The iDOLM@STER S1 E1

## Plot

This episode is mostly shot in the form of a documentary, because a man is filming a documentary about 765 Production's idols. His first subject is Haruka Amami. She has to travel two hours by train to get to work. She's clumsy, but very optimistic, like Uzuki. 765 Pro supports twelve female idols of various ages with drastically different backgrounds, personalities, and interests, in a rather shabby building. Their producer is Ritsuko Akizuki, who used to be an idol. Kotori Otonashi also helps out there, but she's neither a producer nor an idol. Haruka and the cameraman run into another idol, Makoto Kikuchi. She has tomboyish looks, and a lot of fangirls who may think she's a boy at first. 765 is pretty poor, and the elevator is broken. During an interview with Ritsuko Akizuki, two of the idols interrupt. They're identical twins Ami and Mami Futami. Another idol, Hibiki Ganaha, interrupts as well. She's lost one of her many pets, specifically her hamster Hamuzou. The twins and Hibiki chase after him. A rich, spoiled idol named Iori Minase messes with Makoto, as well as Yukiho Hagiwara, who has a fear of men. Another idol, Yayoi Takatsuki, hears them and tries to find out what's going on. Then they all realize that the camera has been rolling the whole time. Iori has a small pink bunny named Charles, like Anzu's bunny. Except Anzu's is much bigger and a darker shade of pink. Haruka is talking with another idol about MP3 players. Or it could be an iPod. Her name is Chihaya Kisaragi. Two other idols, Azusa Miura and Takane Shijou, are reading fortunes in magazines. Takane is A LOT like Ranko. Azusa reminds me of Kaede. Hamuzou crawls into another idol's, um, chest. Her name is Miki Hoshii, and she's really lazy. She's like Anzu, but older. Ritsuko yells at everyone to keep it down. The cameraman follows Miki, Haruka, and Chihaya to a vocal lesson. Then he follows Haruka and Kotori to a promotion event, and has to help out when Kotori leaves. Then he follows Chihaya to a concert where she's opening. She's very calm, but she doesn't like to smile and doesn't answer many questions. She does cryptically say that she has nothing else but singing though. The cameraman follows Takane to an audition, but she doesn't get it. He also follows Hibiki to her audition, which she also doesn't get. She has a pet hamster, snake, chipmunk, parrot, rabbit, dog, cat, crocodile, pig and a momonga. Um, what the heck's a momonga? Some type of monkey? Azusa also didn't pass her audition. When she graduated from junior college, she just applied to be an idol on a whim. Back at 765 Pro, the cameraman interviews the other idols. Iori wants to prove she can become an idol without help from her rich and famous father and brothers. Yayoi's family is poor, and she became an idol to make money for them and help out. She, like Haruka and Uzuki, also has a positive attitude. After all the girls leave, Ritsuko says that she can't wait to see them all mature as idols. Finally, we meet the faceless president/chief of 765 Productions, Junjirou Takagi. The cameraman asks all the girls a question: "What is an "idol" to you?" They all have very different answers. Haruka waves goodbye to the cameraman from her train. Song time! *Look up at the sky and join your hands The sky is sparkling If everyone in the world holds hands The world is all one!! Unity mind Hey, of all the people we encounter Hey, we have in this world How many of those people are smiling? Hey, crying is a lifetime Hey, and so is smiling Then why don't we live smiling together Lift your head, everyone's smiling Pool our strengths and aim for the light Don't forget that In this world we have friends Friends who will move forward with us! There are things you can't do alone And things you can do when you're with friends Being able to overcome them is Unity is strength Look up at the sky and join your hands The sky is all connected When everyone in the world holds hands The world is all one!! The world is all one!! Unity mind* That was a **long** song, but it was needed to pad out the episode. And there's one more person we haven't met yet… or have we? Chief Takagi introduces everyone to the cameraman, a.k.a. their new rookie producer. He wears a suit and glasses.

## Review

I just found out that a momonga is a Japanese dwarf flying squirrel. This was a good introduction episode. I liked how it really did feel like a documentary. My favorite idol is Chihaya. She's *so* good! Wow, and I thought Rin and Triad Primus and Anastasia were good singers? She's amazing! I was totally blown away. I like all the characters.