WRITER.

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars

194 pages

Graphic novel, Manga

Spoiler-Free Review section

This graphic novel has beautiful art and goes in depth into what it means to be a pop idol. I am still learning about pop idol culture in Japan – my main source being manga and anime. (Particularly If My Favorite Pop Idol Made It to the Budokan, I Would Die.) Idols have to focus on their appearance as well as their dance and singing skills. They start young and retire at an earlier age than even athletes.

In this book, music producer M. Hayama is interested in making a pop idol group by narrowing down thousands of applicants, looking for true stand-out talent. He calls this competition “Girls in the Light.”

Hikaru, the main character, has no experience on stage, but sings as she helps run the family bathhouse. She garners considerable attention and praise from patrons. An old friend of hers, who was part of a different idol group where she felt she was sidelined, comes back into Hikaru’s life. The friend’s name is Ran.

Ran tries to convince Hikaru to join M. Hayama’s competition for his new idol group with her. The first step is filling out an entry form and sending pictures. Beauty is definitely a defining factor in this competition, though it is not the only thing considered. There are several tiers with different requirements, the first one letting the contestant pick the song and the next tier requiring them to perform an assigned song.

The rest of the book follows the progression of this contest.

Spoiler time!

Hikaru is such a likeable character. The fact that she sang the first song of the competition while holding a mop in order to be more comfortable was endearing. She finally amps herself up to use the mic in the second round but is asked to dance, something she has less experience with but is practicing. The fact that she has no formal training turns this into an underdog story many readers would appreciate.

Ran is called “Jack of All Trades, Master of None” by the music producer. If someone called me that, I would probably be hurt, but she takes it as a challenge. It reminds me of what Tang Soo Do was like for me. I did most things well or decently, but did not excel in the most important areas. I admire Ran for her immediate determination to do even better and turn into a “master of all” instead.

One of the sacrifices that pop idols sometimes have to make is schooling. Hikaru is in middle school when she joins the competition, and school has to be put on the back burner for what is essentially a job. I don’t know how I feel about children being sucked into this, but I suppose it isn’t much different that child athletes or child actors.

I’m interested in seeing how the next novel in the series plays out since Ran and Hikaru both advanced to the point that there are only 40 contestants left. Overall, though I did enjoy this book, it didn’t hook me as much as I wished it would.