36 replies to this topic

[Undirrast]

Seeing that Aki-P's 48 idol group concept is attempting to conquer the world market, I actually wonder how you guys think? As fans, as people who have been supporting an idol group through the internet, unable to meet them, unable to attend most or any of the events held, will you turn to support your local 48 group instead if there will be one?

[Snapple]

I'll do more than support it! I'll flippin audition! Stuff being too old!

Actually if he does Western ones he may raise the age from 12+ to 16+ so there isn't a backlash (you know what the West can be like on sexualizing teens, they go ape) so if it's 16-23 or something, lying about my age here I come! Haha

[Erin.]

If they had good songs, I might support them, but I would still support AKB more. (A ---48 group in my city/area would probably be terrible anyways ) An overall Canada48 might not be too horrible, though (compared to a Toronto48 ).
I would also love to be able to audition (if the range is 16-23 I could), but my dancing ability is 0%.

[awesomecakes]

I would definitely be hesitant to support them, especially after seeing Heart2Heart's song, Facebook Official. That's what happens when you mix American guys with Korean-pop styled music/dance...

If I had the chance, I would definitely audition though!

[Nao-kun]

If they expanded to europe I'd not only never support that european unit but I'd also never consider giving the Japanese units a single yen ever again.

[Undirrast]

I would probably be supporting it if the song is good, they're... well, they're idols anyway

If Aki-P were to really expand to Europe he'll probably consider songs that Westerners like instead of trying to bring Asian culture and force it on the Europeans, but the concept that you can go and meet your idol almost everyday (consider that you have that money) is itself fun isn't it?

[Chioku]

I would support both! (Even if I didnt pass the audition ;p )

[Krusha]

Absolutely would not.

To me, idols are intimately connected to Japanese subculture. As such, I associate it with Japanese subculture alone. This is where it works the best, and this is where my interest lies. I love plent of non-Japanese things, but idols = Japan.

So no go for me.

[Alienpyon]

ATH48???

Sounds like the crappiest joke ever! No way I would spend one cent one them!!!

[hitoyou]

It is not possible in my little town.. but.. if there ever would be a Sweden48 or Stockholm48... NO.


and there is no possibility what so ever that it could work out anyway...

Lets see now:

1 - No smoking... No booze... No sex... the group will have a maximum lifespan of two weeks before every single one is kicked out .

2 - Kawaii is nothing that exist over here.

3- Oohh the feminists... the freaking feminists who hates beautiful girls and men just beacuse we are men... sick people really. Don't know how it is in your country, the original idea is just spot on but they have totally lost touch with reality in Sweden.

4- Regarding TV-programmes... there are not that many channels here... no music channels... no music related tv shows... no nothing really. TV is dead over here, just a crap load of american sit-coms/series and reality shows....

5 - Language... Because we hate (... ) swedish in Sweden and because english is ohh such an awesome and cool language the songs would probably be in english... and I find english lyrics to be very boring to listen to.


So no.. just... NO I would not support my local 48 group


a little bit to much maybe...
...


Something as japanese as jpop idols can not be exported to Europe/America without losing all of its identity and just turn into another The Pussycat dolls or Spice girls... or wahtever they are called now

[Kecham]

I'd support them only if they're really, really, really good but there is no chance of something like 48 group ever being created in my city
even if they did something like that it would probably be bad and i'm talking from experience here.
The idea itself doesn't sound that bad but it could only work out if the right people who know what they're doing were in charge...what am I saying, there is no way it would work out in my country.

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Something as japanese as jpop idols can not be exported to Europe/America without losing all of its identity

this

[dev-null]

I also only can see it working properly with the "smaller form factor" (is that political correctly put?) Japanese girls with beautiful dark eyes. I see potential with JKT48 or the Taiwanese version too. They have cute girls too (well.. don't know so much about Indonesians, but there are definitely cute Taiwanese girls around that can fit into the "Idol formula". I now, because I once had crush on Rainie Yang! )

I couldn't imagine a version with German girls singing German songs at least, and I don't want to.

