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NEWS: 42-Year-Old Man Arrested for Stalking Former AKB48 Idol

I always have mixed feelings when I read these reports... Yes, absolutely and unequivocally, stalking is bad. I will never debate nor back down from that. Don't even try and suggest otherwise.

But I also must recognize that the entire idol industry is built around inducing obsession and obsessive behavior in it's fanbase. They encourage fans to buy twenty seven copies of a CD or DVD to have even a chance to meet the object of their induced passion and obsession. (Etc... etc...) And that's not something that turns off like a light switch when an idol graduates or a group disbands. They're playing with fire.

I look at Hidenobu Ōnishi not with scorn (and not with approval!), but with pity. He deserves full punishment for his actions... But he's also a victim of a corporation that fed his addiction for profit.

The idol industry is trying to reap the rewards of obsessive behavior, while also trying to escape responsibility for the damages caused by that behavior.

This guy is NO victim, he made his own decision to stalk a young woman, twice.

DerekL1963 wrote:

I always have mixed feelings when I read these reports... Yes, absolutely and unequivocally, stalking is bad. I will never debate nor back down from that. Don't even try and suggest otherwise. But I also must recognize that the entire idol industry is built around inducing obsession and obsessive behavior in it's fanbase. They encourage fans to buy twenty seven copies of a CD or DVD to have even a chance to meet the object of their induced passion and obsession. (Etc... etc...) And that's not something that turns off like a light switch when an idol graduates or a group disbands. They're playing with fire. I look at Hidenobu Ōnishi not with scorn (and not with approval!), but with pity. He deserves full punishment for his actions... But he's also a victim of a corporation that fed his addiction for profit. The idol industry is trying to reap the rewards of obsessive behavior, while also trying to escape responsibility for the damages caused by that behavior.

Yes, the Idol industry does have a degree of blame in feeding obsessive behavior, but at the same time it's not wrong in letting entertainers getting to know their fans. It's when in these situations where 1 bad apple ruins it for everyone.

Though I am confused with you saying you pity the guy and at the same time wanting maximum punishment. So which is it? This guy is NO victim, he made his own decision to stalk a young woman, twice. And him doing it twice means he has a serious grudge and heaven forbid there be a third where it ends up in another idol attack.

This guy is obviously a danger risk and need to be closely monitored and appropriately disciplined. He needs to be scared enough knowing there will not be a third time.

This Onishi character was a genuine creep, and it's not just the idol industry that suffers from a few deranged individuals like him but also almost every aspect of the entertainment industry anywhere, and in any genre (does Chapman gunning down Lennon rings a bell?).