"100 most influential Japanese people" as chosen on the internet

[maikaru]

Originally Posted by LadyAlterna

I'm sorry but I agree with max. Utada sells so much and she was one of the main influences for RnB to hit japan. I don't get how she didn't make it on the list :S I love that ayu ranked but to be fair i felt some people should be above her like the president of nitnendo XD congratz to her though!

As Japanese popular culture changes quite constantly, Utada has not been in the pop culture scene for quite some time, from the days of Prisoner of Love. We have not heard from her fromm forever, and she doesn't focus on Japan any longer.

And to be quite honest, of course she had an impact on Japanese R&B, and she was voted as most influencial Japanese artist, but I don't really see how influencial she has been in the Japanese culture, and not only Japanese music.

Utada flows in and out of the spotlight, without a lasting continuous chain of activity. Fans of Utada are NOT like fans of Ayu, Koda Kumi, or even AKB48. They do not wait around for her to release another album, and they don't really go crazy when there is a new album being released...

She doesn't start any fashion trends, and she doesn't coin new terms. She is not Ayu or Kimura Kaera who starts whole hair style trends for an entire season, and she doesn't have a whole section of Shibuya transformed for special events so it's entirely branded with Utada's name like many other idols have.

This poll is not simply who is the best musician or talent or whatever, or who makes the best products It's a poll about people with impact, people who get people talking, who get people following, and who get people changing. It's about people whose hold on Japanese society cannot be dismissed, about people who with just appearing for a second at a shopping mall will attract thousands of people in that instant.

Utada is a great musician, but she doesn't have the influence (Good or bad, as evidenced in Erika Sawajiri's entry) on Japanese culture as any of the people in the top 100 do.

[Chibi-Chan]

Originally Posted by maikaru

As Japanese popular culture changes quite constantly, Utada has not been in the pop culture scene for quite some time, from the days of Prisoner of Love. We have not heard from her fromm forever, and she doesn't focus on Japan any longer.

And to be quite honest, of course she had an impact on Japanese R&B, and she was voted as most influencial Japanese artist, but I don't really see how influencial she has been in the Japanese culture, and not only Japanese music.

Utada flows in and out of the spotlight, without a lasting continuous chain of activity. Fans of Utada are NOT like fans of Ayu, Koda Kumi, or even AKB48. They do not wait around for her to release another album, and they don't really go crazy when there is a new album being released...

She doesn't start any fashion trends, and she doesn't coin new terms. She is not Ayu or Kimura Kaera who starts whole hair style trends for an entire season, and she doesn't have a whole section of Shibuya transformed for special events so it's entirely branded with Utada's name like many other idols have.

This poll is not simply who is the best musician or talent or whatever, or who makes the best products It's a poll about people with impact, people who get people talking, who get people following, and who get people changing. It's about people whose hold on Japanese society cannot be dismissed, about people who with just appearing for a second at a shopping mall will attract thousands of people in that instant.

Utada is a great musician, but she doesn't have the influence (Good or bad, as evidenced in Erika Sawajiri's entry) on Japanese culture as any of the people in the top 100 do.

I can't say it better!