[TxBullnettle]

The whole reason I became interested in H!P and AKB is because I'm trying to learn Japanese. There's absolutely no incentive for me to support an idol group that does stuff in any other language than Japanese. While seeing the ***48 franchise expand overseas is interesting, I wouldn't want to see an American/Western attempt because everything would be wrong. AKB members are able to pull off miniskirts and gravure without being overly sexual or provocative while still retaining a cute innocence. American pop music is way too "sexualised" for my taste, and I can't stand the attitudes of American celebrities. So yeah...I have no desire to support any non-Japanese ***48 group.

[Charlo]

If there was an LDN48 I'd audition then support. But the Japanese groups would always come first for me. No thought needed on that, mainly because I love the idols. Not just random girls who want to be famous and I don't think they're something that will be easy to export and they'll fail if they try. If they don't try and it's just a music group we can meet I think it'd do a lot better and I'd love to support.

[Snapple]

Lets see now:

1 - No smoking... No booze... No sex... the group will have a maximum lifespan of two weeks before every single one is kicked out .

3- Oohh the feminists... the freaking feminists who hates beautiful girls and men just beacuse we are men... sick people really. Don't know how it is in your country, the original idea is just spot on but they have totally lost touch with reality in Sweden.

I would want that boyfriend rule scrapped. I am so against it, and I can see why feminists don't like you. Goddamn boyfriend rule is so crap, same with the Johnny's girlfriend rule, it's all utter, utter crap. They will NEVER be with you. I hate that ideal. 'She's single so I have a chance!' NO YOU DON'T. Delusional idol fans make my blood boil.

I'd be the crappest idol. I just wouldn't put up with it.

[Krusha]

"Feminists" like the ones that are mentioned in Sweden these days, are atrocious people, and the sooner they disappear the better. I really mean that... Sweden is a ridiculous place today, for many different reasons...

I am not a male chauvinist, nor am I of the opinion that man is the stronger sex and woman is the weaker sex. I consider both strong and both weak, in different areas - and that also means both are equally worthy. A world with only females would go under, just like a world with only males would go under.

The boyfriend-rule, like so many other things, is part of what makes them be idols in the first place. The whole reason that they are supposed to not smoke, not drink, not be in a relationship, and so on is because they are actresses, presenting a concept - a symbol of a specific Japanese female of a certain personality and look that appeals to someone, whomever that may be. Break that illusion, and your character dies.

Why are movies like Inception, Matrix, Godfather, Ugetsu Monogatari, The Machinist, and so and and so forth so well received? Because they had a good plot. They had good execution, and they had good actors and actresses. They were original movies, and they sucked in the viewers into its own universe, and for the duration of the movie, the viewers were "experiencing" that universe.

Honestly, ask yourself this: Do you think any idol group in Japan would be vastly popular if their shows - such as Hello!Morning or AKBINGO or what have you not, consisted of the girls plus their boyfriends, sitting there, smoking, flirting with each other, talking about shit they did last weekend together, or talked about their political views, religious and philosophical views, said what was on their minds, such as either laughing at fans for whatever reason - maybe some of the girls thought some fans were pathetic for going to a show of theirs, not having anything supposedly better to do with their spare time - spending their hard earned cash on their illusory image which is as real as sky castles and unicorns. Or said controversial things, racist things, off-putting things, disappointing things, etc.

Do you really think people would want to waste their times with girls who behaves far outside of what can constitute as an "idol" - someone worth looking up to, for their image, etc.?

A handful of fans have a hope, or a belief, that maybe one day - just maybe - they can get together with their favorite idol. Obviously this is not a healthy idea to hold because it's not realistic at all. It just won't happen, so forget all about it.

