I was reading the Wota in Translation (http://wotaintranslation.com/2013/05/05 ... a-special/) on female fans. They were all trying to figure out why girls (especially younger) were drawn to Morning Musume.
I have been a fan since 2011, ironically on Jan 2 I decided I loved MM, I had no clue the ninth gen had been added that very day(best birthday present ever <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... R#>/8o.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='8o' /> ). I always really loved Reina, she felt like an awesome older sister. Sayashi and Fuku are so graceful, Suzuki is the bomb. The girls feel like friends. I am the same age as most of the girls, and Reina and Sayu have the eternally young thing going on.
As for The Power of Girl Fans, have these guys ever heard of Justin Beiber? His fans are pretty much all 13 year olds, who have surprising sway. Girls talk about things they like. They support things they like. Talk+Support=more fans=more money.
*C-ute's sucsess is no surprise to me. I don't find any of them particularly personable, but all my friends (who aren't fans of anything slightly Japanese related) seem to find Cute the coolest group. I find them less like Idols, more like Spice Girls sort of thing. One Two Three is also popular among my friends, enough that they even learned Sayu's name.
I used to think H!P only had female fans for the longest time. That bubble was burst pretty fast. But it's really nice to know I'm not the only teen who admires MM.
So female board members: what say you?
Also, everyone must be thinking 'when the heck is pandapanda going to quit making new topics and posting everything?'
Answer: Never.
Female Fans
Moderators: testacles_4, Shoujo Q, momoirosaya
Re: Female Fans
Hell no, I am not a wota, and I take offense to being classified with them.
-
pandapanda
- ANGERME
- Posts: 947
- Joined: Wed May 01, 2013 4:37 pm
Re: Female Fans
[quote name='showraniy' timestamp='1368631417' post='151841']
Hell no, I am not a wota, and I take offense to being classified with them.
[/quote]
Ew. Heck, I don't want to be classified wota now that I think about it. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... kowota.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':wota:' />
New title! 'Fans' is way better.
Hell no, I am not a wota, and I take offense to being classified with them.
[/quote]
Ew. Heck, I don't want to be classified wota now that I think about it. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... kowota.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':wota:' />
New title! 'Fans' is way better.
-
momoirosaya
- つんく♂
- Posts: 5148
- Joined: Thu Feb 11, 2010 8:21 pm
Re: Female Fans
Title fixed!
I got into H!P through Kirarin Revolution, I was like 12 or 13 at the time, and that's also why I love Koha!
Shugo! Chara began airing at that time too, and there was Buono!
I got into H!P through Kirarin Revolution, I was like 12 or 13 at the time, and that's also why I love Koha!
Shugo! Chara began airing at that time too, and there was Buono!
rikako♡eripon♡airi
Re: Female Fans
"Female fans" - that's probably 80% of the active posters here, just so you know. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... stling.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':whistling:' />
Last edited by Ap2000 on Wed May 15, 2013 10:39 am, edited 1 time in total.
Travel back in time through the haze of memories that aren't your own
and melodies frozen in a particular place in history..
If you say run, I'll run with you
If you say hide, we'll hide
and melodies frozen in a particular place in history..
If you say run, I'll run with you
If you say hide, we'll hide
Re: Female Fans
I began listening to Japanese music for a story I was working on, which was more or less a magical girl anime-based thing. Since I was getting some ideas from Negima! I would watch Negima! AMVs, and one AMV I found had Morning Musume's "Say Yeah! ~Motto Miracle Night~". I followed related videos with other Morning Musume songs, then went to go download them.
After a while I found on a website where I got all my Morning Musume songs a brand new release by a group named Berryz Koubou called "Dakishimete Dakishimete." I really liked the clothing they had so I downloaded it.. then in related posts, I found C-ute's "Shochuu Omimai Moushiagemasu." Then I found the BBS and ProjectHello and discovered a bunch of other groups through it.
Why I like H!P...the songs are catchy, I love the fashion, I love how hard the girls work. I love how everyone has unique personalities. Also they're pretty. I live vicariously through them.
After a while I found on a website where I got all my Morning Musume songs a brand new release by a group named Berryz Koubou called "Dakishimete Dakishimete." I really liked the clothing they had so I downloaded it.. then in related posts, I found C-ute's "Shochuu Omimai Moushiagemasu." Then I found the BBS and ProjectHello and discovered a bunch of other groups through it.
Why I like H!P...the songs are catchy, I love the fashion, I love how hard the girls work. I love how everyone has unique personalities. Also they're pretty. I live vicariously through them.
Last edited by Haru on Wed May 15, 2013 10:52 am, edited 1 time in total.
[11:13:35 PM] Liam: DO NOT LET JAPANESE IDOLS GET IN THE WAY OF THE *AMERICAN* DREAM
Re: Female Fans
Honestly, I got into them when I was 11 so I can't say really that I liked them because they're my age since they're all way older until the 9th gen joined.. The songs are catchy and mostly upbeat and that's something I was really into. I guess now I've stayed because the girls are my age and I don't know I just like H!P? A lot of what Haru said too, fashion, songs, the hard workers.
Re: Female Fans
When I first fit into them I looked up to them because they were older than me. Then as the new girls came in I had this feeling of I want to support them. Also I really do love the music. And the girls seem so real and non manufactured. I also like that the wota baiting isn't as blatant as some groups, which allows me to enjoy them without feeling creepy.
