Tokyo Idols (2017) - full transcript
Girl bands and their pop music permeate every moment of Japanese life. Following an aspiring pop singer and her fans, Tokyo Idols explores a cultural phenomenon driven by an obsession with young female sexuality, and the growing disconnect between men and women in hyper-modern societies
I had quit my job. I was depressed.
I wanted someone to talk to.
I've never felt so passionate
about anything in my life.
I've never seen anything like it.
This isn't a fad.
It's a religion.
I want to protect my innocence
Until I leave my school uniform behind
Remain as pure as the day I was born
Like an angel
I want to protect my innocence
Until I leave my school uniform behind
Remain as pure as the day I was born
Like an angel
It stinks.
-My costume stinks.
-It does.
I did a 40-minute set
and it is soaked in sweat.
This may be a problem.
I don't know.
Shall I record it?
-Great job, girls.
-Thanks.
As an idol,
we have something like an expiration date.
I can't do this forever.
I never really wanted to be an idol.
I see this as a training ground.
My real dream is to be a singer.
Hold me tight
Why is it
That all of us are so happy?
Do you want to know the reason?
Do you want to know more about us?
In the live house...
It's our first competition this year.
Let me hear it!
Let's have fun!
We are Rio!
-Rio!
-Rio!
Put your hands together!
Give me all you've got!
-Faith! Faith!
-Faith! Faith!
-Worship! Worship!
-Worship! Worship!
-Pilgrimage! Pilgrimage!
-Pilgrimage! Pilgrimage!
Faith! Faith!
In high school,
I listened to Western music.
I loved U2.
Bryan Adams.
Faith! Faith!
I was seeing a girl
I thought I would get married to.
I started saving up money to get married.
But it didn't go according to plan.
She found someone else.
I spent all my savings on idols.
That year, I went to about 700 idol shows.
Make a donation
Say a prayer
Don't listen to reason
I've blown so much money.
I could have bought an apartment.
Thank you, everyone!
Look at my shoes. They're falling apart!
The sand Is pouring out!
I need to take them off so I can dance.
I feel like Cinderella.
-Thanks, Rio.
-Thank you, Koji.
-Did you get a haircut?
-Yeah, just today.
You look cute.
-Thank you.
-You too.
See you tomorrow.
-Yes, tomorrow.
-Okay.
-Rest well.
-You too.
She's like a mirror.
An expensive mirror.
I always look up to her
and compare myself with her.
Next up is "Happy Synthesizer."
Happy synthesizer, let me play a melody
A melody that would reach
The bottom of your heart
An one-sided love that fleeted away
I guess it makes a good story now
Everything was glimmering in hope
Those days are beautifully smiling at me
Hooray!
Thank you very much!
I'm live every day.
You can follow me on Twitter, too.
It has been a while
since I did a live makeup show.
Good morning, Damian.
My fans are like my children.
Almost done.
I love them all equally.
I'm currently ranked second.
They're the most important
thing in my life.
I am nothing without them.
Fans who live far away
buy my products online.
They keep the sales receipt, too.
It makes me happy.
Even the sales receipt
is part of the product.
This place is like home to me.
Rio was born here.
I always loved anime.
I used to dream of Akihabara,
the mecca of anime.
I came here for a part-time job
and started singing.
I was in high school. I was 16.
Luka, Luka night fever
Move your body, fall into this rhythm
Just forget it all
Put the bad thoughts away
Luka Luka Night Fever
The fans' hysteria was strange at first.
Don't you take your eyes off of me
Not even one second
When these adult men suddenly swarmed me,
I thought it was scary!
Soon, I started to feel more comfortable.
I wanted to keep them entertained.
I will fly to you
Let me teach you what
You won't learn in school
When fans take pictures with me,
there are rules
about where they can touch.
RIO HIIRAGI
Thanks for coming!
Thanks so much!
Here are the tickets.
Thank you so much!
Hope to see you again soon.
High five!
It was a blast!
Thanks for coming!
It sounds good to me.
Yeah, really.
Thank you.
High five!
Thank you all for coming.
We ask you to kindly line up accordingly.
The meet and greet will begin
from the starting line here.
The preparation is almost done
so we will start soon.
Please follow the directions of the MC.
Today's online communication
left the need...
to interact in person
with someone real, someone close-up.
Idols used social media to lure
the fans to their handshake events.
First, you connect online,
then you meet in person.
Being virtual was not enough.
We wanted virtual and reality.
-I couldn't take my eyes off you.
-Thank you.
Okay, please move.
Thank you so much for coming!
Historically, a handshake
is a very sexual gesture.
Touching was forbidden.
It's only in the last few decades
that handshakes have become accepted.
When? In the Summer?
So bringing in the handshake events
was a very smart move.
From the artists' perspective,
it seems very innocent.
But for the fans,
there's probably a sexual component to it.
It's a legal grey zone.
No matter how cute or rich you are,
idols are not allowed to give you
any special attention.
There's no competition.
So, you don't have to worry
about feeling rejected.
School or regular swimsuit?
School, please.
Some fans find it embarrassing,
but I've learned not to be shy.
Here we go! Hands high!
P, I, D, L.
A new pachinko parlor had opened
and a cute waitress was working there.
I ordered a few cups of coffee.
I was hoping we could chat.
That's when she handed me this pamphlet.
She belonged to a P.IDL starter team.
I went to their concert.
That was the first time I saw this girl,
Yuka, who I'm obsessed with.
She lit up the stage.
She was exactly my type.
I met her at the handshake event.
She asked me my name.
A girl I had a crush on, asking my name...
I was thrilled.
Daddy Mitacchi
She's very thin.
She's energetic and cheerful.
I auditioned for P.IDL
to gain self-confidence.
I love being tough on myself
and facing new challenges.
I wanted to be a model.
I studied at Teikyo University
and was crowned Miss Campus.
That made me want
to push myself even more.
Please Give Us Love
Mongolian Chop
What costs the most
are the meetings and the greetings.
A CD is $10.
If you buy a CD,
you get a ticket for a handshake
or a photo together.
I spend at least $2,000 a month.
I have no money to save.
Before P.IDL, I used to visit
my parents a few times a week.
They know why I don't visit anymore.
He made a fan and clothes
with my name on them.
He's such a passionate supporter
and there will be many more like him.
I've only come this far thanks to my fans.
Wow, it's '91 Yuka! It's '92.
I'm going to put more pink on it.
I think they go well together.
There was a woman I was seeing.
But I stopped dating when I met Yuka.
After all this, if she tells me I'm not
her number one fan,
of course, it will be a blow.
My dog has always adored me,
but I'm not used to that
level of adoration from men.
It has been overwhelming.
I want to dance! I want to dance!
I want to dance, dance, dance tonight!
I want to dance! I want to dance!
Would you dance, dance, dance tonight?
Dance, dance, dance tonight?
I love being on stage
and hearing the fans scream my name.
It's so much fun.
I forget everything else.
Even when times are tough,
I feel that my hard work is rewarded.
A girl's job is to always
smile and comfort men.
Some people say,
the girls have chosen this,
so there's nothing wrong
with the "little girl fantasy."
If outsiders like me speak out against it,
we get an aggressive backlash.
We instantly have an e-mail.
Let me read it for all us.
Hi, everyone! I'm Yuka Hirano.
Do I have romantic feelings?
I'm rational enough to know
that nothing will happen between us
in reality.
She's only nice to me as an idol.
