The biggest earthquake in the Japanese entertainment industry in 2023 will be the Kitagawa sexual assault scandal and the closure of the well-known male idol company, Johnny's. Regarding this incident that shook the Japanese entertainment industry and idol industry, related reports and comments appear most often The term is "the disintegration of the empire" or "the collapse of the empire", which shows Johnny's status and influence in the Japanese entertainment industry.
On October 5, 2023 local time, in Tokyo, Japan, the office building of the scandal-ridden Japanese brokerage firm Johnny & Associates.
The reason why Johnny is called an "empire" is that in addition to its long-term monopoly on traditional media resources, having a special cultural system that integrates these resources is the key to success. In the past half century, it has built around this cultural system Establish a complete path from artist production, packaging, and fan participation, including IP-based incubation to develop idols, cross-media narrative and linkage operation strategies for IP, etc., and all of this is under the control of Johnny's Cultural Label Under this, serving the narrative of "Empire" has made the three characters Johnny become the number one IP in the Japanese idol industry. Although the Kitagawa scandal caused Johnny's business to fall into turmoil and even stagnation, the centipede is still alive. Just as Kimura Takuya's controversial phrase "show must be go on." metaphorically suggests, entertainment capital is still working tirelessly. Chasing profits, the old Johnny's brokerage business was inherited by the newly established Starto Entertainment. Whether it was the company's name change or the new president Jun Fukuda who launched a non-Johnny's system, it is not difficult to see that the new company is working hard to make the word Johnny fade away. Public view and memory. It is worth noting that the new company did not abandon the once-successful Johnny Idol IP narrative strategy, but placed this strategy in a new organizational structure and era environment, trying to regain its momentum in the post-imperial era and once again Take the road to dominance.
At 14:00 pm local time on October 2, 2023 in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Johnny & Associates held a press conference to announce the change of the name of the firm to "smile-up."
1. Idol cultivation system as an IP incubator
ip is the abbreviation of "intellectual property", which refers to "the exclusive rights enjoyed by rights holders over the fruits of their intellectual labor". In recent years, it often appears in online literary creations that have been adapted into films. or other commercial uses. This article will use this concept from the perspective of pan-entertainment, that is, IP can be a text, a TV series, a character or a star. Pan-entertainment means that anything that has received love and attention can be given a story and become a story. an ip.
Since the 1970s, Johnny has developed an idol personnel system for artist training, selection and management, that is, selecting young people with good qualifications as Jrs (i.e. trainees) for dance training, and then selecting the best from among them to form a group to debut. , giving official artist treatment. This artist training system is considered to be the secret of Johnny's success in the idol industry, and has had an important impact on the idol industry in Japan and even South Korea. From the perspective of IP content provision, this incubation system is actually an IP incubator.
First of all, the training for JRs is not only free, but also provides opportunities to earn income, such as participating in seniors’ concerts as backup dancers, or appearing in seniors’ stage plays, TV shows, etc. Although the training is very intensive, some JRs still It is very hard to balance studies, but this free high-quality artist training opportunity and the media resources behind it are very attractive. Secondly, exceptionally outstanding juniors will be given the opportunity to debut, and their treatment after debut will be completely different. Not only will they become the company's main investment product, but their salary will be proportional to their workload. The more work they participate in, the more commission they will receive. Third, older idols also have promotion paths. Takizawa Hideaki and Kimura Takuya have both participated in actual operations as company executives in recent years. The "golden generation" of Domoto Koichi, Matsumoto Jun, Yamashita Tomohisa and others have also begun to take charge of behind-the-scenes operations such as concert production. This is also an inspiration and role model for the younger generation, breaking the stereotype that idols can only eat youth food.The IP incubator
incorporates the typical seniority system in the Japanese corporate management system. Some fans jokingly call it an "iron rice bowl unit with five insurances and one housing fund." This rather rigid personnel management system is often criticized for lacking vitality, but when viewed against the backdrop of Japan's long-term deflationary social economy, it has real value. It provides Johnny's and various media platforms with Established a stable reserve of male idols. At the same time, valuable artists will be packaged, and finally launched grandly in the form of a group IP, becoming a commercial work that will be focused on, put into the public eye, and complete the production of a cultural product. The reason why IP has the attribute of being loved is because of its unique storytelling. Although idols and idol groups are not a specific text, its unique cultivation system makes each artist's growth path and group formation process more interesting. There is a large amount of material that can be given narrative meaning. In addition, TV programs, newspapers and magazines and other media have highly exposed and exaggerated the debut process. The background, training experience, and selection process of the members can all become elements of the story, and even the group name. The birth process can become a material worth writing about. Johnny made full use of its talent reserve advantages and long-term training system to become an IP production and supplier, exporting boy band groups to the market as high-quality content.
