I might get killed for this but....

[joie-de-vivre3.livejournal.com]

I'm really new to the whole j-pop scene and I'm slowly learning my way through it ( starting with NewS of course :D ), so this might seem like an incredible dumb thing to ask or if by chance I offend anyone I'm really sorry. I certainly did not intend to do so. But here goes: Why is it that ppl like to pair certain guys together in the j-pop industry, especially those of the JE group, such as Ryo and Uchi in a romantic way? Is it because these guys have make some statement regarding their relationship? Or is it because we just like them together because they're both so cute and tend to appear together ( btw, is this an intended purpose by the manager? I can understand why Ryo and Uchi appear together in NeWs since they have the history of Kanjani8 with each other, but even in Kanjani8 this also happen? Is it b/c their voices make sense together? )? Now here where I might get kicked out of the community for the banal questioning but, if the answer to the first question is no ( that they had said they're together that way) why is it that us fan girls want to see them end up together? I mean wouldn't we want them not to be that way and thus savoring the dream of getting them for ourselves ( ok, i know that's a pretty hopeless dream but you know what i mean...) :D ? Anyway, I'm just perplexed on the whole situation and any input is greatly appreciated. :)

Comments

[essie07.livejournal.com]

Haha, well that's a question you don't hear everyday!

I don't think you're offending anyone. You would be if you had shown preference toward a certain couple.

I dunno why, fangirls (and some fanboys) just like the thought of two boys in a possible romantic relationship. Also, JE consists of only boys, so that's why you frequently see males being paired with other males just because of proximity. Some of these boys grow up together and become very close friends, like Tackey and Tsubasa for instance (they've known each other and have been friends for 10 years). I don't think it's really intentional of managers to do this sort of thing because frankly, homosexuality is not something easily accepted in Japan. What the boys do, if they look like they're being "raburabu" (flirty with each other), is something called FANSERVICE. Yes, there are fans who like the idea of their idol with another idol of the same sex, and of course there are fans who hate the thought of it, but Japanese people look at it purely as entertainment (something that MANY international fans fail to do). Boys showing affection for each other merely shows their comfort and playfulness, and nobody really questions their sexuality because it's not as important as how well they can entertain fans.

Some might hate me for this, but JE should have NEVER put Ryo and Uchi in two groups AT THE SAME TIME. Fans should stop for a moment and put their selfishness aside because Ryo and Uchi are clearly suffering from having to run back and forth between these groups; thus why Ryo collapsed and Uchi ended up needing surgery for his lung. Nobody knows the real reason why management decided to ONLY have those two in both groups, and all it has done has jeopardized their health in a terrible way.

There are always two types of fangirls: the ones who like yaoi and the ones who don't. I know girls who like the idea of idols being gay because that means no other girl in the world will ever get to "steal" their idol from them, but of course, they aren't looking at the entire situation realistically.

Ooh, this reply turned out to be really long. Sorry!

[mikan-purin-ame.livejournal.com]

I certainly take no offense... I'm not a Ryochi shipper though... but I ship another slash coupling. I think slash (boy-boy) pairings happen, especially in JE, because so many of the boys are handsome but in a feminine way-- they're really very pretty boys. So fangirls tend to pair them up because they make great screen couples, I'm sure if JE talents were allowed to work with girls more often and on a regular basis (NOTE: girls their age, not like Utumiya Midori san on YA-Ya-Ya), then lots of screen couples that aren't slash will pop up too. Also I think slash couplings keep fangirls' dreams alive... because they aren't realistic. Like whenever a boy-girl screen couple pops up involving a JE idol, the girl always gets slammed like CRAZY by fangirls.

Furthermore, regarding why Ryo and Uchi appear together. They don't get paired together that much in Kanjani 8. But they get paired up a lot in NewS because they're the two from Kansai. The reason why it was those two Kansai Jrs picked is only really known by JE. But I doubt it's because they're "together," okay, in fact, I know for sure it's not. My hypotheses at why they were both picked for NewS (other than the fact that they have two of the best voices in Johnny's Jr):

Uchi Kun, although he's from Kansai, doesn't really have this huge "Kansai" aura. (I'm sorry if that's a very hard to understand way to explain things.) Therefore, Uchi kun will be very easily accepted nationally, and thus rake in a lot of supporters because he just looks like the type of boy you want to take care of... like go to his house and clean his room for him or something.

Ryo chan was chosen probably because he's the TYPICAL Kansai boy-- quick-witted, smart-mouthed... something about him makes you think that he hangs out in back alleys 3 times a week. (I'm not saying Kansai is filled with little gangster boys, but the general stereotype of Kansai men are that they are short-tempered and like to fight and argue.) Basically with one Nishikido Ryo, you will win over 95% of the teen population who wish to date a bad boy. All in all, it's more about appeal and target fan base.

[cakeko17.livejournal.com]

My answer for your question is very simple... I think people like them being paired up because they look good together and their friendship or "closeness" is just incredible.

Take Tackey and Tsubasa as an example. They have been the best of friends for a decade now and when people see how comfortable they are with each other, people mistake their normal actions as romantic acts. Even though it looks as if they're a couple, in reality, it's just the way it is- that's just how they are; that's how comfortable they are with each other- nothing more.

^ - ^

[joie-de-vivre3.livejournal.com]

thank you so much everyone for your great inputs. I really appreciate it. I would have said so sooner but alas! i was away from my comp for awhile. regardless. thank you! what a great community!

[(Anonymous)]

Actually, in most cases, pairings are popular because the crazy fangirls prefer them to be gay rather than face the fact that they might have girlfriends or get married in the future.