"Please stay with me forever,
my dearest Mitacchi."
I asked, "What is your name?"
That marked the beginning
of our special time together.
Love you, Mitacchi.
Everything was a first for me.
Feeling your support,
loving and being loved...
"No one can replace you
in my life, Mitacchi.
I'm so grateful.
Thank you so much, Yuka."
She wrote me that.
Dear Mitacchi. Love, Yuka.
As a young man, I had many dreams.
I wanted to be a teacher or an explorer.
But then,
I took the easy path of being a salaryman.
After four years of university,
I took the first job offered to me.
It's been an easy, mediocre life.
Totally devoid of excitement.
When I saw Rio, I thought,
"There's a cute girl who works hard."
I liked her determination.
Maybe, she's achieving what I couldn't.
I don't want to become an idol,
but there are so many things
I've failed at.
The Japanese generally have
a very low sense of self-worth.
It's tied up with the economy.
In the 1990's, the economy boomed
and then plummeted rapidly.
The drop had a huge impact.
There are parallels between 1970's London
and Tokyo today.
The economy became stagnant
and the cultural scene was dead.
People were looking for something new.
Sex Pistols merged in London.
The Japanese answer was this idol culture.
Passion, adventure!
Onwards!
Let us capture interesting things!
The sun continues to shine!
Let it be and it will be fine!
In real life, a man may feel powerless,
but at an idol concert,
he feels like he's fighting with the girls
against the establishment.
He feels a sense of solidarity.
Fans who go to a lot of concerts
and buy too many CDs,
or spend too much time
collecting information on idols,
were given the name otaku.
As opposed to normal guys
with a mainstream hobby
who have a real girlfriend
and a proper job.
Akihabara is like an otaku's bedroom.
The whole area is jammed
with otaku fantasies.
Things you should do
in private are all out there.
Thank you everyone for being here today!
Here's my next song,
"Akihabara, Mecca of Otaku!"
The techno town, otakus' holy land!
-Akihabara!
-Akihabara!
Maids, school swimsuits,
And cat-related things!
International support is there also
Get on the decorated cars, vroom
Big bowl of rice, thank you very much!
Everybody's holy land, Akihabara!
I finally found my paradise
Akihabara Station
Here I come
Hopes and dreams in my backpack
Let's start with this electronics store
The staff are high-spec
I was reclusive and commusho
But here I felt at home
Surrounded by my brothers
I'll never forget what people said
Otaku are filthy pigs
Those words pierced my heart
I went to more and more shows.
When I caught myself doing
the same moves as everyone else,
I thought to myself,
"You're an otaku now."
The song calls us "commusho"
because we, otaku, have
communication disabilities.
Nothing is interested in me
I had eyes like a dead fish
I thought I was doomed to this life
But then I saw the light
Until recently, if you were an idol fan,
it meant you were a failure in life.
But now, the line between mainstream
and otaku culture is blurring.
Otaku are becoming mainstream.
It's socially acceptable
to be an otaku now.
Exceed your limits!
I don't feel a shed of regret
You boring people, look at us!
We're the real winners, we have fun!
Exceed your limits!
Some ask, should I stop being otaku?
But being otaku is for life
I have no friends left
In the outside world
But I still can't stop being otaku!
Screaming so loud,
dancing so hard...
People my age don't normally do that.
They would be too embarrassed.
Thank you very much!
TECHNO TOWN FESTIVAL
-I'm home.
-Hello.
-Let's massage your upper body first.
-Okay.
I'm so lucky.
I'm giving an idol a massage.
We weren't like this before.
That is true.
That feels great.
The work we do is very similar.
If we don't please people,
they won't come back.
When I was a teenager, I was in a band.
I was the drummer.
Here we go.
Then, I decided to become a chiropractor
and quit the band.
So when my daughter
started doing what she does,
I was not exactly living
my dream through her,
but as a parent, I felt
encouraged and empowered.
Your blind self-assurance,
that comes from me.
-The opposite of Mom.
-Mom is not like that?
I always wondered where I got
my unwarranted self-confidence.
When she was in high school,
I was very worried.
She gave me a hard time.
It's true.
She wasn't focused on her studies.
She often skipped school.
-No! I went to school.
-Well...
her teacher would call
because she missed class.
I would like to call Rio
but she wouldn't answer her phone.
She'd call me from Tokyo
to say she'd missed the last bus.
What could I do? I was powerless!
AGE 17
She would sleep at the cafe
where she worked.
On the sofa in the back room.
Before school, I would go
to a manga cafe and take a shower.
It worked fine.
We're here to pray
for Ryoka's health and success.
What we want most
is for her to reach the top league.
ELLIE CHIBA
KARIN SHIMOAOKI
Many fans like girls
who are still developing.
I'm like that as well.
You go for someone who's starting out,
rather than an idol with a huge fan base.
It may be our last chance.
She turned 17 last year.
For an idol, that is getting old.
Ryoka Oshima
Ryoka Oshima
May she make the roster
May my little sister
be accepted into high school
Japanese men have always prized
purity in women.
Now, idol culture feeds on that.
Worshipping virginity.
But there's fear of what happens
when the purity fades.
Fear of girls becoming strong women.
ANNUAL GENERAL ELECTIONS
OF IDOL BAND AKB48
Welcome everyone. Good evening.
You can feel the excitement!
Here are the candidates!
YURIA KADO
AINA KUSAKABE
MAO MITA
SAHO IWADATE
MAO OKAWA
In 80th place,
from Team Four...
Anna Murashige!
In 79th place...
We are force-fed the AKB election news.
They are even called "The Nation's Idols."
Making the most of your feminine assets
and winning male admiration
brings you ultimate happiness.
If you're bombarded
with this message daily,
you're conditioned to want it.
Ayaka Okada. Team E, Rei Sakai.
They present the idol fantasy
covered in glitter.
It's sold as a platform
where dreams come true.
Thank you very much.
You're praised and you even get paid.
You work hard and your dream comes true.
We've perfected this system for ten years.
In idol culture women are the stars.
There may be nowhere else
in Japanese society
where we are the driving force.
In 32nd place,
with 28,260 votes...
Ryoka Oshima!
She just made it.
It was close.
I am here, thanks to you
and all of your support.
Congratulations!
As long as she's happy, I'm happy.
And the winner is...
Rino Sashihara!
I won!
When I started as an idol,
I was immediately invited
to participate in competitions.
-Thank you for your work.
-Thank you for your work.
At first, I didn't have enough money
to promote myself.
I needed these competitions
so I could rise from the bottom.
I still compete all the time.
I did some research on the other
six groups performing today.
From their websites and Twitter feeds,
it doesn't look like
they will get many votes.
The Rio brothers are so united
that the others see us as a threat
and may vote against us.
We should cheer as loud as usual,
but we should not wear our yellow shirts.
That way we won't provoke them.
Yes.
Can you hear my heartbeat revolving?
Even when the whole world is crumbling
In a great resounding fashion
Please hold me in your arms
Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!
One, two, one, one!
At first, Rio would enter competitions
and always lose.
She overcomes challenges.
Like a phoenix, she falls but rises again.
This overflowing emotion for you
-Rio!
-Rio!
Overcome a multitude of hardships
Rise up like a phoenix!
Even if this world continues to fail
I'm wearing it today. This is the phoenix.
This right here.
-Everybody, who are we?
-We are RIOting!
Over 100 votes! Thank you!
Hello, Jen. Make yourself at home here.
