Cruising the usual web sites I discovered that they’ve started releasing the live action drama of Jigoku Shoujo (Hell Girl). Basically, the premise is that if you log into a web site at the right time, you can make a pact to send someone to hell - with your soul forfeit, so when you die you get sent to hell too to keep your ex-buddy company. Naturally, being on the web this means any disgruntled person in Japan can find it quickly on www.google.co.jp (maybe with “Send someone to hell” and “I’m Feeling Lucky”?).
Having followed the generally repetitous anime version of Jigoku Shoujo, one of the more interesting characters is the young girl Tsugumi who seems to have a connection with Enma Ai, the afore-mentioned Jigoku Shoujo. Most of the series involves Tsugumi seeing what Ai is up to, and with her father Shibata they attempt to stop people getting sent off to hell (and usually failing miserably). Basically, Tsugumi is probably one of the better young girl characters I’ve seen in anime of late, so I was interested to know who was playing the part in the drama.
It turns out it’s Saaya Irie. OK, some teenager from Japan. Nothing new there, bit disappointing given that I was hoping I could see someone like Suzuka Ougo pull off a serious dramatic role as the precocious Tsugumi. After reviewing some images of her, the realisation dawns on me that most of them were taken when she was 11 or 12. With a C-D (US) or F (Japan) cup endowment. Now, I don’t know about some people, but damn, they must be putting something into the Japanese food but that seriously doesn’t sound normal (though, given the Japanese predilection for lolikon I’m not that surprised).
It seriously makes you wonder if the hypersexualisation of media is definitely starting to take a few steps too far down the wrong path. Despite assurances that there won’t be more gravure photoshoots with bikinis, water and suggestive poses, it seems Saaya’s managers couldn’t afford to capitalise on drooling lolikon addicts and are pushing it fairly strongly despite the fact she’s still a pre-teen (well, she turns 13 in 3 days. Whatever). It seems any Japanese who are over-generously endowed like the practically emotionless Eiko Koike (more images here to see what I mean, she has Blue Steel down to an art!) get top billings in Japan. Oh well.
Anyhow, anyone hoping to see her so far will be disappointed, we may see how she acts in episode 2 or 3 of Jigoku Shoujo (it’s the same in the anime), but I’m not holding my hopes too high for a serious dramatic role out of her. I’ll keep to watching the Kikoushi Enma OAV’s, it seems Go Nagai wasn’t happy with Cutie Honey and Getter Robo, he’s branched into Japanese mythology as well, so it’s interesting to see what his spin is like on it.
Man, you’d expect Saaya’s managers to be seedy and self-serving (if you accept industry stereotypes), but what about her parents?! If I had an 11 year old daughter, I sure as hell (no pun intended) wouldn’t want her in sexually allusive photos.
Who knows? With some parents, money speaks louder than consciences, time and time again. Apparently, her managers have tried to subvert the growing impression she is a rorikon gokko (lolita doll) but to be honest, I don’t think they’re trying hard enough.
Given that Japan has the lowest age of consent (12) and a high prevalence of enjo kosai (compensated dating) among middle and high school students means that there a lot of complicated social issues at work. (Ie, students milking money off sugar daddies to afford an unrealistically fashionable lifestyle, etc). From memory there was a referendum about it, but given that you have to be 20 or older to vote, it’s a waste of time (why not ask 12 - 20 year olds instead?)
Let’s face it. Media is constantly hypersexualising everything in an attempt to make sales, regardless of whether it’s right or wrong and try and wriggle out of the consequences if they go over the line with feigned ignorance. If later on, a girl exposed by such actions is taken advantage of, who’s to blame? Us [media consumers] for accepting such blatant media garbage, or the companies for producing it?