much ado about puffy

[ander025]

Puffy certainly aren't alternative artists. Neither are they idols on the
old model of Matsuda Seiko or the newer model of Amuro Namie and Speed. If
we reduce "idolization" to celebrity or fashion-driving status than what
about Kurt Cobain? He made ripped jeans more popular. And he wore makeup.
Was he an idol?

Anyone who puts out a CD gets marketed in some form. I find Puffy a lot
more interesting than say, Avril Lavigne, both musically and in terms of
image. They don't actively seem to be presenting themselves as something
they aren't in the same way. They don't pretend to be artists though they
sing pretty well, but they have an anti-glamour look. 

To me, the most interesting thing about them is that they break the burikko
mold without moving to the sex-kitten model that Amuro Namie and Speed
replace it with. Maybe we need a new category or label for blue-jean
casual, post-burikko female pop star that doesn't write their own material.


On 23 Oct 2004, kelly wrote:
> $B$J$s$8$c!*$a$A$c$a$A$c%"%$%I%k$8$c$s!*(B
> $B$^$"!A$"$`$m$[$I$+$o$$$/$J$$$1$I!#$A$g$C$H$A$g$C$H$[$i$[$i!#(B
> that's just crazy talk...
> $B;318$[$I%a%$%/$O$J$$$1$I8+$?$i$"$j$^$9$h!#(B
> $B$U$DEAE}E*$J$N%"%$%I%k$H0c$&$1$I$7$$$J$j$s$4$H$*$J$.(Bmarketing
> $B$A$g$C$H(Bpunk.
> blue jeans never prevented honorary japanese idolization status either.
> ever notice how many girls started wearing jeans in shibuya alone after 
> jet hit the charts.
> 
> 
> 
> On Saturday, October 23, 2004, at 05:26  PM, ander025 wrote:
> 
> > I don't know anything about this anime, but as a pop group, one of the
> > distinguishing marks of Puffy is that they ARE NOT an idol band or
> > particularly kawaii. They have rather cultivated an "alternative" 
> > image of
> > sorts. Certainly an anti-glamor, anti-idol look. They generally wear 
> > jeans
> > and T-shirts or sweatshirts and often look as if they aren't even 
> > wearing
> > makeup.
> >
> > They don't play the "I'm so cute" game, they speak to the press fairly
> > directly, and all of their material is written by one very talented 
> > writer
> > and producer for whom they are his main vehicle (He's quite influenced 
> > by
> > the Beatles and alternative US pop over the last 15 years).
> >
> > Of course, the relation of the Beatles and the Jackson Five to their
> > cartoon properties was also pretty remote. It won't be too surprising 
> > if
> > the same is the case here.
> >
> >
> > On 23 Oct 2004, Aaron Gerow wrote:
> >> With a six-year old son, I had to learn sooner rather than later, but
> >> it seems that the Japanese pop duo Puffy will have their own animated
> >> TV show on Cartoon Network in the US starting on November 19. You can
> >> already check out some scenes at the show's website:
> >>
> >> http://www.cartoonnetwork.com/tv_shows/puffyamiyumi/index.html
> >>
> >> Puffy--or Puffy AmiYumi as they're known in the US--have already
> >> contributed the theme song to the CN show Teen Titans. They've 
> >> somewhat
> >> faded in Japan, but this may be another break. Or will they go the way
> >> of Pink Lady?
> >>
> >> More Japanese cute invading US pop culture, but the animation style
> >> looks more Cartoon Network than Japanese anime.
> >>
> >> Aaron Gerow
> >> KineJapan owner
> >>
> >> Assistant Professor
> >> Film Studies Program/East Asian Languages and Literatures
> >> Yale University
> >>
> >> For list commands, send "information kinejapan" to
> >> listserver at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu
> >> Kinema Club: http://pears.lib.ohio-state.edu/Markus/Welcome.html
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
> >
>