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Idol, Burning
The novel that lit the Japanese publishing world on fire: From a breathtaking up-and-coming writer, a twenty-first century Catcher in the Rye that brilliantly explores toxic fandom, social media, and alienated adolescence.
Akari is a high school junior obsessed with "oshi" Masaki Ueno, a member of the popular J-Pop group Maza Maza. She writes a blog devoted to him, and spends hours addictively scrolling for information about him and his life. Desperate to analyze and understand him, Akari hopes to eventually see the world through his eyes. It is a devotion that borders on the religious: Masaki is her savior, her backbone, someone she believes she cannot survive without--even though she's never actually met him.
When rumors surface that her idol assaulted a female fan, social media explodes. Akari immediately begins sifting through everything she can find about the scandal, and shares every detail to her blog--including Masaki's denials and pleas to his fans--drawing numerous readers eager for her updates.
But the organized, knowledgeable persona Akari presents online is totally different from the socially awkward, unfocused teenager she is in real life. As Masaki's situation spirals, his troubles threaten to tear apart her life too. Instead of finding a way to break free to save herself, Akari becomes even more fanatical about Masaki, still believing her idol is the only person who understands her.
A blistering novel of fame, disconnection, obsession, and disillusion by a young writer not much older than the novel's heroine, Idol, Burning shines a white-hot spotlight on fandom and "stan" culture, the money-making schemes of the pop idol industry, the seductive power of social media, and the powerful emotional void that opens when an idol falls from grace, only to become a real--and very flawed--person.
Akari is a high school junior obsessed with "oshi" Masaki Ueno, a member of the popular J-Pop group Maza Maza. She writes a blog devoted to him, and spends hours addictively scrolling for information about him and his life. Desperate to analyze and understand him, Akari hopes to eventually see the world through his eyes. It is a devotion that borders on the religious: Masaki is her savior, her backbone, someone she believes she cannot survive without--even though she's never actually met him.
When rumors surface that her idol assaulted a female fan, social media explodes. Akari immediately begins sifting through everything she can find about the scandal, and shares every detail to her blog--including Masaki's denials and pleas to his fans--drawing numerous readers eager for her updates.
But the organized, knowledgeable persona Akari presents online is totally different from the socially awkward, unfocused teenager she is in real life. As Masaki's situation spirals, his troubles threaten to tear apart her life too. Instead of finding a way to break free to save herself, Akari becomes even more fanatical about Masaki, still believing her idol is the only person who understands her.
A blistering novel of fame, disconnection, obsession, and disillusion by a young writer not much older than the novel's heroine, Idol, Burning shines a white-hot spotlight on fandom and "stan" culture, the money-making schemes of the pop idol industry, the seductive power of social media, and the powerful emotional void that opens when an idol falls from grace, only to become a real--and very flawed--person.
144 pages, Hardcover
First published September 10, 2020
227 people are currently reading
17.7k people want to read
About the author
Rin Usami
5?books103?followersUsami was born in Numazu, Shizuoka, and raised in Kanagawa Prefecture.She was awarded Bungei Prize for her first work Kaka (¤«¤«) in 2019. She was successively awarded Mishima Yukio Prize for the same work, which made her the youngest holder of the prize.She was also awarded the 164th Akutagawa Prize for her second work Oshi, Moyu (ÍƤ·¡¢È¼¤æ).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,121 reviews
July 7, 2023
VAYA QUE DECEPCI?N DE LIBRO
La premisa elev¨® mis expectativas por las emociones que cre¨ª encontrar en las p¨¢ginas. ME SENT? ESTAFADO. M¨¢s all¨¢ de tocar el tema que tanto promet¨ªa (Un Idol maltratando a su fan), habla m¨¢s de la inevitable depresi¨®n de la protagonista porque la gente ya no quiere a su idol tanto como antes.
Si mucho, rescato unas 3-4 p¨¢ginas de las 130 que tiene el libro. Son las que tienen una reflexi¨®n menos vaga, pero todo lo dem¨¢s est¨¢ pa llorar.
Lo ¨²nico interesante fue el ep¨ªlogo, donde la autora explica el concepto de ¡°quemar¡± a una celebridad.
Si tienen la oportunidad de leerlo, desaprov¨¦chenla.
La premisa elev¨® mis expectativas por las emociones que cre¨ª encontrar en las p¨¢ginas. ME SENT? ESTAFADO. M¨¢s all¨¢ de tocar el tema que tanto promet¨ªa (Un Idol maltratando a su fan), habla m¨¢s de la inevitable depresi¨®n de la protagonista porque la gente ya no quiere a su idol tanto como antes.
Si mucho, rescato unas 3-4 p¨¢ginas de las 130 que tiene el libro. Son las que tienen una reflexi¨®n menos vaga, pero todo lo dem¨¢s est¨¢ pa llorar.
Lo ¨²nico interesante fue el ep¨ªlogo, donde la autora explica el concepto de ¡°quemar¡± a una celebridad.
Si tienen la oportunidad de leerlo, desaprov¨¦chenla.
July 15, 2023
A look into idol and cancel culture. From the perspective of a young woman adrift in the world, we see the unraveling of blind belief and the casual cruelty of "normal" society
In the same way that a night of sleep puts wrinkles in a bedsheet, just being alive took a toll.
A book that reminded me a bit of , but then fully immersed in otaku culture and a bit less visceral than her writing.
The afterword of towards her brother really elevates the book to a heartfelt commentary on exclusion from society and the struggle to find belonging in contemporary Japan.
High school is a brutal world for Akari, the main character of , where she doesn't excel. Her "friends" are not much help: I didn¡¯t think she was fake or insincere, she just try to simplify herself as much as possible, with only her idol (a J-Pop band member) being a consolation. She grows obsessed and spends all her time and money on following him, blogging about him and going to concerts. Very recently he has turned into a fallen teen idol, with our main character defending him religiously, as she did every since he played Peter Pan.
Akari has multiple diagnoses and is on medication, and even has altars with full on colour coding of rooms. Still, besides her "merch acquisition syndrome" costing ridiculous amounts of money, she is quite harmless, while she Manages the bare minimum of being human.
Cancel culture is commented upon, as are the expectation of parents. Still the book has no massive confrontations or pay off. Overall it reads easily enough, but only due to the heartfelt afterword of the author I am rounding up to three stars.
Having to write backwards your whole life, with no one even noticing, maybe this was your experience of the world
In the same way that a night of sleep puts wrinkles in a bedsheet, just being alive took a toll.
A book that reminded me a bit of , but then fully immersed in otaku culture and a bit less visceral than her writing.
The afterword of towards her brother really elevates the book to a heartfelt commentary on exclusion from society and the struggle to find belonging in contemporary Japan.
High school is a brutal world for Akari, the main character of , where she doesn't excel. Her "friends" are not much help: I didn¡¯t think she was fake or insincere, she just try to simplify herself as much as possible, with only her idol (a J-Pop band member) being a consolation. She grows obsessed and spends all her time and money on following him, blogging about him and going to concerts. Very recently he has turned into a fallen teen idol, with our main character defending him religiously, as she did every since he played Peter Pan.
Akari has multiple diagnoses and is on medication, and even has altars with full on colour coding of rooms. Still, besides her "merch acquisition syndrome" costing ridiculous amounts of money, she is quite harmless, while she Manages the bare minimum of being human.
Cancel culture is commented upon, as are the expectation of parents. Still the book has no massive confrontations or pay off. Overall it reads easily enough, but only due to the heartfelt afterword of the author I am rounding up to three stars.
Having to write backwards your whole life, with no one even noticing, maybe this was your experience of the world
September 24, 2022
Bestseller and winner of the 2020 Akutagawa Prize, Rin Usami¡¯s novella¡¯s a compelling exploration of fandom and identity in contemporary Japan. It¡¯s narrated by Akari, a 16-year-old, high-school student, who¡¯s submerged herself in an obsession with her oshi (idol) Masaki, a member of J-pop band Maza Maza. Like all J-pop stars, Masaki has his own official storyline, carefully crafted by his management but further honed and modified by his fans. Akari¡¯s a superfan. A key influencer via her dedicated blog, she¡¯s carved out a significant space for herself within Masaki¡¯s fan community. But when her story begins Masaki¡¯s public persona - like all idols highlighting his exemplary lifestyle and role-model potential - has been derailed, the result of rumours that he physically assaulted a female follower. Masaki¡¯s sudden fall from grace¡¯s the beginning of a traumatic awakening for Akari.
Usami¡¯s book¡¯s sparked comparisons with Sayaka Murata¡¯s Convenience Store Woman. Like Murata¡¯s central character Keiko, Akari doesn¡¯t fit in. Although the reasons for her outsider status aren't explicitly addressed, Akari emphasises an official diagnosis as somehow ¡°abnormal.¡± And elements of her portrayal overlap with the experiences of Usami¡¯s brother who struggled with the demands of a rigid, mainstream Japanese education. Akari reminded me a lot of Osamu Dazai¡¯s nameless protagonist in his I-novel Schoolgirl, both are confused, alienated figures, overwhelmed by social conventions and expectations. But Dazai¡¯s novella¡¯s from 1939, whereas Akari inhabits a world in which fandom and social media offer different possibilities.
Usami¡¯s narrative probes the complexity and contradictions of fandom and otaku culture: the fantasy of intimacy; the potential for evading social pressures and an emphasis on academic achievement and conformity; the participatory culture in which fans are simultaneously producers and consumers. For Akari, Masaka¡¯s a surrogate figure, offering her a readymade identity, a way of being, and of interacting with the world, that relieves her of the stresses of everyday life. But Usami¡¯s depiction of Akari¡¯s fangirling isn¡¯t unthinkingly positive, she also highlights the ways in which fangirls are open to commodification and commercial exploitation. Usami writes in a direct, informal style, in keeping with her teenage narrator, but her slice-of-life story¡¯s surprisingly intricate, laced with imagery that conjures links to key moments and ruptures in Japanese history - from Hiroshima to Emperor Akihito's abdication. I found some of the detail of J-pop fandom a little distracting, mostly because it¡¯s an area I¡¯m already fairly familiar with; and. although intriguing, I¡¯m not convinced Usami¡¯s symbolism entirely works, sometimes it seemed overly ambitious or just too much for her story to bear. But despite my reservations, and a shaky start, I found myself unexpectedly engrossed, fully invested in Akari¡¯s fate. Translated by Asa Yoneda with illustrations by Leslie Huang.
