still on Asian idols, if you're interested

I'll be talking about how I got into AKB48 because I was drunk when I wrote the last post. (not literally) (just the usual I'm-so-done-with-typing-for-the-rest-of-my-life type of drunk) (I don't have that often, don't worry)

Ehem.

So. Where to start.

Heavy Rotation?

Heavy Rotation.

Heavy Rotation makes me feel like AKB48 fans are pervy freaks that are even worse than KPop fans in terms of ruining idols' lives because, uhm. The girls are in lingeries kissing each other and shit because it's their job, supposedly?? What kind of entertainment would do such a thing just to please fans?? The fans themselves must be sooo pathetic to buy into this superficial, shallow stuff.

"Oh, there must be worse shit than this from this obscene group!! Let the judge-fest begin!" I said excitedly as I munched my metaphorical popcorn and searched for "AKB48" in YouTube.

Manatsu no Sounds Good!! Ponytail to Chouchou!! Blasphemy!! They're in bikinis again!

.....the song's are quite catchy though, I can't get it out of my hea—

Stop it!! You hate this band. They're pervy!!!

But Managuu and GM5—

NO! They. Are. Slutty.

But it's catchy. I have got to have this on my iPod. Just the catchy ones. I have Rebecca Black and Hannah Montana, some more shallow bubble gum pop wouldn't hurt!! Just the catchy songs, I swear. It's not like I'd become a fan of theirs—

(Oops.)

Page four or five in the YouTube search for AKB48 reveals Sakura no Shiori and Majisuka Rock and Roll and RIVER and Beginner and that's where I stopped and went all, "Huh," amusedly. The girls are still ugly and the bikinis in summer songs (as I later learned they were called) are still undeniably there, but there's a new feeling when I watch their videos.

I feel energized.

They don't try to be pretty because they're not (compared with KPop girls), they just try to match the mood of the song and move accordingly. I feel like it's more natural somehow, how they smile widely or glower at us and dance in such great number with an even greater energy. It was chaos, but a good kind of chaos. They're not prim and perfect nor in sync — arms flew here and there and legs are kicked left and right and they leap and smile —and it's out of order, really. I don't find their voices pleasant, and their songs mostly sound like it's exploding right at your face. Some of the members have really horrible teeth and I find no one with a standard beauty face for Asian.

I was drawn to it like a curious child was drawn to pretty, shining toys. And in a way, they were. They wore cute dresses and uniforms and I find that to be more aesthetically pleasing than what KPop girl groups usually wear (save for cutesy groups like APink and Hello Venus, ofc).

So their energetic routine and upbeat performances got me interested, but it was AkiP that got me hooked to them for real. If it wasn't for his ingenious marketing tactics — oh, handshake tickets and theater shows everyday because these idols are idols you can meet *sparkling smile* — I would just dismiss them as a group with catchy songs but no real meaning, as they have no talent whatsoever. But AkiP made it personal by making us connect more with the girls, that each desperately needs your support. Vote for a girl. Go handshake with a girl. Cheer for a girl. See which girl has the greatest support and watch her flourish, and see which has the least and watch her cry. Everything is because of you — that girl succeeds, it's because of your votes and attention. That one rots in the background — well, you should've given her more of your time and money.

By participating in this fandom, by buying CDs and such, you are making a girl's dream come true, so that when she graduates, she can stand on her own and chase her dreams.

I don't see that kind of sly emotional technique used on KPop. You like a band, good, give 'em all your money till you're bored or the band dies. Here, you give them your money so they'll look at the girl you like and push her more and when she graduates she has a firm fanbase to help her succeed in whatever she wants to do. It's a dream factory and it's brilliant strategy.

Another thing is that the songs actually matter. The lyrics matter; it's not just about love or having your heart broken. I mean sure, most A-side songs are like that, but when you dig deep to the stage songs and B-sides, you get so much more diversity. Songs about not giving up, about suicide, about sex, about death, about being tired of life. And the songs about love, well, there are so much to explore here. There's a lesbian love song. There's one where he just wants to scream his love to a girl out loud, not caring that he'd look like an idiot, and one where she's lonely and just wanted to be held. AkiP's an amazing lyricist, and it's always a pleasure to read his works (in translation ofc creys)

Also: there's always something going on in the fandom. Events after events poured in, so do handshakes and concerts and theater shows and releases and singles and albums and TV shows... AKB48 has a vast discography, as well as filmography. It's been months since I've started liking this group and I haven't even seen a full episode of their variety show, simply because I'm too busy catching up with their history and what the fuck's going on now and new singles and shit.

The dramas are good, too. Both from the members and the fans. Paruru won Janken! Drama. Meru-Mio is center! Drama. Sasshi won first! Drama. It's entertaining and I enjoy taking part in debates and discussions. (+the actual dramas, as in with AKB48 members being actresses and all, are really good too. Cried on all three versions of So Long!)

Anyway. On to KPop?

Katasha's KPop-deprived-ears-for-a-few-months List of Best Half-Year 2013 Releases!!! ^A^)/

1. Love Blossom, K.Will 
2. NoNoNo (+every songs in the mini album tbh uNF), APink
3. Wolf (+like, most of the songs in this mini album thingy tbh), EXO
4. Destiny, Infinite
5. Comeback When You Hear This Song & A.D.T.O.Y, 2PM (tied because I can)
6. Hello, NU'EST
7. Man in Love (except not really but the mini album's A++++ so), Infinite
8. What's Going On (solid mini album thingy ok), B1A4
9. 2nd Confession, BTOB
10. Joah, Jay Park

Jay Park is kami-bias so even though his song's number 10 his existence is number one in my kokoro just to get that clear capiche

Tempted to include BEAST because wow these boys are amazing at ballads and shit but Shadow sucks and I haven't heard the full album yet so idk sorry babies

Decided that APink (and maybe Hello Venus idk??) will be my only girl KPop group fav ever that I follow ok because everyone else is doing ~sekusshi~ and no I don't swing that way

Let's do one for AKB48 +sister groups because I can rofl

Katasha's over-saturated-with-AKB48-ears List of Best Half-Year 2013 Releases!!! *A*)/

1. Bokura no Eureka, NMB48 Senbatsu
2. Haste to Waste, BKA48
3. Kono Namida wo Kimi ni Sasagu, NO NAME
4. So Long, AKB48 Senbatsu
5. Bara no Kajitsu, AKB48 Undergirls
6. Rappa Renshuu-chuu, Watanabe Mayu
7. Koi Suru Fortune Cookie, AKB48 Senbatsu
8. Ikiru Koto, Team A
9. Waiting Room, AKB48 Undergirls
10. Yabanna Soft Cream, NMB48 Akagumi

HKT hasn't released anything yet (Melon Juice in a month or so I think??) and I don't follow SKE that much so

If someone knows NMB and is reading this can you please find me an oshimen because I'm really fond of this group and it's killing me to not have an oshi there ok sobs (I guess temporarily it's Maachun but she doesn't give the oshimen dokidoki feeling like Suuchan or Aoitan does, yknow)