AKB48 and the Machine

When entering Akihibara, 's electronics district more widely known as “the center of 's culture”, one is almost immediately greeted by the faces of current AKB48 members. The music group, one of the most popular in Japan, was founded in 2006 and consists of around 140 rotating members-- all young women from their teens to early-mid 20s. Plastered upon the side of a building designated for their daily performances, the young women tower above the street, smiling coyly at the shoppers below. Akihibara is the group's headquarters, and it is hard to walk anywhere in the area without seeing reference to them. Their faces are plastered all over merchandise stalls, one can buy photobooks, keychains or mugs adorned with their faces. Of the groups 39 total singles, 26 have hit number one on Japan's “Billboard Hot 100” Charti. (For comparison, had 20 number one singles on Billboard over their ten year careerii). Though not without their share of criticisms and controversies, the group is in many ways the poster child for the greater “idol” phenomena and, indeed, much of the Japanese approach to merchandising and popular culture.

Music idols are a large component of Japanese music culture. The phenomena itself dates back to the 1960s, while the current diversified media technique was pioneered by in the early 1990s. The concept is simple: beautiful young boys/girls are set up in groups by a label and perform. They sing, dance, appear on talk shows and ads, and are more or less marketed to be idolized by other young people who aspire to be and/or date them. Future idols are groomed from childhood, sometimes being scouted as young as ten, signing into long term and highly restrictive contracts. They train for years in various skills such as singing, dancing, and acting, before making their “debut” into the professional realm, though this varies from label to label. While the process for AKB48 in particular has been described as “rolling style auditions”iii, the basic format of ascending from trainee to bona-fide idol after years of training remains the same. This ensures a continuous stream of fresh faces for the group, as a paramount is placed on youthfulness within idol culture. This narrative is to a certain degree a fantasy, though not one we as Westerners are used to. There is the idea that any young schoolkid could be walking around Shibuya and all of a sudden be scooped up into fame, while the traditional American celebrity narrative tends to include at least some mention of how the artist worked hard independently before being “discovered” at say, a school talent show. Prior talent is not a factor in the system. It tends to be more about appearance because as we will see, the foundation of the idol is fantasy. That being said, there are similarities between the Japanese idol system and (for lack of a better term) the American 'Disney star' system. Idols generally have a wide breadth of talents and are extremely ubiquitous. They make appearances in films and television, various variety shows, and of course concerts. This is not dissimilar to the ever present nature of celebrities like Miley Cyrus or The Jonas Brothers, who rose to fame through the Disney studio system as children. Often these young stars are a similarly packaged product, appearing in advertisements and their own television series, while also promoting their latest singles. In both countries, merchandising of the stars is common, with their images gracing everything from folders to cups to trading cards. There is a baseline assumption that the young stars will maintain an image of wholesomeness and innocence. However, the cultural responses to this tends to be where similarities fall apart.

While the genesis of these celebrities and their ubiquity throughout the school supplies section are comparable, there are significant differences in the expectations surrounding these groups between cultures. In the United States we often find our celebrities caught up in scandals. These range from general 'who's-dating-who' gossip to the more provocative genre of drug scandals, melt-downs, et cetera. Immense cultural value is placed on the risky side of the celebrity performance. Outside the world of Tiger Beat, it often seems as though our expectation in America is for our celebrities to be messy, beautiful, and dangerous. Interestingly enough, some of the most iconic American celebrity melt down moments have involved individuals who came up through the idol-esqe “Disney” system. Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears, Justin Bieber, and Miley Cyrus all have had spectacular public breakdowns, while having come up through an industry machine similar to that found in the idol system. During these “breakdowns”, such as Miley Cyrus' recent image upheaval, there is often public discussion about the celebrity's position in society as a “role ”. While many decried Cyrus' sudden transformation from proper country girl to hard partying club kid as a reckless and selfish move, others argued that it was a moment of empowerment for her. Never was Cyrus forced to make a public apology for the relative morality of her actions. She still sells well and has remained in the spotlight far longer than some of her other Disney counterparts, giving credence to the idea that in the United States, sometimes the walk we walk is different than the talk we talk.