But; you shouldn't rage against those fans. If that upsets you, and makes you angry, you should probably consult with an experienced therapist, because it is also not healthy to rage over harmless thoughts other people have. Better to rage against pollution, war crime, assault rape, theft and so on that occurs in society, because here at least you can use your anger for something worthwhile, like working for policy changes where you live, or get engaged in communal work, combating these issues. But fantasies of other people that only involves themselves are private. Really, let them have that.

We have people in the entertainment industry who do all the things most idol fans don't want idols to do, and those people are called "artists". There's artists who are so kind and loving that they hit their spouses. Other artists are so healthy that they drink for breakfast, snort cocaine for lunch, shoots heroin for dinner, has marijuana for dessert, and continues with more alcohol after that - adored by the masses because of being such great artists - then there's artists whose respect was achieved through leaking a shitty sex tape, and now they're riding the fame and fortune wave devoid of anything remotely close to that of having a real talent, just appealing to the vacuous masses equally braindead.

Yes, there's proper artists too, worthy of true respect. But todays pop scene in the West suffers from a cancer that I at the time being consider as quite malignant.

Another example to look at: K-Pop. It isn't even remotely close to being original, it just copies US/EU sound. Sure, it may have some cute tunes here and there, but what of it?

What Japanese idol pop has, is something unique. Both sound, concept and execution.

Now, if that irks your feminist bones then I am sorry, but I far more appreciate this than the cesspool of US/EU pop music which is too heavily infused with over-sexualisation, money, "the rich and famous",drug-worship and violence.

[Nao-kun]

They were original movies, and they sucked in the viewers into its own universe, and for the duration of the movie, the viewers were "experiencing" that universe.

A handful of fans have a hope, or a belief, that maybe one day - just maybe - they can get together with their favorite idol. Obviously this is not a healthy idea to hold because it's not realistic at all. It just won't happen, so forget all about it.

Exactly, its a nice escape from reality, some people spend too much time with gardening to escape from reality, some watch movies, some follow idols.

Not only is it unrealistic, it also violates the basic principle that you want your Oshimen to be happy, you don't want her to get beaten by her boyfriend, you don't want her to go through a long fight over custody for the kids, plus true love doesn't just mean protecting them from others, but also protecting them from yourself. Sure there are some pretend fans who just want to get between the Girls legs, but thats very far from true fandom / love.

[Blu-Cherri]

I actually love that idols are a safe haven from what 'celebrity' has become here in the uk. I don't want to read about sex scandals, I don't want to hear that X was out drinking and smoking until 8am with Y. I love that idols represent something away from that world. Plenty of girls aren't allowed to date when in their teens and that's the main age group for idols, heck I didn't even look at guys until I was like 18.

I don't think idols in my area would be like idols I know and love so I doubt I'd be interested in them. If they were like idols I know and love I can see it failing, hard.

[hitoyou]

to snapple

Wow lol

First of all Point 1:

No smoking No booze no sex rule is a fundamental idol rule, right. I dont't know where you are from but swedish youth are consuming loads of alcohol and party like crazy. There would be scandals in no time, no question about it.

This thread is about exporting the AKB48 concept to other countries, I live in Sweden and I know how it works here.

Point 2:

Feminism waaa this this is an infected thingy to discuss

Feminism is from the beginning a sound idea that women and men are equal and therefor should be threated as equals. Nowadays... well it has gone all wrong here in my little country.

Beauty is considered something awfull, something that is forced onto the female population by the men. Women who looks good are a victim of the patriarchy. They also consider women to weak to take responsibility for them self and therefor want to force rules and regulations on the people like crazy.
I am not a feminist, I can not agree with what it has become.

My opinion about this is that I do not care about if there is a female primeminister or a male primeminister.
I consider competence and skill to stand over a constructed 50-50 society.


And for christ sake let us be realistic about the girlfriend thingy

[°Cal.Mer.Sac]

yes i would support it but not as much as i would the original groups in japan. SRT48? or would it be SCT48.. how do they choose which letters to include in the name?