Hello friends! That was, uh, that was quite an ending to the idol week, wasn’t it? And not even the lowest point, in an ethical or moral sense. I don’t want to be that guy, but as both a Yui wota (original oshi, no less) and a clear-eyed realist with a heart of stone, I’m enjoying the reactions to her graduation. For every rational response, there’s at least one other person fomenting conspiracy theories from whole cloth so hamfistedly that I — yes, even I — have to applaud. I even thought about doing a copypasta kind of post, but I don’t have the energy.
Nonetheless, yesterday was like an acknowledgement by the Gods of Idol that it’s a different world now. It’s felt that way for some time; the possibility of there being no Babymetal, or of Babymetal being a completely different kind of animal, basically seals the edges from lingering attempts to argue for any appreciable difference between idol that is loud and idol that is not. Where idol goes, idol does.
Potent lesson, no?
Well, I don’t know about you all, but autumn is probably my favorite time of the year, and I have a huge ol’ project to get to on what might be the last Saturday of the year to have sunlight past 6:00 p.m., so you go play the Fun and then get Weekendering, and I’ll get cranking on a few other things, and we’ll all be happier for it. Deal?
Deal?
This is an awful story, and it’s a predictable one, as is the response to it by mainstream coverage:
There is nothing good in this piece. Nothing good about the idol industry, nothing good about the conditions, and nothing good about fans. Not doubting it speaks the truth; but as always, the picture is painted with a very broad, all-encompassing brush. https://t.co/ZMiRaSFYaN
— Andy Boxall (@AndyBoxall) October 16, 2018
Amina has the right of it:
I love idols. Most idol agencies do right, but sometimes less than savoury management companies get bad press. I think we can appreciate entertainers, the entertainment industry in general and support our favourite artists while simultaneously seeing unethical practises.
— ✟ amina du Jean♡ (@aminadujean) October 17, 2018
The first real track from Marionet:
Sharing for the general interest:
I actually kind of dig this WACK family photo:
Quick Japan増刊、1冊まるごと「WACKな本」刊行(写真7枚) #BiSH #ギャンパレ #bisidol #EMPiREIDOL #WAgg https://t.co/cRcQp3JAGi pic.twitter.com/zuwdNL3KAH
— 音楽ナタリー (@natalie_mu) October 16, 2018
But not as much as this one:
Amazon fashion week
ありがとうございました!!
夢のような時間でした~
とにかくドキドキでキラキラしてた
また是非出たいなあ~渡辺さんお疲れ様でした!#NEGLECTADULTPATiENTS#NAP#AmazonFashionWeekTOKYO#東コレ19年春夏#BiS #アヤ・エイトプリンス pic.twitter.com/ejClOJygrJ
— アヤ・エイトプリンス (@AYAPRi_BiS) October 16, 2018
I got a kick out of seeing Tenkou Shoujo doing a mall live:
10月16日リリース1st アルバム「Star Light」リリイベ@ サンシャインシティ噴水広場終了✨
噴水⛲️と映像🎥での演出、楽しんでいただけましたでしょうか😁
M1 Girl*s Time
M2 瞬け、プルート
M3 ショコラの独白
M4 この世界にサヨナラして
M5 プロムナードの足跡 pic.twitter.com/jlBASA8ZO3— 転校少女* (@tenkoushoujo) October 15, 2018
I’ll just keep ramming live Toricago down your throat:
EMOTIONAL🐧https://t.co/o2UOO8h0LF#鶯籠#NNWF #RADHALL pic.twitter.com/BXqSVTHcPB
— 鶯籠 (@toricago_O) October 15, 2018
And sure, a photo gallery while I’m at it:
🐧HP // PHOTO GALLERYに写真を掲載🐧
(https://t.co/0dUDHLwtHw)撮影会場 // RAD HALL(名古屋・大須)
⇒ @radhall0804撮影協力 // NAGOYA NEW WAVE FESTA
⇒ @nnwf1014#鶯籠#NNWF pic.twitter.com/SEAEjLEusW— 鶯籠 (@toricago_O) October 18, 2018
New Ladybaby doing old Ladybaby live:
You’ll Melt More! with yet another fun-as-hell video:
This Kaqriyo Terror Architect RT promo (which you can still join!) is the hit-bull-win-steak of idol giveaways:
[プレゼント企画]
幽世テロルArchitect公式Twitterフォロワー4000人突破を記念して感謝のプレゼント企画開催!公式Twitterフォロー&こちらのツイートをRTで【メンバーサイン入りサコッシュ】を抽選で"1名様"にプレゼント!締切は10/21(日)の23:59!皆様奮ってご参加下さい! #幽世テロル pic.twitter.com/JHEOq9zUGo— 幽世テロルArchitect (@kaqriyoterror) October 15, 2018
Philosophy no Dance is better than everybody else:
Idol in Focus
This week’s Idol in Focus is 969, who continue to stray ever further from the project that I first fell in love with but are nonetheless still doing the lord’s work. Here’s a clip:
BiSムロパナコに関するお知らせhttps://t.co/r1aKpNlzx8
— BiS−新生アイドル研究会-オフィシャル (@BiSidol) October 15, 2018
This was inspired by not the above, actually, but by these instances of idol-on-idol cover activity, from A.N.otheЯ:
【A.N.otheЯ / Untitled(969 cover)】#アナザー#クロック pic.twitter.com/tDb7hPmftJ
— A.N.otheЯ(アナザー) 公式 (@A_N_othe_R) October 14, 2018
【A.N.otheЯ / REAL(969 cover)】#アナザー#クロック pic.twitter.com/KPzqELTu4m
— A.N.otheЯ(アナザー) 公式 (@A_N_othe_R) October 14, 2018
These are the little things that make me happy.
I appreciate NEO BREAK:
On-stage injury for BiS:
BiSムロパナコに関するお知らせhttps://t.co/r1aKpNlzx8
— BiS−新生アイドル研究会-オフィシャル (@BiSidol) October 15, 2018
My girls in AIBECK got involved in iCON DOLL LOUNGE:
各ブランドとモデル
コラボショーステージmikiosakabe
Jenny Fax
KEISUKEYOSHIDA
RYOTAMURAKAMI
PERMINUTE各時間と出演モデルの詳細はこちらから↓https://t.co/80nDpIaQOq
前売りチケット
e+ https://t.co/G3e1t1CWDW 18:00まで
PassMarket https://t.co/zLVWYxQf8g 24:00まで pic.twitter.com/GqVmjn9OX1— ◉AIBECK【10/18 渋谷ストリームホール 】 (@AIBECK_) October 18, 2018
Woltanative got a membership overhaul:
ヲルタナティヴ、新メンバー迎え過去最多7人体制になった“飛躍”の新ビジュアル(コメントあり) https://t.co/QhJbjtoYV2 pic.twitter.com/oe8Oro62Er
— 音楽ナタリー (@natalie_mu) October 17, 2018
This is the first time that KINGRAGE played this song, and I can see why:
If you aren’t a Negicco fan, I’m not sure that we can be friends:
Have a great weekend!