Ottamage!

Sometimes, it feels like fate, the universe or something else is trying to send me a message. It's rare that the meaning of the message is known immediately, though it often becomes clear at a later date. Today, my attention was drawn towards a person - someone I've never met and am unlikely to ever meet.

Today, a number of things directed my attention towards Macharin (まちゃりん).

I'm not a typical fan of Japanese idols, if there is such a thing. My first exposure to the whole scene was entirely accidental. While I was searching for something else entirely on a well-known video site, Idoling!!!'s "Don't Think. Feel!!!" came up in the recommended videos. Curiosity, and the liberal use of exclamation marks, drew me in.

Somehow, the song and the video brought a smile to my face, at a time when, honestly, such a thing wasn't easy to achieve. I wanted to find out more, but almost everything I found about the group also mentioned another idol group called AKB48. A show featuring members of the group, AKBingo!, was highly recommended.

Most of the comedy in AKBingo! came from the reactions of the young women to the strange, uncomfortable or scary situations in which they found themselves. There's debate about how much of what we see from Japanese idols is an act, and how much is really them. If you pay attention, for long enough, you might just see something that hints at what you would see when there are no cameras around.

Many fans have their favourites. Many fans choose their favourite based on how attractive they are. There are fans who feel compassion towards young women who have made sacrifices to work in an industry where they entertain others. There are fans who fall somewhere between.

Macharin's given name is Ma Chia-Ling. She's originally from Taiwan. When she first appeared on the show, her knowledge of the Japanese language was far from that of a native. From her first appearance, she realised that her quest to learn the language was a "charm point". Some of the members taught her slang, and amusing phrases, or she learned them herself. The hosts saw this as a source of hilarity.

As we got to know more about Macharin, it seemed that she was trying hard to bring smiles to the faces of the audience, and even the other members, while feeling some emotional pain. Trying her hand at winning a comedy contest, she cried while talking to the camera, saying that she didn't feel she'd been accepted by the Japanese audience. During an episode of AKBingo!, we got to hear a call between her and her father, who hoped to see her on TV at a show for the new year. Some of the members in the studio, watching the clip, cried as the reality of a member living in a separate country to her family hit them.

Today, I managed to watch an episode of AKB48 Nemousu TV. It's another show linked to the group. In the episode, Macharin's acting skills were tested, and the tears came easily to her. When I later logged into Instagram, a post from Macharin was at the top of the page. I then saw a few news items regarding Taiwan.

Maybe I identify with Macharin in some ways, but that's a post for another time. It's hard to not feel some kind of connection with her. It seems all too easy to see how she feels. She was visibly surprised and delighted when she heard a member speaking Mandarin on AKBingo! She was visibly upset when AKBingo! came to an end.

One feature of the Japanese idol industry is that an idol's career has a definite lifespan. Those who have a good sense of timing have utilised their fame to break into other areas of the entertainment industry. I hope Macharin achieves everything she hopes to achieve. It's unlikely that she'll read this, but I really do wish her happiness.