A star-making factory without rival, the Japanese talent agency Johnny's Jimusho has brought fame to several generations of male stars - singers, actors and performers. <i>Beyond the Male Idol Factory</i> asks what the phenomenon of "Johnny's Idols" reveals about discourses of masculinity and national identity in contemporary Japan. Examining the pervasive presence of these stars across a wide range of Japanese media, the book explores how Johnny's Idols act as role models of ideal masculinity and good citizenship as well as entertainers. Taking a wide-ranging cultural studies approach, the book assesses the social, economic and demographic contexts of these familiar stars in post-industrial and post-Bubble Japanese society.

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