A Beginner's Guide to Japanese Idols
A Fish Market Creation
Welcome to the Japanese side. We have Momoclo.
A Fish Market Creation
Welcome to the Japanese side. We have Momoclo.
Have you fallen in love with K-pop and are looking to explore other Asian music? Are you interested in Japanese idols but have no idea where to start? Maybe you just saw an idol you really like and want to know more about their world? Here is the guide for you! Fish Market, Hallyu+'s Japanese idol circle, has put together a general introductory guide to the Japanese idols to help you understand the quirks and charms of the scene. This thread will be open for any questions or additions that you might have, and we're always around in Fish Market to help you out, too!
Not all J-pop is J-idol.
These days, K-pop is largely synonymous with Korean idols, but J-pop is a much larger collection of genres and artists, and idols are only one part of J-pop. In fact, there are many disputes and discussions in Japan as to what constitutes an idol versus an artist, and some performers are very particular about which label is used to define them. Just because you have an interest in some J-pop, doesn't mean you've necessarily explored idols.
Flower, a part of the E-Girls brand, ride that line between idol and not idol.
J-idol has existed as a popular genre of music and entertainment since the 1970s, but their popularity exploded in the 2010s.
Idols have been a part of the Japanese music industry as both solo acts and groups since the 1970s, with their popularity growing and waning over the decades. However, the 2010s saw a massive increase in interest from the general public as well as entertainment companies, with hundreds of different idol groups forming over the last decade during what is now known as the Warring Idols Period.
There are fully idol fans who only care about idols from decades past, so it's completely fine to love them more than modern acts.
Female idols rule the scene.
While male idols are definitely still successful in Japan, their success has historically been limited to individual groups at a time, in no small part due to the monopolies that some companies developed over male idols. Female idols, on the other hand, were always more varied when it came to the companies that produced them, and when the Warring Idols Period began, new girl groups began popping up left and right. There are entire multi-day festivals dedicated to female idols in Japan, and in general, most idol fans in the international fandom are also mainly female idol fans.
Male idols are popular, too, but are not nearly as numerous
J-idols are about growth, not perfection.
In Korea, idols show off their years of hard work behind the scenes by trying to be as sharp a performer as possible. In Japan, you get to see that hard work firsthand, because J-idols are about watching a performer grow and develop, even if they don't have much natural talent or experience to start. J-idols are popular for their cute, "healing" qualities as performers, not their skills. Think of K-idols as working dogs: well-trained, highly skilled, fun to watch for their talent; and J-idols as emotional support animals: they may not be trained as well or be as skilled as working dogs, but they provide a lot of joy and support when you need it.
This is what you watch idols for. The emotions.
Idols will retire.
Idols in Japan often have a career length of about 5 years on average, before leaving or "graduating" from their idol activities and groups to move on to other things. This can be because they have health issues, because they want to focus on school, because they have a different career dream, or any number of reasons. More and more idols these days are staying idols well into adulthood, but generally speaking, most idols will graduate between ages 18-24. Sometimes they stay in the public eye, sometimes they don't, but graduation is often a celebratory occasion with a big send-off for the idol in question, so there's no need to shy away from idols just because someone you like might leave the group.
There are always tears at graduations, but it's a very cathartic experience to watch them get a great send-off.
But new idols are always coming in.
Many idol groups operate with an ever-changing, dynamic line-up, a grad-and-add system, as I like to call it. New members are frequently being brought into the group to replace the old ones, so that the group name can go on and on even if all the original members leave. Not every group uses this system: some groups will have a fixed line-up for the entire life of the group, and some will have graduations but never replace those members. The appeal of a group with a changing line-up, though, is knowing that you're following a group with a legacy and get to hear the same music done in new ways by different members.
Sometimes auditions are put up for viewing so the fans can see the journey of their favorites from the very beginning.
J-idols start young.
While plenty of K-idols start working for their debut at a young age to debut later, because J-idols are about watching the development of their skills over time, they often debut very young. Major groups have debuted members as young as 10, with some indies groups going even younger. However, there are plenty of idols who have continued working into adulthood, and many groups exist exclusively with members over the age of 18, so there is some variance, depending on who you're looking to support.
You didn't forget that Nako debuted as an idol when she was 12, right? She's the baby up front.
J-idol does not believe in genres.
