Beckii: Schoolgirl Superstar at 14: BBC3 Documentary

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Beckii: Schoolgirl Superstar at 14: BBC3 Documentary

Post by bradavon »

Did anyone (whose able) see this last night? It was a repeat from airing on the 12th of August (it's repeated on 25th at 4:15).

It features on a 14 year old Isle of Man girl who posted a video of herself dancing to JPop on YouTube and now is a success in Japan. Even being their a few times.

Whilst interesting and sure (despite visiting) I probably don't get the "unique nature" of Japanese media but I also found it rather troubling that A: Her parents seem most interested in making money (although don't come across as "bad parents) and B: Many of her fans are middle aged men. Eugh!

Her Dad even commented that he'd be okay if her grades failed, if they made £50,000 off her! Although he did also say "it's her money". Beckii (why the stupid misspelling?) at least came across as an intelligent young girl, unaffected by all this sudden fame. Obviously it's going to be short lived (she's not going to have that baby face forever and she patently cannot sing), so hopefully she'll make some decent dosh and get out before she realises how seedy many of her male fans are.

Whilst the videos on YouTube certainly aren't sexual. There's no way a middle aged man is watching them without a modicum of sexualisation going on. I also found it bizarre, that a parent would rightly stop a 40 year old man taking a photo of their 14 year old daughter in a park but are happy to let her face adorn their bedroom walls. It's the same thing!

Japanese culture sure has a weird fixation with youth and that "baby face" look. Perhaps Hungfist can best explain this unique phenomena.

Write up: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/tv/2010/08/b ... pers.shtml
iPlayer: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0 ... tar_at_14/
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Re: Beckii: Schoolgirl Superstar at 14: BBC3 Documentary

Post by romerojpg »

bradavon wrote: Japanese culture sure has a weird fixation with youth and that "baby face" look. Perhaps Hungfist can best explain this unique phenomena.
It does not take Hungfist to tell you its for one reason and one reason only.
Pedogeddon!
Filthy fucking middle aged inbreds who adore children like this turn my stomach, next she will be appearing in hardcore anime porn (in fact I bet she has already, not that she will know). It is not a unique culture, it just just that other countries have the brains to frown on this shit, Japan seems to think its fun with middle aged men wanking off over kids.
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Re: Beckii: Schoolgirl Superstar at 14: BBC3 Documentary

Post by gasteropod »

Yeah I happened to watch this last night, and it reminded me of that clip Hungfist posted a while ago of a similar girl just acting all Japanese in front of the camera, baffling stuff. I thought that Beckii girl was well up her own arse as well. Lol @ the gift from a fan that contained a week's supply of noodles :lol:
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Re: Beckii: Schoolgirl Superstar at 14: BBC3 Documentary

Post by bradavon »

gasteropod wrote:I thought that Beckii girl was well up her own arse as well.
She was a bit but what 14 year old wouldn't? With that level attention.
gasteropod wrote:Lol @ the gift from a fan that contained a week's supply of noodles :lol:
I know :D. That's a very Asian thing to do. I've been give "similar" things by Thai friends in the past. What about the bass guitar she got for her birthday from a Japanese fan. Nuts!
romerojpg wrote:It is not a unique culture
Japan definitely has a unique culture. No doubt about it. It's like nowhere else in Asia. That much was obvious to me, almost immediately.
romerojpg wrote:It does not take Hungfist to tell you its for one reason and one reason only.
Hungfist is probably the only one on this forum who can put it in context accurately. It's not a culture most of us fully understand.
romerojpg wrote:It just just that other countries have the brains to frown on this shit, Japan seems to think its fun with middle aged men wanking off over kids.
It's a strange one. Like much of Asia, they're so sexually repressed but like you say, it's consider acceptable, basically because it's dressed up in a "kiddy, fun way".

To simplify the "whole thing" as disgusting though would be unfair because much of it is essentially harmless. Teenagers following teenagers, that kind of stuff.
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Re: Beckii: Schoolgirl Superstar at 14: BBC3 Documentary

Post by Shingster »

One word: moe. I don't understand it because I'm a westerner but it's a genuine feeling in Japan, which I'm sure to a certain demographic is linked hand-in-hand with sexualisation but then to another demographic it's probably a sincere, harmless thing. I think it's something that only applies to westerners in the context of how a parent thinks everything their children do is adorable.
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Re: Beckii: Schoolgirl Superstar at 14: BBC3 Documentary

Post by gasteropod »

That British pop song they were hoping would make her a popstar was God-awful lol
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Re: Beckii: Schoolgirl Superstar at 14: BBC3 Documentary

Post by bradavon »

gasteropod wrote:That British pop song they were hoping would make her a popstar was God-awful lol
Both of the pop songs were. They were both very much JPop. That's the thing. Whilst she looks all pretty and cute as a 15 year old and that sells in Japan. It doesn't sell anywhere else (at least outside of Asia) and she patently cannot sing. Whilst that never hurt the likes of the Spice Girls, she's only 15.

