Idol culture is shit
Sakuma and Wanko are cute

You win some you lose some I guess.

It's basically turning women into quite litteral ''objects'' and there's just no way to rationalize it in my book, especially as a woman. Different cultures and all aside, this is an objectively wrong practice.

Yeah, there's a reason they're called "idols". And idol is not a "filthy" real woman, she's your "pure" dream girl, someone you can fantasize about, but never reach. But that's OK, no one else can either - and a relationship would shatter that dream. It's selling a certain image, a fantasy, and nothing is allowed to interfere with that.

Really not my thing either...

last edited at Oct 4, 2021 11:11AM

The manager is Pekora. Change my mind.

Creepy straight dudes once again ruining things for the rest of the world. I forsee this becoming a major issue in the future, hiding who you are never feels good.

Dammit, let them flirt!

The manager gag in chapter 84 feels oddly forced. Her (basically impossibly) showing up on the balcony with a direct address is a 4th wall break gag that I don't think has ever happened in the story before.

It also doesn't do any favors to gumi-san, who is looking less like the super competent character with a weird quirk and more like comedy relief

It's basically turning women into quite litteral ''objects'' and there's just no way to rationalize it in my book, especially as a woman. Different cultures and all aside, this is an objectively wrong practice.

Yeah, there's a reason they're called "idols". And idol is not a "filthy" real woman, she's your "pure" dream girl, someone you can fantasize about, but never reach. But that's OK, no one else can either - and a relationship would shatter that dream. It's selling a certain image, a fantasy, and nothing is allowed to interfere with that.

Really not my thing either...

I'm curious, does the same thing happen with male idols?

Creepy straight dudes once again ruining things for the rest of the world. I forsee this becoming a major issue in the future, hiding who you are never feels good.

I've heard a small amount of Japan trying to move away from some of the idol culture problems, and some awareness, so hopefully the future is brighter.

It's basically turning women into quite litteral ''objects'' and there's just no way to rationalize it in my book, especially as a woman. Different cultures and all aside, this is an objectively wrong practice.

Yeah, there's a reason they're called "idols". And idol is not a "filthy" real woman, she's your "pure" dream girl, someone you can fantasize about, but never reach. But that's OK, no one else can either - and a relationship would shatter that dream. It's selling a certain image, a fantasy, and nothing is allowed to interfere with that.

Really not my thing either...

I'm curious, does the same thing happen with male idols?

It does. Male Idols also have to hide their personal relationships and appear eternally single as well. This happens not only with Japanese Idols but Korean K Pop Idols as well. I’ve even seen male K Pop Idols actually offer up a public apology when female fans discover they’re dating someone or are getting married. Often the relationship is then announced to have ended shortly after discovery because of fan outrage. There’s objectification and unreasonable expectations on both sides of the coin.

last edited at Oct 4, 2021 4:39PM

It amazes me that this stupid idol culture thing is so pervasive that it extends to voice actors. I mean, in North America nobody knows who the voice actors even ARE, except for the occasional normal movie actor who's slumming. It's not like they even need to look like the character. What do you want to bet that in Japan, an unofficial requirement for the voice talent voicing cute girl characters is that they themselves be more or less cute so that the fanatics who find out who they are and what they look like won't be too disappointed? Ick, ick, ick.

It's basically turning women into quite litteral ''objects'' and there's just no way to rationalize it in my book, especially as a woman. Different cultures and all aside, this is an objectively wrong practice.

Yeah, there's a reason they're called "idols". And idol is not a "filthy" real woman, she's your "pure" dream girl, someone you can fantasize about, but never reach. But that's OK, no one else can either - and a relationship would shatter that dream. It's selling a certain image, a fantasy, and nothing is allowed to interfere with that.

Really not my thing either...

I'm curious, does the same thing happen with male idols?

It does. Male Idols also have to hide their personal relationships and appear eternally single as well. This happens not only with Japanese Idols but Korean K Pop Idols as well. I’ve even seen male K Pop Idols actually offer up a public apology when female fans discover they’re dating someone or are getting married. Often the relationship is then announced to have ended shortly after discovery because of fan outrage. There’s objectification and unreasonable expectations on both sides of the coin.

Thanks for the response, that's about what I figured was likely the case.

The manager gag in chapter 84 feels oddly forced. Her (basically impossibly) showing up on the balcony with a direct address is a 4th wall break gag that I don't think has ever happened in the story before.

Not the first time; the fourth wall has shown some cracks since chapter two.

I'm a little disappointed Wanko wasn't interested in the Blues Brothers, but then again she's young and from a different culture. Props to the author for drawing that panel so clearly even I could identify the movie.

