Cinderella Girls S1 E7

## Plot

After a recap of the last episode, the sky is gray. Rin and Uzuki are the only ones in the project room. Mio hasn't come. It looks like she was serious about quitting. They want to try going over to her house, but the producer won't give them her address. He asks them to leave this to him. After a somber opening, the other girls are worried about Mio. They think that New Generations is disbanding. Miku says that if Mio is quitting then she's unfit to be a pro. I can see both sides of it. For one thing, Mio *isn't* a professional, at least not yet. She's still just a teenager, and she has to *learn* how to be professional. At the same time, the producer shouldn't have treated her like an adult because she's not one. Instead of using vague wording and not telling the girls anything, he should've said exactly what he meant to say. They're both at fault, and now they have to take responsibility and clean up their mess together before it gets too out of hand. I'm reminded of a similar situation in the original anime. Anyways, the girls are interrupted when Rin falls down while dancing, because she can't focus and is still worried about Mio. Mio hasn't been answering anyone's texts or calls. The producer goes to see her, but she wants to be left alone. Mio's decision to quit doesn't just affect her. It affects Uzuki and Rin too. Back at 346 Productions, Uzuki steps on some broken glass. They ask for Mio's address again, but the producer still won't give it to them. He wants to respect Mio's wish to be left alone. Uzuki feels tired out with everything going on. The next day, Rin is the only one in the project room. She checks every room, but no one else is there. She tries calling Mio. She goes to see the producer. Uzuki called in sick. Rin wants to know what the producer intends to do. And she wants a decent answer. She wants him to just bring Mio back. The producer says that Mio doesn't seem to be herself yet. Then… "Don't escape. Remember what you told me? That if I came here, there would be a different world. When I performed on stage for the first time. When I heard our own finished song… It felt like I was going to find it… That something I can be passionate about. But right now, I don't feel it. Tell me, what do you mean by "difference in outlook"? Why won't you bring Mio back? What are you thinking? And I thought I could trust you…" And just like that, Rin quits too. The other girls think that New Generations might really be disbanding. Uzuki being sick only fuels the implications. Mika thinks that it might be because she invited them to participate in her concert. It turns out that Rin bought her CD and Love Laika's too. No! It's just so sad! Meanwhile, Chihiro and the producer are planning Love Laika's next event. Anastasia and Minami have no questions, but the producer asks them about the concert the other night. They were happy, but now, under the circumstances, they don't know what to do. Uzuki has a fever. A voice outside her door asks her how she feels. It takes her a few seconds to register who's talking: The producer! He came to leave her a get well soon gift, but Uzuki's mother insisted that he check on her. He starts to leave, but Uzuki asks him to wait downstairs. The poor girl doesn't know that Rin has quit, and she remains optimistic that Mio will come back. Uzuki thinks that it would be cool to be on TV next. Uzuki starts talking about the mini-concert… She says that she feels some regret… but she doesn't talk about Mio. She feels regret because she wasn't able to smile all the way through. Her comment has given the producer an idea. He runs back to his office, grabs some photos, and starts to head back out when he's intercepted by the other girls. They ask him about what's going to happen and what they should do. The producer reassures them that New Generations **is not** disbanding, and **no one** is going to quit. He runs into the manager and Mika on his way back out. The producer runs to Mio's house through the rain. In the meantime, the manager tells the girls a story. "There was once a very straightforward, uptight man. He always led the way in a straightforward fashion. So the Cinderellas would proceed down the right path, it was always straight ahead with him. But depending on time and circumstances, sometimes even the correct path, even with straightforward guidance, the results are a mess. In the end, three Cinderellas left the man. From then on, the man became a coward. And he became a silent chariot that will take the Cinderellas to the palace." That man was the producer. The manager tells them to wait a little longer to see if the spell can be broken. Mio hasn't answered any of Uzuki's texts. She's convinced that she's a failure as leader. She receives a text from the producer. He's waiting downstairs. Sure enough, Mio looks out her window and sees him in the parking lot, standing in the rain. Then the police arrest him *again*. At the station, they finally talk. He shows her photos from the concert. Mio isn't smiling in them. When the producer said that the results were only natural, he didn't mean it was a failure. He thought it was a success. In the background of the photos, you can see the audience smiling. There weren't that many people, but they stayed and listened to their song. Mio finds a picture that shows that she was smiling. Mio is upset, because she was so busy counting heads, she didn't notice them smiling or clapping. She's afraid that she's a loser and a jerk. She fears that she can't look everyone else in the eyes again. The producer tells her that that's exactly why she can't leave things like this. The sun *finally* shows up when the two head to the park to talk to Rin. She's singing the lyrics to their song. "Let's begin a fresh, evolution, revolution, generation…" Mio and the producer apologize to Rin. The producer promises her that he won't leave her in the dark anymore and that he'll try harder. Rin and Mio apologize to everyone for quitting. Uzuki's just happy to see them. Mio suggests that the producer try talking more casually.

## Review

This was such a great episode! It had great development for Mio and the producer. Although that line in the first episode about there being three openings is a lot harsher now. For all we know, those three Cinderellas could've left the producer very recently. But things still worked out between everyone. I look forward to the next episode! Adelante mis amigos! Onward my friends!