Japanese idol group bans all gifts from fans to teen singers to help protect their values

Mar 03, 2018 | News On Japan

Mar 03, 2018 (soranews24.com) - After fans continued to ignore requests regarding what types of presents are appropriate, group institutes blanket ban.

There are a lot of different ways idol singer fans show their devotion to their favorite songstresses. Some buy up multiple copies of each and every physical media release from the group. Others grab their glow sticks and perform intense wotagei dance routines from the crowd at their live performances.

And then there are super-fans who send presents directly to their favorite idol unit, perhaps specifically for the member theyâ€™re fondest of. However, fans are going to have to find another way to tell the six members of Batten Showjo-tai that theyâ€™re cheering for them, because the groupâ€™s manager has announced that as of this month, any and all presents from fans will be rejected.

Thereâ€™s also the possibility that when fans give idols extravagant presents, itâ€™s not so much patronage of the arts as it is an attempt to create a personal connection and/or sense of obligation in order to satisfy the fanâ€™s obsessive positiveness. When idol singer Mayu Tomita was stabbed more than 20 times by a fan in 2016, the attacker told police that his actions were motivated by her not accepting a wristwatch heâ€™d sent to her.

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