In my previous articles, I’ve written about the popularity of “loco-dols” (local idols). I’ve said many times that one of the greatest assets that Japan can boast to the world is our “diversity,” and nothing within the idol genre embodies this greater than locodols.
Locodols work together with local business and shopping arcades – something that idols in Tokyo can’t do – so that’s bound to work to their advantage, whether it be in the domestic scene here in Japan, or overseas. Also, seeing as how there are so many young people in Japan who don’t want to leave their beloved hometowns, locodols really have a lot that they can offer the entertainment industry.
Amongst all the locodols in Japan, though, one group that is drawing a lot of buzz nation-wide right now (and who I’ve written about previously) is Fukuoka’s “LinQ.”
#88 There’s More to Japan Than Just Tokyo! Loco-dols “LinQ” Sharing Their Love of Fukuoka with the World
The members all have their own sense of individuality, and just as one might expect from a group from Fukuoka, being one of Japan’s gateways to the world that it is, it’s comprised of members who have the potential to take their activities to an international level.

This time around, I interviewed group member, Himesaki Ami. I chose her because I know she also happens to be a hardcore anime otaku.

Himesaki remembers how her older sister used to watch anime, so it’s something that was always around her as a child. She says she remembers playing, pretending to be characters from the popular anime series, “Ojamajo Doremi.”
“Girls love words like “magic” and “transformation” and “hidden powers,” no matter which generation you’re talking about.”

Her favorite anime in elementary school was “Fullmetal Alchemist,” and she says she used to be quite the card collector.
“But I tend to like the bad guys more than the actual main characters. Even with other anime series, when I see the sub characters trying so hard, it makes them standout to me all the more. There’s too much revealed about the main characters, but with the sub characters, there’s still so much mystery surrounding their past and what they’re thinking.”
When she was in middle school, Himesaki says she used to hide the fact that she was an anime otaku from those around her.
“In elementary school it didn’t really bother me if there wasn’t anyone around me into anime, but in middle school, I started noticing that I was different to everyone else.”
But times change. One thing I’ve noticed since I first began anime cultural diplomacy in 2008 is the explosive increase in the number of girls who now profess to be otaku.
“I joined a band when I was in high school, but a lot the songs we played were covers from “K-ON!””

One thing that I think has helped bring otaku into the mainstream is cosplay. A lot of cosplay fans throughout the world think of Japan as the home of cosplay, but the reality is Japanese people just caught on to that notion.

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J Pop Culture Observations - Back Number