Our love for Babymetal culminated with a fascinating interview with the young Japanese metal girl group last week and now it looks like they have some competition. It didn't take long for somebody to realize the formula of a capable group of metal musicians fronted by young females has money written all over it and if any scene could rival Japan's pop scene it's the Korean pop scene (K-Pop)
Fellow Babymetal enthusiasts, MetalSucks, brought our attention to a new video from the group Pritz and from the moment I hit play, something seemed off:
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBR8PQ-BUxU[/youtube]
Maybe I was thinking too much into this, but it seems like their outfits bear a striking resemblance to Nazi outfits. Much like Nicki Minaj getting heat last week, it seems like Pritz is already facing the same backlash from news outlets. Of course, the groups management have denied these claims saying the thought never crossed their minds which seems so ludicrous. This is a big oiled machine and nobody noticed this?? The Daily Mall asked the management to explain the logo and they said:
According to Pandagram, the logo was inspired by traffic signs, with black numbers written on white circles surrounded by red.
The X-shape has arrowheads at the end to symbolise Pritz's ambitions of expanding 'without a limit in four directions,' according to the company's representative.
Some have compared the logo to the anti-semetic Hungarian Arrow Cross Party:
Perhaps a rebranding is in order before moving ahead? Even if this wasn't intentional, which I'm sure it wasn't, there is no way for the group to escape the bad press unless they change their look. Babymetal would never be accused of such a thing.
So far: Babymetal 1; Pritz 0.
Update: Pritz have addressed the controversy:
“It's free to think of the Nazis when you look at the X shaped armband. We are not them, but Pritz. Pritz who come to the earth to save you. We are Pretty Rangers In the Terrible Zone, PRITZ.”