Thanks to Netgalley and publisher Canongate for an ARC
Rating: 3/3.5
Usami¡¯s book¡¯s sparked comparisons with Sayaka Murata¡¯s Convenience Store Woman. Like Murata¡¯s central character Keiko, Akari doesn¡¯t fit in. Although the reasons for her outsider status aren't explicitly addressed, Akari emphasises an official diagnosis as somehow ¡°abnormal.¡± And elements of her portrayal overlap with the experiences of Usami¡¯s brother who struggled with the demands of a rigid, mainstream Japanese education. Akari reminded me a lot of Osamu Dazai¡¯s nameless protagonist in his I-novel Schoolgirl, both are confused, alienated figures, overwhelmed by social conventions and expectations. But Dazai¡¯s novella¡¯s from 1939, whereas Akari inhabits a world in which fandom and social media offer different possibilities.
Usami¡¯s narrative probes the complexity and contradictions of fandom and otaku culture: the fantasy of intimacy; the potential for evading social pressures and an emphasis on academic achievement and conformity; the participatory culture in which fans are simultaneously producers and consumers. For Akari, Masaka¡¯s a surrogate figure, offering her a readymade identity, a way of being, and of interacting with the world, that relieves her of the stresses of everyday life. But Usami¡¯s depiction of Akari¡¯s fangirling isn¡¯t unthinkingly positive, she also highlights the ways in which fangirls are open to commodification and commercial exploitation. Usami writes in a direct, informal style, in keeping with her teenage narrator, but her slice-of-life story¡¯s surprisingly intricate, laced with imagery that conjures links to key moments and ruptures in Japanese history - from Hiroshima to Emperor Akihito's abdication. I found some of the detail of J-pop fandom a little distracting, mostly because it¡¯s an area I¡¯m already fairly familiar with; and. although intriguing, I¡¯m not convinced Usami¡¯s symbolism entirely works, sometimes it seemed overly ambitious or just too much for her story to bear. But despite my reservations, and a shaky start, I found myself unexpectedly engrossed, fully invested in Akari¡¯s fate. Translated by Asa Yoneda with illustrations by Leslie Huang.
Thanks to Netgalley and publisher Canongate for an ARC
Rating: 3/3.5
November 18, 2022
Idol, Burning is a peculiar little book, even by the arguably odder-than-average standards of translated novellas. We follow a period in the life of Akari, a young woman in the grip of an all-consuming obsession with a singer and actor, Masaki: as she puts it, ¡®believing in him was how I lived¡¯. When her idol (or oshi, as she usually calls him) punches a fan, it ignites a scandal. Akari goes into a tailspin; her immersion in the fandom threatens to engulf the rest of her life. Yet this description makes the story sound much more plot-driven than it actually is. It¡¯s strangely formless, even loose, for such a brief tale.
I was torn on the rating here; if I¡¯m not sure I tend to lean towards generosity, but there are many ways in which Idol, Burning is unsatisfying, and I felt some of its potential was wasted. (At the beginning, Akari seems to see the world wholly in online terms ¨C ¡®I looked at her face... and thought, there¡¯s an emoji like that¡¯ ¨C which I thought was a really clever way to emphasise the narrowness of her perspective, but these descriptions stop after the first chapter. The book also vaguely gestures towards Akari¡¯s mental health and possible neurodivergence, but never properly discusses it, which I found frustrating.) Ultimately, I downgraded this from four to three stars when I realised one of the main positive things I had to say was ¡®it¡¯s really short¡¯. While I liked elements of Akari¡¯s characterisation, the story didn¡¯t say anything about the nature of stan culture that wasn¡¯t articulated more effectively in Everything I Need I Get From You, a non-fiction book about fandom I read recently.
I received an advance review copy of Idol, Burning from the publisher through .
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I was torn on the rating here; if I¡¯m not sure I tend to lean towards generosity, but there are many ways in which Idol, Burning is unsatisfying, and I felt some of its potential was wasted. (At the beginning, Akari seems to see the world wholly in online terms ¨C ¡®I looked at her face... and thought, there¡¯s an emoji like that¡¯ ¨C which I thought was a really clever way to emphasise the narrowness of her perspective, but these descriptions stop after the first chapter. The book also vaguely gestures towards Akari¡¯s mental health and possible neurodivergence, but never properly discusses it, which I found frustrating.) Ultimately, I downgraded this from four to three stars when I realised one of the main positive things I had to say was ¡®it¡¯s really short¡¯. While I liked elements of Akari¡¯s characterisation, the story didn¡¯t say anything about the nature of stan culture that wasn¡¯t articulated more effectively in Everything I Need I Get From You, a non-fiction book about fandom I read recently.
I received an advance review copy of Idol, Burning from the publisher through .
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Want to read
March 14, 2024"a twenty-first century Catcher in the Rye that brilliantly explores toxic fandom"...none of these words are in the bible
March 22, 2024
? ?. ? ¨r
pre- read: 20/03/2024
in the mood for something short and a little unhinged!!! one of these things is just like me and i will not say which.
in the mood for something short and a little unhinged!!! one of these things is just like me and i will not say which.
May 30, 2023
Akutagawa Prize 2020
This short novel turned Usami, born in 1999, into one of the youngest Akutagawa winners ever, and while the story and the language are deceptively simple, the first-person narrative does a great job evoking truths about the protagonist that she herself has not consciously realized. High-school student Akari suffers from learning disabilities and has been diagnosed with a mental illness (seems like depression and/or ADHS), she feels left out by her family and social environment. The one thing that gives her comfort and that she feels like she succeeds in is being a fan of J-pop idol Masaki: She has turned this into her whole identity, her purpose of living. When Masaki is accused of having hit a fan who might even be his girlfriend, Akari's life further unravels...
In a way, this is a book about an abused man and a woman with severe mental health issues, both of them struggling to gain agency over their own lives: In the subtext, the de-humanizing system of idol culture and how it affects Masaki are revealed; Akari is both exploited financially by the entertainment company that employs Masaki and she contributes to his exploitation as a projection surface. By fleeing into a dream world, Akari also harms her family, who seems to deeply care about her, but doesn't know how to help her when she tries to evade contact with the challenges of reality; plus of course, Akari harms herself, because she abandons her own life for the idol world in which she also exists - alone.
So loneliness, abuse, and agency are the themes around which the text revolves, and Akari's limited self-awareness, her oscillation between knowing that what she does is harmful and ultimately pointless and her holding on to the illusion while understanding that this illusions destroys Masaki - this complex psychological net, rendered in a convincing voice, make this an intriguing text. There is indeed a lot to say about the loneliness epidemic and how it relates to entertainment culture (hello, ).
Great stuff from a young Japanese writer.
This short novel turned Usami, born in 1999, into one of the youngest Akutagawa winners ever, and while the story and the language are deceptively simple, the first-person narrative does a great job evoking truths about the protagonist that she herself has not consciously realized. High-school student Akari suffers from learning disabilities and has been diagnosed with a mental illness (seems like depression and/or ADHS), she feels left out by her family and social environment. The one thing that gives her comfort and that she feels like she succeeds in is being a fan of J-pop idol Masaki: She has turned this into her whole identity, her purpose of living. When Masaki is accused of having hit a fan who might even be his girlfriend, Akari's life further unravels...
In a way, this is a book about an abused man and a woman with severe mental health issues, both of them struggling to gain agency over their own lives: In the subtext, the de-humanizing system of idol culture and how it affects Masaki are revealed; Akari is both exploited financially by the entertainment company that employs Masaki and she contributes to his exploitation as a projection surface. By fleeing into a dream world, Akari also harms her family, who seems to deeply care about her, but doesn't know how to help her when she tries to evade contact with the challenges of reality; plus of course, Akari harms herself, because she abandons her own life for the idol world in which she also exists - alone.
So loneliness, abuse, and agency are the themes around which the text revolves, and Akari's limited self-awareness, her oscillation between knowing that what she does is harmful and ultimately pointless and her holding on to the illusion while understanding that this illusions destroys Masaki - this complex psychological net, rendered in a convincing voice, make this an intriguing text. There is indeed a lot to say about the loneliness epidemic and how it relates to entertainment culture (hello, ).
Great stuff from a young Japanese writer.
June 14, 2023
? ? ? ? ? ? ?
2 ? stars
Rin Usami¡¯s Idol, Burning gives readers insight into fandom culture and celebrity worship through the lens of Akari, a high-school student whose thoughts are always on Masaki Ueno, her oshi, a former child actor who is now part of the boyband Maza Maza.
Akari uses her money to go to concerts and to buy their merch and dedicates a blog to Masaki where she interacts with other fans. Her devotion to him never sways, even when rumors about Masaki having assaulted a fan begin to circle. Akari doesn¡¯t really consider these allegations, saddened by the onslaught of haters on online spaces dedicated to Maza Maza. Eventually, she gets a part-time job so she can attend more concerts and buy even more merch. Her room becomes a shrine to Masaki. As Akari¡¯s grades steadily fall, her parents and sister grow increasingly frustrated by her lack of interest in her studies, in life, in her family. Akari¡¯s inability, perhaps unwillingness, to articulate why she is so disinterested in school or to make her parents and sister understand her struggles with her studies, is a cause of additional stress on the family unit.
Akari finds solace, from her alienation and abjection, in her oshi. Not being able to feel like she is normal, she finds comfort in Masaki, believing that they share a deep connection.
Akari is a rather empty character, a blank slate, which may as well be intentional given how easily she becomes obsessed with the life of another. Yet, her understanding of Masaki is incredibly skewed, as she fails to see him as a human, an entertainer, but endows him with divine qualities. Her treatment of her family is frustrating, as she doesn¡¯t seem to care particularly for them nor does she understand that she cannot exist on devotion alone.
I kept waiting for the story to go somewhere, especially with Masaki¡¯s ¡®alleged¡¯ assault, but it never does. While you can tell that the person behind this story is familiar with fandom culture, I found myself wanting a more in-depth exploration of it, rather than the surface-level one we get. I also found that the author¡¯s words at the end are simplistic. It seemed that she wanted to make Akari a sympathetic character whose struggles in school may be a result of learning difficulties. But, beyond Akari recalling that a doctor said she was ¡®not normal¡¯, this venue of the story remains largely unexplored. Even when it comes to parasocial relationships the novel fails to go deeper. Beyond reiterating that Akari felt ¡®saved¡¯ by Masaki when he was acting the role of Peter Pan. The author also doesn¡¯t really go into cancel culture or death of the author (or in this case singer). What happens when a public figure you admire is accused of something like assaulting another person? Akari never doubts him or thinks about it really, beyond feeling sorry for him and being saddened by him losing fans and gaining haters. The author merely comes up with a vanilla take on this (online bullying is bad, we should consider how the people accused of things like this feel, etc).
The prose is distant and restrained, and while I usually like this type of style, here it just compounded my disinterest.
I guess I was expecting a darker, more complex read. But Idol, Burning made for a rather surface-level read. If you happen to be interested in this novel I recommend you check out more positive reviews. YMMV.
2 ? stars
¡°Everything about him was precious. When it came to my oshi, I wanted to offer him everything I had.¡±
Rin Usami¡¯s Idol, Burning gives readers insight into fandom culture and celebrity worship through the lens of Akari, a high-school student whose thoughts are always on Masaki Ueno, her oshi, a former child actor who is now part of the boyband Maza Maza.