Re: Female Fans
I hated Morning Musume when I first discovered them ~2003. I thought they were horribly untalented hacks who were just in show business because people liked them for whatever reason that obviously had nothing to do with their lame music and bad voices. I'd read arguments about idols being "IIIIDOOOLS" and "it's not about singing!" and just didn't give a rat's ass, thinking that if it's not about singing, they should stop releasing music and focus on all that other stuff people keep shouting it IS about. Sell some more personality or something, but girl shut it for the love of god.
Fast forward to 2008/2009ish, I forget why or how, but I found Resonant Blue on Youtube and fell in love. Ai and Reina were the main points since... well... there ARE no other points in Resonant Blue as far as singers go. I don't know how, but I was able to not notice Kusumi sounding terrible because I probably would've thrown up my hands again at the group.
Talent and good music attracted me first, then the humanness of the girls with the backstage footage/snippets of their lives that are much more common in idol-land than with musical artists. It was the first time I was able to get into a single girl rather than a whole group and have the whole group just blend into one for me. Bands are a lot less individually focused than idol groups considering how wota and the camera play up the charms and downfalls of individual girls way more than the group as a whole.
So short version: I guess the talent drew me in, then the ability to relate to the girls kept me. I kind of do look up to them in a way, but I don't really want to be them, so I guess it's a different sort of admiration. I wouldn't be an idol if it were offered to me, but I can still admire what these girls do, and be motivated by their hard work doing it.
Fast forward to 2008/2009ish, I forget why or how, but I found Resonant Blue on Youtube and fell in love. Ai and Reina were the main points since... well... there ARE no other points in Resonant Blue as far as singers go. I don't know how, but I was able to not notice Kusumi sounding terrible because I probably would've thrown up my hands again at the group.
Talent and good music attracted me first, then the humanness of the girls with the backstage footage/snippets of their lives that are much more common in idol-land than with musical artists. It was the first time I was able to get into a single girl rather than a whole group and have the whole group just blend into one for me. Bands are a lot less individually focused than idol groups considering how wota and the camera play up the charms and downfalls of individual girls way more than the group as a whole.
So short version: I guess the talent drew me in, then the ability to relate to the girls kept me. I kind of do look up to them in a way, but I don't really want to be them, so I guess it's a different sort of admiration. I wouldn't be an idol if it were offered to me, but I can still admire what these girls do, and be motivated by their hard work doing it.
Re: Female Fans
I got into them after the 2001 summer shuffles and The Peace! and really the main reason I got into them was because their songs were just so happy and fun and different than any of the other crap I heard at the time. And then as I got to know the girls' personalities and stuff I just found them really easy to relate to. So, the rest is history.
♥ Kaori • Risako ♥
♥ Sakura • Kananan • Sayuki ♥
Re: Female Fans
I got into them when Xtina, Britney, et.all were popular and doing that whole jailbait sex symbol thing, and that wasn't me or what I was comfortable with, so when I saw these girls - the music was great, the girls were normal girls like me (and the same age) and they were great entertainers, I fell in love.
Now, I think I view the girls as the little sisters I never had or something. I feel for them pretty much the same way I feel for my little cousin. The music is still good to great, and the older girls are still cool. I just feel weird when the ones that were my age have my kids. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /laugh.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':lol:' /> I do love these new girls, but they don't have the magic the older ones do - and I'm not sure if that magic is because I'm not the same age so I can't see them as equal peers or because the girls on the whole have lost that spark.
Now, I think I view the girls as the little sisters I never had or something. I feel for them pretty much the same way I feel for my little cousin. The music is still good to great, and the older girls are still cool. I just feel weird when the ones that were my age have my kids. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /laugh.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':lol:' /> I do love these new girls, but they don't have the magic the older ones do - and I'm not sure if that magic is because I'm not the same age so I can't see them as equal peers or because the girls on the whole have lost that spark.
Re: Female Fans
[quote name='Petit Hulk' timestamp='1368713287' post='151975']
I just feel weird when the ones that were my age have my kids. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /laugh.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':lol:' /> I do love these new girls, but they don't have the magic the older ones do - and I'm not sure if that magic is because I'm not the same age so I can't see them as equal peers or because the girls on the whole have lost that spark.
[/quote]
I feel you here. I love the new girls but ever since 9th gen joined, it feels strange to me, I guess because I can't relate to them as much and almost all the ones I grew up with are gone. That's why I cling to Reina/Sayu anymore (even though I was never crazy about Sayu... she's a lot more likable recently). I feel like MM is going to be really weird when they're both gone.
I got into H!P because of the the 2003 Shuffles and "Shabondama" really hooked me. Before that, I was listening to a lot of typical American alternative rock, jrock, and some sprinkling of folksy jpop (Sakamoto Maaya). Since their image was so different than what I was used to and accepted, I was intrigued. I actually first heard MM from "Sou da! We're ALIVE" but I hated it. Too different from what I was used to at the time, I guess.
I just love the songs, the PVs, their dancing, the different voices, individual personalities, and group dynamics. They're so cute and pretty and make me feel good <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... joyful.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':joyful:' />
Oh yeah and Tsunku♂ is a genius but that's nothing new.
I just feel weird when the ones that were my age have my kids. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /laugh.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':lol:' /> I do love these new girls, but they don't have the magic the older ones do - and I'm not sure if that magic is because I'm not the same age so I can't see them as equal peers or because the girls on the whole have lost that spark.
