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Happy New Year!
What age is prime when it comes to being an idol? It’s a question that’s come up between any idol otaku, and is the first one I’d like to tackle this year with the first installment of this series.
あけましておめでとうございます！
アイドルとして最強の学年とは何か？ アイドルオタクなら誰しもが直面するこの問題に、新年明けて1回目となるこの連載で取り組んで行きたい。
世間的な最強の学年は「高校生以上」
Elementary school students, junior high school students, senior high school students, and even adults make up the current idol scene, which is full of different ages and grades. But when it comes to “the best age for idols to shine”, “the cutest, prettiest, and most charming age”, or “the age where idols really catch their big break”, at what age are idols in their prime?
現在、アイドルシーンには小学生、中学生、高校生、あるいは成人以上など、様々な年齢、学年のアイドルが溢れている。では、その中で、「最もアイドルとして輝いている学年」「可愛く、美しく、魅力的な学年」「ブレイクしている学年」、つまり「アイドルとして最強の学年」とは、一体何年生なのだろうか。
Before trying to come up with a theory, let me first go into a little detail about ages and grades in Japan. In Japan, generally elementary school is made up of six years, junior high school three years, and senior high school another three years, for a total of 12 school years in total. Also, the Japanese school year itself begins in April and ends in March, so disregarding students that drop out or have to repeat a grade, the general breakdown of student ages in each grade looks like this.
と、この命題に挑む前に、日本における「学年」について説明しよう。日本では一般的に学年といえば、小学校の6年間、中学校の3年間、高校の3年間の、主にこの12種類がイメージされる。そして日本での「学校年度」は4月から始まり3月に終わることから、年齢と学年の対応表は、浪人や留年などを経験しない限り、基本的には以下のものとなる。
Elementary school first grade: 6 or 7 years of age
Elementary school second grade: 7 or 8 years of age
Elementary school third grade: 8 or 9 years of age
Elementary school fourth grade: 9 or 10 years of age
Elementary school fifth grade: 10 or 11 years of age
Elementary school sixth grade: 11 or 12 years of age
Junior high school first grade: 12 or 13 years of age
Junior high school second grade: 13 or 14 years of age
Junior high school third grade: 14 or 15 years of age
Senior high school first year: 15 or 16 years of age
Senior high school second year: 16 or 17 years of age
Senior high school third year: 17 or 18 years of age
小学1年生：6歳と7歳
小学2年生：7歳と8歳
小学3年生：8歳と9歳
小学4年生：9歳と10歳
小学5年生：10歳と11歳
小学6年生：11歳と12歳
中学1年生：12歳と13歳
中学2年生：13歳と14歳
中学3年生：14歳と15歳
高校1年生：15歳と16歳
高校2年生：16歳と17歳
高校3年生：17歳と18歳
So, let’s get into it. First, I’ll throw out the specific ages of current idols that made their big break. For example in the AKB48 group, when it came to their most recent general election, the top 16 girls, with the exception of Sakura Miyawaki (HKT48, AKB48) in her third year of senior high school, everyone else had already graduated, and their average age was 22.31. For Nogizaka46, among the top 16 members during the release of their latest single, “Ima, Hanashitai Dareka ga Iru”, only two members, Asuka Saito in her second year of senior high school and Minami Hoshino in her third, were high school aged or younger, with the average age of the top members at 20.87.
では、本題に入ろう。まずは現在ブレイク中のアイドルの学年を具体的に挙げて行く。例えばAKB48系グループでいえば、最新の選抜総選挙における上位16名は、宮脇咲良（HKT48、AKB48）が高3である以外、全員が高校卒業以上の年齢で、平均年齢は22.31歳となる。乃木坂46でいえば、最新シングル「今、話したい誰かがいる」での選抜メンバー16名のうち、高校生以下は高2の齋藤飛鳥と高3の星野みなみの2名以外は高卒以上で、平均年齢は20.87歳となる。
The average of the members of Perfume is 26.66 years, while everyone in Momoiro Clover Z is above graduating age, with an age of 20.4. In Morning Musume., out of the group’s 12 members seven are in senior high school, two are in junior high school, and the average age of the girls in the group is 16.83. The three members of BABYMETAL are all in high school, and their combined age is 16.66. Additionally, except for Rika Mayama, all of the members of Shiritsu Ebisu Chuugaku are high school aged or younger, with an average member age of 16.75. Since Dempagumi.inc hasn’t revealed their real ages, we couldn’t include the group’s average in with the count.