2. Cross-media cross-narrative of idol IPs
After their debut, Johnny’s ceased to be an incubator and transformed into an IP operator. As an idol boy band that debuted on IP, they only created an original text at the moment of their debut. New content needs to be continuously added to it through subsequent operations to maximize commercial value. The operation strategy chosen by Genesis is cross-media storytelling. The cross-media narrative of IP has been a hot topic in recent years. As for the definition of cross-media narrative, the most accepted definition is probably proposed by Henry Jenkins in the book "Convergence Culture": "It refers to the cross-media platform that unfolds across multiple media platforms." Story, each of which media makes a unique contribution to our understanding of the story world, is a more integrated way of developing a series than a model based on original texts and ancillary products.”[1] This passage. It refers to specific written texts or media texts. Idol groups are cultural commodities with hypertext attributes, but Johnny has long realized how to use his advantages in capital and media to put artists and groups in a certain position. In this growing cross-media narrative mechanism, a somewhat comprehensive network-style operation strategy is adopted for these boy band IPs. This operation strategy extends its tentacles to all corners that the media platform can reach to the greatest extent, and at the same time The interweaving connections between points form a narrative space.
First, the cultivation and packaging of multiple identities for artists. Ninomiya Kazuya, a member of "Arashi", once described his job in the documentary "The Passion Continent": "It's like a comprehensive service department. If someone tells you, 'Go and try that,' I will do it." Debut for Johnny's artists is just the starting point for continuous attempts in various tracks, from basic singing and dancing, TV series, movies, hosts, stage plays, to cartoonists, artists, concert producers, and even games Anchors, news hosts, etc., as long as it is a track related to the media, Johnny's artists are indispensable. Even if they are just participating for fun, they will add new highlights and stories to the artists, such as Ryo Yamada of heysayjump. Jie runs a YouTube account for live streaming of games. Although he cannot compete with professional players, his enthusiasm and familiarity with the game have confirmed his identity as a senior player. Through his instant reactions during the live broadcast, he has shown another side of himself that is different from his stage image. , making the idol’s personality more full. Moreover, most groups have at least five members when they debut. The numerical advantage allows a group to often occupy multiple tracks. As long as a member can obtain certain results and attention on a certain track, they will have the opportunity to feed back. Among groups, for example, the popularity of SMAP is directly related to Kimura Takuya's high success as an actor.