[/quote]
I feel you here. I love the new girls but ever since 9th gen joined, it feels strange to me, I guess because I can't relate to them as much and almost all the ones I grew up with are gone. That's why I cling to Reina/Sayu anymore (even though I was never crazy about Sayu... she's a lot more likable recently). I feel like MM is going to be really weird when they're both gone.
I got into H!P because of the the 2003 Shuffles and "Shabondama" really hooked me. Before that, I was listening to a lot of typical American alternative rock, jrock, and some sprinkling of folksy jpop (Sakamoto Maaya). Since their image was so different than what I was used to and accepted, I was intrigued. I actually first heard MM from "Sou da! We're ALIVE" but I hated it. Too different from what I was used to at the time, I guess.
I just love the songs, the PVs, their dancing, the different voices, individual personalities, and group dynamics. They're so cute and pretty and make me feel good <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... joyful.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':joyful:' />
Oh yeah and Tsunku♂ is a genius but that's nothing new.
Re: Female Fans
[quote name='Kahoryn' timestamp='1368714971' post='151982']
Oh yeah and Tsunku♂ is a genius but that's nothing new.
[/quote]
Yeah, one time I was listening to Kimi Sae? I think, and Ryan's like...."I think you know this, but that is some amazing production right there. I may not like the music itself, but even I have to admit that."
Oh yeah and Tsunku♂ is a genius but that's nothing new.
[/quote]
Yeah, one time I was listening to Kimi Sae? I think, and Ryan's like...."I think you know this, but that is some amazing production right there. I may not like the music itself, but even I have to admit that."
♥ Kaori • Risako ♥
♥ Sakura • Kananan • Sayuki ♥
Re: Female Fans
[quote name='yuzuriha' timestamp='1368719451' post='151990']
[quote name='Kahoryn' timestamp='1368714971' post='151982']
Oh yeah and Tsunku♂ is a genius but that's nothing new.
[/quote]
Yeah, one time I was listening to Kimi Sae? I think, and Ryan's like...."I think you know this, but that is some amazing production right there. I may not like the music itself, but even I have to admit that."
[/quote]
Bwahaha. I was listening to some MM. in the car once and I caught my husband tapping his hand on his leg to the beat of a couple of the songs. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... nceman.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':danceman:' /> Never called him out on it though to ask him his opinion. (I should note I've introduced him to several Jpop artists and he likes a lot of it, he's very open to music, but usually likes things with meaning/feeling and I thought MM. might be too poppy and weird/cutesy for him.)
[quote name='Kahoryn' timestamp='1368714971' post='151982']
Oh yeah and Tsunku♂ is a genius but that's nothing new.
[/quote]
Yeah, one time I was listening to Kimi Sae? I think, and Ryan's like...."I think you know this, but that is some amazing production right there. I may not like the music itself, but even I have to admit that."
[/quote]
Bwahaha. I was listening to some MM. in the car once and I caught my husband tapping his hand on his leg to the beat of a couple of the songs. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... nceman.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':danceman:' /> Never called him out on it though to ask him his opinion. (I should note I've introduced him to several Jpop artists and he likes a lot of it, he's very open to music, but usually likes things with meaning/feeling and I thought MM. might be too poppy and weird/cutesy for him.)
Last edited by Kahoryn on Thu May 16, 2013 8:56 am, edited 1 time in total.
-
pandapanda
- ANGERME
- Posts: 947
- Joined: Wed May 01, 2013 4:37 pm
Re: Female Fans
[quote name='Kahoryn' timestamp='1368719696' post='151992']
(I should note I've introduced him to several Jpop artists and he likes a lot of it, he's very open to music, but usually likes things with meaning/feeling and I thought MM. might be too poppy and weird/cutesy for him.)
[/quote]
And he has never been a teenage girl. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /happy.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='^_^' />
(I should note I've introduced him to several Jpop artists and he likes a lot of it, he's very open to music, but usually likes things with meaning/feeling and I thought MM. might be too poppy and weird/cutesy for him.)
[/quote]
And he has never been a teenage girl. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /happy.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='^_^' />
-
al kusanagi
- つんく♂
- Posts: 5324
- Joined: Sun Sep 17, 2006 3:56 pm
Re: Female Fans
I'm a teenage girl on the inside...
PSN: Aurin13
Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Sayumi R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn!
Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Sayumi R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn!
Re: Female Fans
[quote name='Kahoryn' timestamp='1368714971' post='151982']
Oh yeah and Tsunku♂ is a genius but that's nothing new.
[/quote]
If anything, he's a maniac that sometimes has good and sometimes bad ideas.
Oh yeah and Tsunku♂ is a genius but that's nothing new.
[/quote]
If anything, he's a maniac that sometimes has good and sometimes bad ideas.
Travel back in time through the haze of memories that aren't your own
and melodies frozen in a particular place in history..
If you say run, I'll run with you
If you say hide, we'll hide
and melodies frozen in a particular place in history..
If you say run, I'll run with you
If you say hide, we'll hide
Re: Female Fans
[quote name='Al Kusanagi' timestamp='1368722741' post='151998']
I'm a teenage girl on the inside...
[/quote]
Since Al took the first step to become the first male to enter this thread, I thought I'd follow up by declaring that if I could be a girl, I'd want to be Mai Hagiwara. If I could trade places with anybody in this world, it would be her.
