Me, My Blog & Idols Q&A (Vol. 3)

A/N: Hi, everyone. I've returned again... kinda. I seem to be a ghost right now, with the amount I don't write. Whoops! Well, until I get distracted by life again, I'm here! Ghost Chiima, to the Blog!

 I apologise for my absence, and my sillyness, and I need to write a more detailed account of why I'm not really here much, but for now this summary will have to do. Until then (if it ever happens) let's just go forth, onto the post! Have at thee, arrr!

The Bitch is back~ MWAHAHAHA! Grab your torch and pitchforks!

Oh, I bet y'all forgot this even existed... that, or you may have thought to yourself 'Once again, Chiima has conveniently forgotten to do something'. Either one works, but for once, no, I did not forget this little Q&A started, nor did I decide to simply drop it - I just got a bit too ahead of myself (like always) and decided to put this on the back burner for some time. Okay, maybe a long time, but I did think about it! I've just not found the right time to do it, until now! So, without further ado, it's QUESTION AND ANSWER TIME!!!

As per, I once again thank you all for the Questions you sent in! For now these will the last set of Questions I will be answering as no others have been entered (I would like more, though~ I am a big fan of Q&A's so send in whatever you want!) so, it's sad, but until I gather more Questions (I will poke you for them!) I won't return to this little series here, however fun it may be! Once again, like Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, I will answer Three sets of questions that have been given! To the Questioners who have interrogated me today, thank you for sending in what you wish to know~ I hope I deliver unto you a few satisfying answers ;)

Blathering sorted and written, let's get into Vol. 3 of this Q&A! Today's set of Questions have been asked by Airi Matsui, aichan and Nia! Thank you for allowing me to answer these for you, and also, enjoy! Well, as much as one can enjoy a dull Q&A by a rather weird person, that is...

ONTO THE Q&A!!!

The following Questions have been submitted by Airi Matsui:

Q: What are your favourite anime(s) and/or mangas?

A: I'm quite happy that this answer didn't take me too long to figure out, because I'm very set on what I do and don't like when it comes to my hobbies (as well know xD) and whilst I'm not exactly into Anaime and Manga as much as I used to be, I still know what I love and what manga series have become classics for me. When it comes to Manga and what I consider my favourite(s), it has to be Ayashi no Ceres, Fushigi Yugi ~The Mysterious Play~ and The Gentleman's Alliance Cross!

I am not obsessed with Yuu Watase, I swear >o> She just so happens to be a fantastic being who captures mythology really well in a Shoujo Manga setting, and also creates wonderful characters... yeah, not obsessed, promise... ¬.¬

Oh yeah, and Arina Tanemura's sole non-magical Manga series is in there, too! Ooooh!

Okay, seriously though, I love these series! Fushigi Yugi was the first ever manga book series I actually finished collecting, so it has a place in my heart forevermore I believe, but it's also really good! Yes, it's a bit of a typical Shoujo manga with its character tropes and the whole setting, but the story is pretty solid I would say, and it's cute too! There's a lot going on, and a lot of History is obviously there because it's all about Chinese Gods and Priestesses and a different era to the one we are in now... so yeah, it's pretty interesting if you ask me!

 With Ceres, it's a little bit more opposite; there's a Thriller element there. The genre is Horror/Shoujo, but I say more Thriller, though blood is shed and there are really emotional deaths thrown in there too that just kill me every time I read the manga... and that's what it is, a thriller and an emotional roller coaster in a way. It's good, Ceres has a strong story line and also implements Japanese Mythology in there and a bit of History as well, but not as much as Fushigi Yugi; either way, both are darned good, and the Anime series are pretty solid too, so I recommend both. In fact, I just recommend Yuu Watase, period. Seriously. Check her stuff out!

With Gentleman's Alliance Cross... well, I love it. I consider it my favourite series to ever come from Magic-Girl Genius Tanemura, well this and Kamekaze Kaito Jeanne... I digress though! Seriously, for a non-magi series, I think this is one of Tanemura's best works. The artwork, though familiar to everything she does, is gorgeous, the story is fun but emotional too, the characters are comedic when needed, the personality amazing, and the story line is wonderful. Yeah, it's another shoujo girl series, but one I do highly recommend as well. It's cute and fluffy, but it has it's much needed Drama.

 Also, hot Manga dudes. Need I say more? 

Moving swiftly onto the Anime side of the question, need I really say more? Seriously, Ouran High School Host Club, how can one not love it!? It's a perfect series, and I do wish they had created a second season (pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease!!!!!) and it is by far my favourite series ever created; in fact, it was one of the few series I watched about five times after finishing it! I love it that much! The characters are fun and creative, you get a wide range of Bishi's to choose from, and the heroine is rather different to the typical gluttonous airhead you usually get in shoujo anime's. If anything, this series is more of a satire, but I love it, I just love it! It's incredible, genius, a work of art! I always laugh at the series, and I always seem to quote it (my favourite quote being 'Commoner's Supermarket!') so yeah... it's a great series, one I (once again) highly recommend. It's really just a ball of laughs!

Q: If you could marry any Idol, who would it be?

A:

... Need I say more? xD

Q: Do you still like Pokémon? If so, who is your favourite Pokémon?

A: Amazingly enough, I do indeed still like Pokémon! Not as much as I used to, or would like to, but my love for it is still there. Sadly I can't play the games as much as I used to because I am poor and don't have a 3DS (sob sob!) so yeah... my gaming days are over for now! Anyway, I'm derailing from the question, what was it again? Favourite Pokémon? Well, let me think...

I find it weird how, for some reason, I have an affliction to sheep... maybe I'm destined to become a sheep herder, or to marry a Welsh man? Maybe I am a sheep? Whatever the answer, no matter what, I like sheep a lot or find myself strangely wanting to have sheep-themed things...

