Beyond the Male Idol Factory

A star-making factory without rival, the Japanese talent agency Johnnys Jimusho has brought fame to several generations of male stars singers, actors and performers. Beyond the Male Idol Factory asks what the phenomenon of Johnnys Idols reveals about discourses of masculinity and national identity in contemporary Japan. Examining the pervasive presence of these stars across a wide range of Japanese media, the book explores how Johnnys Idols act as role models of ideal masculinity and good citizenship as well as entertainers. Taking a wide-ranging cultural studies approach, the book assesses the social, economic and demographic contexts of these familiar stars in post-industrial and post-Bubble Japanese society.