Should AKB48 be in the Opening Ceremony of the 2020 Olympics?

do you think 5 years from now Japanese girls will stop wanting to become idols? or that people will stop wanting to watch idols? or do you think management will one day say "no! I hate money! I don't want to make it anymore!"

 

A lot can happen in 5 years. Nothing is for sure. No one is saying that idols in general will die out. However, there are many factors that play into AKB's success. Something could happen that completely changes the game. Who knows. Morning Musume were once the "it group". Same with Onyanko Club. Most of the 90s was void of the type of idol groups we think of today.

Also, as a fan of both K-Pop and J-Pop, I like both equally. However, comparisons between K-Pop idols and J-Pop idols are completely useless because the word "idol" means two completely different things depending on which one you're talking about--something most K-Pop fans don't understand. If you REALLY want to compare, compare K-Pop idols with groups like E-Girls. And even then they are still very different. It's funny because I don't usually see people comparing Amuro Namie and BoA or Lee Hyori and Koda Kumi or sonething. Both markets have their strengths and weaknesses anyway.

 

Again, if we're talking about mainstream popularity, sales or how many people vote in the sousenkyo aren't an indication of that, because you can like an artist without being a huge fan and buying their stuff, which is the case with most fans. It's things like not being able to turn on the tv without seeing AKB members featured in some show or starring in commercials, or walk into a store without seeing them on the cover of a magazine, being able to name some of their songs and even sing along even though you're not really into the group, because it gets played everywhere you go. It's the same thing with most of us being able to name at least a few of Beyonce or Lady Gaga songs even if we hate their music, and somehow knowing things about them even if we don't care.

 

That's just a repeat of the of the article from Rocketnews. The last articles that this Justin McCurry has written about AKB? ....the head-shaving incident and the saw attack. It's just another lazy bit of journalism, there is no controversy, just a fat loud-mouth transvestite mouthing off for publicity. Plus, you probably don't know but the Guardian has it's own agenda, it's a left=wing newspaper for SJW's who love to sneer at other countries.

HE DIDN'T. How many times has this to be said. NOTHING has been decided about the opening ceremony yet, try and get your facts right before mouthing off.

 

Sounds good to me...so who is starting the thread?

 

I think this thread has turned into a "should AKB appear in the Olympics" thread.

Anyway, once again I'm gonna say go look at my post a couple posts back where I listed the 2012 closing ceremony artists. Or, go look at the Wikipedia page, there's even more I didn't list. If you think in 2020 AKB will be less relevant than 75% of that list was (in 2012), you're not being realistic.

 

I might change it to that lol. I think it would become much more interesting.

 

I can talk from my own experience. When I have been asked by border guards purpose of my visit then the look I get after mentioning idol concerts is very far from "cool bro/give me five" feeling. It's usually something in between indifference and really, you poor thing traveled so far because of THAT?!?

So I've got impression that typical Japanese person is not exactly proud of AKB in front of foreigners. I would imagine that Miichan stunt kind of reinforced that feeling.

Still I can't imagine Olympics opening or closing ceremony without any kind of mentioning anime/cosplay/idol theme. Perhaps it will be all in one in shape of Hatsune Miku hologram.

 

I don't think AKB48 has really a bad image in Japan, so I don't see why they shouldn't be in that Ceremony...

 

Year 2020 is still long way ahead and everything can change by then, but I see no reason why not (to answer the current title of the thread).

For the reference, AKB48 was capable of performing awesome version of Omatsuri Manbo 「 お祭りマンボ 」 during 2011 fund raising concert for the disaster relief / 23rd anniversary Misora Hibari commemoration concert ( thanks @Aisansan for the link in other thread ). If 48G of 2020 can pull something to this level, there's nothing to be embarrassed about.

Or am I completely misinterpreting the uncle wearing a curtain?

 

....how is that amazing? That looks basic af and they barely danced just running around fist pump.... Their UZA at National Stadium looks better presented than that. This is the expected level people want at Olympic.


if the video does not show watch the video here


if the video does not show watch the video here

Really if Akb can perform like this people would give them less sh*t lulz

 

@mochichan
I am not going to disagree with you. E-girls has superb dancing act. The theme of the two linked performances (AKB vs. E-girls) are completely different kind, tho.

 

@Tsumu

The theme doesn't matter. You said that MM cover is the level they should perform at and I just show you performances with higher skill level that would fit more to show off at Olympic

 

Why? Because kpop is more of an American style pop? That is so typical Western snobbery...

I think a lot of you guys are a little too hard on AKB; if we look at all the press they get (modeling, general advertisement, commercials, etc.), that they are chosen to promote government interests, I think the evidence of their popularity with the general Japanese public (rather than just a select few crazy otaku's as a lot of you seem to think) seems obvious. Does that mean that they "represent" Japan? I think the idea of the imperfect idol as opposed to the "refined" Korean pop star very much goes along with a certain Japanese kind of aesthetic sensibility, and we can all certainly admit idol culture is one component of a very diverse Japanese pop culture, so why can't they be representatives of that aspect of Japanese pop culture? Why do Japanese cultural representatives have to be serious or 'traditional' to be acceptable for the West? The UK can get One Direction to perform for their Olympics, but AKB is embarrassing? That this is an issue is a bit elitist and disturbing.

 

Mmmm
Take for example London 2012 and what kind of artist were on the opening, and try to extrapolate to japan (yeah, i know, not works like that).
But i can see 48group there, and Hello project and Johnny's groups also.

 

Sigh. Spot the thinly veiled "i'm too cool for AKB" post.

Here's the London closing ceremony


if the video does not show watch the video here

Could AKB fit into a Japanese version of this?....Abso-f*****g-lutely they could. Jesus wept some of the posters on this board would do your head in, I consider myself lucky to be living through something as remarkable as this group.

 

@Reveen
Uhh if I'm too cool for AKB i wouldn't be 48G fan? But i am so......
It's true if they're more talented they definitely would get less criticism. Like 50% of the reason people don't like them is bc of their lack of skills. That statement's more like....bitter resignment :>

 

I doubt that the criticism AKB faces has anything to do with their actual skills. people hate on AKB because they are in everyone's faces, and people love to hate on popular stuff. the person whose statement spawned this thread literally is famous because he shittalks successful people, so there's that.

 

I see this brought up a lot here and I just want to point out that I think gravure work goes hand and hand with being a female entertainer in Japan, regardless of whether they are considered respectable or not. Not to mention they start doing gravure work quite early in their career... but i don't understand how this is weird by western standards? Western celebrities do 'sexy' photoshoots all the time. It's only weird when that creepy land of pedophiles Japan does it.

For example these actresses...



Ishihara Satomi


Ayase Haruka


Aoi Yu

 

^ And male entertainers do it, too! Anyone remember when Matsumoto Jun did a (semi?-)nude photoshoot with a woman... in a shower, was it? I think it was Matsujun, anyway... Also EXILE & Co. have multiple music videos where at least some members are shirtless.

Also, I can't help but wonder if AKB really would be more popular if they were more skilled. A large part of their appeal is that they're NOT... there are lots of super talented people in the industry who go unnoticed. AKB wouldn't be AKB if, say, they were trained like K-Pop singers or LDH singers/performers. The whole concept of the group would probably be very different. Their activities would probably be very different. I don't think you can say that people would like them more automatically if they were more skilled.