Inoue Mao - Japanese Hot Babe - This is most starkly shown in terms of age. For example, it is widely ackowledged that many idols are older than the u19 or u15 category that they are placed within. However, in what most Europeans would see to be a contradictory stance, this interest in the detail is accompanied by a simultaneous apparent disinterest in the truth of this detail as it is presented. There is also an accompanying playfulness with age that one might not ordinarily associate with the stereotypical rigidity of Japanese culture. The popular idol magazine 'Beppin' for example is happy to associate a widely different age to the same model on consecutive pages of the same edition.
It is commonly said female Japanese idols represent the perfect female form in Japanese society. For this reason they are often idolized by both males and females. They are symbols of female sexuality and are often dressed erotically. Good examples of fashion-leader idols were Ayumi Hamasaki, Hitomi, Ryoko Hirosue and Namie Amuro. Male audiences' infatuations with an idol's good looks are fed with detailed information about the idol's measurements, favorite colors, food, hobbies, blood type, etc. Female audiences are interested in imitating their style, hair color, fashion, etc.
Junko Kaieda - Japanese Hot Babe - A few idols from that era, such as Seiko Matsuda, are still popular. In the 90s, the power of Japanese idols began to wane, as the music industry shifted towards rock musicians and singers for whom music was a more important sales point than looks or wholesomeness, as well as towards genres such as rap that were harder to square with conventional prettiness. The Japanese idol phenomenon has had a large impact on popular culture in Hong Kong and Taiwan.