Akari uses her money to go to concerts and to buy their merch and dedicates a blog to Masaki where she interacts with other fans. Her devotion to him never sways, even when rumors about Masaki having assaulted a fan begin to circle. Akari doesn¡¯t really consider these allegations, saddened by the onslaught of haters on online spaces dedicated to Maza Maza. Eventually, she gets a part-time job so she can attend more concerts and buy even more merch. Her room becomes a shrine to Masaki. As Akari¡¯s grades steadily fall, her parents and sister grow increasingly frustrated by her lack of interest in her studies, in life, in her family. Akari¡¯s inability, perhaps unwillingness, to articulate why she is so disinterested in school or to make her parents and sister understand her struggles with her studies, is a cause of additional stress on the family unit.
Akari finds solace, from her alienation and abjection, in her oshi. Not being able to feel like she is normal, she finds comfort in Masaki, believing that they share a deep connection.
Akari is a rather empty character, a blank slate, which may as well be intentional given how easily she becomes obsessed with the life of another. Yet, her understanding of Masaki is incredibly skewed, as she fails to see him as a human, an entertainer, but endows him with divine qualities. Her treatment of her family is frustrating, as she doesn¡¯t seem to care particularly for them nor does she understand that she cannot exist on devotion alone.
I kept waiting for the story to go somewhere, especially with Masaki¡¯s ¡®alleged¡¯ assault, but it never does. While you can tell that the person behind this story is familiar with fandom culture, I found myself wanting a more in-depth exploration of it, rather than the surface-level one we get. I also found that the author¡¯s words at the end are simplistic. It seemed that she wanted to make Akari a sympathetic character whose struggles in school may be a result of learning difficulties. But, beyond Akari recalling that a doctor said she was ¡®not normal¡¯, this venue of the story remains largely unexplored. Even when it comes to parasocial relationships the novel fails to go deeper. Beyond reiterating that Akari felt ¡®saved¡¯ by Masaki when he was acting the role of Peter Pan. The author also doesn¡¯t really go into cancel culture or death of the author (or in this case singer). What happens when a public figure you admire is accused of something like assaulting another person? Akari never doubts him or thinks about it really, beyond feeling sorry for him and being saddened by him losing fans and gaining haters. The author merely comes up with a vanilla take on this (online bullying is bad, we should consider how the people accused of things like this feel, etc).
The prose is distant and restrained, and while I usually like this type of style, here it just compounded my disinterest.
I guess I was expecting a darker, more complex read. But Idol, Burning made for a rather surface-level read. If you happen to be interested in this novel I recommend you check out more positive reviews. YMMV.
March 3, 2023
From the sociological point of view, Idol, Burning (2020) is a valuable source of information on oshi culture and fandom in general. Unfortunately, it did not appeal to me very much on other levels.
Rin Usami's novella is a study of obsession. The protagonist, a secondary school student, Akari, worships a J-pop group member, Masaki Ueno, who is a modern version of Peter Pan. Out of a sudden, she has to confront her idealistic notions about her idol with the reality that disappoints. Who is Masaki? A real person with shortcomings and weaknesses? A spotless fictional character Akari and other fans created?
Idol, Burning is a bleak portrayal of aching loneliness. Participating in fandom activities and following its rituals turns out to be a substitute for love, meaningful relationships in real life, even religion. Little wonder being a fan is so tempting for young people. It gives Akari's life a clear structure and purpose. It is a journey of self-discovery also: Through getting to know his existence, I tried to sense my own. It helps her to distance herself from dull reality: Only through chasing my oshi could I escape the heaviness just for a moment. Too bad the cure turns out to be poison: apparently, Akari is lonely despite her constant participation in group activities online.
Rin Usami exposes the patterns of fandom culture that rely on our basic needs: to be noticed, to be important, to be loved. As it turns out, there is a whole industry that preys on teenagers' naivety and emotional vulnerability ¡ª being a devoted fan requires numerous purchases.
Maybe my reaction to this novella would be different if I were a J-pop aficionado. Alas, I am not and to make things even worse, I am not into very clearly didactic novels. Not only the message of the book is self-explanatory, but there are also the author's and translator's afterwords at the end of the novella, pinpointing the intentions. On the other hand, Akari's story might be an eye-opening warning to young people like her or to their parents.
A few weeks ago, I read Sheena Patel's novel and the digressions on philosophical aspects of fandom intrigued me. I felt like delving into the subject and Idol, Burning seemed to be a perfect continuation, although the setting, scope and protagonist are obviously completely different. I must confess I liked Sheena Patel's book more albeit there are things I enjoyed in Idol, Burning a lot: its subtlety, the melancholy atmosphere, the symbol of fire, the portrayal of Akari, the original subject matter. My main issue though: it is hard to identify this novella's target reader ¡ª it seems too bland and lukewarm for teenagers, judging by most of my students' tastes, and it has got Young Adult vibes at the same time which could be irksome for some grown-ups.
Idol, Burning illustration by Leslie Hung.
Rin Usami's novella is a study of obsession. The protagonist, a secondary school student, Akari, worships a J-pop group member, Masaki Ueno, who is a modern version of Peter Pan. Out of a sudden, she has to confront her idealistic notions about her idol with the reality that disappoints. Who is Masaki? A real person with shortcomings and weaknesses? A spotless fictional character Akari and other fans created?
Idol, Burning is a bleak portrayal of aching loneliness. Participating in fandom activities and following its rituals turns out to be a substitute for love, meaningful relationships in real life, even religion. Little wonder being a fan is so tempting for young people. It gives Akari's life a clear structure and purpose. It is a journey of self-discovery also: Through getting to know his existence, I tried to sense my own. It helps her to distance herself from dull reality: Only through chasing my oshi could I escape the heaviness just for a moment. Too bad the cure turns out to be poison: apparently, Akari is lonely despite her constant participation in group activities online.
Rin Usami exposes the patterns of fandom culture that rely on our basic needs: to be noticed, to be important, to be loved. As it turns out, there is a whole industry that preys on teenagers' naivety and emotional vulnerability ¡ª being a devoted fan requires numerous purchases.
Maybe my reaction to this novella would be different if I were a J-pop aficionado. Alas, I am not and to make things even worse, I am not into very clearly didactic novels. Not only the message of the book is self-explanatory, but there are also the author's and translator's afterwords at the end of the novella, pinpointing the intentions. On the other hand, Akari's story might be an eye-opening warning to young people like her or to their parents.
A few weeks ago, I read Sheena Patel's novel and the digressions on philosophical aspects of fandom intrigued me. I felt like delving into the subject and Idol, Burning seemed to be a perfect continuation, although the setting, scope and protagonist are obviously completely different. I must confess I liked Sheena Patel's book more albeit there are things I enjoyed in Idol, Burning a lot: its subtlety, the melancholy atmosphere, the symbol of fire, the portrayal of Akari, the original subject matter. My main issue though: it is hard to identify this novella's target reader ¡ª it seems too bland and lukewarm for teenagers, judging by most of my students' tastes, and it has got Young Adult vibes at the same time which could be irksome for some grown-ups.
Idol, Burning illustration by Leslie Hung.
July 25, 2023
2.5
Tr¨ºn m¨¤n h¨¬nh ?i?n tho?i, t?i g? "D¨´ ?m ?au hay kh?e m?nh, s? ?ng h? d¨¤nh cho th?n t??ng s? kh?ng d?ng l?i"
L¨¤ t¨¢c ph?m ??t ???c gi?i th??ng Akutagawa 2020. xoay quanh h¨¤nh trinh c?a Akari - m?t c? g¨¢i tu?i teen ?ang trong qu¨¢ tr¨¬nh theo ?u?i th?n t??ng c?a c? b¨¦, Ueno Masaki - th¨¤nh vi¨ºn c?a nh¨®m nh?c J-pop Maza Maza.
Ngay m? ??u ?? c¨® m?t s? ki?n t?i t? li¨ºn quan ??n th?n t??ng c?a Akari. D?n sau ?¨®, ng??i ??c ???c bi?t c¨¢ch Akari l?n ??u nh¨¬n th?y th?n t??ng c?a c? b¨¦, c¨¢ch c? b¨¦ ?? ng??ng m? th?n t??ng th? n¨¤o, c¨¢ch m¨¤ th?n t??ng ?? cho Akari ?i?m t?a trong cu?c s?ng n¨¤y. B¨ºn c?nh ?¨®, kh?c h?a nh?ng ho?t ??ng trong v?n h¨®a th?n t??ng. C¨¢c fan l?n l??t mua nh?ng m¨®n l?u ni?m, h? mu?n s? h?u CD, DVD, hay th?m ch¨ª l¨¤ nh?ng m¨®n ?n v¨¤ ?? d¨´ng c¨® h¨¬nh ?nh th?n t??ng...
B?n th?n m¨¬nh kh?ng ph? nh?n r?ng nh?ng th?n t??ng ?? ?em ??n s? t¨ªch c?c trong cu?c s?ng c?a m?t v¨¤i ng??i, gi¨²p nh?ng ng??i c¨® c¨´ng s? th¨ªch k?t n?i v?i nhau; th?m ch¨ª m¨¬nh ?? t?ng r?t ng??ng m? m?t v¨¤i ca s? - m¨¬nh s?n s¨¤ng mua nh?ng g¨¬ h? ?ang d¨´ng, mu?n bi?t th¨ºm c¨¢c th?ng tin v? h? (d¨´ ch? l¨¤ tin nh?). Nh?ng c?ng kh?ng th? ph? nh?n c¨® m?t v¨¤i c¨¢ nh?n ?? b? "¨¢m ?nh" v?i vi?c theo ?u?i th?n t??ng. Ch¨²ng ta c¨® nh?n v?t ch¨ªnh c? b¨¦ Akari, ng??i ?? b?t ch?p c¨¢c v?n ?? s?c kho?, h?c t?p m¨¤ ?? t?m ??n th?n t??ng - d?n ??n cu?c s?ng c?a Akari ng¨¤y c¨¤ng sa s¨²t. B?n th?n m¨¬nh c?ng r?t bu?n, b?i trong cu?c s?ng c?a Akari ch?ng m?y t?t ??p. Akari m?t k?t n?i v?i gia ?¨¬nh, tr??ng h?c c?ng ch?ng t?t h?n... ?i?u m¨¤ khi?n m¨¬nh ??ng c?m ?¨® l¨¤ nh?ng lo l?ng c?a Akari, m?c c?m ngo?i h¨¬nh, kh¨® kh?n ?? t¨¬m vi?c l¨¤m, m?t kh? n?ng giao ti?p...
khi scandal c?a th?n t??ng "n? ra" c?ng l¨¤ l¨²c Akari m?t ?i m?c ?¨ªch s?ng.