 Ironically enough, my older brother is really scared of sheep. Funny how things turn out, right? xD

Okay, originally I was going to say 'SNORLAX!!!!' as my destined to be loved Pokémon, but honestly, it's Mareep. I don't know why I like Mareep so much, I just do. I never cared much for Mareep in the beginning of my Poké-playing days, but when I actually started to think about how my teams worked, Mareep somehow creeped in there (it's a bloody good Pokémon in the newer generations, I've found. ELECTRIC FTW!!!) and this, crept into my cold, dark heart. Seriously though, how can something that's so darned cute (I never let it evolve, by the way. Nope!) be pretty good in battles? Like, whoa. Before Mareep, I never cared a lot for Electric type Pokémon, I was all about fire and psychic (by the way, Chandelure is a good Pokémon for Psychic/Fire me thinks) but Mareep, man...

This is a damn good Pokémon! Cute, but lethal. I want to have one in real life!

Q: How did you discover Houkago Princess? How did you first come to know them?

A: I'm loving this mixed-bag of Idol and more personal nerdy questions here, just so you know! Why didn't I answer them sooner? @.@ Stupid Chii! Er, ahem... back to the Question at hand...

I was browsing Tokyohive one time back in 2011, when the group was set to debut, and at the time it was freshly announced alongside the news that Fairies were an up and coming thing, too. Based on their descriptions, I just attached myself to HouPri and from there on, I just grew as a fan with them. I liked the idea behind them, the original idea that they were a dress up group (not any more in my opinion) and I wanted to see what this rag-tag bunch could do. I just liked them, they were underdogs and needed improvement, so I began to follow them avidly. For a long time, I was probably one of very few foreign fans to follow them! In fact even now, there are so few foreign fans, but they're coming up in popularity I think. They're getting noticed, at least~

And that, my dears, is the story of how I met HouPri~ Goodnight.

Q: What inspired you to start blogging?

A: Anger and hatred towards the PV for APPARE KAITEN ZUSHI, and even now I resent that music video! Seriously, I had set up everything in my mind for a good PV for that song, only to find out it was a cartoon-themed video that didn't really do much for me! I was annoyed, so I wrote out my frustration. That's pretty much it xD The emotion was strong, though I'd wanted to try writing a blog like this before that PV came out. It just so happened APPARE KAITEN ZUSHI was the catalyst in the creation of Okay! Musume Time. Inspiration, not so much, just blind hatred!

Q: What are your TOP TEN most played songs?

A: WAAAAAAH, way to throw a spanner in the works! I can barely remember what I ate, let alone which songs are on repeat almost 24/7! Well, I'll figure it out... Let's see...

In no particular order, we have:

- Koi ING (Morning Musume)

- Beauty and the Beast (Beauty and the Beast OST)

- I'm Not a Girl Not Yet A Woman (Britney Spears)

- Sleeping with the Light On (Busted)

- My Sweet Heart (Tokyo Mew Mew)

- Uchoten Love (S/mileage)

- Mizuiro Melody (Koharu Kusumi)

- Fighting☆Hero (Ono Erena)

- Mother Symphony (Mermaid Melody)

- Simple and Clean (Utada Hikaru)

Okay, I am literally spanning across my entire child, teenage and adulthood here with this random playlist! Honestly, there are the songs I think (some I know for sure, like the Britney Spears one and Koi ING) I have listened to more than I should on here, but yeah, this is the list; the Top 10 most played songs in Chiima's life! Some songs in there are really important (Koi ING and I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman actually) and some that I just frekain' adore to the point where I've played them to death. Yeah. I just love these songs.

Nice to see that most of them are Japanese xD

The following Questions have been submitted by aichan of Ai's Life as a Wota:

Q: What are your favourite Hello! Project songs?

A: Ah, this is pretty easy! YAY, EASY QUESTIONS!!! Let's have a looksy!

- Koi ING

- Uchoten LOVE

- Waracchaou yo BOYFRIEND

- Sakura Mankai

- My Days for You

Clearly, I have a thing for the titles with giant font xD But yeah, those are my favoured songs. I'm sorry for making C-ute and J=J feel left out here, but this is the truth and I speak it! MWAHA!

Q: What was the first Japanese artist that you ever listened to?

A: Amazingly enough, it was Morning Musume! I just never realised it!

When my sister introduced me to Anime/Manga way back when, you know, when Dinosaurs roamed and meteors showered, we watched a video to Sailor Moon that was an AMV, and the song was Say Yeah! ~Motto Miracle Night~. We didn't know who it was, we just liked the song. Yonks later, I find out that the group I really love now were the singers behind that song. Coincidence? Yep, but it's a good one~

Maybe this is why I love them today? I was conditioned via Sailor Moon!!! ARRRGH!!!

Q: If you could set up your own Idol agency, how would you produce them, treat them, train them and would you have any rules that they would have to follow?

A: This is such a tough question to answer! For a second there I think 'huh, these are easy~ YAY!' and then suddenly I'm thrown a curve ball! Boo! Well, to answer this, I want to just say I don't want to set up an Idol agency; it would flop, because I am terrible at things like that! Figuratively speaking though, I would want to treat any girls who came into the agency with the respect and love they deserve whilst also expecting to be treated as I treat them. So, say I yell, they can yell back because I've done it to them, but only if it's deserved - I want them to know we're on the same page, basically.

 Training wise, I think vocals would be the big thing for me, though I'd want their stamina in dancing up as well. I would want to give them equal training as well, because I know some Idols get better training treatment than the lesser members (Hi, MoMusu~) so I'd do what I could to let them all have equal training time, in dancing or singing. Basically, I want to be a fair manager xD

Production and rules wise, well, I would just want to be fair to them. I want to give them all chances, if I could, but I wouldn't be too lenient either - they need to be serious! I want girls who seriously love singing and dancing and bringing happiness to others, not girls who just think it's an easy job. They have to work hard! And finally, regarding the rules, I would probably do a love ban until they are about 17-18, but once they hit the age where they're old enough to decide whether or not to go to school, then to me they are old enough to pursue a relationship. I'd also have the rule to basically always come to events unless ill or something has happened to the point where you can't make it, and things like that... but regarding the love-ban rule, I'd basically retract it, but if they're too young and still in school, then it would be implemented simply because they're focusing on school and work already, so a relationship would be too much...

