Draft:Oshi

• Comment: References where all these claims are from are needed. ANU^writes 03:03, 19 December 2024 (UTC)

---

Participating in an artist's live is seen as an important factor to 'oshikatsu'.

'Oshi' (推し) is a Japanese slang word used when someone likes a person (usually an idol or an actor) to the point they want to recommend them to others.

Usage of the Word

The Digital Daijisen gives "The drama series my oshi has the main role in" as an example sentence. In other usages, people often say "My oshi is the best" (推ししか勝たん; transliterated as 'oshi shika katan'). Originally, it was used to describe someone's favorite member in an idol group as 'oshimen'. 'Oshimen' is a word that originates from the idol boom that occurred in the 1980s and later appeared in 2000 on 2chan (now 5chan) when Morning Musume fans started to use it. There was a rise in the usage of the word from the influence of AKB48 and it was later nominated as No.09 for first place in U-CAN's new and trending words. Due to AKB48's election being broadcasted on television, more people learned about the word 'oshi'. Additionally, researchers from the Nissay Research Institute have credited mass media for spreading the meaning of oshi as 'something you like' and encouraging the general public's use of the word. After that, the word 'oshi' has been included in various Japanese dictionaries such as the September 2019 issue of Daijirin's 4th edition and the December 2020 issue of Meikyo Kokugo Dictionary's 3rd edition. Additionally, 'oshikatsu' is when one prays for the success of their oshi and spreads the word about them to their surroundings. The term 'oshikatsu' was nominated in 2021 as a new and trending word for first place (No.07). In a questionnaire done by The Mainichi Newspaper, the majority responded that they do know what 'oshi' meant, and combined with the people who responded with 'I don't use it, but I know what it means' were a total of 96% of the respondents.

Derivatives

Listed below are only a portion of the derivatives that exist as the list continuously grows.

• Jitan (自単) - The person that you are in charge of cheering for. (Jibun ga tantou suru member) The term spread through fans of Johnny's idols and is sometimes only used to refer to members of Johnny & Associates. While 'oshi' implies that someone wants to recommend them to other people, 'jitan' means that they would like to like them by themselves.
• Hiiki (贔屓) or 'favorite' - Used instead of 'oshi' when talking about kabuki and the Takarazuka Revue.
• Toutoi (尊い) or 'precious' - Often used together with 'oshi' It is used when someone holds a deep faith for their oshi in their heart. However, due to the familiarization of the word, the word has been used with a lighter nuance to describe specific scenes. When used to describe a certain scene, the word is not necessarily aimed at an oshi. (Such as "The child I saw today at the city was precious")
• DD - The shortened form of "Daredemo Daisuki", a Japanese phrase meaning "I like anyone". This means that in a group, a person has multiple favorite members.

Synonyms

• Kamioshi (神推し)/Gekioshi (激推し) - When someone is passionate about a certain member or their biggest oshi. In this instance, 'kami' does not mean god, but is a prefix that means 'extremely'. That oshi is usually one member of a group, but it does not have to be one person.
• Hakooshi (箱推し)/Zenoshi (全推し)/Oshiguru (推しグル) - When someone's oshi is the entirety of the group. The term 'hakooshi' comes from the audience members at live houses being put in a box (hako). 'Hakooshi' is used more than 'zenoshi'.
• Oshihen (推し変) - When someone changes their oshi. The term can be used when someone changes their oshi to someone in the same group or another group, but it is more often seen in the second instance.
• Oshipi (推しピ)- What people call their oshi. The 'pi' is a reference to the English word 'people' written in Katakana. While 'people' is the plural form for ‘person’, in this case, it refers to only one person.
• Oshigoto (推し事) - Any actions done for an oshi; means the same thing as 'oshikatsu'. It is a play on the word for work, 'oshigoto' in Japanese. It is similar to working every day except the work involved are things such as checking for new information.
• Tanoshi (単推し) - The same meaning as 'kamioshi' When someone has only one oshi, it references that oshi. It also means when someone wishes for their oshi to have solo activities.
• Nioshi (二推し) - The second favorite oshi
• Sanoshi (三推し) - The third favorite oshi
• Saioshi (最推し)/Mooshi (最推し)/ichioshi (一推し) - When someone has two or more oshis and is referring to the person they like the most out of them.
• Oshi-sama (推し様) - When someone is referring to their oshi that is especially their favorite. By attaching the honorific -sama, the word becomes more polite.
• Oshi kaburi (推し被り)- When you and someone you know has the same oshi. When oshi kaburi occurs, some people coexist, but there are occasions when people see each other as rivals. People often say "Oshi kaburi tekishi" (Oshi kaburi enemies).
• Oshi nakama (推し仲間) - Someone who's oshi is the same person or thing as someone else's.
• Oshiiro (推し色) - Oshi's image color. The colors of someone's clothes or hair can match with the member's color.
• Oshiiro coode (推し色コーデ) - A coordinated outfit with an oshi's color.
• Oshimashi (推し増し) - Finding a new oshi while keeping your original oshi. When someone continues oshimashi, there are times when it becomes a financial burden.
• Oshi mark (推しマーク) - A mark or an emoji used on social media accounts such as X to represent an oshi within the community of fans. This is used because X's system shows the posts of accounts mentioning a person's name when searched for.