Jerome says, "Bonjour, Rio Rio love."
Thank you! Me, too.
Just 90,000 more votes
will push me up to second place.
Please vote for me.
Let's seize our dream.
FIRST ROUND RESULTS
ANNOUNCED AT EIGHT TONIGHT
So this is how it is going to be.
-I'm scared.
-It's going to be shown on the screen.
-I'm so nervous.
-You are?
I hope I get into the top six.
-It's 8 p.m. now.
-Okay.
-I have refreshed the page.
-It is 8 p.m.
Here it comes.... What does it say?
-Second. You're in second.
-Second place.
RIO HIIRAGI, SECOND PLACE
-It's really close.
-I guess.
I'm not number one,
but at least I go to the next round.
-Yes, do your best there.
-I will.
-I made it!
-Congratulations!
-You're moving onto the next round.
-Yes! Yes! Yes!
In helping Rio fulfill her dream,
I realized I can do more with my own life.
So I've quit my job
and I'm starting my own company.
I want to take responsibility
for my actions.
As a salaryman,
someone always covers your mistakes.
You lose all sense of ambition.
I would always regret it
if I did not do something now.
Of course, I'm scared.
Leaving a secured job
is like throwing away
the most important thing in life.
Most people here walk around in suits.
I often bump into my former colleagues.
Walking around on a weekday
in a Rio shirt is a bit embarrassing.
Dear Rio Hiiragi
We have two bouquets of flowers.
Usually, we only get one
even for special events.
But, this is the biggest live venue
in Japan.
So, for tonight, we got two.
I chose the flowers myself.
Looking good!
THE DIAMOND SONGSTRESS
Let go or I'll start crying.
Why? What happened?
-What's wrong?
-Why will you start crying?
I'm so excited!
Thank you all in advance!
Welcome to Rio's wonderland!
-Average day.
-Hooray!
-Average day.
-Hooray!
-Everybody say, "Average day!"
-Hooray!
-You can do better! "Average day!"
-Hooray!
Thank you all so much for coming.
Now, let's shake our butts!
Let's have fun!
"Future Exceed!"
Kiss or cry
I would even go far as to shout
From the center of this world
I wouldn't mind being
That bold for once
I know that I'm stubborn
But I just want to say "I love you"
-Yeah!
-Yeah!
Let me hear you!
Feel that gleaming
Love that starts with an even number
With tomorrow's dream and a few coins
-Rio, Rio, world diva!
-Rio, Rio, world diva!
Thank you, everyone!
Everybody gathered here today,
brothers from all over the world,
greetings to you all!
-Greetings!
-Yeah!
This April, Rio finally signed
with a record label.
It's only the beginning
of her artistic odyssey.
Today, it's true.
She is no longer an idol.
She is an artist.
Artist Rio!
From now on, whether you are brothers
or not brothers,
please, please,
give her everything you've got!
-Yeah!
-That's right!
Lastly, may the goddess of music
descend on Rio!
May Rio's magical smile and radiant power
bless the whole world.
Encore! Here we go!
-Encore!
-Encore!
-Encore!
-Encore!
-Encore!
-Encore!
-Encore!
-Encore!
-Encore!
-Encore!
-Encore!
-Encore!
-Encore!
-Encore!
-Encore!
-Encore!
-We must do better than the last show.
-Yes!
-Let's make sure we entertain our fans.
-Yes!
-Let's go.
-Yes!
Harajuku Story!
Together,
here we
-go!
-Go!
I cannot stop smiling
Neither does the dancing of my heart
To you, I'm making my way
I'm running, running to you
The stage is very small.
We can't all fit on it.
So the fans choose their favorite girls
to be on stage.
I want to perform,
so I need to be popular.
These men are about the same age
as your father.
They all have different ages.
Do you ever find them scary?
No. They are all very nice. I'm okay.
My heart was beating rapidly
I had no idea I could feel this way
Amu!
Amu!
Their dancing is very good.
They use their music to get us stirred up.
Amu is my favorite.
To you, I'm making my way
This is the first picture of us together.
Dear Naoya
From Amu
Just over a year ago.
This was on my birthday.
It was 23rd birthday.
And this was Amu's birthday.
She turned 14.
I gave her shoes.
Dance shoes.
They've got her name on them.
Please call my name!
They line up and choose a girl.
And after the photo,
they have one minute
to talk and meet with her.
Do you remember the fans' names?
Yes. I take notes to remember.
That is how I remember.
Aren't they cute? They comfort me.
I work hard every day for my cats.
Really?
You love cats?
Cats can do whatever they want with me.
You're adorable.
I'm glad we can talk about the same thing.
I also love cats, so I understand you.
That's awesome! I'm glad!
Thank you. See you soon again!
Thank you for coming!
Amu, you're cute.
Thank you so much.
I'm wearing a straw hat.
You have makeup on today.
These men never try
to hold hands with regular women.
They think they should be loved
and accepted without making any effort.
Is it like a romantic feeling?
It might be close to that.
Surely, you could find
a girlfriend at the university, right?
It's too much work.
I want to be free.
I hate being tied down.
At my university, I meet
a lot of young guys,
who 15 years ago
would have had a girlfriend.
They say they've never been in love.
They love idols.
I go, "God, that's not good!"
There's no incentive to be
in a relationship nowadays.
Few people have a proper job.
If you don't have a job,
there's no pressure to have children.
If you marry, both spouses have to work.
You can't get a day care.
Why bother? Everything costs money.
Have fun now!
Everyone buys into the idol fantasy.
Keep making donations so you don't
feel bad about not getting married.
With our falling birth rate,
idols should be banned.
That's it for our meet and greet.
Thank you so much.
We don't have much time left.
Just enough for a costume competition.
At first, it scared me.
But then I discovered the fans
are really nice,
and that overturned my preconceptions.
They are like fathers. They support her.
-Thank you for today!
-Yes.
-You've still got your makeup on.
-I can't take it off yet.
Thank you.
The boss and the manager
are also supportive.
It's hard to be an idol
and study in school at the same time.
She'll have to decide
which one to focus on.
It's raining.
We have to hurry.
Hurry up, everybody.
We have to hurry.
Until recently,
she couldn't ride a train by herself.
Now, she can go anywhere.
Come on!
She's going to be an adult
with an independent mind.
She has grown up so fast.
-Bye!
-Bye-bye!
Are you looking for a wife?
I have so much fun as an otaku.
I don't have time.
There's a live show every day.
Who would fall for an otaku
who just quit his salaryman job?
Would you?
Anyway, I'm 43.
In ten years,
I'll probably get various diseases.
If I don't have fun now, I never will.
That would be pitiful.
Don't you want to have fun
with a boyfriend?
I don't go to events
where I can meet guys.
When my friends tell me
what they are up to,
I realize that they are turning
into adults.
For me, everything is about work now.
I'm not sure if that's good or bad.
Emotions, impulse, control
Recently, things haven't gone as planned.
I almost got a voice acting job
for the main character in an anime.
But, in the end, it fell through.
I was going to sing an anime theme song,
but that didn't happen either.
My hard work wasn't rewarded.
I had a couple of chances.
They just came my way
and then disappeared.
That was it.
I felt sorry for myself. I hated that.
So I decided to work even harder.
Rio needs to reach a wider audience.
Among us hardcore fans,
she's getting popular.
But she's not known to the general public.
Rio is about to go on a tour.
I won't be seeing you
in person for a while.