I'm a teenage girl on the inside...
[/quote]
Since Al took the first step to become the first male to enter this thread, I thought I'd follow up by declaring that if I could be a girl, I'd want to be Mai Hagiwara. If I could trade places with anybody in this world, it would be her.
Re: Female Fans
[quote name='Madara' timestamp='1368726415' post='152009']
[quote name='Al Kusanagi' timestamp='1368722741' post='151998']
I'm a teenage girl on the inside...
[/quote]
Since Al took the first step to become the first male to enter this thread, I thought I'd follow up by declaring that if I could be a girl, I'd want to be Mai Hagiwara. If I could trade places with anybody in this world, it would be her.
[/quote]
This!!!!!!!!
[quote name='Al Kusanagi' timestamp='1368722741' post='151998']
I'm a teenage girl on the inside...
[/quote]
Since Al took the first step to become the first male to enter this thread, I thought I'd follow up by declaring that if I could be a girl, I'd want to be Mai Hagiwara. If I could trade places with anybody in this world, it would be her.
[/quote]
This!!!!!!!!
Made by Haru!
Re: Female Fans
[quote name='Saya' timestamp='1368638525' post='151853']
I got into H!P through Kirarin Revolution, I was like 12 or 13 at the time, and that's also why I love Koha!
Shugo! Chara began airing at that time too, and there was Buono!
[/quote]
This is pretty much it for me, except I didn't know Koharu was in H!P (I just really liked Koi Kana/Balalaika; her later stuff was awful). I didn't look into H!P until I got attached to Buono!. Then I looked up the members, found C-ute and Berryz... and wound up in a related video which happened to be MM's SYO, which I became obsessed with. And then Manoeri became my obsession, probably because she's closest to my age and I really admired her determination to improve.
Nowadays I probably pay the most attention to S/mileage releases, but I still really like the other groups <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /happy.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='^_^' />
I got into H!P through Kirarin Revolution, I was like 12 or 13 at the time, and that's also why I love Koha!
Shugo! Chara began airing at that time too, and there was Buono!
[/quote]
This is pretty much it for me, except I didn't know Koharu was in H!P (I just really liked Koi Kana/Balalaika; her later stuff was awful). I didn't look into H!P until I got attached to Buono!. Then I looked up the members, found C-ute and Berryz... and wound up in a related video which happened to be MM's SYO, which I became obsessed with. And then Manoeri became my obsession, probably because she's closest to my age and I really admired her determination to improve.
Nowadays I probably pay the most attention to S/mileage releases, but I still really like the other groups <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /happy.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='^_^' />
Last edited by kira on Thu May 16, 2013 11:37 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Female Fans
[quote name='Madara' timestamp='1368726415' post='152009']
[quote name='Al Kusanagi' timestamp='1368722741' post='151998']
I'm a teenage girl on the inside...
[/quote]
Since Al took the first step to become the first male to enter this thread, I thought I'd follow up by declaring that if I could be a girl, I'd want to be Mai Hagiwara. If I could trade places with anybody in this world, it would be her.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7292/8744 ... 2385e2.jpg
[/quote]
I'm not a girl. lol
[quote name='Al Kusanagi' timestamp='1368722741' post='151998']
I'm a teenage girl on the inside...
[/quote]
Since Al took the first step to become the first male to enter this thread, I thought I'd follow up by declaring that if I could be a girl, I'd want to be Mai Hagiwara. If I could trade places with anybody in this world, it would be her.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7292/8744 ... 2385e2.jpg
[/quote]
I'm not a girl. lol
Travel back in time through the haze of memories that aren't your own
and melodies frozen in a particular place in history..
If you say run, I'll run with you
If you say hide, we'll hide
and melodies frozen in a particular place in history..
If you say run, I'll run with you
If you say hide, we'll hide
Re: Female Fans
[quote name='Ap2000' timestamp='1368732598' post='152020']
[quote name='Madara' timestamp='1368726415' post='152009']
[quote name='Al Kusanagi' timestamp='1368722741' post='151998']
I'm a teenage girl on the inside...
[/quote]
Since Al took the first step to become the first male to enter this thread, I thought I'd follow up by declaring that if I could be a girl, I'd want to be Mai Hagiwara. If I could trade places with anybody in this world, it would be her.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7292/8744 ... 2385e2.jpg
[/quote]
I'm not a girl. lol
[/quote]
Al was the first and you and I posted at about the same time so I wasn't aware of your post until after I posted.
(Typical guy thing: invade a girls' thread and then get into a pissing contest over who was second. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... >/rofl.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='
' /> )
[quote name='Madara' timestamp='1368726415' post='152009']
[quote name='Al Kusanagi' timestamp='1368722741' post='151998']
I'm a teenage girl on the inside...
[/quote]
Since Al took the first step to become the first male to enter this thread, I thought I'd follow up by declaring that if I could be a girl, I'd want to be Mai Hagiwara. If I could trade places with anybody in this world, it would be her.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7292/8744 ... 2385e2.jpg
[/quote]
I'm not a girl. lol
[/quote]
Al was the first and you and I posted at about the same time so I wasn't aware of your post until after I posted.
(Typical guy thing: invade a girls' thread and then get into a pissing contest over who was second. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... >/rofl.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='
' /> )Re: Female Fans
[quote name='Madara' timestamp='1368736797' post='152022']
Al was the first and you and I posted at about the same time so I wasn't aware of your post until after I posted.
