Idol Flashback :Yamaguchi Momoe Reflections Of An Idol

When you look up the word idol legend in Japanese idol genre ,you will not see a definition meaning ,instead you will simply see names such as Yamaguchi Momoe.

Momoe`s name will forever be linked to idol genre just like Okada Yukiko for they are in my opinion the closest the genre has ever come to idol perfection .

Momoe announced her shocking retirement from the industry at age twenty ,tired of the industry that had ran her non-stop to the point of burn out . After her retirement  in 1980 Momoe  found happiness in marriage and family life ,and is looked upon  as the ideal housewife .Yet she found no  media peace  as a wife . She has made front page news for  bringing her sons home from the hospital ,attending first day of school. A 1994 false rumor of a return also made front page news.

Momoe`s rise to idol star began in 1972 when a photo of a 13 yr. old girl wearing white turned up on the desk of the director of the television show Star Tanjo! a talent show for idol hopefuls.
Momoe would become the tip of the spear in a new idol crusade by Star Tanjo! And Hori Production to counter industry leader Watanabe Productions.
In 1972 Yamaguchi, Mori Masako and Sakurada Junko were cast together to become a powerful junior high trio.

Of the three Momoe was projected to have the least success going into her 1973 debut single . Momoe`s debut “Toshigoro” resulted in sales of 70,000 a figure at the time that was seen as lacking of superstar abilities a statement of the times as today a sales total of 70,000 is seen as a successful release.



Momoe while gaining ground on her other two trio members with her early releases ,  decided that a change was needed and she pushed her agency to allow her to start performing songs written by Agi Yoko and Usaki Ryudo . The duo gave Momoe confident take charge themed songs such as her 13th single "Yokosuka Story" [sold 600,000 copies for #1 rank]



It was also around this time in 1976 that Momoe started to become a wonderful ballad singer as this later career song displays.


Even with these changes Momoe could not receive industry recognition ,who overlooked her efforts. Momoe would go on to release 32 singles ,22 albums , a rock opera in eight years.

However Momoe was not simply a singer as in 1974 she started her movie career .It was here that she would meet her future husband Miura Tomokazu who she made fourteen films with as the romantic film duo`s public demand was good for the box office figures.

While Momoe went on to make 17 films and 9 dramas ,she was desperately growing tired of an industry that kept taking and taking from her without any regard for rest . Momoe later wrote in a book that by this time it had become a job “without any regard for my own wishes. Forced to sing the same songs over and over everyday, I came to hate singing." Then suddenly in 1978 the out she was looking for came .

The popular female idol group The Candies had called it quits after career sales of 5,000,000 ,with that Momoe decided to put herself before contract and in 1980 she announced her marriage and retirement . Momoe would leave with the same style and grace as she entered. To this day her fans have always regarded her as simply one of them.

Virtual Idols In Japan

Gaki has been covering a series of posts regarding Eguchi Aimi, whom is dubbed as the face of AKB48 in what they call a "perfect idol". The response from the public, some loved it, while some cried "FAKE!". (presumably...)

But "virtual idols" are not new in Japan entertainment.

Since the beginning of time, mankind seek perfection in whatever subject they find. Idols are no exception. People have a vision of what a perfect "something" in their mind, and in the case of Japanese idols, some have decided to showcase in what they think is a perfect idol.

First Generation - Anime
Way back in the early 1980's, the hit mecha anime Super Dimensional Fortress Macross have shown their version of what they think is a perfect idol - Lynn Minmay.

Lynn Minmay is a civilian aboard the Macross spaceship whose raw talent was discovered and then further groomed her to not only be a pop idol, but a symbol of hope and peace while humanity fights off invading aliens such as the Zentradi. Macross portrayed Minmay as a young teen struggling to come to terms with her insecurity, doubts on love relationships and her pop stardom - just like any other ordinary teen. Singer Iijima Mari sung Minmay's songs and she is associated with the anime character ever since. So, in my mind Lynn Minmay is the earliest successful form of a virtual idol - albeit in the form of anime character.

From the mid 80's onwards other "acts" have tried to emulate the success of Minmay, notably Megazone 23's Tokimatsu Eve and Takanaka Yui. Although not as famous as Minmay, the idea of anime virtual idol stuck and evolved over the years.
Yui Takanaka in Megazone 23



Second Attempt - 3D
Almost 10 years later in year 1996, technology has improved and people began too look for something as close to realism as possible. It is also a time where 3D animation got a big boom. That's where Kyoko Date and Terai Yuki come in.

Produced by Hori Puro talent agency, Kyoko Date was first conceptualized to be a dating simulation game character, but somehow decided to market her as a "real" talent under the agency, even produced a song for her. Unfortunately, Kyoko's popularity lasted only a few months, however all the publicity invested in her has increased HoriPuro's company image. There were future versions created in 2002 and another one in 2007 (active in Second Life).

Another 3D virtual idol picked up where Kyoto left off. Terai Yuki was originally an character in manga artist Kutsugi Kenichi's manga "Libido" but later was 3D-modeled. At that time, her bio states that she is 17 years old, 3 sizes 89-59-85, 166 cm tall, loves jazz and idolizes Sarah Vaughan. Her birthdate is set at 9th September 2000 however, meaning that she is a time traveller who came from the futuristic world of the year 2017.
Terai was well received by the masses, that in between 1999 to 2001 she is seen TV commercials, photobooks, PV, singles (produced with Avex), DVDs, magazines, games, softwares, banners etc. Although her popularity waned after that, I believe it has paved the way for virtual idol-ling in 3D-model characters, such as Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball.

Terai Yuki - Fly away alone


(If you are wondering why both of them have short hair? Because long hair is more difficult to animate in realistic 3D)

Third Wave - Hybrid

Again, fast forward 10 years later round about 2007, another virtual idol craze has emerged from the hometown of the otakus, Akibahara culture, Moe maid cafes and pure kawaii-ness - Hatsune Miku. Hatsune is a female character used as a persona to market Vocaloid speech synthesizer, a software designed to simulate vocal speech and song. One may use Vocaloid to replace back-singers if skilled enough. Apparently someone thought otherwise and decided to animate Hatsune Miku, and with sampling audio from singer/voice actress Fujita Saki, a new virtual star is born.
Unlike her predecessors, Hatsune Miku appeared in both mediums - anime and 3D. Even so far as to create a hologram concert with real live backing bands and all.
Hatsune Miku - Triple Baka

3D & Hologram - Ai Kotoba



So... what next?

So about Eguchi Aimi, fact of the matter that her case could just be a one-off PR project for Glico, because I don't know if it will evolve to ANIMATING Eguchi in a manner that she will be able to sing and dance.

Although Hatsune Miku and the Vocaloids are still quite popular, there seems to be some kind of buzz going on with the emergence of "perfect idol" Eguchi Aimi. A question of morality? Or fear of a possible outcome?

From the pattern there seems to be about a 10-year gap between each virtual idol big break. But it is 2011 after all, and technology has leapt to great heights and there seems to be a possibility that about half a decade later, "real" idols will have to challenge virtual idols on the Oricon charts...

But consider this ->
At a time which where it is possible to "touch" a hologram like Hatsune Miku, and there are people with the notion to marry their digital girlfriends... Will we be seeing idol handshake events in _hologram_ in the future...?


I leave you with ELISA's rendition of Iijima Mari / Lynn Minmay's, the first virtual idol's most memorable song "Do you remember Love?", as we the idol fans continue to seek perfection in song and dance from our favourite idols... be it virtual or otherwise.

Personally, I lean towards "otherwise".

ELISA "Do you remember Love?"