But you can follow
my livestream every day.
If you listen at work, be discreet!
I can't be responsible
if your boss tells you off.
It's going to be lonely while I'm away
without you all around me.
-You worry about us all the time?
-I do worry about you guys!
Yes, seriously,
I cycled all the way from Tokyo.
Now, I'm going to Kagoshima.
I may pop up in your town at any moment.
I hope you'll come and see me.
A lot of people follow me online,
but they don't see my concerts.
Using my bike, I can reach remote places.
I get the chance to meet a lot of people.
Maybe I can persuade them
to come to my live shows.
Good morning!
I started in Akihabara.
It took me two days to cycle to Kobe.
It has been easy after that.
I camped by the road the first night.
Are you camping tonight as well?
Tonight, I'll sleep in an internet cafe
in Hakata.
Are you cycling with me on that bike?
What is that? It looks like a bicycle
for a mother.
Look at all the rust.
Yeah, it's rusty.
I woke up at 5 a.m.
and made it here just in time.
At 5 a.m.?
I left the house at 6 a.m. to come here.
-Really? You biked from your house?
-Yes.
How far is it?
-It's 56 kilometers.
-What? It's 56 kilometers?
Wow, you're crazy.
His chain came off
15 times on the way here.
You're nuts.
But it's so much fun
with all of us guys together.
It makes me happy.
Bye-bye! Let's go!
So, where are we?
Let's Rio Rio.
Here I go.
We only came 300 meters.
We have 23 kilometers to go.
I'm getting hungry.
Look what I have, white rice.
And a Hakata specialty, spicy fish eggs.
Delicious!
You and your crappy bike
managed 130 kilometers.
-Here we are!
-You made it!
-Good job!
-Thank you.
We'll start the meet and greet. Okay, go.
Welcome! Hello.
-Hello.
-Hello. Thank you for coming.
-What's your name?
-Ren.
Ren. I'm pleased to meet you.
-Where are you from?
-Fukuoka.
-How old are you?
-I'm 16.
Wow, you look very mature.
-What's your name?
-Takeham.
Pleased to meet you, Takeham.
-How did you get here?
-I drove.
How many hours?
-It was only five or six hours.
-Really, six hours?
Three, two, one.
-How did you get here?
-I flew.
-Are you coming to the live show tomorrow?
-Yes, at 3 p.m.
Great, thank you!
-Have I met you before?
-No.
-First time.
-First time?
Really? It doesn't feel
like the first time.
I'm blushing.
Who is this chick?
Oh, my, we have a situation
O, M, G! Is this the end?
God, please help me!
I do recall girl number 11
We together went to Disneyland
The girlfriend is absolutely furious
Can you punch me once so forgive me?
She's a wild kid!
Good afternoon.
Hello, thank you.
Thanks for writing that.
It says, "Good luck, Rio."
How nice. Thank you.
Your name is Mana? Thank you, Mana.
-She's seven years old, second grade.
-Is that so?
We were half an hour away
and saw you were here.
-Really?
-We wanted to meet you so much.
-We follow your livestream.
-Thank you!
-We really wanted to see you.
-Let me take this photo.
Okay, get ready...
Three, two, one.
We support you, Rio.
What do you want to be when you grow up?
-An idol, right?
-An idol?
Yes, she wants to be like Rio
when she grows up.
Do you want to be like Rio?
Thank you.
-Thank you very much.
-Thank you.
She started when she was four.
I was taking dance classes
and I thought she could try, too.
She started to have fun
and we went to a few auditions.
One thing led to another and here we are.
It's okay if you can't find the answer
You become whatever you dream
You can meet the future
When you move forward
You see these old men screaming
in deep male voices.
I was surprised.
I didn't think that they would be
interested in such young girls.
Keep running until
You know my heart
I've been to a lot of idol shows,
but they were the most energetic
and youthful.
You're so serious!
Their selling point is that
they're not fully developed.
If they were older,
they wouldn't interest me.
Amore Carina's meet and greets
are so much fun.
Fans are impressed that I can
sing and dance at the same time.
I see them as good friends.
That's a big age gap for friends.
It's not that much of an age gap.
Please move to the next girl.
The fans want to feel like
they're the same age as the girls.
The more childish
the conversation, the better.
They feel safe
and can let their guard down.
They can feel pure and free again.
Idols have that healing effect.
Amore Carina Cute
It's time to end our event.
Thank you very much!
I would like to perform
on a big stage like the Budokan
with all the other Amore Carina members.
I don't want to interfere in her future.
If she decides to follow her dream,
I'll give her my full support.
Instead of connecting with women
in their everyday life,
the men choose girls they can dominate,
girls who are guaranteed
not to challenge or hurt them.
This society will stop at nothing
to protect male fantasies
and provide comfort for men.
SENREN BANKA
CUSTOMIZABLE WIFE DOLL
I'm short, with short legs and arms.
I'm pudgy so I can't be
a beautiful entertainer.
But if pudgy little me is bouncing around,
it could look pop and fun.
That's the game plan.
I'm turning my shortcomings into assets.
Are there more?
Pick it up and I'll move the box.
Here we go.
I think that's it.
I have spares in case
anyone forgets theirs.
Please contribute to Rio's birthday gifts
Good luck.
Thank you, old man.
Will he survive the music?
It's my 21st birthday
so I'm the leader here, okay?
-Yeah!
-Yeah!
Bring it on, guys. Here we go.
-We are RIOting!
-RIOting!
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
Is she an adult now?
Yes, she's old now.
I'm not that old.
At least, she has started to make
an effort to keep her apartment clean.
That's progress.
We hardly see her anymore.
That's amazing!
Sorry, I can't come up
with a better expression.
That was a total surprise.
Thank you!
Seriously, thank you so much.
The winter scent
It brushes on my cheek
Will today be the day
That I get to see you?
I was in the middle of the front row.
I looked behind me
and saw all these faces.
They looked happy and desperate
at the same time.
It was so moving.
I was used to not seeing eye to eye
But you changed me
My black and white days
Gained so much color
You don't often see such joy and release.
Just crazy for you, you are the one for me
With these guys, I don't have to worry
about social rank and obligations.
I was searching last night
I want to be
You're the one I was looking for
Cover me without breaking me
If it wasn't for this,
I would be alone forever.
Unmarried and alone in the truest sense.
Whether it's the Rio on stage,
or the Rio who live-streams,
or the Rio who bikes across Japan,
it's all Rio.
I think I've found the perfect balance.
Only seven people at my debut
Hate messages still flood in
But I'm grateful for the interest
I will turn it around
And make you like me
With songs and smiles
With my life
I'm small
But I'm going to be big
Bam Bing Bong Pera
Remember my name
Anywhere even when I'm sick
I'll be live-streaming
This is my life
A bit more aggressive is good.
-Don't be scared to go off-character.
-Yes.
Give us all you've got.
There's a line that calls me "idol."
But I don't brand myself as an idol.
-Really? Then we should change it.
-Yes.
Can you think of another word?
So what's your profession?
My job is... Rio Hiiragi.
Okay, give me some time.
Even more expressive,
like an anime character.
Imagine that this is an anime song.
Power up!
No online friends
No days off
Always live streaming
This is my life
Little pudgy Rio Rio
Busy, busy, Rio Rio
Messy, messy, Rio Rio
That's how it is
Rio Rio.
Fantastic! You nailed it.
