Kera yesterday (btw, I don’t like this issue………) and realized that both Misako Aoki 青木美沙子 and Yu Kimura 木村優 are Kera’s regular models. They just happen to be the kind I don’t pay attention to. :P
The last outfit's my favorite, too
I think the “cute-ification” in Japan is just as scary as the sexualization in the Western world. When I read manga as well, I'm always annoyed by the shy, beautiful school girls with HUGE breasts who blush all the time when they're around the strong, independent guy that they like…
I guess there's too much sex all over the place in the Western world, but in some ways (SOME ways) it's actually more liberating than the super-cute innocent “I'm-a-little-girl-who-needs-protection” image which seems rather popular in Japan.
I re-call reading a statement from a Japanese idol/model who said something like: “I do my very best to be cute! If somebody doesn't think I'm cute, I would like to know why so I can work on being even cuter!” … Well, that statement made her less cute in my eyes for sure.
I think the “cute-ification” in Japan is just as scary as the sexualization in the Western world. When I read manga as well, I’m always annoyed by the shy, beautiful school girls with HUGE breasts who blush all the time when they’re around the strong, independent guy that they like…
I guess there’s too much sex all over the place in the Western world, but in some ways (SOME ways) it’s actually more liberating than the super-cute innocent “I’m-a-little-girl-who-needs-protection” image which seems rather popular in Japan.
I re-call reading a statement from a Japanese idol/model who said something like: “I do my very best to be cute! If somebody doesn’t think I’m cute, I would like to know why so I can work on being even cuter!” … Well, that statement made her less cute in my eyes for sure.
Yikes, I know. I’ve been watching the anime series Death Note (due to Ronan’s insistence) – and while it’s generally a great cat-and-mouse, I cannot STAND the female character. She’s a cute, genki model/actress (“no nudes, but swimsuits and underwear daijoubu desu!”) who certainly does her best to be cute. Whereas the savvy female former FBI agent, who is one of our favorite characters, meets an early demise…
Unfortunately, Misa is exactly what young girls who want to be popular among men want (and need) to be like…..
Like this: http://www.youtube.com/user/MRirian
Like Magibon above, girls who don’t speak (i.e., have no opinion of their own) are even more kawaii and attractive, both there in Taiwan and in Japan.
I have every intention to emigrate. :p
That Magibon… man, I don’t even know where to start with her!
Just feel fortunate that you live far far away in a different culture and can enjoy kawaii in an entirely differently way: as a creative style, not as a way to say that you’d want to be dumb to be pleasing. :)
And in fact “kawaii-fication” is a form of sexualization in Japan. Kawaii girls are sex objects (objects = no reaction) that men marry; girls who are sexy in the North American way are sex objects that men feel licensed to harass and even rape.
Magibon’s mannerism is actually sexually provocative. It really drives men wild, and not just otakus.
Additional notes:
What Magibon is doing there is called “acting cute” (or more literally, “pretending to be cute”) in Taiwan. I don’t know what the Japanese call it, but the concept and the perception should be close.
According to an unverifiable source (Taiwanese internet media), Magibon was originally a supermarket checkout clerk in America but became an internet sensation in Japan after beginning making these videos.
That girl is pretty much the definition of SCARY. Kowai rather than kawaii!
The image of females in manga you get depends a lot on what you’re reading… And what gets translated. In the last 6-7 years, strong, independent female characters are beginning to become commonplace in best-selling mangas by both male and female manga artists. A few that I know already enjoy some degree of popularity in both North America and Europe are Inu Yasha, Fullmetal Alchemist, and 20th Century Boys. The women in Fullmetal are especially strong. Inu Yasha and Fullmetal are both by female artists.
The change is especially prominent if you compare the female characters in today’s popular mangas to what they were from a decade ago.
But I have to add that most of the “boys’ mangas” still have only dumb, dependent girls and there is also an increasing popular subgenre of manga targeted at women of all age groups that features chauvinistic men who are strong, handsome and rich and always overrule the female protagonist (perceived as being “protective” and therefore “well intentioned”). I heard that manga of this subgenre often has rape scenes, which are often how the female lead has her first sexual encounter with the “prince in shining armor.” I know this sounds crazy, but that’s actually some kind of improvement compared to a decade ago, when mangas that were sold explicitly to women could not possibly have even nudity, let alone explicit sex scenes, and the female protagonist never ever could be sexually attracted to a man.
