Beyond the Male Idol Factory: The Construction of Gender and National Ideologies in Japan through Johnny's Jimusho [Hardcover]

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.Beyond the Male Idol Factoryasks what the phenomenon of Johnny's 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 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.

Amid the controversies in the Japanese idol industry, the importance of this book cannot be overstated. Through its careful analysis of the role of male idols in the Japanese national imagination, it reveals how models of masculinity in Japan circulate and are reproduced in the media. Jason G. Karlin, Professor, University of Tokyo, Japan

InBeyond the Male Idol Factory, Mandujano-Salazar provides an engaging analysis of the symbolic and ideological roles of male idols in modern-day Japan. This book is an indispensable resource for scholars and students seeking a deeper understanding of celebrity culture in the Asian context. Yuen Shu Min, National University of Singapore, Singapore

1. Introduction
2. Johnny's Jimusho in Japan's Post-war History
3. The Male Idol Factory: How are Johnnys Produced in Post-Bubble Japan
4. If Japan is In a Predicament, Some are Meant to be Called National Idols
5. Gendered Idol Ideologies
6. The Voices of Japanese Fans
7. Conclusion: Johnny's Idols' Ideological Roles in Contlƒ¹