1. J-pop Idol Groups and the Capitalist Machine

2. Borovoy’s The Too-Good Wife
The Center: A support group for wives of alcoholics in Japan (Borovoy’s site of research)
Amae: “desire to be passively loved”; a relationship model based on the idealization of infancy and total dependency/care
From Doi Takeo’s Anatomy of Dependence, originally a call to get Japanese to “grow up,” but instead lauded as a uniquely Japanese socio-cultural trait! Nihonjinron in full force!
Other postwar Nihonjinron theories: the traditional Japanese home with sliding doors and paper screens serves as a metaphor for the communal, non-individualistic Japanese family; typhoons bring families together more often (?/^^)
Prewar vs. postwar family structure?
Matriarchical families idealized as important means of achieving peace and democracy

3. Boy Idol Groups: A Fantasy Space for Women
Good looking, androgynous
Usually great dancers
Emotive singing-style, usually about love (loneliness, wanting to confess feelings)
Members are depicted as having distinct personalities
Popular groups: Arashi, Hey Say JUMP!, KinKi Kids, Johnny’s West and Johnny’s Jr., Exile, SMAP (super old, but still popular)  Boy groups tend to retain their original members (with the exception of the Johnny’s groups and Exile)

4. Girl Idol Groups: A Fantasy Space for Men
Pretty, young (some say infantile)
Often sing and dance in unison about heartbreak, lovesickness, or how much they need a boyfriend
Fast tempos, happy melodies
Groups can be up to 48 members large
Popular groups: The -48 groups, Perfume, Morning Musume, Momoiro Clover Z
Members are more known for their looks than their personalities
Often wear colorful matching or coordinated outfits  Girl groups tend to either go out of fashion quickly, or have rotating members; they often fill some kind of sexual trope/niche (like Babymetal or the chubby idol groups)

5. So, What About Capitalism?
Artists endorse more products than they do record music
Most J-pop is written behind closed-doors by production masterminds
Production companies are now working in conjunction with the Japanese government in an attempt to lift Japan out of its two-decade recession
Artists are often under strict rules by their labels not to date
Idol groups – particularly girl groups – are designed to fill market niches
In part due to the male gaze: the tacit pressures for women to act or look a certain way to get by in patriarchal societies
Evidenced by: lack of roles for actresses with personality, assuming women are primarily emotionally motivated, sexualized pop culture
Look and listen carefully to the fantasy, and what people are escaping from is all the more clear…
 Debate! Under these conditions, can J-pop idol groups be considered a genuine expression of culture?