True Life Seek

maiZe of fields of maiZe and berryZ linked me this (dated?) picture of Matsuura Aya yesterday and I have to point this out. This dress is similar to one that I saw this drag queen once wearing. The style is dramatically different. The drag queen I saw had less fabric and more rainbow pom-poms. But it is close enough!

I had to try to find more idols looking drag-queenish, so naturally I went to Bikkuri Project’s Costume Hall of Shame. Lo and behold, Celestia wrote about this very Ayaya dress before:

Multiple choice quiz time. Ayaya is….
A.The victim of a tragic arts and crafts accident that involved her being doused in glue and dropped into a vat of pom-poms
B.Trying to be more fluffy than all of MorningMusume in the Bonkyu Bomb tour encore combined, because she’s just that good
C.Paying for losing a bet with Mikitty (she would make someone wear this, wouldn’t she?)
D.The Queen of the Rainbow Tribbles! All hail the queen!!!!!

I don’t think she meant the same type of queen, but it works so well doesn’t it?

Unfortunately, Aya’s drag queen days are over. She is now a “serious” J-pop artist and I’m pretty sure she wouldn’t be caught dead wearing something like this anymore. But that doesn’t mean the other girls can’t pick up the slack. I’m keeping my eyes open for it!

Posted on September 27th, 2008 by broomhead. Filed under Article, Idols.
Tags: Bikkuri Project, Celestia, drag queen, fields of maiZe and berryZ, Hello! Project, maiZe, Matsuura Aya

First, let me point out that I am not well-versed in LGBT issues in Japan (and other countries). If anyone can recommend me anything to read, I’d appreciate it.

This started off as a review for Koda Kumi’s “TABOO” PV. I’ll have to get into that review another day. The focus shifted more towards the prevalence, or lack thereof, of LGBT personalities in the Japanese entertainment world. I can’t think of many LGBT idols/celebrities or situations where the intent wasn’t exploitation, be it fanservice or for comedic effect. The sincerity behind Goto Maki starring in Yubi (2006) was legit, but that movie had plenty of problems (which I’ll save for another day). I’m willing to claim ignorance as I haven’t seen enough or don’t know enough Japanese pop culture history, even after all these years, to fully understand the situation here. I am just reacting to what I have seen so far, perhaps for reference. And for now, I’m saying that it is not “normal,” or acceptable, for idols to be LGBT.

And that doesn’t sit very well with me.

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Posted on September 24th, 2008 by broomhead. Filed under Article, Idols.
Tags: AKB48, Aoki Sayaka, Arihara Kanna, Berryz Koubou, DEKOBOKO17, Goto Maki, Hey! Say! Jump!, Koda Kumi, LGBT, Morning Musume, Music Fighter, Nakai Masahiro, Nakazawa Yuko, sex, sexual identity, Suzuki Airi, TABOO, Takahashi Ai, Utaban, Vulpi, Wonder Girls, Yubi, °C-ute

After reading that Clay Aiken is now out, I’ve been watching videos of when I first became a fan of his. Back when American Idol was good all the way to the Finals.

Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me

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Posted on September 24th, 2008 by broomhead. Filed under Idols, News.
Tags: American Idol, Clay Aiken, LGBT