(Typical guy thing: invade a girls' thread and then get into a pissing contest over who was second. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... >/rofl.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /> )
[/quote]
OMG, you ABSOLUTELY need to spoiler that vagoo, it makes that comment so much better. hah
And Al was certainly not the first dude in this thread, look at post #5 !
Al was the first and you and I posted at about the same time so I wasn't aware of your post until after I posted.
(Typical guy thing: invade a girls' thread and then get into a pissing contest over who was second. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... >/rofl.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='
' /> )[/quote]
OMG, you ABSOLUTELY need to spoiler that vagoo, it makes that comment so much better. hah
And Al was certainly not the first dude in this thread, look at post #5 !
Last edited by Ap2000 on Thu May 16, 2013 2:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Travel back in time through the haze of memories that aren't your own
and melodies frozen in a particular place in history..
If you say run, I'll run with you
If you say hide, we'll hide
and melodies frozen in a particular place in history..
If you say run, I'll run with you
If you say hide, we'll hide
-
AEUGNewtype
- ANGERME
- Posts: 1296
- Joined: Sun Sep 17, 2006 5:06 pm
Re: Female Fans
[quote name='Kahoryn' timestamp='1368714971' post='151982']
Oh yeah and Tsunku♂ was a genius but that's nothing new.
[/quote]
Fixed it.
Anyway, not trying to intrude so much, not being a girl and all, but this is interestingly slightly related to a similar question I've been researching lately that I can't really reach any conclusive answers on, so maybe some of you can help.
I'm sure most people will just treat this as TL;DR, but I've been interested to get some input.
My main thing lately has been trying to figure out why the overseas fandom for H!P had this HUGE influx is retarded little kids around the 2007-current period. It just seems to me like back in the days of the early 2000s when I became a fan, the overseas community was generally a lot more mature and respectful of the subject material and not just a bunch of weeaboos who loved anything from Japan, but from everything I've found, there was just a giant wave of kids who got obsessed with H!P all around the same period.
I have a few findings and theories for what may have happened, and it may be wrong, but its kinda related to this article/thread. Some of the biggest indicators I have to this are a tumblr community I visit often (CEH!P, which often links to/talks about H!O and JPH!P, which I am also active on for the non-H!P sections) multiple Facebook groups centered around H!P, this forum to some extent (not as bad as the others, usually) and a bunch of Twitter folks who are into H!P. Of course, my experience may be somewhat limited since I am only one person, but I've touched around at most of the prevalent communities centered around H!P to try and figure this out.
It seemed to me like the few anime tie-ins that H!P has had (Shugo Chara and Kirarin Revolution, basically) wouldn't really be enough to cause such a huge influx of all these young fans like this, because the shows really didn't seem to be popular with overseas audiences, from what it seemed when they were on the air.
Then again, around that time seemed to be when the whole "cool Japan" thing started to hit young, outcast white kids, so just about anything new from Japan seemed to be really well-received overseas, to some extent, or at least people were slightly more open-minded about looking into it (albeit really naive and ignorant about it as well) and children's shows like Naruto, Bleach, Pokemon, etc. were huge overseas and helped to push this image about Japanese entertainment.
I had mostly lost touch with any kind of overseas anime fandom at that point (I really don't watch any anime made after 2003) but I would still see websites and what appeared to be trends among the overseas crowds through friends of mine or online communities. Maybe someone who was more active in this has more of an idea how it all fit together?
Maybe it was a combination of all these things working at the same time, but my other biggest question was: why H!P? Why not one of the other established or upcoming successful idol groups out there at the time? Probably just because they've been around so long, since they didn't have much of any current face or promotion at the time besides those children's anime tie-ins. It seemed to be an all-time low point for H!P for sales/attendance, etc. as far as Japan was concerned.
Maybe the idiocy and obnoxiousness of newer fans can be attributed to modern parenting being pretty shitty or non-existent where kids don't really learn values or common sense and don't know how to act because they're all babysat by the internet instead of their parents? All that seems pretty likely from where I'm sitting.
A lot of you guys seem around this age, so hopefully you have some input. I don't know if this should be its own thread, split it if you think it should.
Its also interesting that its been brought up how a lot of people will change which idols are their favorite as they get older because their own interests and lives change and their ability to be able to relate to them changes as well (when the fans get older or they become parents, they're more interested in the idols feeling like the children they never had, etc. whereas when they're younger, they want the girls to just be youthful and fun, similar to themselves.)
I think this is a huge factor for me, since at this point, I'm almost 30 and nothing about same-y 13-17 year old girls really intrigues me, which is how current H!P appears to me, and why I've resorted to other idol groups in the last number of years with older girls and more personally interesting activities. When I was 16-17 and just getting into the fandom, I could see how young girls like that could be a little more interesting and easier to relate to, age-wise (even besides the whole older generations were actually more interesting and diverse argument.) Not to mention, since the focus of my being a fan is on the music first and foremost, and I think Tsunku exhausted himself about 4 years ago as far as being able to not repeat himself and putting effort into the works to make them unique.
Oh yeah and Tsunku♂ was a genius but that's nothing new.
[/quote]
Fixed it.
Anyway, not trying to intrude so much, not being a girl and all, but this is interestingly slightly related to a similar question I've been researching lately that I can't really reach any conclusive answers on, so maybe some of you can help.
