Artist of the Week #06 - Fudanjuku
Fudanjuku are one of two Japanese idol groups I actually keep up with, the other being their younger sibling band, as it were, The Hoopers. Why do I like them so much? Well, in addition to having some really good songs, I just love their concept. Fudanjuku are ‘dansou’ idols; girls crossdressing and performing as guys. It’s a fresh take on the idol genre, and one I can can really get behind!
Formed as the crossdressing alter ego group of ‘Nakano Fujo Sisters’, Fudanjuku has become the group’s bread and butter, with Fujo operations being basically non-existent these days. Currently, the group has six members:
Akazono Kojiro, Seto Kouki, Aiba Kensui, Seimyouji Uramasa, Kariyase Light and Midorikawa Kyouhei. They normally operate as seven, but with the recent graduation of Yukimura Ryoma, they’re running short. Kyouhei is also due to graduate soon, but I’m unsure as to whether they plan to pick up one or two new members. My personal favourite is Kensui, with Kyouhei close behind, and I’ve got a growing soft spot for the adorable Light. I’m also very fond of graduated member Bukiya Momotarou, and it’s great to see Kyan Chiaki (Momotarou’s real identity) keeping up with the group. I love all of the members, though, and they’re all great performers with a lot of charm.
I first became vaguely aware of Fudanjuku a couple years back, when a friend of a friend or something posted them as ‘wow, look at how cool this group are!’ I listened to a bit, thought they were neat, and consigned them to the vast pile of ‘artists I think are cool but don’t really follow’. However, I went on a trip to Japan last summer, and after seeing them live at the Tokyo Idol Festival, I became markedly more hardcore in my following of them.
There’s a pretty early interview with them asking, ‘why crossdress?’. Their answer was pretty much that nobody else was doing it, so they went for it, plus that as girls they know what girls want guys to do and say, so they have that advantage. I really like them as a group - they’re cute, they’re talented, and they’re fun. I can’t really put my finger on why I like the concept so much; probably because it plays with gender norms, and because I guess they seem more approachable, somehow. I genuinely like their music, too, not just their concept, and all of the members are lovely and unique in their own ways.
Chenmen Paradise - somewhat of a crash course in the members are Fudanjuku as a whole, this is a half song, half direct appeal to the listener where each member confesses their love to you in turn. It’s a lot of fun, especially performed live!
Moshimo Koregakoinara - their last major single, this is a slightly more serious pop ballad, showing off each member’s vocal ability very well. It’s a really great jam, and the live choreography (not featured in the MV, alas) is also very good.
BE HERO - a really punchy, uplifting song, with a chorus in English, so it’s easy to sing along to the main refrain at least.
(They do have a substantial back catalogue, with some great B-sides in there too - these are easy to find on Youtube, though, so I’ve stuck with singles. Please check them out!)
