Hi all, I'm resurrecting this because I just started watching First Love on Netflix and I think it is a lot more contemporary international style as a drama than many of the usual Japanese ones (even the ones on Netflix). Has anyone else watched it? It got me thinking as well about the comparison between Hikki and Ayu, comparing this (which isn't about Hikki of course but is inspired by their music and their spectre is pretty central to it) with M-Aisubeki. And I think it hits at something fundamental about Ayu which is that she is the gaudy, low-brow appeal while Hikki has always been international, mature, understated, mysterious etc. I don't mean this in a negative way towards Ayu (I prefer her as an idol, I'm way more drawn to her character, her music, her lyrics, though I acknowledge Hikki was a child genius). Ayu reminds me of 90s rappers in a super weird way - she grew up as an underdog, she didn't have a lot, she was neglected, she said herself she didn't have friends, and she went it alone, then when she achieved fame and success she flaunted it notorious BIG style. She always went her own way, thought for herself, and expressed about this in her lyrics. At the same time, she appeals to something fundamentally Japanese in her cuteness, and something fundamentally Japanese 'working class' (if we could identify such a thing in Japan) in her gyaru-ness, sometimes uncoothe-ness, etc.. She went over and above and broke all records just to be the biggest and the best at everything. She massively had something to prove. The way her psychology comes through in everything she does and the way she communicates to her fans endears her to me even more. But with Hikki, they were privileged (as far as I know), coming from an upper middle class, trans-national family of musicians etc. Of course they have their own struggles, which have come to light the last couple of years. I guess what I'm trying to get at is it's sort of a class difference in Japanese society and Hikki is the sophisticated choice for internationalists.
It's interesting the question of why Exodus etc didn't take off but Bad Mode kinda has. Especially because whenever I meet anime fans in western countries, Hikki is like the only Jpop star they know (because of Kingdom Hearts).
Anyway, my thoughts for today lol
Watch First Love! And let me know what you think
9th December 2022, 01:17 PM
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