The sky is the limit
I'm hungry as a devil
I'm stronger alone
Good times or tough, it doesn't matter
Nothing will ever stop me
Follow me, follow me
I'm a miracle maker
I am
Rio, Rio, Rio
Rio!
I wanted someone to talk to.
I've never felt so passionate
about anything in my life.
I've never seen anything like it.
This isn't a fad.
It's a religion.
I want to protect my innocence
Until I leave my school uniform behind
Remain as pure as the day I was born
Like an angel
I want to protect my innocence
Until I leave my school uniform behind
Remain as pure as the day I was born
Like an angel
It stinks.
-My costume stinks.
-It does.
I did a 40-minute set
and it is soaked in sweat.
This may be a problem.
I don't know.
Shall I record it?
-Great job, girls.
-Thanks.
As an idol,
we have something like an expiration date.
I can't do this forever.
I never really wanted to be an idol.
I see this as a training ground.
My real dream is to be a singer.
Hold me tight
Why is it
That all of us are so happy?
Do you want to know the reason?
Do you want to know more about us?
In the live house...
It's our first competition this year.
Let me hear it!
Let's have fun!
We are Rio!
-Rio!
-Rio!
Put your hands together!
Give me all you've got!
-Faith! Faith!
-Faith! Faith!
-Worship! Worship!
-Worship! Worship!
-Pilgrimage! Pilgrimage!
-Pilgrimage! Pilgrimage!
Faith! Faith!
In high school,
I listened to Western music.
I loved U2.
Bryan Adams.
Faith! Faith!
I was seeing a girl
I thought I would get married to.
I started saving up money to get married.
But it didn't go according to plan.
She found someone else.
I spent all my savings on idols.
That year, I went to about 700 idol shows.
Make a donation
Say a prayer
Don't listen to reason
I've blown so much money.
I could have bought an apartment.
Thank you, everyone!
Look at my shoes. They're falling apart!
The sand Is pouring out!
I need to take them off so I can dance.
I feel like Cinderella.
-Thanks, Rio.
-Thank you, Koji.
-Did you get a haircut?
-Yeah, just today.
You look cute.
-Thank you.
-You too.
See you tomorrow.
-Yes, tomorrow.
-Okay.
-Rest well.
-You too.
She's like a mirror.
An expensive mirror.
I always look up to her
and compare myself with her.
Next up is "Happy Synthesizer."
Happy synthesizer, let me play a melody
A melody that would reach
The bottom of your heart
An one-sided love that fleeted away
I guess it makes a good story now
Everything was glimmering in hope
Those days are beautifully smiling at me
Hooray!
Thank you very much!
I'm live every day.
You can follow me on Twitter, too.
It has been a while
since I did a live makeup show.
Good morning, Damian.
My fans are like my children.
Almost done.
I love them all equally.
I'm currently ranked second.
They're the most important
thing in my life.
I am nothing without them.
Fans who live far away
buy my products online.
They keep the sales receipt, too.
It makes me happy.
Even the sales receipt
is part of the product.
This place is like home to me.
Rio was born here.
I always loved anime.
I used to dream of Akihabara,
the mecca of anime.
I came here for a part-time job
and started singing.
I was in high school. I was 16.
Luka, Luka night fever
Move your body, fall into this rhythm
Just forget it all
Put the bad thoughts away
Luka Luka Night Fever
The fans' hysteria was strange at first.
Don't you take your eyes off of me
Not even one second
When these adult men suddenly swarmed me,
I thought it was scary!
Soon, I started to feel more comfortable.
I wanted to keep them entertained.
I will fly to you
Let me teach you what
You won't learn in school
When fans take pictures with me,
there are rules
about where they can touch.
RIO HIIRAGI
Thanks for coming!
Thanks so much!
Here are the tickets.
Thank you so much!
Hope to see you again soon.
High five!
It was a blast!
Thanks for coming!
It sounds good to me.
Yeah, really.
Thank you.
High five!
Thank you all for coming.
We ask you to kindly line up accordingly.
The meet and greet will begin
from the starting line here.
The preparation is almost done
so we will start soon.
Please follow the directions of the MC.
Today's online communication
left the need...
to interact in person
with someone real, someone close-up.
Idols used social media to lure
the fans to their handshake events.
First, you connect online,
then you meet in person.
Being virtual was not enough.
We wanted virtual and reality.
-I couldn't take my eyes off you.
-Thank you.
Okay, please move.
Thank you so much for coming!
Historically, a handshake
is a very sexual gesture.
Touching was forbidden.
It's only in the last few decades
that handshakes have become accepted.
When? In the Summer?
So bringing in the handshake events
was a very smart move.
From the artists' perspective,
it seems very innocent.
But for the fans,
there's probably a sexual component to it.
It's a legal grey zone.
No matter how cute or rich you are,
idols are not allowed to give you
any special attention.
There's no competition.
So, you don't have to worry
about feeling rejected.
School or regular swimsuit?
School, please.
Some fans find it embarrassing,
but I've learned not to be shy.
Here we go! Hands high!
P, I, D, L.
A new pachinko parlor had opened
and a cute waitress was working there.
I ordered a few cups of coffee.
I was hoping we could chat.
That's when she handed me this pamphlet.
She belonged to a P.IDL starter team.
I went to their concert.
That was the first time I saw this girl,
Yuka, who I'm obsessed with.
She lit up the stage.
She was exactly my type.
I met her at the handshake event.
She asked me my name.
A girl I had a crush on, asking my name...
I was thrilled.
Daddy Mitacchi
She's very thin.
She's energetic and cheerful.
I auditioned for P.IDL
to gain self-confidence.
I love being tough on myself
and facing new challenges.
I wanted to be a model.
I studied at Teikyo University
and was crowned Miss Campus.
That made me want
to push myself even more.
Please Give Us Love
Mongolian Chop
What costs the most
are the meetings and the greetings.
A CD is $10.
If you buy a CD,
you get a ticket for a handshake
or a photo together.
I spend at least $2,000 a month.
I have no money to save.
Before P.IDL, I used to visit
my parents a few times a week.
They know why I don't visit anymore.
He made a fan and clothes
with my name on them.
He's such a passionate supporter
and there will be many more like him.
I've only come this far thanks to my fans.
Wow, it's '91 Yuka! It's '92.
I'm going to put more pink on it.
I think they go well together.
There was a woman I was seeing.
But I stopped dating when I met Yuka.
After all this, if she tells me I'm not
her number one fan,
of course, it will be a blow.
My dog has always adored me,
but I'm not used to that
level of adoration from men.
It has been overwhelming.
I want to dance! I want to dance!
I want to dance, dance, dance tonight!
I want to dance! I want to dance!
Would you dance, dance, dance tonight?
Dance, dance, dance tonight?
I love being on stage
and hearing the fans scream my name.
It's so much fun.
I forget everything else.
Even when times are tough,
I feel that my hard work is rewarded.
A girl's job is to always
smile and comfort men.
Some people say,
the girls have chosen this,
so there's nothing wrong
with the "little girl fantasy."
If outsiders like me speak out against it,
we get an aggressive backlash.
We instantly have an e-mail.
Let me read it for all us.
Hi, everyone! I'm Yuka Hirano.
Do I have romantic feelings?
I'm rational enough to know
that nothing will happen between us
in reality.
She's only nice to me as an idol.
"Please stay with me forever,
my dearest Mitacchi."
I asked, "What is your name?"
That marked the beginning
of our special time together.
Love you, Mitacchi.
Everything was a first for me.