Actually, I might change the Love-Ban Law rule thing to 15, because 15 is an age where girls start to really focus on boys I guess (from my experience, at least XD).

Weird how I have implemented the Love-Ban Law in there, somehow o-O

Q: What do you think about Idol Love-Ban?

A: Okay, I don't like the Idol Love-Ban Law, if that's what your thinking xD BUT it is a complicated thing to follow as well, and whilst I say I disagree with it a lot, I do see why it's there; it's been there for years and once upon a time, it was in the British Music industry too, where members of boy or girl bands couldn't have a lover because it could jeopardise their big careers and thus their future. For Idols, it's a little more iffy, if you ask me because they expect more. I know it's to keep the pure image the girls have, to sell them to the public and to basically produce fantasies for the fans in a way, but it still seems weird to me because most of these girls are under the age of 18... so I don't like it for that reason, and also because it does take away the girls' freedom from dating.

Whilst members of Japanese boy groups, on the other hand, can freely date.

Yeah, that pisses me off a lot.

If they can date and not get kicked out of their groups for dating, or even get demoted if we're thinking along the lines of AKB, then why not the guys? That's pure sexism there to me, but I won't get into that because that's another debate for another day if I ever get to it. But yeah. It pisses me off that Love-Ban Law does not apply to the guys of Japanese pop music, just the girls.

Love-Ban is, in a way, needed, but it seems the law itself is cracking in the Idol world, which is a good thing. That said, it's stupid because it's totally one-sided and only affects the girls in J-pop. I do want it gone, but I know it is there to keep the desires of the fans and also to keep the girls a little more focused on their careers... not that the love-ban law always helps, that is.

TLDR; It's weird, but I see why it's there. Still, I find it stupid.

The following Questions have been submitted by Nia of Nia's Wonderland:

Q: Will you accept Perfume as your Lord and Saviour?

A: NEVER! YOU WILL NEVER CONVERT ME!!! I shall not conform!!!! Hiss hisss!!!!!

Okay, no, that's not my real question. But these are!

Always fun to have a bit of a silly question thrown in there once in a while ;D

ONTO THE SERIOUS ONES!!!

Q: Are there any blog posts you wish you could write again?

A: I want to say 'yes', but honestly? No, no I don't. Are there posts I cringe at? Yes. Are there posts I wish that I hadn't been ballsy enough to post? Indeed I do. Do I loathe some of my older posts? HELL YEAH! But honestly, I wouldn't change or re-write any of them because I simply don't believe in that. Those posts, however bad or biased they may be, are posts that allowed me to grow as a writer; they shaped how I am today. Okay, so sometimes I want to bang my head against the wall when I remember that post I did about Riho's fans once upon a time because Good Lord, I was a bitch still am! butI know that if I didn't do that post long ago, then I would have done something equally horrid, and I would probably still be a biased cow... now I'm a less biased cow, thanks to how my writing has helped me to grow.

Point; I wouldn't change any of it. It's helped me to become the Chiima I am today! Stupid, silly and a little less of a biased bitch.

Q: If you could join an idol group (a current one), which one would you pick?

A: Don't be surprised when I say who I pick, but honestly?

Yeah, don't be surrpised XD I usually make a point of saying I won't (figuratively) join a group I like because I don't want my fandom to affect what I do with the group, or work alongside who I love, that kinda stuff, but I would honestly audition for HouPri if I could; I think I'd love it there! I enjoy the songs and the energy they have, and the girls make me so happy! So yeah, HouPri, and if not them, then FUDANJUKU!!! Hello, cross-dressing!!!

Q: Finances and travel arrangements out of the equation, would you rather see a group's performance in Japan or have them come overseas?

A: Oh, the possibilities of financial issues and travel arrangements being out of the way! If only this could happen, but alas, t'was not meant to be! Ah!
 Okay, dramatics over and done with, I don't honestly know; if I wanted to be comfortable, I would pick them coming overseas to my country because it's simply easier access and, well... comfort zone. That said, if I wanted to feel the full power of a Japanese concert, I would happily go to Japan and basically place myself in the middle of the Wota and take on the true experience of a Japanese concert. I want both, to be honest, to go to Japan and to see the groups I love come over to my country, because both settings would be different I suspect. Maybe one day.

Maybe... One day... ; A;

AS FOR ONE DAY!!!

_____________________________________

Okay, so for Vol. 3, which has finally appeared, this about pulls everything together and wraps it all up in a nice bundle fo muddled answers from a very muddled blogger! I'm scared that so far, this is the longest of the Q&A's I've done, because I went a bit overboard on the answers I think! ARRRGH! Why do I do this to myself, to you guys? Because I am me, and I am Chiima. Chiima is a doofus, and she makes things a bit of a bore when she writes lengthy posts like this. Aye aye aye...

Why am I speaking in Third Person?

Anywhoo, those were the final set of Questions that I received long ago, finally answered! Hopefully what I have said is (somewhat) satisfactory, and I apologise for the wait! I didn't mean to just lose track of the Q&A, I seriously didn't, but life. Life got in the way, but hey! I've done it, and I'm happy I've written it out, so to those who read it, thank you~ I hope you enjoyed, and to everyone who has sent in Questions, I thank you once again. It was fun reading them and formulating my answers!

Well, that is all for now~ So, until the next time we meet, I shall bid you farewell!

Many Love and Hugs and all that sappy stuff, and take care! MWAH!

