Born Hater You serious? Idol fans want this unattainable relationship with a girl who has their own interests. You're always gonna have an issue between what an idol is expected to be and who they really are as a person. Miku is popular because her existence avoids this. You can objectify her 100% and avoid ruining an actual human's life just because she wanted a relationship or something totally normal.
biotechKazoo Idols are great and all but his video points out how horrible it can be when an actual human is forced to meet the expectations of thousands of fans. It's not healthy for either side. Miku isn't real so it's a logical step for fans' obsessions.
@@otakudaikun yep,but in what kind of world do we live in so real humans could be obsessed with something that doesnt exist? To be in love with fiction? We are completely isolating ourselves from other people and it's scary to see shit like this being normalised
@@otakudaikun idol culture in general sucks,but on the other hand idol singers know what theyre getting into. They have a choice to give up and do something else. It's the people who consume that are the main problem. These days everything has to be offered right in front of you for you to be satisfied,including love and affection..
Idols terrify me. With anime/manga/game girls, they are obviously fake and idealized, but idols are flesh and blood humans who behave like anime girls. Do their fans know their behavior and personality is nothing but an act, no different from an actress playing an anime character? Or do they think because they're real people that their behavior is genuine? I think a lot of them don't realize this, and that's terrifying.
Like with all things that attract a lot of people it's a mixed bag, some people do understand that idols are pretty much just a fancy escapist show and that none of the girls are "real," but you do get some of the more obsessive detached from reality fans that genuinely believe this is what they're actually like. Remember that one girl who was caught going on a date, so she had to shave her head, make a public apology, and basically end her career because of idols are supposed to have a pure image? Most normal people and fans of the group thought it was beyond ridiculous that things had to go that far and she was forced to "repent" for having a life, but there is a reason she did, because of the hardcore "muh purity" retards who can't see normal people as normal people.
Japan idols are not singer and dancer they are just stupid emotionless little girls for perverts They are just used and destroyed and dumped And japan must make pedo as the sexual contents And stop copying kpop and make their own culture
@@user-fd3ip5ff6z I understand your point that the sexism in japan is so bad with the way they treat the women there, especially the idols but there is no need to degrade the girls themselves. Many of them were young kids signing these contracts, with stupid parents who let them.
Perfect Blue was the first "serious" anime film I ever saw. I had seen stuff like pokémon and dragonball bot nothing like Perfect Blue, so when I first saw it, it was mindblowing for me. It's both incredibly deep, fascinating and extremely creepy, making shivers run down my spine every time I watch it. It's one hell of a trip to watch and such a mindfuck. It's truly a masterpiece, and still very relevant and watchable today. Great review!
I've heard some argue that Perfect Blue it's not relevant today since it came out in 1997 and is based on outdated idol culture in 1992, but I haven't watched it.
@@trilfy It's even more relvant now with the rise of social media. Idol culture and worshipping is still the same back then, if not even mroe now. Even though the movie focuses on an idol it's about the image that someone puts out and with social media everyone has a following based on what you put out on your profile and personality. So it applies more to everyone than it did before. I highly recommend Perfect Blue.
The core of both industries are the same, but to be a Korean Idol you tend to need to be at least proficient at whatever it is you do in the group. There are shows in Korea that do require live singing (still with a back track, but still live singing). BUT Korean Idols are still looked at as objects to be bought, oogled at and obsessed over. In Korea you are trained in singing, dance or rap (with varying degrees of success depending on company and natural talent), JPop idols usually have to learn on their own. One has the focus of being perfect, while the other has the focus on being cute. Both are very toxic, horrible industries that desperately need a reform or some sort of union to sort of the horrors some idols go through.
Kpop is the same tho, especially the scandals of trainees doing sexual favors to debut (Look up Open World entertainment) or a company who sends out their solo artist to their “sponsors”. Kpop just hides its horrors really well. Even tho a lot of shit has been exposed since 2014, there is this some stuff that is locked up tight.
Operation Turtle The thing is Idols know what they’re getting into, why should we be sympathetic for them when they knew the consequences of going into such a fucked up industry? Just asking.
@@ZaktanVR Thing is, most of these people are too young to necessarily think through the consequences of what they're getting themselves into. "Surely, that could never happen to me!" Or, also likely, they don't know what they're getting themselves into in the first place.
Perfect Blue remain one of my top 10 best animated films ever made and my personal favorite Satoshi Kon work, and its scary how accurate this movie is to the reality of the Idol industry (even Pop music in general), how manipulated and greedy and exploitive the life of these young girls and boys can be with a corporation squishing every bit of your likeness for sell it to even more desperate lonely men, and how those fans can become obsessive with this fake relationship they hold dear.....Perfect Blue is the perfect psychological horror thriller, from the editing, music, art and animation this film is just perfection....and because of all that is, really kinda scary, how much this movie is accurate still today of how IDOLS life is.
Sometimes I don't know which is scarier, being a male or female idol. Because while female idols are definitely sexualized more, females fans of male idols are perceived by society as less of a threat which is how more male idols in the industry end up injured from fan related incidents than female idols do. You're sexualized but highly protected as a female idol once you make it and as a male idol you're still sexualized in different ways but with less protection because your fans' gender is deemed less threatening. A rapid group of young teen girls is terrifying, no concept of boundaries and would probably injure any idol they saw because of the group hysteria. We all know its incredibly unacceptable for men to throw their underwear at female idols but female fans do that to, sometimes underage, male idols. And while it's not smiled upon it's definitely seen as less creepy when it really should be seen as just as fucked up.
Kusanagikaiser999+ Are you one of the few people who was able to follow the entire plot the first time you saw it? I watched it in the AV Club at Uni 15 years ago and about half the people there just looked totally confused by the end of it, I think that the 3 parallel lives (pop idol, tv character and herself) with the plot jumping back and forth between them was too much.
@@missyk2454 'A rapid group of young teen girls is terrifying, no concept of boundaries and would probably injure any idol they saw because of the group hysteria.' I think that might've been a fact of life for 60's pop groups. There's even a gag about it in an episode of the original Thunderbirds tv show (or possibly one of the other Supermarionation shows, I'm pretty sure it's Thunderbirds) where one of the team has to act as a decoy so they can get a generic version of Cliff Richard to safety after a concert. The team member starts off being chased from the venue by a horde of teen girls then, after some other scenes, the camera cuts back to the him sprawled on the ground, bloodied and with his clothes in tatters.
I 100% think (even tho western) Britney Spears is a victim of the 'idol' industry. She always felt more like a jpop or kpop star in the beginning-somebody who had the title literally stuck to her whole life-and is now paying for it. Seen as a commodity or doll and not a person. I mean she is now a 36 year old woman yet is still controlled (literally) by an industry and managers with no let up.atleast Mina escaped her hell.
The way you portray japanese culture through Anime is simply amazing. Not only your speech is incredibly pleasant and natural, but also very clear and understandable. Your communication skills are beyond perfection, and most important, you thrill me I ADORE your channel. THANKS and please keep delighting us with this kind of content.
Chase an illusion and you will become lost. That is true among any culture, and that illusion manifests in just as many ways. Humanity is puzzling in a way. A people of contradiction, a weird mix of simplicity, and complexity. This guy understood a lot.
This is another thing I hate about otakus. You can criticize otaku culture. There's a lot to criticize. Why do otakus get butthurt whenever these issues are mentioned.
The more I hear about the Idol industry in Japan the more I am unsettled. And I have heard so much... And the similarities to modern streamer-culture are uncanny to say the least.
Just watched Perfect Blue recently and it is definitely something different upon the genre. It is the first anime film that scared and scarred me psychologically. Although the movie seems pretty old, the truth it tells seems to hold true until today. Definitely one the best anime movie of all time.
Well, back in the day, and even right now, animation in Japan was often of the limited very stilted sort, like what you'd see in Sailor moon (90s) or old Astro Boy. It was like a detailed, more 'Disney' version of what Hanna Barbera is known famously for. Recycled character models, with little action and just sparse mouth sync, use of looped backgrounds and stock footage, rotoscoping and tracing older projects, the whole nine yards of every 'trick' old 50s-70s era animation was known for during the 'Dark Ages', Japan had in spades. So it makes sense in a way. Not everything was like a Studio Madhouse thing or looked like Cowboy Bebop or Ghibli quality back then. At end of the day, you had a more traditional laborious version of what we'd call 'an early flash cartoon' in most cases, just with nicer backgrounds and sometimes explosions and effects animation for that dash of extra decency. It was the charm of the characters that made them endure more than the visuals in my opinion most of the time, when it comes to 'classic era' anime.
Well said. The Japanese live-action film industry wasn't like Hollywood. Lacking the infrastructure of a 'studio system', the various animation houses could quickly churn-out content according to a director's (or company's) vision on a reasonable budget. Live-action films from Japan have gotten higher budgets and better production value since a film like 'Perfect Blue', but the cost of shooting elaborate concert scenes, or even intimate train station moments can be realized more efficiently with animation--imo
You should make a video on fandoms on how insane, terrifying, and downright dangerous. Seriously this video was really amazing on how you showed what idol obsession and it’s dark side of it is.
After watching 'Perfect Blue', it is evident that Darren Aronofsky either used the source material (which I have not read) or the anime as a leaping-off point for his film 'Black Swan'. Though Aronofsky's 'idol worship' isn't as overt as 'Perfect Blue's is, the lead characters' emotional arcs, and the horrific tone of the two pieces are very similar--both ending in a "Complete Metamorphosis"
He bought the rights to Perfect Blue and used themes and even some scenes shot-for-shot in 'Requiem for a Dream' and 'Black Swan'. He's clearly a big fan!!