Feeling your support,
loving and being loved...
"No one can replace you
in my life, Mitacchi.
I'm so grateful.
Thank you so much, Yuka."
She wrote me that.
Dear Mitacchi. Love, Yuka.
As a young man, I had many dreams.
I wanted to be a teacher or an explorer.
But then,
I took the easy path of being a salaryman.
After four years of university,
I took the first job offered to me.
It's been an easy, mediocre life.
Totally devoid of excitement.
When I saw Rio, I thought,
"There's a cute girl who works hard."
I liked her determination.
Maybe, she's achieving what I couldn't.
I don't want to become an idol,
but there are so many things
I've failed at.
The Japanese generally have
a very low sense of self-worth.
It's tied up with the economy.
In the 1990's, the economy boomed
and then plummeted rapidly.
The drop had a huge impact.
There are parallels between 1970's London
and Tokyo today.
The economy became stagnant
and the cultural scene was dead.
People were looking for something new.
Sex Pistols merged in London.
The Japanese answer was this idol culture.
Passion, adventure!
Onwards!
Let us capture interesting things!
The sun continues to shine!
Let it be and it will be fine!
In real life, a man may feel powerless,
but at an idol concert,
he feels like he's fighting with the girls
against the establishment.
He feels a sense of solidarity.
Fans who go to a lot of concerts
and buy too many CDs,
or spend too much time
collecting information on idols,
were given the name otaku.
As opposed to normal guys
with a mainstream hobby
who have a real girlfriend
and a proper job.
Akihabara is like an otaku's bedroom.
The whole area is jammed
with otaku fantasies.
Things you should do
in private are all out there.
Thank you everyone for being here today!
Here's my next song,
"Akihabara, Mecca of Otaku!"
The techno town, otakus' holy land!
-Akihabara!
-Akihabara!
Maids, school swimsuits,
And cat-related things!
International support is there also
Get on the decorated cars, vroom
Big bowl of rice, thank you very much!
Everybody's holy land, Akihabara!
I finally found my paradise
Akihabara Station
Here I come
Hopes and dreams in my backpack
Let's start with this electronics store
The staff are high-spec
I was reclusive and commusho
But here I felt at home
Surrounded by my brothers
I'll never forget what people said
Otaku are filthy pigs
Those words pierced my heart
I went to more and more shows.
When I caught myself doing
the same moves as everyone else,
I thought to myself,
"You're an otaku now."
The song calls us "commusho"
because we, otaku, have
communication disabilities.
Nothing is interested in me
I had eyes like a dead fish
I thought I was doomed to this life
But then I saw the light
Until recently, if you were an idol fan,
it meant you were a failure in life.
But now, the line between mainstream
and otaku culture is blurring.
Otaku are becoming mainstream.
It's socially acceptable
to be an otaku now.
Exceed your limits!
I don't feel a shed of regret
You boring people, look at us!
We're the real winners, we have fun!
Exceed your limits!
Some ask, should I stop being otaku?
But being otaku is for life
I have no friends left
In the outside world
But I still can't stop being otaku!
Screaming so loud,
dancing so hard...
People my age don't normally do that.
They would be too embarrassed.
Thank you very much!
TECHNO TOWN FESTIVAL
-I'm home.
-Hello.
-Let's massage your upper body first.
-Okay.
I'm so lucky.
I'm giving an idol a massage.
We weren't like this before.
That is true.
That feels great.
The work we do is very similar.
If we don't please people,
they won't come back.
When I was a teenager, I was in a band.
I was the drummer.
Here we go.
Then, I decided to become a chiropractor
and quit the band.
So when my daughter
started doing what she does,
I was not exactly living
my dream through her,
but as a parent, I felt
encouraged and empowered.
Your blind self-assurance,
that comes from me.
-The opposite of Mom.
-Mom is not like that?
I always wondered where I got
my unwarranted self-confidence.
When she was in high school,
I was very worried.
She gave me a hard time.
It's true.
She wasn't focused on her studies.
She often skipped school.
-No! I went to school.
-Well...
her teacher would call
because she missed class.
I would like to call Rio
but she wouldn't answer her phone.
She'd call me from Tokyo
to say she'd missed the last bus.
What could I do? I was powerless!
AGE 17
She would sleep at the cafe
where she worked.
On the sofa in the back room.
Before school, I would go
to a manga cafe and take a shower.
It worked fine.
We're here to pray
for Ryoka's health and success.
What we want most
is for her to reach the top league.
ELLIE CHIBA
KARIN SHIMOAOKI
Many fans like girls
who are still developing.
I'm like that as well.
You go for someone who's starting out,
rather than an idol with a huge fan base.
It may be our last chance.
She turned 17 last year.
For an idol, that is getting old.
Ryoka Oshima
Ryoka Oshima
May she make the roster
May my little sister
be accepted into high school
Japanese men have always prized
purity in women.
Now, idol culture feeds on that.
Worshipping virginity.
But there's fear of what happens
when the purity fades.
Fear of girls becoming strong women.
ANNUAL GENERAL ELECTIONS
OF IDOL BAND AKB48
Welcome everyone. Good evening.
You can feel the excitement!
Here are the candidates!
YURIA KADO
AINA KUSAKABE
MAO MITA
SAHO IWADATE
MAO OKAWA
In 80th place,
from Team Four...
Anna Murashige!
In 79th place...
We are force-fed the AKB election news.
They are even called "The Nation's Idols."
Making the most of your feminine assets
and winning male admiration
brings you ultimate happiness.
If you're bombarded
with this message daily,
you're conditioned to want it.
Ayaka Okada. Team E, Rei Sakai.
They present the idol fantasy
covered in glitter.
It's sold as a platform
where dreams come true.
Thank you very much.
You're praised and you even get paid.
You work hard and your dream comes true.
We've perfected this system for ten years.
In idol culture women are the stars.
There may be nowhere else
in Japanese society
where we are the driving force.
In 32nd place,
with 28,260 votes...
Ryoka Oshima!
She just made it.
It was close.
I am here, thanks to you
and all of your support.
Congratulations!
As long as she's happy, I'm happy.
And the winner is...
Rino Sashihara!
I won!
When I started as an idol,
I was immediately invited
to participate in competitions.
-Thank you for your work.
-Thank you for your work.
At first, I didn't have enough money
to promote myself.
I needed these competitions
so I could rise from the bottom.
I still compete all the time.
I did some research on the other
six groups performing today.
From their websites and Twitter feeds,
it doesn't look like
they will get many votes.
The Rio brothers are so united
that the others see us as a threat
and may vote against us.
We should cheer as loud as usual,
but we should not wear our yellow shirts.
That way we won't provoke them.
Yes.
Can you hear my heartbeat revolving?
Even when the whole world is crumbling
In a great resounding fashion
Please hold me in your arms
Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!
One, two, one, one!
At first, Rio would enter competitions
and always lose.
She overcomes challenges.
Like a phoenix, she falls but rises again.
This overflowing emotion for you
-Rio!
-Rio!
Overcome a multitude of hardships
Rise up like a phoenix!
Even if this world continues to fail
I'm wearing it today. This is the phoenix.
This right here.
-Everybody, who are we?
-We are RIOting!
Over 100 votes! Thank you!
Hello, Jen. Make yourself at home here.
Jerome says, "Bonjour, Rio Rio love."
Thank you! Me, too.
Just 90,000 more votes
will push me up to second place.
Please vote for me.