M?t chi ti?t m¨¤ m¨¬nh r?t th¨ªch, ?¨® l¨¤ l¨²c Akari b? ?n t??ng l¨²c c? b¨¦ nh¨¬n th?y th?n t??ng c?a m¨¬nh l?n ??u - l¨²c th?n t??ng th? vai Peter Pan, c?ng ch¨ªnh c?u tho?i "T?i kh?ng mu?n tr? th¨¤nh ng??i l?n!" c?ng ?? ghi nh? m?i trong l¨°ng Akari; ?¨® c?ng l¨¤ ?n d? v? ch¨ªnh b?n th?n Akari sau n¨¤y, c? b¨¦ ch?ng th? ??i m?t v?i cu?c s?ng th?c t? t¨¤n kh?c h?n bao gi?, th?m ch¨ª nh?ng ng??i ??ng nghi?p ? n?i l¨¤m th¨ºm c?ng mong Akari ??ng qu¨¢ m?ng t??ng v? th?n t??ng.
Tuy nhi¨ºn, b?n th?n m¨¬nh c?m th?y c?u chuy?n v?n ch?a ??. B?i c¨°n nhi?u th? trong cu?c s?ng c?a Akari m¨¤ m¨¬nh mu?n n¨® ???c l?t t? h?n n?a, kho?nh kh?c th?n t??ng trong l¨°ng Akari s?p ?? v?n ch?a ?? v?i m¨¬nh ??u. V¨¤ c¨¢i k?t c?a cu?n s¨¢ch n¨¤y ??y ?n d?. ?? so v?i hai cu?n s¨¢ch ??t gi?i Akutagawa g?n ??y m¨¬nh ?? ??c, c?ng ch?ng l? l¨´ng m?y, kh?ng khi¨¦n m¨¬nh ??ng c?m ???c nhi¨¨u.
Tr¨ºn m¨¤n h¨¬nh ?i?n tho?i, t?i g? "D¨´ ?m ?au hay kh?e m?nh, s? ?ng h? d¨¤nh cho th?n t??ng s? kh?ng d?ng l?i"
L¨¤ t¨¢c ph?m ??t ???c gi?i th??ng Akutagawa 2020. xoay quanh h¨¤nh trinh c?a Akari - m?t c? g¨¢i tu?i teen ?ang trong qu¨¢ tr¨¬nh theo ?u?i th?n t??ng c?a c? b¨¦, Ueno Masaki - th¨¤nh vi¨ºn c?a nh¨®m nh?c J-pop Maza Maza.
T?i ch?a bao gi? c¨® mong mu?n ???c ti?p x¨²c v?i anh ?y.?M?c d¨´ t?i c?ng s? tham d? c¨¢c bu?i bi?u di?n offline, nh?ng n?u ph?i l?a ch?n, t?i v?n mu?n tr? th¨¤nh m?t ng??i h?m m? ch¨¬m trong ?¨¢m ??ng.?T?i mu?n tr? th¨¤nh m?t ph?n c?a tr¨¤ng ph¨¢o tay, m?t ph?n c?a s? c? v? v¨¤ ?? l?i l?i nh?n cho anh ?y tr¨ºn m?t t¨¤i kho?n ?n danh ?? n¨®i l?i c?m ?n.
Ngay m? ??u ?? c¨® m?t s? ki?n t?i t? li¨ºn quan ??n th?n t??ng c?a Akari. D?n sau ?¨®, ng??i ??c ???c bi?t c¨¢ch Akari l?n ??u nh¨¬n th?y th?n t??ng c?a c? b¨¦, c¨¢ch c? b¨¦ ?? ng??ng m? th?n t??ng th? n¨¤o, c¨¢ch m¨¤ th?n t??ng ?? cho Akari ?i?m t?a trong cu?c s?ng n¨¤y. B¨ºn c?nh ?¨®, kh?c h?a nh?ng ho?t ??ng trong v?n h¨®a th?n t??ng. C¨¢c fan l?n l??t mua nh?ng m¨®n l?u ni?m, h? mu?n s? h?u CD, DVD, hay th?m ch¨ª l¨¤ nh?ng m¨®n ?n v¨¤ ?? d¨´ng c¨® h¨¬nh ?nh th?n t??ng...
B?n th?n m¨¬nh kh?ng ph? nh?n r?ng nh?ng th?n t??ng ?? ?em ??n s? t¨ªch c?c trong cu?c s?ng c?a m?t v¨¤i ng??i, gi¨²p nh?ng ng??i c¨® c¨´ng s? th¨ªch k?t n?i v?i nhau; th?m ch¨ª m¨¬nh ?? t?ng r?t ng??ng m? m?t v¨¤i ca s? - m¨¬nh s?n s¨¤ng mua nh?ng g¨¬ h? ?ang d¨´ng, mu?n bi?t th¨ºm c¨¢c th?ng tin v? h? (d¨´ ch? l¨¤ tin nh?). Nh?ng c?ng kh?ng th? ph? nh?n c¨® m?t v¨¤i c¨¢ nh?n ?? b? "¨¢m ?nh" v?i vi?c theo ?u?i th?n t??ng. Ch¨²ng ta c¨® nh?n v?t ch¨ªnh c? b¨¦ Akari, ng??i ?? b?t ch?p c¨¢c v?n ?? s?c kho?, h?c t?p m¨¤ ?? t?m ??n th?n t??ng - d?n ??n cu?c s?ng c?a Akari ng¨¤y c¨¤ng sa s¨²t. B?n th?n m¨¬nh c?ng r?t bu?n, b?i trong cu?c s?ng c?a Akari ch?ng m?y t?t ??p. Akari m?t k?t n?i v?i gia ?¨¬nh, tr??ng h?c c?ng ch?ng t?t h?n... ?i?u m¨¤ khi?n m¨¬nh ??ng c?m ?¨® l¨¤ nh?ng lo l?ng c?a Akari, m?c c?m ngo?i h¨¬nh, kh¨® kh?n ?? t¨¬m vi?c l¨¤m, m?t kh? n?ng giao ti?p...
khi scandal c?a th?n t??ng "n? ra" c?ng l¨¤ l¨²c Akari m?t ?i m?c ?¨ªch s?ng.
M?t chi ti?t m¨¤ m¨¬nh r?t th¨ªch, ?¨® l¨¤ l¨²c Akari b? ?n t??ng l¨²c c? b¨¦ nh¨¬n th?y th?n t??ng c?a m¨¬nh l?n ??u - l¨²c th?n t??ng th? vai Peter Pan, c?ng ch¨ªnh c?u tho?i "T?i kh?ng mu?n tr? th¨¤nh ng??i l?n!" c?ng ?? ghi nh? m?i trong l¨°ng Akari; ?¨® c?ng l¨¤ ?n d? v? ch¨ªnh b?n th?n Akari sau n¨¤y, c? b¨¦ ch?ng th? ??i m?t v?i cu?c s?ng th?c t? t¨¤n kh?c h?n bao gi?, th?m ch¨ª nh?ng ng??i ??ng nghi?p ? n?i l¨¤m th¨ºm c?ng mong Akari ??ng qu¨¢ m?ng t??ng v? th?n t??ng.
Tuy nhi¨ºn, b?n th?n m¨¬nh c?m th?y c?u chuy?n v?n ch?a ??. B?i c¨°n nhi?u th? trong cu?c s?ng c?a Akari m¨¤ m¨¬nh mu?n n¨® ???c l?t t? h?n n?a, kho?nh kh?c th?n t??ng trong l¨°ng Akari s?p ?? v?n ch?a ?? v?i m¨¬nh ??u. V¨¤ c¨¢i k?t c?a cu?n s¨¢ch n¨¤y ??y ?n d?. ?? so v?i hai cu?n s¨¢ch ??t gi?i Akutagawa g?n ??y m¨¬nh ?? ??c, c?ng ch?ng l? l¨´ng m?y, kh?ng khi¨¦n m¨¬nh ??ng c?m ???c nhi¨¨u.
May 9, 2024
I¡¯m on now! =)
¡±The idea of making direct contact with my oshi didn¡¯t interest me. I went to shows, but only to be a part of the crowd. I wanted to be inside the applause, inside the screaming, and anonymously post my thanks online afterward.¡±
I¡¯m not sure how I feel about this book because on the one hand it had a good grasp on how it feels to be a part of a fandom and to have an idol you look up to, but on the other hand it also failed to dig into the dark side of fandoms. Maybe I was expecting too much, but after reading the blurb and some of the reviews, I went into this story with the expectation that we¡¯d get to see how obsession with an idol can easily turn out to be toxic and dangerous. Not only for the fan, but for the idol as well. None of this happened though and whenever the author tried to make a point it was written in such a flowery writing style that it confused me more than it helped me to understand Akari.
"My angle was simply to keep trying to understand him, as a person and as an artist. I wanted to see the world through his eyes."
I literally tried to do that with Akari but even though we got her POV and experienced everything first hand, I still didn¡¯t understand her character, let alone her actions. If I got it correctly Akari¡¯s mental health wasn¡¯t the best and apparently she also struggled with an eating disorder. See, what I mean? I read the entire book and still can¡¯t pinpoint which kind of troubles Akari went through. We¡¯re told that she struggles with school and apparently has problems to remember things and to focus on studying. I didn¡¯t get the feeling that it was her obsession with Masaki that was the reason for this, though. It felt more like she was depressed and probably had a mental illness that got in her way whenever she felt the pressure of studying and life in general. Maybe she was even dyslexic because it was mentioned that she confused words and got them wrong.
¡±I still think you should graduate. You can keep pushing just a little longer. Think about your future.¡± I felt like what he was saying was true, but the voice in my head overwrote it with But my present is already too much. I was losing sight of the line between what I needed to accept and what I could run from in order to protect myself."
So her love for her oshi got her through the day, but it also got in the way of actually doing something about her dire situation, because every free second was spent on being a part of the fandom. What it comes down to in the end is that Akari is a teenager with no prospects and future. She fails at school, she gets in trouble at work and instead of saving her money she spends it on fan merchandise and concerts. I find it odd that her parents gave her a hard time about being bad at school, but apparently never tried to find out why she was struggling so much.
¡±I started to notice myself yearning to push my body to its limit, whittle it down, seek out hardship. Letting go of everything I had ¨C time, money, energy ¨C in service of something outside of myself. Almost as though by doing that, I could cleanse myself. That by pouring myself into it, and taking the pain in return, I could find some kind of value in my existence.¡±
I mean, how can a parent not notice things like that?! You¡¯d think a parent would do everything to try to help their child but the parents in this book weren¡¯t supportive at all. To me it was obvious that the problem wasn¡¯t Akari being obsessed with Masaki but rather her suffering from mental illnesses that were never diagnosed and caused her to fall into a depression. The only way for her to cope with life was by being a fan of her idol because it brought her joy.
