My J-pop thread

[dreamcastegirl]

Yeah, there was also a peak in idol music around the 80s, hence its revival in the 00s is feeling somewhat nostalgic. BTW, AKB48 can also be considered as a chika idol group during their early days, when there're as few as seven patrons seeing their performances at their exclusive theater in Akiba. lol Also, their producer is actually the same one of a famous idol group in the 80s.

Ah, the spectre of Onyanko Club ~ ! You're right though, I never thought of it this way as I've become so used to AKB being its own industry—though not one that currently does anything significant save for market its own nostalgia right now, but that's kind of a personal gripe of mine. Still, at least I have Yukirin's seven WACK singles to make me poor look forward to.

 

[Rika-Chicchi]

You're right though, I never thought of it this way as I've become so used to AKB being its own industry—though not one that currently does anything significant save for market its own nostalgia right now, but that's kind of a personal gripe of mine.

Some/many people in the Japanese music industry think that the AKB48 Group & their so-called "rival" XXXzaka groups (actually created by that same producer lol ) are like a cancer of the industry, but I see them only as symptoms or results, not the origins or causes of the illness in the entire industry & the wider Japanese society as a whole.

Still, at least I have Yukirin's seven WACK singles to make me poor look forward to.

Too bad that giraffe is aging (perhaps already over-aged ) & her graduation day is numbered, unless they'd create an "OBS48" ("OBS" standing for "obasan") for her & other veterans.

 

[dreamcastegirl]

Some/many people in the Japanese music industry think that the AKB48 Group & their so-called "rival" XXXzaka groups (actually created by that same producer lol ) are like a cancer of the industry, but I see them only as symptoms or results, not the origins or causes of the illness in the entire industry & the wider Japanese society as a whole.

I can imagine that being a opinion with anything that gets large enough to wield the kind of influence that AKB did back in the day. Too much of a good thing isn't always healthy, so they say, and Akimoto has been a staple of the industry for a long time.

Too bad that giraffe is aging (perhaps already over-aged ) & her graduation day is numbered, unless they'd create an "OBS48" ("OBS" standing for "obasan") for her & other veterans.

*disowns you in outrage*

I love Yukirin, but every time there is an announcement, I assume it's going to be her graduation. It's interesting to note her clear dissatisfaction with AKB's inactivity in some of her youtube videos recently, so I guess there's certainly more of this on the horizon.

 

[Rika-Chicchi]

I can imagine that being a opinion with anything that gets large enough to wield the kind of influence that AKB did back in the day. Too much of a good thing isn't always healthy, so they say, and Akimoto has been a staple of the industry for a long time.

There's a Chinese saying that a big tree attracts the wind. lol Anyway, the AKBG groups are now eclipsed by their "official rival," those "XXXzaka" groups, tho the latter are also created by Akimoto himself, who's really prescient in his business strategy.

*disowns you in outrage*

I love Yukirin, but every time there is an announcement, I assume it's going to be her graduation. It's interesting to note her clear dissatisfaction with AKB's inactivity in some of her youtube videos recently, so I guess there's certainly more of this on the horizon.

Pls note that even tho I'm not her fan, I don't dislike her at all - my above comment about her is for joking purpose only. I understand that she's still immensely popular & influential as the "big sister" of the group, who can openly criticized the management on behalf of her group. And I think their biggest activity in the recent years is creating more overseas sister groups around the continent, including staging a comeback in China years after their embarrassing disaster there w/ their breakup w/ SNH48. lol

 

[dreamcastegirl]

There's a Chinese saying that a big tree attracts the wind.

Very true, sadly. AKB is very much in the shadow of groups like Nogizaka now, and, you know, I liked Nogizaka a lot too, but it's still kind of sad when you think about the new girls in AKB who are just sitting around waiting for their chance to do something.

Pls note that even tho I'm not her fan, I don't dislike her at all - my above comment about her is for joking purpose only. I understand that she's still immensely popular & influential as the "big sister" of the group, who can openly criticized the management on behalf of her group. And I think their biggest activity in the recent years is creating more overseas sister groups around the continent, including staging a comeback in China years after their embarrassing disaster there w/ their breakup w/ SNH48. lol

Oh, I know, please don't worry! I know you're not being malicious. The overseas group experiment has been interesting, though, yeah, absolutely disastrous on the mainland. It's telling that TPE48 got absorbed into AKB properly as Team TP after that. *sigh* I was always waiting for a Hong Kong team so I could put my rusty Canto to some use, but that seems even more unlikely now.

 

[Rika-Chicchi]

The overseas group experiment has been interesting, though, yeah, absolutely disastrous on the mainland. It's telling that TPE48 got absorbed into AKB properly as Team TP after that. *sigh* I was always waiting for a Hong Kong team so I could put my rusty Canto to some use, but that seems even more unlikely now.

It's sad that the TPE48 project (which's even earlier than SNH48, as I recall) can never be realized as such, & I think the titles "AKB48 Team TP" & "AKB48 Team SH" are ridiculous & illogical, but I can understand their circumstances/difficulties & reasons (including the political ones). *sigh* Oh, an "AKB48 Team HK" or even an "HKG48"?

 

[dreamcastegirl]

It's sad that the TPE48 project (which's even earlier than SNH48, as I recall) can never be realized as such, & I think the titles "AKB48 Team TP" & "AKB48 Team SH" are ridiculous & illogical, but I can understand their circumstances/difficulties & reasons (including the political ones). *sigh* Oh, an "AKB48 Team HK" or even an "HKG48"?

Yeah, it's definitely sad. Still, I like Team TP well enough, but... it's not really my cup of tea. A HK 48 group though, I would have supported them to my dying breath, haha, but yeah, that's certainly not happening any time soon.

 

[Rika-Chicchi]

Added a new entry into this post above today.

 

[Yinggirl]

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/SwfB6du7yRc

I dunno where else to put it. Is there any truth to this?

 

[Rika-Chicchi]

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/SwfB6du7yRc

I dunno where else to put it. Is there any truth to this?

Those examples/footage cited for AKB48 are pretty old history, lol but they're true nonetheless. Not sure whether that's why K-pop idols hate attending Japanese shows, tho, as I'm not fluent on K-pop. I do know that there're collaborations between J-pop & K-pop in the recent decade or so, as K-pop has become popular in Japan - just as in other parts of the world - & there're K-pop artists successfully doubling as J-pop ones (singing both Japanese & Korean songs) & idol groups comprising both Japanese & Korean members (either groups jointly founded by both countries or some Japanese girls going to S. Korea to join K-pop groups).