It can sometimes be a little jarring to go through an idol group's discography for the first time and realize just how varied the genres are. While some idols do have certain genres at the core of their music, most of the time, there are no real boundaries when it comes to the kinds of music they make. A group can release a techno song as a single, with a tango song and a metal song as b-sides, all in the same package. Idols even jump between genres in the same song, or use wildly different components at once. While there is definitely a kind of style that could be considered quintessential idol, listening to idol music is a great way to expand your musical outlook.
Genre? We don't know her.
Songwriters are key.
In K-pop, idols and producers tend to not get much attention, but with J-idols, there is a lot of discussion around the people involved in creating songs. It's common to see discussions about wanting Tsunku to write for Morning Musume again, or questions about which idol groups Hyadain has started writing for now. At first it can be hard to keep up with who everyone is and what their style is, but soon enough you'll have your own opinions on whether or not Matsukuma Kenta is the best rock songwriter in the scene or just does the same thing over and over. At the end of the day, songwriters get plenty of credit for their contributions in the J-idol fandom for bringing so much to the experience.
Kiyoshi Ryujin writes some weird stuff, like this song about getting attacked by a grizzly bear, and I think he's a genius.
Gravure is a thing.
Gravure is a type of modeling where the focal point is the model, not clothes or another product. It is very common for idols at all levels to participate in gravure. Gravure varies from the highly risqué to the tamest dress-up, but idols of all ages can do gravure for various magazines (most magazines in Japan feature a gravure spread as a selling point; think the Swimsuit Issue of Sports Illustrated, except for it's every magazine a lot of the time) and individual photobooks and DVDs. The term idol is also used to describe women and girls who work exclusively in gravure, known specifically as gravure-idols or gravu-dols. Some idols genuinely enjoy doing gravure, some idols see it as a necessary part of gaining popularity even if they don't love doing it, some idols refuse to do it. Just be prepared to see it if you move around in idol circles.
This is SFW gravure. Not a bikini in sight. Just cute.
Fans and idols have a close relationship, but they keep their lives separate.
Idols in Japan give their fans ample opportunity to get up close with their faves, having things like handshake events (go and shake idols' hands for 3 seconds and tell them how much you love them--keep coming back and they'll remember you!), polaroid events (take a photo with idols, but no touching, usually), portrait events (have an idol draw you, but they are very bad at drawing most of the time), etc. Past that, however, fan culture in Japan respects the privacy of idols when they're not working. Many idols don't even have individual social media accounts, much less fansites that track their activities. The Japanese term for an entertainer when not working is even "private." With J-idols, you can build a much more individual relationship with them as a fan, but only on these socially acceptable terms.
This is an extreme example of a handshake event, but you understand: it's Shiraishi Mai, after all.
(continued in the next post below)
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Scandals still happen.
However, even with respect to their private lives, idols have long been held to a standard of youth and purity that removes romance from the equation. Much like K-idols, J-idols are expected to refrain from dating while active as an idol, or at the very least, not make it public that they're dating someone. In the past, one bad tabloid photo showing a idol standing too close to a guy could result in her removal from a group. Nowadays, however, the general thinking is more of a "don't ask, don't tell": don't tell us that you're dating, we won't ask if you're dating. Increasingly, however, some idols and their management are speaking out that they don't have a ban on relationships and now we even have active idols who are married. Of course, scandals that don't involve dating have also happened, like underage smoking and drinking or assault as a result of an elaborate idol stalking ring that management allowed to continue (this is not an exaggeration, unfortunately, and that's why we don't stan NGT48).
Fujimoto Miki left her group after a dating scandal, but then she ended up marrying the guy and her fans love him.
Although there is a lively international fanbase, idols focus on their activities domestically.
The Japanese music industry is one of the largest in the world and runs almost entirely on domestic artists. As such, Japanese artists don't feel obligated to promote themselves overseas as often as Korean artists might. Most idol activities are centered in Japan, and idol groups rarely travel overseas. Those of us in the international fandom rely on each other for the spread of information and accurate translation, as we rarely get promotions with subtitles or translations. This also means that if you do get the opportunity to see your favorite group in Japan or in your home country, you should definitely jump on the opportunity. Otherwise, you'll only be able to see them through videos and fan reports from people in Japan.
With the use of the right services, however, you can interact with your favorites, like this lucky American fan who won an autograph.