¡±He makes me breathe easier no matter how cold the day is. The heaviness melts out of my body, he warms me from my core and, honestly, gives me the strength to get through the day. My oshi relights the fire of life for me every morning.¡±
Well, and then we should have had the big topic of toxic obsession with an idol and how cancel culture affects celebrities and their fans. I¡¯m saying we should have had those topics because for me they totally fell flat. Due to Akari¡¯s mental health and all her issues it didn¡¯t feel like her obsession with Masaki was the main problem. It felt more like a side effect of her struggling with daily life and trying to fight the downward spiral she was in.
As for the cancel culture: Yes, there was a scandal and Masaki¡¯s status as an idol was threatened by it, but we never truly found out if the allegations were true and how it affected the idol. We only got rumours, which is to be expected with public figures but if you¡¯re a part of the fandom you know that there always has to be a public statement and the one Masaki gave was extremely unrealistic. No true idol would get away with this. And that¡¯s not me being petty, but facts! I think the author tried to make a point by the reader not getting any closure for this, because after all idols don¡¯t owe us any explanations, but I think if this would have been a real life idol a statement and public apology would have been the minimum to fix the situation. None of that happened, though and the only consequence for Masaki was a drop in popularity and some vile comments during his vlives. Or well, at least those are the only consequences we¡¯re allowed to see as a reader. I really wish this topic would have been explored in more depth. There was a lot of potential but it wasn¡¯t used and therefore the two aforementioned topics fell flat for me.
"It was tiresome being told I was being taken advantage of, when I had no expectation of getting anything in return. My devotion to my oshi was its own reward, and that worked well for me, so I just needed people to shut up about it. I wasn't looking for my oshi to return my feelings."
Conclusion:
¡°Idol, Burning¡± was an okay book for me, but considering all the raving media reviews it got I honestly expected more. If Akari would have been an ordinary fan with a healthy mental state and her downward spiral would have stemmed from her obsession with her idol I would have probably ended up liking this book. But all I took from this story is that Akari already had mental health problems that kind of reinforced her obsession with Masaki. In short: Her obsession with her idol wasn¡¯t the reason for her deteriorating mental health. I had the impression it was rather the other way around. As a reader and someone who¡¯s part of a fandom this left a bad taste in my mouth, because it implies that everyone who is part of a fandom must be in a bad headspace to start liking an idol enough to follow their journey. Not to mention, that a lot of fans act like Akari and have a blog about their idol and buy weird amounts of fan merchandise. I¡¯m sure the author most definitely didn¡¯t want readers to view the book like that but it¡¯s how I took it. Maybe I¡¯m interpreting too much into it and maybe I should just accept everything at face value and not question it. But I¡¯ve always been a critical thinker and you¡¯ll always get my thoughts and honest opinion. I¡¯m sorry to say it, but this book just wasn¡¯t for me. Still, there¡¯s the saying: ¡°One man¡¯s meat is another man¡¯s poison.¡± and I¡¯m sure a lot of people will enjoy ¡°Idol, Burning¡± and take something good from it. =) This time around it just wasn¡¯t my cup of tea.
____________________________
This was a strange one.
I could relate to some parts of the fandom but I got a little confused by Akari¡¯s character.
Also I think I got into the book with the wrong expectations?! Like I heard there would be the topic of toxic obsession and hate but it felt like this was only broached on the side?!
Full and short review to come soon. I think my expectations were just too high. >_<
_____________________________
I initially wanted to read ¡°Idol, Burning¡± for my #MinisculeMarch readathon, but then I didn¡¯t manage to get to it, so here we are.
I might be one month too late but I still want to read this!
It¡¯s a short book, it¡¯s about fandoms and cancel culture and it¡¯s about the sometimes complicated relationships between idols and their fans.
What happens when adoration turns into toxic obsession and later on into hate?
Well, I suppose we¡¯ll find out.
Find me on:
¡±The idea of making direct contact with my oshi didn¡¯t interest me. I went to shows, but only to be a part of the crowd. I wanted to be inside the applause, inside the screaming, and anonymously post my thanks online afterward.¡±
I¡¯m not sure how I feel about this book because on the one hand it had a good grasp on how it feels to be a part of a fandom and to have an idol you look up to, but on the other hand it also failed to dig into the dark side of fandoms. Maybe I was expecting too much, but after reading the blurb and some of the reviews, I went into this story with the expectation that we¡¯d get to see how obsession with an idol can easily turn out to be toxic and dangerous. Not only for the fan, but for the idol as well. None of this happened though and whenever the author tried to make a point it was written in such a flowery writing style that it confused me more than it helped me to understand Akari.
"My angle was simply to keep trying to understand him, as a person and as an artist. I wanted to see the world through his eyes."
I literally tried to do that with Akari but even though we got her POV and experienced everything first hand, I still didn¡¯t understand her character, let alone her actions. If I got it correctly Akari¡¯s mental health wasn¡¯t the best and apparently she also struggled with an eating disorder. See, what I mean? I read the entire book and still can¡¯t pinpoint which kind of troubles Akari went through. We¡¯re told that she struggles with school and apparently has problems to remember things and to focus on studying. I didn¡¯t get the feeling that it was her obsession with Masaki that was the reason for this, though. It felt more like she was depressed and probably had a mental illness that got in her way whenever she felt the pressure of studying and life in general. Maybe she was even dyslexic because it was mentioned that she confused words and got them wrong.
¡±I still think you should graduate. You can keep pushing just a little longer. Think about your future.¡± I felt like what he was saying was true, but the voice in my head overwrote it with But my present is already too much. I was losing sight of the line between what I needed to accept and what I could run from in order to protect myself."
So her love for her oshi got her through the day, but it also got in the way of actually doing something about her dire situation, because every free second was spent on being a part of the fandom. What it comes down to in the end is that Akari is a teenager with no prospects and future. She fails at school, she gets in trouble at work and instead of saving her money she spends it on fan merchandise and concerts. I find it odd that her parents gave her a hard time about being bad at school, but apparently never tried to find out why she was struggling so much.
¡±I started to notice myself yearning to push my body to its limit, whittle it down, seek out hardship. Letting go of everything I had ¨C time, money, energy ¨C in service of something outside of myself. Almost as though by doing that, I could cleanse myself. That by pouring myself into it, and taking the pain in return, I could find some kind of value in my existence.¡±
I mean, how can a parent not notice things like that?! You¡¯d think a parent would do everything to try to help their child but the parents in this book weren¡¯t supportive at all. To me it was obvious that the problem wasn¡¯t Akari being obsessed with Masaki but rather her suffering from mental illnesses that were never diagnosed and caused her to fall into a depression. The only way for her to cope with life was by being a fan of her idol because it brought her joy.
¡±He makes me breathe easier no matter how cold the day is. The heaviness melts out of my body, he warms me from my core and, honestly, gives me the strength to get through the day. My oshi relights the fire of life for me every morning.¡±
Well, and then we should have had the big topic of toxic obsession with an idol and how cancel culture affects celebrities and their fans. I¡¯m saying we should have had those topics because for me they totally fell flat. Due to Akari¡¯s mental health and all her issues it didn¡¯t feel like her obsession with Masaki was the main problem. It felt more like a side effect of her struggling with daily life and trying to fight the downward spiral she was in.
As for the cancel culture: Yes, there was a scandal and Masaki¡¯s status as an idol was threatened by it, but we never truly found out if the allegations were true and how it affected the idol. We only got rumours, which is to be expected with public figures but if you¡¯re a part of the fandom you know that there always has to be a public statement and the one Masaki gave was extremely unrealistic. No true idol would get away with this. And that¡¯s not me being petty, but facts! I think the author tried to make a point by the reader not getting any closure for this, because after all idols don¡¯t owe us any explanations, but I think if this would have been a real life idol a statement and public apology would have been the minimum to fix the situation. None of that happened, though and the only consequence for Masaki was a drop in popularity and some vile comments during his vlives. Or well, at least those are the only consequences we¡¯re allowed to see as a reader. I really wish this topic would have been explored in more depth. There was a lot of potential but it wasn¡¯t used and therefore the two aforementioned topics fell flat for me.
"It was tiresome being told I was being taken advantage of, when I had no expectation of getting anything in return. My devotion to my oshi was its own reward, and that worked well for me, so I just needed people to shut up about it. I wasn't looking for my oshi to return my feelings."
Conclusion:
¡°Idol, Burning¡± was an okay book for me, but considering all the raving media reviews it got I honestly expected more. If Akari would have been an ordinary fan with a healthy mental state and her downward spiral would have stemmed from her obsession with her idol I would have probably ended up liking this book. But all I took from this story is that Akari already had mental health problems that kind of reinforced her obsession with Masaki. In short: Her obsession with her idol wasn¡¯t the reason for her deteriorating mental health. I had the impression it was rather the other way around. As a reader and someone who¡¯s part of a fandom this left a bad taste in my mouth, because it implies that everyone who is part of a fandom must be in a bad headspace to start liking an idol enough to follow their journey. Not to mention, that a lot of fans act like Akari and have a blog about their idol and buy weird amounts of fan merchandise. I¡¯m sure the author most definitely didn¡¯t want readers to view the book like that but it¡¯s how I took it. Maybe I¡¯m interpreting too much into it and maybe I should just accept everything at face value and not question it. But I¡¯ve always been a critical thinker and you¡¯ll always get my thoughts and honest opinion. I¡¯m sorry to say it, but this book just wasn¡¯t for me. Still, there¡¯s the saying: ¡°One man¡¯s meat is another man¡¯s poison.¡± and I¡¯m sure a lot of people will enjoy ¡°Idol, Burning¡± and take something good from it. =) This time around it just wasn¡¯t my cup of tea.
____________________________
This was a strange one.
I could relate to some parts of the fandom but I got a little confused by Akari¡¯s character.
Also I think I got into the book with the wrong expectations?! Like I heard there would be the topic of toxic obsession and hate but it felt like this was only broached on the side?!
Full and short review to come soon. I think my expectations were just too high. >_<
_____________________________
I initially wanted to read ¡°Idol, Burning¡± for my #MinisculeMarch readathon, but then I didn¡¯t manage to get to it, so here we are.
I might be one month too late but I still want to read this!
It¡¯s a short book, it¡¯s about fandoms and cancel culture and it¡¯s about the sometimes complicated relationships between idols and their fans.
What happens when adoration turns into toxic obsession and later on into hate?
Well, I suppose we¡¯ll find out.
