Then, there is the tentpole for Sunday afternoons. At 1 p.m. here in Toronto, we hear those tubular bells get rung and we know it's time for NHK's "Nodo Jiman" (Proud of my Voice). In Japan, though, it has been running forever from 12:15 p.m. to 1 p.m.
Although I've never watched a single episode of "American Idol" (never got into the reality TV genre), I can't help but make comparisons, the biggest one being the ultimate aim. For "American Idol", it's having the contestants being run through the vocal hoops and getting whittled down (or, if being judged by Simon Cowell, hacked into little toothpicks) until that one champion comes out and gets that contract and perhaps that launch into a new lucrative career.
"Nodo Jiman"is somewhat less ferocious. Since its debut on NHK Radio in 1946 and then its transition onto TV from 1953, it's been about NHK traveling to the various community centres and high school auditoriums all over Japan, and getting the local population out to enjoy 45 minutes of singing on a weekly basis on the largest karaoke stage. Yes, there is competition in that each singer tries to make it through the first refrain so that he/she/they can get that triumphant round of tubular bells and then even earn a prize at the end of the show. Sometimes, if the singer is not having a good day, it'll be some lines and then just that one clang of a bell, but there's nothing malicious in the proceedings. Everyone is just appreciative of getting that 15 seconds in front of the cameras.
I was just reading through the write-up for "Nodo Jiman" on J-Wiki, and the audition process is rather similar to that for getting onto a game show. Probably thousands of postcards come in as applications from which about 250 acts over high school age are chosen. On the Saturday before the Sunday broadcast, those acts are brought to the auditorium where the Sunday show will be broadcast for private auditions. There, the final 20 acts are chosen for the real broadcast the next day.
I think the wonderful thing about "Nodo Jiman" is that it has been this weekly traveling road show through all of the prefectures, instead of just having it planted at the Shibuya studios. The local audience can get that touch of NHK fame and see a few of their own make it big while the TV audience can also find out some more about that region, whether it be Hokkaido or Kochi or Gunma. And speaking about some making it big, there have been some of those locals who truly did hit the big time. Enka singers such as Itsuki and the legendary Hibari Misora（美空ひばり） had appeared on the show as participants before making their professional debuts. And even one future leader of Morning Musume, Ai Takahashi（高橋愛）, won a prize when the show came to her prefecture of Fukui.
Every March, out of the pool of weekly champions, 15 of them are selected for the "NHK Nodo Jiman Grand Champion Competition", held at the network's Tokyo HQ in Shibuya. Just imagine that one person or duo who becomes the yokozuna after that contest. In karaoke-crazy Japan, it must be like winning the lottery. But even with all of the pomp and circumstance that surrounds the steps leading up to that grand competition, I think most people just focus on those three-quarters of an hour each week just to see plain folks like themselves do what they probably like doing whether it's singing in the shower or hitting the mike at the local Shidax. And maybe...just maybe....they may be inspired enough to pick up that pen and send in that postcard.
I watched this show when I had NHK in my house seven years ago. I was a teenage at the time and didn't know nothing more than Megumi Hayashibara. Even though it was pretty hard that someone'd appear on the stage and sing one of her songs, I truly waited for this moment. It didn't happen, of course. But I had a lot of fun watching the show. Thanks for the memories, J-Canuck.
ReplyDeleteAbout American Idol, I was searching for some Japanese shows like it, but didn't have success finding. Maybe the aidoru system don't let something like this succeed in Japan, or maybe I'm just very misinformed. What do you think about the subject, J-Canuck?
Hi, Marcos. I'm only speculating here, but yes, I think on a corporate and societal level, I couldn't really see anything like an "American Idol" (Japanese Aidoru?) being successful in Japan. The aggressive competitiveness that exists on the reality shows and even in regular game shows at times in countries like the United States wouldn't really work in Japan. It would be seen as being too inappropriate...it might explain why game shows in Japan almost always has just celebrities taking part instead of regular people.
DeleteAs for the corporate side of things, I can gather that Johnny, Yasushi and Tsunku might be a bit uncomfortable with a "Japanese Aidoru" invading their territory...unless they are involved with the project. :)
I couldn't think about the societal level, and it's quite interesting to hear an opinion about it.
DeleteAs for the corporate level, my especulation is the same of yours. In a country like Japan, where the word "idol" is far more significant than in the english speaking countries, a show like "American Idol" or "The X Factor" couldn't work properly. The agencies are the responsible for the "discovery" and "making" of the "idols", and that's not something that can see a public participation. And AKB48, for example, has its own way of making fans participate in the glory of their favorite idols (a.k.a general elections), which is why the group sells millions of copies of their singles.
But I always wanted to see a japanese version of these western reality music competitions. It'd be fun to listen to my favorite songs being performed my amateur singers.