Tokyo Idols

Girl bands and their pop music permeate every moment of Japanese life. Following an aspiring pop singer and her fans, TOKYO IDOLS explores a cultural phenomenon driven by an obsession with young female sexuality, and the disconnect between men and women in hyper-modern society. This ever-growing phenomenon is told through Rio, a bona fide "Tokyo Idol" who takes us on her journey toward fame, and her “brothers”: a group of adult middle aged male super fans (ages 35 - 50) who devote their lives to following her—in the virtual world and in real life. With her provocative look into the Japanese pop music industry and its focus on traditional beauty ideals, filmmaker Kyoko Miyake confronts the nature of gender power dynamics at work. As the female idols become younger and younger, Miyake offers a critique on the veil of internet fame and the new terms of engagement that are now playing out IRL around the globe.