Idols still prefer to do releases in physical formats.
Much of the world has adapted to streaming and digital being the preferred formats for music and video distribution, but because there's a lot more money to be made in physical, J-idols still largely prefer to distribute music via CDs. Some groups you can definitely find on Spotify or Apple Music, but for a lot of them, you can only buy their music on CD. If you have the means, a lot of times CDs come with various incentives and special editions that include posters, concert DVDs/Blu-rays, and event tickets (assuming you can use them), so they can be worth the purchase price if you're into collecting, but since their CDs cost a good bit more than they do in other countries and you usually need to pay international shipping, it can be cost-prohibitive for a lot of people. Luckily, that lively international fanbase is very good about sharing the music and can help people find what they're looking for.
Watanabe Miu of UUG Pro Wrestling (yep, she's also a wrestler!) shows off her idol CD collection.
Don't be afraid to explore many different groups.
With so many idols and so many fans giving you different recommendations, it can be a little difficult to settle on anything when you're first getting into the scene. Don't be afraid to explore and figure out what you actually like. Don't be afraid to support multiple groups and multiple idols, either! In Japan, fans will generally stick to a small number of idols since they do spend a lot of money supporting them, but in the international fandom, it doesn't how many idols you list as your faves or how many groups you listen to. Idols are a very fun hobby to have and they make some great music, so there's no shame in liking a wide variety of groups and individuals. Of course, if you search high and low and really only find one group you love, that's fine, too! Don't feel bad if the group you first get into ends up not being your cup of tea, or you like a group that isn't super popular. Plenty of fans stop following groups when the music changes or members change or they just get overwhelmed, but a new group can always reinvigorate that love of idols. Do what feels best for you.
Everyone likes BiSH, for good reason, but you might like GANG PARADE more even though they're less popular. I don't blame you.
It is okay to not be okay with everything that goes on with J-idols.
There are a lot of things with J-idols that you may not like, and that's okay. If it's too much for you, then you have no obligation to follow anyone, but it's also completely okay to like some parts of the business but not others. Fans are very vocal about not liking how young some members debut, or not liking gravure at all, or not liking how some companies seem to exploit their idols. You can always enjoy the members and music and dislike other things. You should not feel obligated to like anything you feel uncomfortable with, but sometimes there are just parts of this business you may not like. The good news is that the scene has been changing over time to be more progressive in many ways, but again, just do what feels best for you!
You might love Niji no Conquistador's music and members, but not the bikini videos, or vice versa! It's all okay.
Idols are a full-package experience.
At the end of all this, you may wonder why people follow J-idols in the first place. They're not the most talented, their music can be weird, and they're largely unaccessible from overseas. The thing is, idols truly are the sum of their parts. It's hard to get into them only by watching MVs or looking at their Instagrams. You can always enjoy music without diving in headfirst, but if you want to go all in, you need to get to know the girls as individuals, listen to their music, look at their visual concepts, and watch them live. Idol fans will frequently upload TV appearances online so you can see their personalities, you can watch most MVs online and fans will share their music, and idols will release full concerts so you can see their live shows. Once you put everything together, you've got a pretty deep emotional commitment on your hands, and you'll love it.
Dempagumi.inc's music can be an acquired taste, but their personalities and live shows are some of the best in the business.
I hope that you have enjoyed reading Fish Market's Beginner's Guide to Japanese Idols. If you're new to idols, please feel free to ask any questions you have! If you're an experienced idol fan, what are some things you want to share about your experience with newcomers? Of course, please also visit us in the Fish Market thread for more discussion on your favorite Japanese idols!
However, even with respect to their private lives, idols have long been held to a standard of youth and purity that removes romance from the equation. Much like K-idols, J-idols are expected to refrain from dating while active as an idol, or at the very least, not make it public that they're dating someone. In the past, one bad tabloid photo showing a idol standing too close to a guy could result in her removal from a group. Nowadays, however, the general thinking is more of a "don't ask, don't tell": don't tell us that you're dating, we won't ask if you're dating. Increasingly, however, some idols and their management are speaking out that they don't have a ban on relationships and now we even have active idols who are married. Of course, scandals that don't involve dating have also happened, like underage smoking and drinking or assault as a result of an elaborate idol stalking ring that management allowed to continue (this is not an exaggeration, unfortunately, and that's why we don't stan NGT48).