Documentary "The Passion Continent" Ninomiya Kazuya Chapter
Second, cross-media operations centered on group IP. Echoing the cultivation of multiple identities of individuals is the cross-media operation of groups, including all forms of group activities, concerts, advertisements, CDs, etc. What can best enhance cohesion is concerts, which can only be held in the name of the group, and fans No matter which artist you join, you need to feel the stage charm of the artist as a member of a certain group in the warm atmosphere of the concert, and then recognize the group IP. That is what Henry Jenkins said: "Any product is an entry point into the product series as a whole."[2] In addition, naming variety shows is also an important way to feed back. Most Johnny's men Groups will have their own named variety shows after their debut, such as kinkikids' "Cousin Brothers" series. Newer groups such as king & prince have made full use of it from the early "Main Night in the Night" to the later "king & prince". It leverages its own resources in television media and transforms the achievements of artists on various tracks into new content for the group IP, thereby increasing the overall commercial value of the IP. However, this was not mature in early operations. For example, SMAP had an imbalance within the group due to the large popularity gap between members. The younger generations starting from the "golden generation" were quite different in terms of belonging to the group. The feeling is obviously stronger than that of his predecessors. In "The Land of Passion", it is recorded that Ninomiya Kazuya went to Berlin to promote when he participated in the Hollywood movie "Letters from Iwo Jima". When asked what he gained as an actor, his answer was: "I I am not an actor. I sing and dance in Japan and participate in various activities in a 5-member group." This speech fully reflects the idol consciousness of being a member of the group, even if the individual enters a new track and gains growth and aura. , and do not forget to transform these gains into new content for the collective IP, making the narrative of the collective IP more fulfilling and dazzling.
Third, multi-dimensional cooperation and linkage. Although they are all idol boy groups that focus on singing and dancing, each group has a relatively distinctive personality. For example, Tokio has a tough-guy style setting. Not only are their songs mainly in the rock style, but they also have a variety show titled "ザ! Iron Arm! Dash!!" is an uninhabited island development program, while Kanジャニ∞ represents the unrestrained and funny humor of Kansai culture. The songs and performances have a strong Kansai regional style. A common way of cooperation between IPs is to make guest appearances in named variety shows. For example, in "ザ! Iron Wrist! Dash!!", there are many Johnny idols who have experienced the hard work and joy of farming, fishery, animal husbandry, and forestry. Each group has its own irreplaceable characteristics. With the help of media, they can achieve cooperation and interaction with each other. The resulting collisions can often break the old barriers of established impressions and show an uncommon side of the artist's personality or personality, especially This cooperative model of bringing the old with the new and the strong with the weak can help the newly debuted juniors quickly accumulate new story content. In addition, Johnny has frequently collaborated on some national programs with high ratings, such as "Music Station", "Red and White Song Festival", "24 Hours Trouble", etc. Sometimes there are outstanding members and hosts among the participating members. Nice idol, the casual chat becomes an interaction, and the list goes on. The linkage between IPs can be between groups, groups and individuals, or individuals and individuals. The combination methods are extremely diverse. Each combination will create new sparks and increase the content of the story. The most important thing is that these Although the accretive content is fragmented, it is not disorganized. Henry Jenkins proposed that the intertwined texts in "transmedia narratives" are not independent, but ultimately need to point to the same story world. These generated by Johnny's artists through cross-media cross-narratives The content has established an imaginable storyworld in the minds of fans - Johnny's Idol Empire.
3. The Johnny Empire as a story world
"Storyworld" (storyworld) is a core concept repeatedly mentioned in David Herman's cognitive narratology, and Mary-Laura Ryan interpreted it as “It’s not just the spatial background in which the story takes place, but also the complex space-time whole that undergoes various comprehensive changes.Simply put, a story world is an imaginary whole that moves forward with the events told in the story. "[3]
Johnny's is a family-owned company with extremely conservative management methods. It rarely discloses its internal operating system and business details, and it is always shrouded in a veil of mystery in the eyes of the public. The outside world speculates on this idol empire and Imagine that most of it is based on the cross-media narratives of its artists and groups. Johnny's dominance is inseparable from the often mentioned "golden generation". The "golden generation" refers to the period from the late 1990s to the 21st century. The Jr. group that made a splash on TV media at the beginning of the century was headed by Takizawa Hideaki, including all members of Arashi, some members of Kanpachi, as well as Yamashita Tomohisa, Ikuta Toma, Kazama Shunsuke, etc. Although they did not join the group later, they became popular. A very high idol artist, there are a series of TV programs created for JR, such as the famous "8时だj". Information related to Johnny has been popularized through their words and actions in TV programs, such as the dormitory system. , Jr.’s practice content, and even Kitagawa’s own information, etc., although the description of this behind-the-scenes empire is fragmented, the public can piece together a common understanding through these descriptions. Johnny, as an idol cultural system, has become The worldview of its IP story content has begun to be accepted by the public.
