263 replies to this topic

[Mattthecat]

For those who haven't seen: I have uploaded a torrent for Ishiguro's appearance on KTV's "Marco Polo" from May 20:
http://www.hello-onl...mp;torrent=7613

[shindou]

As per Mattthecat's request here's a summary of sorts.

The beginning talks a bit about Tsuji's current situation and then goes into Aya's relationship with Shinya. They also briefly touch on Kago and how Tsuji was probably having lots of thoughts because of how that situation turned out. When Aya was in MM she was debating whether to quit MM or not(because of her relationship). She never talked about her worries with her family or other members, only Shinya.

The dramatization:
On average MM had 3 hours of sleep. Aya(and I assume the other girls) had no idea where they were going or coming to, when they travelled for work. Their cellphones were checked to make sure they weren't any text messages with guys. At the workplace, with the exception of greetings like "hello" they were not allowed to talk with other famous people. With their irregular working hours and snacks that they always ate, they gained weight.　Their salaries, even with their big hit was about the same as women workers who graduated high school and just started to work<?>.

studio:
Aya still had the cheap salary throughout her stay. At that time they didn't do commercials but after she left, they did a lot of them. The company president told her that she would lose out if she quit now. She told them her salary but for the TV, they censored it out.
The ones that were over 20, Aya and Yuuko, they made sure to follow the rules so that the younger members will follow their example. Many people ask if the members didn't get along but that wasn't the case. The members ages were spread out, so this also played a role in getting along. Yuuko purposely took on the strict teacher role to keep everyone in line.
Aya was asked if she was the only one who broke the relationship rule, she said yes, when she was there but some other stuff happened after she left.

dramatization:
MM got on to Kouhaku Utagassen(Red and White Show) in 1998. That's when Aya saw Shinya from Luna Sea. Ever since she was in high school she looked up to him.　She started to move closer to him but then noticed he really smelled(from alcohol) but she still thought he was cool. Through an acquaintance, Shinya himself called up Aya one day to ask her out to eat. Shinya brought his manager along with him so that it didn't looked like Aya was on a date. So they kept seeing each other after that but the company found out and gave her a lecture about the relationship policy and how it will put a burden on the other members as well. Aya had another dilema, she was thinking about quitting MM so that she could study fashion. Shinya told her she should do what she thinks is right.
One day some reporters saw Aya go into Shinya's building and called up Shinya to say they know she's there. They both panicked, calling their managers, etc. Shinya's manager sent a map, using that, they exited from the back of the building. Aya escaped without notice from the press.
Aya got scolded by her company, basically an "I told you so". Their relationship was outed by the press. Aya withdrew from MM and had a shotgun marriage after 5 months.

Studio:
The host asks if the members were at first against her quitting MM or getting married. Aya thought that because she would be told not to quit or that they would be against her marriage, she didn't feel comfortable in confronting them about it. If she told someone, that person would have the burden of keeping that secret. She only talked with the company president about the situation. Aya herself, since she knew she would be gone, would think "oh this is my last live, this is my last recording", etc. and tears would come out or be close to coming out. Since she felt that way, she didn't want the members to feel that way as well.
Then they talked about marriage and being pregnant. She wants to have more kids too.

[Mattthecat]

Fascinating. You dare not think any further really as I'm afraid that not much has changed since then. Frightening (though not unexpected) insights.
Thanks for the summary. Much appreciated

[綺麗な氷]

That's sad. That's very very very sad. She's much much better with Shinya than she ever was with h!p. So I'm glad for her.
Being worked like that...with no sleep. And for that amount of money even. It's just wrong.

And people blame Kago for getting caught and saying mean things all the time. They have no idea how hard it is to not get caught. Not that there should be any consequences for getting caught anyway.

After getting into jpop I didn't have a bad view towards American pop stars. I did like jpop more though. After all I know about the idol world now...I don't think I'd ever want to give American or any other pop a chance again. There's so much spiteful jealously in me towards them. Heck I'm even growing a spiteful jealously toward the non-idol jpop world for not having to conform to such standards. I'd rather support Japanese products than American products anyway but this idol shock is the icing on the cake.
I know I'm going be called an America hating Japanophile for this but I don't care. I'm too angry to not be honest.

It's unfair. They shouldn't have to go through all this. None of them ever should have.

[jinryuichi]

Ahh... shindou beat me to it.... Nice summary,.... detailed all the important points.

[°Cal.Mer.Sac]

wow... thanks for the details shindou

[nop]

Read the summary already. Thanks Shindou for translation. It makes me appreciate what H!P is doing more.
- Some girl (including Aya) was/is not fit for idol role. Since she was not fit , she moved on and she wasn't fired. Leave the idol business to the people who really want to be idol. If idol, family and manager work together, that would be better than fight with each other. They will keep public and private persona identical for the idol short career time.

