Rin UsamiBesprekingen

As an International Japanese music fan I was curious to read this Japanese book since I often see Japanese fans seem rather obsessive when it comes to their favorite music stars. On the verge of worship.

Idol, Burning by Rin Usami is an insightful read! I enjoyed reading it quite a bit. Even if I was left somewhat unsatisfied by the ending. As a result it was more of an average read for me due to how it closed. Could have been better, in my opinion.

Read a more in-depth book review at my anime blog:
https://thehugeanifan.wordpress.com/2024/03/23/idol-burning-by-rin-usami-japanes...

A very interesting and thought-provoking book, but I felt that it fell short of really getting into the grit of the issue and missed the mark slightly.

Firstly, this cover is absolutely beautiful, one of the best book covers I've ever seen-
Overall though this book was a little disappointing, I thought it would focus more on the detriment of stan culture and how it can negatively affect someone, but it's sort of treated the opposite, that having an oshi was the only thing that held Akari together. It's a shame since the blurb makes it out to be a big part of the plot when it really isn't.

this was fine, hit a bit too close to home at times

An obsessive fan struggles when her idol is accused of assaulting a fan. The idol ends up retiring, and the fan finds a path forward without him.½

I may be wrong, but I do get the impression that most contemporary Japanese literature features characters who are eccentrics and outsiders, often at odds with the expectations of society. This is certainly the case with the novella Idol, Burning by Rin Usami, now available in an English translation by Asa Yoneda. Its protagonist and narrator is Akari, a troubled teenager with learning problems whose life revolves her oshi, or idol – Masaki Ueno, a member of the J-Pop band Maza Maza. Akari, who finds it so difficult to fit in, is within her element when writing on her blog, corresponding with fellow fans. Her devotion to her idol, bordering on quasi-religious fanaticism, is the only aim which keeps her going in life, even as she fails school and messes up at her waitering job. Akari’s Masaki-centred world, however, starts to collapse when allegations emerge of his having assaulted a fan – or, possibly, a girlfriend. As accusations pile up and the singer’s star wanes, Akari has to find a new sense in life – one that does not rely on her obsession as a crutch.

Idol, Burning won its young author (Rin Usami is just 23...) the Akutagawa prize and was a bestseller in Japan. One can understand why. At first glance, this book might seem slim, its “fall from grace” story rather underwhelming. But dig a little deeper, and the unassuming surface reveals many thoughtful undercurrents. It explores the sometime complex relationship between pop stars and their followers; it shines an ambivalent spotlight on cancel culture and pokes some sarcastic fun at the money-making pop music market (even Akari, obsessed as she is, is sharp enough to note that the industry exploits fandom.)

But what struck me most about this novel was what seemed like a strong “personal” element. And it was only on reading the Author’s afterword that I realised that I might not have been far off the mark. Because not only is the author just a few years older than her protagonist (and, therefore, a fellow traveller of the same world) but we also learn that the poignant, compassionate portrayal of Akari is based in part on Rin Usami’s brother, an intelligent child let down by the education system.

Idol, Burning is a quick read, but one with much to unpack. The novella is complemented with illustrations by comic-book/manga artist Leslie Hung.

https://endsoftheword.blogspot.com/2022/09/idol-burning-by-rin-usami.html

Another goodreads reviewer remarked that they'd expected this to be a book about obsession where the idol falls from grace and the obsessive fan learns about themselves outside of the obsession and crafts a new life. I'm paraphrasing, and I had a similar expectation. That, or she murders him. This book is the stream-of-consciousness of an obsessive fan who--she just--I'm glad this was short. I firmly believe Usami wrote the narrator as being neurodivergent without explicitly stating it. Excellent job of show don't tell. The ending was literally the teen narrator picking up spilled cotton swabs. It took me awhile to figure out-that- was representative of her probably starting a new life. What a whisper of an ending. How dissatisfied I was. The author's acknowledgements were just weird: she ostensibly based the MC off her-brother-, who grew up with reading difficulties. I didn't like how she talked about him, that she included it in her book, and it was altogether unsettling. Honestly, it's the reason I'm unlikely to read her work again. The book misses a lot of opportunities and is so flat. That's reason enough not to, as well. I might try to jot down a short story to make myself feel better.

TW/CW: Domestic abuse, eating disorders, family death, possible learning disabilities, possible mental illness

RATING: 3.5/5

REVIEW: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Idol, Burning is the story of Akari, a high school age girl who is obsessed with a pop star and has made her entire identity about him. With her life falling apart around her, she throws herself into her fandom and tries to find something that makes sense there.

This is an interesting book, but it was also pretty weird. We don’t really learn much about Akari outside of her obsessions, although the few glimpses of her life we get show us that she likely suffers from learning disabilities and some sort of anxiety disorder. Like in Akari’s life, the only clear things are those things that have to do with her obsession. In the book, some of the phrasing is really weird, although that could simply be from the translation. It is also a very quick read, so I’d recommend it if you think the subject matter sounds interesting!½