Digital Asia and Activism

Idols, Hyper-Modern Society, and Otakus: What is mainstream?

When I think of an idol from an American perspective, I can’t say I can conjure up many images of who or what an idol is. The closest thing that comes to mind is a celebrity, but even then, the word idol denotes a different kind of admiration towards a person, one that we see chronicled in Kyoko Mikage’s Tokyo Idols through the interactions between Japan’s idols and their adoring, albeit surprising, fanbase. In Japan, idols capture the attention of many as young idealistic girls pursue a jumpstart into fame by performing, singing, dancing, live streaming, holding handshaking events, and joining other young idols to form groups and bands. Throughout Mikage’s documentary, we are particularly introduced to idol fan culture and otakus, Japan’s word for people who have hobbies that deviate from the mainstream.

Otaku culture is very particular to Japan as are other groups such as hikikomori or NEETs, who also deviate from accepted social norms. Otakus are often stereotyped as recluses, obsessed with with a certain thing or person, and often associated with manga and anime. Idol otakus are no different, but their portrayal in Tokyo Idols is questionable and somewhat unsettling. The majority of idol fans are males between the ages of 35 and 50, men who spend thousands of dollars on merchandise supporting their favorite idol, who quit their jobs to attend idol concerts, and who attend shrine prayers to give blessings to their favorite young star. Although Tokyo Idols does seem to be biased against the fans of young idols stars like Rio, such as interviewing only men at fan meets when we could also be introduced to the female fans waiting in the sidelines, it does bring up the unsettling fascination of men with the young female body and how it can be sexualized in the cases of these idols. In the description of the documentary, the filmmaker says in the synopsis, Tokyo Idols “explores a cultural phenomenon driven by an obsession with young female sexuality, and the growing disconnect between men and women in hyper-modern societies.” My question is, what is a hyper-modern society? What makes it hyper-modern? And, how does the combination between Japanese culture and this hyper-modern society result in idol fan culture?

Furthermore, the film makes viewers reconsider the relationship between fan and idol and the nature of such a relationship. Is it a one-sided dependency, with the fan pouring time and emotion into their idol’s well-being while the idol strides about unaware? On the surface level, I might have assumed so, but the reality seems that idols depend on their fans as much as their fans depends on them, not just monetarily, but also through mutual validation. I would almost like to say that the relationship seems symbiotic, but I can’t say that social norms would agree when these men are considered as outliers in society. Subjects in the documentary claim that otaku culture is becoming more the mainstream, but then I can’t help but wonder what is “mainstream” and how do we categorize it? Is otaku culture mainstream or is it wishful thinking?

Krystal Gallegos

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