Let's seize our dream.
FIRST ROUND RESULTS
ANNOUNCED AT EIGHT TONIGHT
So this is how it is going to be.
-I'm scared.
-It's going to be shown on the screen.
-I'm so nervous.
-You are?
I hope I get into the top six.
-It's 8 p.m. now.
-Okay.
-I have refreshed the page.
-It is 8 p.m.
Here it comes.... What does it say?
-Second. You're in second.
-Second place.
RIO HIIRAGI, SECOND PLACE
-It's really close.
-I guess.
I'm not number one,
but at least I go to the next round.
-Yes, do your best there.
-I will.
-I made it!
-Congratulations!
-You're moving onto the next round.
-Yes! Yes! Yes!
In helping Rio fulfill her dream,
I realized I can do more with my own life.
So I've quit my job
and I'm starting my own company.
I want to take responsibility
for my actions.
As a salaryman,
someone always covers your mistakes.
You lose all sense of ambition.
I would always regret it
if I did not do something now.
Of course, I'm scared.
Leaving a secured job
is like throwing away
the most important thing in life.
Most people here walk around in suits.
I often bump into my former colleagues.
Walking around on a weekday
in a Rio shirt is a bit embarrassing.
Dear Rio Hiiragi
We have two bouquets of flowers.
Usually, we only get one
even for special events.
But, this is the biggest live venue
in Japan.
So, for tonight, we got two.
I chose the flowers myself.
Looking good!
THE DIAMOND SONGSTRESS
Let go or I'll start crying.
Why? What happened?
-What's wrong?
-Why will you start crying?
I'm so excited!
Thank you all in advance!
Welcome to Rio's wonderland!
-Average day.
-Hooray!
-Average day.
-Hooray!
-Everybody say, "Average day!"
-Hooray!
-You can do better! "Average day!"
-Hooray!
Thank you all so much for coming.
Now, let's shake our butts!
Let's have fun!
"Future Exceed!"
Kiss or cry
I would even go far as to shout
From the center of this world
I wouldn't mind being
That bold for once
I know that I'm stubborn
But I just want to say "I love you"
-Yeah!
-Yeah!
Let me hear you!
Feel that gleaming
Love that starts with an even number
With tomorrow's dream and a few coins
-Rio, Rio, world diva!
-Rio, Rio, world diva!
Thank you, everyone!
Everybody gathered here today,
brothers from all over the world,
greetings to you all!
-Greetings!
-Yeah!
This April, Rio finally signed
with a record label.
It's only the beginning
of her artistic odyssey.
Today, it's true.
She is no longer an idol.
She is an artist.
Artist Rio!
From now on, whether you are brothers
or not brothers,
please, please,
give her everything you've got!
-Yeah!
-That's right!
Lastly, may the goddess of music
descend on Rio!
May Rio's magical smile and radiant power
bless the whole world.
Encore! Here we go!
-Encore!
-Encore!
-Encore!
-Encore!
-Encore!
-Encore!
-Encore!
-Encore!
-Encore!
-Encore!
-Encore!
-Encore!
-Encore!
-Encore!
-Encore!
-Encore!
-We must do better than the last show.
-Yes!
-Let's make sure we entertain our fans.
-Yes!
-Let's go.
-Yes!
Harajuku Story!
Together,
here we
-go!
-Go!
I cannot stop smiling
Neither does the dancing of my heart
To you, I'm making my way
I'm running, running to you
The stage is very small.
We can't all fit on it.
So the fans choose their favorite girls
to be on stage.
I want to perform,
so I need to be popular.
These men are about the same age
as your father.
They all have different ages.
Do you ever find them scary?
No. They are all very nice. I'm okay.
My heart was beating rapidly
I had no idea I could feel this way
Amu!
Amu!
Their dancing is very good.
They use their music to get us stirred up.
Amu is my favorite.
To you, I'm making my way
This is the first picture of us together.
Dear Naoya
From Amu
Just over a year ago.
This was on my birthday.
It was 23rd birthday.
And this was Amu's birthday.
She turned 14.
I gave her shoes.
Dance shoes.
They've got her name on them.
Please call my name!
They line up and choose a girl.
And after the photo,
they have one minute
to talk and meet with her.
Do you remember the fans' names?
Yes. I take notes to remember.
That is how I remember.
Aren't they cute? They comfort me.
I work hard every day for my cats.
Really?
You love cats?
Cats can do whatever they want with me.
You're adorable.
I'm glad we can talk about the same thing.
I also love cats, so I understand you.
That's awesome! I'm glad!
Thank you. See you soon again!
Thank you for coming!
Amu, you're cute.
Thank you so much.
I'm wearing a straw hat.
You have makeup on today.
These men never try
to hold hands with regular women.
They think they should be loved
and accepted without making any effort.
Is it like a romantic feeling?
It might be close to that.
Surely, you could find
a girlfriend at the university, right?
It's too much work.
I want to be free.
I hate being tied down.
At my university, I meet
a lot of young guys,
who 15 years ago
would have had a girlfriend.
They say they've never been in love.
They love idols.
I go, "God, that's not good!"
There's no incentive to be
in a relationship nowadays.
Few people have a proper job.
If you don't have a job,
there's no pressure to have children.
If you marry, both spouses have to work.
You can't get a day care.
Why bother? Everything costs money.
Have fun now!
Everyone buys into the idol fantasy.
Keep making donations so you don't
feel bad about not getting married.
With our falling birth rate,
idols should be banned.
That's it for our meet and greet.
Thank you so much.
We don't have much time left.
Just enough for a costume competition.
At first, it scared me.
But then I discovered the fans
are really nice,
and that overturned my preconceptions.
They are like fathers. They support her.
-Thank you for today!
-Yes.
-You've still got your makeup on.
-I can't take it off yet.
Thank you.
The boss and the manager
are also supportive.
It's hard to be an idol
and study in school at the same time.
She'll have to decide
which one to focus on.
It's raining.
We have to hurry.
Hurry up, everybody.
We have to hurry.
Until recently,
she couldn't ride a train by herself.
Now, she can go anywhere.
Come on!
She's going to be an adult
with an independent mind.
She has grown up so fast.
-Bye!
-Bye-bye!
Are you looking for a wife?
I have so much fun as an otaku.
I don't have time.
There's a live show every day.
Who would fall for an otaku
who just quit his salaryman job?
Would you?
Anyway, I'm 43.
In ten years,
I'll probably get various diseases.
If I don't have fun now, I never will.
That would be pitiful.
Don't you want to have fun
with a boyfriend?
I don't go to events
where I can meet guys.
When my friends tell me
what they are up to,
I realize that they are turning
into adults.
For me, everything is about work now.
I'm not sure if that's good or bad.
Emotions, impulse, control
Recently, things haven't gone as planned.
I almost got a voice acting job
for the main character in an anime.
But, in the end, it fell through.
I was going to sing an anime theme song,
but that didn't happen either.
My hard work wasn't rewarded.
I had a couple of chances.
They just came my way
and then disappeared.
That was it.
I felt sorry for myself. I hated that.
So I decided to work even harder.
Rio needs to reach a wider audience.
Among us hardcore fans,
she's getting popular.
But she's not known to the general public.
Rio is about to go on a tour.
I won't be seeing you
in person for a while.
But you can follow
my livestream every day.
If you listen at work, be discreet!
I can't be responsible
if your boss tells you off.
It's going to be lonely while I'm away
without you all around me.
