Success doesn’t come easily for anyone. No one is born with talent and although there are some that possesses exceptional abilities, or otherwise labeled a ‘prodigy’, everyone must try something in order to succeed. For idols, there is no exception to that. The people you see on live television performing dances and songs worked long and hard to reach where they are. Why? Because they love performing for the audience. But for a small seven-girl unit called ‘Wake Up, Girls’, they don’t have much of an audience, at least not yet.
Directed by Yamaken, Wake Up, Girls is the first show he works on three years since Fractale. And as an original work, one would expect some natural feeling coming out of his writing. While that seems so, there’s suggestions that the show itself builds more for just the road to earning success. It suggests that the characters themselves are on their personal road to not only become an idol but also to change themselves. But for a show to succeed in this way requires development, something that is staggering for just 12 episodes. It’s also important to watch the movie (Wake Up, Girls! Shichinin no Idol) before venturing on to this series. It’s the prequel after all.
And 12 episodes really is just like pouring oil into water. The end result isn’t pretty and neither is the overall direction of this show altogether. But for starters, Wake Up, Girls does a decent setup with its general concept a bit differently in some ways. Compared to some other idol theme series such as Idolmaster, Love Live, and Akb4008 Stage, WuG has a more realistic vibe. The main characters aren’t famous and in fact doesn’t seem different from your average day folks. They all come from different backgrounds and it takes some time for them to come together as a group with a united goal – to become a professional idol group for the world to recognize. The diversity could be perhaps something to expand on and one such character hold a more distinctive stand than others. Her name is Mayu and was recognized as a centerpiece figure in a former group she was once part of, the I-Club. Unlike them, WuG is more like a freshman. I-Club is not only their rival but also their senior as a group of experienced idols. What the show brings together is to see how WuG climbs a ladder to success in the entertainment industry. Against such a rival, that’s no pushover.
Mayu is perhaps a character of various complexity. Most of this revolves around her past as a former member of I-Club. Her talent has earned the nickname ‘Mayushi’ where she also has a fanbase on the Internet. Yet, her decision to quit the group now has backlash from fans that invites insecurity to such attention. Regardless, Mayu still stands out as perhaps the most prominent character in WuG as the series explores her dynamics. But from basic perspective, it’s easy to cherry pick her present state of being. From her first encounter with WuG’S manager Kōhei Matsuda, one can tell that she no longer wishes to be an idol, at least in the entertainment field. So where does that lead her now? After some convincing, she does want to become an idol again but not without some tough love. There’s also an exploration of her persona and inner psyche at the surface level. But what the show doesn’t do right is dealing with how she copes with this and her seemingly resolve seems rushed. At the same time, some of her development lacks sympathy despite the feelings she tries to reach out to others. It may feel realistic on some stances but the way it conveys itself is lacking. On the other hand, her relationship with her mother can be relatable in some ways. Remember when your parents sometimes disagree with you on topics such as your future? Mayu’s scenario is not so different.
Other characters comes from a variety of backgrounds although they all have the ambition to become an idol. A few of them stands out more than others such as Miyu and her hyperactive personality or Yoshino as a defacto leader with her experience. Unfortunately, not all of them get enough characterization as the show focuses on their path to their future, rather than their past. Only a few characters get spotlight with Mayu being the centerpiece. What that past does explore is the rivalry between her and Shiho, the current center spot of I-1 Club. Yet, that rivalry is frivolous and lacks impact on some aspects. Through the few encounters they have, it’s shown that I-1 Club always steps ahead. This should be no surprise considering their experience while WuG is more of a newbie. Still, their progress feels rushed and lacks integrity.
What the series does have is realism, defined in a rather natural way especially for the idol group WuG. Most of them seems to stay themselves rather than trying to become someone who they are not. They also take their work seriously and have fun while at it. At the same time, they group develops a strong bond with each other despite the hardship of being an idol. There’s no competition among each other to see who is the best unlike Mayu’s past days as an idol in the I-1 Club. Everyone stays united and when life becomes tough, they look out after one another. There’s a certain appeal for WuG as well when they take the stage to please both the audience and people who supports them. The story itself also gets to the point right away rather than pushing buttons to drag itself. It’s important for a 1 cour show to focus on this aspect to truly and realistically show just how difficult it is to become an idol. It takes skill, determination, and integrity. WuG delivers that with the extensive training programs, their coach’s method of discipline, and rivalry with other idol groups. Even the audition will invite tension and make it realistically challenging to high degree of credibility. It’s a hard life out there.
Animation wise, we get a moderate and average delivery. None of the characters stands out in any particular way with their character designs. They look simple and even the first episode has the idol group dance on stage in school uniforms, a classic of what you may see during childhood days. The Green Leaves Entertainment agency itself also seems to lack any distinctive features although it once again demonstrates credibility. Because it’s near bankruptcy, you’d expect a simple design and that’s what you’ll get. There’s also small bits of fan service that may be distracting but most of it isn’t depicted as shock value.
As an idol theme show, soundtrack is a key element that empowers WuG. The music has a way to clearly describe itself as artistic with the enthusiasm. The downside is the rather repetitiveness the show seems to demonstrate with a lack of diversity in its songs. What the singing festival present lacks strength with how the song is performed. Fortunately, the OST finds itself to balance this with its well-coordinated tone. A quiet atmosphere with a small group of idols, the soundtrack creates realism from all angles. On the other hand, the OP song isn’t very easily to appreciate with its weak artistic features.
WuG isn’t a show I’ll remember for long. Yet, it depicts more of a realistic way of how the entertainment industry works as being an idol and reach success is a very challenging task. It’s not a joke considering the minimum amount of comedy demonstrated by each episode. Yet, the girls of the group has that spirit, the dream to reach success as a group united by an ambition. Just don’t expect any deep enthralling story or strong character development as the show isn’t trying to write a tale of success. Rather, it tries to create a story of an idol life. Did it reach success? I’d say so-so.