In contrast, the image of wholesomeness portrayed by most Japanese idols is meticulously maintained. They are marketed as the girl/boy-next-door, and largely only as that. Because many of the idols are often a jack of all trades and a master of none, their image is of the utmost importance and is often strictly outlined in their contract agreements. Those who step out of line, acting outside of the “morality clauses” in their contracts, are harshly punished. Hiroki Uchi of the boy band NewS, for example, was caught drinking underage in 2005 and promptly forced to cancel all upcoming performances and resign from the group.iv Once again, the basis of the idol industry is fantasy, the idea that the person you are watching perform is someone you would want to have bring you coffee in the morning and who you could take to family dinner. One song by the band Perfume, popular in 2015, has lyrics translating to 'Let's chat at a seat by the window/One two three/Your special seat'vvi It is a dreamy little song, with an accompanying music video that features the three women on a beach at sunrise, smiling at the viewer in flowing white dresses. Though the group is not quite to the scale of one like AKB48, the essential features of the idol remain the same. This image is consciously crafted, special care taken to a portrayal of innocence and purity as the women wander around an untouched beach at sunrise. Idols are young, with non-threatening lyrics and approachable demeanors. They create an image perfectly suited for personal projection by the audience.

This wholesomeness makes certain aspects of the audience/idol relationship particularly curious. In 2009 the team behind AKB48 established a media event known as sousenkyo, or “general elections.” The basic structure is more or less as follows: a special “voting” single is released, those who buy the single along with all fan club members are then allowed to participate in the “election”. Votes are cast for favorite members of the group, and the girls with the highest number of votes (and thus, who brought in the most money from the process) are given what amounts to special privileges.vii The results are broadcast in a results show on Fuji Television, where rankings are announced and the women step forward to accept their trophies, openly and dramatically weeping. Those women are then selected to record the groups next single, with additional privileges given to the girl who comes in at number one. She is heavily featured in merchandise and advertising, given lead solos in the next single and music video. It is, I am assuming, a massive step forward career-wise as well. However, watching these young girls sob their way through the results broadcast seems sadistic. The entire process feels like the audience claiming ownership of these young girls. They are not in control of this event. The audience determines the results, and seems unphased by the drama unfolding on stage in front of them.

This idea of ownership has, in many ways, been purposely crafted by , creator of AKB48. His base concept for the group is the idea that AKB48 are “idols you can meet every day.”viii The structure of the group makes this obvious, with the massive number of members split into five teams, plus an additional team of part-time members. This structure ensures that the group is able to be in multiple places at once, with one set able to perform at the group's cafe in Akihibara while another films a television promo. The establishment of the AKB48 cafe at the top of Don Quixote in Akihibara allows for daily performances and meet and greets by the group. The knowledge that more or less reliable access to seeing and meeting the girls helps to foster a sense of relationship between idol and fan. Watching the various pitfalls young members go through on their way to their debuts assists in creating a very personal relationship for the fans. The accessibility that fans have to the members of AKB48 intensifies the fantasy girlfriend narrative that is idol pop's stock and trade, making it of utmost importance that the pristine image of these ever-available, innocent young women remains intact, regardless of the needs or desires of the idols themselves.

This priority of fantasy over the humanity of group members is made even more apparent when one learns of the strict rules surrounding the romantic lives of many idols, in particular AKB48. Because much of the idol's existence hinges on the idea of desire, it is essential to their careers that this desirability is maintained. This is done not only through meticulous image maintenance in terms of fashion trends (making sure they are up to date in global trends along with, as in the case of pop stars like , making sure they are as off-beat as possible), but also through preserving the illusion that at any point the audience has a chance to date an idol member. When news lets out that an idol has been involved in a romantic scandal, there is often public outcry as fans become incredibly vocal about their feelings of betrayal. In a 2013 article for , Ian Martin writes "In order to be sincere [to the fans], though, [idols] cannot be ordinary girls. They cannot have lives outside the structured environment in which the fans experience them."ix To strengthen this illusion, idols are often contractually forbidden from dating. The inaccessibility of the idol created by their relationship, as well as the attention drawn to the fact that the fantasy constructed around the idols is, indeed, fabricated, goes against the foundation of the genre. As such, those caught breaking these rules are harshly punished.

