Two Stories of Emotion: The Same Shadow of Oshikatsu and Itadaki - 1/17/2026

Abstract

Oshikatsu is often spoken of as a celebration, while "Itadaki Girls" are frowned upon. However, a surprisingly similar structure lies between the two. Both are places where people express their feelings for others, and relationships are formed based on the differences in their emotional attachment. This paper quietly unravels threads from everyday scenes, illustrating where the two phenomena overlap and diverge.

Keywords

Oshikatsu, Itadaki Girls, Emotions, Distance, Story

What You See in Front of the Station at Dusk

Walking in front of the station at dusk, you'll notice young people carrying paper bags. The bags are filled with merchandise featuring photos of their favorite idols. They walk away with a look of satisfaction on their faces, as if they've just replenished a part of themselves.

Meanwhile, in a corner of the same station, a middle-aged man clutches his smartphone, choosing the words to send to someone on the other side of the screen. The woman in question is a young woman who calls him "special." He wants to believe her words, and he feels that believing them gives him a slightly more complete picture.

On the surface, the two scenes seem completely different. But shift your gaze slightly, and you'll see that both are driven by a "difference in emotional temperature." The higher-temperature side pours something into the lower-temperature side, and that flow takes shape.

The Sweet Illusion Created by "Distance"

In the world of fan activities, distance is cleverly engineered. While the idol appears far away, social media posts and streams create the illusion of closeness, as if you could reach out and touch them. Fans are intoxicated by this sense of closeness, yearning to get even closer.

This desire builds up in the form of event participation and merchandise purchases. The idol says "thank you." The fan feels "reached."

Meanwhile, women known as "Itadaki Girls" are also adept at adjusting their distance. Too close and reality is revealed; too far and interest wanes. They occupy a delicate position between these two, leaving only room for the other person's expectations to grow.

Men, thinking, "I'm almost there," shower their partner with words and gifts. Women whisper, "You're special."

The same structure is at work here in both cases.

Emotional difference = Motivation for action × Creating distance.

The greater the emotional difference, the stronger the action. The more skillfully distance is maintained, the more the action will continue.

Buying a "story"

Fans who engage in oshikatsu superimpose their idol's success onto their own story. "The more she shines, the more I feel like I can move forward." This feeling is strengthened the moment they get their hands on merchandise or tickets.

The idol functions as a presence that gives "meaning" to the fan's life.

On the other hand, women known as "Itadaki Girls" assign "roles" to their partners' lives. "I need you," "I can do my best because you support me."

Men find their own value in these words and confirm their identity as a character in the story.

In both cases, you're buying a story.

Buying a story = the act of confirming your own identity.

In oshikatsu, the story is supported by a glamorous stage, while in the world of Itadaki Girls, it's supported by intimate conversations. Though the forms are different, the underlying desires are surprisingly similar.

The wall of "institution" that separates the two worlds

So why is one celebrated and the other frowned upon?

What creates this boundary is not the act itself, but the presence or absence of a "system" that encompasses it.

Oshikatsu takes place on a stage set up by an agency or company. Tickets have prices printed on them, and merchandise has barcodes. Everything is treated as a "legitimate purchase."

In contrast, interactions between Itadaki Girls take place in an ambiguous space between individuals. Prices are not clearly stated, and the boundaries of the relationships are vague. This is why those around them feel uneasy.

However, while the presence or absence of a system is the only difference, the underlying structures are surprisingly similar.

In both cases, people lean on others, and that leaning takes shape, centered around the play of emotional differences and distance.

The presence or absence of a system = different costumes given to the same structure.

Oshikatsu is dressed in celebratory costumes, while Itadaki Girls are dressed in costumes of shadow. But strip away the costumes, and both are deeply human activities: "people entrust their hearts to someone, and that fluctuation gives shape."

This article has depicted the quiet similarities that lie between these two worlds. Scenes that are celebrated and scenes that are frowned upon. The line between these two is thinner than you might think.