TOPS
One of my students that just graduated sent me an email today and tells me this is the new hottest song in Japan at the moment: ナチュラルに恋して (nachyuraruni aishite : "Love Me Naturally") by the seemingly harmless band, Perfume. Nearly 10.5 million views on YouTube can't lie. So, "naturally," that makes it tops this week. Now, that said, allow me to completely undermine everything I just wrote...
NOT TOPS
Apparently a large group of band members from the all-girl Japanese pop sensation AKB48 were sent on some kind of peace/cultural convoy to Washington, USA recently. I'm not usually up to speed on everything that happens in the US but I'm pretty sure that its not the best idea to send a bunch of girls dressed in skimpy pseudo school uniforms and lingerie-inspired frilly outfits whose selling factor is not so much their monotonous singing voices but their cutesy looks, ability to multiply endlessly, and propensity towards bi-curiosity (just look at this recent commercial for Puccho candy if you don't believe me, or maybe this will convince you of the ideals these girls represent) to a country A) that doesn't know what AKB48 is, and B) whose feminist ideals will more likely be incredibly offended by said peace/cultural envoys. I mean look at this girl in the photo above: she's decked out in the weirdest outfit topped off with a mini top hat at a jaunty angle. I'm pretty sure she is just confusing a lot of people right there. What was the Japanese government thinking?? If you are from America and your tax dollars paid for this peace/cultural mission, I'm sorry.
Okay, I'm done now. Got any ideas for future Tops Tuesdays posts?
I cringe when I go to karaoke and my friends want to sing heavy rotation. Or when my little 9 year old students start singing it and doing all the moves -- which means they've watched the video. I guess they are too innocent to realize the video wasn't made for them. SMH. AKB48 summarizes perfectly why Japan has this reputation for being weird and creepily perverted in the West. I did ask one of my Japanese girlfriends what she thought of the video, and she said "it's like porn", then again, she wasn't singing.
ReplyDeleteThere is something about AKB48 that just makes me uncomfortable; like they are "a dime a dozen" and doing nothing to curb voyeuristic and perverted behaviour. The opening of their music video is a shot through a keyhole as we watch a band member undress. I mean come on!
DeleteThis is the second not tops recently that disparages girls’ culture. I get that it isn't to your taste, but AKB are ubiquitous and as close to universally liked as anything can be. That makes them great cultural envoys. The point isn't to only show bits of your culture that are like the other culture. Maybe the US can respond by sending Japan a transvaginal ultrasound machine and explanation about how forcefully penetrating women with it sums up their recently ideals.
ReplyDeleteWhoa, this comment is so all over the place I don't really know how to respond! Can you reference this other "Not Tops" that you feel is disparaging toward women? Because I don't know what you mean. I'm sorry that you find my dislike of AKB48 upsetting. I feel personally that they are somewhat anti-feminist and I know many others who feel the same way. So saying, "Universally liked" is going a bit far I think. Cultural envoys should represent the culture they come from and often that means putting what is unusual and unique about a country on display--I get that--but the whole point of the cultural mission can be undermined if the envoys cause more offense and confusion than encouraging bonds of friendship between countries. I feel that has taken place here. Its not even so much AKB48 that is at fault here (I have not problem with any of the girl personally) but the idea and outcomes of this cultural mission. Thank you for visiting my site and generating discussion. Peace.
DeleteRecently ideals?? I mean feminist...
ReplyDeleteSorry if I sounded confrontational, it’s hard to express oneself well while typing on a phone (^-^ゞ
ReplyDeleteI also don't like AKB, but I think they are a completely reasonable choice for cultural envoys. As I said, they are as close to universally popular as anything can be （nothing can ever be “universally liked“）. The other post I was talking about was the Tops Tuesday before last I think；it mocked the outfits of two girls. It’s totally ok for you to dislike and criticise girls’ culture, of course, it’s your blog!
Okie dokie. I think it was the "forcefully penetrating women" that kind of threw me there.
DeleteYeah not a big fan of fashion in Japan. But I don't mean to criticize girls or their sense of style in my Tops Tuesdays posts, just point out that I don't like it.