Chiima~

Me, My Blog & Idols Q&A (Vol. 2)

Thank you all for sending in your Questions once again! I am immensely happy that you have taken an interest in this Q&A session I am undertaking, even if it is still a little surprising that you've wanted to query me on certain things! I'm feeling a lot more positive about myself right now thanks to this Q&A series, I don't know why. It's possibly because, when I set out to do it, I thought that no one would want to ask anything. I've been proven wrong, so I think it's made me feel a lot happier that I have realised you guys are interested in what I have to say, so... thank you, thank you very much <3

So, with that all said, I will take on Vol. 2 of my Questions and Answers session that I have decided to take on! I had a tough question in here, one which I really did have to think about and it took a few days to finish answering completely, but they were all fun to read and then talk about! Actually I had a few tough questions, but one of them... yeah, it was a nightmare in a sense, but I loved that it got me thinking and made me sit down and tackle the question properly, rather than just... saying what was on my mind at the time. It's hurdles like this that I appreciate, because it allows me to evaluate my original answer and thoughts, and finally think things over properly.

Okay, talking and typing and all that mumbo-jumbo over with, let's tackle this Q&A session once again! Today's set of Questions have been submitted by SophieShiori, AimxAim and thenumber244! Thank you for submitting your Questions, I hope I have given you decent answers! So, please do enjoy, and read on...~

The following Question has been submitted by SophieShiori:

Q: If you could choose to be any idol, who would it be? AND on which day would you be that particular idol? Eg a graduation day, special concert...

A: Oh gosh, way to give me a hard question! XD I've never really thought about which Idol I would like to be, really; I've always been happy enough sitting here, at my computer, watching over them and basically enjoying what the give during performances. Still, when I thought about which Idol I would choose to become, I took into account who I think I would like to get to know the most, or at least figure out what goes on inside their head...

It's a toss up between Paruru and Masakins, if I'm honest with you xD With the both of them, their characters are quite intriguing. Paruru seems to be someone who hates human interaction from what people have said to her, whilst Masakins is the exact opposite! I want to get into their heads and basically get a look at what they're thinking of, especially Masaki, because she's... something else XD

On the given day I would want to experience how they work, it would probably be a Handshake event for Paruru, because that's a lot of human interaction, isn't it? It would be fun to see how she prepares herself for it, and then how she acts backstage once the event is over. It would be interesting, to say the least!

With Masakins, I would probably want to experience how she acts during a typical day at home. I want to see how she relaxes, what she does and how she interacts with her family rather than the fans. We all know she's a bit of a nut-ball, so many fans have expressed how they view her eccentricities, so I want to see her in her natural habitat. That, and I kind of want to meet her parents too, see which parent she takes after. xD

The following Questions have been submitted by AimxAim of Janakya Mottainai:

Q: If you could be the producer for any Idol group/agency who would you chose, and what would you change?

A: ... What's with these difficult questions? XD I have so many groups I like, though admittedly I wouldn't swoop in to manage or produce any of them if I could help it because, truthfully speaking, I suck at that kind of thing. Still, if I had to choose one, then I'm going to say Sexy Zone and Johnny's Entertainment.

If I had done this Q&A around a year or two ago, I would have actually answered with Morning Musume, because I feel that UFP sucked in general with everything they did for the group. Thing is, they're fine now, but some of the groups in JE aren't, and even if I'm not an avid fan of the groups there, I think that some of those groups need saving from the clutches of Iijima.

After posting my rant on the group above, I was told a little more about Julie and Iijima, and how the groups are basically split between the two, with Julia being the fairer of the Teams. So, as a producer, the first thing I would do is kick Iijima out, period xD That, or just give Iijima a lower rank within the company. I can't say for certain what I would to be honest, I don't know JE that well, but I would probably try to promote all of the groups fairly and give them a lot more evenly shared screen time. I know for groups like Arashi and Kanjani8 this isn't a problem at all, but I would like to attempt to make things better for the groups of Johnny's Entertainment so that they're all given their fair cut, rather than being handed an unfair amount of what they were promised so to speak.

... I hope I answered that one well enough!

Q: Do you think once you hit a certain age you'll stop liking idols? And if so, what age?

A: I've asked myself this question before, and I try to ignore it a lot as well because the idea of hitting a certain age and suddenly thinking 'yeah I want to quit liking Idols now' is pretty damn sad if you think about it. I mean, that's like me suddenly deciding that Fairies aren't real (which they are, of course) or that reading Fantasy books is a childish notion. It's hard to think about, and really, you don't cross that bridge until you get to it.

See, the future is a fickle thing. We can never be sure when our passion for something comes to an end. Like, I'm no longer a hardcore fan of Anime and Manga, but I still read and watch it when I'm in the mood for it. I've not abandoned my love for that aspect of Japanese culture, and I hope I never do, and it's the same with Idols I think; slowly I may stop following it as actively as I used to, but I highly doubt I will ever stop liking or loving it. It will always be there, no matter what, and unless I suddenly get amnesia or an idol does something to me in my personal life that jeopardizes how I view them, I really do doubt I'll ever 'stop' liking them completely.

Q: What is the aspect of the Idol business that you dislike the most?

A: Favouritism, sexualising under-age girls, making money out of an Idols humiliation... I really hate things like that. When it comes to the whole idea of favouring certain girls over others or sexualising a girl under the age of 16, the reason I dislike it is down to my own upbringing and how my own country works regarding morals and how we view anyone who is a minor here. I know it's the same for other countries within the Western community, and Japan is on a whole other level to us when it comes to the Entertainment industry, but I do find it wrong and immoral for a girl under the age of 16 to be doing bikini photoshoots or dancing around on a beach for the sake of appeasing the fans. Thing is, that's normal for Japan, and whilst I'm sure others agree with me to a certain degree about how we see this sort of thing, we can't do anything about it.

