Lately, a lot of people have been introducing H!P or Jpop in general to their friends, younger siblings, etc as a sort of scientific (cough) experiment on how well Jpop - particularly of the crack-induced H!P persuasion - would fare in the United States.

A similar experiment was conducted by me…well, actually, I don’t think you could call it an experiment, as I was just trying to introduce her to my cracktastic music. I wasn’t looking for any particular pattern or anything. I just wanted someone else to know what kind of music I listened to.

First of all, a profile on the subject. We’ll call her A. A is a pretty close friend of mine. I met her during tech for the play, and we worked on the dance concert and musical together. She’s a grade above me, a sophomore, and her favorite artists include Marilyn Manson, Emilie Autumn, and strange French operas. She has a mild interest in anime, and occasionally tosses in the odd Konnichiwa or Gomenasai. But for the most part, it’s off of her radar.

No longer, apparently.

It started around the time of the musical…so, around March. We were making jokes about “pedolicious” together, as she had just watched Suzumiya Haruhi no yuutsu at the recommendation of me and my friend Ann. I then made a few references to “Go Girl” and then played it for her on my iPod. To my surprise, she became obsessed with it. I taught her the dance and eventually had to burn her a CD containing Kiss! Imouto Club’s only album, and “Go Girl.”

This was as far as her fascination went (with the exception of “Tell Me”, which I also played for her and I’ll go into that later) until one day, she IMed me.

Me: I’m sorry, I’m distracted.
A: By what?
Me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41yO-_MS5Lc
Me: WHY DO I WANT SACHIKO’S HAT SO BADLY?
A: I like their dresses.
A: and their corsets!
Me: So do I…
A: I’m being corrupted into the weirdest…I’M BEING TURNED INTO A FANGIRL!
Me: For WHAT?
A: For evil videos
A: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqbHeHGwrr0&feature=related
A: The clothing is entertaining
Me: Have you ever seen W’s version of Sabishii Nettaigyo?
A: No…
Me: THE TRENCHCOATS
Me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W33EjttbRyk
A: I WANT THEIR COATS AND HAIR

She made a few more comments about Tsujikago (mentioning how she thought Kago was noticeably bigger) and I filled her in on their various scandals. She actually thought Kago was pregnant in the video, and I had to point out Tsuji was the knocked-up one, and neither was pregnant at the time anyway.

A: OMG
Me: What?
A: I found Go Girl
A: I HATE YOU
Me: Haha, why?
A: they’re so cute
A: so pedolicious
Me: Yeah…
A: except for the one with her boobs popping out of her shirt

When questioned who, she mentioned the girl in the pink group. I’m assuming she meant Rika, as the red group is rather noticeably red, and neither Mari nor Eri are likely to have a costume like that…

The question was left alone after a while, but a few days ago…

A: I have a new pedolicious singer
Me: Who?
A: http://youtube.com/watch?v=GccNqlN5D-E
A: she has kawai pig tails!!!!
Me: OH MY GOD
Me: OH MY GOD
Me: REINA?!
Me: YOU LIKE TANAKA REINA?!?!?
Me: Wait, you know she’s 18, right?
A: really?
A: omg i thought she was 13!!!

Now, if you’ve read this blog, you know Reina and I aren’t on very good terms. That is, I don’t really like her. But A does, mostly on the virtue of her cuteness and her pigtails.

Me: speaking of bunny girls
Me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjobxBfvLsw
Me: v-u-den.
A: *dies*
Me: is that good dies, or bad dies…XD
Me: (oh shit, I killed her.)
A: *still dead on floor twitching*
Me: is this good dead or bad dead? XD
A: um like an omhygodwhyinthefuckinghellwouldtheydothat and a fangirl ohmygawdiwantthemformyself kind of dead

It’s hard to say what this even says about Jpop/Kpop in America. Compared to the other experiments I’ve seen on blogs, my reactions seem rather out of the ordinary. (Then again, I have some very out of the ordinary friends.) Does this hint at a good reaction to these groups in America? My friend A’s embrace of what she calls “extreme pedoliciousness” (which you can agree or disagree with, I guess) says yes, but most other people might be turned off by the display H!P puts on. We’ll have to wait and see for a definite conclusion.