scattered notes on idolm@ster cinderella girls

this was from a looooooong time ago, just copy+pasting it here bc i felt like it lol. i would highly recommend against reading it

Skip to “In summary…” to get a TL;DR.
Ep. 1-3: I can see why some people may not like this as much as the original, especially after seeing how successful the characters are right off the bat. But despite how it looks on the outset, at this point in the story, the characters themselves ARE NOT that successful yet, they just happened to have been hired into an already successful company. You can see in this interview that the production was more like making a shoujo manga than the original, and you can really see that here. The fairy tale theme is obviously a big theme with this series—765 Pro were in a small, dingy office, while 346 is already really successful with a huge building that’s visually compared to the castle from the actual Cinderella story. This glorified, almost fantasy-like setting already proves that this is the ideal future for our idols, NOT their actual status in their beginning, and that this series will detail the characters journey TO that ideal future.

The characters aren’t successful this early on because they’re already good, but because they were backup dancers for some already successful idols—they were essentially just riding on their coattails, and when they actually get their own concert with themselves later on in ep. 6, they barely get any fans to show up. This first part was just the characters getting a first look into their dreams, it allowed them to see the ideal idol they could potentially become, and it knew fully well that it was too early for the characters; because of that, it led the characters into a false sense of security, and without that contrast between the characters’ two experiences, ep. 6 would not have hit as hard as it did if it wasn’t for the success that the characters had here.

I was spoiled a bit about what happens in season 2, but they’re just some vague theming stuff that doesn’t matter… too much?? Either way, it informs me more about why the first ep. was structured the way it was, and it’s that dichotomy between wanting to put on a smile for the audience, and being honest with them, even if it means revealing your more negative emotions. Here, the producer is overly blunt and honest about what he wants, but he also can’t put into words a convincing argument to save his life. It wasn’t him that convinced Rin to become an idol in the end, but Uzuki—and it was all due to her genuine smile and happiness as an idol. People gravitate towards those happy emotions, and it was even able to convince the ambivalent Rin to join the company.

And it’s that effect that idols have on the audience that I think the show will add on to what the original show was saying about the idol’s relationship with the audience. The original focused a lot on the audience’s perspective, both with them being honest with their idols, and also allowing the idols to be honest with them: from the more toxic side like the tabloids and paparazzi pushing the already emotionally isolated Makoto even more into her shell; to the more valuable and human aspect of the audience as we see with Kana comparing herself and her own values to Haruka (even if that effect had some faults as we saw in the movie). But here, it seems to be focusing more on the idols’ side: from the situation of both Uzuki and Mio putting on a fake smile for their friends and the audience, to the villains we see later on in S2 taking control of the company to create more manufactured, dishonest, emotionless, and inhuman personalities to throw on the stage. If the show continues down this route of developing this theme, I think it’ll easily stand equally with the surprising depth of the original series.

#5

This’s a pretty good episode, mainly just to see the stakes at hand for our characters. They’re one of the only two units getting a CD debut, which puts pressure on them to do well not only for themselves, but for everyone in the Cinderella Project as well. She doesn’t show it at first, but as the leader of the group, Mio must be feeling that pressure more than anyone else, which just makes the reception at the next concert all the more impactful for her.

#6-7

I think this is a very important conflict to really set the stage for what this show’s all about. It brings all the things I talked about in the first three episodes to the forefront. Before, the true nature of the show was hidden under that idealized veil of what idol-work was going to be like, but real showbusiness isn’t like that. I think that final shot of ep. 7 says it all—the broken glass slipper. It’s really a turning-point for the series as the characters are pulled out of that fairy tale-like fantasy and into reality. Not only is that jarring for the characters, but—for a show that was initially so happy-go-lucky to abruptly shift tones like this—it reflects on what we as the audience should be taking away from this as well. The entertainment industry isn’t the glamorized, saccharine place it’s made out to be, and in order to fully appreciate it, we need to consume our media with that knowledge in mind. Mio, being a regular audience member just like the rest of us, had that glamorized image of idols in her head—and while it served as a positive thing before, it only made her confrontation with the reality of it that much more jarring for her. I think this even reflects back on what was covered in the iM@S movie as well, with Kana applying the unrealistic, romanticized standards of the idol industry onto herself. Especially since Mio actually got to experience the feeling of that glamorized life before back in ep. 3, that feeling of inferiority must have felt even more personal and hard-hitting for her. It was in this conflict that Mio comes to a personally shocking revelation that her love for idols was all predicated on the industry essentially LYING to her with these unrealistic standards.

