A curious situation arose a few days ago and involved Mengo Yokoyariartist of the renowned manga “Oshi no Ko“. Yokoyari-sensei shared a photograph of a spectacular “MAAYA SAKAMOTO LIVE TOUR 2023“, a concert that took place last January 2 and 3 in Japan. To this he added: «I went with Ayaneru! I was very surprised to hear all the songs.», pointing out that he attended this concert with the voice actress Ayane Sakura.
In case you don’t know Ayane Sakura, she is the voice of Gabi Braun in “Shingeki no Kyojin“; Nao Tomori in “charlotte“; Yotsuba Nakano in “Gotoubun no Hanayome“; Ochako Uraraka in “Boku no Hero Academia“; Iroha Isshiki in “Oregairu“; among many others. His multiple involvements in the anime industry, added to his unmistakable voice, have captured the hearts of fans since his debut.
Because of the above, some fans adore her as if she were an “idol,” which brings with it the “idol rules” that no one ever asked for. So when Yokoyari-sensei shared this update on Twitter revealing that he had attended a concert with Ayane Sakura, Some of these obsessive fans were quite upset thinking that their beloved idol had gone on a date with the “Oshi no Ko” artist.
The situation escalated to such a level that Yokoyari-sensei had to come out to clarify the situationpointing out that she is a married woman and that this is not “any single man looking for a partner”:
- «If people think I’m a single guy, they’ll think my tweets about hanging out with my friends have a double meaning! (It finally dawned on me) I know that courting is no longer an exclusively heterosexual situation (although men and women can still be friends), but for all those who feel threatened by me, know that, socially speaking, I am only a woman married…».
The fact that the artist had to make this clarification is nothing more than another reflection of the toxicity of fan bases in Japan, especially those related to idols. In Japan, idols are seen as role models by the public, and their personal lives and image are sometimes strictly controlled by their talent agencies. For example, they cannot smoke or drink in public, nor have romantic relationships.
This type of “control” that fans exert over idols has been a constant for decades.and unfortunately anyone who breaks these “agreements with their audience” risks professional ruin, sabotage by those they believe to be their followers, and a wave of negative comments. It is certainly a sad reality within society that has not been adequately addressed, and that even the entertainment industry itself continues to fuel.
Fountain: Yaraon!