Find me on:
February 1, 2025
what¡¯s there for me not to like in a story about fandom culture, idol obsession, mental health / neurodivergent people, online space and society¡¯s expectations? in such few pages so much to take from it, to ponder about and to enjoy even when i indeed wish it was a longer novel.
i got soooo excited the second i stumbled upon this book and i¡¯m thrilled to say that it did not disappoint. quiet writing focused on showing instead of telling, accurate representation and clever observations.
i just knew that i would get it, even if not entirely i knew it was written for ME.
every internal aspect of it was on point but one thing i do wish we¡¯d gotten more of to feel further immersed in it all is scenes of relationships dynamics and her with people, even if online.
really took me back to different times, places and spaces in life but man it was a fun a bit reflective somewhat unfamiliar ride!
i got soooo excited the second i stumbled upon this book and i¡¯m thrilled to say that it did not disappoint. quiet writing focused on showing instead of telling, accurate representation and clever observations.
i just knew that i would get it, even if not entirely i knew it was written for ME.
every internal aspect of it was on point but one thing i do wish we¡¯d gotten more of to feel further immersed in it all is scenes of relationships dynamics and her with people, even if online.
really took me back to different times, places and spaces in life but man it was a fun a bit reflective somewhat unfamiliar ride!
May 16, 2022
provides unrelenting insight into fandom culture¡ªspecifically the "J-Pop," or Japanese pop music fandom. Rin Usami captures the insularity and obsessive nature of "stan culture" with aplomb, and if you've spent time in any sort of online fandom over the years, there's a lot you'll recognize in here. (If you haven't... I think you might get a little lost reading this book, if I'm being honest¡ªlet the layman beware.)
But where it shines in its portrayal of the more toxic aspects of fandom culture, the narrative itself leaves something to be desired. The whole concept that this novella is supposedly predicated on¡ªa girl coming to terms with her favorite pop idol maybe having assaulted a woman¡ªisn't ever really the focus, and I understand why this detail is included in the book's summary, but the reality of the way this narrative transpires is much more mundane than fraught. This isn't a story about a girl being torn apart and forced to question everything she's believed in; it's more of a portrait?of the insidious nature of obsession, and the ways in which it can lead you to become disconnected from reality. And of course, there's nothing wrong with?that at all; I just think this could have?been a more interesting project had there been a bit more tension and more of a shift within Akari's character throughout the story.
It's short and it's worth reading and Rin Usami is one to watch for sure, but I ultimately did want more from this.
Thank you to Netgalley and HarperVia for the advanced copy provided in exchange for an honest review.
But where it shines in its portrayal of the more toxic aspects of fandom culture, the narrative itself leaves something to be desired. The whole concept that this novella is supposedly predicated on¡ªa girl coming to terms with her favorite pop idol maybe having assaulted a woman¡ªisn't ever really the focus, and I understand why this detail is included in the book's summary, but the reality of the way this narrative transpires is much more mundane than fraught. This isn't a story about a girl being torn apart and forced to question everything she's believed in; it's more of a portrait?of the insidious nature of obsession, and the ways in which it can lead you to become disconnected from reality. And of course, there's nothing wrong with?that at all; I just think this could have?been a more interesting project had there been a bit more tension and more of a shift within Akari's character throughout the story.
It's short and it's worth reading and Rin Usami is one to watch for sure, but I ultimately did want more from this.
Thank you to Netgalley and HarperVia for the advanced copy provided in exchange for an honest review.
April 12, 2024
.? ? 2.5 stars ?
? ©® ? translated lit fic
well that was... interesting. not bad but certainly interesting. i read this because i was in dire need of something short as all the thick fantasy books that i'm currently reading is giving my poor brain diarrhea. nothing in this book came across as revolutionary because this was honestly the reality of participating in idol-fan culture (coming from someone who was in kpoptwt for a good 4-5 years).
if i'm being honest, reading this did remind me of the good old days when participating in fan voting was considered a sport. or waking up 3 hours before your alarm goes off just so you can watch the latest comeback before going to school. i was depressed but at least it kept me busy. so this book did tug on my heartstrings ever so slightly.
but since this book is so short, it ultimately fails to completely solidify the themes it so desperately tries to present. 100-something more pages could have bumped this book up to a high 3 or 4 stars. i would like to know more about the parasocial-ness of it all as the main character seems to believe that her idol is the centre of her existence. or the relationship she has with her mother and sister.
? bottomline. i wanted a quick + short read so i can't really complain much. also that kpoptwt drains both your sanity and wallet.
? ©® ? translated lit fic
? ¡° without my oshi, i couldn't be me. my life without him was only an afterlife. ¡±
well that was... interesting. not bad but certainly interesting. i read this because i was in dire need of something short as all the thick fantasy books that i'm currently reading is giving my poor brain diarrhea. nothing in this book came across as revolutionary because this was honestly the reality of participating in idol-fan culture (coming from someone who was in kpoptwt for a good 4-5 years).
if i'm being honest, reading this did remind me of the good old days when participating in fan voting was considered a sport. or waking up 3 hours before your alarm goes off just so you can watch the latest comeback before going to school. i was depressed but at least it kept me busy. so this book did tug on my heartstrings ever so slightly.
but since this book is so short, it ultimately fails to completely solidify the themes it so desperately tries to present. 100-something more pages could have bumped this book up to a high 3 or 4 stars. i would like to know more about the parasocial-ness of it all as the main character seems to believe that her idol is the centre of her existence. or the relationship she has with her mother and sister.
? bottomline. i wanted a quick + short read so i can't really complain much. also that kpoptwt drains both your sanity and wallet.
June 2, 2022
Akutagawa Prize finalist, Jan. 2021. The author, Usami Rin, is only 21 years old.
A short novel about Akari, a female high school student whose life centers around online following and rooting for a male singer in an idol group (all virtual, she (mostly) never tries to contact or meet him). I was very interested, because I have an 18-year old daughter who is also passionately devoted to an idol group, although in a much more healthy way than the girl in this story. She read the story with me and helped me with some of the SNS and idol-related vocabulary. We talked about how idol fandom encourages fans to not just enjoy the music, but to also obsess over the image and personalities of the performers, gathering pictures and other materials, and discussing the latest news online. Musicians using image to promote themselves is not new, but the ratio of importance of image to music seems to be more weighted towards image than ever before. I recognized some things the character does that my daughter does as well: like put the latest CDs and pictures of her idols on a kind of shrine in her room. Also, the great sadness a fan can suffer when an idol retires.
A very sad story. Akari has a hard time in her real life, not enjoying any kind of positive relationship with any of her family members, and frustrated at school where she can¡¯t keep up with the others. She appears to have some kind of learning disability. And yet she excels at being a fan. She obsessively follows and catalogues everything about her idol, Masaki, showing that she has intelligence and data gathering and analyzing ability. The online fan community gives Akari a chance to excel, but excel at something that could end and become irrelevant with the idol's retirement.
When the novel starts, Masaki, the singer, has gotten into an altercation with a fan, and he "blows up", becoming a target of public criticism. When he retires, she is lost, having no idea how to move ahead with her life. She frequently talks about him as her ¡°spine¡±, she has centered her world around him, and allowed the rest of her world to atrophy and flake away. But it is not a spine that will actually allow her to live a fulfilled, happy life.
When the spine disappears, she is desperate. After traveling to see where the idol lives, she hits the bottom of her sadness. Then she starts cleaning her messy, lonely house, crawling on the floor. That is a start. For a while she will only be able to crawl, not walk, in her life. She is taking the first steps to build a new spine.
The image of the ear swabs ¾d°ô scattered on the ground, like bones after cremation, that need to be picked up and put into an urn, was very powerful. That was a great closing scene.
Very well written, great imagery.
A short novel about Akari, a female high school student whose life centers around online following and rooting for a male singer in an idol group (all virtual, she (mostly) never tries to contact or meet him). I was very interested, because I have an 18-year old daughter who is also passionately devoted to an idol group, although in a much more healthy way than the girl in this story. She read the story with me and helped me with some of the SNS and idol-related vocabulary. We talked about how idol fandom encourages fans to not just enjoy the music, but to also obsess over the image and personalities of the performers, gathering pictures and other materials, and discussing the latest news online. Musicians using image to promote themselves is not new, but the ratio of importance of image to music seems to be more weighted towards image than ever before. I recognized some things the character does that my daughter does as well: like put the latest CDs and pictures of her idols on a kind of shrine in her room. Also, the great sadness a fan can suffer when an idol retires.
A very sad story. Akari has a hard time in her real life, not enjoying any kind of positive relationship with any of her family members, and frustrated at school where she can¡¯t keep up with the others. She appears to have some kind of learning disability. And yet she excels at being a fan. She obsessively follows and catalogues everything about her idol, Masaki, showing that she has intelligence and data gathering and analyzing ability. The online fan community gives Akari a chance to excel, but excel at something that could end and become irrelevant with the idol's retirement.
When the novel starts, Masaki, the singer, has gotten into an altercation with a fan, and he "blows up", becoming a target of public criticism. When he retires, she is lost, having no idea how to move ahead with her life. She frequently talks about him as her ¡°spine¡±, she has centered her world around him, and allowed the rest of her world to atrophy and flake away. But it is not a spine that will actually allow her to live a fulfilled, happy life.
When the spine disappears, she is desperate. After traveling to see where the idol lives, she hits the bottom of her sadness. Then she starts cleaning her messy, lonely house, crawling on the floor. That is a start. For a while she will only be able to crawl, not walk, in her life. She is taking the first steps to build a new spine.
The image of the ear swabs ¾d°ô scattered on the ground, like bones after cremation, that need to be picked up and put into an urn, was very powerful. That was a great closing scene.
Very well written, great imagery.
June 15, 2023
Rin Usami hat mit "Idol in Flammen" einen originellen, kurzen Roman ¨¹ber Fan-Kultur in der J-Pop-Welt geschrieben. Obwohl ich diese Musik nicht h?re und dementsprechend nicht kenne, hat mir das Buch gut gefallen. Es ist eben mehr. Es ist ein Gegenwartsroman ¨¹ber einen Teil der japanischen Gesellschaft.
Erz?hlt wird die Geschichte eines weiblichen Fans namens Akari aus der Ich-Perspektive. Akari f¨¹hlt sich in Familie und Schule nicht angenommen. Ihr Fan-Dasein ist ihre "?berlebensstrategie". Zur Finanzierung dieser Leidenschaft arbeitet sie in einem Lokal. Die Einblicke in diese Arbeitswelt sorgen f¨¹r Abwechslung. Ihr Idol Masaki soll bei einem Konzert einen Fan geschlagen haben. In kurzen, pr?gnanten S?tzen wird die Lebensrealit?t Akaris nach diesem Ereignis dargestellt.
Auch wenn die Fan-Kultur das zentrale Element ist, sollte man den Roman nicht darauf reduzieren. Es ist vielmehr das Psychogramm einer jungen Frau, die weder in Familie noch in Schule oder Job Erf¨¹llung findet. Der Geschichte h?tte etwas mehr Raum gut getan. Trotz dieser Einschr?nkung kann ich das Buch empfehlen.
