Idol, Burning

I thought this was a very interesting book and a sign of the times on todays culture and the stars and figures we idolize so much. Askari has been obsessed with her idol Maza Maza for quite some time and has put him on the highest pedestal. She soon finds out though he has been accused of assault. It was very interesting to see where this novel went how the fandom culture affects us and plays a part in our lives. How it shapes us. A very thought provoking novel that I really enjoyed.
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My oshi was on fire. Word was he'd punched a fan'

High-school student Akari has only one passion in her life: her oshi, her idol. His name is Masaki Ueno, best known as one-fifth of Japanese pop group Maza Maza.

Akari’s dedication to her oshi consumes her days completely. She keeps a blog entirely devoted to him, religiously chronicling and analysing all his events. He is the spine of her life; she cannot survive without him. When Masaki is rumoured to have assaulted a female fan, facing waves of social media backlash, Akari’s world falls apart.

Offering a vivid insight into otaku culture and adolescence, Idol, Burning is a brilliantly gripping story of obsession, coming of age and the addictive, relentless nature of fandom culture.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC of 'Idol, Burning' by Rin Usami.

'Idol, Burning' is a short novella by Rin Usami about 'stan culture' in media and celebrities. In this case, Akari's idol has done something wrong and it shows his crash and burn in the eyes of the public but also the support his fans show no matter what.

This novella shows the dedication and fixation we have on celebrities and how we get attached and focus on this being without realising that these celebrities have personas and views that may not align with our own and how disjointed stan culture is. Of course, this book can highlight why stan culture is good - it helps people take their mind off of their lives and just push themselves into a happy world - but also the dark horrors.

I may be wrong, but I do get the impression that most contemporary Japanese literature features characters who are eccentrics and outsiders, often at odds with the expectations of society. This is certainly the case with the novella Idol, Burning by Rin Usami, now available in an English translation by Asa Yoneda. Its protagonist and narrator is Akari, a troubled teenager with learning problems whose life revolves her oshi, or idol – Masaki Ueno, a member of the J-Pop band Maza Maza. Akari, who finds it so difficult to fit in, is within her element when writing on her blog, corresponding with fellow fans. Her devotion to her idol, bordering on quasi-religious fanaticism, is the only aim which keeps her going in life, even as she fails school and messes up at her waitering job. Akari’s Masaki-centred world, however, starts to collapse when allegations emerge of his having assaulted a fan – or, possibly, a girlfriend. As accusations pile up and the singer’s star wanes, Akari has to find a new sense in life – one that does not rely on her obsession as a crutch.

Idol, Burning won its young author (Rin Usami is just 23...) the Akutagawa prize and was a bestseller in Japan. One can understand why. At first glance, this book might seem slim, its “fall from grace” story rather underwhelming. But dig a little deeper, and the unassuming surface reveals many thoughtful undercurrents. It explores the sometime complex relationship between pop stars and their followers; it shines an ambivalent spotlight on cancel culture and pokes some sarcastic fun at the money-making pop music market (even Akari, obsessed as she is, is sharp enough to note that the industry exploits fandom.)

But what struck me most about this novel was what seemed like a strong “personal” element. And it was only on reading the Author’s afterword that I realised that I might not have been far off the mark. Because not only is the author just a few years older than her protagonist (and, therefore, a fellow traveller of the same world) but we also learn that the poignant, compassionate portrayal of Akari is based in part on Rin Usami’s brother, an intelligent child let down by the education system.

Idol, Burning is a quick read, but one with much to unpack. The novella is complemented with illustrations by comic-book/manga artist Leslie Hung.

https://endsoftheword.blogspot.com/2022/09/idol-burning-by-rin-usami.html

"I wanted to be inside the applause, inside the screaming, and anonymously post my thanks online afterwards."

A really different but interesting novella focusing on the overwhelming obsession of a fan following their favourite idol.

The flow of the story is quite different from a typical reader experience. We are given an intimate insight into the moods and choices of the female lead however the reader is still left feeling lost at times, reflecting the family members, when barriers come and go protecting the inner emotions of the main lead.

It's hard to read the spiral of someone desperately trying to find something to cling onto to keep them afloat but at the same time allowing it to disconnect them from everything else. But at the same time, I liked the twist of using the obsession culture of 'fandoms' and idols.

Thank you to Netgalley and Canongate Books for an eARC, I am voluntarily leaving a review.

Stunning, stand out read.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me read this book in exchange for my review.

Idol, Burning
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 out of 5 stars

Akari, a high school student, is an author of a popular blog about Masaki Ueno, a member of the J-Pop band Maza Maza. Her interest verges on obsession, as she spends hours looking for information about her idol and trying to understand him. When rumours emerge about his assault on a female fan, social media becomes divided between his defence and condemnation. The situation profoundly affects the lives of his loyal fans...

Idol, Burning is a short and fast read. Written by a young author, only a few years older than her characters, the novel sheds light on the darker side of fandom— the obsession, unreasonably strong emotional involvement, manipulative marketing or toxicity of social media. It is a harrowing portrait of the emotional void in teenagers’ lives and how easily it is filled up with admiration for their idols. I would recommend it to all those involved in any form of fandom.