There are so few pop stars of that young age who've had any success in The West. She should either stick entirely to Japan or give up and come back when she's a few years older. People won't take her serious her until she is.

Interesting point about Moe Shingster. I'd love to hear whether Japanese parents are concerned their teenage Jpop stars are worried some of their fans are middle aged.
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Re: Beckii: Schoolgirl Superstar at 14: BBC3 Documentary

Post by HungFist »

I'll post my essay tomorrow. I better go to sleep now. Fucking late. Early I mean. Maybe someone can hint Mark about this topic meanwhile. I'd be interested in his reply. Would hopefully be more senseful than the zero-understanding reply Romero posted, though.
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Re: Beckii: Schoolgirl Superstar at 14: BBC3 Documentary

Post by romerojpg »

HungFist wrote: Would hopefully be more senseful than the zero-understanding reply Romero posted, though.
Yup there are no pervs lusting after school girls in Japan at all :lol: there goes the Japanese porn market instantly then.
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Re: Beckii: Schoolgirl Superstar at 14: BBC3 Documentary

Post by Markgway »

bradavon wrote:Interesting point about Moe Shingster.
Who is Moe Shingster? :icon_suspect:

I didn't watch the doc so can't comment specifically.
But if all she was doing was singing and dancing how can you fault her?
Unless she was acting sleazy like Lady Gaga or Britney Spears or something...
There's a world of difference between bopping around to J-pop and slinking around a pole in your undies...

In the west we see pretty much everything as sexual... and maybe to us it is? Maybe in japan it's innocent? Sounds potentially dubious... middle-aged men becoming fans of and sending gifts to an underage girl... but maybe Japanese men can seperate the girl from her sexuality in a way 'we' can't?
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Re: Beckii: Schoolgirl Superstar at 14: BBC3 Documentary

Post by bradavon »

romerojpg wrote:Yup there are no pervs lusting after school girls in Japan at all :lol:
Obviously there are. There are pervs everywhere but Hungfist is most qualified to comment on this uniquely Japanese form of entertainment. More qualified than you or I. It may have some pervert fans but the people who run it aren't going for that segment of the market.
Markgway wrote:But if all she was doing was singing and dancing how can you fault her?
Unless she was acting sleazy like Lady Gaga or Britney Spears or something...
There's a world of difference between bopping around to J-pop and slinking around a pole in your undies...
She's just dancing around, listening to Jpop and wearing Little Bo-Peep type outfits. There's certainly nothing sleazy about what "she's doing". Here we are:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPU9OyRD-lU

This also happens to be the song Gasteropod commented on. They're hoping this will take the UK/Europe (unsure which) by storm!
Markgway wrote:but maybe Japanese men can seperate the girl from her sexuality in a way 'we' can't?
That's what I was hoping Hungfist may know something about. Paedophiles always start by giving gifts too though. Somewhat worrying.
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Re: Beckii: Schoolgirl Superstar at 14: BBC3 Documentary

Post by gasteropod »

lol @ the music video :D
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Re: Beckii: Schoolgirl Superstar at 14: BBC3 Documentary

Post by Shingster »

Christ she can't sing and doesn't seem much of a dancer either. She looks like a plainer, younger version of Madeline Zima and in the pic in the article Brad posted a link to in his op she looks a tiny bit like a young Ryoko Hirosue, which might be the appeal to the Japanese otaku crowd. Either way I'll just reiterate that the "moe" fad is very Japanese and doesn't have much of a context here in the west, the closest of which is the feeling of a parent watching his 6yr old daughter dress up like Madonna or Lady Gaga and perform. The whole appeal is that it is innocent and lacks an adult's self-consciousness, to most Japanese it's not sexual but let's face it the Japanese otaku pysche is pretty multilayered and has a number of under & overlying issues. We in the west are generally pretty ignorant though and tend tend to label any middle aged man who takes an even passing interest in anything a 14yrd old girl is doing as a "paedo".
Markgway wrote:Who is Moe Shingster? :icon_suspect:
My evil alter-ego! :icon_suspect:
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Re: Beckii: Schoolgirl Superstar at 14: BBC3 Documentary

Post by HungFist »

ok, I wrote this last night around 4am, but since is seems to make sense even today, I post in unmodified. And the bbc video is region locked. Can't view it. I just checked a few of the girl's videos in youtube, so this is more of a general reply to the topic.

