Episode 8 · THE IDOLM@STER

THE IDOLM@STER

Thirteen girls, one tiny studio, and a producer who just walked through the door. At 765 Production, Ritsuko runs the schedule and Kotori keeps the paperwork from swallowing everyone whole, while the new guy has to figure out twelve performers ranging from shy to stubborn, each with her own habits and her own reasons for standing on that stage. They are starting from nothing. Small gigs, cramped rooms, a lot of waiting around. Then the work starts paying off, and that is exactly when things get complicated. Bookings pile up, the girls get pulled in different directions, and the family that used to eat dinner together barely sees each other anymore. The same fame they chased is now quietly prying them apart. And 961 Production is always hovering nearby, ready to scoop up whatever 765 Pro fumbles. So the real job is not landing the next job. It is holding on to each other while everything else speeds up. Can thirteen people stay a family when the whole country finally knows their names?