Face reveal with tutu and tiara please Jokes aside, it's pretty sad how disturbing idol culture can be. Vulnerable kids are given promises of stardom in exchange for their lives and fans blatantly choose to ignore their idols' exploitation for the sake of keeping up fantasies. Can't say I don't enjoy the music though edit: for those who want to learn more (kpop): ua-cam.com/video/J8LxORztUWY/v-deo.html
Enjoyed this for the most part, but there was one line that didn't sit true to me. The whole "famous for being famous" thing doesn't really apply to idols in Japan as it does to socialites in the US. Idols are a thing because they're multifaceted. Regardless of their mastery, they dance, sing, act, and in the case of male idols, often host variety TV shows, so they do something to gain the attention of their followers. Idols aren't your Kim Kardashians and whatnot who are given a reality TV show because their dad was a famous lawyer. Japan doesn't really have a 1:1 "famous for being famous" subset of celebrity. Even regular panelists on variety shows tend to be actors or musicians, albeit failed ones.
If you look up Japanese 'Tarento' or タレント, it's a 'famous for being famous' thing - celebs who appear across multiple mediums and their reason for fame itself is kind of foggy, it's a chicken-egg scenario of them being famous because, well, they're famous. A lot of idols go on to become tarento and I think this is where this line came from in the script. You're right though, plenty of idols are talented, hard working individuals who have earned their fame through grit and determination.
I am interested in how America doesn't quite seem to value innocence in the same way in who it idolizes. I keep thinking of Brittney Spears lately and just how messed up her story kind of is, and her whole gimmick was more of innocence shifting into something else. I think it would be cool to compare the two and see what they reveal about differences in the cultures.
Talented for being talented in the context of idols is more of the fact that they didn't really catch the eye of the public with their beauty or their talent, but rather that they have been groomed and taught in the shadows by companies then thrown in front of the public like "Here's your new idol that you've never heard of!" It would be like a company taking a random boy off the streets, giving them rudimentary training, then sticking them in the Quarterback position of a pro football team. They didn't do anything amazing to get there, they were pretty much hired to become a convincing quarterback regardless of actual skill or talent.
A very nice video, but I feel like there always something that goes unsaid when talking about Idol-culture (aesthetic cultures overall), and that is the nature of the relationship between the beautiful things displayed and the cruelty connected to them. It's not a coincidence that an industry which evidently abuses and torments it's stars would also be keen to highlight the "beauty" of it. Idol-culture is cute, somewhat sexy and most of all, sentimental. But all of these attributes and attitudes are adopted in order to shield oneself against the horrible reality of these cultures. When an Idol cries on tv it's not uncommon to hear sad music being played on top of it, in order to accentuate how "beautiful" and "tragic" sadness is, to which we respond by regarding the tears as performances born in the sphere of art, rather than facing the fact that the reason the idol cries is because they're stressed out and depressed. There is a romantic neccessity to it: for if we were to accept that the tears are common, and them having not been caused by angelic, sublime distress, the empathy which we distort into sentimentality and egocentrism would display for us something ugly: the reality of these people, their horrible circumstances that one would like to forget. And so beauty in the romantic sense and cruelty are inextricably linked. But these are just my two cents on all of this.
I saw this movie for the first time when I was 14, i was staying the night at a family friends and she had taken me to a movie rental place. I picked it because it was anime, she set me up to watch movies (she is my moms age) and went to bed leaving me to myself. I loved the movie and a few months later tricked my mom into buying it for me on vhs (tricked because I knew I shouldn’t have been watching such a movie at that age). When I was 16 a friend and I tried out for a duet part in our choir concert and the song we sang was angel of love, we even danced to it. Our choir teacher liked that we picked a song in another language and had put in enough time and practice to get not only the lyrics but the dance right. I’m 34 now and that choir teacher is my mother in law and to this day has no idea of the origin of that song. The song Cherish these memories always makes me burst into tears. Thank you so much for this vid 💜.
I really like the inclusion of live-action, it makes it feel more like a mini-documentary than a just a video about anime. Broadening your context is never a bad thing and I'd encourage its use in the future, it grounds it in reality.
I watched this movie as a 9 year old before the Justin Beiber boom and KPoP trend came round' my slice of the world. It definitely left a bitter taste every time I see those stars on the telly or YT.
@@Maialeen it's cultural appropriation in its worst form. you should most definitely feel bad for reading it, because you're being precisely the uppity, annoying western asshole who still sees the rest of the world through the colonial lens. privileged white people are the worst.
Nicolas Santos No, I don't think so, there is no shame in not knowing something simply because you did not learn the truth yet, it's only bad if someone is told the truth and is actively ignoring reality. I read it and I did not feel bad because I know that the book is false and I shouldn't accept it reality. OP should feel good that they are now more educated about the truth. :)
@@phangkuanhoong7967 That is hardly cultural appropriation, it is simply misrepresentation. The author should have done better research, obviously, but as long as readers know that, well, it is still good entertainment. Japan was not really subject to colonialism, and frankly they also have some past of their own to face, which they still deny. They don't like a blow to their image, for sure. Mind you, I love a lot of their culture, so I am definitely not a hater, but Japan is not more of a "saint country" than say the UK. They have an imperialist past with China (and others) with a nice massacre to show, and they kept Korean women as sex slaves during WW2. Pls refrain from blanket statements such as that. It might be ignorance of the author, but in that case, it is not burdened by an unequal colonialist past between Europe and Japan. If we can only tell stories taking place in our own environment or in complete made up worlds, that would be very sad and imo not good for international relations.
Oddly enough this is my last day in Japan, and the “idol culture” has been a point of fascination for my friend and I as we have been travelling. Thanks for this, I love the analysis of all these darker anime, you have a way with words.
We're getting a Western counterpart now with egirls like Belle Delphine and Pokimane. Their fans, known as simps, are usually as obsessive as these idol fans and they have similar tactics and motivations. This is also a huge moneymaker just like the idol industry, many desperate and lonely simps donate thousands of dollars to egirls. They even say that they could've spent it on something like college and that it's their life savings but they are happy to donate it away to the egirl they worship just for the slightest amount of attention.
I have a question for you...since you are from Japan, maybe you can give me some insight? I am an outsider who has just an interest in how media and fads come and go in cycles, and I am curious, do the masses ever really go for any 'anti-pop star' figures there? A lot of us here in the West idolize cuteness and innocence, but there inevitably comes a time when if a young pop teen star or celebrity actor gets famous long enough, there's a stage where they suddenly grow aesthetically dark or hardcore, both in fashion and message. They will when they hit 20 often drop the cute innocent act, for an equally commercialized upon and exploited "I'm not a kid anymore, I'm a cool sexy BADASS adult now!" phase. Their songs usually stop being about puppy dog crushes and dancing and summer love, and become almost overnight about having explicit sex, being 'gangster' or harsh messy cruel breakups.... or if they're really cynical/more sophisticated than average, world politics, or not liking being part of the industry anymore and how much being famous sucks. Basically rebelling against whatever they can while still equally as much selling out. Since J-Pop and K-Pop and Idols in general seem to feed off this saccharine imagery and perpetual youth, I am curious if that is ever a thing there too? Have there ever been any idols who didn't just fade out of the spotlight-...but deliberately tore OFF the mask, and said "fuck you, I do what I WANT" and enjoy being vulgar and naughty or angry as part of the persona?? Or is this only more or less of a Western culture phenomenon? It interests me as also I notice Japan and China and Korea also favor conformity a lot stronger than Western aesthetics tend to, yet there still are healthy sub-genres in music with a 'rebel edge' like Punk and Metal quite heavily thriving there in the East ironically; while here in the US at least, they are pretty fizzled out aesthetics, along with Emo and Goth which are also on their way out....and these sub-cultures still exist but have gone back to their underground roots more or less...here, you won't find mainstream radio or tv channels constantly focused on 'counter-culture' idols like Kurt Cobain or Marilyn Manson or Courtney Love anymore. You still will get your occasional teen stars who drop the cute act though once in a while for something harsher. By the way, I am not criticizing anyone's favorite star or tastes of either the artificial 'cute' culture, or the 'edgy anti-culture'- Both are commodities in some degree and we all know it and everyone's allowed to enjoy what makes them feel good. I am just interested in whether trends follow the same pattern overseas.
Again, Joe, you've made a wonderfully insightful video. Perfect Blue really is a horror movie at heart, but I hadn't quite realised how much it tracked to Japan's (and I presume South Korea's) "real" life idol culture. RIP Satoshi Kon, a great talent lost too early.
I find it funny how you claim to be against Nazis and Fascist but you're subbed to fucking Lauren Southern NoBS The Quartering and a bunch of other anti sjw/alt right shit heads woke must equal anything that talks about women or POC to you huh? LOL
@@anonymousstout4759 He said woke Hollywood that automatically let me know the kind of person he is plus he's subscribed to Lauren Southern the woman who started the stupid myth about White Genocide and who uses her sources from literal neo Nazis and holocaust deniers
@fat I don't have a Twitter and I'm sorry for calling out white supremacy? Are YOU fucking dumb?? You didn't argue anything I said which is factual how about coming at me with a better argument instead of using ad hominems against me. Lauren Southern cited white supremacist and holocaust deniers as her sources FACT. NOBs and The Quartering are Anti SJW fake outrage youtubers who NEVER research ANYTHING FACT. No don't even waste my time replying stick to Stormfront and 4 Chan.
In absolute real life of idol culture is disturbing and sad, but- in the context of modern media, I'm sad nobody is talking about the Cham members Mima left behind. They're not shown to be in all that bad of a situation mentally. They aren't hiding anything dark either... They seem genuinely happy and safe. I don't think it's meant to justify idol culture in any way, I just think it's there to show the idea isn't instinctly wrong, and if done with caution can work... but when it goes wrong it is terrible.