Favouritism is nothing new, much like sexualising girls regardless of their age isn't, but I disagree with it still; I don't like seeing certain Idols overshadowed for the sake of another Idol who the company thinks is better or will generate more money. And with humiliation, it's pretty much the same thing for me. I dislike seeing any Idols, popular or not, used as a tool for the sake of humiliation and to create a reaction from the audience or to up views. It's downright horrible to the Idols involved! Yes, fun and games is fine, we have games that are used to humiliate people here too on TV sometimes like throwing goo on them or something, but humiliation like kicking someone in the face or dragging them across the floor because it's funny to 'punish' the annoying girl is really horrible to watch! I feel sorry for the members of the group who have to go through this just for the sake of trying to be noticed more and to get their group name out there. It's one of the reasons why I don't watch Japanese shows a great deal, actually.

But, like U-15 Idols and favouring the popular girls over the ones who are likable but not as well received by the fans as others, it's all quite common in Japan; I don't like it, but it's something I can't stop either. Still, I really dislike these aspects of the Idol business.

Q: What is your main hobby outside of Idols?

A: It's actually writing, sometimes reading. I really love stories and the written word, it's a great escape when I'm stressed as well, and I've always enjoyed doing both of these things since I was about 6 or 7 years old. I like how an imagination can grow through reading a book and the adventures it basically takes you on, and with writing I like how you can expand your story into whatever you want. Both writing and reading are, if you haven't guessed, really important in my everyday life.

Is it any surprise that my desired profession is to become a writer? Like, a story book writer XD

Q: Which Idol concert do you want to attend the most?

A: No competition, it has to be...

HouPri! I threw in a rhyme there, so I feel clever right now! XD

Seriously though, I do want to attend one of their lives the most. If I had been asked this question a year ago, it would have actually been Morning Musume, and whilst I desire to see them desperately, I have a less likely chance to see HouPri perform live than I do MoMusu in a way, so therefore I am going with HouPri. (I love the group to death too, so that helps)

When I watched their concert DVD, I was overwhelmed by their performance as a viewer. It made my desire to one day see them perform live grow, more than the desire to see Morning Musume in concert actually. I suppose it's because I've invested a lot more time into the group than others in a way, because I'm always finding things out about them and constantly trying to spread the word about this group I adore, but it is also because I actually genuinely enjoyed their performance when I watched it; the girls are fun to watch, like most groups are, but also I really liked how their fans seemed to interact with the songs. I kind of want to be a part of that crowed, and I want to experience the true feeling of a Houkago Princess live!

The following Questions have been submitted by thenumber244 from the number 244:

Q: I'm interested in the differences between fandoms and the ways in which each gender interface and interact with their fandom.

What do you think are the differences in the ways that men and women engage with Male Idols? Female Idols?

A: Okay, this question is difficult, I really think this is my most complicated Question so far. I have a feeling I will get this answer really damn wrong but, whoo, here goes...

It's difficult to express how each fandom engages with either Male or Female Idols, because for one, I am not male, so I can't exactly express how my mind works in that field. Also, despite being a female fan, I don't have the desire for Male Idols like other girls do sometimes, which is quite perplexing in a way because when I do look at Male Idols, the only thing I see them as is eyecandy more than anything, which I admit is a bit degrading, but there we go.

... Well, that's how I view a group like Arashi, at least.

Not to say I don't enjoy their music, because I do, but... yeah. Yummy xD

Back to the question at hand though... I think with women, when it comes to Male Idols, we see them either as men we want to date, or boys we want to become mothers to; our maternal instincts actively kick in, though that does not ring true to all women! It's just what I, as a fan, have experienced. We also like their music and their performances, don't get me wrong, but I do think their looks or how they portray their personalities are about 90% of the reason why we follow them. In groups like Arashi or SMAP, even AAA to a degree, we look for the men we eventually want to date, or the men we desire. With a group like Sexy Zone or DISH///, we probably look for a brother/son type of personality. Basically, these guys are here to fulfill a desire we have... well, that's what it seems like to me.

With female Idols, it's probably a little different; I find as a person, I follow the girls that I think are cute and awkward, someone to cheer on as they try to make their way to the top. Others may have maternal instincts towards certain girls, wanting a daughter like the Idol they support wholeheartedly, whilst some girls aspire to be like these girls, or they want a girl like that as a sister or best friend, maybe a potential lover. In a nutshell, we want someone to look up to, or like I said about male groups, we want someone who can fulfill a desire of a future daughter, sibling or even a wife... you get my drift, I hope!

When it comes to men, this is a tad more difficult for me, because I'm more a third party viewer than anything. From the fans I have interacted with who are male, I think how they view female Idols can go either way; they are either seen as sexy, ideal girlfriends, or they are viewed as potential daughters or even daughter-in-laws. Basically, paternal instinct can kick in, especially with the younger Idols.
 With older male fans, I actually think how energetic a female Idol or a group is becomes a great factor in how much they like them, it's really something that they enjoy greatly I think. Well, this is from the fans I have talked to at least, but there is no denying that appreciation and joy for a young girls ambition and energy is there. I think that's something older male fans probably appreciate more than female fans sometimes, the fact that if a group has energy, they really want to support them. If they're quite young, fine, that just means a few more nut-balls added to the fan radar! So I feel like, with men, they can be attracted to the girls in a way that they want her to be a potential girlfriend, or they look at them and feel like their youth is really energizing and special, something to continue following because they want to support their happiness and energy.

With boy groups, I feel like I can't say much... I know barely anyone, if no one at all, who follows Male Idols that are male fans! I suppose male Idols can be seen as a threat sometimes, given that they cater to teenagers or young adult women a good chunk of the time, but really, I have no clue... I think it could become the same case with women towards female groups, though, seeing the boys in a group as potential brothers or even good friends, maybe even friendly rivals for affection with Idols, who knows? It's difficult though, trying to decipher how male fans feel about male Idols... I may need to talk to some of my friends about it!


Q: In the personal department: tell us about your favorite desserts?

