Bright lights, shiny dresses, frenzy crowds. Is the life of a Japanese idol all glitz andglamour? Not really. The anime series Oshi no Ko reveals the darktruth behind this notorious industry, where young stars are pushed to their breaking pointby heavy competition, strict rules, and obsessive fans. Oshi no Ko is a drama series which tells thetale of Goro Amemiya, a doctor of the famous idol superstar Ai Hoshino, who was secretlypregnant. Later, the doctor was murdered by an obsessivefan who found out Ai’s secret.
Goro was then reincarnated as Aqua Hoshino,the newborn son of Ai. A few years later, Aqua witnessed the murderof Ai, who was killed by the same obsessive fan that killed Goro years ago. Aqua joined the entertainment industry asa young actor and swore to find out the secrets behind his mother’s murder. Chapter 1: Young idols and mental health In the show, Ai Hosino started out at a veryyoung age, during middle school. In Japan, the idol industry is notorious forits obsession with youth, with strong emphasis on being “kawaii”, which means very younggirls acting cute and innocent.
Being young is everything. Girl idols start their careers in their early10s and by their early 20s, they're already considered 'past their prime.' But what happens to the ones who don't makeit big? They would be inevitably discarded for thenext fresh-faced talent. Sure, you have certain former idols makingtheir way onto big screen media, but that is one in thousands. In recent years, there are more than 10,000girl idols in Japan. As for the least popular idols, since theyhave spent all their time training instead.
Of studying at schools like a normal student,they would have a very hard time catching up with their peers when they have graduated. Male groups are a lot better as their “graduationage” can be as late as 30s. This video is about a former Japanese idolwho regrets spending all her youth training instead of studying (include the video). Going back to Oshi no Ko, we also see thecharacter Aqua and his twin sister Ruby thrust into the world of acting at an incrediblyyoung age as well. The entertainment industry is brutal. At the start of the show, Ai also mentionedthat being an idol is a massive lie, in which.
Idols are expected to put on an act all thetime. Although that statement is sort of exaggerated,it is true that idols are pushed to please their fans and generate income for their agencies. They're expected to maintain a flawless image,perform relentlessly despite the emotional and physical toll it takes on them, especiallyfrom a very young age. As such, some idols have developed mentalillness and there have been cases of idols taking their own lives. One of the most notable cases is the suicideof Yukiko Okada, a popular idol in the 1980s who struggled with depression and took herown life at the age of 18.
Okada was found with a slashed wrist, cryingin a closet. While the manager of the building and thestaffs were discussing how to avoid a media scandal, Okada ran up to the stairs and jumpedfrom the building. Moreover, the idol industry is also highlycompetitive. Idols not only face competition with othergroups, but they are also competing within the same group. The two biggest idol groups are AKB48 andNogizaka46. These two groups combined already have morethan 170 members with many sub-teams fighting for a very limited amount of resources.
In Japan's idol industry, it's not just abouttalent – it's about popularity. Every year, fans vote for their favorite idolsin a popularity election, the winners get more attention and get to be placed at the centre position, those with fewer votes will risk being graduated, which is the niceword of termination. After graduation, the unpopular idols wouldfind it hard to go back to get conventional office jobs. Some former idols might work as a bar hostess,such as Manaka Shida, who was one of the inaugural members of Keyakizaka46. She announced that she would be starting workingat Next Ginza, a high-end bar located at the.
Heart of Tokyo. Additionally, outside major agencies, we alsohave underground idols, who face even harsher conditions. These underground idols are backed by tinymanagement agencies. These idols work long hours performing atsmall venues in Akihabara. They make their money by selling tickets andmerchandise as well as meet and greet sessions after live shows, but they often earn extremelylow wages. While the top idols in Japan earn a significantincome from their work, many underground dols struggle to make ends meet, as they do notreceive a steady salary and instead rely on.
Their fans' financial support. They would also have to share their salarywith their agencies. In some cases, idols may even be requiredto cover their own training and promotion costs, which means they are actually payingout of their pockets to fulfill their dream as an idol. Ai’s group in “Oshi no Ko” also startedout as underground idols, in which they only made it out all thanks to charisma and hardwork of Ai. Chapter 2: Strict Rules One of the most infamous aspects of the idolindustry is the strict rules to keep the pureness.
