Idol culture is absolutely massive in Japan, from mainstream groups dominating TV shows to indie idols hustling to make a name for themselves. They all boast huge fanbases, and for many, interacting with their idols is the ultimate goal.
Recently, a fan on Japanese X (formerly Twitter) sparked a heated debate with their antics at a meet-and-greet. This particular fan, attending an event for Saito Kiara, a member of the voice actress idol group =LOVE, decided to bring another idol's photobook along for their photo op. This move ignited a firestorm of criticism online, with many netizens slamming it as incredibly disrespectful to the idol and accusing the fan of deriving pleasure from potentially hurting her feelings.
While the fan likely genuinely supports Saito Kiara, their post read: "Uh, so... I just got a 'practically brand new' photobook of a certain someone... and I was so hyped, I accidentally brought it... Okay, I'm sorry."
The fan even admitted that before they could specify a pose, Saito Kiara had already made *that* face, and honestly, she couldn't smile. But what's done is done, so they took the photo anyway.
This behavior prompted Endo Mai, former leader of the idol group IDOLING!!!, to vent her frustrations on behalf of idols. She stated that "intentionally making an idol jealous" as a form of interaction usually backfires, leading to nothing good. Either it's annoying, or nobody cares.
It's far better to be a "good person" who leaves a positive impression. She still remembers and genuinely likes a fan who left a good impression on her 15 years ago.
Mai also pointed out that while some fans might have a romantic fantasy of "making a cute idol jealous," is it really okay to make idols act just to satisfy your ego? Wouldn't it be more fulfilling to be a fan that idols genuinely like and remember fondly?
A former indie idol also weighed in, calling the behavior "super annoying." They explained that idols don't get jealous; they just feel uncomfortable. And it's not just upsetting for the idol present; the other female idol being used as a "jealousy tool" is also put in an awkward position. What if the two idols even know each other? It makes the whole atmosphere incredibly awkward and causes trouble for everyone involved.
Many netizens couldn't agree more, calling it a "grade-school mentality" to think that pranking an idol would actually make them jealous, like a kid doing bad things for attention. They found it ridiculous that an adult would carry such childish emotional manipulation into adulthood.
They added that idols, of course, will play along on the surface because it's their job, but fans are just deluding themselves. They urged fans to wake up and stop bothering idols.
However, some netizens held a different view, arguing that idols should be able to turn such incidents into entertainment. Since fans pay to attend these events, it's just a form of interaction between a fan and an idol, and everyone's just trying to have fun, right?
Still, many netizens defended the idols, pointing out that idols are forced to act even when they don't want to, simply because the fan is a "customer." This makes the situation truly pathetic. The mindset of "I'm happy even if they're uncomfortable!" was widely condemned as repulsive.
They also criticized the "this is just how otaku are" or "I paid for this service" mentality, stating that it shows a complete lack of respect for idols.
The majority of netizens still view such behavior negatively. Not only does it disrespect the idol on stage, but even the idol in the photobook gets dragged into it for no reason. Ultimately, "fun interactions with idols" should stay within certain boundaries, and actions that cause discomfort are simply not cool.
The fan actually posted other photos, showing genuine support for Saito Kiara. However, their "joke" ended up enraging netizens, which was likely an unforeseen consequence.