Japanese, Mexican and American wota @ Hello! Party 2009 (05-07-2009). ^^
American Hello! Project Fans @ Anime Expo 2009 (07-07-2009). :P
"How to be wota" (12-12-2009). xD
For long time, Hello! wota has stated that "Americans are not wota!" based in the lack of evidence that demonstrates the true and real interest from the citizens of United States of America about wotagei and Idol otaku culture. -__-
But now, with the coming of a new otaku generation whose interests are more centered in Japanese Idols than in anime or manga, some American fans have started to explain to the rest of the English speaking community what is an Idol otaku, which are its characteristics, lifestyle, tastes and hobbies, and specially, what is called "wotagei":
Moreover, with the several Japanese Idol's performances in the United States' territory in the last months, some American fans have created wotagei related guides for support their favorite Idols in their concerts:
"Haru no arashi" basic chant guide (20-06-2010). :P
But the truth is that the American wota community is several years away from the Japanese wota community, the Thai wota community or the Mexican wota community, just to enlist some examples. :P
The cultural contacts that the American fans have had with Japanese and Mexican wota, specially in the Idol events of Anime Expo, had increase their knowledge about the real Idol otaku culture, but is not enough to reclaim a title that is reserved only for the most crazy and hardcore Japanese Idols' followers. ;)
CNN has a long history of criticism about the otaku way of life: they criticized everything from sexual themed adult video games to Idol otakus' maniac behavior. But the CNN reporters around the world have refused TO LEARN and to propagate to their viewers and readers how the real Japanese otaku culture works. -__-
Now, reporting from AX Anime Expo, they just uploaded a video clip from the red carpet where you can see AKB48's members and their producer, the music composer from Onyanko Club, Akimoto Yasushi:
But that's all. There was not even a mention of their names, ages or professions. There was not an explanation of what is AKB48 doing in AX Anime Expo, what is AKB48 in Japan, or even, that they are nowadays the most popular representatives of the Japanese Idol culture. -__-
Delores Williams, the reporter from CNN, just stated in the description of this video: "AKB48 is a popular music group among anime lovers". Anime lovers? AKB48? What the hell!!! O_O
Again, in the American social imaginary, the worlds of anime and manga are mixed with the world of Japanese Idols. -__-
This shitty media covering is different from Ayumi Hamasaki's interview. That's because Hamasaki's music and fashion styles are closer to the American music and fashion industry, and that confirms (symbolically) to the CNN's global audience that America is the top of the World. Bullshit! -__-
Hamasaki Ayumi, again, was in the middle of the international media attention but didn't talk or propagate the Japanese Idol culture's values, styles or ways of lives, as AKB48's members and their producer do. She only talk about one topic: herself, herself and herself. -__-
Of course, for contemporary Japanese teenagers is easier to imitate Hamasaki Ayumi than imitate AKB48's members, because of course, to be like "Ayu" is being childish, egoist and fashion compulsive. That's why Hamasaki has more female fans in Japan that AKB48. Not because their music and performances. -__-
For CNN was easier, also, to critic the Idol otaku culture but not to promote the real Japanese Idol culture. Once again, shame on you, America! -__-
De manera clara, se evidencia que la estancia de Morning Musume en Estados Unidos no tuvo la trascendencia mediática que tuvo la estancia de AKB48 en Francia. En la página oficial de la AX Expo, no existe una fotografía oficial de Morning Musume en Los Ángeles como sí existen de AKB48 en París. :P
Aunado a esto, tanto a portales, a páginas de aficionados y a blogs escritos por estadounidenses y europeos les fue negado todo acercamiento a las chicas de Morning Musume, tal como lo denunció públicamente el portal Hello! Online.
Tampoco hubo cobertura de su llegada a Los Ángeles, su concierto en la AX Expo o la rueda de prensa que ofrecieron, ni por parte de las cadenas de televisión estadounidenses ni por parte de las cadenas de televisión japonesas, como sí lo hubo en el caso de AKB48 en Francia:
Los fans que asitieron al concierto de Morning Musume en Los Ángeles no pudieron tomar videos ni fotografías, caso contrario a los fanáticos de AKB48 que se congregaron en Francia:
Lo único que no me gustó de las AKB48 en Francia fue la pretención torpe de "acercarse al público" interpretando en francés algunas estrofas de sus canciones. Este tipo de artilugios son tan baratos que, incluso, en las TNT Expo de México se han llevado a cabo, en lo cuál estoy en desacuerdo.