-You worry about us all the time?
-I do worry about you guys!
Yes, seriously,
I cycled all the way from Tokyo.
Now, I'm going to Kagoshima.
I may pop up in your town at any moment.
I hope you'll come and see me.
A lot of people follow me online,
but they don't see my concerts.
Using my bike, I can reach remote places.
I get the chance to meet a lot of people.
Maybe I can persuade them
to come to my live shows.
Good morning!
I started in Akihabara.
It took me two days to cycle to Kobe.
It has been easy after that.
I camped by the road the first night.
Are you camping tonight as well?
Tonight, I'll sleep in an internet cafe
in Hakata.
Are you cycling with me on that bike?
What is that? It looks like a bicycle
for a mother.
Look at all the rust.
Yeah, it's rusty.
I woke up at 5 a.m.
and made it here just in time.
At 5 a.m.?
I left the house at 6 a.m. to come here.
-Really? You biked from your house?
-Yes.
How far is it?
-It's 56 kilometers.
-What? It's 56 kilometers?
Wow, you're crazy.
His chain came off
15 times on the way here.
You're nuts.
But it's so much fun
with all of us guys together.
It makes me happy.
Bye-bye! Let's go!
So, where are we?
Let's Rio Rio.
Here I go.
We only came 300 meters.
We have 23 kilometers to go.
I'm getting hungry.
Look what I have, white rice.
And a Hakata specialty, spicy fish eggs.
Delicious!
You and your crappy bike
managed 130 kilometers.
-Here we are!
-You made it!
-Good job!
-Thank you.
We'll start the meet and greet. Okay, go.
Welcome! Hello.
-Hello.
-Hello. Thank you for coming.
-What's your name?
-Ren.
Ren. I'm pleased to meet you.
-Where are you from?
-Fukuoka.
-How old are you?
-I'm 16.
Wow, you look very mature.
-What's your name?
-Takeham.
Pleased to meet you, Takeham.
-How did you get here?
-I drove.
How many hours?
-It was only five or six hours.
-Really, six hours?
Three, two, one.
-How did you get here?
-I flew.
-Are you coming to the live show tomorrow?
-Yes, at 3 p.m.
Great, thank you!
-Have I met you before?
-No.
-First time.
-First time?
Really? It doesn't feel
like the first time.
I'm blushing.
Who is this chick?
Oh, my, we have a situation
O, M, G! Is this the end?
God, please help me!
I do recall girl number 11
We together went to Disneyland
The girlfriend is absolutely furious
Can you punch me once so forgive me?
She's a wild kid!
Good afternoon.
Hello, thank you.
Thanks for writing that.
It says, "Good luck, Rio."
How nice. Thank you.
Your name is Mana? Thank you, Mana.
-She's seven years old, second grade.
-Is that so?
We were half an hour away
and saw you were here.
-Really?
-We wanted to meet you so much.
-We follow your livestream.
-Thank you!
-We really wanted to see you.
-Let me take this photo.
Okay, get ready...
Three, two, one.
We support you, Rio.
What do you want to be when you grow up?
-An idol, right?
-An idol?
Yes, she wants to be like Rio
when she grows up.
Do you want to be like Rio?
Thank you.
-Thank you very much.
-Thank you.
She started when she was four.
I was taking dance classes
and I thought she could try, too.
She started to have fun
and we went to a few auditions.
One thing led to another and here we are.
It's okay if you can't find the answer
You become whatever you dream
You can meet the future
When you move forward
You see these old men screaming
in deep male voices.
I was surprised.
I didn't think that they would be
interested in such young girls.
Keep running until
You know my heart
I've been to a lot of idol shows,
but they were the most energetic
and youthful.
You're so serious!
Their selling point is that
they're not fully developed.
If they were older,
they wouldn't interest me.
Amore Carina's meet and greets
are so much fun.
Fans are impressed that I can
sing and dance at the same time.
I see them as good friends.
That's a big age gap for friends.
It's not that much of an age gap.
Please move to the next girl.
The fans want to feel like
they're the same age as the girls.
The more childish
the conversation, the better.
They feel safe
and can let their guard down.
They can feel pure and free again.
Idols have that healing effect.
Amore Carina Cute
It's time to end our event.
Thank you very much!
I would like to perform
on a big stage like the Budokan
with all the other Amore Carina members.
I don't want to interfere in her future.
If she decides to follow her dream,
I'll give her my full support.
Instead of connecting with women
in their everyday life,
the men choose girls they can dominate,
girls who are guaranteed
not to challenge or hurt them.
This society will stop at nothing
to protect male fantasies
and provide comfort for men.
SENREN BANKA
CUSTOMIZABLE WIFE DOLL
I'm short, with short legs and arms.
I'm pudgy so I can't be
a beautiful entertainer.
But if pudgy little me is bouncing around,
it could look pop and fun.
That's the game plan.
I'm turning my shortcomings into assets.
Are there more?
Pick it up and I'll move the box.
Here we go.
I think that's it.
I have spares in case
anyone forgets theirs.
Please contribute to Rio's birthday gifts
Good luck.
Thank you, old man.
Will he survive the music?
It's my 21st birthday
so I'm the leader here, okay?
-Yeah!
-Yeah!
Bring it on, guys. Here we go.
-We are RIOting!
-RIOting!
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
Is she an adult now?
Yes, she's old now.
I'm not that old.
At least, she has started to make
an effort to keep her apartment clean.
That's progress.
We hardly see her anymore.
That's amazing!
Sorry, I can't come up
with a better expression.
That was a total surprise.
Thank you!
Seriously, thank you so much.
The winter scent
It brushes on my cheek
Will today be the day
That I get to see you?
I was in the middle of the front row.
I looked behind me
and saw all these faces.
They looked happy and desperate
at the same time.
It was so moving.
I was used to not seeing eye to eye
But you changed me
My black and white days
Gained so much color
You don't often see such joy and release.
Just crazy for you, you are the one for me
With these guys, I don't have to worry
about social rank and obligations.
I was searching last night
I want to be
You're the one I was looking for
Cover me without breaking me
If it wasn't for this,
I would be alone forever.
Unmarried and alone in the truest sense.
Whether it's the Rio on stage,
or the Rio who live-streams,
or the Rio who bikes across Japan,
it's all Rio.
I think I've found the perfect balance.
Only seven people at my debut
Hate messages still flood in
But I'm grateful for the interest
I will turn it around
And make you like me
With songs and smiles
With my life
I'm small
But I'm going to be big
Bam Bing Bong Pera
Remember my name
Anywhere even when I'm sick
I'll be live-streaming
This is my life
A bit more aggressive is good.
-Don't be scared to go off-character.
-Yes.
Give us all you've got.
There's a line that calls me "idol."
But I don't brand myself as an idol.
-Really? Then we should change it.
-Yes.
Can you think of another word?
So what's your profession?
My job is... Rio Hiiragi.
Okay, give me some time.
Even more expressive,
like an anime character.
Imagine that this is an anime song.
Power up!
No online friends
No days off
Always live streaming
This is my life
Little pudgy Rio Rio
Busy, busy, Rio Rio
Messy, messy, Rio Rio
That's how it is
Rio Rio.
Fantastic! You nailed it.
The sky is the limit
I'm hungry as a devil
I'm stronger alone
Good times or tough, it doesn't matter
Nothing will ever stop me
Follow me, follow me
I'm a miracle maker
I am
Rio, Rio, Rio
Rio!