…But as the conflict comes to an end, as the producer shows her the photos of the concert and she sees the smiles on the audience’s faces, she comes to realize that that glamor, that sheer & boundless optimism that she saw on stage IS a valuable thing, unrealistic though it may be, and that she should embrace that initial love she felt for the industry. I don’t think the show is satisfied to leave it at that, however, especially after seeing that last scene with Rin. She really comes across to me as someone who has never bought into that facade before, only joining because of her new personal connection to Uzuki. And I think that ambivalence in Rin will be the mission statement of the show going forward. Now that this first conflict happened, I think the producer now knows that if he wants to keep the idols happy and willing to work, he needs to allow them to be more emotionally honest on stage. As a result of this honesty, not only will cases like Mio happen a lot less as these unrealistic standards will finally be torn down, if they actually become successful with this mindset, it’ll prove to the industry that this genuine, human connection to the audience IS a valuable, profitable asset that they should be taking advantage of (which I think will probably be the conflict that we’ll see with the villains in season 2).

#8-11

These episodes are a lot more like the original’s 1st cour, as they’re just here to give each character their individual episodes, so your enjoyment will vary depending on which characters you like. I pretty much liked all of them with the exception of ep. 10 which was really creepy.

Okay let’s continue… we come off from an EXTREMELY strong showing from the mid-season climax, so I really doubt the story would just suddenly drop off like I had initially thought.

Ep. 15: Yeah… I VASTLY exaggerated the villain’s presence in the show. Most of the screentime is on the idols ffs. Idk what I was thinking back then lol. I really love the Cinderella aesthetic they’ve been setting up, and they are definitely fully diving in on that concept. With this villain, she wants to set up only the most pristine of personas on stage, even using the word “Princess” as a goal for their image. And it is this kind of image that really traps the audience members like Mio. To form this image of the “perfect” idol, while it does make you happy to watch them (and more importantly for them it SELLS boatloads of tickets), it also removes all the humanity behind that image, the very humanity that is supposed to be drawing in that audience in the first place. Seeing Kaede turn down the villain’s deal in favor of performing at her first venue again really embodies that concept.. It’s okay if you’re not the most popular artist you could be. As long as you’re getting that human connection with at least one person, it’s all worth it, not only emotionally, but financially as well. If you get an audience member actually connected with the idol on stage, they’ll be much more likely to return and buy more tickets in the future.

#16

God, my image of this episode really changed since last time lol. There was a part of me last time where I thought that all these brightly-colored, high-pitch-voiced moe girls were just.. so fake. But if I had just watched a BIT more of the episode to see its resolution I think I would have actually understood it. Yeah, these personas the idols have on stage are NOT realistic, but they were NEVER even meant to be. This episode we explored an idol who claims that she’s an alien from some planet in outer space. But behind this absurdist image, there was this one scene that really stuck out to me—when she was calling her mom alone in her room, as she was being told to come work in their business again. Being an idol is NOT a normal job at all, so for someone to abandon the security and comfort of a normal life for that means that, as unrealistic as their image is, there is a real HUMAN desire behind that image. I think that as I grew up through the Internet, I really understood this a lot more. The desire to be something that you could never be. When I’m online, I act SO much more vibrant and outgoing than I do in real life. In the social restrictions and rules you’re bound under (and these rules are probably even stricter in Japan), this outlet to express your individuality and identity is really important. And for these idols, this on-stage persona serves that purpose for them. It allows them to become the person that they could never be in their regular old lives, and that INCLUDES all the flaws and oddities of their personality. In many ways, these absurd, unrealistic personas are ironically much more realistic and honest than the pristine, dignified personas the villain is aiming for.

