In this new, tear-jerking video from Akihabara's super-idol-group AKB48, we see how the girls struggle to keep their chins up and smile but ultimately break down after coming to the realization that the best they can ever hope to achieve after they hit 16 is maybe a long, drug-addled career in the porn industry. Faced with the massive debt owed by their families to their gangster "agents," the young girls have no other choice but to remain in the seamy world of massage parlors, host clubs and human trafficking. Sure, maybe some day they will be able to climb out of the gutter, but memories of their daily brutalization will haunt their every move, causing them to fall back, time and again, into a downward spiral of fear, shame and crippling sadness.
At least that's what *I* think about when I watch this. You might have a slightly different reaction.
AKB48 is a group made up of, you guessed it, around 48 young girls age 13 to 22. The actual number seems to shift by a few from time to time as “old” members are “graduated” (the Japanese idol scene's way of kicking out the girls who are no longer young enough) and new members are indoctrinated. The “AKB” in their name is derived from their home base in Akihabara where they also have their own exclusive theater. Akihabara is a mecca for all aspects of Japan's otaku culture, including anime, manga, video games, technology and music. As much of the otaku culture is focused on the adoration and worship of all things moe (basically the feeling one gets from looking at cute, young, lovable girls) AKB48's location is certainly no accident.
Style wise, they are exactly like Morning Musume, another large group of very young girls singing sparkling pop songs and dancing around. The music production is extremely artificial, loaded with synthetic strings, orchestral stabs and the occasional guitar. Perhaps unsurprising, the music takes a back-seat to the vocals. While some of the songs focus on one or two solo singers, most are made up of thickly layered and effected choruses of the entire group. It's all extremely up-beat and positive, with the sing-along sections in full force as well as the earnestness and “innocence.” You know, moe. Yet their songs, along with their extremely young appearance, point toward their intentions being far from innocent.
While the music is nothing particularly innovative or ground-breaking, it's the marketing behind this truly massive group that is something worth mentioning. The hook with AKB48 is that producer Akimoto Yasushi makes it absolutely no secret that the group is a pre-packaged product aimed directly at older otaku men. Fans can even call up their own favorite member and chat with her after the shows. Naturally, fans will do anything to follow their own special idol, which most often means buying whatever CD, DVD or photobook they are a part of.
The true genius (if you can call it that) behind this format can be seen in their albums. The large group is divided into three smaller sub-groups, A, K and B, consisting of 16 or so members each. The three sub-groupings each release their own singles and albums. The things is, each sub-group sings many of the same songs as their compatriots, so fans are essentially buying the same albums three times. Even the one regular album they've released, SET LIST -Greatest Songs 2006-2007, is essentially a re-issue of all of their previous singles and b-sides.
As so many other things in Akihabara, AKB48 is first and foremost a disposable commodity, something to be sold on the basis of its glossy surface alone. They do have catchy songs, but it's really the girls who are for sale here, and that doesn't exactly make for a great listening experience.
J-Pop and J-Rock are only the beginning. The modern Japanese music scene is just as vibrant and varied as any other music scene in the world. I'm Zac Bentz, writer, musician, designer and all around Japanese music fanatic. Here I hope to share with you a comprehensive (!!) list of Japanese artists and bands (with a strong focus on underground and indie acts) that you may or may not have heard of, in the hopes of expanding our mutual awareness of Japanese music.
I don't mean to suggest that everything I listen to is great. Quite the contrary, I hope that you will take the time to recommend your own favorite artists in the comments so that we can all learn a bit more about the huge range of Japanese music that's out there.
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