Secondly, the narrative surrounding the world of Johnny's is not only spread out horizontally, but is also run through vertically by a thread called the hierarchy culture of Johnny's artists. Seniority is determined based on the time of joining the company, but the actual debut time and popularity are not linked to seniority. This can cause a lot of topics when artists or groups interact. Seniors are strict with their juniors, which will also create opportunities. Take care of and support the younger generation. On the one hand, the younger generation respects the older generation, and on the other hand, they will act coquettishly and behave at a young age, giving the older generation an opportunity to show care and create a sense of community where everyone is united and happy, which can easily lead to the perception of "bullying" The Japanese-style junior culture has found a suitable narrative environment, because this quasi-club or quasi-campus environment is familiar to Japanese fans and the public, especially teenagers. Campuses and clubs are the earliest environments to shape their collective consciousness. The vertical generation system creates a strong sense of group connection, and condenses the originally flat and scattered cross-media narrative fragments into the main line of the story world. Johnny's also has events such as sports games and year-end countdown star concerts to gather its artists. The company team building activities together deepened this sense of unity. It can be seen that Johnny provides a narrative environment for its artists and groups, whether it is the narrative of individual artists, the narrative of group IP, or interactive linkage. The new content born in it will eventually be summarized into a story world that can be imagined, speculated and pieced together by the public, leaving a deep impression on the public. This set of idol IP narratives with Johnny's unique cultural system as the core has two. The obvious advantages are: first, the resignation of individual personnel is difficult to shake the background story world. Just like a well-known boys' school, if someone graduates and leaves the school, it will not cause fatal damage to the entire school. On the contrary, it is the artists who leave Johnny's. It is difficult to get rid of the Johnny label that the public has placed on them. In 2022, the leader of the "Golden Generation" Hideaki Takizawa retired and established a new management company tobe. After that, new generation Johnny artists joined tobe and established a new group imp. , but as a cultural product born under Johnny's world view, even if it changes its name, it will be difficult to change the public's established perception. In April this year, Takizawa Hideaki and his group imp participated in the Chengdu Strawberry Music Festival. According to some domestic media reports, He is still described as a Johnny's entertainer, which shows how stubborn this cultural label is. Second, fan activities and the establishment and growth of the story world in IP are complementary to each other. For fan activities where participation in culture is the main experience, “in order to fully experience the fictional world, consumers must assume the role of seekers and collectors.” , looking for bits and pieces of the story through various media channels."[4] This kind of pursuit and collection of story fragments has become the fun of fans. Johnny's "artist-group-company" narrative framework and network-based cross-operation strategy allow fans to experience the journey from artist to group to superstar. The progressive exploration and participation of the Nice family has actively expanded the boundaries of Johnny's story world in the process, becoming an important part of the narrative construction.
These two advantages not only make Johnny a hero. The idol empire has remained standing for a long time. The above-mentioned set of idol IP narratology is still bringing it public attention. Fuji TV's TV program "だれが中家" will be released on March 10, 2024. An interesting conversation was completed. The four interlocutors were all from the old Johnny's. For details, please refer to the table below:
"だれがが中家" was originally called "Matsumoto to Nakai" and was written by the famous comedian himself Shiwa A conversational program co-hosted by Masahiro Nakai. After Matsumoto left the entertainment industry for a while due to a sex scandal in 2023, the ratings of this program were very sluggish. Kazuya Ninomiya has taken over the show since February 4, 2024, and he and his predecessors Co-hosted by Masahiro Nakai, the ratings immediately jumped to 7.4%, especially among viewers in the most critical age group of 13 to 49 years old, the ratings were as high as 6.5%, ranking third among all Fuji TV programs that week. The ratings for the episode on March 4th were also high thanks to the guests - the popular comedy group "Sandwich Man". In the episode on March 10th, four old Johnny's had a conversation on the same stage, although there is no clear ratings yet. numbers, but it ranks fifth on Tver's variety show rankings for the first quarter of 2024, surpassing the episode on February 4. Such an episode brought together four generations of old Johnny's dialogue programs. Although the artists are no longer colleagues, they still consciously assume the identity of their predecessors. Even if the topic of conversation deliberately omits the word Johnny, it is still inseparable from the empire that produces them as commodities. The narrative surrounding this system is still ongoing. , and still has great appeal to the audience.
