Audience Member
Idols, or young girls manufactured and marketed for their image and attractiveness in the Japanese entertainment industry, have been growing in numbers and in popularity since the 1980s. They can be anywhere from the age of eight and up (but usually lose popularity after the age of 18), and are advertised as singers, dancers, models, and general starlets. The appeal to many comes from the escapism of everyday life they provide, and for this reason primarily attract the attention (and even obsession) of older males-- many of whom fall into the category of Japanese salarymen. Many idol fans are attracted to their youth; talent agencies find very young idols with no prior experience and train them from the bottom up, thus creating intense fanbases that grow alongside the idol. They are captivated by their innocence, and many claim that it is this innocence that provides an escape from the grueling, stressful work life they face daily. In recent years, the number of teenage girls dubbed idols has increased to around 10,000 in Japan.
One of the most notable things about idols is the connotation of youth. Idols specifically refer to starlets being brought up from amateur status, with little past experience in performance. The documentary Tokyo Idols specifically sheds light on the ideals of youth that many adult male fans seek in the idols that they pick as their favorites. One fan states that the younger the idol is, the more attracted he is to her. The documentary discusses the idea of these idols having an "expiration date," wherein after they reach the age of 18, they find it much more difficult to have successful careers and maintain a strong fanbase. For this reason, families will enter their daughters into these contracts from pre-pubescency.
Many feel that the blame cannot fall on the men who idolize these girls, as it is the girl or the girl's family who chooses this career path for her. For this reason, many conclude that there is no problem with the "little girl fantasy" enjoyed by idol fans. Journalist Minori Kitahara connected this idea to the general purpose of Japan's culture, which is to feed on male fantasies. In the documentary, she states, "Instead of connecting with women in their everyday life, the men choose girls they can dominate, girls who are guaranteed not to challenge or hurt them. This society will stop at nothing to protect male fantasies and provide comfort for men."
The male fantasy is heavily protected in Japanese society, with anyone calling attention to it or criticizing it receiving heavy backlash. Oversexualization of women, especially very young women, has become normalized in Japan. To many people outside of Japan, this is well known. Many foreigners think of anime and Japanese pop music when they think of Japan, and are also reminded of the strange sexualization of girls in both forms of media. Idol culture is another onslaught of this phenomenon. In speaking out against this normalization and protection of male fantasies, Minori Kitahara claimed that she had experienced "aggressive backlash" when she, an outsider to this phenomena, discussed and criticized it heavily.
This documentary is wonderful in its fearless approach to this incredibly sensitive topic. While many others have strayed away from discussing the often inappropriate way Japanese male fantasy is catered to daily, director Kyoko Miyake and journalist Minori Kitahara pushes back the "kawaii" facade of this idol culture to show the dark reality beneath. While many may attribute this phenomenon to "Japan's strange culture," this documentary proves that this culture cannot be accepted so complacently and must be demystified rather than normalized. While keeping the documentary entertaining with interesting visuals, talented artists, and upbeat pop music, it implores the viewers to consider the effects of the media they consume more seriously.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
01/27/23
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Audience Member
Its great but not accordance use a little girls and child for commerce whit hers
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
01/24/23
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Audience Member
itï¿ 1/2(TM)s always annoying how jpop industry analyses completely ignore male idols. a lot of the more disturbing things you hear about the industry come from them; the johnny kitagawa fiasco, amatou danshi member almost gets fired for getting married, and a lot of horrific trainee stories like this kid who had to perform erotically at a staff members birthday to keep his job. i feel like they say it only affects women so they can play the sexism card. itï¿ 1/2(TM)s worse that it affects even more people, but itï¿ 1/2(TM)s more shocking to hear women are treated poorly by sexist men.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
01/29/23
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Audience Member
Wow - very wierd culture.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
03/26/18
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Audience Member
This is a good documentary movie. It really reflects the real life of an "average" idol in Japan, as well the socioeconomic environment around this time ons on Japan.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
02/22/23
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Audience Member
While I leapt at the chance to see something about Japanese Idol culture on Netflix, I ended up being disappointed. It seems the director wanted to make a point that Idol culture is wrong. It is an unfair portrayal of the Idol world in Japan. It is distressing that the typical American viewer (and reviewer) will leave with too many misconceptions, half-truths and lies by omission.
Some positive aspects of Japan's Idol culture were presented, but the director clearly intended to mislead.
Rated 2/5 Stars •
Rated 2 out of 5 stars
02/22/23
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