Although I love how well-researched and produced this video is, I personally find your commentary on the "idol" industry to be more sad. And yes "Perfect Blue" was a movie that worked as a grim commentary on how insidious the industry is. But still, more music artists in the J-Pop industry are already breaking away from the "idol" image and are creating more outspoken art. "BAND-MAID" is an example because it's a group of maids that are a J-Rock band. Still, good video on "Perfect Blue". Have you ever thought of doing videos of his other works like "Millennium Actress" and "Paprika"?
Up to this day, the scene where Mima was being sexualized terrified me. I know there are far more many scarier scenes but those parts specifically scared me mentally. Like idk, thinking about it, like knowing that it can actually happen in Japan terrifies me. It left me awoke for some days, with those scenes haunting me.
For people asking what the song from 1:51~2:01 is, it's Banzai Banzai by Rio Hiiragi This is a great video. Perfect Blue is one of my favorites (as is almost every thing by Satoshi Kon) so the title+thumbnail caught my attention and I'm glad it did as the video was really good so thank you ✌ The first time I watched Perfect Blue I was very young, around 11 or 12, because my Dad had purchased it on VHS when it came out in the States back in 1999 (He also ended up buying it on DVD a year later). Of course I didn't understand the movie AT ALL but thought it was spooky and cool. Then I moved when I was 23 and when I was unpacking my stuff, I found the DVD and decided to rewatch it. I finally understood what the movie was actually about and it became one of my favorites. Seeing clips from it makes me want to rewatch it, so I think I'm going to do that tonight :^) I feel so bad for idols though. They're put through so much and have so much pressure on them from their management company and fans. They can't date to keep up the illusion that they're available, which is ridiculous.. are their fans so delusional that they think they have a chance with their favorite idol?? How creepy is that oh my god. If they are in a relationship they hide it from absolutely everyone and then when their management finds out, they get rid of them. I get they lied but they need to realize that a lot of these girls are young and want to go out and date, to prohibit them from doing so is only going to make the girls rebel.. like damn, let the girls have some fun! (Sorry for the novel of a comment... I didn't realize I had typed so much....)
I own a copy of Perfect Blue. Roger Corman said, "If Alfred Hitchcock partnered with Walt Disney, they'd make a picture like this." It is a psychological thriller that should be considered in the top ten of all time psychological thrillers. Leave aside the reality of the idol industry or celebrity in general, this film shows the danger of obsession, losing oneself in fantasy, living vicariously through another, and stardom in general from different points of view. In my opinion, Satoshi Kon nailed it on this film.
I mean, you see how people behave around some random e-girl on the internet... so, yeah, you can only imagine how bad it gets for idols and actual celebrities.
I always thought of Perfect Blue as the anime that would come from David Fincher meeting Alfred Hitchcock horror movie of being a Disney tween pop star
Jpop and Kpop cultures never got me, now that I'm older I can start to see why... it's so disturbing. As a kid you don't really see it but I remember getting an unpleasant feeling watching it and it reminded me of the crazy events my mom would drag me to on Easter...taking the light I think it's called. I think it has something to do with Jesus' death or something. People sometimes caught fire from the candles... at least idol fans use glow sticks, don't wanna get sued. I don't think it's legal to sue a church in my country.
I don't think you did the opening well at all. Because there's such focus on the negative aspect of the idol fandom, like every single video made for English speakers about idol culture. There's perceived good and bad in everything. Seems no one outside the fandom takes time to try to understand where the good lies within idol culture though. And in the story of Perfect Blue, Mima wasn't even an idol anymore. She literally graduates at the very start of the film, therefore being an idol is simply a backstory to the character. She has one, super passionate fan with mental health issues that peruses her. Most idol fans, are similar to the other fans in the film; they're supportive. "Oh, she's changing direction and leaving? Well, that's probably the best for her at this stage in her career". As someone who feels their life was saved by idol culture-- I'd like to see people speak on the the culture without solely focusing on negative aspects or extremely rare examples where a single fan crosses the line-- a more neutral and measured showcasing of the topic. Lastly, I want to say that idol culture changes with time and has since the 80's. The stereotypes and tropes outsiders most associate with the culture were product of, or at their peek, during the mid 2000s-2014ish era. AKB's popularity made AKB style'd groups trend for quite a while, but Idols are portraying much more "human" sides now. Some will talk about ex-boyfriends, sex, go drinking and smoking, etc. It can vary from group to group tremendously and each group has different audiences their catering to. The term Idol, is more like a parent-genre. Think along the lines of Death Metal VS Power Metal, etc. It's all "Metal", but someone who's into one genre of metal, wouldn't necessarily like another.
Came to the comments to say almost the exact same thing. Mima left the group to become an actress. She wasn't an idol anymore and the scene with her removing the Cham poster was (imho) signifying that- that she's moved on and that part of her life is over now. Idol culture has most def changed and changes are being made all the time. When AKB came into the 'Golden Age', that's when having idol groups really blew up and we're still seeing the outcome of that with idol group manga/animes, ala Love Live and Wake Up Girls. Also, I feel the need to point out that some of the footage felt like it was clearly meant to... I'm not sure the word I'm looking for here, but to steer the viewer into a certain direction. Footage of the AKB girls crying and sobbing was mostly from the early days of the elections and from graduation concerts. Of course the girls are going to look/be hysterical. For the early elections, you have girls who never thought this group would amount to anything, suddenly realizing how many people have come to show support. Grad concerts are another thing, the girls are crying because this is the last time they're going to be on stage, singing these songs with these girls, whom they've been with for YEARS. Of course they're upset. But overall; I'm on the fence about this vid. I understand what the video was trying to portray, but I feel the research was not done fully.
You're right, the content creator did show us a limited view of the 'idol' world. I'm not familiar with the culture, but I think he was trying to highlight the 'idol' machine that Satoshi Kon was interested in exploring in 'Perfect Blue' and used the first part of the video to set up his discussion. Also, a video about the evolution of 'idol' culture seems ripe for clarity as reality-TV hosts hold high offices in government
"As someone who feels their life was saved by idol culture-- I'd like to see people speak on the the culture without solely focusing on negative aspects or extremely rare examples where a single fan crosses the line-- a more neutral and measured showcasing of the topic." I find it funny that most of the comment against the video are all fans of this weird and perhaps more " human " culture . Since humans are hypocritical with a lot of dark side anyway , Idol culture does shine an accurate image of humanity .
There are also other aspects about idol culture that I think others could elaborate on that negative reviews tend to miss. Like why would people join the industry anyway? Is it the fame, fortune, or genuine pursuit of their own artistic talent or as someone who wants to make people happy through performance? What is the social perception of idols that makes it an attractive or viable career to spend years to pursue before and within the industry? Are their differences between Western and Eastern idols, or even just within Japanese, Korean, and Chinese ones? There is also the other side of the story - no doubt the entertainment industry has shown it's negative face countless times, but what about idols who are happy doing what they do, or companies that do respect humanity? The "entertainment industry is evil" viewpoint is a very valid one, but I also think that it has been overstated and generalized way too heavily.
Totally unrelated to this vid, but... I stumbled upon your channel yesterday, digged it for a while today, and now i have new things to seek & watch for months. Many thanks, and keep up your amazing content please :)
I took an anime course in my university, called Japanese Animation, where we talked about otaku culture, idols, and other rising pop culture in Japan for a month where we used Perfect Blue as the example. You hit spot on what we spoke about. But we had debated on the effects of the Otaku culture. Where we were left in a ominous conclusion of if the culture is bad or not. I for one see the problems of otaku culture but I myself is considered to fall into the otaku culture without, however, digging deep into the hole of investing to lives and "purity" of idols, actors/actress, and etc. I do like that you touch on Perfect Blue, as we also asked if the director truly is against the otaku culture. I for one took it like how Miyazaki did, that the anime culture isn't bad but that (some of) the otaku's extremeness is. Hence why Miyazaki cannot look back to the past. Overall great video and taking on this anime and the idol industry.
Satoshi kon,the genius who had the most untimely death Hope someday atleast nolan acknowledges inception was from kon's paprika and bring this genius' work to the forefront of the world
I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you .... I’m not saying this lightly you are my FAVORITE youtuber. 10/10 amazing content!!!!
I believe the real main character of the story is the one being portrayed: the molested younger sister, whose trauma led her to kill her older sister, peel her face off, and the delusion that she can take over her life. It was alluded to by the psychiatrist in the scene. It explains why "Mima" kept questioning who she is, why she would find blogs in her website she didn't write. I think Rumi is what the little sister looked like. And "Mima" was the older sister. The climax where Rumi was chasing Mima, was the little sister recalling how she killed her older sister, in the attempt to "take over" her life. Maybe it's the older sister's blogs, interacting with her fans. The ones saying she's not Mima, could be the younger sister's subconscious telling her she's hallucinating all this. Otherwise, why highlight the scene of the detective and psychiatrist talking? The night club scene could be the rape that the little sister experienced that traumatized her, that's why it's so vivid during the "shooting"
@@TheRealNormanBates go back when they were taping a scene where the psychologist was talking to a detective about the girl who murdered her sister (played by Mima)
I know I am late but here is my opinion. First of all, I am not denying in any way the research you have done, it is very insightfull and interesting. I just don't think Kon really tried to go after idole culture, if anything, idoles are just a perfect exemple of the hardships you might experience while trying to piece together what society expects of you, who you are and the way you actually portray yourself. The stalker, Rumi and Mima's former job as an idole are just means to showcase these internal conflicts that everyone faces in an interesting way. Mima's experience with these troubles is just amplified by Rumi's manipulations and her former job. This isn't a trouble that only idoles face, women and men alike are expected to portray themselves in specific ways, some can't do that and we have to learn to trust ourselves and learn to know and affirm what is best for us. This recquieres to know yourself and take full ownership of your identity. To me this is what Perfect Blue aims to show, growth, not how bad idole culture is nore how bad stan/fan culture might be. Sure it takes place in this context but Kon didn't know much of anything about idoles and their industry, he just had to include an idole and a stalker in his story to fit the request of the writer of the original book. But your video was great, I just don't really think that you need to have any knowledge of this industry to understand the movie nore does it try to portay accuratly idole culture. I hope I don't come of as dismissive, I don't claim to have any kind of objectivity on a piece of art, everybody's perspective is good on such subjective matters. Have a nice day.
