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This Week in Anime - Things Get Awkward in the Idol Romcom Oshibudo

Maina may actually be my favorite character in the whole show, but that comes with the big asterisk that I’m willing to go with the conceit of an idol falling in love with her biggest fan, which not everyone’s gonna be cool with. And with good reason! On paper it’s basically the fantasy of the exact kind of possessive fan Motoi is meant to represent and has led to actual real-life idols being gruesomely assaulted.

Am I missing something or have people not heard of groupies or fan/celebrity relationships you can't possibly think fans wanting to sleep with celebrities is just something creepy Japanese otaku do. Right? Or are we just supposed to pretend that Japan is some alternate universe were the same rules don't apply. What I find most baffling is the implication that a fan celebrity relationship is a threat to the celebrity. What? Ever heard of Jimmy Page? I know people are disgusted by AKB48 fans. But those are grown men sexualizing teenage girls. Are we going act like two people of the same age attempting to date each other is morally the same thing?

...What? We never said or implied any of this is exclusive to Japan or "otaku" in the article. We discuss the issue as it pertains to idols and idol fandom because, y'know, that's what the show is about. And within that topic there is absolutely an element of fandom where the "celerbity" (as much as many idol groups can claim celebrity, anyway) is in danger - idols have been attacked at handshake events, have been harassed or even fired over rumors of them dating someone.