Erz?hlt wird die Geschichte eines weiblichen Fans namens Akari aus der Ich-Perspektive. Akari f¨¹hlt sich in Familie und Schule nicht angenommen. Ihr Fan-Dasein ist ihre "?berlebensstrategie". Zur Finanzierung dieser Leidenschaft arbeitet sie in einem Lokal. Die Einblicke in diese Arbeitswelt sorgen f¨¹r Abwechslung. Ihr Idol Masaki soll bei einem Konzert einen Fan geschlagen haben. In kurzen, pr?gnanten S?tzen wird die Lebensrealit?t Akaris nach diesem Ereignis dargestellt.
Auch wenn die Fan-Kultur das zentrale Element ist, sollte man den Roman nicht darauf reduzieren. Es ist vielmehr das Psychogramm einer jungen Frau, die weder in Familie noch in Schule oder Job Erf¨¹llung findet. Der Geschichte h?tte etwas mehr Raum gut getan. Trotz dieser Einschr?nkung kann ich das Buch empfehlen.
September 25, 2022
2.5 rounded down
This was incredibly well done in its portrayal of obsession and what it means to be a part of a fandom to an extent where it consumes your life. That aside, it didn't feel like a wholly satisfying novel and I finished feeling like I wanted something a bit more from the narrative.
Thank you Netgalley and Canongate for the advance copy, which was provided in exchange for an honest review.
This was incredibly well done in its portrayal of obsession and what it means to be a part of a fandom to an extent where it consumes your life. That aside, it didn't feel like a wholly satisfying novel and I finished feeling like I wanted something a bit more from the narrative.
Thank you Netgalley and Canongate for the advance copy, which was provided in exchange for an honest review.
September 8, 2023
Przesz?a obok mnie bez wi?kszych wra?e¨½ i emocji.
April 16, 2023
This is such a great look into fandom. If you are fascinated by people who build their lives around celebrities, this is a great book to read.
February 14, 2024
?dolo en llamas nos confirma que a veces no se necesitan muchas p¨¢ginas ni una historia muy compleja para transmitir un sentimiento.
Nuestra protagonista es una joven japonesa, que no se encuentra en el estudio, el trabajo y la familia. Su ¨²nico refugio es su oshi, es decir, su ¨ªdolo. Un cantante de su banda favorita. Ella lo har¨ªa todo por ¨¦l y vive obsesionada con conocer cada detalle de su vida, ¨¦l es una religi¨®n para ella y todo se desmorona cuando sale a la luz una escena de abuso de ¨¦l hacia una fan.
Me gust¨® mucho, me gust¨® c¨®mo te metes en la mente de la protagonista para entender esa obsesi¨®n y como de verdad la ¨²nica luz de su vida es su oshi. Me gust¨® hacer el paralelo de lo que es "su vida real" y c¨®mo no se encuentra a si misma en paralelo a los recitales y sue?os con su oshi.
Una muy buena novela, fuerte de a partes, que te va a ser reflexionar sobre la exigencia hacia la juventud, la adolescencia y la admiraci¨®n hacia un ¨ªdolo.
Muy recomendada
Yo leyendo ¨ªdolo en llamas: ?????
Nuestra protagonista es una joven japonesa, que no se encuentra en el estudio, el trabajo y la familia. Su ¨²nico refugio es su oshi, es decir, su ¨ªdolo. Un cantante de su banda favorita. Ella lo har¨ªa todo por ¨¦l y vive obsesionada con conocer cada detalle de su vida, ¨¦l es una religi¨®n para ella y todo se desmorona cuando sale a la luz una escena de abuso de ¨¦l hacia una fan.
Me gust¨® mucho, me gust¨® c¨®mo te metes en la mente de la protagonista para entender esa obsesi¨®n y como de verdad la ¨²nica luz de su vida es su oshi. Me gust¨® hacer el paralelo de lo que es "su vida real" y c¨®mo no se encuentra a si misma en paralelo a los recitales y sue?os con su oshi.
Una muy buena novela, fuerte de a partes, que te va a ser reflexionar sobre la exigencia hacia la juventud, la adolescencia y la admiraci¨®n hacia un ¨ªdolo.
Muy recomendada
Yo leyendo ¨ªdolo en llamas: ?????
February 9, 2024
por esta raz¨®n me alegro de no ser fan¨¢tica de nadie ???
November 19, 2022
At the end of the book, I wasn't even surprised why this book won the Akutagawa Award in 2020, because it definitely deserved that title.
Personal Ratings : 4.5?
Idol, Burning is a short read that dives into the Idol Culture in Japan. My first work from Rin Usami and my second work from Asa Yoneda, Idol, Burning not only talks about dependancy of humans to something as a coping mechanism, it delves into the toxic culture of the internet, the effects that it has on various people, and mostly, on being constricted to the societal standards of normal. Its a book that may not be for everyone, but its one that I do have a deep understanding for and I loved the message that the author was trying to bring.
Whilst I'm not into the Idol culture in Japan, I was definitely into the Idol Culture in South Korea and mostly, I'm a weeb that lowkey collects various merchandises from mangas and animes that I like (and in another words , an Otaku but in another form).
Reading this book is what I would say expresses what I felt during the time I was still into the Idol Culture, in being in a fandom, talking about my bias , or oshi (in Japan) and how I would watch every single show that he had starred on. I remembered this one petty incident where I hated this female singer (until now) just because she did something to my bias at the time. And in this book, Akari, being someone that felt outcasted from what she's dealing with, finds solace in stanning her oshi, in which she took what I did to the next level.
What I loved about this book was how accurate the Representation in the Fan culture is.
As there are levels to being a fan, there are levels in their obsession as well. The author had shown the realities of The Otaku Culture and how it had affected their lives. In Akari's case, whilst it had helped her to become the most normal self that she ever could, once her oshi had 'burnt', she had shown signs of self-destruction, in which was the intention of the author, in showing that in a life that made the backbone of yourself from a human being (who is imperfect and will make mistakes), there will be bound to break at some point of the day.
I loved how Akari reminded me of characters from Sayaka Murata and Akutagawa himself, in which they found themselves trying to fit into the societal standards but failed to do so; in which they feel as though they incompetent not fit to live. I loved how the author had based Akari's condition to her brother (in which I cried so hard in the author's acknowledgment), and how Usami had apologized to her brother for not being able to understand his hardships when they were younger. In some ways, I love that the message that Usami was trying to portray is that, there are no faults to them being born in that way, but its the faults of society that judges you harshly if you're slightly different from what the society standards of 'normal' is.
And that also explains the toxic culture in the idol world, where each and every part of an idol's actions are bound to be scrutinized, to the smallest bit. The Internet "Cancel Culture" are one of the toxic cultures that goes hand in hand when an Idol became famous, and when they are tainted by a "scandal", nothing works for them anymore. Its interesting of a human psychology that we can actually judge someone, solely from their online persona , and what the media portrays them to be, only for us to cancel them once they made a mistake. We can feel betrayed (as fans invested money for these idols), or we can feel lied too, but it showed how toxic this culture can be and how we are super independent for it as a coping mechanism to escape the realities of our harsh life.
I love Akari as a character and I loved that she is somewhat trying so hard to stay alive, despite the conditions that she's having. She is a portrayal of a person who is depressed and makes being an Otaku as a coping mechanism. Personally, I can relate to that on how obsessed I can be with books and some comfort animes that I took pleasure watching day by day. Whilst Akari's obsession is unhealthy at certain times, it also shows how hobbies like these had helped saved lives too. Its good to stan someone (especially another fellow human) moderately, but I find that if it helps you to stay alive, just enjoy what you can . My judgment only goes to the stalker (the ssasaengs) and those who will endanger others lives for their own gain. In Akari's case, she's the kind of fan that does this for her own self until the incident of her oshi.
All in all, although the novella is short, it provides more depth and layers to the story. Usami's writing is one that I personally liked and its definitely something fresh that is written in a story form. Its not for everyone, and it has a depressing tone, but I would still recommend it, especially if you're into stories of growth with a tint of darkness.
Biggest thank you to Pansing Distributions (@definitelybooks) for this copy!
Personal Ratings : 4.5?
Idol, Burning is a short read that dives into the Idol Culture in Japan. My first work from Rin Usami and my second work from Asa Yoneda, Idol, Burning not only talks about dependancy of humans to something as a coping mechanism, it delves into the toxic culture of the internet, the effects that it has on various people, and mostly, on being constricted to the societal standards of normal. Its a book that may not be for everyone, but its one that I do have a deep understanding for and I loved the message that the author was trying to bring.
"An idol burns. I'm not talking about a celebrity physically going up in a flame. It's about someone in the public eye who commits a misdeed or makes an improper remark, and becomes the target of criticism, is scrutinised from every angle, and loses their influence.
Whilst I'm not into the Idol culture in Japan, I was definitely into the Idol Culture in South Korea and mostly, I'm a weeb that lowkey collects various merchandises from mangas and animes that I like (and in another words , an Otaku but in another form).
Reading this book is what I would say expresses what I felt during the time I was still into the Idol Culture, in being in a fandom, talking about my bias , or oshi (in Japan) and how I would watch every single show that he had starred on. I remembered this one petty incident where I hated this female singer (until now) just because she did something to my bias at the time. And in this book, Akari, being someone that felt outcasted from what she's dealing with, finds solace in stanning her oshi, in which she took what I did to the next level.
What I loved about this book was how accurate the Representation in the Fan culture is.
"There were as many styles of fandom as there were fans.
Some people worshipped every move their oshi made.
While others thought discernment made the true fan.
There were those who had a romantic interest in their oshi but no interest in their oshi's work
Others who had no such feelings but sought a direct connection through engaging on social media
People who enjoyed their oshi's output but didn't care about the gossip
Those who found fulfilment in supporting the oshi financially
Others who valued being part of a fan community."
As there are levels to being a fan, there are levels in their obsession as well. The author had shown the realities of The Otaku Culture and how it had affected their lives. In Akari's case, whilst it had helped her to become the most normal self that she ever could, once her oshi had 'burnt', she had shown signs of self-destruction, in which was the intention of the author, in showing that in a life that made the backbone of yourself from a human being (who is imperfect and will make mistakes), there will be bound to break at some point of the day.
I loved how Akari reminded me of characters from Sayaka Murata and Akutagawa himself, in which they found themselves trying to fit into the societal standards but failed to do so; in which they feel as though they incompetent not fit to live. I loved how the author had based Akari's condition to her brother (in which I cried so hard in the author's acknowledgment), and how Usami had apologized to her brother for not being able to understand his hardships when they were younger. In some ways, I love that the message that Usami was trying to portray is that, there are no faults to them being born in that way, but its the faults of society that judges you harshly if you're slightly different from what the society standards of 'normal' is.
