Beyond the Male Idol Factory

A star-making factory without rival the Japanese talent agency Johnny's Jimusho has brought fame to several generations of male stars - singers actors and performers. <i>Beyond the Male Idol Factory</i> asks what the phenomenon of Johnny's Idols reveals about discourses of masculinity and national identity in contemporary Japan.<br/><br/> Examining the pervasive presence of these stars across a wide range of Japanese media the book explores how Johnny's 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.