UlasanAnime.com – As the final episode of U149 concluded, it brought to mind how many of the fundamental ideas within Cinderella Girls are built upon seemingly simple, basic concepts, yet are explored with extreme realism. To illustrate with a metaphor, in Disney’s version of Cinderella, the fairy godmother transforms a pumpkin into a horse-drawn carriage; it’s a literal pumpkin that magically reshapes and gains the functionality of a carriage. When you think of a tomboyish fifth grader, Haru might come to mind. Similarly, for a “gal” fifth grader, Risa might be the character you envision. These instances of bringing ideas to life through imagination form the foundation of it all.
A significant portion of this series focuses on elaborating not just these character archetypes, but also on depicting the often unrealistic origins of these concepts within the reality of the IDOLM@STER brand: idol production and all its associated elements. It successfully sells that fantasy while still acknowledging the underlying realities, much like a swan metaphorically paddling furiously beneath the surface. What is also quite unreal, in the context of this being an anime that tackles such a subject, is the notion that children signed to a major idol agency are essentially engaged in child labor. While this is arguably a type of labor that many people don’t view negatively (though some still do), the show heavily plays on “child versus adult” themes. Arisu, for example, is the child idol who yearns to be an adult but is fundamentally too childish to achieve it. These dynamics come into full play. It’s an unusual feeling to consider U149 in these terms, yet every time these young idols encounter such workplace challenges, it’s difficult to ignore this perspective.
Throughout numerous scenes in the series, we witness the U149 Producer diligently working, investing his own money into his charges, and dedicating all his time to their projects. While the U149 Producer exhibits a degree of childishness according to societal norms, he generally functions as a normal adult navigating typical adult challenges within a professional setting. He serves as a foil to the U149 idols.
The situation becomes both amusing and somewhat perplexing as the children themselves also take on responsibilities for one another. One idol designs costumes, while another excels at cooking. Some display remarkable emotional maturity, and others possess strong leadership skills. Some are physically stronger than others. To the extent that U149 functions as a team or unit, in striving for a satisfactory level of respect or appeal, the children also seem to lose some of their inherent childlike qualities, in my opinion.
Perhaps this is why I particularly enjoy moments when Miria injects that standard youthful energy, coupled with an underlying shadow of fear beneath her seemingly steely, child-like facade during live streams. Miria’s episodes are consistently excellent because they highlight an obvious internal conflict where she ultimately overcomes it with her maturity.
However, to address the question of why people are so fond of Arisu… Rhetorically, I understand the appeal. I’m simply pointing out that every seemingly bratty child in the third division possesses a surprising depth of inner qualities that make them admirable individuals. It’s possible that these qualities also make some of them attractive as idols, but it would be safe to say that for the majority, it is still too early to consider such a path.
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PS. Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, Cinderella Girls shows have exclusively utilized smart/digital tickets. This means that for overseas Producers, acquiring tickets now involves navigating a different set of hurdles than before. It also makes proxy services more challenging than ever. Yet, we see them drawing these paper tickets into the show, and it truly makes me shake my head in disbelief. It’s quite amusing (in a not-so-positive way) to witness this in a magical anime about little children striving to sing, dance, and behave like endearing little performers.