4. The future of ip narrative strategy
The fact that former president Kitagawa’s sexual crimes were revealed and became a social issue was the most important detonating event in the disintegration of Johnny’s empire, because It completely shattered the Johnny story world created by IP cross-media narrative and fan participation, exposing the ugly true face behind its cultural system and the shortcomings of the patriarchal management system. But the road to the disintegration of an idol empire. It did not just end with the company's name change, its IP narrative strategy is still continuing.
On July 10, 2019, local time in Tokyo, Japan, the screen reported the news of the death of Kitagawa, the founder of Johnny & Associates.
In terms of personnel, the new company has adopted a more flexible personnel system. Jun Fukuda said in an exclusive interview: "My responsibility is to focus on building a stronger and more complete organizational company to promote further development of the entertainment business. "Most of the artists under the old Johnny's have moved to the newly established Starto Entertainment, and a small number of artists who have terminated their management contracts have not really left the group. For example, Tsuyoshi Domoto and Kazuya Ninomiya have chosen to withdraw from the club rather than leaving the group. Such a situation In the future, personal management affairs will be more convenient, and at the same time, they can still participate in future group activities. There are also artists who have not joined any group and choose to continue to maintain close ties with the group through other means. For example, Tomohisa Yamashita retired from the group before the scandal. In a recent variety show, he revealed that he will become one of the music producers of Starto's timelesz group (old name: Sexyzone). Secondly, after the peak period of contract termination has passed, the new company is trying to revive the existing group. ip, on April 10, the day it officially started operations, it announced that the popular boy band "Arashi", which has been on hiatus for three years, will set up an independent company to operate. This news made fans cry with joy. It has great potential to take advantage of the high-profile group ip It means reviving the empire, and there are groups like timelesz that have changed their names and started anew.Once again, the cross-narrative surrounding a story world has also been continued. On April 10, 2024, a star concert titled "we are! let's get the party starto!!" was held, featuring Jun Matsumoto and Tadayoshi Okura. Led by others, it has assembled its current 14 groups and 75 artists. All proceeds will be donated to the victims of the Noto Peninsula earthquake on January 1 this year, as a sign of its official comeback. In terms of online media platforms, there is also a YouTube channel such as "よにのちゃんねる", which stars artists of different combinations and generations. The channel currently has more than 4.4 million subscribers (as of May 1, 2024). These actions all reflect that Starto is still actively continuing the old Johnny's idol IP narrative strategy. Can this strategy completely wash away the evil mark left by the three words "Johnny's" and write a new story in the future? , creating new glory is what fans who have grown up with these artists for many years have been eagerly waiting for.
Note:
[1] (U.S.) Jenkins, translated by Du Yongming: "Convergence Culture: The Conflict Zone between New Media and Old Media", The Commercial Press, 2012, page 423.
[2] (US) Written by Jenkins, translated by Du Yongming: "Convergence Culture: The Conflict Zone between New Media and Old Media", The Commercial Press, 2012, page 157.
[3] Mary-Laura Ryan, Yang Xiaolin: "Text, World, Story: Storyworld as a Cognitive and Ontological Concept", "The Deep Road to Narrative Theory and Criticism", 2015, page 32.
[4] (US) Written by Jenkins, translated by Du Yongming: "Convergence Culture: The Conflict Zone between New Media and Old Media", The Commercial Press, 2012, page 53.