#20-22

I’ve just been binging these episodes without saying anything but I think there is this one common thread tying them together. Over these last two episodes it’s been slowly tearing down the idea that this character I’ve been calling the villain isn’t actually a villain, just a harbinger of opportunity. Taking her deals would pretty much guarantee you success, but that success would end up feeling empty since you haven’t achieved that success with your own effort. It’s very much like that concert we see back in eps. 1-3 in how it’s like a fantasy for our characters. It may not be the most fulfilling work, but it gives you more experience which is ultimately a positive thing. When the characters were presented with these new opportunities, they went to great lengths to portray them as “adventures”—the opportunity to get out of your comfort zone and try something new—and the anxiety that comes with that. These “adventures” go surprisingly well for Love Laika, who both rise at the opportunity to do their best in their solo careers, but for New Gen there’s even more turmoil. They dive even further into this fairy-tale aesthetic here with Mio getting a role in a drama, and they tie it in to the show’s conflict beautifully, portraying a sheltered, sickly character who goes out to experience the beauty of the world in spite of the risk. Upon hearing about Rin being invited into the new unit, she was initially met with anxiety and feelings of betrayal. But then she put herself in Rin’s shoes and ultimately decided that these changes, while risky, are an ultimately positive experience. Seeing them succeed at the fall concert at the end was such a gratifying experience, and seeing Mio and Rin support each other in their solo endeavors was so fucking good ;-;

#23

This episode though…. THIS. FUCKING. EPISODE. I’ve been waiting for the whole show for this one moment, and MY GOD IT WAS SO WORTH IT. Everything that the show was building up from the very beginning has been building up to this. And now the thematic conclusion is in sight. Uzuki’s smile is the only thing that she feels she’s worth.. Uzuki’s genuine, smiling face was the very thing that convinced Rin to become an idol—so it’s fitting to see this scene taking place in the very same park that it happened in. But as an idol, she’s encouraged to keep that face up constantly. Seeing the villain so quickly abandon Uzuki the moment she displayed the slightest bit of emotional vulnerability was so venomous, so biting, and it’s the epitome of everything wrong with the idol industry. It’s the exact same problem we’ve seen countless times throughout the franchise like with Mio and Kana. The unreasonably high standards of the industry forces its idols to put on that smile, and that toxicity extends beyond the idols themselves, and across the entire audience. But seeing the way Rin & Mio stood up for her and pushed her to be emotionally honest was so fucking gratifying, I CRIED MY FUCKING EYES OUT I S2G. Uzuki’s smiles ARE valued, and has the power to make everyone around her happy. But that power will never be worth it at the cost of Uzuki’s own happiness, and Rin completely understands that. Instead of abandoning her like the villain has, Rin knows to be patient with her. That with time, if they wait long enough, that real, genuine smile that spoke to Rin on that fateful day will finally return.

#24

The way they set up that loose thread at the end of last episode and finally tied it all up in this episode… that tension only lasted for ONE EPISODE and yet it already felt like such a gratifying, cathartic release. After we got to know the real, true Uzuki, the genuine person behind all the walls and facades she’s set up around herself; seeing her tear those walls down and becoming more emotionally honest really feels like watching a close depressed friend finally reaching true happiness… As self-indulgent as the show can get, as wrapped up in the character’s personas as it is most of the time, it’s REALLY easy to view this show as just another pandering idol show with inhuman personalities. But the way it justifies all that and backs it up with some of the most foundational, HUMAN emotional concepts is just…. masterful.

In summary…

The way this show handled its narrative was so intricate, and yet really speaks to the grand theme that speaks to the franchise as a whole. The way the emotions of the show are constructed is VERY reminiscent of KyoAni shows, and that is NO coincidence considering director Noriko Takao’s KyoAni roots. However, this show seriously gets a bad wrap for some reason and I REALLY don’t get it.

this post comes the closest I’ve seen to nailing it, at least narrative-wise, but no one actually GETS it. No one actually gets how perfect of a summation of the franchise this show was. The sakuga community is probably aware of its narrative strengths, but they really only talk about its visual elements. And while its visuals are obviously really strong (and probably the best thing about the franchise), they never really talk about the true narrative and thematic heart behind imas.

