The Idol M@ster Cinderella Girls

Episode 5

There's a sad truth about Cinderella stories – only one girl gets the happy ending. In the case of The IDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls, that's amended a bit in that only a few of the aspiring idols will be allowed to make their debuts, and for the girls who aren't chosen, that can feel a lot like being snubbed by Prince Charming at the ball. As we learned last week, our lucky cindermaids are Uzuki, Mio, Rin, Anya, and Minami, who will cut CDs as two separate girl groups, a trio and a duo. While they're all feeling the thrill (and nervous edge) of excitement, that leaves the other girls fighting the sting of rejection, and no one feels it more harshly than would-be cat girl Miku. We've seen her envy before, but it looks like this is the first time the Producer has really gotten to experience it first hand, and it's very clear that the poor man is at a loss. How is he supposed to react when Miku, Rika, and Miria challenge our three main heroines to a board(?)game for the honor of getting to record a CD...and then clearly expect their game victory to be respected by the production company? That at fifteen Miku still doesn't quite grasp that her actual control over her career is pretty limited is a little difficult to buy, although there's such a reek of desperation to her actions that I can easily believe that she does understand it on an intellectual level but is struggling with the emotional repercussions of that understanding. Plus fifteen really isn't as mature as we tend to think it is, and her craving for attention indicates that there may be something else going on with her that the show isn't likely to touch on.

Miku, Rika, and Miria's jealousy and attempts to get the Producer to switch out the girls making their debuts for them actually makes this episode a little difficult to watch, or at least it did for me. Perhaps working with teenagers made me relate more to the Producer than the girls, and I kept sympathizing with him as he fought an internal battle over how to handle the headstrong, unhappy kids he's in charge of. That says volumes for the fact that this show could have a wider appeal than it at first appears: not only can you understand what is going on in the girls' heads, you also get to understand the consternation of the adults involved too. And I really liked that the Producer really did worry about how he was going to handle the situation, so that his reveal at the end of the episode came as just as much of a relief to him as to any of the girls or their fans. That's the kind of detail that is really making this show work for me, and while the focus is on the girls, there can still be other reasons to watch it.

Unfortunately one of those reasons, the stellar animation, doesn't get much of a chance to show off this week. The artistry is still beautiful, with Anzu's sleeping body language giving us small hints as to how awake she really is and Anya's tense energy coming across loud and clear. (And the moment when Uzuki just stares at the chocolate “congratulations” plaque on her cake speaks volumes.)We just don't get as many scenes of flowing hair and fabric or dancing as we have in the past, though I'm positive that will be remedied next week. I'm still having a bit of a hard time keeping all of the characters straight – I'll admit it, I keep a list next to the computer – but I do feel like we're slowly getting to know them, and I'm always impressed to see Kanako's different body type when she shows up.

Cinderella Girls is just as concerned with the emotional aspects of working towards your debut as it is with the singing and dancing, and while that can make for uncomfortable episodes like this one, it also makes it feel much more grounded. Game-based franchise or not, there is a lot going on here to recommend this show as it does its best to show us the ups and downs of producing a star.

Rating: B

The IDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls is currently streaming on Daisuki.

Rebecca Silverman is ANN's senior manga critic.