Well, yeah, Japanese culture is difficult to understand for most foreigners who tend to have a very black and white view on things.

Japan probably has the biggest variety of (pop) sub-cultures in the world. It's an interesting contradiction that nevertheless makes sense. Japanese society has little tolerance for people who differ from the norm: everyone is expected to be just like everyone else and follow the strict rules of the society. People who don't go with this will be crushed. This causes a counter-reaction: the misfits have to grow strong, and often form a subculture of their own, in order to survive. The cultural environment alone is perfect for feeding rebellion (untolerant society vs. rebel movements that give role models to some).

This doesn't happen so much in western countries where you can be as weird as you want. Nobody gives a shit. There's lots of unique nutheads out there, yes. But there's little incentive or need for them to create something as strong as a sub-culture. They can just be alone and that's fine for them.

One of the Japanese sub-cultures or phenomenas is the kawaii (cuteness) culture. You don't really understand the scale of it unless you spend some time living in Japan. From TV ads to street advertisers and from purikura to maid cafes it's everywhere. Even I have this cute strapping hanging from my cellphone (all cellphones here have a small hole in one corner so you can tie something there) and it didn't come from my own incentive, but instead from ex-girlfriend who told me to close my eyes for 10 seconds and blam, there it was. And it the lounge we've got a big cute teddy bear that Japanese girls regularly come to hug. And no, this is not a kindergarten, this is a university dorm.

And no, maid cafes are not a place just for otaku. Most of my japanese female friends love maid cafe. My ex was seriously considering working in one as the pay is good. And I guarantee you, she was just about the most innocent girl in the planet (until she met me, that is, muahahahaha :D )

Aside animals (see "animal idol" Pan-kun) and soft toys children are one of the most common kawaii figures. Again, a lot of westerners have strange and pretty sick approach towards this subject. Americans can't even sleep in the same bed with their children because they somehow manage to develop a sick sexual connection in their mind for such activity. Japan is not quite like this. Furthermore, just by watching movies you can see the different approach. In western movies children are almost always annoying brats. There's even the term "child actor". In Japanese movies however kids are given terrific roles and they give terrific performances. They are playing roles on the same seriousness level as adults.

All this adds to the different approach towards children in Japanese entertainment culture. There's a lot more shades than in the black and white western approach.

But let's not forget the facts. Japan is by far the promised land of paedophiles. It's been such a successful industry that for a long time Japan would refuse to set proper laws against it. It also sickens me to see 11 year olds doing bikini idol videos. I don't have a problem for 11 year olds doing idol videos as those can be pure cuteness products (don't you ever see a really cute kid on the street and just think "awww, that kid is really cute" in just the same way if you see a cute puppy?). Most westerners will never understand this, but I'm glad to be a bit less blind myself. The line exists though, and while it's difficult to draw I think you can safely say that those junior idol bikini videos are pretty far on the wrong side of the line.

The variety of sexual fetish (in entertainment industry) is pretty unbelievable in Japan. Again, I believe it's a results of many things, which include the previously mentioned cultural atmosphere, but also a strange as fuck legislation that censors adult videos: pubic hair is not (has not been) allowed (and no, in practice you don't get around it by shaving even though theory might make you think otherwise). I'm not sure what the law says exactly. Everything used to be censored, but nowadays non-pornography full frontal is ok, but AV is still censored.

What's the result? Well, tentacle porn was one. But the other one is that sex in entertainment also has lots of shades. Westerners either watch hard core porn or romantic comedy. Japan's got so much in between. How about the incredibly popular tosatsu (upskirt photography)? There was even an arrest in my school (a uni student was photographing high school girls). Or vending machines. Man, you can get anything from them. Food, drinks, tobacco, and, girl's used underwear.

Now, if you understand the variety and shades of Japanese culture you should realize that while perverts and paedophiles plague the country, there are, in fact, also lots of completely innocent users of entertainment such as these videos in question here. Hell, I'm one of them, been since I turned 17 and fell in love with the idol Ueto Aya. I was watching her idol videos and I never had crude sexual desires toward her. It was all about cuteness - kawaiiness.

