Shomi is dead, so I'm not sure of any Canadian streaming services that would pick it up exclusively. Surely we'll see it here soon though, they must have had some reason to fund it.
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"Tokyo Idols" Japanese Music/Culture Documentary Up on Netflix
- Thread starter Aurica
- Start date
Shomi is dead, so I'm not sure of any Canadian streaming services that would pick it up exclusively. Surely we'll see it here soon though, they must have had some reason to fund it.
Crave then. Whatever the Bell one is called. lol
It was funded in production and the post-production was in Canada IIRC. If Netflix has it everywhere but Canada, it means someone else owns it. Maybe CBC for their documentary series, maybe Sundance since they just launched in Canada...
OP
OP
My stuff comes from years living in Japan, so I am not sure about what I'd recommend.
I have to respect that Rio girl's tenacity and hustle.
I also caught the part where there was comparisons to this and the London punk scene in the 70s. Musically, they couldn't be anymore different but the fact that both spawned from a recession and have that underground DIY ethos. That said, they get into the parts with the 10 year old idols and i wanted to crawl out of my skin.
I also caught the part where there was comparisons to this and the London punk scene in the 70s. Musically, they couldn't be anymore different but the fact that both spawned from a recession and have that underground DIY ethos. That said, they get into the parts with the 10 year old idols and i wanted to crawl out of my skin.
Japan is fascinating, it's like a different world when human relations are twisted and totally cringey, interesting documentary.
Edit: at the same time, we have the same thing in the West with fanboys/girls, talking about the excessive everything part ( not the "idole part" )
Edit: at the same time, we have the same thing in the West with fanboys/girls, talking about the excessive everything part ( not the "idole part" )
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I finally watched it. It's more sympathetic to the whole idol culture than I would've thought. It feels like everyone involved is trying to achieve something, whether it's the idols that want to be stars and admired by others, to the fans who seem lonely and want an emotional connection and want to be a part of something bigger than themselves. Honestly you could say the same thing about so many other things in society. Swap out idol fans for sports fans. I mean people spend tons of time, energy and money rooting for a bunch of guys running around a field with a ball.
I thought it was overall a well balanced documentary, though I chuckled at the "buzz killington" female sociologist who kept throwing shade at the whole thing. Not that she was saying anything untrue but the whole point of the idol industry is to sell a fantasy and she's speaking reality. The really young idols (10-14) were pretty creepy though.
I thought it was overall a well balanced documentary, though I chuckled at the "buzz killington" female sociologist who kept throwing shade at the whole thing. Not that she was saying anything untrue but the whole point of the idol industry is to sell a fantasy and she's speaking reality. The really young idols (10-14) were pretty creepy though.
I just watched this. It does keep a very neutral tone, but I think that I still came away from it with reinforced negativity around the industry. The decision to focus on the smaller idols, who play to crowds of 30-50 people, was absolutely the correct and more interesting choice instead of focusing on something like AKB48. I wish we had seen more of the industry-critical reporter
Rio seems like she has her head on largely straight, she got into the game late, it was a way to build audience and she used it to jump into the actual career she desired. Everything with the 14 year olds and the 10 year olds felt much much skeevier
Rio seems like she has her head on largely straight, she got into the game late, it was a way to build audience and she used it to jump into the actual career she desired. Everything with the 14 year olds and the 10 year olds felt much much skeevier
I'm assuming that the big groups like AKB would never have given the filmmakers access.
I googled the main idol they focused on, Hiiragi Rio, and apparently she's doing another bike trip across Japan. She has youtube videos uploaded in the past few days from her on a bike, probably doing another round of whatever she was doing in the documentary. I don't think her singing career ever really picked up though. Her official website doesn't list anything on the discography after 2014. I'm assuming she makes most of her money from live events and Twitch streaming (or whatever website she streams on).
I googled the main idol they focused on, Hiiragi Rio, and apparently she's doing another bike trip across Japan. She has youtube videos uploaded in the past few days from her on a bike, probably doing another round of whatever she was doing in the documentary. I don't think her singing career ever really picked up though. Her official website doesn't list anything on the discography after 2014. I'm assuming she makes most of her money from live events and Twitch streaming (or whatever website she streams on).
You should watch the NMB documentary. It's like the closest one of these get to trying to reveal the "real" AKB process.
Watched this one earlier today. Thought it was pretty good overall. They definitely made Rio's fans out to be somewhat sympathetic while still acknowledging the problematic nature of everything. The grown men being fans/"friends" of the 10/14 year old idols skeeved me out the hardest for sure.
I keep hearing this but I cant find it subbed or even a purchase link from the creator
and Im usually good with this stuff
Was this only screened in film fests and scrubbed from the internet?
Is there any way to change regions on Netflix? Legally I guess :p become super keen to watch this and still not on UK site
Imma try to watch this as well, after watching Tokyo Girls I'd like to know more about the ins and outs of the industry.
Honestly, after thinking about it, the whole idol culture in Japan is not too different from any other similar phenomenon the US. Sports, politics, religion, etc. The main difference is that those are considered socially acceptable by many people and the idol culture is not. I mean a bunch of old men yelling and screaming and spending thousands of dollars on young guys running around with a ball on a field isn't too different than if you substitute the young men and a ball with young women and singing/dancing.
Except the 10 year old stuff though. In the immortal words of Walter Sobchak, "10 year olds, dude." But even in the US you have the creepy pageant show culture and there are also the parents of kids in youth sports leagues who go crazy over that stuff.
Except the 10 year old stuff though. In the immortal words of Walter Sobchak, "10 year olds, dude." But even in the US you have the creepy pageant show culture and there are also the parents of kids in youth sports leagues who go crazy over that stuff.
Yeah it was screened in at least 3 film festivals with subs, so I have to imagine that someone is just sitting on them if it's not out yet. Apparently the doc is on Netflix Japan too, but obviously without subs.
NMB being the low-tier group means that no fans can enough to fansub it though (unlike say the AKB documentaries).