Of the idols. Idols are forbidden from dating anyone, andthe idols should always remain virgins. In the show, Ai had a secret relationshipand was even pregnant, which is a massive no no. This strict rule is meant to maintain theimage of the idol as a fantasy figure for fans. The idea is that the idols belong solely totheir fans, and any hint of a romantic relationship with someone outside of the industry couldpotentially shatter this illusion. However in reality, it’s not unusual forunderground idols to be in a secret relationship.
With their managers. Even virtual idol agencies, such as Hololive,are not immune to this expectation. When some vtubers from Hololive had collaborationwith male virtual vtubers, some hardcore viewers voiced their anger, that’s why collaborationwith male vtubers are very rare in Hololive’s early years. Apart from strict rules, rigorous trainingschedules and discipline are imposed on idols. Many agencies require their idols to undergoyears of intensive training, often starting at a young age. This training includes singing, dancing, acting,and even learning foreign languages to appeal.
To a broader audience. Idols are expected to endure long hours ofpractice and maintain a high level of performance, even when they are tired or unwell. Certain agencies have been known to exploittheir idols, pushing them to work excessively without adequate rest, compensation, or supportfor their physical and mental well-being such as the previous case of Yukiko Okada, in whichthe managers only cared about her public image when she slit her wrist, instead caring abouther actual well being. More recently in 2018, 16 year old HonokaOmoto, who was part of the idol group Enoha Girls took her on life due to harsh workingconditions.
Her family stated she was forced to spendlong hours at events, and was even harassed by a staff member when she wanted to leavethe group. Allegedly, the staff told her “If you're goingto quit, you need to pay 100 million yen.” This just shows how some agencies exploitthe youngsters who were just chasing their idol dream. Chapter 3: Hardcore Fans and the age of socialmedia Fans play a significant role in the idol industry,providing financial support and promoting their favorite stars through social mediaHowever, this culture can also be toxic, with some fans expecting too much from their idolsand crossing boundaries.
The issue of stalker fans is a terrifyingreality for many idols. In “Oshi no Ko,” Ai's murder by an obsessivefan serves as a stark reminder of the danger these young stars face. Unfortunately, this is not a fictional problem– many real-life idols have experienced stalking, harassment, and even violence atthe hands of their fans. The Japanese idol Maho Yamaguchi was assaultedback in 2019 by two fans. After she revealed the incident on socialmedia, she was then allegedly pressured into apologizing in public even though she is thevictim. In another incident, one stalker even founda Japanese idol's location through the reflection.
In her eyes, crazy isn’t it. Social media has also played a significantrole in the idol industry, allowing fans to connect with their favorite stars and followtheir daily lives. However, it has also been a source of pressureand scrutiny for idols, who are expected to maintain a constant online presence and engagewith their fans regularly. This highlights the challenges that many idolsfeel trapped by the constant attention and pressure of the media. All in all, Japan's idol industry is far fromperfect. While 'Oshi no Ko' may be a work of fiction,it sheds light on the harsh realities that.
Many young idols face. And the ugly truth is, it's not always pretty. Thanks for watching.
i’m keen on Kozue Aikawa, a dancer idol (now not a singer), and he or she has posted a video or 2 in her private yt channel speaking about her despair in the idol industry, she was once a section of danceroid, a extremely standard dance neighborhood abet in the day, but surrender. She has surrender many groups earlier than and now not prolonged after posting that depressive video in which she additionally cried a bunch, she had joined one other, which in actuality shouws whenever you originate it's in actuality laborious to leave, she is 30 years passe simply now and has been dancing in groups for bigger than 13 years now, it makes me in actuality unhappy and alarmed for her, i love her plenty as somebody from the vocaloid fandom (she on the total dances to vocaloid song) but truthfully.. i in actuality feel tainted, ever since i watched that video i simply want her to have a usual job and listing dancing as a passion presumably, but despite that being a happier path, it seems it's too late for her to flip abet now, it in actuality in actuality makes me unhappy
besides the reincarnation thing…here is simply too exact..what happen to Aithe industry..the manga and anime simply popularized that self-awareness NGLI am so gay this sequence exist..mxiing the usual gleaming and fact!!
i in actuality feel the quality of the idol song is now not the problem however the followers itself are in actuality the problem as effectively because the agency are an challenge as effectively