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It used to be that idols were something you would see on television or a faraway stage; something you could not reach with your hand but now, you can go to a handshake event and meet them easily. But why are handshake events so important to the business of idols? That’s because these events provide many benefits for not only the producers, but also the fans and the idols themselves.
かつてはテレビの中や遠いステージの上など、手の届かいない存在だったアイドルが、今や握手会に行けば簡単に握手ができる、まさに手が届く存在になっています。なぜ、アイドルには握手会が必要なのか。それは握手会を主催するメーカーはもちろん、アイドルとファンにもそれぞれ多くのメリットがあるからです。
The breakthrough success of AKB48 and their sister groups have brought mainstream attention to handshake events but, long before AKB48 was even formed, gravure idols and rookie artists would have handshake events in electronics stores and CD shops. Back then participation in those handshake events was generally limited to those who purchased those idols products (CDs, DVDs, photo books, etc.) on site. In Japan, with exception of things like waiting outside the entrance or exit of a venue to see an idol as they come and go (demachi), there are very few ways to meet them for free; being able to meet an idol means paying for it. In order to make this sort of thing more widely accepted, management packaged the handshake event with the idol’s products, and they were able to increase the amount of goods they sold. With the economic recession in Japan causing people to cut back expenses on things like hobbies and recreation, and with the Internet making music easier to obtain, there has been a general decline in the sales of idol-related goods. However, having handshake events allow management to increase the sales of products while ignoring those downward trends. Regardless of whether it is an underground idol or a “national idol” like AKB48, it’s become common business practice to have a handshake event packaged with a CD release in order to make it sell more.
AKB48グループのブレイクにより握手会というイベントに注目が集まるようになりましたが、実はAKB48が結成されるずっと前から握手会は行われており、特に1990年代頃からグラビアアイドルや若手女優・新人アーティストなどが電気店や書店・CDショップなどで頻繁に握手会を行うようになりました。その当時から握手会には基本、そのアイドルの商品（CD、DVD、写真集など）を購入することによって参加することができます。日本では出待ちなど無銭でアイドルに会える場が少なく、アイドルに会う＝有料という考え方が一般的になっているため、メーカーは、商品に握手会という付加価値を付けることで、グッズの販売数を増やすことができます。最近の日本は、不況の影響で娯楽や趣味に関する出費を抑えざる負えない状況で、さらにインターネットの普及などが影響して、アイドルの商品の売れ行きは年々減少傾向にあります。その結果、メーカーにとっては握手会を開催することによって増える販売数を無視することができず、最近は有名・無名にかかわらず握手会を行い、商品をより多く売るという考え方が当たり前になりました。
a ticket for AKB48’s handshake event
In addition to handshake events, there are also two-shot events where you can have your picture taken with your favorite idols. Similar to a cheki taken at a maid café, a staff member may take the picture with an instant camera, but there are also times when they will use your camera. In the past there have been groups, which held alternative meet and greet events as well. There was a group called Doppelgänger that had “whisper events” where they would whisper anything (within reason) into the ears of fans. Recently disbanded “alternative idol group” BiS had hugging events and another where they would pull the hoods of sweatshirts onto the heads of fans, to name a few. AeLL incentivized fans by promising a supervised date with a member for fans that purchased 100 copies of their second album. Fans who purchased 30 copies received a meal cooked by the group members and those who bought 50 copies could go to karaoke with them for an hour. It seems that with handshake events being the norm, some groups feel that they have to do something different to keep fans interested in coming back.
また握手会に加えて、推しのアイドルと一緒に写真を撮る事が出来る「ツーショットイベント」なるものも存在します。メイドカフェで撮影するチェキのようなもので、スタッフがインスタントカメラで写真を撮ったり、また自分のカメラで撮影してくれることもあります。また過去に、ドッペルゲンガーというグループが、ファンの耳元で言ってもらいたいことを喋ってくれる、というイベントを開催したこともありました。そして先日解散してしまいましたが、BiSは汗びっしょりのTシャツを着たままファンとのハグ会を実施。AeLLは、CDの購入枚数によって特典を設定し、100枚なら好きなメンバー1人とデート、30枚なら手作りごはん、50枚ならメンバーと1時間カラオケ、というイベントを開催しています。握手会がスタンダードと思われていますが、ファンに楽しんでもらうために創意工夫を凝らしているグループも多くいます。
For idols, the handshake event is an important place where they can directly appeal to fans using their individual personality traits, a chance for them to distinguish themselves from the thousands of other idols currently active in Japan and win themselves new fans. On top of that, it’s a chance for idols to receive words of encouragement and opinions directly from fans and feel how they react when their hands are grasped. For an idol, the handshake event is also a chance for them to get a boost of self-confidence and motivation to keep going.
また、アイドルにとっても、直接自分の個性をアピールできる大切な場であり、数多く存在するアイドルの中から自身のファンになってもらうチャンスの場でもあります。さらに、ファンから直接、応援の言葉や意見を聞くことができたり、ファンの反応を肌で感じることができ、アイドルとしての自信と活動するにあたっての糧を得ることができます。
Fans can shake hands and talk to their favorite idols, giving them encouragement directly and expressing their feelings on things like the last performance they saw or a recent blog entry. Fans who frequently attend handshake events sometimes become recognized by the idols, resulting in them being able to have deep conversations or receive special responses when they are spotted in the audience during a performance. There is no greater thrill for a fan than to get acknowledgement from an idol that was intended for them specifically. Usually it takes 10-30 seconds for hand shaking, but sometimes it’s only 2-3 seconds when the idol is very popular and many fans are waiting. Even if it’s longer, 1-2 minuets are at most.
ファンにとっては憧れのアイドルと握手や会話ができるということはもちろん、直接、応援の言葉をかけることで応援しているという手ごたえを感じることができます。さらに足しげく握手会に通うことによって自分の存在をアイドルに認知してもらえ、憧れのアイドルとより深い会話をすることができたり、ライブ中に特別なレスポンスをもらえたりするなど、他人とは違う特別感を味わうことによって、この上ない喜びを得ることができます。ちなみに、握手できる時間は1回10秒から30秒程度が一般的で、多くのファンと一気に握手をさせるような握手会は2・3秒程度、ゆっくりな握手会でも1・2分程度です。
As far as demerits of having handshake events go, things like the safety of the idols, particularly after AKB48 members Anna Iriyama and Rina Kawaei were attacked at a handshake event by a man with a saw earlier this year, and potential exhaustion from overwork are obvious concerns. There is also the possibility of anti-fans attending an event with only the intention of saying something mean or disrespectful to the idol. However, in order to provide a safe enjoyable handshake event let’s cooperate with other fans, staff members, and the idols to build a relationship of trust and understanding.
今年の始めAKB48入山杏奈と川栄李奈が男に襲われ怪我をしたという事例の様に、もちろん、アイドルの安全性や疲弊などのデメリットも存在します。しかし、よりよい環境で握手会を行えるよう常にメーカーとアイドルとファンが協力し会い、お互いの信頼関係を築いています。みんなが笑顔になれるイベント＝握手会は、これからも進化を続けて、一つの文化として続いて行くことでしょう。
Written by Naoto Kazama
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