Beckii Cruel in Japan

[momopi]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vb7r_RAH ... re=related
http://sankei.jp.msn.com/entertainments ... 007-n1.htm
http://www.dannychoo.com/post/en/25205/ ... Cruel.html
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/20 ... d-in-japan
http://www.animevice.com/news/beckii-cr ... bara/2829/

14-year old UK girl posted herself dancing to anime and jpop music on youtube... gained cult following in Japan and her own DVD release. LoL.

In UK she'd be just another silly teenager. With the power of the internet, she was able to find happiness abroad and went to dace at an event in Akihabra. She is now joined by 2 other girls for a Feb music CD debut in Japan:

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/20 ... -girl-band
http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=TKCA-73509

They're covering the classic "Tsubasa wo Kudasai".

[ladislav]

Great. She could do that. Not all people who go to Japan or who appeal to the Japanese reach that kind of success. But definitely, in my case, through good salaries there I was able to go see the rest of Asia, pay off huge debts as well as have some great romantic times.

[globetrotter]

Asians find some behaviour and traits of westerners "cute".

I still cannot figure out what those traits are, so you encounter girls like Beckii who become Dance Cover stars for no apparent reason.

Asians see things we do not, in a different way with a different eye.

[ladislav]

Asians find some behaviour and traits of westerners "cute".

Actually, in this case, it is a 14 year old Western girl with big eyes who is acting like a Japanese cartoon teenager. Japanese cartoon artists of the post war time developed a cartoon industry based on Disney's cartoons- most of it would be people with huge eyes, blonds, mythological creatures with slighly Western feautures. Plus going back in time, the Japanese had various mythological characters who looked slighly Caucasoid.

So, those two things kind of con-fluenced and a Japanese cartoon industry was born. To appeal to young people and salary-men, they published these cartoons with all kinds of sexy girls acting in them, most are very young looking. That is just the culture there.

A 14 year old Western girl dancing and acting like a character in a Japanese cartoon became basically a "cartoon incarnate"- so, it hit the spot with the Japanese. The Japanese do not look anything like their cartoons and the way they portray themselves- with huge eyes 'cute. etc. She does. It was a big success. Smart!

Just like the appearance of a blond Russian philologist on youtube.com hit the spot with Americans. There was something in it that was just what the masses wanted to see. A sexy blond teacher with a cute accent. Right look, right place, right time..

Asians see things we do not, in a different way with a different eye.

And the same with us- we see things they do not see. For example, I can immediately tell a North American from say, a European. Or a Black American guy from a Black African. They cannot.

[momopi]

Most teenage stars are one-shot deals. Hopefully Beckii will leverage her newfound fame successfully and turn it into a lasting career.

There was a French teenage pop star back in the early 2000's named Alizee. She gained popularity quickly, then got married at age 19 and had a child. But she was able to maintain her career and came back strong. My only critique is that these pop stars are like Kid Rock, all they do is cover someone else's songs with very few original works.

Alizee in 2003: (at age 19)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ik5Nh94v7EQ

Alizee in 2007 (after marriage and giving birth in 2005):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=MX&hl=e ... aAI&fmt=18
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgqNKQr8ZTQ


Alizee vs. "Camel Toe Dee" (E-Type) video, LoL:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cllUZOyZOtg

Much better video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VK2Amr_V1Fg

If anyone doesn't understand the Camel Toe joke, see here:
http://www.deesite.nl/pics/tour/helsingborg/005.jpg