Western cultures don't share this. You can't make a succesfull 5 year career by releasing photobooks of yourself. Photobooks, that are completely innocent. Hell, I was schocked and somewhat dissappointed when the 5th Ueto Aya photobook I bought along the years actually had a bikini photo of her. It was of completely non-sexual nature, but nevertheless it was moving away from the essence of kawaii.

I remember how I tried a kawaii thread here. It was basically understood by no one and gave up after like two days because people were posting sexually oriented comments. Went completely against the concept.

Needless to say, the Japanese take their idols seriously and in long term. It's a fantasy world that you can dive in like Neo in Matrix, and you're supposed to worship these idols and remain loyal. It's a sort of role play. Again, sometimes westerners don't understand that most idol worshippers do neverthelss know what they are doing, more or less. I also see how commonly I'm misunderstood on internet forums as people don't understand I'm playing my role. That doesn't mean, however, that I would keep the role on 24/7. Not at all, it's one of the various options for free time entertainment (that I pretty much dropped since starting to date a girl).

But it's nothing to be ashamed of as long you know what your doing. Just like drinking alcohol. But sometimes it gets dangerously out of hands as the Yukko Syndrome proved. In 1986 idol Yukiko Okada commited a suicide. When the news came out, several fans followed their idol and killed themselves

Interestingly, the west is starting to take some influence. We got American Idol now. Japan's got something similar since the 80's, like Onyanko Club, where you would follow the development and coming of age of a pop idol group. Onyanko Club was later followed by a rip off program called Hello Project... (I do like Berryz Koubou, though. Got their first two CD's as my Burnout game soundtrack in X-Box... creates a bit surreal mix) and yeah, the lyrics of some Onyanko Club songs were dubious to say at least... no accident, it's balancing between innocent and slightly naughty. But it was no paedophile product for sure.

It's worth noting that for kawaii idols taking your clothes off I commonly know as the fastest way to perform career suicide. The fans will abandon you if you lose your pureness. That's not to say Japan doesn't have sexier idols. Japan does, and they have a name: gravure idols. They don't do nudity but go as close as possible. But these girls have completely different profile, and are thankfully often aduls. But not always.

Oh, there's one more thing that Japan is famous for. Karaoke. And no, they can't sing well. For an idol this is also sometimes ok, because western style perfection is not cute. The fact that our new idol Beckii can't sing only improves her cuteness factor. Bonus from broken Japanese as well. And most of all, from being a foreigner. This is again a niche market (and will develop a new fetish) and it ain't gonna be a big one, but right now it's something completely new. A British girl going kawaii Japanese style. There was an American girl doing the same and she was an instant hit, too.

Of course there's a lot of idols that can sing for real. And are cute. So who cares if they are 13 or 33 years old??? Well, some do. And it's not a coincidence some idols have mainly middle aged male fans. Just like there's bright and sweet but also very dark shades of idol entertainment, there's also a very dark and scary seqment of idol entertainment consumers.

Generally speaking, however, I'm not sure it's necessarily immoral to produce teen idol entertainment for middle aged consumers, starting with the assumption that the majority of them are not paedophiles or reqular sekuhara (jp abbreviation of sexual harassment). They were once kids and probably have regrets of not having been able to date the kawaii queen of the class. Kawaii sono (poor fellas). I think I'll grant them to re-live their youth and dreams through fantasy idol entertainment. Just like we allow other people to live their dangerous fantasies through action films. It's ok to enjoy a new Sly Stallone flick. But you can't go out killing people for real. You shouldn't even want to do it. And these old guys consuming idol entertainment also need to know that their idol entertanment is just like Sly: funny and clumsy, doing things you can't really do, and above all, just fantasy.

Yeah, I know I'm gonna get flamed for the last paragraph, but I really can't bother to care what those middle aged fucks do. If young girls can rip off their money with innocent idol products that cost a fortune, go for it. Does it add to the amount of paedophiles. I don't know. Just like I don't know how many new mass murderers the new Stallone film will create. Or rather awake. I don't think anyone becomes a killer or paedophile by seeing a movie. If that happens, you were already fucked in the head before, just waiting for the wake up call.

edit: added links and a few paragraphs. As if this wasnt't long enough...
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Re: Beckii: Schoolgirl Superstar at 14: BBC3 Documentary

Post by Markgway »

