My master's at fangirling
Guess what! I am making a presentation in my psychology class about the Arab and Japanese ideas on masculinity. Of course Japan is my favourite part. And after reading some stuff I have more thoughts on what fangirls like. (I will have a master on fangirls probably.)
After reading a long text on SMAP I was like shocked to find out that even themselves don’t think they are that good as singers.
WOW! Is the KAT-TUN phenomenon even bigger because they after all can sing - even though they do make their mistakes from times to times? XD
Seriously, why fangirl over a group that can’t sing? (According to the essay I read - I haven’t seen them live.) Weren’t there better groups a decade ago? With interesting personalities and sex appeal and nice music and all… It seems that SMAP have challenged the masculine ideal and some social constructs first. (I will post my essay on Friday for more details on that subject.) I don’t know how important what they did was and I believe that the stereotype challenging in Japan is pretty recent. So I won’t dwell on the SMAP phenomenon any longer.
Still… fangirls these days! Those who like KAT-TUN because they are pretty and declare here and there that they don’t like their music… Guh! Johnny has a bunch of pretty boys to fangirl over. Chose the ones who make the music you like! There is enough variety for every taste! You can’t make yourself like their style? There is j-rock and visual-kei. They are not ugly either. Some of them are even more rebellious than KT. You can ignore those who wear extravagant make-up if you don’t like it. Japan is full of pretty boys in order to choose from. You have the luxury to find music you like as well. Or even better… find an actor to worship and forget about music altogether.
Maybe I think like that because I am a perfectionist after all… I want it all! Even with Kanjani8… I like their music. I even like their silliness. But Subaru's voice still annoys me! I know that sometimes voices are a matter of taste and I am getting used to it little by little (when the song is good). Maybe I could be a Kanjani8 fangirl if I got used to Subaru’s voice. I know I like very much the songs where his voice isn’t prominent or kind of blends. So yeah, I can’t be a fangirl of a group just for a single detail as the voice of the lead singer. And they are pretty. At least in my eyes. - OK I like MOST Asians!!!
Of course there is another component in the equation: member ai. Or how close the members of a group are. It seems that girls like the idea. They certainly idealize the concept of male friendship (when not more than that.) I don’t know why this is necessary. They don’t have to be buddies! And sometimes they even pretend that! And even when they don’t pretend like KAT-TUN and explain on numerous occasions that they are not that close and they even used to fight when they began, fangils still have to create the perfect fantasy of friendship and love. Personally, I am glad they know how to communicate with each other and they collaborate with minimum trouble. (Yes, our boys are mature now!!!)
And I made a whole entry about that! Even though I am a woman, sometimes I find it hard to understand how other women think…
After reading a long text on SMAP I was like shocked to find out that even themselves don’t think they are that good as singers.
WOW! Is the KAT-TUN phenomenon even bigger because they after all can sing - even though they do make their mistakes from times to times? XD
Seriously, why fangirl over a group that can’t sing? (According to the essay I read - I haven’t seen them live.) Weren’t there better groups a decade ago? With interesting personalities and sex appeal and nice music and all… It seems that SMAP have challenged the masculine ideal and some social constructs first. (I will post my essay on Friday for more details on that subject.) I don’t know how important what they did was and I believe that the stereotype challenging in Japan is pretty recent. So I won’t dwell on the SMAP phenomenon any longer.
Still… fangirls these days! Those who like KAT-TUN because they are pretty and declare here and there that they don’t like their music… Guh! Johnny has a bunch of pretty boys to fangirl over. Chose the ones who make the music you like! There is enough variety for every taste! You can’t make yourself like their style? There is j-rock and visual-kei. They are not ugly either. Some of them are even more rebellious than KT. You can ignore those who wear extravagant make-up if you don’t like it. Japan is full of pretty boys in order to choose from. You have the luxury to find music you like as well. Or even better… find an actor to worship and forget about music altogether.
Maybe I think like that because I am a perfectionist after all… I want it all! Even with Kanjani8… I like their music. I even like their silliness. But Subaru's voice still annoys me! I know that sometimes voices are a matter of taste and I am getting used to it little by little (when the song is good). Maybe I could be a Kanjani8 fangirl if I got used to Subaru’s voice. I know I like very much the songs where his voice isn’t prominent or kind of blends. So yeah, I can’t be a fangirl of a group just for a single detail as the voice of the lead singer. And they are pretty. At least in my eyes. - OK I like MOST Asians!!!
Of course there is another component in the equation: member ai. Or how close the members of a group are. It seems that girls like the idea. They certainly idealize the concept of male friendship (when not more than that.) I don’t know why this is necessary. They don’t have to be buddies! And sometimes they even pretend that! And even when they don’t pretend like KAT-TUN and explain on numerous occasions that they are not that close and they even used to fight when they began, fangils still have to create the perfect fantasy of friendship and love. Personally, I am glad they know how to communicate with each other and they collaborate with minimum trouble. (Yes, our boys are mature now!!!)
And I made a whole entry about that! Even though I am a woman, sometimes I find it hard to understand how other women think…