As for “I’ll try my best to do X better,” it’s just a Japanese thing and not exclusive to girls who aim to be kawaii. :)
I personally don't mind the packaged product groups. Simply because they do produce an image and concept no independant artist ever does.
Morning Musume I do like the music from. Specially the little sub groups they'd branch into for summer concerts.
but I must protest! The song you posted is not Morning Musume but just W. Double U? I love those insane sugary pop girls. I'm sad they had to break up. Only Big problem with Hello Project is the control they try to have over the girls lives. Caught 'smoking' or having a relationship? Yeah, you're gone. Fired!
but I would say This video is the scariest thing to come from Hello Project in awhile. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7ejlYNMtk0 It's like a train wreck. Just… can't look away!
Gyaruru isn't a Hello Project group, it was under TNX
Really? Aah I got confused since one of the W girls was supposed to be in it so I assumed she was still employed under Hello Project. Thank you for correcting me!
I personally don’t mind the packaged product groups. Simply because they do produce an image and concept no independant artist ever does.
Morning Musume I do like the music from. Specially the little sub groups they’d branch into for summer concerts.
but I must protest! The song you posted is not Morning Musume but just W. Double U? I love those insane sugary pop girls. I’m sad they had to break up. Only Big problem with Hello Project is the control they try to have over the girls lives. Caught ‘smoking’ or having a relationship? Yeah, you’re gone. Fired!
but I would say This video is the scariest thing to come from Hello Project in awhile. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7ejlYNMtk0 It’s like a train wreck. Just… can’t look away!
Gyaruru isn’t a Hello Project group, it was under TNX
Really? Aah I got confused since one of the W girls was supposed to be in it so I assumed she was still employed under Hello Project. Thank you for correcting me!
Well TNX is run by the guy who produces, writes, does backing vocals, and probably knowing him designs all the outfits to all Hello Project releases, so TNX is still under the HP! upfront umbrella, but its not really the same managing company.
Tusji still is employed by HP until the end of March, were any one who’s past it (ie over 21 lol) are graduating, but Gyaruru was just a TNX project just cause i don’t think it really fitted the whole Hello Project idol image, TNX are more main stream i guess
I am totally ignorant when it comes to these groups… I have no idea who the artist of the video I posted is (I just followed the YouTube title).
The one you posted is para-para-para-para-kowai!
Ad a fat man in gold lame undies and you have pure awesome?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrqNKzNrwLU&feature=related
I actually have something of a morbid fascination with para-para… I am embarrassed to say that I know some of the routines, including that one!!
We have to do a ‘demonstration’ speech for my Speech class, and I was actually thinking of doing something on para para. Like, making the whole class get up and learn a short part of a routine with me.
Though…I’ll actually have to learn a parapara dance myself first. XD
I..m usually not that into J-pop but I used to listen to the adorable band “W” a while ago. Sadly they have already disbanded :(
Yikes, I know. I've been watching the anime series Death Note (due to Ronan's insistence) – and while it's generally a great cat-and-mouse, I cannot STAND the female character. She's a cute, genki model/actress (“no nudes, but swimsuits and underwear daijoubu desu!”) who certainly does her best to be cute. Whereas the savvy female former FBI agent, who is one of our favorite characters, meets an early demise…
I am totally ignorant when it comes to these groups… I have no idea who the artist of the video I posted is (I just followed the YouTube title).
The one you posted is para-para-para-para-kowai!
I like JPop, but I'm not too big into idols. There are some that I can respect though, like Ayumi Hamasaki, because she does sing (though whether it's 'good' depends on personal opinion), and writes most of her own lyrics and music. I don't listen to things like Morning Musume…
Hey, I teach Japanese part time. If you need some help, lemme know. :)
Ad a fat man in gold lame undies and you have pure awesome?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrqNKzNrwLU&feat…
I actually have something of a morbid fascination with para-para… I am embarrassed to say that I know some of the routines, including that one!!
