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NEWS: AKB48's Post-Quake Support Song Sells 1 Million on 1st Day




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Kougeru



Joined: 13 May 2008
Posts: 5577
PostPosted: Wed Oct 26, 2011 4:55 pm Reply with quote
still dont get the appeal of this group but great that they helping the victims in the way they know best.
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Genet



Joined: 05 Jun 2009
Posts: 261
Location: USA
PostPosted: Wed Oct 26, 2011 5:49 pm Reply with quote
Kougeru wrote:
still don't get the appeal of this group but great that they helping the victims in the way they know best.


I think they're kind of a generic girl-group, but they have the appeal to large numbers of people, including the otaku/lolicon group, who are usually more willing to drop mega-money on stuff than others.

But yeah, it's great that they're supporting such a worthy cause, even if they're not my cup of tea. A million copies. Dang.
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anemayfan



Joined: 31 Jul 2007
Posts: 66
PostPosted: Wed Oct 26, 2011 11:56 pm Reply with quote
Super Idol group. With 48 main members divided into 3 teams, plus more members in sub groups, there's a member or more that some people will gravitate too which is one of the factors in their broad appeal. Some of their songs are good, but generally not my main type of music since I'm more into "Rock".

Still it's good that they're using their popularity to help out those affected by the earthquake and tsunami.
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Gon*Gon



Joined: 29 Sep 2011
Posts: 679
PostPosted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 12:18 am Reply with quote
Quote:
I think they're kind of a generic girl-group, but they have the appeal to large numbers of people, including the otaku/lolicon group, who are usually more willing to drop mega-money on stuff than others.


Judging solely by the photo in the article...they're far too old to be lolicon.


As for this group supporting the earthquake...I wonder if they're doing this out of sincerity, or just cashing in on the emotions just like all the 9/11 merchandises that suddenly popped up since 9/11 happened. The article didn't say much about what they're doing to support the earthquake. Are all the money going to rebuilding or something?
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Spotlesseden



Joined: 09 Sep 2004
Posts: 3514
Location: earth
PostPosted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 1:47 am Reply with quote
Gon*Gon wrote:
Quote:
I think they're kind of a generic girl-group, but they have the appeal to large numbers of people, including the otaku/lolicon group, who are usually more willing to drop mega-money on stuff than others.


Judging solely by the photo in the article...they're far too old to be lolicon.


As for this group supporting the earthquake...I wonder if they're doing this out of sincerity, or just cashing in on the emotions just like all the 9/11 merchandises that suddenly popped up since 9/11 happened. The article didn't say much about what they're doing to support the earthquake. Are all the money going to rebuilding or something?


There is no loli in the group, but some of the members are under 18. The management will also drop you too if you are not popular. Couple of them are very cute. Other than that, I don't see what's so good about them. They are not a generic girl-group. This is the first time, i see a a music group works like this. The one who created this group is Genius. This group may never die because you can replace them with cute young girls at anytime.
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enurtsol



Joined: 01 May 2007
Posts: 14886
PostPosted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 2:27 am Reply with quote
Spotlesseden wrote:

There is no loli in the group, but some of the members are under 18. The management will also drop you too if you are not popular. Couple of them are very cute. Other than that, I don't see what's so good about them. They are not a generic girl-group. This is the first time, i see a a music group works like this. The one who created this group is Genius. This group may never die because you can replace them with cute young girls at anytime.


Menudo did this way back in the 80's.** That's why I call Morning Musume, Morning Menudo. Laughing

[** Though certainly not in the size it's being done now. A Japanese friend joked that in the near future, by the time they reach 12 years of age, every Japanese will belong to a pop group.]
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The Xenos



Joined: 29 Mar 2004
Posts: 1519
Location: Boston
PostPosted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 2:43 am Reply with quote
Kougeru wrote:
still don't get the appeal of this group but great that they helping the victims in the way they know best.
They're underage pop stars with throngs of otaku salary man fans. What's not to get? Well, at least they're harnessing pedophilia for a good cause.

Still is pretty creepy seeing these grown men allowed to stalk these teen girls and it all being sold as a business.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdG7YT6tYIk

Gon*Gon wrote:
Judging solely by the photo in the article...they're far too old to be lolicon.
The video says they range from 12 to 18 years old. This is creepier than Toddlers and Tiaras stuff you see in the states. Definitely one aspect of Japanese pop culture I do not care for. I'll take the sketchiest lolicon manga over marketing actual underage girls as models to older men. Though most seem to be in the 14 to 18 range. Still creepy. You can argue pedophilia versus ephebophilia, which is 15 and up, but it's still creepy to see a whole business model based on getting grown men to cyber stalk girls that age.

When I went to Japan on vacation after college, that was one type of store I avoided like the plague. Walking through the buildings full of stores in Akihabara, I looked in one doorway and saw it was an Under 18 Idol store and just kept walking to the next floor. Nope.
enurtsol wrote:
Menudo did this way back in the 80's.** That's why I call Morning Musume, Morning Menudo. Laughing
Actually a gay friend of mine pointed out that they do have all male Menudo like bands. There's a whole systems for them just like for female teen idols. The most popular studio for such boy bands is Johnny's Boys or something like that.
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BounceToMe



Joined: 01 Jun 2011
Posts: 4
PostPosted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 6:52 pm Reply with quote
^The majority of them are 18+. There is even a very popular 25 year old in the group. None of the official AKB team members are under 16 rn. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AKB48#Members

About 50% of their fans are female too.

They are popular because they are hilarious, relatable, very hardworking and have some fun uplifting pop music. They had to work their way from the bottom to achieve what they have and deserve all of it.
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Megiddo



Joined: 24 Aug 2005
Posts: 8360
Location: IL
PostPosted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 6:59 pm Reply with quote
BounceToMe wrote:
None of the official AKB team members are under 16 rn. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AKB48#Members

Well, one is. But I think the 'eww' factor is with the "trainees", as there are several 13-14 year olds there.

The 'junior idol' industry is definitely exploitative, and while I don't know much about AKB48, it wouldn't surprise me if the 'trainees' undergo similar things.
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