Facts related to the topic

The word 'oshi' has surpassed its original use and is now used for topics such as food, trains, and history. It is widely used among the younger generation due to negative stereotypes disappearing for 'otaku'. There has also been an increase in novels and movies that feature 'oshi' as the topic. Oshikatsu has people actively spending money on their oshi and feeling joy. This differs from the "adult generation" of fans in 2021, who conduct passive fan activities. Dentsu's Yukari Akita states that people actively engage in this type of consumption because they feel that their money is contributing to their oshi's success. Ayaka Doman from Z Research has also pointed out that while Generation Z has turned their backs on consuming television, they would watch live T.V. if a show featured their oshi. In other non-entertainment-related examples, Ryosuke Nishida, an associate professor at Tokyo Institute of Technology has stated that if young people had an oshi political figure or party, it would make it easier for them to vote in elections.

In August 2021, RooMooN conducted an online survey of 439 female high school and university students and more than 98% of the respondents answered that they have an 'oshi'. Most people responded that they had two oshis, but some also said that they had more than 100 oshis. When responding to questions about their oshis, over half of the participants said that their oshi was an idol and most of the participants stated that they have been into their oshi for 12 to 23 months. The highest reason people thought the advantage to having an oshi was that "They are a source of encouragement to living" and that the disadvantages were that "They cost money". In June 2020, MERY also conducted a survey on 425 females using their application and found that over 70% of their users responded that they had an oshi and their youngest users were more likely to have an oshi. According to research conducted by CCC Marketing and SHIBUYA109 lab., females aged 15 to 24 spent more than 10% of their disposable income on their wotakatsu (according to the source has the same meaning as otakatsu).

The Impact of COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic had a big impact on oshi culture. Due to many events being canceled, people participating in oshikatsu relied on various social networking services. On the other hand, many people were able to lift their spirits from the pandemic and find new passions as they gained more free time due to telework and online classes to prevent the spread of the infection. In a study done in November 2020, Cross Marketing Inc. found that a quarter of their respondents found a new oshi as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and over 40% of them were in their 20s.

Additionally, train stations in Tokyo and the Kansai region found a decrease in companies purchasing advertisement spaces due to the influence of the pandemic. As a result, individuals have become advertisers and have purchased advertisement spaces, now known as "support advertisements", to show support to their favorite idol groups and such. The origin of "support advertisements" were originally called "saengil advertisements" and came from South Korea's idol culture. However, due to the K-pop boom and TBS Television airing PRODUCE 101 JAPAN, a Japanese version of a popular K-pop audition show, there was a spread of "cheering advertisements" in Japan.  According to JR East Marketing & Communications, Inc., they have earned roughly 377 hundred million yen which accounts for approximately 10% of the costs for advertisements visible outside the station and throughout the transportation.

Series where 'oshi' is the theme

• Idol Burning (Oshi, Moyu, 推し、燃ゆ,) - A novel by Rin Usami. The series received the 164th Akutagawa Prize.
• If My Favorite Pop Idol Made It to the Budokan, I Would Die (Oshi ga Budōkan Ittekuretara Shinu, 推しが武道館に行ってくれたら死ぬ) - A manga written by Auri Hirao that was adapted into an anime series and drama series.
• My Favorite Idol (推しの子, Oshi no Ko) - A manga written by manga artist Aka Akasaka and artist Mengo Yokoyari that was adapted into an anime series, live-action, and stage play.
• That is why I decided to stan (だから私は推しました, Dakara Watashi wa Oshimashita) - A yorudora that aired on NHK General TV in 2019.
• My oshi is Precious (推しが尊いわ, Oshi ga totouiwa) - A song by Non Stop Rabbit.
• Have my oshi ~The Publicity Girl's Mellow Days~ (推しを召し上がれ〜広報ガールのまろやかな日々〜, Oshi wo Meshiagare: Koho Girl no Maroyakana Hibi) - A Suidora25 television drama that aired on TV Tokyo. It was based on ‘Reiwa Bulgaria Yogurt' a novel by Miyagi Ayako.

Category:Fandom Category:Otaku Category:Entertainers