I'm sure most people will just treat this as TL;DR, but I've been interested to get some input.
My main thing lately has been trying to figure out why the overseas fandom for H!P had this HUGE influx is retarded little kids around the 2007-current period. It just seems to me like back in the days of the early 2000s when I became a fan, the overseas community was generally a lot more mature and respectful of the subject material and not just a bunch of weeaboos who loved anything from Japan, but from everything I've found, there was just a giant wave of kids who got obsessed with H!P all around the same period.
I have a few findings and theories for what may have happened, and it may be wrong, but its kinda related to this article/thread. Some of the biggest indicators I have to this are a tumblr community I visit often (CEH!P, which often links to/talks about H!O and JPH!P, which I am also active on for the non-H!P sections) multiple Facebook groups centered around H!P, this forum to some extent (not as bad as the others, usually) and a bunch of Twitter folks who are into H!P. Of course, my experience may be somewhat limited since I am only one person, but I've touched around at most of the prevalent communities centered around H!P to try and figure this out.
It seemed to me like the few anime tie-ins that H!P has had (Shugo Chara and Kirarin Revolution, basically) wouldn't really be enough to cause such a huge influx of all these young fans like this, because the shows really didn't seem to be popular with overseas audiences, from what it seemed when they were on the air.
Then again, around that time seemed to be when the whole "cool Japan" thing started to hit young, outcast white kids, so just about anything new from Japan seemed to be really well-received overseas, to some extent, or at least people were slightly more open-minded about looking into it (albeit really naive and ignorant about it as well) and children's shows like Naruto, Bleach, Pokemon, etc. were huge overseas and helped to push this image about Japanese entertainment.
I had mostly lost touch with any kind of overseas anime fandom at that point (I really don't watch any anime made after 2003) but I would still see websites and what appeared to be trends among the overseas crowds through friends of mine or online communities. Maybe someone who was more active in this has more of an idea how it all fit together?
Maybe it was a combination of all these things working at the same time, but my other biggest question was: why H!P? Why not one of the other established or upcoming successful idol groups out there at the time? Probably just because they've been around so long, since they didn't have much of any current face or promotion at the time besides those children's anime tie-ins. It seemed to be an all-time low point for H!P for sales/attendance, etc. as far as Japan was concerned.
Maybe the idiocy and obnoxiousness of newer fans can be attributed to modern parenting being pretty shitty or non-existent where kids don't really learn values or common sense and don't know how to act because they're all babysat by the internet instead of their parents? All that seems pretty likely from where I'm sitting.
A lot of you guys seem around this age, so hopefully you have some input. I don't know if this should be its own thread, split it if you think it should.
Its also interesting that its been brought up how a lot of people will change which idols are their favorite as they get older because their own interests and lives change and their ability to be able to relate to them changes as well (when the fans get older or they become parents, they're more interested in the idols feeling like the children they never had, etc. whereas when they're younger, they want the girls to just be youthful and fun, similar to themselves.)
I think this is a huge factor for me, since at this point, I'm almost 30 and nothing about same-y 13-17 year old girls really intrigues me, which is how current H!P appears to me, and why I've resorted to other idol groups in the last number of years with older girls and more personally interesting activities. When I was 16-17 and just getting into the fandom, I could see how young girls like that could be a little more interesting and easier to relate to, age-wise (even besides the whole older generations were actually more interesting and diverse argument.) Not to mention, since the focus of my being a fan is on the music first and foremost, and I think Tsunku exhausted himself about 4 years ago as far as being able to not repeat himself and putting effort into the works to make them unique.
Last edited by AEUGNewtype on Thu May 16, 2013 5:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Female Fans
I think YouTube plays a big factor into why H!P nowadays. If you compare to other idol groups, H!P has a lot more of their videos out there (that I've seen anyway). Since YouTube is big among most people, especially young girls, if they were into anime, say Shugo Chara, it would be easy to find a Buono song that was used as an opening. Then the sidebar could have videos with the Buono girls in Berryz and Cute and that could broaden it that way.It's easier to access so it's easier to get into?
I don't know this is just my first guess at your question why H!P.
I don't know this is just my first guess at your question why H!P.
-
momoirosaya
- つんく♂
- Posts: 5148
- Joined: Thu Feb 11, 2010 8:21 pm
Re: Female Fans
[quote name='kira' timestamp='1368729313' post='152018']
[quote name='Saya' timestamp='1368638525' post='151853']
I got into H!P through Kirarin Revolution, I was like 12 or 13 at the time, and that's also why I love Koha!
Shugo! Chara began airing at that time too, and there was Buono!
[/quote]
This is pretty much it for me, except I didn't know Koharu was in H!P (I just really liked Koi Kana/Balalaika; her later stuff was awful). I didn't look into H!P until I got attached to Buono!. Then I looked up the members, found C-ute and Berryz... and wound up in a related video which happened to be MM's SYO, which I became obsessed with.
[/quote]
Same here. I didn't know Koha was in MM at first either and then I found MM but didn't care too much, but then through Buono! I found out about Berryz and C-ute, and then realized that they were all H!P groups, but in MM I only liked Koha at the time, so for a while I was a Berryz fan.
Haromoni and old utaban episodes are what really got me into MM.
[quote name='Saya' timestamp='1368638525' post='151853']
I got into H!P through Kirarin Revolution, I was like 12 or 13 at the time, and that's also why I love Koha!
