I just want to address, before I get into my review, that a lot of people compare Cinderella Girls to Love Live! and I see where they're coming from. I mean there's a lot of physical similarities with them being in the idol industry and being all girl groups, but at the same time they highlight different aspects of idol life (haha don't quote me, I didn't do research) with Cinderella Girls being deeply rooted in the original way of becoming idols i.e. auditions and training whereas Love Live! was more of a DIY collaboration between high school girls. Cinderella Girls has a variety of ages ranging from middle school to college, maybe even beyond because Nana was always like "I'm forever 17."
{Spoilers? Eh it's slice of life and a feel-good anime. You know how it's gonna go down.}
Disclaimer: Okay so obviously I can't review it in terms of accuracy when it comes to being an idol and whatnot because I'm not an idol, nor have I ever had any interest in becoming one so I don't want to fill your heads with fake news.
Basically the only way I can review it is based upon feeling and character development. So, as far as character development, there was a lot of turmoil in the second half if we're being honest here. The first 12 or so episodes it was fine. Everyone had a grand old time debuting and doing variety shows and whatnot. And then it became super stressful when the ice queen executive producer showed up fresh from America and full of ideas about how to mass produce successful idols. While I didn't particularly like her I think she served as an excellent catalyst for some of the girls to kick start their adventures.Without her pushing them to improve Anya wouldn't have become a solo artist and Rin wouldn't have made a second group with Triad Primus. So she helped those two grow especially and that also led to the other characters growing as well. Not all the girls, obviously, but a vast majority of them. Because Anya left Love Laika, Minami ended up alone which ended up with Minami becoming a solo artist herself. Just that whole portion of episodes where Anya and Rin were deciding whether or not to pursue the next leg of adventure made me really stressed out because their original groups were already beautiful and growing, but it was all for the sake of trying to see a new view. What was the most heartbreaking was when you could see their group mates questioning their own worth and the strength of the bonds between them and the question in their eyes that said "Am I not good enough? Am I not enough for you?" Okay, maybe I'm reading a lot in between the lines, but I still think that's what they're saying. I could write whole paragraphs about how Chieri overcame her shyness and stopped using her 'frog' crutch, how Miku and Riina's dynamic was unexpected but turning into a rockin' duo to quartet group, how Kanako's impactful deal with the ideal idol weight was a short portion but allowed for a more holistic view of idol work, how Ranko challenged the conventional genres of an idol's image, how Mio found herself a talent after coming to terms with Rin's decision to leave, or Miria's relatable struggle for attention as the older sister but we all know I'd just go on passionate rambles about each one. And it wasn't even the growth and progression of the main idols, but also of Producer-san. Throughout it all he was the silent pillar of support that weathered the storm and protected the girls. And he was fearless. When he was wrong he would admit it and he would try his hardest to do what the girls wanted to do; if the ice queen executive producer was a conventional farmer, he would be a free range organic farmer.
I thought that Uzuki should have her own little section because she really was the beginning and end of the series that brought it full circle. I'm pretty sure we saw the most of her and she was kind of the poster girl for the series. She always tried her hardest and whenever you think about her you just think of the phrase "Gambatte!" because that's what she's about. She's about trying her hardest. And at times, even though Mio dubbed her the 'natural airhead', she was insightful and inspirational. For a while it seemed like she lost her sparkle and her will to shine because she was being outshone by those around her. In any life situation, everyone's felt a little dimmer than others at some point. I think that's why Uzuki is the most easy to relate to. I dunno, I just thought I should give her a proper nod in recognition for being the glue to stick things together.
Overall, if you're looking for a pure, heart-of-gold anime series, this is the one for you. It's a bit on the longer side with the series being 25 episodes and not as exciting at times, but it's well worth it. That amount of time makes it easy to get to know all of the characters even though there's so many of them. It's great seeing them develop over time and seeing their hard work pay off in brilliant performances. There's just something about idol anime that's almost addicting. You can't help but feel as though your soul has been cleansed and you can get through another day with a smile.
Side Note: The reason I created this blog's anime/manga section was to rant and just spill out my feelings about things I like to my heart's desire. This is more of a reminder to myself why I started this than anything else.
From the moment I saw Anzu I connected with her on a spiritual level
I had to add these in because 1. They're aesthetically pleasing and 2. They're pretty inspiring
Not only was this anime really uplifting, it also made me really sad because it's almost too relatable
Of course there were also funny incidents
And comforting times
And inspirational ones
With some bittersweet moments
And, of course, the viewer's satisfaction with seeing their growth
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