I..m usually not that into J-pop but I used to listen to the adorable band “W” a while ago. Sadly they have already disbanded :(
I like JPop, but I’m not too big into idols. There are some that I can respect though, like Ayumi Hamasaki, because she does sing (though whether it’s ‘good’ depends on personal opinion), and writes most of her own lyrics and music. I don’t listen to things like Morning Musume…
Well TNX is run by the guy who produces, writes, does backing vocals, and probably knowing him designs all the outfits to all Hello Project releases, so TNX is still under the HP! upfront umbrella, but its not really the same managing company.
Tusji still is employed by HP until the end of March, were any one who's past it (ie over 21 lol) are graduating, but Gyaruru was just a TNX project just cause i don't think it really fitted the whole Hello Project idol image, TNX are more main stream i guess
The image of females in manga you get depends a lot on what you're reading… And what gets translated. In the last 6-7 years, strong, independent female characters are beginning to become commonplace in best-selling mangas by both male and female manga artists. A few that I know already enjoy some degree of popularity in both North America and Europe are Inu Yasha, Fullmetal Alchemist, and 20th Century Boys. The women in Fullmetal are especially strong. Inu Yasha and Fullmetal are both by female artists.
The change is especially prominent if you compare the female characters in today's popular mangas to what they were from a decade ago.
But I have to add that most of the “boys' manga” still feature only dumb, dependent girls and there is also an increasing popular subgenre of manga targeted at women of all age groups that features chauvinistic men who are strong, handsome and rich and always overrule the female protagonist (perceived as being “protective” and therefore “well intentioned”). I heard that manga of this subgenre often has rape scenes, which are often how the female lead has her first sexual encounter with the “prince in shining armor.” I know this sounds crazy, but that's actually some kind of improvement compared to a decade ago, when mangas that were sold explicitly to women could not possibly have even nudity, let alone explicit sex scenes, and the female protagonist never ever could be sexually attracted to a man.
As for “I'll try my best to do X better,” it's just a Japanese thing and not exclusive to girls who aim to be kawaii. :)
Unfortunately, Misa is what exactly young girls who want to be popular among men want to be and need to be like…..
Like this: http://www.youtube.com/user/MRirian
Girls who don't speak (i.e., have no opinion of their own) are even more kawaii and attractive, both there in Taiwan and in Japan.
I have every intention to emigrate. :p
Just got my hands on the April Kera yesterday (btw, I don't like this issue………) and realized that both Misako Aoki 青木美沙子 and Yu Kimura 木村優 are Kera's regular models. They just happen to be the kind I don't pay attention to. :P
That Magibon… man, I don't even know where to start with her!
Just feel fortunate that you live far far away in a differently culture and can enjoy kawaii in an entirely differently way: as a creative style, not as a way to say that you'd want to be dumb to be pleasing. :)
And in fact “kawaii-fication” is a form of sexualization in Japan. Kawaii girls are sex objects (objects = no reaction) that men marry; girls who are sexy in the North American way are sex objects that men feel licensed to harass and even rape.
Magibon's mannerism is actually sexually provocative. It really drives men wild, and not just otakus.
Additional notes:
What Magibon is doing there is called “acting cute” (or more literally, “pretending to be cute”) in Taiwan. I don't know what the Japanese call it, but the concept and the perception should be close.
According to an unverifiable source (Taiwanese internet media), Magibon was originally a supermarket checkout clerk in America but became an internet sensation in Japan after beginning making these videos.
We have to do a 'demonstration' speech for my Speech class, and I was actually thinking of doing something on para para. Like, making the whole class get up and learn a short part of a routine with me.
Though…I'll actually have to learn a parapara dance myself first. XD
That girl is pretty much the definition of SCARY. Kowai rather than kawaii!
//0//!!! i love J-Idol styles actually!! Nana Kitade is the singer who got me into Gothic Lolita in the first place!! (I don't think she would wear these things, but you never know!!)
//0//!!! i love J-Idol styles actually!! Nana Kitade is the singer who got me into Gothic Lolita in the first place!! (I don’t think she would wear these things, but you never know!!)
//0//!!! i love J-Idol styles actually!! Nana Kitade is the singer who got me into Gothic Lolita in the first place!! (I don't think she would wear these things, but you never know!!)