Original subtitles

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!