But what is an idol, but an image that is worshipped? Japan has done nothing new. They have simply turned one of humanity's oldest practices into blatant industry - which, I suppose, makes it only slightly more honest than most actual religions. Unfortunately, rather than wood or metal or clay, they have fashioned their images our of skin and flesh and blood. The real problem with an idol is that it is a god who serves its worshippers - not really the other way around. An idol has a mouth, but it doesn't speak; ears, but no hearing; eyes, but no seeing; hands, but no agency or ability to take action. And this is what sets the idol singer apart from her graven counterparts - she is a human, possessed of a free will and the ability to carry it out. Yet, being an idol, she is ultimately beholden to her worshippers; she must hear and answer their prayers, she must maintain whatever image her audience has built up for her in both their individual and collective consciousnesses. And while smashing a stone statue of a wood carving when it proves to be powerless has few if any repercussions, when an idol singer fails to meet her throng's expectations, things can get very ugly very fast. I feel Kon was ultimately trying to warn his culture, and the world, what this mentality leads to. And perhaps, that's me projecting my own presuppositions onto an admired icon. How hypocritical of me! But seriously, at the end of the day, we must realize that the images so many of us choose to bow down to are but empty vessels. They have only as much power over us as we ascribe to them. If we truly wish to exercise control over our own situation, it starts by taking that control back from the empty things we give it up to.
BABYMETAL started as part of the idol industry, but they've really grown beyond that. How many idols can say they've been on multiple world tours, played major international music festivals, and had an album that hit #1 on the Billboard Top Rock charts?
David Loewen They're still presenting fake personalities to the world and being stalked. Success doesn't matter in this regard. Idol culture and worship is toxic, no matter who the idol may be.
Another great video, you always come up with such fantastic topics and concepts to address within anime that I don’t see any other anituber cover, and I get around. Better keep your commitment and buy that tiara though.
that intro was killer, I remember seeing perfect blue when I was a little kid and didn't really understand its implications and wasn't into it But, now when I revisit it I can see it was brilliant and had so much more depth than buff dudes yelling at each other.
The bit in Perfect Blue where she finds out her former group went on to make the music charts is quite painful. They finally get taken seriously not as idols but as musicians, but only after Mima has left behind the group and her dream of being a singer.
You've always been my idol ♥. It's quite entertaining that at the same time as you blessing us with this ol' shaney Shane dawsey Dawson is publishing his doc on Jake Paul. I definitely think that your comparison between social media/UA-cam personalities is the closest we have to the idol. Anyway great video, here's another off the cuff comment from someone who's done less research than you made at 2.30am
Your videos are so informative and insightful! I originally subscribed for your analyses on animated movies but the intro was also interesting and gave good context for the film. As someone who never “obsessed” over any pop star, it’s hard for me to comprehend how fans behave this way, but it’s sad to see that their fervent worshipping of idols is spurring this industry that promotes such an unhealthy culture for their stars.
Riko of the terrace house wasn't an idol though. It wasn't really a sex life and her "career" wasn't over. And wasn't that her basic expression? Other then that, I think we need stop looking at this from a western perspective. Like many other things in Asia and especially Japan, they might be weird to use but they have developed from a need. It's the same that we don't understand Maid Cafe's, Hostess clubs, Virtual girlfriends etc etc. Simply because we haven't been raised for generations in that culture. And if you really look at it, is the idol culture that much different from ours? Don't we go to concerts of our favorite bands, trying to shake their hands or even sneak backstage. Aren't we buying their merchants and aren't our legends dying all off around the age of 27. We even have a name for them. The legendary 27 club. Mostly through overdosing. I really liked Perfect Blue. But wasn't perfect blue not really about the idol industry. And more about her life after her idol career as she tries the acting career. She decided to leave her idol group believing it was a dead career. Where stalker and rape traumatize her. From here the story blurs the lines from real and fantasy, calm and paranoia. Her alter ego still stuck in the safe and happy idol times. SO it's not really about the idol industry.
Hate to be seen as a bible thumper but the truth is it's leading generations astray worshiping these images as they lead them down a road to damnation. So many lost sheep
I don't understand your point. Japan is 99% non-Christian. And that's probably generous. From the Bible thumper angle... no one is getting lost on this that isn't lost anyway- what's the alternative? The alternative is work hard, make money and die. That's the cultural norm. To a certain extent these people are actually a step in the right direction. They're already non-conformists. The biggest impediment to Christianity in Japan is conformity- no one wants to be the weird
This was a very good video in light of the recent "scandal" with Rushia from hololive. It's sad that these aspects in Perfect Blue have only amplified and spread. Not diminished
I would've liked more, as in, this video could've been expanded even more. I would love to see a longer video with your point of view. Additionally, I truly appreciate your integrity and willingness to grow by posting a counter argument comment. Thank you for what you do.
I'm really scared to watch this film, as I have PTSD from when I've was psychologically abused by my peers in High School. They used my Autism as a scapegoat to gaslight me into thinking that my mental disorder was making me hallucinate their abuse. Whenever they would call me a "retard", beat me up, or steal my possessions, or even sexually assault me...they claimed it never happened, that my mind was making me see things that were never there, or that which was there, my mind was simply making it seem like something else. In a few instances, they even went so far as to use the staff's own mental illnesses to their advantage to set me up to get into trouble with them. And when the adults did nothing to help me, no matter how much I cried to them for help, I thought I was going completely insane. Is it okay to feel scared of this movie? Sometimes I can't help but feel weak...
By the way, glad to see you are still making these videos! I've subscribed to you a year ago when you had 3 or 4 videos uploaded to this channel, and today you suddenly popped up on my UA-cam homepage. Keep up the good work!
In Terrace House when Hayato and Riko got exposed the way Hayato behaved was scarily similar to how predators on To Catch A Predator behave. I'm not the only person to see this right?
![[UA] NAVI проти G2 Esports | Blast Premier Fall Final](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/QWlIm4FGESQ/mqdefault.jpg)
I think that's why virtual idols are a good development for the industry. You can't expose the "real" life of Miku.
Born Hater You serious? Idol fans want this unattainable relationship with a girl who has their own interests. You're always gonna have an issue between what an idol is expected to be and who they really are as a person. Miku is popular because her existence avoids this. You can objectify her 100% and avoid ruining an actual human's life just because she wanted a relationship or something totally normal.
biotechKazoo Idols are great and all but his video points out how horrible it can be when an actual human is forced to meet the expectations of thousands of fans. It's not healthy for either side. Miku isn't real so it's a logical step for fans' obsessions.
@@otakudaikun yep,but in what kind of world do we live in so real humans could be obsessed with something that doesnt exist? To be in love with fiction? We are completely isolating ourselves from other people and it's scary to see shit like this being normalised
@@otakudaikun idol culture in general sucks,but on the other hand idol singers know what theyre getting into. They have a choice to give up and do something else. It's the people who consume that are the main problem. These days everything has to be offered right in front of you for you to be satisfied,including love and affection..
Born Hater Is a fake relationship with an idol any better? You can take an obsession too far whether it's a real girl or a hologram.
Idols terrify me. With anime/manga/game girls, they are obviously fake and idealized, but idols are flesh and blood humans who behave like anime girls. Do their fans know their behavior and personality is nothing but an act, no different from an actress playing an anime character? Or do they think because they're real people that their behavior is genuine? I think a lot of them don't realize this, and that's terrifying.
Like with all things that attract a lot of people it's a mixed bag, some people do understand that idols are pretty much just a fancy escapist show and that none of the girls are "real," but you do get some of the more obsessive detached from reality fans that genuinely believe this is what they're actually like.
Remember that one girl who was caught going on a date, so she had to shave her head, make a public apology, and basically end her career because of idols are supposed to have a pure image? Most normal people and fans of the group thought it was beyond ridiculous that things had to go that far and she was forced to "repent" for having a life, but there is a reason she did, because of the hardcore "muh purity" retards who can't see normal people as normal people.
fireaza japan destroy the woman for fun
Japan idols are not singer and dancer they are just stupid emotionless little girls for perverts
They are just used and destroyed and dumped
And japan must make pedo as the sexual contents
And stop copying kpop and make their own culture
Abusing the woman is not the culture
It’s just a disgusting disgusting disgusting destruction
@@user-fd3ip5ff6z I understand your point that the sexism in japan is so bad with the way they treat the women there, especially the idols but there is no need to degrade the girls themselves. Many of them were young kids signing these contracts, with stupid parents who let them.
Perfect Blue was the first "serious" anime film I ever saw. I had seen stuff like pokémon and dragonball bot nothing like Perfect Blue, so when I first saw it, it was mindblowing for me. It's both incredibly deep, fascinating and extremely creepy, making shivers run down my spine every time I watch it. It's one hell of a trip to watch and such a mindfuck. It's truly a masterpiece, and still very relevant and watchable today. Great review!
I've heard some argue that Perfect Blue it's not relevant today since it came out in 1997 and is based on outdated idol culture in 1992, but I haven't watched it.
@@trilfy It's even more relvant now with the rise of social media. Idol culture and worshipping is still the same back then, if not even mroe now. Even though the movie focuses on an idol it's about the image that someone puts out and with social media everyone has a following based on what you put out on your profile and personality. So it applies more to everyone than it did before. I highly recommend Perfect Blue.
am i the only one who felt really anxious when i watched the movie
@@bruh742 couldn't sleep when I watched it the first time and felt paranoid during the movie lol
The core of both industries are the same, but to be a Korean Idol you tend to need to be at least proficient at whatever it is you do in the group. There are shows in Korea that do require live singing (still with a back track, but still live singing). BUT Korean Idols are still looked at as objects to be bought, oogled at and obsessed over. In Korea you are trained in singing, dance or rap (with varying degrees of success depending on company and natural talent), JPop idols usually have to learn on their own. One has the focus of being perfect, while the other has the focus on being cute. Both are very toxic, horrible industries that desperately need a reform or some sort of union to sort of the horrors some idols go through.
