As an enthusiast of vintage-inspired fashion, past decades, and a fan of Japan's 'bubble period' and Showa myself, I tend to watch anything related to this particular subject.

This is how I found out about Nana Asano and two other girls who are in their twenties yet aspire to become "Showa idols."

Everything started when I was looking for something interesting to watch, and I happened to see the title: "The world of 80s idol costumes." It was a topic that I was particularly interested in, and it appeared in one of my favorite shows too, so I was excited to give it a try.

The topic was featured on the popular TBS show 「マツコの知らない世界」 (Matsuko no Shiranai Sekai / “The World Unknown to Matsuko”) which aired on January 3, 2021 (see below for an excerpt).

Three girls born in the Heisei Era (1989-2019) came on as guests. The girls are Showa Era (1926-1989) enthusiasts. They are particularly fond of 80s idols, so they shared their knowledge regarding the world of the Japanese female idols' costumes of the period.

From the simple and kawaii designs of the early years to the more flashy and unique patterns used in the latter half of the 80s, various designs appeared on the ranking boards and were thoroughly introduced to the audience with explanations and visuals.

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Who are the Heisei girls aspiring to be Showa idols?

The three girls who appeared on the show were Asano Nana (浅野ナナ), Marie (マリー), and Yukiko Ōta (太田由貴子).

All three have in-depth knowledge of Showa Era idols. In their daily lives, they tend to dress in Showa-inspired fashion and enjoy living a "Showa lifestyle," which I found very inspiring. What's more, all three girls look adorable!

Nana Asano is a 4th-year university student, currently in her early 20s, who likes everything about the 70s and 80s.

Marie has recently started a YouTube channel. She loves dressing up in a cute style, imitating the Showa idols of the 80s.

Yukiko, too, is interested in Showa idols and the Showa Era. She also has a passion for making sweets and flower arrangements. She likes drawing and has some adorable Showa-style characters that she draws and posts on her Instagram page.

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My chat with Nana Asano (浅野ナナ)

I got an opportunity to talk to Nana and find out what got her interested in the Showa Era.

She is an amazing girl, and you can find out so much about the idols she likes and how passionate she is about this subject by looking at her Instagram page where she frequently posts photos and videos highlighting her love for Showa.

Even though she was born in 1999, Nana is a fan of the 'bubble period' of the 1980s in Japan. She also likes going to nightclubs and old-fashioned cafes.

She was a fan of the 80s since elementary school, but it seems that she wasn’t aware of the fact that she liked “the old times” and things that others would say are old and nostalgic.

She told me that she liked the anime うる星やつら Urusei Yatsura (a manga series by Rumiko Takahashi serialized from 1978 to 1987 in Weekly Shōnen Sunday and adapted into an anime series airing on Fuji TV from 1981-1986). She also fell in love with Cyndi Lauper after watching the music video of We Are The World in her school's music class.

After that, she fell in love with 80s idols. Nana is the kind of person who gets completely absorbed by something she likes, so her thirst for knowledge pushed her further into this exciting world. And that's how her passion for 80s idols began.

Now, her goal is to share her love for the Showa Era with the world. She does that by representing it through her style, as well as the pictures, videos, and other content she posts on social media.

I feel that it is rare for young people nowadays to be so familiar with Showa Era artists and fashion. Also, as a Showa enthusiast myself, I am happy to see people sharing things that I am also passionate about.

You can find out more about Nana and see more of her content, including Showa fashion, artists, excellent coffee shops, as well as retro Showa Era aesthetics on her Instagram account.