[oneslows13]

Thanks for the summary.
After watching the clip and the summary, all I can say is "Wow" and "Damn"....... Some of the scenes are just like those in dramas called "Mukodono!" and "Mukodono 2003" (In both dramas, Tsunku plays as a manager of Nagase Tomoya, ironically). I hope that the girls in H!P now are in better condition than this. On the other hand, it just shows how their Senpai really went through all this shit and made Morning Musume successful than ever.

[mixedmedia]

I wonder how is she doing. I hope she's happy adn probably wants to go back to H!P.

Don't mean to pick on the person who posted this so long ago but felt it was appropriate to quote a post which is very ironic in light of her latest TV appearance.

The dramatizations were hilarious. LOL at the Pocky when they were eating snacks. Shinya's goatee is kinda yucky though. They should have tried to get that fat guy from Last Samurai to play the UFA guy.

Looks like it was rough back in the beginning. Seems like most of the girls have acclimated to the system better now though not to mention at least they seem to be eating real food when they're shown snacking or at least got some intense trainers for pre photobook prep.

[Mattthecat]

Seems like most of the girls have acclimated to the system better now

Well, occurences like Megumi Murakami, Ai Kago or the reaction of UFA to Nono's pregnancy indicate to me that not all is that well in HPland.
And quite frankly controlling the girls' cellphones is an infriction of a person's privacy that borders on fascist behaviors.
Protecting your investment is fine but this is over the line (not that it surprises me at all).
This is a part of the idol system (and Japanese society in part) that I guess a Westerner will never understand.
But of course it takes two parties (the parents in case of the minors) to make this work.

Overall it shows the immense pressure that is put on the girls and which we should not forget when commenting on anyone's behavior

[綺麗な氷]

This is a part of the idol system (and Japanese society in part) that I guess a Westerner will never understand.

Just like U-15 gravure PBs.

[faerirose]

That's sad. That's very very very sad. She's much much better with Shinya than she ever was with h!p. So I'm glad for her.
Being worked like that...with no sleep. And for that amount of money even. It's just wrong.

i know the money thing has changed b/c on some show the host said that kago was getting paid about $34,000 per month when she was 15. no post high school kid i know makes 34K a month.

[綺麗な氷]

The money thing may have changed but I'm sure there are some things about h!p that are still quite rough.
You also have to take into account it costs more to live in Japan.

[gaijin_mmlove]

Wow....
I have even more respect for all the girls that are or were ever in H!P or any talent agency....I read a summary like this about JE backstage/off camera and I don't know if I could put up with ANY of that stuff. I'm glad that the girls who are still there stayed there, because it leads me to believe that they must have really wanted this to stay with that bs for so long.
That must have been scary for Aya, and she's strong for being able to go on TV feeling the way she did. And it must have been even harder not even being able to confront the other members about.

I'm almost positive the salary has changed, though, especially considering how commercialized they were around the time she graduated and the fourth generation debuted.

[willx24601]

it's a shame she can't sing again... i have a question though, with all these talents that H!P let go, why dont another talent agency quickly snatch them up?

also does anyone have a clip where she mimic ET?

[Greyface]

The money thing may have changed but I'm sure there are some things about h!p that are still quite rough.
You also have to take into account it costs more to live in Japan.

While this is true... $34K is 1.3x my yearly salary and I'm living in Japan (though not in Tokyo, which of course is more expensive in general, and truly ridiculous for housing costs, even in the sorta-burbs (Sendagaya, etc))
However, it's highly unlikely that any H!P member is getting paid like that anymore, with the decline in advertising work and TV appearances (forget album sales, they probably didn't touch member-salary). Not even Matsuura is advertising as much as she used to, she's down to a few dinosaur contracts (Aoyama, GoGoNoKoucha, etc) and it's been a while since MoMusu was tapped for a campaign (give or take the Volleyball WCs))

[MOGXIII]

it's a shame she can't sing again... i have a question though, with all these talents that H!P let go, why dont another talent agency quickly snatch them up?

also does anyone have a clip where she mimic ET?

Its in the first time Momusume was on one of Mechaike's show (first appearance).. something "otousan" show.. i.e. "father..." -something..

[mixedmedia]

Where did it say she couldn't sing again? Given her husband's connections I'm sure if she really wanted to Aya could put out some songs in between TV appearances and raising her babies.

[Tictac_Eri]

Eeeeh?

At the risk of looking stupid, what does 'dramatization' mean? Does it mean something like over-exaggerating?

3 hours? - how can they dance and sing well with 3 hours sleep every night

[usagi_no_kami]

A dramatization is kind of a re-enactment of previous events. Like what they do on America's Most Wanted when they show the crimes that happened.