Of particular note is the recent case of AKB48 member Minami Minegishi. In January 2013, gossip tabloid Shukan Bunshun leaked photographs of Minigishi exiting the apartment of Alan Shirahama, a fellow idol. Following this, she was swiftly and publicly demoted back to trainee status, despite having made her debut eight years prior as one of the group's founding members. This act was, in effect, a public shaming. While already brutal in its own right, Minegishi's response to this is worth additional mention. Shortly after her demotion, a video was posted on the AKB48 official YouTube channel wherein, head freshly shaven and openly weeping, Minegishi apologizes to her fans and the public at large for her transgressions. She refers to her actions (dating) as "thoughtless" and begs forgiveness from both her fans and the group's management. "What is happening here” Martin further explains in his article, “is that the protection of fans’ fragile fantasies automatically trumps the basic human right to a life outside that fantasy framework."x In essence, the drastic nature of the video, as well as the fact that it was posted publicly on the official AKB48 account, once again points to the way in which the fantasy construct takes precedent over the lives of those who the fantasy relies on.

This image-- not only of repentant celebrity, but one that is ever available romantically-- is very different from that found in the United States. It is difficult to page through any entertainment magazine without seeing some mention of a celebrity's real or imagined love life. Even when groups are marketed as datable, there is a heavy focus on their romantic relationships, as is the case with the current boy band du jour . While the boys of One Direction are presented as “good” boys in a way similar to the girls of AKB48-- wholesome, cheerful, and overall non-threatening-- there are some essential differences in how the members of the group are treated despite having similar origins and general purposes. One Direction was formed in 2010 on the British reality television program “The X Factor”, being set up together after each boy failed to progress to the show as an individual. In a 2012 article for The Telegraph, Neil McCormick writes that One Direction and early era Justin Bieber occupy the space of “wholesome, whiter-than-white, middle class parent friendly pop: cute boys advocating puppy love”.xi It is safe to say that One Direction for American audiences occupies a similar space to AKB48. Initially consisting of five members, the group has reached international popularity, and has historically been promoted in a similar sort of “imaginary boyfriend” vein as the AKB48 girls, fun loving boys you can plan your imaginary wedding to. However, while this is true of the image presented of the boys, there is no effort made to mask the relationships they may be in, which is fundamentally different from the approaches taken to AKB48 and other Japanese idols. Websites and tabloids meticulously track the girlfriends, ex-girlfriends, and prospective girlfriends of the One Direction boys. These girlfriends are often brought up in interviews as well, with the boys describing their relationships or romantic gestures they have made.xii This treatment of the idols' romantic lives differs greatly from that seen in Japan. In this Western context, it is almost as if the reports on the boys' love lives is used to heighten the fantasy construct. The objective tends to be to make fans think 'Harry is having so much fun with Taylor Swift-- he'd be having so much more fun with me though!'

Differences in the culture surrounding idols can be seen further in the way members of One Direction were treated in light of a 2014 scandal. In May 2014, a candid video was posted online in which group members Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson were shown on their way to a concert in Peru. The boys, both around twenty years old at the time, are shown laughing and passing a cigarette between each other, frequently referring to it as a joint and implying that they were in fact smoking marijuana, a substance illegal in Peru.xiii What's more, there is a point in the video where Tomlinson can be heard using a racial slur.xiv The boys came under fire for the video, with many fans demanding apologies from the boys. However, neither boys responded to this outcry. An official statement was released by the group's management instead.xv The boys, having recorded themselves partaking in illegal substance use and using derogatory language, were seemingly unharmed by the event. There was no public shaming or even apology for actions that could generally be perceived as very real wrongs, with neither boy being suspended from their positions in the group. This is a stark contrast to the situation seen with Uchi when caught drinking, or Minigishi just a year prior, with her mild transgression (if it could really be called a transgression at all) being met with an extreme reaction.