Jpop idols have to essentially become otome characters not necessarily cute. They become perfect but a different kind of perfect.
Kpop is the same tho, especially the scandals of trainees doing sexual favors to debut (Look up Open World entertainment) or a company who sends out their solo artist to their “sponsors”. Kpop just hides its horrors really well. Even tho a lot of shit has been exposed since 2014, there is this some stuff that is locked up tight.
Operation Turtle The thing is Idols know what they’re getting into, why should we be sympathetic for them when they knew the consequences of going into such a fucked up industry? Just asking.
@@ZaktanVR Thing is, most of these people are too young to necessarily think through the consequences of what they're getting themselves into. "Surely, that could never happen to me!" Or, also likely, they don't know what they're getting themselves into in the first place.
@@Peachiebun reading your comment now after seungri's burning sun case, and the revival of jang jayeon's suicide case. wow.
Perfect Blue remain one of my top 10 best animated films ever made and my personal favorite Satoshi Kon work, and its scary how accurate this movie is to the reality of the Idol industry (even Pop music in general), how manipulated and greedy and exploitive the life of these young girls and boys can be with a corporation squishing every bit of your likeness for sell it to even more desperate lonely men, and how those fans can become obsessive with this fake relationship they hold dear.....Perfect Blue is the perfect psychological horror thriller, from the editing, music, art and animation this film is just perfection....and because of all that is, really kinda scary, how much this movie is accurate still today of how IDOLS life is.
Sometimes I don't know which is scarier, being a male or female idol. Because while female idols are definitely sexualized more, females fans of male idols are perceived by society as less of a threat which is how more male idols in the industry end up injured from fan related incidents than female idols do. You're sexualized but highly protected as a female idol once you make it and as a male idol you're still sexualized in different ways but with less protection because your fans' gender is deemed less threatening. A rapid group of young teen girls is terrifying, no concept of boundaries and would probably injure any idol they saw because of the group hysteria. We all know its incredibly unacceptable for men to throw their underwear at female idols but female fans do that to, sometimes underage, male idols. And while it's not smiled upon it's definitely seen as less creepy when it really should be seen as just as fucked up.
Kusanagikaiser999+ Are you one of the few people who was able to follow the entire plot the first time you saw it? I watched it in the AV Club at Uni 15 years ago and about half the people there just looked totally confused by the end of it, I think that the 3 parallel lives (pop idol, tv character and herself) with the plot jumping back and forth between them was too much.
@@missyk2454 'A rapid group of young teen girls is terrifying, no concept of boundaries and would probably injure any idol they saw because of the group hysteria.'
I think that might've been a fact of life for 60's pop groups. There's even a gag about it in an episode of the original Thunderbirds tv show (or possibly one of the other Supermarionation shows, I'm pretty sure it's Thunderbirds) where one of the team has to act as a decoy so they can get a generic version of Cliff Richard to safety after a concert. The team member starts off being chased from the venue by a horde of teen girls then, after some other scenes, the camera cuts back to the him sprawled on the ground, bloodied and with his clothes in tatters.
I 100% think (even tho western) Britney Spears is a victim of the 'idol' industry. She always felt more like a jpop or kpop star in the beginning-somebody who had the title literally stuck to her whole life-and is now paying for it. Seen as a commodity or doll and not a person. I mean she is now a 36 year old woman yet is still controlled (literally) by an industry and managers with no let up.atleast Mina escaped her hell.
I laughed at Chris Crocker, but even I was like he got a point tho
BITCHPOSHOFH FREE BRITNEY!
shes finally free!
Oh god, I still can't get over the rape acting scene ;;-;;
I'm still crying over that
@Vicente Hamel People like you are why Otaku are hated both in Japan and internationally. Find some other video for your stale 16-year-old troll shit.
Vicente Hamel that's disgusting, bruh. totally not cool. women are not objects to satisfy your desires.
Vicente Hamel you must be into hentai.... hmm 🤔
Vicente Hamel you are fucking dirt, disguising.
@Wowie Zowie so it was just an act right? or did it happen?
The way you portray japanese culture through Anime is simply amazing. Not only your speech is incredibly pleasant and natural, but also very clear and understandable. Your communication skills are beyond perfection, and most important, you thrill me
I ADORE your channel. THANKS and please keep delighting us with this kind of content.
I found Perfect Blue horrifying. Sick and sad and very well done.
Chase an illusion and you will become lost. That is true among any culture, and that illusion manifests in just as many ways. Humanity is puzzling in a way. A people of contradiction, a weird mix of simplicity, and complexity. This guy understood a lot.
This movie literally bashes and warns about japanese otaku culture
BARDOCK , because it’s the truth and if you refuse to accept it continue supporting this slave circle
BARDOCK oh please, I bet you know all about the seedy stuff and turn a blind eye towards it
I don't think it's only applicable to Japanese fandom. Popularity can be dangerous in any culture.
It's unhealthy when love something enough to ignore and shut out everyone and everything else in your life.
This is another thing I hate about otakus. You can criticize otaku culture. There's a lot to criticize. Why do otakus get butthurt whenever these issues are mentioned.
The more I hear about the Idol industry in Japan the more I am unsettled.
And I have heard so much...
And the similarities to modern streamer-culture are uncanny to say the least.
jmalmsten can’t forget Korea
dude ive been saying that for years. i completely agree with you, its a sad thing to see ppl like this
*+Isaac Ceillam* Yeah, you see very similar levels of exploitation with the K-Pop industry.
@@GeneraluStelaru eh its just ran by greedy old men
@Yuju Waterbottle No it didn't. Idols actually came from France. Asia caught on to it from there. Also kpop and jpop are pretty different.
Just watched Perfect Blue recently and it is definitely something different upon the genre. It is the first anime film that scared and scarred me psychologically. Although the movie seems pretty old, the truth it tells seems to hold true until today. Definitely one the best anime movie of all time.
8:10 That's so mindbogglingly. They made it an animated feature to save money? Other way around nowadays
Well, back in the day, and even right now, animation in Japan was often of the limited very stilted sort, like what you'd see in Sailor moon (90s) or old Astro Boy. It was like a detailed, more 'Disney' version of what Hanna Barbera is known famously for. Recycled character models, with little action and just sparse mouth sync, use of looped backgrounds and stock footage, rotoscoping and tracing older projects, the whole nine yards of every 'trick' old 50s-70s era animation was known for during the 'Dark Ages', Japan had in spades. So it makes sense in a way. Not everything was like a Studio Madhouse thing or looked like Cowboy Bebop or Ghibli quality back then. At end of the day, you had a more traditional laborious version of what we'd call 'an early flash cartoon' in most cases, just with nicer backgrounds and sometimes explosions and effects animation for that dash of extra decency. It was the charm of the characters that made them endure more than the visuals in my opinion most of the time, when it comes to 'classic era' anime.
Well said. The Japanese live-action film industry wasn't like Hollywood. Lacking the infrastructure of a 'studio system', the various animation houses could quickly churn-out content according to a director's (or company's) vision on a reasonable budget. Live-action films from Japan have gotten higher budgets and better production value since a film like 'Perfect Blue', but the cost of shooting elaborate concert scenes, or even intimate train station moments can be realized more efficiently with animation--imo
You should make a video on fandoms on how insane, terrifying, and downright dangerous.
Seriously this video was really amazing on how you showed what idol obsession and it’s dark side of it is.
After watching 'Perfect Blue', it is evident that Darren Aronofsky either used the source material (which I have not read) or the anime as a leaping-off point for his film 'Black Swan'. Though Aronofsky's 'idol worship' isn't as overt as 'Perfect Blue's is, the lead characters' emotional arcs, and the horrific tone of the two pieces are very similar--both ending in a "Complete Metamorphosis"
He bought the rights to Perfect Blue and used themes and even some scenes shot-for-shot in 'Requiem for a Dream' and 'Black Swan'. He's clearly a big fan!!
That explains a lot, thanks
Black swan was a piece of shit movie 😋👎👎👎👎🤡🐇
Face reveal with tutu and tiara please
Jokes aside, it's pretty sad how disturbing idol culture can be. Vulnerable kids are given promises of stardom in exchange for their lives and fans blatantly choose to ignore their idols' exploitation for the sake of keeping up fantasies. Can't say I don't enjoy the music though
edit: for those who want to learn more (kpop): ua-cam.com/video/J8LxORztUWY/v-deo.html
Enjoyed this for the most part, but there was one line that didn't sit true to me. The whole "famous for being famous" thing doesn't really apply to idols in Japan as it does to socialites in the US. Idols are a thing because they're multifaceted. Regardless of their mastery, they dance, sing, act, and in the case of male idols, often host variety TV shows, so they do something to gain the attention of their followers. Idols aren't your Kim Kardashians and whatnot who are given a reality TV show because their dad was a famous lawyer. Japan doesn't really have a 1:1 "famous for being famous" subset of celebrity. Even regular panelists on variety shows tend to be actors or musicians, albeit failed ones.
If you look up Japanese 'Tarento' or タレント, it's a 'famous for being famous' thing - celebs who appear across multiple mediums and their reason for fame itself is kind of foggy, it's a chicken-egg scenario of them being famous because, well, they're famous. A lot of idols go on to become tarento and I think this is where this line came from in the script. You're right though, plenty of idols are talented, hard working individuals who have earned their fame through grit and determination.