Perfumeの平均年齢は26.66歳。ももいろクローバーZも全員が高校卒業以上の年齢で、平均年齢は20.4歳。モーニング娘。はメンバー12名中7名が高校生、2名が中学生の年齢で、平均年齢は16.83歳だ。BABYMETALは高校生3名のグループで、平均年齢は16.66歳。さらに私立恵比寿中学は、最年長の真山りかを除いて他の全員が高校生以下で、平均年齢は16.75歳だ。ちなみにでんぱ組.incは生年を明かしていないので、今回は計算には入れない。
Perfume
Momoiro Clover Z
Morning Musume.
BABYMETAL
Shiritsu Ebisu Chugaku
These are the average ages of the groups that are currently in the public eye. Averaging all of these figures puts their average age at 20.06. Given that the lowest average age mentioned was 16.66, the prime age for these popular groups seems to be high school aged or older.
以上、この辺りが現在世間的にもブレイクしているアイドルグループの平均年齢だ。さらにこれらの数字の平均を計算すると、20.06歳となる。前述グループ群の最低平均年齢が16.66歳だということを考えれば、世間一般におけるアイドルにとっての最強の学年とは、少なくとも「高校生以上」ということになる。
However quite a few idol otaku would likely disagree with this result. In fact, when I tried to question other idol otaku around me on the subject, those who answered high school aged or above were few and far between.
しかしこの結果について、違和感を覚えるアイドルオタクは多いのではないだろうか。実際、筆者の周りのアイドルオタクに同様の質問をぶつけてみたところ、高校生以上の学年を答えたものはほとんどいなかった。
So what do actual idol otaku consider to be an idol’s prime age? Let’s hear their thoughts on the matter.
ではアイドルオタクたちは、実際、何年生のアイドルを最強だと考えているのだろうか。彼らの生の意見を紹介して行こう。
アイドルとは、ファンが「刹那の可愛さを消費して行くもの」
The first person I’d like to introduce is Mr. Sakechi, a 37-year-old company worker. He’s an idol otaku that got into the scene through Berryz Kobo, and would attend AKB48 events during their early period. At the time, his favorite members were Chinami Tokunaga in Berryz Kobo, and Natsumi Hirajima in AKB. He’s one of the “legendary” otaku who attended the ultra premium AKB48 Theater Open 10th Anniversry Festival held last year in December, as well as the special memorial concert held at the AKB48 theater two days later. According to him, the prime age is the second year of junior high school.
1人目に紹介するのは、37歳、会社員のさけちさん。彼はBerryz工房から本格的にアイドルにハマり、AKB48の初期に現場に通っていたオタク。当時の推しは、Berryz工房では徳永千奈美、AKBでは平嶋夏海だった。AKBに関しては、昨年12月の「AKB48劇場オープン10周年記念祭」、そしてその翌々日にAKB48劇場にて開催された特別記念公演という、超プレミアムとなったどちらの公演にも参加している“レジェンド”オタクでもある。そんな彼にとって、最強の学年は「中2」だ。
“I don’t feel like first year junior high school students are all that different from elementary school students, while third year junior high school students are practically high schoolers. So second year students are the more junior high-like. I think idols are at their prime during their second year of junior high school. In the past it may have been common for students to start working as idols from high school, but recently it seems that that there’s the impression that students who don’t start idol work as a junior high student are getting into it a little late.”
「中1だと小学生と変わらない感じがするし、中3だともうすぐ高校生じゃないですか。中学生らしいといえるのは中2だけかと。やっぱり、中学生がアイドルとして最強だと思うんですよ。昔だと高校生からアイドルを始めるのが普通だったのかもしれないけど、最近は中学生から始めてないと遅いっていうイメージがある」
Additionally, I asked Mr. Sakechi about the appeal of junior high school idols.
