＜prologue＞
I started a blog called “The Baby Boomer Generation’s Miscellaneous Blog”（Dankai-sedai no garakutatyou:団塊世代の我楽多（がらくた）帳） in July 2018, about a year before I fully retired. More than six years have passed since then, and the number of articles has increased considerably.
So, in order to make them accessible to people who don’t understand Japanese, I decided to translate my past articles into English and publish them.
It may sound a bit exaggerated, but I would like to make this my life’s work.
It should be noted that haiku and waka （Japanese short fixed form poems） are quite difficult to translate into English, so some parts are written in Japanese.
If you are interested in haiku or waka and would like to know more, please read introductory or specialized books on haiku or waka written in English.
I also write many articles about the Japanese language. I would be happy if these inspire more people to want to learn Japanese.
my blog’s URL:https://skawa68.com/
my X’s URL:団塊世代の我楽多帳（@historia49）さん / X
Have you ever heard of the term “Otagei”?
I first heard about it in a recent news report that a private cheering squad that performs “Otagei” at Eikichi Yazawa’s (1949-) concerts has been banned from the venue because they are causing a nuisance to regular fans and attendees.
Speaking of Eikichi Yazawa, he is from the same baby boomer generation as me, and is affectionately known by the nicknames “Eichan” and “Boss.”
After forming the rock band Carol in 1972, he made his solo debut in 1975 and is a popular musician who has remained active to this day.
１．What is “Otagei”?
“Otagei” refers to the unique movements, dances and shouts that fans perform at concerts and other events.
It is literally a performance or way of supporting idols that idol otaku (fans) perform at idol concerts and live shows.
In the 1970s and 1980s, a common cheering style was for an idol’s “fan squad” to shout in unison in time with the song.
In the 2000s, the cheering style of “all at once shouting” as described above became more diverse, with dancing being added, and it became known as “Otagei” at “Hello! Project” concerts, which Tsunku was the general producer of.
２．The reality of Eikichi Yazawa’s private cheering squad’s “Otagei”
From his days with Carol in 1972 until his solo debut, Eikichi Yazawa has enjoyed the support of delinquent groups such as biker gangs and yankees, and as a result, the area around his concert venues turns into delinquent gatherings every year, and there are frequent fights between fans, making it difficult for ordinary fans to approach.
The concert’s advertisement clearly states, “Admission will be denied to those wearing kamikaze uniforms. We may also deny entry to those wearing clothing or groups that intimidate other customers.”
Also, because much of the nuisance in the past was caused by people drinking, we now conduct alcohol checks upon entry to keep out drunk people.
The “private cheering squad”‘s “intimidating behavior such as waving flags in an intimidating manner and wearing special attack uniforms, and forcing and encouraging people to call out Eikichi Yazawa, which is a nuisance to those around them,” were causing inconvenience to ordinary fans, who said things like “I want to go, but I’m too scared to go” and “I can’t calmly listen to (or hear) Eikichi Yazawa’s song.”
In light of this, in January 2019, it was announced on the official website that they had banned nuisance fans who they called “private cheering squads” from entering the fan club and forced them to leave the fan club.
３．Differences from the “Omukou kara no kakegoe” of Kabuki
“Omukou” means “the seats at the back of the box seats in a theater, the seats furthest from the stage.” It also refers to the audience members who sit there, and to the skilled audience members who frequently return to the cheaper seats. From this, the term can also refer to “the voices of the audience members sitting in the Omukou” and “the audience members who make those voices.”
“Omukou wo unaraseru(To impress the audience)” refers to a performance so outstanding that it impresses even the most avid theatergoers.
When watching Kabuki, when an actor makes a grand pose, you often hear the audience shout “Naritaya!” or “Otowaya!”
This is usually done by the Kabuki actor requesting a professional to shout out the chants. In Kabuki, it is a well-established production style to have the audience shout out the chants in order to liven up the atmosphere of the play.
Apparently the theater issues “Kido Gomen” (entry to a play without paying) permits to professionals who belong to the call-out group.
If “Otagei” were something like the “shouts from the audience” in Kabuki, it wouldn’t be a nuisance, but would actually add to the atmosphere…