The video Brad linked to seemed fairly innocuous to me.
She looked like a moderately pretty 14 year old girl singing and dancing.
Nothing wrong with that.
I didn't watch it thinking 'phwoar, I'd like to tap that ass!'
I suppose some might, but that's not her fault.
You could say her performance was 'cute'.
I personally don't get 'it' but I accept Hung's explanations.
For me cute is a bag of kittens... :D
I understand Shingster's attempt at parental reference but no way would I let my little girl dress up like a modern pop star.
Pop in the west is so sexualised now that to do so would be irresponsible.
FTR: A paedophile is an adult (age of consent+) who finds pre-teen children (12 and under) of sexual interest.
So the term isn't relevant here.
Healthy or unhealthy these middle-aged fans of Beckii aren't paedophiles.
But I think we can all agree that there are aspects of Japanese culture that most would regard as unsavoury.
Even if Beckii isn't one of them...
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Re: Beckii: Schoolgirl Superstar at 14: BBC3 Documentary

Post by Shingster »

Fucking hell Hung you wrote all that at 4am? How much sleep you get that night? :D
I think Hung's essay is on the button though, as usual. Japan is a seriously repressed nation and that gives rise to all manner of counterculture movements that have broken through into the mainstream. The only thing I think I could add is that traditionally Japanese families emphasise the mother-son bond over the father-son/father-daughter and there's also a tremendous amount of social responsibility placed on children in Japan, with both factors leading to a lot of disenfranchised youths and fathers. I think the cute culture - for the middle aged men at least - could be an effective form of projection for many.
Markgway wrote:Pop in the west is so sexualised now that to do so would be irresponsible.
I think that proves my point about the blinkered nature of westerners. I chose Madonna and Lady Gaga specifically because they promote (or sold in Madonna's case) their sexuality rather blatantly in their choice of costumes and videos but a 6yr old dressing up and play-acting as said artists holds no intrinsic sexualisation at all, it's a perfectly innocent and natural thing for a child to be role-playing as the highest-profile pop idols of their time. To claim it is irresponsible of the parent to allow this says more about the person complaining than the parent themselves.

I'd say we have a bigger problem with uptight moral crusaders in this country than the Japanese do with middle aged men photographing 14yr old dancers because they think they're cute.
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Re: Beckii: Schoolgirl Superstar at 14: BBC3 Documentary

Post by grim_tales »

I watched one clip of her and to be honest, I feel bad for saying this but I didnt think she was that great at singing or dancing, however I think she seems to enjoy it though so good on her for having the courage to do it :) She's just singing and dancing and isn't sleazy.
I'm wondering does Beckii kinda look like an anime girl to Japanese people?
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Re: Beckii: Schoolgirl Superstar at 14: BBC3 Documentary

Post by gasteropod »

She has a nose like Lois Griffin.
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Re: Beckii: Schoolgirl Superstar at 14: BBC3 Documentary

Post by Markgway »

Shingster wrote:I think that proves my point about the blinkered nature of westerners. I chose Madonna and Lady Gaga specifically because they promote (or sold in Madonna's case) their sexuality rather blatantly in their choice of costumes and videos but a 6yr old dressing up and play-acting as said artists holds no intrinsic sexualisation at all, it's a perfectly innocent and natural thing for a child to be role-playing as the highest-profile pop idols of their time. To claim it is irresponsible of the parent to allow this says more about the person complaining than the parent themselves.
I disagree with you on this just as I disagree with those beauty pageants in which little girls pretend to be grown-up models. Image projection is a factor and whilst there's nothing wrong with Beckii acting out as she really is - a 14 year old girl - there is a moral problem with a parents indulging a 6-year-old pretending to be Madonna, caked-up in make-up, warbling 'Like a Virgin'. Creepy. The whole point of Kawaii is that the girls are or are pretending to be innocent - the opposite of these popstars. The problem in the west is not with those who complain. Not at all.
I'd say we have a bigger problem with uptight moral crusaders in this country than the Japanese do with middle aged men photographing 14yr old dancers because they think they're cute.
You're wrong.
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Re: Beckii: Schoolgirl Superstar at 14: BBC3 Documentary

Post by gasteropod »

Markgway wrote:those beauty pageants in which little girls pretend to be grown-up models.
Ugh, they're disgusting, I like the way Little Miss Sunshine mocks that.
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Re: Beckii: Schoolgirl Superstar at 14: BBC3 Documentary

Post by Shingster »

I'm not talking about beauty pageants, they're an entirely differnent monster of themselves, but those pageants are vile because of the parents, not the children.
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Re: Beckii: Schoolgirl Superstar at 14: BBC3 Documentary

Post by HungFist »

Shingster wrote:Fucking hell Hung you wrote all that at 4am? How much sleep you get that night? :D
haha, that night not so much but it was ok. The school is over and I have plenty of free time. My friend was returning to the states at 5 am, so I could say goodbye to him one more time.