Un artísta se comunica con el público, a través de su música y su interpretación, independientemente del idioma que utilice para ello. -__-
En ambos eventos, estuvieron presentes los wota, apoyando fielmente a sus Idols, pero sin duda, los seguidores de Morning Musume, tanto japoneses como mexicanos, fueron quienes se llevaron las palmas. ^^
Hello! Wota preguntó a sus lectores quién en de las dos agrupaciones japonesas promovería mejor la cultura Idol en el extranjero. La encuesta, cerrada el día de hoy, presenta los siguientes resultados:
¿No adivinan quienes armaron todo este alboroto? Pues nada más ni nada menos que los miembros del Idol Stars Club que asistieron al concierto de Morning Musume. Es decir, wota mexicanos. Sí, ¡wota mexicanos! :D
La breve historia, contada por uno de los organizadores de la "Hello! Party" que se quedaron perplejos al ver, por primera vez en tierras gringas, una rutina de wotagei:
Mi respuesta, a este comentario, directa y sin miramientos:
En respuesta a algunos otaku que no creen que los miembros del Idol Stars Club México hallan sido los que iniciaron el wotagei en la Hello! Party de Los Ángeles, California, presentamos a todos ustedes el siguiente video:
"Koi no jubaku".
En este video se aprecia perfectamente que, en un inicio, sólo los miembros del Idol Stars Club México estaban haciendo wotagei:
Los fans estadounidenses los vieron, y se acercaron a ellos:
Y finalmente, se congregaron las demás personas que parecen en el resto de los videos:
Pésele a quien le pese, los mexicanos fueron quienes llevaron el wotagei a la Hello! Party y quienes mostraron a los estadounidenses cómo bailar, no sólo "Romantic ukare modo", sino otras canciones del Hello! Project. :)
Hello! Wota has stated, from long time ago, that Americans are not wota. They are just fans, some of them real hardcore followers, but they unknown the steps and the calls to do wotagei in their beloved Idol's concerts. :P
When Haruko Momoi went to the AX Expo, my friend Osaka told me that several Japanese Momoists went with Haruko for teaching to the American fans how to cheer-up Haruko in her concert. Those Japanese Momoist distributed before the concert several English language translated Call Books that taught to the American fans how to do wotagei in Haruko's concert.
The English version of Wikipedia doesn't have any article about wotagei but it has an article for ouedan. What the hell? O_o
It seems that nobody in America, Canada, UK, Australia, India or any of those English speaking countries are interested in promoting the wotagei culture abroad. Why? Does wotagei looks ridiculous for those people? Do they hate Japanese otaku culture? Could they understand the real meaning of doing wotagei? O_O
On Internet, there are just few articles and entries in English language about wotagei, but numerous articles and entries about Japanese Idols that use the word "wota" in their contents. That seems that no one of those foreigner "wota" has noticed that the real wota do wotagei for cheer up their Idols in their concerts. :P
"Koi no Jubaku". Berryz Koubou. (Wotagei guide).
"Honto no Jibun". Buono! (Wotagei guide).
"Tokaikko Junjou". C-ute. (Wotagei guide).
To learn how to do those calls and steps is easy: you only need to practice with your favorite Idol's DVD concerts.
But between the American "wota" community, there is an absolutly indefference toward wotagei and its practice. Instead, Americans have look toward the Hello! Project Latin-American fan base just to mock or to be surprised. Let's check the next examples:
So, for those foreigner "wota", wotagei seems to be "ironic", "postmodern", "bizarre", "fun", "creepy", "delightful", "wonderful", "priceless"..., anything but not "normal". :P
In the other side, those English language speakers who had lived in Japan and experimented the real Idol-otaku culture have another point of view about the wotagei and other real wota matters:
Those experienced wota are the really last hope for spreading the real Idol-otaku culture into the English language community. If they fail in this communicational task, wotagei will never be a part of the world of the foreigner "wota". -__-
Worldwide, Latin-American, Asian and Japanese people are the only fans who keep doing wotagei in concerts, streets and public events. Americans haven't done wotagei until now.
The next Morning Musume's concert in the AX Expo could be the last chance for those American "wota" to show how they appreciate wotagei and how deep is their knowledge about the real Idol-otaku culture. :P
