This topic came out when Gun-chan highlighted some rules that were brought up during a variety show
ミヤネ屋 and so a lovely discussion can be read
here (months later I must add).
I knew this would come up some day. Who would resist an LDH vs Johnny's considering how LDH is breaking the status quo.
According to
ミヤネ屋
1) Don't drive on your own
2) No drinking or smoking
3) Use keigo with fans
4) For yakitori eat the tenders
5) Always hightouch
Gun-chan clarified some of the rules. He debunked no 4, and said no 3 is not a hardbound rule, just something Atsushi did with fans. Especially because Sandaime's vocalists didn't follow it at all XD
Here's my view regarding the
article:
The "LDH claims their acts aren't idols" part is justified because they do things so differently from the Johnny's and the 48 idols that to be labelled an idol, based on the common definition in the Japanese context, feels like an insult. It's not because we as fans blindly take their word for it. You'll need to find a nicer term, a better term to describe them, and merely calling them idols is undermining what they do and how they function. Artistes describe them better.
I know about their exercise regime. It's to build stamina for their high energy concerts and keep in shape. Naoto once said its intensity feels like training for the Olympics. And I think Hiro once talked about high-risk sports too (although this applies more to performers). But I don't blame them. They can get injured when they dance and it's easy to pinpoint those who've already been hospitalised or fractured some bone etc.
I don't know about monitoring fat percentage because obviously, not everyone can hit the same target. My interpretation is, each member would have their personal goals to achieve. Naoto's best is 8%. Gun-chan you are way too thin. 4% is not good for you. That's Naoki's fat percentage too and I worry for him.....
They don't have a no-dating rule, for one. Especially to them, who love kids and want families, to have such a restriction placed on them will be very suffocating. They are also responsible enough to put their careers first so I admire them for being role models.
Retsuya brought up what she read from Hiro's bibliography. "Remember when I said something about schedule life? Hiro seems to put it as a paradox, making your schedule your own, but not letting others determine your goals and what you want to do with it, hence releasing yourself from being controlled by other circumstances. In the same way, Hiro is encouraging his performers and vocalists to pursue and work towards their own goals aside from exile activities, which proved to be hard for some ppl as they got swamped. Which Hiro says it's not a good thing."
LDH artists are given the freedom to chase their dreams outside of their main activities in their respective groups. If that's not respecting their artistes' decisions, I don't know what is.
I'm LDH-biased, only for one reason - I don't like the music Johnny's idol groups produce. I tried listening to them before I stumbled upon Sandaime. It didn't work out.