Forum - View topicNEWS: AKB48 Founder Plans Japan48 Idol Group for Olympics, Phillipines Spinoff
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leafy sea dragon
 Posts: 7163 Location: Another Kingdom |
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Except Tokyo never got blown up in World War II. (New York City and Los Angeles get destroyed a lot too in American media though.)
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CrowLia
 Posts: 5505 Location: Mexico |
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Bombed down to smithereens, blown up... potatoe, potato...
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enurtsol
 Posts: 14776 |
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Just to be clear, it's not that Japan can't do it - they can do it but then accept that they'd be scrutinized about it. Unless they can accept that, then it's not recommended they do it. Just because they can do it doesn't absolve them from scrutiny. Heck, the US has a gun culture and could go glorify their wild wild west cowboy mentality in their Olympics - but that won't absolve them from getting scrutinized for it. If they can give it a showoff, then they also must take any scrutiny that comes their way. If they're the type who can't stand one of their own getting scrutinized, then don't show it.
Edit: BTW, this line of thinking is going on amongst Japanese too: Cross-dressing Matsuko Deluxe: AKB opening Tokyo Olympics 'would embarrass Japan' |
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leafy sea dragon
Posts: 7163 Location: Another Kingdom |
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Did Matsuko Deluxe ever explain why it'd be embarrassing? The article didn't seem to.
I just think having an AKB48 group would paint Japan as a nation of absurdity and weirdness, which is a stereotype Japan already has, because something like AKB48 does not really exist in most other nations, where pop musicians are expected to behave like normal people and tend to be considerably older. I suppose the latter maybe a point for embarrassment--Japan also has a reputation for fetishizing schoolgirls, which many in the western world would equate to pedophilia, and being seen as a nation of pedophiles would definitely be embarrassing (even if it's ephebophilia, but as far as most people are concerned, an ephebophile is a pedophile). |
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TarsTarkas
 Posts: 5840 Location: Virginia, United States |
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The Olympics are not cheap. If the founder of AKB48 has brought cash to the table, then AKB48 will be in the Olympics, no matter how many Japanese talking heads complain about it.
That said though, as others have mentioned, 2020 is a long time away, many things can happen. But if AKB48 is still around by 2018, and its founder is still on the Japanese Olympic Committee, then it is a pretty safe bet AKB48 will be involved in some way. Spectacles do take a long time to plan and set up after all. Find it funny, how we are going to 'judge' Japan if they use AKB48. As if we in America don't have 'manufactured' bands'. Either way, the Olympics are used to showcase the hosting nation, and idols and idol groups (like AKB48) are part of the Japanese proto-culture, whether or not the Japanese mainstream and the West likes it. |
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Guile
Posts: 595 |
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The AKB48 are no more weird than America's Lady Gaga, Rihanna, or Miley Cyrus. In fact, they are far more normal than those women are. Pop music is pretty universal overall. I don't see the issue.
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enurtsol
Posts: 14776 |
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That's kinda backwards logic though. What's the point of showcasing something in the Olympics --the point of which is to portray your country in a good light to the rest of the world-- if it's something the world would not like? Might as well not showcase it at all; a neutral reception is still better than a negative one. I'll give ya guys a more extreme example: junior gravure idols are part of Japanese proto-culture too, but ya wouldn't showcase that in the Olympics, would you? Now, as I said, teenage pop idols aren't as extreme --it's more in a grey area-- but that's why there's much discussion about it in Japan. Should they or shouldn't they take the risk, is it worth taking the risk in the first place, etc.
It's not the pop music that's the issue (though some of the lyrics could be) that's being discussed here and in Japan. |
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TarsTarkas
Posts: 5840 Location: Virginia, United States |
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Why should Japan care what the rest of the world thinks. It's like saying the United States shouldn't showcase female empowerment, because it would offend large swathes of the Islamic world. It's a moot point anyway, because it is the Japanese Olympic Committee that will decide what is their showcase vision, not the rest of the world's viewpoint. They are going to showcase what is important to them. |
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enurtsol
Posts: 14776 |
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Because that's the point of showcasing something in the Olympics - to make people around the world think better of your country. Like a tourism advertisement.