Fujimoto Miki left her group after a dating scandal, but then she ended up marrying the guy and her fans love him.
Although there is a lively international fanbase, idols focus on their activities domestically.
The Japanese music industry is one of the largest in the world and runs almost entirely on domestic artists. As such, Japanese artists don't feel obligated to promote themselves overseas as often as Korean artists might. Most idol activities are centered in Japan, and idol groups rarely travel overseas. Those of us in the international fandom rely on each other for the spread of information and accurate translation, as we rarely get promotions with subtitles or translations. This also means that if you do get the opportunity to see your favorite group in Japan or in your home country, you should definitely jump on the opportunity. Otherwise, you'll only be able to see them through videos and fan reports from people in Japan.
With the use of the right services, however, you can interact with your favorites, like this lucky American fan who won an autograph.
Idols still prefer to do releases in physical formats.
Much of the world has adapted to streaming and digital being the preferred formats for music and video distribution, but because there's a lot more money to be made in physical, J-idols still largely prefer to distribute music via CDs. Some groups you can definitely find on Spotify or Apple Music, but for a lot of them, you can only buy their music on CD. If you have the means, a lot of times CDs come with various incentives and special editions that include posters, concert DVDs/Blu-rays, and event tickets (assuming you can use them), so they can be worth the purchase price if you're into collecting, but since their CDs cost a good bit more than they do in other countries and you usually need to pay international shipping, it can be cost-prohibitive for a lot of people. Luckily, that lively international fanbase is very good about sharing the music and can help people find what they're looking for.
Watanabe Miu of UUG Pro Wrestling (yep, she's also a wrestler!) shows off her idol CD collection.
Don't be afraid to explore many different groups.
With so many idols and so many fans giving you different recommendations, it can be a little difficult to settle on anything when you're first getting into the scene. Don't be afraid to explore and figure out what you actually like. Don't be afraid to support multiple groups and multiple idols, either! In Japan, fans will generally stick to a small number of idols since they do spend a lot of money supporting them, but in the international fandom, it doesn't how many idols you list as your faves or how many groups you listen to. Idols are a very fun hobby to have and they make some great music, so there's no shame in liking a wide variety of groups and individuals. Of course, if you search high and low and really only find one group you love, that's fine, too! Don't feel bad if the group you first get into ends up not being your cup of tea, or you like a group that isn't super popular. Plenty of fans stop following groups when the music changes or members change or they just get overwhelmed, but a new group can always reinvigorate that love of idols. Do what feels best for you.
Everyone likes BiSH, for good reason, but you might like GANG PARADE more even though they're less popular. I don't blame you.
It is okay to not be okay with everything that goes on with J-idols.
There are a lot of things with J-idols that you may not like, and that's okay. If it's too much for you, then you have no obligation to follow anyone, but it's also completely okay to like some parts of the business but not others. Fans are very vocal about not liking how young some members debut, or not liking gravure at all, or not liking how some companies seem to exploit their idols. You can always enjoy the members and music and dislike other things. You should not feel obligated to like anything you feel uncomfortable with, but sometimes there are just parts of this business you may not like. The good news is that the scene has been changing over time to be more progressive in many ways, but again, just do what feels best for you!
You might love Niji no Conquistador's music and members, but not the bikini videos, or vice versa! It's all okay.
Idols are a full-package experience.
At the end of all this, you may wonder why people follow J-idols in the first place. They're not the most talented, their music can be weird, and they're largely unaccessible from overseas. The thing is, idols truly are the sum of their parts. It's hard to get into them only by watching MVs or looking at their Instagrams. You can always enjoy music without diving in headfirst, but if you want to go all in, you need to get to know the girls as individuals, listen to their music, look at their visual concepts, and watch them live. Idol fans will frequently upload TV appearances online so you can see their personalities, you can watch most MVs online and fans will share their music, and idols will release full concerts so you can see their live shows. Once you put everything together, you've got a pretty deep emotional commitment on your hands, and you'll love it.
Dempagumi.inc's music can be an acquired taste, but their personalities and live shows are some of the best in the business.
I hope that you have enjoyed reading Fish Market's Beginner's Guide to Japanese Idols. If you're new to idols, please feel free to ask any questions you have! If you're an experienced idol fan, what are some things you want to share about your experience with newcomers? Of course, please also visit us in the Fish Market thread for more discussion on your favorite Japanese idols!