A: When I saw this question I was like '... Okay, do I go savoury or sweet?' because I'm half/half with savoury and sweet foods, I kind of love both! But honestly, I have to answer with...

Froyo!!! Actually, I love most cold desserts like Mint Choc Chip ice cream and also sorbet, but I really do adore Frozen Yoghurt! When I was in Holland, there was a Froyo and Ice Cream store near to my friend Sarah's house where I was staying, so I insisted on going there a lot whilst I was with her. I think she got annoyed with me, because I was always wanting Froyo XD I kinda have an addiction for it, though I can't find it near my own hometown easily... -cries-

Q: If personal wealth and family were a non-issue, where would you like to live? Reasons?

A: Ah, now, here's the clincher; my family is my life, and I don't ever want to leave them (even if that's exactly what I am doing in order to go to University... Oh my xD) but if personal wealth and my family weren't an issue, then I guess I would want to live in...

Well, there we go XD Aye~

Now, I've never been to Canada, nor have I been anywhere else aside from my own country and now Holland, but I've always wanted to go to Canada and live there. I don't know why, but the desire has always been there. That, and I want to see Niagara Falls, too. Also. MAPLE. SYRUP.

'Nuff said (stereotypical tourist, here!)

But honestly, I think I would like the people and culture, but if Canada wasn't in the cards, then probably Holland XD It's so economical and clean in Holland, and the people are nice as well... but given I've barely gone anywhere, I don't think I can properly answer this question yet!

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So, this about wraps things up for Vol. 2! I didn't want to go overboard on how many questions were answered once again, because long posts, especially those by me, can become dull! I know I typically do long posts anyway, but I really want to try and distribute everything for a more convenient, easy-to-read format with this Q&A session.

... It's also easier to do it this way as well, actually!

I want to thank everyone who has asked questions so far, it has really made me happy to see that you're all interested in what I have to say! I've also been given difficult questions which really make me think, but I am delighted to answer them for you all. I really hope that I have answered them well enough (or at least the ones I have answered so far).

If you want to send in any Questions, please feel free to do so through the comment section, or via THIS post here, where I originally asked for your Questions to answer.

Thank you very much for reading, and I hope to see you all in the next session, which will be Vol. 3!

Much Love,

Chiima~

Me, My Blog & Idols Q&A (Vol. 1)

When I updated my blog with a post regarding the desire to do a Q&A, believe me when I say that I didn't exactly expect anyone to send in questions! I'm the type of person with a negative outlook on how others view me, so I was surprised when, barely within 15 minutes since posting the article, I received two sets of questions! A little later on, I gained a third set of questions to Answer, and then even more after that, and I was really happy and buzzing that I was actually going to do a Q&A! 

My first Question & Answers session, guys! And seriously, they're some amazing Questions! Thank you ;___________________;

I'm really excited actually, I've always wanted to do this sort of thing! I think it was a personal wish of mine when I started blogging, to see if anyone really was interested in what I had to say about... well, whatever you have asked! So I'm really pleased that those who have sent in questions decided to ask me something they had on their mind, whether it was about myself, my own blog or regarding the Idols I talk about.

Now, given that I have more than three sets of questions thanks to my post asking you all to submit anything you may want to ask (you can still ask, by the way! Just Read or comment on the original post or right here!) I have decided to separate the posts a bit so that it doesn't get too long, because I have a few long answers here. That, and I didn't anticipate more than three questions XD

So my blathering over and done with, I will get to the Q&A! Today's Questions have been asked by an Anonymous commenter, Thennary Nak and Shayna. Please enjoy! Well, enjoy as much as you can... XD 

The following Questions have been submitted by Anonymous:

Q: Who's your favourite Idol or Idol group and why?

A: So difficult! This is a pretty tough question for me, because it's a split between Morning Musume '14 and Houkago Princess. So here, two for the price of one!

I don't know what it is about these two groups, but I really do like them. With Morning Musume, it's to do with their music and the girls in general. I didn't really intend to get into them at all when I first started following Idols, but as I watched more of their stage plays like Cinderella and Ribbon no Kishi, I really started to like them and felt like I could follow them more. I then became more invested in their music and videos, and whilst I don't like everything they do musically or visually, I think the group itself is charming and very endearing.

I do like the girls' personalities too, and I actually really like reading interviews that have been translated, mostly Kudo's and Masaki's. The girls have different personalities, and that's interesting to look at. Also, when I watch them perform it's really great because you see how hard they're working; that's a thing I do love about Morning Musume in live performances, that you can see how hard some or all of the girls are working, even if they aren't necessarily singing or dancing that well. It's fun to watch!

Houkago Princess is a group I've been a fan of since the start of their Idol debut, basically. When they came into the public eye in 2011 I just wanted to follow them because they were intriguing. A group that was made up of girls who would 'dress up' for their lives was interesting enough, and even in their awkward stages I really wanted to support them fully. I've had a few ups and downs with them, mostly when they went into major obscurity and only released Limited Venue singles (sad times), but the more I have persevered in learning about them, the more I like and love them, and I think that is what makes me favour them so much; that I have to work for information on them.

That, and their music is great to listen to for my ears. I really like some of their recent stuff, because musically they have grown, and to hear that improvement is wonderful. There! Another reason why I like them! xD

Basically, I like watching HouPri grow. I guess that's what happens when you start liking a group from the get-go, and I feel totally attached to them.

Q: What got you into Idols?

A: Anime. Kirarin Revolution, to be exact xD

I was really into Anime from the age of 13 until I was 16, going on 17, and at the time I found out about Idols I was really into shoujo Anime that included musical numbers like Mermaid Melody or Full Moon wo Sagashite, which eventually lead me to watch Kirarin Revolution. I fell in love with it, especially the lead character Kirari, and decided to investigate her voice actress. Even then, I was heavily into research xD

Well, guess where that lead me?

