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otaku

Am I Otaku?

I’ll be honest. I dont identify as otaku and I dont want to be otaku. But last night I sent a bunch of funny links to my friend from AKBingo, explained to him who Takahashi Minami and Shinoda Mariko are, and then gave him the backstory on how Shinoda-san became an idol. Then I was humming “Oogoe Diamond” and the intro to “Sakura no Hanabiritachi”, after I went through most of their discography to find out where that intro came from (it’s catchy). Unfortunately I guess that makes me otaku.… Read More »Am I Otaku?

オタク… 何？

One of the most fascinating things about Japanese culture, I think, is the otaku.  I’m not one by any means, and I don’t at all understand them, but I find them fascinating.  I’m not sure in what way – I think it’s at least in a “what the heck makes them tick” sort of way.  I don’t dislike them or hate them, I just don’t understand them. I don’t understand cosplay, for example.  To me, it’s just a waste of time and effort.  Why bother with it?  I’ve seen people spend a… Read More »オタク… 何？

Wotagei

If you ever see an idol concert, don’t only pay attention to the performers – if you do, you’ll be missing out on what is perhaps the most unique aspect of Japanese concerts.  That is wotagei. It seems that wota, or people who are devoted fans of a particular idol group, coordinate very advanced dances for particular songs, using glowsticks, and then perform them in the audience while the performers are dancing on stage.  Let me repeat this:  there is an entirely different performance, synced to the stage performers, happening in… Read More »Wotagei

Shave and a Haircut, HAPPY

I am, by training, a classical musician, so from a musical perspective I find most idol music trifling. This does not mean it is always uninteresting.  Every piece of idol music I hear (well, almost) has  something interesting or thought provoking.  Sometimes it’s even in the lyrics, which are mostly insipid but with glimmers of depth to them.  For example, the lyrics of “what is love” by Morning Musume: If you can’t even make one person understand you how will you seduce the world? If you leave one person feeling sad… Read More »Shave and a Haircut, HAPPY