Abstract
Asada Mao’s life recounts a dramatic narrative of suffering and triumph. It follows a girl considered beautiful and her meteoric rise to skating stardom; a period of hardships she confronts tacitly; and the performance of her life at the 2014 Olympics that touches many around the world. This chapter reconsiders Asada’s public persona of a diligent athlete, the good girl-next-door who speaks with a smile. Asada seems to embody an ideal Japanese young womanhood. Behind this innocent persona, however, is a strong woman, with a fierce commitment to her professional performance and audiences, and a skilful way of concealing her personal life from the public eye. This chapter argues that Asada is a diva who captures the heart of people with her extraordinary looks, artistry, and athletic talents, a diva whose spectacular performances and risk-taking behaviours always excite audiences, and whose good-girl persona may be her greatest performance of all.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Diva Nation |
| Subtitle of host publication | Female Icons from Japanese Cultural History |
| Editors | Laura Miller, Rebecca Copeland |
| Place of Publication | USA |
| Publisher | University of California Press |
| Chapter | 10 |
| Pages | 185-202 |
| Number of pages | 18 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9780520297739 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 24 Jan 2019 |
| Externally published | Yes |