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Host / Kyabakura (Maho Fujimoto)
Composition
INTRODUCTION
Before analyzing into details of the signboards, this page will cover how the host clubs and kyabakura signboards are composed and presented to the viewers. Exploring the composition of the signboards will lead to acknowledgment of some patterns and approaches made to attract the attention of the viewers. Also, it can discover what the host clubs and kyabakura are emphasizing on their signboards.
Neon Colors
The neon color is used frequently in Kabuki-cho host clubs and kyabakura signboards. Neon colors are extremely bright colors that stand out from regular colors which adds brightness to the visual while attracting the attention of the viewers. Especially for a nighttime industry like host clubs and kyabakura, applying neon colors on signboards becomes a key strategy to attract attention in the darkness. Although as it can be examined on the public board page regarding Visual Aspects by Hayato, signboards in Kabukicho utilize neon lights such as red and blue a lot. However, the most seen neon color in this industry is the color gold. Gold is often used as a background or text color for both host clubs and kyabakura signboards. Gold symbolizes wealth and success. The utilization of the color gold for the industry of hosts and kyaba-jyo where large amounts of money are earned is a perfect representation of color for the industry. Especially, a signboard with gold background makes the visual gorgeous and luxurious which makes it stand out from other signboards.
Image as Main
Image of the workers; hosts and kyaba-jyo are usually the main focus of their signboards. Especially, all kyabakura signboards are focused on the portrait photo of the kyaba-jyo who are mostly centered in the middle of the signboards. On most signboards, the face or body of the hosts and kyaba-jyo covers more than half of the signboards, leaving less blank space. This indicates that workers, hosts, and kyaba-jyo, are the product of the store and their appeal is the visual appearance of the workers which will further examine upcoming domains. Presenting image as a main focus of the signboard is similar to what is discussed in the Types of Content on Muryo-Annai Jyo’s Signboards page by Kanon since their service introduces these industries as well as other services in Kabuki-cho.
Text
Texts become a key to delivering messages to the viewers. Kyabakura signboards have minimum information written in small font size on the signboards; the name of the kyaba-jyo, the name of the store, and only one of the signboards included a ranking of the kyaba-jyo. This demonstrates that Kyabakura minimizes the textual information for the focus to be the face of the kyaba-jyo. In contrast, host clubs’ signboards include many textual information one signboards including, names of hosts and store, ranking, earnings, and their characteristics or messages. Thus, while the host clubs also appeal to their visuals of workers, they also appeal to their status and characteristics. This will the father be examined in the domain of TEXTUAL & LANGUAGE usage.
Size
There are varieties in the size of the signboard. The smallest signboard is poster-sized (Image 1&2) which is a portrait picture of a host or kyaba-jyo. Other signboards, such as public boards (Discussed by Hayato), host clubs and kyabakura signboards are larger and catch attention while on the street. Most of these signboards are sideways (Image 3). Although there are signboards that display only one host or kyaba-jyo, many of the sideways signboards include multiple workers lined and posed. The largest signboards are often found beside the building that displays the full body (Image 4) of the workers. Depending on the size of the signboard, the number of viewers could be affected. For example, larger signboards will catch more attention than poster-sized signboards. Furthermore, the larger the size the more money is spent to construct. Therefore, the size of the signboard could identify the financial status of the store.
Image 1: Poster size signboard (Host)
Image 3: Medium side way size
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Image 2: Poster size signboard (Kyaba-jyo)
Image 4: Large size that display full body
Neon Lights
Lighting becomes important on signboards for night industries because it makes the sign noticeable in the darkness when the stores are in service. In addition to the regular light that flashed over the signboard to make it visible at night, host clubs and kyabakura use neon lights on their frame of the signboard. Unlike regular lighting, neon lights add a sense of “pop” and art to the overall appearance. These use of neon lights creates the atmosphere of Kabukicho of “the city that never sleeps” and a lively active atmosphere on the street.
Summary
Through the page, it revealed that the main focus for both hosts clubs and kyabakura is the workers, which are distinct from other daytime industries. However, the host clubs also emphasize the content of the service which is the characteristics of the workers as well as their status and success as hosts. Different strategies are examined such as the size, images, colors, and lighting to attract the attention of the viewers. The significant point here is the use of neon colors and lighting on signboards. This is not observed in the daytime and on regular signboards which makes these signboards unique. Moreover, it contributes to the whole atmosphere of the Kabuki-cho of a “the city that never sleeps”.