And that also explains the toxic culture in the idol world, where each and every part of an idol's actions are bound to be scrutinized, to the smallest bit. The Internet "Cancel Culture" are one of the toxic cultures that goes hand in hand when an Idol became famous, and when they are tainted by a "scandal", nothing works for them anymore. Its interesting of a human psychology that we can actually judge someone, solely from their online persona , and what the media portrays them to be, only for us to cancel them once they made a mistake. We can feel betrayed (as fans invested money for these idols), or we can feel lied too, but it showed how toxic this culture can be and how we are super independent for it as a coping mechanism to escape the realities of our harsh life.
I love Akari as a character and I loved that she is somewhat trying so hard to stay alive, despite the conditions that she's having. She is a portrayal of a person who is depressed and makes being an Otaku as a coping mechanism. Personally, I can relate to that on how obsessed I can be with books and some comfort animes that I took pleasure watching day by day. Whilst Akari's obsession is unhealthy at certain times, it also shows how hobbies like these had helped saved lives too. Its good to stan someone (especially another fellow human) moderately, but I find that if it helps you to stay alive, just enjoy what you can . My judgment only goes to the stalker (the ssasaengs) and those who will endanger others lives for their own gain. In Akari's case, she's the kind of fan that does this for her own self until the incident of her oshi.
All in all, although the novella is short, it provides more depth and layers to the story. Usami's writing is one that I personally liked and its definitely something fresh that is written in a story form. Its not for everyone, and it has a depressing tone, but I would still recommend it, especially if you're into stories of growth with a tint of darkness.
Biggest thank you to Pansing Distributions (@definitelybooks) for this copy!
July 2, 2023
I was so excited about the concept of this book but execution was sorely lacking.
I wanted to really delve into fandom culture, particularly the toxic, messy, weird parts. the strange interactions and inappropriate behavior, the unhinged sleuthing, the gross idolization. I wanted this character to lose herself in trying to defend the actions of her idol. but none of that happened. this story existed on the fringes of that, and it was disappointing.
it seemed like the author actively wanted to avoid the parts that would have made this story interesting. the writing is good, the translation was great, but I¡¯m not sure what the overall storytelling goal was. the main character seems to suffer from depression and uses her idol as a means of escape, but I couldn¡¯t manage to get invested. there just wasn¡¯t enough on-page action for me to believe it. there was so much telling and not enough showing.
again, such a cool concept, but the author didn¡¯t take it in the direction I had been hoping for. the ending left us with so many unanswered questions and on a general note of malaise. it was just a disappointing reading experience.
I wanted to really delve into fandom culture, particularly the toxic, messy, weird parts. the strange interactions and inappropriate behavior, the unhinged sleuthing, the gross idolization. I wanted this character to lose herself in trying to defend the actions of her idol. but none of that happened. this story existed on the fringes of that, and it was disappointing.
it seemed like the author actively wanted to avoid the parts that would have made this story interesting. the writing is good, the translation was great, but I¡¯m not sure what the overall storytelling goal was. the main character seems to suffer from depression and uses her idol as a means of escape, but I couldn¡¯t manage to get invested. there just wasn¡¯t enough on-page action for me to believe it. there was so much telling and not enough showing.
again, such a cool concept, but the author didn¡¯t take it in the direction I had been hoping for. the ending left us with so many unanswered questions and on a general note of malaise. it was just a disappointing reading experience.
September 13, 2023
Smutna ksi??ka, kt¨®r? przej??em si? bardziej ni? na pocz?tku si? spodziewa?em. Miejscami ba?em si?, ?e p¨®jdzie w niepotrzebn? skrajno?? i szok, ale na szcz??cie utrzymuje ten sam poziom ca?o?ci. Ten mijaj?cy niepostrze?enie czas, te zmieniaj?ce si? otoczenie, problemy z nad??aniem za rzeczywisto?ci?, dojmuj?ca samotno??.
December 6, 2022
A really fascinating and empathetic look at mental health and fan culture and how those two things can become deeply intertwined. I really related to this book having been a depressed Koreaboo / k-pop stan in my high school / college years. Stan culture is something that I think is difficult for people who have not experienced it or have not been a part of it can understand and I think this does a good job of diving into the obsessive nature of it and the mind of someone who also struggles with finding purpose in life. Really highly recommend. Also was a delightful surprise to see Leslie Hung's illustrations throughout!
August 4, 2024
Nie tyle o toksycznym fandomie, co o depresji i fakcie, ?e jedynym powodem, by rano wsta?, jest istnienie idola
January 29, 2023
Idol, Burning is a very interior novella ¨C the dialogue is sparse and infrequent, and the ¡®action¡¯ mostly takes place in Akari¡¯s mind and online. It makes for a fascinating coming-of-age story about obsession, and a vivid insight into otaku culture.
I couldn¡¯t help but wish it had been longer, though, and/or evolved further. I was left impressed, but wanting more.
My full review of Idol, Burning is up now on .
I couldn¡¯t help but wish it had been longer, though, and/or evolved further. I was left impressed, but wanting more.
My full review of Idol, Burning is up now on .
July 3, 2023
Such a great read, I didn't want it to end.
I liked the character and found myself relating to her in many ways. I don't think it's ever outright stated but I read her as a neurodivergent (dyslexic for sure) teen who never got the accommodations she needed to properly function in school or in life in general even though she was loved. There are very bleak aspects to this story but it's all rendered in a way that comes across as realistic more than pitying or cruel.
I liked the character and found myself relating to her in many ways. I don't think it's ever outright stated but I read her as a neurodivergent (dyslexic for sure) teen who never got the accommodations she needed to properly function in school or in life in general even though she was loved. There are very bleak aspects to this story but it's all rendered in a way that comes across as realistic more than pitying or cruel.
August 5, 2024
Normalmente lo pienso mil veces antes de darle 1 estrella a un libro, por eso no tengo tantas rese?as con esa calificaci¨®n. Lo cierto es que con "?dolo en llamas" no lo dud¨¦ casi nada, mientras avanzaba con la lectura yo sab¨ªa que iba a a ser una de mis lecturas m¨¢s mediocres. Por supuesto que me parece importante hacer el par¨¦ntesis con el mensaje general que busca dar el texto, que es lo m¨¢s destacable de todo (pero que no logra hacerle justicia). Pero me pareci¨® terriblemente denso para un libro de tan poquitas p¨¢ginas. Entiendo todo el tema de la obsesi¨®n y el fanatismo como medio para canalizar la depresi¨®n que la protagonista siente de manera evidente. Sin embargo, en ning¨²n momento se llega a profundizar demasiado, solo hay pasajes cortos con sutiles pistas que te indican de alguna forma que a ella le pasa algo, m¨¢s no se mete de lleno al barro, y prefiere dejarlo como un "le pasa algo" y ya. Medio tibio todo.
Creo que la intenci¨®n es buena, porque la idea en general resulta atractiva: las historias de obsesi¨®n que esconden sentimientos m¨¢s profundos suelen llegar a buen puerto en t¨¦rminos literarios. En este caso, no me sent¨ª atrapada ni enganchada por nada de lo que suced¨ªa. Tambi¨¦n, comprendo que gran parte de la intenci¨®n de la autora era mostrar un poco c¨®mo viven las fan¨¢ticas de los Idols y todo ese mundillo. Se toca el tema de la cultura de la cancelaci¨®n (t¨®pico s¨²per interesante), pero tampoco llega a nada. Es una historia bastante redundante y mon¨®tona en la que honestamente pasa poco y nada. Ni siquiera me result¨® bien como novelita ligera para pasar el rato, porque me termin¨¦ aburriendo antes de llegar a la mitad. Pens¨¦ en abandonarlo, pero es tan corto que, de alguna forma, la idea de dejarlo inconcluso me generaba hasta culpa, as¨ª como pensar que quiz¨¢ el final s¨ª valiera la pena, y por dejarlo quiz¨¢ me lo estuviera perdiendo.
No me pareci¨® un buen libro, ni tampoco creo que haya logrado demostrar adecuadamente el mensaje que se quer¨ªa dar. Solamente me gust¨® el t¨®pico central, pero siento que ni siquiera estuvo a la altura como para lidiar con eso. Una l¨¢stima.
Creo que la intenci¨®n es buena, porque la idea en general resulta atractiva: las historias de obsesi¨®n que esconden sentimientos m¨¢s profundos suelen llegar a buen puerto en t¨¦rminos literarios. En este caso, no me sent¨ª atrapada ni enganchada por nada de lo que suced¨ªa. Tambi¨¦n, comprendo que gran parte de la intenci¨®n de la autora era mostrar un poco c¨®mo viven las fan¨¢ticas de los Idols y todo ese mundillo. Se toca el tema de la cultura de la cancelaci¨®n (t¨®pico s¨²per interesante), pero tampoco llega a nada. Es una historia bastante redundante y mon¨®tona en la que honestamente pasa poco y nada. Ni siquiera me result¨® bien como novelita ligera para pasar el rato, porque me termin¨¦ aburriendo antes de llegar a la mitad. Pens¨¦ en abandonarlo, pero es tan corto que, de alguna forma, la idea de dejarlo inconcluso me generaba hasta culpa, as¨ª como pensar que quiz¨¢ el final s¨ª valiera la pena, y por dejarlo quiz¨¢ me lo estuviera perdiendo.
No me pareci¨® un buen libro, ni tampoco creo que haya logrado demostrar adecuadamente el mensaje que se quer¨ªa dar. Solamente me gust¨® el t¨®pico central, pero siento que ni siquiera estuvo a la altura como para lidiar con eso. Una l¨¢stima.
August 3, 2023
Idol, Buring is the story of a fan who deals with her own mental issues by focusing her whole existence and life on following and supporting her idol.
The premisses of the novella are good and the start was pretty engaging and interesting. However, as the story goes deeper and progresses, it becomes clear that we are not to get what is happening without MC. We know that she has been suffering since she was very young, that she has gotten worse, and that she has a name for what she dealing with which she doesn't share with us, but you never get a clear picture. Thus, in the end, you don't get closure, especially since the relationship between her mental struggles and her obsession with her idol was awkward and not well fleshed.
For me, her being a fangirl would have been more tragic and more intense and would have justified why she was setting aside her own problems just like her family did, if she was one of those stalker fans who are completely obsessed with their celebrities. However, our MC is a normal fan with a numb reaction to the scandals her idol is facing. Also, the pacing was all over the place.
The premisses of the novella are good and the start was pretty engaging and interesting. However, as the story goes deeper and progresses, it becomes clear that we are not to get what is happening without MC. We know that she has been suffering since she was very young, that she has gotten worse, and that she has a name for what she dealing with which she doesn't share with us, but you never get a clear picture. Thus, in the end, you don't get closure, especially since the relationship between her mental struggles and her obsession with her idol was awkward and not well fleshed.
For me, her being a fangirl would have been more tragic and more intense and would have justified why she was setting aside her own problems just like her family did, if she was one of those stalker fans who are completely obsessed with their celebrities. However, our MC is a normal fan with a numb reaction to the scandals her idol is facing. Also, the pacing was all over the place.
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