I became a fan of Kusumi Koharu and basically watched every solo video she was in until I found out that she was a part of MoMusu, and then I watched those videos. Soon me and my sister realised that Buono!, a group who sang for Shugo Chara, were under Hello! Project, which housed MoMusu and Koha, so I started to research the other groups under that umbrella.

... And that is how I got into Idols xD

Q: Why do you even like Idols?

A: That's a damn good question, and I really have no clue how to answer it. But here's to trying!

I like Idols because they make me really happy, basically. I like watching them perform, I like the music and how cheerful or cool it can be, and I like how a different Idol group can contrast to another group so differently. With Idols, it feels like some of the possibilities are endless when it comes to their direction and image.

Aside from bringing great joy though, Idols also bring a lot of hope to fans like me. A singer like Ono Erena has often made me feel like I can do anything if I put my mind to it, whilst someone like Yoshizawa Hitomi encourages me to act the way I want even if it doesn't fit with the image people think I should take on. The way Idols act or look can be powerful, and the messages they send to their fans through the lyrics of songs or how they portray themselves on a show can be very strong, so when I see an Idol who gives off such a strong message, I really want to support them or their group and enjoy them fully.

All that, plus their music is catchy!

Q: Anything about Idol fandom you would like to change?

Note: I don't know if this question is leaning towards the actual fandom we're a part of, or just Idols and what they do to cater towards the fandom. I am answering about the actual fandom and what I would change, however if I've read the Question wrong, feel free to correct me Anonymous. Thank you~
 P.S. I take this sort of Question quite seriously, and I doubt I can say anything here that won't offend someone, even if the offence is unintended.

A: The Idol fandom itself? Well, that's difficult because we're all individuals, and no matter what, we'll fight or disagree on things... that said, I would like to change how people act towards each other. Sometimes, we can be downright rude to another person just because we don't like their opinion or because we think they're too 'jaded' in how they think or feel towards a specific group or Idol. Not everyone is like this, but it's something that is prominent in this sort of fandom.

As you may know, this fandom keeps getting younger, just like the Idols are; there are still plenty of older fans out there, don't get me wrong, but it's hard to deny that the newer fans who are a lot younger are multiplying within the international fandom for Idols and Japanese culture, and this is great, in fact it's fabulous, but it isn't without its own problems. A lot of the younger fans love these groups, to the point where they dislike and even deny negativity from the older fans. This isn't a good thing! We need to be more open at the prospect of criticism, negativity... things like that. Even if what a person says isn't good, we shouldn't forgo their opinion due to a difference in opinions. I've experienced this, and it's annoying, but also very rude as well. We don't have to agree, I just think that as a fandom in general we need to be less ignorant of what others say. We need to start respecting each other and we need to learn that just because we share the same fandom, we don't always share the same mindset towards the things we see; we're entitled to our opinion at the end of the day, so don't try and make a person change their views because they don't think the way you would like them to.

I would also like to try and get people to stop thinking that, just because a person is older and likes Idols, it is wrong; it isn't. Not every fan is a pervert like some people believe they are, and they aren't always looking at Idols in 'that way'. Some are, yes, but so are some younger fans - basically, you'll get a person who does that, but you shouldn't believe all older fans are like that either. It isn't fair on them, to judge why they are following a group who is really young when they themselves are older. That's like bullying them, actually. I've seen a few cases where someone has said 'you shouldn't say that, aren't you old enough to be their parent?' to an older fan who has been around a while, and it's annoying if I'm completely honest with you.

We're fans together, we appreciate and love a group together, and whilst I don't expect us to get along all the time, I do think we should put our prejudices regarding age and gender aside. It's unfair to try and call someone out for something you think is perverted or 'disgusting'. I'm pretty sure that if I did it to someone my age, they would have a bitch and a whine about it, so don't do it to others. We're entitled to speak our minds.

Believe me when I say this Answer went under a lot more revision than I thought it would @.@

The following Questions have been submitted by Thennary Nak of Never Ending Music Power:

Q: If you could manage Sexy Zone what would you do with the group?

A: This obviously stems from the sudden new single controversy a lot of us SZ fans (and JE fans in general, I would like to believe) are facing, what with the two youngest members being pulled out of the release for no good reason. And yes, it does annoy me, as I made clear on Twitter xD

Anyway, if I was a Manager for Sexy Zone, I would probably make distribution in lines and solo shots for PV's a lot more even; I'm one of those fans who is pretty big on decent distribution, and given that neither Sou or Marius are really given a good deal of lines or screen time a good deal of the time, I would want to start with that. I would probably also give Marius and Sou a solo career each, just because I could xD I'm majorly biased towards Marius though, which is the main reason why I would give him a solo career...

And Sou would get one because, honestly, I feel like he has that potential; the real management of SZ seem to not see that, though. Idiots.

Q: As I go through my Morning Musume PV reaction video project on Youtube, what PVs do you think I should be excited to watch? Which ones should I dread?

Oh gosh, this is kind of a difficult Question to answer, mostly because how a person feels about a PV is vastly different from another persons opinion xD Still, I will answer as much as I can...

Personally, I feel like the videos you could be excited to watch are, if you haven't seen them yet, Happy Summer Wedding, Morning Musume no Hyokkori Hyoutan-jimi, Koko ni Iruzee!, Roman My Dear Boy, Naichau Kamo, Kono Chikyuu no Heiwa (etc), Bainstorming... PV's like that, not for the visuals at times, but for the performance aspect too. Like, Happy Summer Wedding and Hyokkori are really fun videos, so I think you would find them enjoyable to watch, same with Koko ni Iruzee!. For videos like Naichau Kamo, Roman My Dear Boy and Brainstorming, I really love the performance aspect for them. Kono Chikyuu is just pretty, so I think you might enjoy how pretty it is...

For videos to (possibly) dread, I can only think of One Two Three, but that's because I'm so against that song and video as a whole XD I find it so cheap and tacky as a video in general, but yeah, I would probably say to dread that one, and maybe Wakuteka Take a chance, only for how cheap those two are. Still, I think you should be excited for all the videos regardless of what I say, because you go in without knowing what my happen, and that's always exciting in my mind!