Shugo! Chara began airing at that time too, and there was Buono!
[/quote]
This is pretty much it for me, except I didn't know Koharu was in H!P (I just really liked Koi Kana/Balalaika; her later stuff was awful). I didn't look into H!P until I got attached to Buono!. Then I looked up the members, found C-ute and Berryz... and wound up in a related video which happened to be MM's SYO, which I became obsessed with.
[/quote]
Same here. I didn't know Koha was in MM at first either and then I found MM but didn't care too much, but then through Buono! I found out about Berryz and C-ute, and then realized that they were all H!P groups, but in MM I only liked Koha at the time, so for a while I was a Berryz fan.
Haromoni and old utaban episodes are what really got me into MM.
rikako♡eripon♡airi
-
AEUGNewtype
- ANGERME
- Posts: 1296
- Joined: Sun Sep 17, 2006 5:06 pm
Re: Female Fans
[quote name='Mukuro' timestamp='1368746501' post='152034']
I think YouTube plays a big factor into why H!P nowadays. If you compare to other idol groups, H!P has a lot more of their videos out there (that I've seen anyway). Since YouTube is big among most people, especially young girls, if they were into anime, say Shugo Chara, it would be easy to find a Buono song that was used as an opening. Then the sidebar could have videos with the Buono girls in Berryz and Cute and that could broaden it that way.It's easier to access so it's easier to get into?
I don't know this is just my first guess at your question why H!P.
[/quote]
That actually makes a lot of sense. I've never been too big into YouTube, I think the service is shit, but it definitely spreads this kind of stuff everywhere. This is why we now have things like Gangnam Style, which is just a fad, where H!P seems to have caught on more, but that's the nature of idols vs. a regular performer. I just tend to forget or discredit its power in sucking people into fandoms because I've never personally had the experience of getting into any major fandom because of it.
And that time period of 2006-present seems to be when YouTube has had its biggest jump in influence of American culture, so it definitely adds up, to some degree. I think this is also a factor in the whole kids being babysat by the internet thing I've been experiencing lately, since YouTube sucks a lot of people in for long periods of time.
This period was also before the Japanese record companies and TV stations started cracking down on removing copyrighted YouTube content, so there was a LOT of content out there at the time. Interesting how this all fits together.
This may also factor into some of my other questions as well, but not be the definite answer. Thank you.
I think YouTube plays a big factor into why H!P nowadays. If you compare to other idol groups, H!P has a lot more of their videos out there (that I've seen anyway). Since YouTube is big among most people, especially young girls, if they were into anime, say Shugo Chara, it would be easy to find a Buono song that was used as an opening. Then the sidebar could have videos with the Buono girls in Berryz and Cute and that could broaden it that way.It's easier to access so it's easier to get into?
I don't know this is just my first guess at your question why H!P.
[/quote]
That actually makes a lot of sense. I've never been too big into YouTube, I think the service is shit, but it definitely spreads this kind of stuff everywhere. This is why we now have things like Gangnam Style, which is just a fad, where H!P seems to have caught on more, but that's the nature of idols vs. a regular performer. I just tend to forget or discredit its power in sucking people into fandoms because I've never personally had the experience of getting into any major fandom because of it.
And that time period of 2006-present seems to be when YouTube has had its biggest jump in influence of American culture, so it definitely adds up, to some degree. I think this is also a factor in the whole kids being babysat by the internet thing I've been experiencing lately, since YouTube sucks a lot of people in for long periods of time.
This period was also before the Japanese record companies and TV stations started cracking down on removing copyrighted YouTube content, so there was a LOT of content out there at the time. Interesting how this all fits together.
This may also factor into some of my other questions as well, but not be the definite answer. Thank you.
Last edited by AEUGNewtype on Thu May 16, 2013 4:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Female Fans
Well, let me tell the story of how I came into the H!P fandom.
I was about 11 and I was looking up some anime theme songs, which somehow lead to watching Numa Numa videos. I clicked on this. I was smart enough to be able to tell that that wasn't them singing, but I watched the video in inst entirety and heard the Special Generation clip at the end and loved it, so I looked up Berry Kobo. One search turned into me listening to them for a week straight. A couple months later, I found C-ute. I liked a few songs, but not as much as Berryz. A while after that, a "recommended for you" video on YouTube was this and I loved it. I immediately fell in love with ReiYumi*, I thought (and I still do) that they were so pretty, and I loved their voices. There's not much else to tell . . . As to why I'm a fan, I'm not even sure!
*If you don't already know, ReiYumi is what I call Reina and Sayumi.
I was about 11 and I was looking up some anime theme songs, which somehow lead to watching Numa Numa videos. I clicked on this. I was smart enough to be able to tell that that wasn't them singing, but I watched the video in inst entirety and heard the Special Generation clip at the end and loved it, so I looked up Berry Kobo. One search turned into me listening to them for a week straight. A couple months later, I found C-ute. I liked a few songs, but not as much as Berryz. A while after that, a "recommended for you" video on YouTube was this and I loved it. I immediately fell in love with ReiYumi*, I thought (and I still do) that they were so pretty, and I loved their voices. There's not much else to tell . . . As to why I'm a fan, I'm not even sure!
*If you don't already know, ReiYumi is what I call Reina and Sayumi.