I did have a small panic in the morning at 10 when my friend called me her friend is visisting her and they will be behind my door in 5 minutes. Reminded me of my army days... how to get up from bed and clean up the room and get ready for visitors in 5 minutes... :D
Shingster wrote:The only thing I think I could add is that traditionally Japanese families emphasise the mother-son bond over the father-son/father-daughter and there's also a tremendous amount of social responsibility placed on children in Japan, with both factors leading to a lot of disenfranchised youths and fathers. I think the cute culture - for the middle aged men at least - could be an effective form of projection for many.
Good points that I forgot to mention. The Japanese work hard, and they also relax hard. And the kids do incredible amount of studying when they are young... long school days followed by cram schools or home teaching to ensure the chances for good uni or highschool...

Also, when Brad Pitt said "we are a generation raised by women" in Fight Club he should have been talking about Japan. Japanese men work their ass off and especially in areas like Tokyo they often live 90 minute train ride away from their home. The kids hardly see their dads. Women on the other hand... well, my two Japanese ex-girlfriends were both seeing their future as housewives, and willingly so. Shokku. In Finland basically any uni girl would see her future as uber-feminist businesswoman kicking men in the balls (ok, over-statement, but you get my point).

The female dominance at Japanese home is something that always suprises foreigners. Traditionally, women are in charge of the family budget. When the kids are in school or grown up, the middle aged housewives sit all days in expensive restaurants with their female friends, while the husband is, again, working his ass off and only receiving a small allowance from the wife. The men are not even allowed to spend the money they make...

The tradition is starting to change a bit now, but its still very much there.

So here we have a few more factors to contribute to the turning strange of some Japanese men...
Shingster wrote:I think that proves my point about the blinkered nature of westerners. I chose Madonna and Lady Gaga specifically because they promote (or sold in Madonna's case) their sexuality rather blatantly in their choice of costumes and videos but a 6yr old dressing up and play-acting as said artists holds no intrinsic sexualisation at all, it's a perfectly innocent and natural thing for a child to be role-playing as the highest-profile pop idols of their time.
Yes, but in all honesty it should be noted some of those Onyanko Club lyrics are overly sexual...

Oyoshininattene Teacher
Stop it, teacher.
We're stopping this adultery.
Stop it, teacher.
You are, you are the teacher.
Stop it, teacher.
You're middle aged and not my type.

- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5II8mf9Vnc

Yeah, now you need some genuine Japanese blindness to keep them pure in your mind :D But really, a lot of time one one here really pays any attention to such things. I see an anime girl in bikini in front of the station everytime I take a train but I don't pay any attention to it. I'm completely used to the "visual overload" (Mark's words) in Japan.

In the idol sector there's a lot that is pure and innocent, as well as a lot that isn't, but then there's also an in between area with a very strange balance between innocent and dirty (such as those Onyanko Club lyrics) but usually the majority (of Japanese people) will just diss the occasional dirtier stuff as a thrown in joke as Onyanko Club and the likes are certainly balancing themselves on the pure side. In western eyes this might not be possible as too many people would make a big deal of it and yell "Paedophile Warning!!!" and kinda force it (the idol, band, phenomenom, whatever) to be labeled at one end of the scale...

But it needs to be noted that Onyanko Club members were not 6 year olds. I don't know their ages but just by a quick look most of them seem to have been around 16 to 18. Neverthless, it wasn't an adult image they were pursuing.

Nowadays we have much younger pop-idols but you know, I'm still living the 80's... :D
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Shingster
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Re: Beckii: Schoolgirl Superstar at 14: BBC3 Documentary

Post by Shingster »

Well tbh I used very young children in my Western analogy because us Brits stop thinking anyone is cute once they hit puberty, even the doting parents! :D
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HungFist
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Re: Beckii: Schoolgirl Superstar at 14: BBC3 Documentary

Post by HungFist »

Shingster wrote:Well tbh I used very young children in my Western analogy because us Brits stop thinking anyone is cute once they hit puberty, even the doting parents! :D
well in my eyes too that's kinda true when it comes to caucasians. That's why I moved to Japan. Don't wanna date a 6 year old :D
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