The following Questions have been submitted by Shayna:

Q: Who is your favorite Idol of all time?

A: This one's a no-brainer for me:

Gaki is magical. Gaki is Divine. Gaki is my Lord and Prince, and as Prince Christopher, I seriously fell in love with her and found someone to basically worship in Morning Musume. I fell for her acting and just how passionate she was as a member of Morning Musume. Seriously, she's my Ultimate Idol, and I will love her forever because she was the reason I continued to follow Morning Musume, the group she loved so dearly. Her love made me want to love the group, and she just brought me great joy.

Also, I want to marry her. She was one of my true girl-crushes... Aside from Koha, of course.

Q: Why do you blog?

A: To vent, rave and basically share my opinion xD Though I never wanted to blog, it just... happened. Most of my blogs that I have ever created were formed out of rage, an opinion I wanted to express angrily through my own words, and this blog was no exception, but continuing the blog was not something I expected... my original reasons for blogging, to rant and hate on things, well that all changed over a period of time. I fell in love with blogging, and it's that love for blogging, the love for the people who read it, my love for the Idols I follow, all these reasons are the things that make me blog now.

That, and I just love writing in general. Still, it's my desire to write, my love for Idols and their music, to share my thoughts and basically to talk to all of you through the written word that makes me blog now. I love sharing things with you, and I just love spilling things out onto these pages. It's fun!

Q: What Idol song do you listen to the most?

A: Koi ING!

When I first got into Morning Musume, I had a few friends in the Dubbing community who all expressed how good this song was, but I never listened to it. When I finally heard it, I wondered why I was so stupid to pass it over xD I love Koi ING so much, it's one of those songs that I listen to when I want to feel a lot of emotions; it makes me happy, sad, feel loved... so many varying emotions in one song. It's passionate and just so beautifully crafted, and thanks to the gorgeous lead vocals, it's really just a tremendous song.

It's my top song, actually. I don't think I could ever get tired of it! I love it so much, I can't even comprehend the love I have for Koi ING!

Q: What non-Idol artists do you like?

A: AAA for Japanese artists, and the group Busted for any acts outside of Asia. I don't actually have 'favourite' acts outside of my interest in Japanese Idols, I basically like what I like. I was like this even as a kid, I was rarely ever fixated on a group like my friends were, with Busted as the only exception in my pre-teen days. I basically just listened to music and enjoyed it, free to listen to whoever the heck I wanted. That said, I did have some kind of love for S Club 7, but they were everywhere when I was a kid, so that was to be expected.

Still, Busted are a group I listen to constantly, despite the fact they disbanded way back when and broke my heart. I still regard them as one of my favourite non-Idol acts though.

This is Busted, for reference to those who care about a boy group from the era that was the early 2000's. They recently reformed (minus Charlie, that dude in the middle) and teamed up with McFly to become the mega-group that is now McBusted, which makes me think of McDonald's burgers. I was highly disappointed when McDiddly's didn't take this chance to create a burger for the sake of money and pawning off of the name McBusted. Shame, really.

Q: If you could create a Hello! Project unit, what would you call it and who would be in it?

A: Oh, the possibilities! What terrible name would I bestow upon these poor girls, and who would I shove in it? There will be no limits!!!

Knowing me, I would make a group based on Belly-Buttons and Ears, because I'm weird like that xD

That said, I would rather like a group made up of the *bigger* girls in Hello! Project (what Japan calls big, mind), and also a group with the bigger voices. Coincidentally, Maasa, Zukki and Risako all fall into either one of those categories, or even both. Surprisingly, I don't like either Risako's or Maasa's singing voices, but they're in here, which shows I'm not being a biased twit XD Zukki was gonna end up in whatever group I formed, however. Just CAUSE!

As for their group name, it's difficult XD Marshmallow and Pocchari Girls have entered my mind as those typical sorts of group names for a group like this, though I wouldn't want that for them because... well, I find it downright rude. And I won't give these girls that name, but I also have no clue what else to call them, so regarding the name of the group, let's just call them the uninspired 3-4-GO! for the time being, kay? Why this sort of weird name? Because Maasa was born on the 3rd of her birth month, Risako the 4th and Zukki the 5th, with GO! obviously meaning 5 in Japanese. Amazingly enough, their birth dates are in the order of their ages, so it works. HURRAH!

I feel like a genius right now! HAHA! I'm useless with group names though

Q: Do you still like AOA? ;)

A: Sadly I don't actually follow them any more, so I can't really say! That said, I actually really still love Get Out and showed it to a few people back when I was in College, because I had a few curious onlookers wondering what I was watching XD Because we were all film students, they found it interesting to see the Film references... that, and a few boys like the girls!

But no, sadly I don't follow them now, though I like Get Out still.

Q: Do you realize just how awesome you are?

A: Because you say it, I have to realise it, don't I? XD Thing is, as you know, I have those times where I feel so down and less-than-awesome, so I don't realise how people feel about me. But if I dare mention that I'm feeling useless or anything like that, I've had some people swoop in to tell me otherwise, and it makes me feel awesome again.

In short; I know I'm awesome because I have amazing, fantastic, spectacular readers who tell me I'm awesome and remind me that I'm loved. I feel blessed to have you guys, and guess what?

YOU'RE AWESOME! Every single one of you!

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For Vol. 1, this about wraps it all up in a nice Idol-like bow! I thought that for the first Q&A post, I would keep it down to the first three comments I received (I actually answered them all immediately, because I was still awake and raring to go!) but I will be getting onto the newest comments as soon as I can! Thank you for sending in your Questions, and I hope I answered them well enough! XD

I will see you all in the next Q&A post, which will be Vol. 2!

Much Love and hugs and all that cute stuff!

Chiima~