I am interested in how America doesn't quite seem to value innocence in the same way in who it idolizes. I keep thinking of Brittney Spears lately and just how messed up her story kind of is, and her whole gimmick was more of innocence shifting into something else. I think it would be cool to compare the two and see what they reveal about differences in the cultures.
Talented for being talented in the context of idols is more of the fact that they didn't really catch the eye of the public with their beauty or their talent, but rather that they have been groomed and taught in the shadows by companies then thrown in front of the public like "Here's your new idol that you've never heard of!"
It would be like a company taking a random boy off the streets, giving them rudimentary training, then sticking them in the Quarterback position of a pro football team. They didn't do anything amazing to get there, they were pretty much hired to become a convincing quarterback regardless of actual skill or talent.
Listen man I love kpop but I know these idols are people trying to make a living and survive but Its a awful business sometimes
A very nice video, but I feel like there always something that goes unsaid when talking about Idol-culture (aesthetic cultures overall), and that is the nature of the relationship between the beautiful things displayed and the cruelty connected to them.
It's not a coincidence that an industry which evidently abuses and torments it's stars would also be keen to highlight the "beauty" of it. Idol-culture is cute, somewhat sexy and most of all, sentimental. But all of these attributes and attitudes are adopted in order to shield oneself against the horrible reality of these cultures. When an Idol cries on tv it's not uncommon to hear sad music being played on top of it, in order to accentuate how "beautiful" and "tragic" sadness is, to which we respond by regarding the tears as performances born in the sphere of art, rather than facing the fact that the reason the idol cries is because they're stressed out and depressed.
There is a romantic neccessity to it: for if we were to accept that the tears are common, and them having not been caused by angelic, sublime distress, the empathy which we distort into sentimentality and egocentrism would display for us something ugly: the reality of these people, their horrible circumstances that one would like to forget. And so beauty in the romantic sense and cruelty are inextricably linked. But these are just my two cents on all of this.
I saw this movie for the first time when I was 14, i was staying the night at a family friends and she had taken me to a movie rental place. I picked it because it was anime, she set me up to watch movies (she is my moms age) and went to bed leaving me to myself. I loved the movie and a few months later tricked my mom into buying it for me on vhs (tricked because I knew I shouldn’t have been watching such a movie at that age). When I was 16 a friend and I tried out for a duet part in our choir concert and the song we sang was angel of love, we even danced to it. Our choir teacher liked that we picked a song in another language and had put in enough time and practice to get not only the lyrics but the dance right. I’m 34 now and that choir teacher is my mother in law and to this day has no idea of the origin of that song. The song Cherish these memories always makes me burst into tears. Thank you so much for this vid 💜.
I really like the inclusion of live-action, it makes it feel more like a mini-documentary than a just a video about anime. Broadening your context is never a bad thing and I'd encourage its use in the future, it grounds it in reality.
I'm just gonna say, you are the gosh darn David Attenborough of Japanese Otaku culture.
Furrealzies
I watched this movie as a 9 year old before the Justin Beiber boom and KPoP trend came round' my slice of the world. It definitely left a bitter taste every time I see those stars on the telly or YT.
I dont know if you were horrified by that 55:00 part. That blood scene wasn't friendly at all.
Rip my boii satoshi kon... Pour one for the homies this friday 13 boiis
I recently watched a movie called "Memoirs of a Geisha" and I see some parralels of both Japanese Idols and Geishas.
That might be interesting to explore actually
Nicolas Santos Educating someone is one thing but saying "You should feel bad for reading it" is you being an uppity, annoying asshole.
@@Maialeen it's cultural appropriation in its worst form. you should most definitely feel bad for reading it, because you're being precisely the uppity, annoying western asshole who still sees the rest of the world through the colonial lens. privileged white people are the worst.
Nicolas Santos No, I don't think so, there is no shame in not knowing something simply because you did not learn the truth yet, it's only bad if someone is told the truth and is actively ignoring reality. I read it and I did not feel bad because I know that the book is false and I shouldn't accept it reality. OP should feel good that they are now more educated about the truth. :)
@@phangkuanhoong7967 That is hardly cultural appropriation, it is simply misrepresentation. The author should have done better research, obviously, but as long as readers know that, well, it is still good entertainment. Japan was not really subject to colonialism, and frankly they also have some past of their own to face, which they still deny. They don't like a blow to their image, for sure. Mind you, I love a lot of their culture, so I am definitely not a hater, but Japan is not more of a "saint country" than say the UK. They have an imperialist past with China (and others) with a nice massacre to show, and they kept Korean women as sex slaves during WW2. Pls refrain from blanket statements such as that.
It might be ignorance of the author, but in that case, it is not burdened by an unequal colonialist past between Europe and Japan.
If we can only tell stories taking place in our own environment or in complete made up worlds, that would be very sad and imo not good for international relations.
Oddly enough this is my last day in Japan, and the “idol culture” has been a point of fascination for my friend and I as we have been travelling. Thanks for this, I love the analysis of all these darker anime, you have a way with words.
We're getting a Western counterpart now with egirls like Belle Delphine and Pokimane.
Their fans, known as simps, are usually as obsessive as these idol fans and they have similar tactics and motivations.
This is also a huge moneymaker just like the idol industry, many desperate and lonely simps donate thousands of dollars to egirls. They even say that they could've spent it on something like college and that it's their life savings but they are happy to donate it away to the egirl they worship just for the slightest amount of attention.
Your documentaries are so well researched and AMAZING!
Congrats on switching up the videos bringing in humans and the real 3-D world! I love Perfect Blue
I think that Bojack Horseman (On Netflix) and Perfect Blue share something in common
Me too especially when bojack choked his co star on set
And here we have people complaining about making porns on virtual idols like Miku but doesn't care about real idols being sexualized by society.
People can care about two things at once
@@lucyperkins6598 Why do you care people make porn of Miku?
This is Perfect.
Love from Japan.
I have a question for you...since you are from Japan, maybe you can give me some insight? I am an outsider who has just an interest in how media and fads come and go in cycles, and I am curious, do the masses ever really go for any 'anti-pop star' figures there? A lot of us here in the West idolize cuteness and innocence, but there inevitably comes a time when if a young pop teen star or celebrity actor gets famous long enough, there's a stage where they suddenly grow aesthetically dark or hardcore, both in fashion and message. They will when they hit 20 often drop the cute innocent act, for an equally commercialized upon and exploited "I'm not a kid anymore, I'm a cool sexy BADASS adult now!" phase. Their songs usually stop being about puppy dog crushes and dancing and summer love, and become almost overnight about having explicit sex, being 'gangster' or harsh messy cruel breakups.... or if they're really cynical/more sophisticated than average, world politics, or not liking being part of the industry anymore and how much being famous sucks. Basically rebelling against whatever they can while still equally as much selling out. Since J-Pop and K-Pop and Idols in general seem to feed off this saccharine imagery and perpetual youth, I am curious if that is ever a thing there too? Have there ever been any idols who didn't just fade out of the spotlight-...but deliberately tore OFF the mask, and said "fuck you, I do what I WANT" and enjoy being vulgar and naughty or angry as part of the persona?? Or is this only more or less of a Western culture phenomenon? It interests me as also I notice Japan and China and Korea also favor conformity a lot stronger than Western aesthetics tend to, yet there still are healthy sub-genres in music with a 'rebel edge' like Punk and Metal quite heavily thriving there in the East ironically; while here in the US at least, they are pretty fizzled out aesthetics, along with Emo and Goth which are also on their way out....and these sub-cultures still exist but have gone back to their underground roots more or less...here, you won't find mainstream radio or tv channels constantly focused on 'counter-culture' idols like Kurt Cobain or Marilyn Manson or Courtney Love anymore. You still will get your occasional teen stars who drop the cute act though once in a while for something harsher. By the way, I am not criticizing anyone's favorite star or tastes of either the artificial 'cute' culture, or the 'edgy anti-culture'- Both are commodities in some degree and we all know it and everyone's allowed to enjoy what makes them feel good. I am just interested in whether trends follow the same pattern overseas.
Great content as always. Keep the good work.
Again, Joe, you've made a wonderfully insightful video. Perfect Blue really is a horror movie at heart, but I hadn't quite realised how much it tracked to Japan's (and I presume South Korea's) "real" life idol culture. RIP Satoshi Kon, a great talent lost too early.
Japanese Anime are more realistic than most of the woke live action Hollywood movie.
I find it funny how you claim to be against Nazis and Fascist but you're subbed to fucking Lauren Southern NoBS The Quartering and a bunch of other anti sjw/alt right shit heads woke must equal anything that talks about women or POC to you huh? LOL
@@RichRichification what? That has nothing to do with the comment right, but I disagree with op exception always exist
@@anonymousstout4759 He said woke Hollywood that automatically let me know the kind of person he is plus he's subscribed to Lauren Southern the woman who started the stupid myth about White Genocide and who uses her sources from literal neo Nazis and holocaust deniers
@@RichRichification welp......
@fat I don't have a Twitter and I'm sorry for calling out white supremacy? Are YOU fucking dumb?? You didn't argue anything I said which is factual how about coming at me with a better argument instead of using ad hominems against me. Lauren Southern cited white supremacist and holocaust deniers as her sources FACT. NOBs and The Quartering are Anti SJW fake outrage youtubers who NEVER research ANYTHING FACT. No don't even waste my time replying stick to Stormfront and 4 Chan.
Suddenly, I start seeing Evanescence's music videos for Everybody's Fool and Going Under.
In absolute real life of idol culture is disturbing and sad, but- in the context of modern media, I'm sad nobody is talking about the Cham members Mima left behind. They're not shown to be in all that bad of a situation mentally. They aren't hiding anything dark either... They seem genuinely happy and safe. I don't think it's meant to justify idol culture in any way, I just think it's there to show the idea isn't instinctly wrong, and if done with caution can work... but when it goes wrong it is terrible.
