Less than major, more than underground. Why is there no frenzy in that scene?

It is often said that it is a "story" that creates a frenzy.

I certainly think so.
But where does a "story" come from? Should we be creating direction and drama?
I have been bothered by what a "story" that is created because it is "needed" actually is.

The other day, for some reason, I came across and was watching a YouTube video by Minato, a member of Crimson Crat Clan.

What was discussed in the video was the sense of stagnation among male groups in the middle tier—neither major nor underground (the "middle scene").

They can mobilize 1,000 people for a solo concert. But there are no role models to be found for going beyond that.
He says he cannot think of any success stories that have broken out of this scene significantly since Da-iCE.

The fan base is limited, there is little influx from the outside, and fans just move around within the circle.

What left a particular impression on me was the phrase "there is no frenzy".

At first, I thought it was a problem of market size.
Few fans, little influx, so it doesn't get exciting, I thought.

But are having a small fan base and having no frenzy the same thing?
There are probably communities that are frenzied even if they are small in scale.

Then, where does the essence of the problem lie?

The source of a story lies in ideology.

Minato also touched on the fact that a "story" is necessary as a trigger to create a frenzy in the video.

For example, "Tokei Jikake no Marriage" (Clockwork Marriage), which recently became a boom.
It is a variety show where three women aim for marriage after 30 days.
I don't think viewers were eagerly following its progress simply because they were watching the matchmaking process.
There was a future, changes could be seen in the individuals' values, and the distance to the goal was visible. That is why it became a "story."

Idols are the same.
Sweaty flyer distribution. Daily practice. SNS updates.
These are all noble efforts, but they do not become a story on their own.

Rather than the effort itself, people empathize with "what that effort is for and where it is heading," which creates attachment and support.

So, where does a story come from?

In the background of a story, there is usually adversity or hardship.
But the occurrence of adversity or hardship is just an event.

What is important is what you believe in.
Who you want to convey what to.
What kind of world you are aiming for.
How you act within that.

Actions born from that ideology and values accumulate to become a way of life, and perhaps that way of life is conveyed to people as a story.

In other words, a story is not something you create, but something that is born as a result of ideology.

I don't think the audition where SKY-HI produced BE:FIRST attracted so many people simply because it was a "drama about young people aiming for their debut."

The ideology of wanting to change an industry where talent is buried came first, and he staked many things on the challenge.

The protagonists were not just the young people in the audition; it was also SKY-HI's own story, and the viewers became obsessed with that process.

However, having an ideology alone is not enough to move things.
It only turns into action because there is passion. Ideologies and words imbued with heat become overwhelming actions, and those actions create witnesses.
I believe it was passion, rather than the correctness of his ideology, that drew people to SKY-HI.

Fans don't just fall in love with songs or faces.
Fans fall in love with the person, their passionate words, and their way of life.

Stories are spread by witnesses.

If ideologies and passion create stories, how do those stories spread?
At first, I thought it was a matter of how much one posts on social media or how many videos one produces.

While those are certainly important factors,no matter how much the official account or the artist themselves posts, whether it goes viral (i.e., leads to external traffic) is another matter.

Kanna Hashimoto's "miracle shot" is symbolic.
That wasn't a selfie posted by the person herself, but a shot taken by a fan.

A selfie is a self-introduction, but a photo captured by a third party becomes a testimony.

I felt something similar when watching live videos of Monaki before they went viral.

Rather than the artist posting, "Thanks for the live show today!", it is easier for strangers to grasp their appeal when a fan writes, "They were drenched in sweat on such a small stage, giving fan service even to those in the very back row."

There, you don't just have information; you have a scene.
Scenes accumulate as frames of a story.

Audition programs are the same.
Viewers aren't just watching the candidates.
A vocal coach says harsh words for the candidate's own good.
A dance coach bursts into tears over the results.
A producer talks about their growth from behind the scenes.
Through the reactions of those around them, the candidates' changes are confirmed, and affection is fostered.

A story cannot be established by the participants alone. It only comes into being when there are witnesses.

When fans talk about and spread the appeal of their favorite, it's called "fukyo" (proselytizing).
But,aren't fans actually sharing a story while appearing to spread the appeal of their favorite?

It's easier to talk about "this episode happened" than "this person is cool."Fans are sharing the scene they witnessed.
That is why I believe enthusiasm requires witnesses.

What does that mean for this scene?

Ideology and passion create a story, and witnesses spread the story. That chain becomes enthusiasm.

On the other hand, the middle scene has a unique difficulty: the structure of witnesses (fans) is prone to distortion.

This is because the sense of distance itself—cheki photos and fan events—becomes the product.
You can take a photo. You can talk. You can be recognized.

As a result,an increase in new fans does not necessarily benefit existing fans.

If new fans increase, the sense of exclusivity fades, and the distance grows.
Therefore, "I want them to sell out" and "I don't want them to go far away" exist simultaneously.
This is not because fans are narrow-minded, but because ofthe structure of the scene.

In other words,isn't it that the witnesses necessary for the chain of enthusiasm have a hard time looking outward in this scene?

That is precisely why the expression of passionate words and ideologies becomes important.
Ideology and passion have the power to shift a fan's desirefrom "me, who is recognized" to "me, who saw them before they were known," transitioning from recognition of a relationship to recognition as a discoverer.

What do you want to change? What kind of future are you looking at?
Fans who resonate with those words and actions may become witnesses who tell the story to the outside world.

The seeds of enthusiasm lie before the buzz.

In his video, Minato also talked about how "buzz is worthless."
Some people think that if they go viral, everything will change, or that if they become famous, things will change, but he argued that there is no such thing as a warp.

It is true that buzz has meaning as a "means" of awareness. However,the seeds of fervor exist before the buzz.

The word "philosophy" might sound grand, butphilosophy is not something you create from scratch.

Why did you choose this job, and what kind of hardships have you overcome?
When did you think about quitting, and why did you continue anyway?
You don't have to invent those answers; you already have them.

Actions born from philosophy attract witnesses.
Witnesses talk about the scenery, the scenery becomes a frame in a story, and the story spreads.
I believe that fervor is something that is born at the end of that chain.

*The cover image was borrowed from the YouTube channel "Hitori no Minato."