Comments on: Aidoru: The Japanese “Idol” http://blog.thejapanesetutor.com/aidoru-the-japaneseidol-2010-05/ Exploring the Japanese language and culture. Tue, 04 Oct 2011 10:00:39 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Amy http://blog.thejapanesetutor.com/aidoru-the-japaneseidol-2010-05/comment-page-1/#comment-189 Amy Sun, 16 May 2010 19:00:04 +0000 http://blog.thejapanesetutor.com/?p=233#comment-189 I agree! (Thanks for your help with the typo, too.) I agree! (Thanks for your help with the typo, too.)

]]> By: JE Fan http://blog.thejapanesetutor.com/aidoru-the-japaneseidol-2010-05/comment-page-1/#comment-174 JE Fan Thu, 13 May 2010 07:44:22 +0000 http://blog.thejapanesetutor.com/?p=233#comment-174 I think the parameters for male and female idols are different. I only have a very superficial understanding of the female idol business (because I'm female, and hence don't have a lot of interest in the latest jailbait JHS-aged girl singing in a chipmunk voice and making peace signs in sailor-fuku), but it seems that they don't have the longevity of male idols. The guys, like the ones churned out by Johnny's Entertainment, seem to get a good decade or two out of their stardom, from the mid-teen phase up to the thirty-something brigade like KimuTaku and the rest of SMAP. Arashi are marketed as an idol band/group/unit, and are hitting the height of their popularity in their late 20s. So I guess the same double standard exists as is seen in the West - women are mostly only marketable while in their youth (teens to early 20s). Once that fades, if they haven't got the talent to back it up, it's the end of the line... I think the parameters for male and female idols are different. I only have a very superficial understanding of the female idol business (because I’m female, and hence don’t have a lot of interest in the latest jailbait JHS-aged girl singing in a chipmunk voice and making peace signs in sailor-fuku), but it seems that they don’t have the longevity of male idols.

The guys, like the ones churned out by Johnny’s Entertainment, seem to get a good decade or two out of their stardom, from the mid-teen phase up to the thirty-something brigade like KimuTaku and the rest of SMAP. Arashi are marketed as an idol band/group/unit, and are hitting the height of their popularity in their late 20s. So I guess the same double standard exists as is seen in the West – women are mostly only marketable while in their youth (teens to early 20s). Once that fades, if they haven’t got the talent to back it up, it’s the end of the line…

]]>