さらにさけちさんは、中学生アイドルの魅力をこう語る。
“Junior high school students aren’t very woman-like yet, which I think is better. Or rather, they’re not completely women yet. It’s a very short period, and a very precious one. Once they become women, they remain that way forever. That brief period between being a child and an adult really has a sense of value. Idols themselves have short expiration dates. When I think about it, Chinami-chan (Chinami Tokunaga) was cutest during her second year of junior high school. I never thought I’d feel the same excitement I did then (at the Berryz Kobo solo concert at Saitama Super Arena on April 1, 2007)!.”
「中学生は女っぽくないからいいと思うんですよ。完全な女性じゃないというか。その期間って女性にとって短いし、貴重だなと。一度大人になったら、ずっと大人なわけですから。子供と大人の中間である、短い期間に価値を感じます。そもそもアイドル自体が、ファンにとっては“一瞬を消費するもの”じゃないですか。その場その場のできごと、刹那の可愛さを消費して行くものだから。そういえば千奈美ちゃんも、よく考えたら中2の時が一番可愛かったですね。まさに『この感動は二度とない瞬間である！』（さいたまスーパーアリーナにて2007年4月1日に開催されたBerryz工房の単独コンサートの副題）ですよ！」
He went on to say, “In fact, I had considered giving up being an otaku once Chinami-chan had reached high school,” showing just how strong the appeal of junior high school idols were to him. When I asked who he would marry if Chinami-chan had proposed to him as a second year or third year junior high school student, he immediately answered, “Her second year of junior high school!”
さけちさんは「実際、千奈美ちゃんが高校生になるときにオタ卒を考えました」と語るほど、中学生アイドルに強く惹かれている。ふと思いついて「中2の千奈美さんと中3の千奈美さん、両方からプロポーズされたらどちらと結婚しますか？」と質問したところ、「中2です！」と即答だった。
中2最強説と、オタクの格言「中1は小6、中3は高1」「真の中学生は中2しかいない」
The second person I asked was Mr. Sotochi, a 37-year-old aquarist. He got into the idol scene through ZONE, and was a fan of Minami Takahashi during her early days in AKB48, and often went to see the group at their theater. He also felt that the prime age was the second year of junior high school.
2人目は37歳、アクアリストのそとちさん。ZONEからアイドルにハマり、AKB48では高橋みなみの最初期のオタで、劇場にも足繁く通っていた。そんな彼が最強だと感じている学年も「中2」。
Mr. Sotochi
“I keep falling in love with idols during their second year of junior high. MAIKO from ZONE and Takamina (Minami Takahashi) from AKB were both cutest during the second grade of junior high school. I love that age so much I’d personally be willing to get rid of the fifth year of elementary school. Like elementary school students aren’t all that cute to the opposite sex. That appeal comes out during their second year of high school. Then when they’re in high school, they’re pretty much adults. The legal age of marriage is from 16 and above, and at that age there’s no legal obstacle to falling in love, so their rarity value isn’t as high. Junior high school students in their third year are already thinking about high school. During their first year they’re still getting used to wearing their uniforms, and still haven’t completely left behind their last year in elementary school. So when you think about it that way, the only pure year of junior high school is the second year.”
「中2のアイドルばかりを好きになってるんですよね。ZONEのMAIKOも、AKBのたかみなも、中2の時が一番可愛かったと思うし。自分的には小5も捨てがたいくらいに好きだけど、やっぱり中2かなと。小学生は異性としての可愛さじゃないというか。異性としての良さが出てくるのが中2なんですよね。それに、高校生はもうほぼ大人じゃないですか。16歳以上は結婚できるわけだから、好きになることに法律的な障害はないし、希少価値が高くないんじゃないかなと。中3は受験生だし、高校に意識が既に向かってる。中1は制服もまだ着慣れてないし、小学校の6年間をまだ引きずってる。そう考えると、純然たる中学生は中2しかいないんですよ」
Like Mr. Sakechi, the second year junior high school theory is deeply rooted in his mind. I can’t seem to shake that old otaku adage “first year junior high is elementary, and third year junior high school is the first year of high school” and that “only second year high school students are true junior high school students”.