<div>
</div>
<div style="text-align:center;"><a class="bbc_url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/XxBLUExXxS ... YouTube</a> | <a class="bbc_url" href="http://starxland.wordpress.com/">ＳＴ☆Ｒ「ＬＡＮＤ」</a> | <a class="bbc_url" href="http://instagram.com/xbluexxxstarx">Instagram</a></div>
<div>
</div>
<div style="text-align:center;"><a class="bbc_url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/XxBLUExXxS ... YouTube</a> | <a class="bbc_url" href="http://starxland.wordpress.com/">ＳＴ☆Ｒ「ＬＡＮＤ」</a> | <a class="bbc_url" href="http://instagram.com/xbluexxxstarx">Instagram</a></div>
<div>
Catch the stars before they fall . . .
"I am the son and the heir of a shyness that is criminally vulgar. I am the son and heir of nothing in particular."
Re: Female Fans
[quote name='Ap2000' timestamp='1368740234' post='152024']
[quote name='Madara' timestamp='1368736797' post='152022']
Al was the first and you and I posted at about the same time so I wasn't aware of your post until after I posted.
(Typical guy thing: invade a girls' thread and then get into a pissing contest over who was second. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... >/rofl.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /> )
[/quote]
OMG, you ABSOLUTELY need to spoiler that vagoo, it makes that comment so much better. hah
And Al was certainly not the first dude in this thread, look at post #5 !
[/quote]
Ya got me. I didn't even notice that one. Sorry.
[quote name='Madara' timestamp='1368736797' post='152022']
Al was the first and you and I posted at about the same time so I wasn't aware of your post until after I posted.
(Typical guy thing: invade a girls' thread and then get into a pissing contest over who was second. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... >/rofl.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='
' /> )[/quote]
OMG, you ABSOLUTELY need to spoiler that vagoo, it makes that comment so much better. hah
And Al was certainly not the first dude in this thread, look at post #5 !
[/quote]
Ya got me. I didn't even notice that one. Sorry.
Re: Female Fans
AEUG --
Here's what I think:
H!P had a solid, established foreign fanbase, which helped other fans join the fandom.
What do I mean by this?
I "discovered" AKB48 and H!P around the same time, and it was easier for me to get into H!P (and it had nothing to do with the number of people in AKB48 at all). H!P had a solid network of getting music videos, getting music releases, getting photos of members, and people dedicated to reviewing PVs and discussing everything about H!P. I learned about almost a decade of MM history extremely easily. The only place I could find discussing AKB48 at the time was Stage48, and they didn't have a website yet (they only had the forum). I remember reading a comment sometime later about how hard it was for AKB48 fans to get good quality pictures of their magazine appearances and such (obviously it's different now but at the time it was like that) because H!P had a dedicated group of fans for all of that, who could point you easily to what you were looking for, and there were so many blogs to read and learn from.
Also, it's much much easier to get access to H!P videos compared to say, Perfume (most were removed almost instantly) or a Johnny's group (near impossible to find unless you knew where to look) or an Avex artist (also removed very quickly). This was before most of them had their own Youtube channels and uploaded their own videos to Youtube, and even then they usually upload "short" versions. H!P uploaded everything when they got their YT channels (though nowadays not as much).
This also contributes to how it's really easy to get into K-pop artists. They have very dedicated fans who can compile so much information and get you to know the members easily. I learned all of Super Junior in a day, just thanks to fans referring me to things. And their videos are really easy to find.
Anyway I think it's not just that a lot of younger people who joined the fandom around that time (I'm sure older fans joined too), but rather that older fans left the fandom around that time so when the new fans joined they became an apparent majority. I don't think it's a phenomenon you're witnessing, it's probably just a recency illusion.
Here's what I think:
H!P had a solid, established foreign fanbase, which helped other fans join the fandom.
What do I mean by this?
I "discovered" AKB48 and H!P around the same time, and it was easier for me to get into H!P (and it had nothing to do with the number of people in AKB48 at all). H!P had a solid network of getting music videos, getting music releases, getting photos of members, and people dedicated to reviewing PVs and discussing everything about H!P. I learned about almost a decade of MM history extremely easily. The only place I could find discussing AKB48 at the time was Stage48, and they didn't have a website yet (they only had the forum). I remember reading a comment sometime later about how hard it was for AKB48 fans to get good quality pictures of their magazine appearances and such (obviously it's different now but at the time it was like that) because H!P had a dedicated group of fans for all of that, who could point you easily to what you were looking for, and there were so many blogs to read and learn from.
Also, it's much much easier to get access to H!P videos compared to say, Perfume (most were removed almost instantly) or a Johnny's group (near impossible to find unless you knew where to look) or an Avex artist (also removed very quickly). This was before most of them had their own Youtube channels and uploaded their own videos to Youtube, and even then they usually upload "short" versions. H!P uploaded everything when they got their YT channels (though nowadays not as much).
This also contributes to how it's really easy to get into K-pop artists. They have very dedicated fans who can compile so much information and get you to know the members easily. I learned all of Super Junior in a day, just thanks to fans referring me to things. And their videos are really easy to find.
Anyway I think it's not just that a lot of younger people who joined the fandom around that time (I'm sure older fans joined too), but rather that older fans left the fandom around that time so when the new fans joined they became an apparent majority. I don't think it's a phenomenon you're witnessing, it's probably just a recency illusion.
Last edited by kira on Thu May 16, 2013 11:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.