Everyone has the indication that these shows portray the idol industry just like any other show as an idealized, unrealistic, artificial and saccharine industry. And while the shows definitely want its audience to come out with a positive view on it at the end, it really does portray the fundamental problems at the heart of the industry too, particularly with that very same idealization that people claim the shows to be. It acknowledges how that idealization is a bad thing in a lot of ways, both for the audience and the idols themselves. A lot of the characters (particularly Kana, Mio & Uzuki) hold themselves up to that unrealistic standard that the industry conveys to them through their idols. Not only does this account for the idol industry, but for art as a whole, especially for aspiring artists.

Back before I gave up on drawing, I saw the posts that these amazing artists put up on the internet. It gives off the image of them being these perfect beings who never make a bad piece of art. And obviously, that’s completely off-base from who they are. We don’t see their weeks of practice, the hundreds of scrapped works that the artist went through to get to that accomplishment. What we see is a completely polished idealization of the artist’s vision. It could be taken as misleading, even if unintentional. And in Dereani especially, they go to great lengths to portray their performances as glamorously as possible, both through its central Cinderella metaphor and visual direction. The performances are portrayed as these alluring acts of art, and you can see how it influences the idols in particular to hold themselves up to that standard. We see the pain this idealization causes them—with Kana comparing herself with Haruka, with Mio’s inferiority complex as the unit’s leader, and Uzuki wanting to hide her more negative emotions in order to put on that fake smile on stage: all of this in service of them aspiring to be that idealized idol that the industry constructs for them.

But at the same time we also see the massive amounts of good it does for them too. Especially in dereani season 2 when we see the Cinderella Project specifically fighting against Mishiro—someone who is actively trying to put that idealized idol figure on stage—in favor of allowing the idols to express themselves, ALONG with their flaws on stage. We see this particularly in episode 16 with Miku—for the entire show she was portrayed as this fake-looking idol who buys way too much into her own catgirl persona. But then in episode 16 when we see Mishiro specifically controlling the idols’ personas on stage, we get a scene that suddenly made Miku’s character click for me, and it just added a whole new layer to the show’s narrative by providing a concrete example of the real good the industry does for its idols. We see her alone in her room (edit: actually it wasn’t Miku, it was Usamin, but I imagine Miku is in a similar situation considering how much she looks up to her as a role model), when her mom calls her and tries convincing her to quit and come work in the family business. It was a really small scene but.. just that little bit of clarity, that small look into the person behind this persona, really made me understand why she tries so hard to keep up that persona. It’s not lying because it’s an aesthetic that she genuinely identifies with. But in real life, especially in the conformist culture of corporate Japan, that’s not something you can express that freely. But up on stage, as an idol, she can actually identify by that aesthetic and have people acknowledge it, even if for a little bit. And that really hit me as someone who identifies by the aesthetic of anime itself. Just like with Miku’s catgirl persona, I know I physically cant be an anime girl in real life, and yet my whole identity genuinely revolves around that persona. It’s a bittersweet feeling, to identify so strongly with something that you can never reach. But for these idols, the industry allows them to reach that ideal persona, and I think that’s definitely the part of the industry that should be maintained.

Anime is unhealthy and problematic in a lot of ways, but it is so, so, SO important to me and my identity. It’s not worth abandoning the self-expression that the industry allows for both its idols and the audience just because of the few toxic standards it builds. This franchise really informed me about this real issue in the industry through its characters’ struggles, and through that, it inspired me to take a closer look at why I love the art that I love, and to ultimately come away with a more emotionally healthy & honest way of consuming that art. The way this show so intricately connects so personally with my life is probably why so many people don’t get this show. And all of this was portrayed through subtext, underneath all the more obvious themes of the show, which just makes it even harder to understand for a lot of people, and a lot harder to explain in words. I still haven’t explained it all that well and there’s still so much more to say. Maybe I’ll write more once I think about it more. For now, this season is a decent 10. Definitely earned its place as one of my favorites.

—————————————

this is also a good post, give it a read