Urban75 Home About Offline BrixtonBuzz Contact

Wtf, Japan?

A kind of similar situation to Brian Epstein keeping the lads girlfriends out of the picture during their boyband phase.
I had a massive crush on Debbie Harry back in the day but in my heart of hearts I accepted that she and I would never be
 
  • Like
Reactions: Chz
Boybands I can sort of understand, keeping girlfriends out of the frame because their fanbase is so heavy on the girls.
But what's with the 'punishing' of some 20 year old for taking a photo with a boy in the picture?
Bwaaaaha ha ha.
Have they legions of young men who are idolizing them as some sort of available hotties?
Yes.
Yes X a million. Idol shows in Japan are freaky. Scary looking nerds. There is a huge scene of smaller idol groups and they are almost exclusively attended by middle aged men.
I did a show in Tokyo once with an 80s themed parody idol group once and even there the audience looked incredibly suspect.
 

It's 80 years since the sinking of the passenger ship Tsushima Maru, in which hundreds of children died.

One of the war crimes that is sadly forgotten.
 
Boybands I can sort of understand, keeping girlfriends out of the frame because their fanbase is so heavy on the girls.

But what's with the 'punishing' of some 20 year old for taking a photo with a boy in the picture? Have they legions of young men who are idolizing them as some sort of available hotties? I always thought girl bands generally appealed to girls more than boys anyway. This is probably why I don't get any of this k-pop stuff either. It's all just a bit too contrived.
It's not really a punishment, just a PR strategy Punishment for her would be being dropped I think.

The punishment is BS anyway, what does a goodnight photo prove?

It just looks loke a more extreme version of some western boy/girl bands where they keep relationships hidden to maintain the fiction that they are available.
 
Have watched Chris Broad's videos on YouTube for the last 2-3 years. Sometimes wish he'd touch on some of the darker topics but I guess he has a formula he's sticking to. I know he does the once in a blue moon 'reasons not to move to Japan' type of video but they sometimes feel like 'I'd better do something to prove my content is not all relentless jolly japes' rather than any great conviction.
 
Have watched Chris Broad's videos on YouTube for the last 2-3 years. Sometimes wish he'd touch on some of the darker topics but I guess he has a formula he's sticking to. I know he does the once in a blue moon 'reasons not to move to Japan' type of video but they sometimes feel like 'I'd better do something to prove my content is not all relentless jolly japes' rather than any great conviction.

His podcasts occasionally touch on the negative stuff, in an informal fashion.

Have you read Jake Adelstein's Tokyo Vice? That's dark.
 

The wheels of justice turn very slowly in Japan.

And 80 percent of people (polled) are still in favour of the death penalty!
Most of them probably think the culprit should kill themselves out of shame. Here's a kaiken and an empty room without cameras. You know what to do.
 
Have watched Chris Broad's videos on YouTube for the last 2-3 years. Sometimes wish he'd touch on some of the darker topics but I guess he has a formula he's sticking to. I know he does the once in a blue moon 'reasons not to move to Japan' type of video but they sometimes feel like 'I'd better do something to prove my content is not all relentless jolly japes' rather than any great conviction.

He’s a very smooth media operator and careful with his approach to videos and it serves him well but he’s frankly boring over last few years since he plugged fully into YouTube creators only network
 
He’s a very smooth media operator and careful with his approach to videos and it serves him well but he’s frankly boring over last few years since he plugged fully into YouTube creators only network
We popped into his bar in Shibuya, a few weeks ago. He's basically a clever entrepreneur type these days, but we still watch the main YouTube output because he does it well, if somewhat predictable...
 
We popped into his bar in Shibuya, a few weeks ago. He's basically a clever entrepreneur type these days, but we still watch the main YouTube output because he does it well, if somewhat predictable...

Broad has a bar in Shibuya? As in owns one? I must've missed that.

I know he has a set dressed as a bar or ramen bar or something but I didn't know he has other business on the side.
 
Broad has a bar in Shibuya? As in owns one? I must've missed that.

I know he has a set dressed as a bar or ramen bar or something but I didn't know he has other business on the side.

Yeah, himself and Sharla opened it a couple of months ago. It's kind of fancy but not fancy, and in fairness, it's mostly cocktails (and expensive cans of beer) and over eager staff.

Not our typical hangout.
 
Broad has a bar in Shibuya? As in owns one? I must've missed that.

I know he has a set dressed as a bar or ramen bar or something but I didn't know he has other business on the side.


He made his ramen bar studio then left for Tokyo like a year or two later. Now he's opened a cocktail place in Shibuya.

We popped into his bar in Shibuya, a few weeks ago. He's basically a clever entrepreneur type these days, but we still watch the main YouTube output because he does it well, if somewhat predictable...

He's basically making bank by being the biggest J-Youtuber - which fair play to him is easy work if you can get it.
 
He’s a very smooth media operator and careful with his approach to videos and it serves him well but he’s frankly boring over last few years since he plugged fully into YouTube creators only network

I haven't looked at his stuff for a while now whereas before I used to be one of those who couldn't wait to watch as soon as a new video came out. I guess you can't blame someone for going with what is successful - and good luck to him - but it does feel a bit formulaic these days. I include the podcasts with Pete Donaldson in that... here's a news story of the week that isn't always that quirky, here's a traveller's tale that isn't actually that funny or feels like it's been written with a heavy helping of creative licence by the contributor etc etc.
 
I haven't looked at his stuff for a while now whereas before I used to be one of those who couldn't wait to watch as soon as a new video came out. I guess you can't blame someone for going with what is successful - and good luck to him - but it does feel a bit formulaic these days. I include the podcasts with Pete Donaldson in that... here's a news story of the week that isn't always that quirky, here's a traveller's tale that isn't actually that funny or feels like it's been written with a heavy helping of creative licence by the contributor etc etc.

Feel exactly the same, I was keen to watch every video and listen to every podcast at one point. Unsubscribed to both about a year ago.
 
I've been watching a few of his and others videos about Japan while prepping to visit this Christmas and New Year. The beginners stuff is great and full of helpful tips but I can't imagine watching it if I wasn't prepping for a trip.
 
I've been watching a few of his and others videos about Japan while prepping to visit this Christmas and New Year. The beginners stuff is great and full of helpful tips but I can't imagine watching it if I wasn't prepping for a trip.

It's definitely worth prepping and in fairness to CB, those particular videos are helpful, as you say. But if you need any random info, just ask.
 
Allegedly. Tbh, don't know much about the guy - not being able to vote has kinda knocked the old enthusiasm out of me...


Honestly seems a bit pointless paying that much attention to Japanese politics given how ossified the entire structure seems to be I know.

This was a decent feature on cuddly Ishiba, whether he will be a major break I guess we’ll see.

 
Back
Top Bottom