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The world of J-idols is foreign and mysterious to me 
The world of J-idols is foreign and mysterious to me
Hopefully this guide will make it slightly less foreign and mysterious! And I'm always on hand for some recommendations for places to start, although when you're starting with Maria, I'm not sure there's anywhere else to go.
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Hopefully this guide will make it slightly less foreign and mysterious! And I'm always on hand for some recommendations for places to start, although when you're starting with Maria, I'm not sure there's anywhere else to go.
Where would i find some darker spoopy concepts?
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Another big difference to KPOP is how J-idols aren't expected to be gorgeous (or even good-looking) to be popular. They'll get some hate from antis but can still be incredibly successful. The most popular members of groups are rarely the best-looking.
Then there's the niche idol where being ugly, talentless and having a bad image can all be considered positive aspects. Being rude to your fans? Swearing? Generally causing controversy? Perfect.
Then there's the niche idol where being ugly, talentless and having a bad image can all be considered positive aspects. Being rude to your fans? Swearing? Generally causing controversy? Perfect.
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What do you mean by that? Spooky/creepy? Or dark?Where would i find some darker spoopy concepts?
You'll find the occasional dark concept from most idol groups. Keyakizaka46 have mostly done darker songs recently, but it seems like they'll change their image.
If you're looking for spooky/creepy, you might want to look into the alternative idol niche. I wouldn't say that the quality is great all the time, but you might find some decent stuff.
The most famous alternative idols are probably the wack groups. There's also Passcode, Necromonidol etc. Lurkette probably knows more.
Where would i find some darker spoopy concepts?
This sort of depends on how dark and how spoopy you want to go, honestly. In terms of mainstream acts, Keyakizaka46 (soon to be renamed) and BiSH have been very successful with darker images, but they are more in the vein of emo, so I wouldn't consider them particularly spoopy. The original BiS was pretty dark, but like the rest of WACK, they generally fall into more punk vibes these days. I'd say GO TO THE BEDS is probably the darkest and spookiest of them right now.
ZOC is also a really good option, but they're about to go on hiatus because they're a hot mess. Still good, though.
There are lots of underground idols that might also scratch that itch, too, since the concept of "underground idol" tends to be a lot darker and more counter-cultural in general. For currently active groups, I'd peruse through Migma Shelter, Shingeki, Zenbu Kimi no Sei da, Maison book girl, to start. Homicidols, which abra linked above, is generally pretty active in reporting on these underground groups so that's also a really good place to find new groups with an edge.
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What do you mean by that? Spooky/creepy? Or dark?
You'll find the occasional dark concept from most idol groups. Keyakizaka46 have mostly done darker songs recently, but it seems like they'll change their image.
If you're looking for spooky/creepy, you might want to look into the alternative idol niche. I wouldn't say that the quality is great all the time, but you might find some decent stuff.
The most famous alternative idols are probably the wack groups. There's also Passcode, Necromonidol etc. Lurkette probably knows more.
Thanks guys, I'll do some digging, you've given me some great places to start
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It was really interesting 
P48 brought some attentions about the difference between K-idols and J-idols. And even during the MAMA2017 in Japan when all females artists performed on stage you could spot some differences. Kpop idols staring at cameras with sharp mouvements while J-idols where focusing on the public and having fun.
P48 brought some attentions about the difference between K-idols and J-idols. And even during the MAMA2017 in Japan when all females artists performed on stage you could spot some differences. Kpop idols staring at cameras with sharp mouvements while J-idols where focusing on the public and having fun.
It was really interesting
P48 brought some attentions about the difference between K-idols and J-idols. And even during the MAMA2017 in Japan when all females artists performed on stage you could spot some differences. Kpop idols staring at cameras with sharp mouvements while J-idols where focusing on the public and having fun.
P48 was really interesting as it was so many people's first introductions to j-idols. When the 48G members tried to do k-pop numbers, it didn't come off as great because the skill level is so different, but then you watch, like, the Warota People performance from NMB's audition and I think that left a better impression. That's really more what j-idols are about and where they really shine, being goofy and fun.
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The aspect about gravure and songwriters was super interesting!
Mayhaps I was asleep
I'll do it now
Mayhaps I was asleep
I'll do it now