Silly Wanko. Hollywood hasn't put out original movies in decades. It's all crappy remakes, crappy sequels, crappy ripoffs of those crappy remakes and crappy sequels, and comic book movies.

Edit: of course she might find a couple of high budge fancy remakes, or ripoffs of old good films.

last edited at Oct 5, 2021 12:35AM

La la land gaijin reaction meme panel 1
Blues Brothers gaijin reaction meme panel 2

I know you're supposed to (publicly) forswear romance if you're an idol, but Wanko is going to be a voice actress who plays an idol. I didn't realize the culture extended that far

I'm sure it would if not because of the property but just because voice actresses in such am exposed property, at least ones with major roles, would wind up becoming idols.

This is basically what happened to Aya Hirano

The manager gag in chapter 84 feels oddly forced. Her (basically impossibly) showing up on the balcony with a direct address is a 4th wall break gag that I don't think has ever happened in the story before.

It also doesn't do any favors to gumi-san, who is looking less like the super competent character with a weird quirk and more like comedy relief

The manager character always felt really out of place in this story to me. I could understand if she showed up in a less grounded series like sasameki koto, but in this series she feels sorely out of place for being a walking bag of tropes that just kinda serves as a hamfisted plot device 80% of the time

The manager gag in chapter 84 feels oddly forced. Her (basically impossibly) showing up on the balcony with a direct address is a 4th wall break gag that I don't think has ever happened in the story before.

It also doesn't do any favors to gumi-san, who is looking less like the super competent character with a weird quirk and more like comedy relief

The manager character always felt really out of place in this story to me. I could understand if she showed up in a less grounded series like sasameki koto, but in this series she feels sorely out of place for being a walking bag of tropes that just kinda serves as a hamfisted plot device 80% of the time

Until this point I really felt she could have been a serious yet believably eccentric character. I've met my fair share of characters at the workplace before, and this one isn't even doing any drugs! But she doesn't have that vibe, feels out of place in this kind of story to me too :/

(Manga Aretha Franklin does it again!)

last edited at Oct 5, 2021 2:04AM

have not seen the dancer in the dark movie but the soundtrack is excellent.

Ah, of course she would fall asleep.

Blues Brothers is a nice choice, though.

And even Wanko recognizes the superiority of watching original language dialogue with subs.

For the record, Wanko is 22 at the start of the series. In other words, she has just consigned herself and Sakuma to 7 to 8 years of celibacy for the purpose of entertaining weirdos and potential stalkers. I do not know how that can be seen as a positive development.

They're still living together and having a relationship, they just have to be careful not to show it in public.

Edit: I mean, I'm not saying that's great, but it's not "8 years of celibacy." They literally just had sex.

last edited at Oct 9, 2021 4:23PM

The manager gag in chapter 84 feels oddly forced. Her (basically impossibly) showing up on the balcony with a direct address is a 4th wall break gag that I don't think has ever happened in the story before.

It also doesn't do any favors to gumi-san, who is looking less like the super competent character with a weird quirk and more like comedy relief

The manager character always felt really out of place in this story to me. I could understand if she showed up in a less grounded series like sasameki koto, but in this series she feels sorely out of place for being a walking bag of tropes that just kinda serves as a hamfisted plot device 80% of the time

How is Sasameki Koto less grounded? It's about two gay teens dealing with bullying, heartbreak, and romance while attending high school and participating in sports. The only remotely "weird" thing in the series, aside from some character eccentricities, is the girly class-VP being a cross-dressing idol and one exchange student that looks a little younger than she actually is.

When I look at the cast of this manga, that feels like pretty much the exact same kind of grounded? They could even easily be the same setting. It wouldn't surprise me a bit if Wanko bumped into Akemiya in a studio somewhere.

last edited at Oct 9, 2021 4:33PM

For the record, Wanko is 22 at the start of the series. In other words, she has just consigned herself and Sakuma to 7 to 8 years of celibacy for the purpose of entertaining weirdos and potential stalkers. I do not know how that can be seen as a positive development.

They're still living together and having a relationship, they just have to be careful not to show it in public.

Edit: I mean, I'm not saying that's great, but it's not "8 years of celibacy." They literally just had sex.

Hmmm, I might have misunderstood, then. Still, knowing Japan's idol industry and its "fans", I won't be surprised if some sicko gets into Wanko's home and subsequently exposes her "impure" relationship to the world. Not guessing on how likely that is in this particular manga, but that is a risk she'd have to live with if she continues her relationship with Sakuma, even in private...

uwaaa Sakuma is too direct