著者
Kakin Oksana
出版者
お茶の水女子大学生活社会科学研究会
雑誌
生活社会科学研究
巻号頁・発行日
no.25, pp.51-63, 2018-10-23

「『未熟さ』の商品化」とは,技術が未熟な者が熟練していく過程をファン向けの商品にすることを指す.この現象は,現在の日本のアイドル文化に見られるが,これまであまり研究されてこなかった.本稿の目的は,そうした日本アイドルの「未熟さ」の商品化を明らかにすることである.研究手法は,ジャニーズ系アイドルを事例として取り上げ,女性コアファンを対象に半構造化インタビューを用いた質的調査を行うものである.分析にはグラウンデッド・セオリー・アプローチを用い,エドガール・モランのスター理論に基づき考察を加えた.分析の結果,コアファンにとってアイドルの最大の魅力は,その二面性であることが分かった.それは理想を映す「神」的側面と,親近感を与える「人間」的側面の間のギャップである.アイドルは,ファンを作るために,従来のスターと同様にそうした「人間」と「神」の二面性を活かすが,「人間」的な一面の活かし方が異なっている.そこには,アイドルとしての能力の「未熟さ」をみせつつ,ファンに育てる感覚を与え,商品としての「未熟さ」を享受することを促していくという特徴がある.つまり現在のジャニーズ系アイドルには,今までなかった新しいスターの在り方がみられるといえる.The commodification of "immaturity" is a unique phenomenon that can be observed inJapanese culture. Since long ago Japanese people found enjoyment in observing the process oflearning, growing, and maturing by performers of traditional Japanese arts. The audience wouldfind a student that has a potential to become a great performer and would support the student'sgrowth while "consuming" the process of her maturing. One of the examples of that is so-called"newcomers' plays" of traditional kabuki theater. Currently, a similar commodification ofimmaturity can be observed among contemporary Japanese idols. For example, it can be seen inthe AKB48 selection system and Jonny's Jr. system. However, very little work has beenundertaken on this phenomenon.The purpose of this paper is to examine the phenomenon of the commodification of"immaturity" that is observed among contemporary Japanese idols. Semi-structured interviewsurvey was conducted among 13 respondents in the period from May to September 2017. Therespondents were recruited among female Japanese core fans of young male idols under talentagency Johnny & Associates. The data were analyzed according to GTA methodology, based onEdgar Morin's Star theory.From the results of the survey, the following findings have been made. Differently fromprevious assumptions that idol is either "a pseudo-boyfriend" or "an object to be brought up",contemporary Japanese idols were found to have both of these two sides and the gap betweenthe sides is what attracts fans to idols. Analyzing this finding with Moran's theory, it can be saidthat idols have two dimensions, 1) an immature but cute, close like a son, "human" dimension,and 2) a cool, skilled, like an ideal boyfriend but far away "god" dimension. The gap betweenthose dimensions, this duality is the main point of attraction for core fans. The idols that canperform that gap skillfully are able to obtain many core fans.Thus it can be stated that contemporary Japanese idols are a new form of Morin's "star", anda new relationship between idols and fans that consume their growing and maturing process canbe found in Japan. Just like previous stars they perform the gap between "human" and "god"dimensions but the way of performing "human" dimension is different as it includes showingtheir "immaturity" to fans, giving fans an illusion of taking part in idols' growth, and letting fansconsume idols' "immaturity" as a commodity.