In many ways this difference goes back to the fantasy, and the cultural foundations beneath it. The basic relationship between idol and fan is more or less consistent between cultures, with the idols being brought into existence to serve some role for their fanbase. However, when looked at with the understanding of the greater cultural backgrounds, possible reasons for the difference in treatment of these idols becomes more apparent. Japan has traditionally been seen as a culture with greater leanings towards collectivism, whereas the United States (and to an extent the United Kingdom, the two countries from where One Direction hails) is highly individualistic. The Geert Hofstede models of national culture define individualism as “the degree of interdependence a society maintains among its members”. The United States in particular is one of the most individualist countries in the world, scoring 91 on the metric.xvi In contrast, Japan scores just 46, which while high in the context of its neighboring societies (, South Korea) is very low to a Western observer.xvii When these broader cultural trends are applied to idols, one can draw the conclusion that AKB48 exists to further the fantasies of the public. The needs of the masses-- that is, the fantasies the fans of these groups have constructed surrounding the members, are more important than the individuality of the girls. Heightened by their massive numbers, it becomes easy for the girls of AKB48 to blend together with frequent changes in the roster. After all, there are only so many stock personalities performers can have. This is in direct contrast to the more Western ideal of individualism. One Direction and their pop peers do indeed exist in part to service the public and cater to a demographic, but there is still recognition of them as individuals. They are people working within a system, rather than people working to serve a system. Perhaps the most basic sign pointing to this comes in terminology: members of these Western pop groups are still frequently referred to as “artists”, while members of their Japanese counterparts are simply “idols”.

AKB48 is not the first idol group to come out of Japan, nor will they be the last. While the idea of taking a multitude of youthful, moderately talented people and putting them in a group to have them perform to the fantasies of their audiences is consistent across cultures, there is something unique to the way it is done in Japan. AKB48 in particular has, in many ways, become an exaggerated version of these basic tenets. With a carefully controlled image, massive, constantly rotating group numbers, and strict social expectations, AKB48 goes great lengths to make the fantasy constructed between fan and singer feel as real as possible. It is dedication to a craft all its own, and a fascinating window into the Japanese approach to media constructs. i https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AKB48_discography ii https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Billboard_Hot_100_chart_achievements_and_milestones#Artists_with_the_most_ songs_on_Billboard.27s_Top_100_Hits_of_All-Time_.281958.E2.80.932013.29 iii http://www.avclub.com/article/unraveling-fantasy-beginners-guide-japanese-idol-p-206896 iv https://asianmusicinvasion.wordpress.com/2011/10/05/traits-the-morality/ v song vi translation vii https://masterofants.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/idols-book.pdf pg. ix viii http://purpleskymagazine.com/2009/11/interview-akb48-a-classic-fantasy-for-the-21st-century/ ix http://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2013/02/01/music/-members-penance-shows-flaws-in-idol- culture/#.VZa_z_lVikp x http://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2013/02/01/music/akb48-members-penance-shows-flaws-in-idol- culture/#.VZa_z_lVikp xi http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandpopmusic/9111003/The-Wanted-and-One-Direction-why-British- boybands-are-conquering-America.html xii http://www.sugarscape.com/lads/a1079273/one-direction-fragrance-romantic-quiz/ xiiihttp://goperu.about.com/od/cultureandsociety/f/Is-Marijuana-Legal-In-Peru.htm xiv http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2637722/ONE-DIRECTION-EXCLUSIVE-Joint-lit-Happy-days-Watch- Zayn-Malik-Louis-Tomlinson-smoke-roll-cigarette-joke-marijuana-way-tour-concert.html xv http://hollywoodlife.com/2014/05/28/louis-tomlinson-smoking-joint-video-zayn-malik-one-direction-response/ xvi http://geert-hofstede.com/united-states.html xvii http://geert-hofstede.com/japan.html