Although I love how well-researched and produced this video is, I personally find your commentary on the "idol" industry to be more sad. And yes "Perfect Blue" was a movie that worked as a grim commentary on how insidious the industry is. But still, more music artists in the J-Pop industry are already breaking away from the "idol" image and are creating more outspoken art. "BAND-MAID" is an example because it's a group of maids that are a J-Rock band. Still, good video on "Perfect Blue". Have you ever thought of doing videos of his other works like "Millennium Actress" and "Paprika"?
Up to this day, the scene where Mima was being sexualized terrified me. I know there are far more many scarier scenes but those parts specifically scared me mentally. Like idk, thinking about it, like knowing that it can actually happen in Japan terrifies me. It left me awoke for some days, with those scenes haunting me.
good content, the industry is indeed a bit disturbing, glad i'm not a part of it
For people asking what the song from 1:51~2:01 is, it's Banzai Banzai by Rio Hiiragi
This is a great video. Perfect Blue is one of my favorites (as is almost every thing by Satoshi Kon) so the title+thumbnail caught my attention and I'm glad it did as the video was really good so thank you ✌
The first time I watched Perfect Blue I was very young, around 11 or 12, because my Dad had purchased it on VHS when it came out in the States back in 1999 (He also ended up buying it on DVD a year later). Of course I didn't understand the movie AT ALL but thought it was spooky and cool. Then I moved when I was 23 and when I was unpacking my stuff, I found the DVD and decided to rewatch it. I finally understood what the movie was actually about and it became one of my favorites. Seeing clips from it makes me want to rewatch it, so I think I'm going to do that tonight :^)
I feel so bad for idols though. They're put through so much and have so much pressure on them from their management company and fans. They can't date to keep up the illusion that they're available, which is ridiculous.. are their fans so delusional that they think they have a chance with their favorite idol?? How creepy is that oh my god.
If they are in a relationship they hide it from absolutely everyone and then when their management finds out, they get rid of them. I get they lied but they need to realize that a lot of these girls are young and want to go out and date, to prohibit them from doing so is only going to make the girls rebel.. like damn, let the girls have some fun!
(Sorry for the novel of a comment... I didn't realize I had typed so much....)
I own a copy of Perfect Blue. Roger Corman said, "If Alfred Hitchcock partnered with Walt Disney, they'd make a picture like this." It is a psychological thriller that should be considered in the top ten of all time psychological thrillers. Leave aside the reality of the idol industry or celebrity in general, this film shows the danger of obsession, losing oneself in fantasy, living vicariously through another, and stardom in general from different points of view. In my opinion, Satoshi Kon nailed it on this film.
I mean, you see how people behave around some random e-girl on the internet... so, yeah, you can only imagine how bad it gets for idols and actual celebrities.
...recommend after I finished watching Back Street Girls, which I found to be hilarious social commentary.
Great video bro! Love the anime movie! And fully understand how reality is a lie and a disappointing life.
I always thought of Perfect Blue as the anime that would come from David Fincher meeting Alfred Hitchcock horror movie of being a Disney tween pop star
Jpop and Kpop cultures never got me, now that I'm older I can start to see why... it's so disturbing. As a kid you don't really see it but I remember getting an unpleasant feeling watching it and it reminded me of the crazy events my mom would drag me to on Easter...taking the light I think it's called. I think it has something to do with Jesus' death or something. People sometimes caught fire from the candles... at least idol fans use glow sticks, don't wanna get sued. I don't think it's legal to sue a church in my country.
I don't think you did the opening well at all. Because there's such focus on the negative aspect of the idol fandom, like every single video made for English speakers about idol culture. There's perceived good and bad in everything. Seems no one outside the fandom takes time to try to understand where the good lies within idol culture though. And in the story of Perfect Blue, Mima wasn't even an idol anymore. She literally graduates at the very start of the film, therefore being an idol is simply a backstory to the character. She has one, super passionate fan with mental health issues that peruses her. Most idol fans, are similar to the other fans in the film; they're supportive. "Oh, she's changing direction and leaving? Well, that's probably the best for her at this stage in her career". As someone who feels their life was saved by idol culture-- I'd like to see people speak on the the culture without solely focusing on negative aspects or extremely rare examples where a single fan crosses the line-- a more neutral and measured showcasing of the topic. Lastly, I want to say that idol culture changes with time and has since the 80's. The stereotypes and tropes outsiders most associate with the culture were product of, or at their peek, during the mid 2000s-2014ish era. AKB's popularity made AKB style'd groups trend for quite a while, but Idols are portraying much more "human" sides now. Some will talk about ex-boyfriends, sex, go drinking and smoking, etc. It can vary from group to group tremendously and each group has different audiences their catering to. The term Idol, is more like a parent-genre. Think along the lines of Death Metal VS Power Metal, etc. It's all "Metal", but someone who's into one genre of metal, wouldn't necessarily like another.
Came to the comments to say almost the exact same thing. Mima left the group to become an actress. She wasn't an idol anymore and the scene with her removing the Cham poster was (imho) signifying that- that she's moved on and that part of her life is over now. Idol culture has most def changed and changes are being made all the time. When AKB came into the 'Golden Age', that's when having idol groups really blew up and we're still seeing the outcome of that with idol group manga/animes, ala Love Live and Wake Up Girls. Also, I feel the need to point out that some of the footage felt like it was clearly meant to... I'm not sure the word I'm looking for here, but to steer the viewer into a certain direction. Footage of the AKB girls crying and sobbing was mostly from the early days of the elections and from graduation concerts. Of course the girls are going to look/be hysterical. For the early elections, you have girls who never thought this group would amount to anything, suddenly realizing how many people have come to show support. Grad concerts are another thing, the girls are crying because this is the last time they're going to be on stage, singing these songs with these girls, whom they've been with for YEARS. Of course they're upset. But overall; I'm on the fence about this vid. I understand what the video was trying to portray, but I feel the research was not done fully.
You're right, the content creator did show us a limited view of the 'idol' world. I'm not familiar with the culture, but I think he was trying to highlight the 'idol' machine that Satoshi Kon was interested in exploring in 'Perfect Blue' and used the first part of the video to set up his discussion. Also, a video about the evolution of 'idol' culture seems ripe for clarity as reality-TV hosts hold high offices in government
Also, Metal!!! haha
"As someone who feels their life was saved by idol culture-- I'd like to see people speak on the the culture without solely focusing on negative aspects or extremely rare examples where a single fan crosses the line-- a more neutral and measured showcasing of the topic." I find it funny that most of the comment against the video are all fans of this weird and perhaps more " human " culture . Since humans are hypocritical with a lot of dark side anyway , Idol culture does shine an accurate image of humanity .
There are also other aspects about idol culture that I think others could elaborate on that negative reviews tend to miss. Like why would people join the industry anyway? Is it the fame, fortune, or genuine pursuit of their own artistic talent or as someone who wants to make people happy through performance? What is the social perception of idols that makes it an attractive or viable career to spend years to pursue before and within the industry? Are their differences between Western and Eastern idols, or even just within Japanese, Korean, and Chinese ones?
There is also the other side of the story - no doubt the entertainment industry has shown it's negative face countless times, but what about idols who are happy doing what they do, or companies that do respect humanity?
The "entertainment industry is evil" viewpoint is a very valid one, but I also think that it has been overstated and generalized way too heavily.
1:50 what song is this? quite catchy
Hey i found the song, someone left a comment 8 months ago from today. The link:- ua-cam.com/video/MkfNlN5mNZk/v-deo.html
Totally unrelated to this vid, but... I stumbled upon your channel yesterday, digged it for a while today, and now i have new things to seek & watch for months. Many thanks, and keep up your amazing content please :)
Aside of The end of Evangelion, this is my favorite anime movie of all time ❤️❤️❤️
Your introduction really killed me as idol fan. Full of facts
I never quite realized how insidious and terrifying parasocial relationships are
I want to watch this movie, but I'm too scared xd So I just watch videos about it lol. Great video!
You should watch it! Its one hell of a ride!
You will not regret watching it
It's not that scary. Unsettling, yes, but I would call it more of a fantastical thriller than straight horror.
watch it, it's unsettling but worth the watch as you will end up with so many realizations after watching this film.
Y'all where can i watch It in streaming?
I took an anime course in my university, called Japanese Animation, where we talked about otaku culture, idols, and other rising pop culture in Japan for a month where we used Perfect Blue as the example.
You hit spot on what we spoke about. But we had debated on the effects of the Otaku culture. Where we were left in a ominous conclusion of if the culture is bad or not. I for one see the problems of otaku culture but I myself is considered to fall into the otaku culture without, however, digging deep into the hole of investing to lives and "purity" of idols, actors/actress, and etc.
I do like that you touch on Perfect Blue, as we also asked if the director truly is against the otaku culture. I for one took it like how Miyazaki did, that the anime culture isn't bad but that (some of) the otaku's extremeness is. Hence why Miyazaki cannot look back to the past.
Overall great video and taking on this anime and the idol industry.
When I saw Perfect Blue the first time it just blew my mind
Satoshi kon,the genius who had the most untimely death
Hope someday atleast nolan acknowledges inception was from kon's paprika and bring this genius' work to the forefront of the world
Darren Aronofsky remade Perfect Blue as Black Swan, but replaced J-Pop with ballet.
Joe have you ever been told you sound just like David Thewlis?
I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you .... I’m not saying this lightly you are my FAVORITE youtuber. 10/10 amazing content!!!!
Thank you so much Laura, that comment means so much :)
Beyond Ghibli Seriously though, you're like the AHOY of Anime.
As someone fascinated by idol culture and a big fan of Perfect Blue I have to say this was a great video.
That's a lot of tutus and tiaras to purchase. Are you gonna wear them all at once?