Yes, that's why there's a debate right now in Japan about it. Obviously they care what the rest of the world would think of their country. |
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mdo7
 Posts: 6268 Location: Katy, Texas, USA |
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Although this is very ambitious, but this I don't know I'm mixed on this idea. AKB48 are not well-known outside of Asia (compared that to K-pop).
Not going to happen.
That's the problem, you're right about J-pop not going to get traction in the US unlike K-pop. J-pop don't take their international fanbase seriously like K-pop does. Another problem is AKB48 is not well-known outside of Asia, compared that to Girls Generation/SNSD from South Korea (or any other K-pop group like EXO, 2NE1, Big Bang) who track record including winning the YTMA back in 2013 and also topping Billboard world albums. AKB48 never got any global recognition the same way SNSD got. I can't remember the last time AKB48 perform outside of Asia (I never seen them going to Latin America, or Australia) or topping Itunes charts globally nor Billboard charts. Although Babymetal got some recognition from Fuse TV and Jeff Benjamin (the same person who write for Billboard's K-town, I had a pleasure of meeting him at a Global Hallyu Forum in DC back in 2013, here's a video of him doing his presentation, I'm in the audience BTW  ). It's not enough for J-pop nor J-music to get the same recognition like K-pop has gotten.
I highly doubt J-pop or AKB48 will get the same traction as K-pop in the US or globally (unless they release album and song in Korean just like how K-pop release Japanese singles/albums). Speaking of K-pop:
Why isn't Akimoto thinking of making a group in South Korea. K-pop is big globally (and has become household name in continents outside of Asia like Latin America and Middle East), if you think I'm making this up they why did Jackie Chan created the K-pop group, JJCC. that K-pop group Jackie Chan created got a lot of worldwide attention: Billboard The Hollywood Reporter New York Post Reuters The Guardian If Jackie Chan can do it, then why doesn't Akimoto do the same, a K-pop AKB48 would get a lot of attention on a global scale. I mean Akimoto could team up with SM, JYP, or FNC Entertainment to do that. I don't expect AKB48, nor their their sister unit to perform outside of Asia when K-pop are doing more concerts outside of Asia. But their Korean unit could do concerts both in and outside of Asia. It wouldn't be strange to see a 48 members girl group since we already have large K-pop groups like EXO and Topp Dogg. I've already seen girl groups with more then 5 members like Lovelyz (8 member girl group), Nine Muses (used to be 9 now 8 members with 2 new members), After School (7 members), AOA/Ace of Angels (8 member girl group). So a K-pop AKB48 wouldn't be any weird IMO. Last edited by mdo7 on Fri Jan 30, 2015 8:21 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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walw6pK4Alo
 Posts: 9322 |
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mdo7: "Japan can't showcase their own pop music because it's not Korean."
Stop. Miraculously, k-pop is not some phenomenon you encounter in daily life, not anymore than J-pop. I think your perceived idea of success is biased by your own experiences. I liked you better when you weren't posting. Last edited by walw6pK4Alo on Fri Jan 30, 2015 8:24 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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mdo7
Posts: 6268 Location: Katy, Texas, USA |
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No it based on how much attention and publicity K-pop has gotten. I mean when was the last time we had J-pop played on Sirius XM radio. Exactly, never, yet K-pop was able to do this. |
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walw6pK4Alo
Posts: 9322 |
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Same reason K-pop gets more exposure elsewhere that you loooooovvveee to post several links for, their talent agencies are looser with deals and whore their acts out more while Japanese ones are more insular and concentrated to only Japan.
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mdo7
Posts: 6268 Location: Katy, Texas, USA |
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Well correct but I wasn't the one that got K-pop playing on Sirius Radio. But I'll say that judging from the media attention (ie: CNN, BBC, Associated Press, Fuse TV, MTV, etc...) to K-pop and ignoring most of J-pop act, it seem like it get more traction then any Japanese act (not counting exception like Babymetal, or Perfume), it seem like from my impression "if you're Korean or sing in Korean, you'll get more publicity globally". But yeah, the Japanese don't have any ambition from my POV. I remember an article I read recently about before K-pop got popular outside of Asia and I'll quote
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Errinundra
Moderator
 Posts: 6532 Location: Melbourne, Oz |
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mdo7, this is a warning.
NEVER, EVER mention K-pop again. Got that? This is an anime site. Please indicate that you understand what I am telling you. |
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