さけちさんに続き、根強い中2最強説。そういえば、筆者が過去に聞いたオタクの格言に忘れられないものがあった。それは「中1は小6、中3は高1」というものだ。つまり「真の中学生は中2しかいない」ということ。至言と言わざるをえない。
The third person I asked was Mr. Ishimaru, a 31-year-old company executive. At one time he had been a fan of Kaoru Hayano in AKB48, but now he’s crazy about the Harajuku Ekimae Stage Parties, He also echoed the second year junior high school theory.
3人目に話を聞いたのは、31歳の会社役員、石丸さん。かつてはAKB48の早野薫を推していたが、現在は原宿駅前パーティーズの伊藤貴璃に夢中だ。彼もまた「中2最強説」を唱える。
Mr. Ishimaru
At 10 or 12 years old idols still haven’t come of age, and when they’re selling goods they’re not good at making conversation. They become able to interact duriing performances and so on from around the second year of junior high school. For me the second year of junior high school is the peak, and depending on their age, my level of interest will either continue to rise or fall.”
「10～12歳は人格という点でまだ一人前ではないし、物販でも会話が続かない。中2くらいからパフォーマンスについてなどの対話ができるようになります。私の中では中2を頂点として、学年の上下の方向に、興味の度合いがそれぞれ下降して行きますね」
I noticed when talking to Mr. Ishimaru that he was commenting on both grade and age when it came to the topic. In addition to idol otaku who care about the grade, there are also those who care about their age. When I asked Mr. Ishimaru which was more important, he replied it was about “half and half”.
石丸さんと話していて気づいたが、彼は学年と年齢を混在させてこのテーマについて語っている。アイドルオタクは学年を重んじる派以外に、年齢を大事に考えるタイプもいる。石丸さんはどちらなのか聞くと「半々ですね」という答えが返って来た。
“I think the prime is 14 years old, during the second year of junior high school. Speaking of which, I just found out my current favorite idol, Kiri Ito, is a third year junior high school student. I had thought she was a second year student… But until she turns 15 on her next birthday, I still consider her as being ‘second year’.”
「最強だと思うのは、中2であり、14歳です。そういえばこの間、私の推しの伊藤貴璃が中3だと分かったんですよ。14歳だから中2だと思ってたのに…。でもやっぱり、15歳の誕生日が来るまでは、“中2”かなあ」
For a moment I couldn’t believe my ears. What was he saying? But no matter how many times I asked, he was adamant that, “Even if she’s in her third year, until her 15th birthday comes I still consider her in her second year.” He was completely subborn about it.
一瞬、自分の耳を疑った。彼は何を言っているのだろうか。しかし何度聞き返しても「中3であっても、15歳の誕生日が来るまでは中2」と意見を譲らない。全く、とんだ頑固者だ。
This author also supports the view that “the first year junior high is elementary, and third year junior high school is the first year of high school.” Altough I think I should point out the part about the third year of junior high school, where a 15-year-old is considered a third year student. With that train of thought, a 14-year-old third year student is more like a second-year student. So to summarize, “a 13-year-old in her second year until a14-year-old in her third year are both considered to be second-year students”.
「『中1は小6、中3は高1』という考え方は、私も支持しています。ただこの考えで言う中3は、15歳の中3のことを指している気がします。だから14歳の中3は、中2だと。そういう意味で言えば、12歳の中1は、小6。真の中1は、13歳の中1を指します。まとめますと、『13歳の中2から、14歳の中3まで』が、中2です」
By affirming what Mr. Ishimaru had said, I couldn’t really make a comeback. Idol otaku with a strong opinion will even bend the Japanese language itself if it comes down to it. Being liberated from words would be another way to put it, I suppose. Once you break your worldly bonds, you then enter the realm of the Gods.
そう断言する彼には、もはや何も言うことがなかった。強い意志を持つアイドルオタクは、日本語の意味さえ捻じ曲げる。言葉から開放される、と言い換えてもいいだろう。世俗のしがらみから切り離されて、神の領域に入るのだ。
Cover photo
Model : 美由 (Miyu)
Translated by Jamie Koide
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Born in 1980. Idol writer. His works (includes joint works) : "Group Idol Shinka-ron" "AKB48 Saikou Kousatsu" "Idol Gakkyoku Disc Guide" and so on. Worked as a main adviser for "Media/Idol Museum" exhibition organized by Saitama prefecture. Manager of the idol contents website "IDOL NEWSING".
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