AKB48 is the biggest J-Pop girl group ever. They’re supposed to be cute and innocent, but really, they are just a symbol of Japan’s infantile perversion for young girls. Wait, that’s true everywhere in the world. Revision: Japan is ichiban when it comes to pervertedness. Case-in-point: This commercial featuring the aforementioned J-pop girl group. And this is the same group that splashed headlines a few weeks ago when one of their members, Minami Minegishi, shaved her head and tearfully apologized and pleaded for the world’s forgiveness because she was caught (ON CAMERA), leaving a guy’s apartment late at night.
Boyfriends are a big no, no and Minami will most likely be put on suspension and have no public appearances and probably work in the office as a receptionist or clean toilets as her form of punishment for a few months (or at least until her hair grows out). Never mind the fact that she is in her early 20s.
But, a mint commercial with sapphic undertones? Hey, that’s hot, in a pure, innocent way. Kind of like this music video, where they look like they’re working in a candyland brothel:
In the end, you may think I am making a social commentary or something. I suppose so, but then again, I embrace Japan and all its pervert culture, because for every Japanese schoolgirl fetish, there’s hundreds of other sub-cultures. So, that’s cool and again, makes us proclaim “Japan is awesome!”
this is just said. an exploitation on women sexuality. and ppl are okay with this? its heartbreaking
No, you should probably be banned from the Internet for going over this Japanese = pedo meme for the billionth time. And for conflating a sexual issue with the social/political.
Mark, Sexual issues are social-politcal issues. I don’t see how any American would think otherwise, especially with the climate around sexual issues and policy-making in America right now.
With reading this article I realize just how ignorant I am about the social construct of Japanese society.
Its is the whole of Japan that frowns on the boyfriend-girlfriend relationship or is it just the policy of the AKB48′s management?
I feel sorry for this girl and I hope she finds some way to bounce back from the disgrace and humiliation she is going through now.
For idol groups both in Japan and Korea the idea that the members have a significant other can be dissapointing to fans since they love these groups so much. Therefore they have to at least keep it secret because it really isnt good for their image. Idol groups earn a lot of money from posfers and other products that are targeted towards fans of xx person in the group.
Granted the AKB member probably shaved her head in part for publicity.
Rather than stating that having a public opposite sex relationship isn’t good for their image, it should be stated it isn’t good for the pockets of their managers/handlers/trademark owners. The idol group in Japan has become overtime a way to draw money out of the pockets of the lonely young to middle aged man. There was a time when they aimed at their intended audience, young women. However, as times have changed and this image of purity is out of favor among women, the monied types realized their real audience was the men who love these women. It says far less about Japanese society than it does about crass commercialism.
Something similar happened for a boy’s idol group (they do exist). One of the members knocked up a girl and he had to do a mea culpa. The boys idol groups have a similar policy for similar reasons. I don’t think their audience is middle aged men, though, mostly obasans.
I assure you this girl has “bounced back.” You need not worry. She’ll be counting that paper in no time.