Fantastically made video. Very thought provoking and an interesting discussion of the culture.
Best anituber on the platform. Best wishes man. Love from India.
I believe the real main character of the story is the one being portrayed: the molested younger sister, whose trauma led her to kill her older sister, peel her face off, and the delusion that she can take over her life. It was alluded to by the psychiatrist in the scene.
It explains why "Mima" kept questioning who she is, why she would find blogs in her website she didn't write.
I think Rumi is what the little sister looked like. And "Mima" was the older sister. The climax where Rumi was chasing Mima, was the little sister recalling how she killed her older sister, in the attempt to "take over" her life.
Maybe it's the older sister's blogs, interacting with her fans. The ones saying she's not Mima, could be the younger sister's subconscious telling her she's hallucinating all this.
Otherwise, why highlight the scene of the detective and psychiatrist talking?
The night club scene could be the rape that the little sister experienced that traumatized her, that's why it's so vivid during the "shooting"
I’ve seen PERFECT BLUE multiple times and I do not recall any of that (Mima had a sister?). Is there a point in the movie that they speak of her?
@@TheRealNormanBates go back when they were taping a scene where the psychologist was talking to a detective about the girl who murdered her sister (played by Mima)
Who's back here after the Sulli news?
I know I am late but here is my opinion.
First of all, I am not denying in any way the research you have done, it is very insightfull and interesting.
I just don't think Kon really tried to go after idole culture, if anything, idoles are just a perfect exemple of the hardships you might experience while trying to piece together what society expects of you, who you are and the way you actually portray yourself. The stalker, Rumi and Mima's former job as an idole are just means to showcase these internal conflicts that everyone faces in an interesting way. Mima's experience with these troubles is just amplified by Rumi's manipulations and her former job. This isn't a trouble that only idoles face, women and men alike are expected to portray themselves in specific ways, some can't do that and we have to learn to trust ourselves and learn to know and affirm what is best for us. This recquieres to know yourself and take full ownership of your identity. To me this is what Perfect Blue aims to show, growth, not how bad idole culture is nore how bad stan/fan culture might be. Sure it takes place in this context but Kon didn't know much of anything about idoles and their industry, he just had to include an idole and a stalker in his story to fit the request of the writer of the original book.
But your video was great, I just don't really think that you need to have any knowledge of this industry to understand the movie nore does it try to portay accuratly idole culture.
I hope I don't come of as dismissive, I don't claim to have any kind of objectivity on a piece of art, everybody's perspective is good on such subjective matters.
Have a nice day.
But what is an idol, but an image that is worshipped? Japan has done nothing new. They have simply turned one of humanity's oldest practices into blatant industry - which, I suppose, makes it only slightly more honest than most actual religions. Unfortunately, rather than wood or metal or clay, they have fashioned their images our of skin and flesh and blood.
The real problem with an idol is that it is a god who serves its worshippers - not really the other way around. An idol has a mouth, but it doesn't speak; ears, but no hearing; eyes, but no seeing; hands, but no agency or ability to take action. And this is what sets the idol singer apart from her graven counterparts - she is a human, possessed of a free will and the ability to carry it out. Yet, being an idol, she is ultimately beholden to her worshippers; she must hear and answer their prayers, she must maintain whatever image her audience has built up for her in both their individual and collective consciousnesses. And while smashing a stone statue of a wood carving when it proves to be powerless has few if any repercussions, when an idol singer fails to meet her throng's expectations, things can get very ugly very fast.
I feel Kon was ultimately trying to warn his culture, and the world, what this mentality leads to. And perhaps, that's me projecting my own presuppositions onto an admired icon. How hypocritical of me! But seriously, at the end of the day, we must realize that the images so many of us choose to bow down to are but empty vessels. They have only as much power over us as we ascribe to them. If we truly wish to exercise control over our own situation, it starts by taking that control back from the empty things we give it up to.
BABYMETAL is quite diff so far as I know.
No its the same shit
BABYMETAL started as part of the idol industry, but they've really grown beyond that. How many idols can say they've been on multiple world tours, played major international music festivals, and had an album that hit #1 on the Billboard Top Rock charts?
David Loewen
They're still presenting fake personalities to the world and being stalked. Success doesn't matter in this regard. Idol culture and worship is toxic, no matter who the idol may be.
Another great video, you always come up with such fantastic topics and concepts to address within anime that I don’t see any other anituber cover, and I get around. Better keep your commitment and buy that tiara though.
great video, this really cemented why Perfect Blue is one of my favourite anime films and why i love psychological horror
that intro was killer, I remember seeing perfect blue when I was a little kid and didn't really understand its implications and wasn't into it But, now when I revisit it I can see it was brilliant and had so much more depth than buff dudes yelling at each other.
Mate, it's that shot of Rumi running next to her reflection.
Bought this on VHS from Tower Records in '98
Anyone know the song at 5:42 during the intro of perfect blue
The bit in Perfect Blue where she finds out her former group went on to make the music charts is quite painful. They finally get taken seriously not as idols but as musicians, but only after Mima has left behind the group and her dream of being a singer.
The opening was the best bit, great explanation of the idol culture
KPOP seems to suffer the same fate.
People say that Mima says the line "I'm the real thing" in Rumi's voice. Is that true?
I've seen a few people say that, but I've never gotten any real confirmation that Rumi's VA actually says the last line in the Japanese dub.
This is a really cool vid yo but ehat is that song at 1:53? That shit was catchy
found it - its "BANZAI！BANZAI！" by Hiiragi Rio
ua-cam.com/video/MkfNlN5mNZk/v-deo.html link to it
You've always been my idol ♥. It's quite entertaining that at the same time as you blessing us with this ol' shaney Shane dawsey Dawson is publishing his doc on Jake Paul. I definitely think that your comparison between social media/UA-cam personalities is the closest we have to the idol. Anyway great video, here's another off the cuff comment from someone who's done less research than you made at 2.30am
Another great vid, I think the 5 min intro to explain was just right
Your videos are so informative and insightful! I originally subscribed for your analyses on animated movies but the intro was also interesting and gave good context for the film. As someone who never “obsessed” over any pop star, it’s hard for me to comprehend how fans behave this way, but it’s sad to see that their fervent worshipping of idols is spurring this industry that promotes such an unhealthy culture for their stars.
Satoshi Kon is an absolute pioneer in Animation / Movies. So sad he left us so early. :(
Riko of the terrace house wasn't an idol though. It wasn't really a sex life and her "career" wasn't over. And wasn't that her basic expression?
Other then that, I think we need stop looking at this from a western perspective. Like many other things in Asia and especially Japan, they might be weird to use but they have developed from a need. It's the same that we don't understand Maid Cafe's, Hostess clubs, Virtual girlfriends etc etc. Simply because we haven't been raised for generations in that culture.
And if you really look at it, is the idol culture that much different from ours? Don't we go to concerts of our favorite bands, trying to shake their hands or even sneak backstage. Aren't we buying their merchants and aren't our legends dying all off around the age of 27. We even have a name for them. The legendary 27 club. Mostly through overdosing.
I really liked Perfect Blue. But wasn't perfect blue not really about the idol industry. And more about her life after her idol career as she tries the acting career. She decided to leave her idol group believing it was a dead career. Where stalker and rape traumatize her. From here the story blurs the lines from real and fantasy, calm and paranoia. Her alter ego still stuck in the safe and happy idol times. SO it's not really about the idol industry.
Satoshi Kon was a legend. He will never be forgotten.
Superficial relationship.
I'm the 670 comment. I'm just this.
And this video is just a masterpiece about a masterpiece.
Hate to be seen as a bible thumper but the truth is it's leading generations astray worshiping these images as they lead them down a road to damnation. So many lost sheep
I don't understand your point.
Japan is 99% non-Christian.
And that's probably generous.
From the Bible thumper angle... no one is getting lost on this that isn't lost anyway- what's the alternative?
The alternative is work hard, make money and die.
That's the cultural norm.
To a certain extent these people are actually a step in the right direction. They're already non-conformists. The biggest impediment to Christianity in Japan is conformity- no one wants to be the weird
Whoa, it’s over? Don’t get me wrong, the video was great! I just didn’t realize it went by that quickly
This was a very good video in light of the recent "scandal" with Rushia from hololive. It's sad that these aspects in Perfect Blue have only amplified and spread. Not diminished
After I saw that movie I was not okay for the rest of the day, but i defo recommend
I would've liked more, as in, this video could've been expanded even more. I would love to see a longer video with your point of view. Additionally, I truly appreciate your integrity and willingness to grow by posting a counter argument comment. Thank you for what you do.
I'm in love with this channel. Truly very well produced videos .
I'm really scared to watch this film, as I have PTSD from when I've was psychologically abused by my peers in High School. They used my Autism as a scapegoat to gaslight me into thinking that my mental disorder was making me hallucinate their abuse. Whenever they would call me a "retard", beat me up, or steal my possessions, or even sexually assault me...they claimed it never happened, that my mind was making me see things that were never there, or that which was there, my mind was simply making it seem like something else. In a few instances, they even went so far as to use the staff's own mental illnesses to their advantage to set me up to get into trouble with them. And when the adults did nothing to help me, no matter how much I cried to them for help, I thought I was going completely insane.
Is it okay to feel scared of this movie? Sometimes I can't help but feel weak...
By the way, glad to see you are still making these videos! I've subscribed to you a year ago when you had 3 or 4 videos uploaded to this channel, and today you suddenly popped up on my UA-cam homepage. Keep up the good work!
So what he's trying to say to watch perfect blue? OKk 🤔
Then again is he saying that there are more idol prostitute in Japan???
Jesus man. This video was great. Loved it.
In Terrace House when Hayato and Riko got exposed the way Hayato behaved was scarily similar to how predators on To Catch A Predator behave. I'm not the only person to see this right?
First time ever seeing BTS of Terrace House omg