Yuki of Kissui.net points us to an article in Salon.com which actually hits the emotion that I have about Gwen Stefani’s “Harajuku Girls” and the related music video.
Kissui.net: Harajuku Girls by Gwen Stefani and Tokyo Girls by Hellen van Meene
via bopuc/weblog
And what emotion is that?
First, in the song she praises Harajuku girls for having extremely cool fashion sense. What’s to complain about (except the song sucks)
Then, she uses them as an entourage. Does it just bug you that they are Japanese? There are plenty of other entertainers that have had entourages and plenty of others that have had entourages who’s job it is to appear to worship the star in music videos. So, why is it only now that that entourage is Japanese that it bugs you but it didn’t when it was white or african american or latino?
Does it just bug you that you think it’s presented as a stereotype of girls in Tokyo? Does it only bug you because it’s a blonde white entertainer?
>It has that creepy porn feeling that I suppose is meant to reflect the Japanese predilection for “kawaii,” or cute, and the sexualized image of schoolgirls.
So does nearly ALL Japanese manga and anime. Is the problem that it wasn’t Japanese artist presenting the “cute, and the sexualized image of schoolgirls.”?
Please stop,,,,,,,
I mean what’s the problem! She’s just doing some new stuff what’s so wrong about that?
I LIKE IT and many others do.
And by the way not all anime is dirty.
but hey respect 4 u
Personally I love that shes into it. I’ve seen Harajuku girls before on America’s Next Top Model and i liked them but now that Gwen has brought them more into the spot light i’m totally fasinated with them (and it has nothing to do with the “star factor”. i couldn’t care less who brought them into the spot light)
don’t people actually READ and then comment these days?
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i totally agree with marleen. it’s cool that gwen has asian dancers and really digs tokyo fashion. however, it is NOT cool that gwen explotes these girls as if they were her puppets. Infact she just needs them around her to look “hip” and “stylish”. To be more specific, it is when gwen has interviews that i get most irked. She has the harajuku girls standing and posing behind her. They are never given a chance to speak but are instead strictly meant to be in a sense decoration… gwens f***ing accessory. i wont argue that these girls are mad hip and cute- but seriously, they are totally being exploited in a f***ed up eurocentric way.
YES!!! finally someone has expressed my feelings on Gwen and her ‘harojuku’ girls…its so wrong wat shes doin..turnin them into a fad…this is the age old American way of exploitin and raping other ppls cultures..I am a gwen stefani fan and i even have the album…but im disgusted by what shes doing. I am also african american..and everyone knows damn well that if she had 4 black girls trailing behind her and she named them her ‘african american girls’ all kinds of civil rights activists will be in an uproar…so people see past the colorfulness and straight at her pathetic marketting ploy…really shes talented she doesnt need all this…
holy dummies u know nothing harajuku is the biggest fashion spot in tokyo and the girls in that district all dress 2 be seen! and if neone hadnt noticed music n clothes is what gwens all about. they’ll be dumped as soon as shes ready for her next album (noticed how her vintage look is gone? and shes all hardcore now) Relax it dont matter if u hate them love them or are completly envious cuz they wont last for long its a trend thats not going to stick on this side of the world.
She’s not doing something “cool” or “new” or even raping anyone’s culture so much as she’s ****ing nuts. She’s turning four human beings into pets. She pretends they’re figments of her imagination. They’re not to speak anything but Japanese in public. It’s absurd.
gman: Disliking her use of humans as playthings has nothing to do with her being a blonde, white entertainer, nor does it have to do with the fact that they’re Japanese. Stop playing the damn racist card. Seriously.
So what if she wants to do something new?! The only reason anyone’s freaking out about it is because it’s suddenly become cool to freak out about something new and label it racist. If those girls didn’t like how they were being treated, then they’d quit. So why don’t u stop making such a big fuss and let them decide for themselves. They are adults you know.
I’m sure the Harajuku girls are very well compensated. (If iI could be compensated as well,) Gwen has the luxury of expressing her own latest fads…………after all isn’t she a trendsetter. And who knows the economic benefit for all involved in the Harajuku Fashion industry of Tokyo.
Maybe we should be asking “Whom is taking advantage of who??
It’s just Western style to bite whatever is cool everywhere else. It evokes terms such as comodification and thus marginalization etc. All of a sudden they become objects “Harajuku Girls” not Japanese women… That’s all they will be to some Americans. Harajuku girls that Gwen Stefani sings about. Nothing more. That’s what’s fricken sad. Ethnic culture always seems to have some appeal to Americans, and always pervades our popular culture from music to fashion. You can hear Middle Eastern flute samples in Jay-Z songs or see shoe whores sportin Y3 sneakers… Gyros and sushi… It’s not the fact that Gwen does it that’s upsetting, it’s the fact that it will never end. If it’s not here, it’s gonna be someone else.
kay is right. if these girls didn’t like they’re treatment they’d certainly quite. i’m sure if you actually did interview them they’d just say how exciting and great it is for them (despipte they’re mean expressions, i’m sure they love it)
remember, all these girls do this of their own free will. i think it’s great that a different culture is being portrayed and recognised as being hip and cool.
gwen is doing something fresh and unique.
i mean look at all the other female rap and RnB artists, they have “girlfriends” all around them, dancing and following the artist around. but no-one disagrees with that. i’m sure the media would be even worse it was a man doing exactly what gwen’s doing. sexism runs both ways and gwen is just doing her thing
I love gwen stefani and her music. I don’t get why people are getting so uptight about the japenese girls, there kool and so is gwen, so people, LAY OFF!!!! I’m listening to hollabackgirl… its bananas B-A-N-A-N-A-S!!!!! She’s so kool. I love sailor moon so I just happen to love the tokyo girls and anyways like jeSs says if they didn’t like it they would quit!!!! So move on with life and love Gwen Stefani and love sailor moon!!!!
Yeah, it would be nice to interview them and see what they think. But, umm, too bad Gwen Stefani (a role model for many ignorant people) has them on contract to only speak Japanese in public.
I’m sorry if some of you think infringement on human rights to portray a stereotype (even with consent) is okay. And as long as y’all are buying it, you’re a part of the problem, too.
gwen is gr8 & r her totally funky japanese girls. I’M LISTENING 2 HER SHIT NOW AND ITS INSPIRING!
so shut ur fukin face gman!