Friday, Jan. 9, 2009

By PATRICK MACIAS

Special to The Japan Times

"I really care about how much proof of my life I can leave behind; how many concerts I can give and how many photos I can have taken," admits Japanese celebrity Shoko Nakagawa, better known to her legion of fans worldwide as Shokotan. "I'm just afraid to have any free time and I'm scared of doing nothing."

Confessions of a J-pop queen: Singer Shoko Nakagawa, better known as Shokotan, uses her blog to share with fans her obsession for anime, manga, "cosplay," video games and more. © 2008 SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT (JAPAN) INC.

It's been a typical day in the life of Shokotan. So far, the 23-year-old Tokyoite has participated in a photo shoot for a fashion magazine, filmed a musical number for a TV show and updated her blog numerous times via cell phone. Forget about dinner. After frequent wardrobe changes and whirlwind visits from hair and makeup staff, evening sets in with a round of press interviews at Sony Music headquarters in Ichigaya.

The constant grind of a pace like this might make lesser talents come down with a case of showbiz-induced "exhaustion," but it seems to sit just right with Nakagawa.

She explains, "I have lots of dreams and right now is the only time that I can make them come true." It's something every idoru (manufactured entertainer) knows, but is seldom willing to admit: The work hours are long, but the moment in the spotlight may be brief.

Although she's a comic artist whose work is serialized in a literary journal and a glamour model with a quartet of photo books to her name, Nakagawa is most often positioned as a J-pop act (her most recent album, "Magic Time," was released on New Year's Day).

But it's a willingness to embrace, and share with the public, her enjoyment of a wide gamut of geeky hobbies that truly defines her. It's impossible to imagine another female star of Nakagawa's stature who would say, "I like stuff like anime, comics, blogging, 'cosplay' (costume play) and drawing manga. After I get home, I sit in front of the computer for five or six hours straight. I play video games and enjoy anime until the early morning."

But in spite of her fondness for drawing manga (such as "Shocotan Quest") and dressing up as assorted anime characters, and having an encyclopedic knowledge of Bruce Lee movies at her disposal, Shokotan — daughter of the late singer Katsuhiko Nakagawa — seems ambivalent about identifying herself as an otaku (obsessive fan).

"Normal people might think I'm an otaku just because I'm into anime and video games," she says. "But hardcore otaku, who might know much more about anime and manga than me, could say, 'No, she's not really an otaku.' "

Even so, she's willing to admit, "Since I was in school, people have always called me an otaku. I was an only child, so while growing up I often had to pass the time by drawing or watching anime. Everyone does that kind of stuff when they are little, but years later I was still watching anime. My friends thought something was wrong with me. I tried to get interested in the things they were into, like fashion and pop singers, but I never really did."

By the time Nakagawa made her entertainment-industry debut in 2001 by winning a "new face" audition held by Popolo magazine, she figured, "I wasn't supposed to show this side of myself to people at all. But when I started writing about myself on my blog, people who had similar interests began sharing their comments with me. I finally felt some kind of acceptance. And I realized that since life is short, I should just be who I am and not try to hide it anymore."

Nakagawa's blog, which went online in 2004, played a major role in cementing her fame. She recalls of its origins, "When I started blogging, I was a very negative person. I felt like no one would want to read it, so I just wrote about things that I simply enjoyed, like anime and manga. But it was well received by people, and every time I updated my blog, I gained some kind of energy. Instead of being negative, I tried to be pleasant and write about things that I liked. I got addicted and I started updating and updating, sometimes as much as 50 times a day, and gradually I became a more positive and happy person."

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