I can't believe we're going to be onstage!
We've just begun and already we're being picked for big things!
Who knows what'll happen?
Isn't being an idol fun?
Yeah!
What about you, Rin-chan?
It still doesn't feel real, I guess.
I can't imagine myself on stage.
Is this what it's like to get your start as an idol?
I don't know, but...
You won't know until you try!
That hurts.
Good morn...
...ing.
I refuse to accept that the new kids who came after us are going on stage!
Let's fight to see who's better suited for it!
That was an incredible battle.
I just got a little greedy!
I didn't lose!
Does this have anything to do with being an idol?
Miku-chan, are you okay?
Um... I made snacks to celebrate your going onstage!
Thanks!
Have some.
They're great!
I can't believe you made this yourself!
Here, try one.
Thank you.
It's good.
Eat a whole lot.
There's plenty of them.
- Really? - Can we? - Um...
Wow! Thank you!
I'll have one too.
Hey, Mimura!
You're an idol too, so you need to be thinking about your weight.
I'm sorry!
Sheesh...
By the way, is Jougasaki here?
Morning!
Jougasaki Mika...san?
Good morning!
Sorry, sorry.
- I had an interview that ran long. - Whatever. Just go change.
Okay.
I get to have a lesson with Jougasaki Mika!
You show them how it's done, first.
Once you've got the basics down I'll take a look.
Okay.
Do you guys have a lot of experience dancing?
I used to dance with my friends at school all the time!
I did some at the training school...
Not really, I guess.
I watched the DVD for this one to learn it.
Hmm...
Well, we won't know until we try, I guess.
Just leave it all to me!
-Mika-chan! -From now on, I'll call you Mika-nee!
Mika-nee?
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.
If you come to a dead stop right here it looks really cool.
This is really hard...
Um, there's a part I don't get.
Which?
"TOKIMEKI keeps on escalating,
I'm in a love mode that pops like cider"
That part.
- You can sing too, huh? - Nice, Shiburin! - You're so cool, Rin-chan!
That doesn't have anything to do with this.
Oh? Hey, Shiburin, I think your face is getting red!
I wonder what kind of outfits they're going to wear for the concert.
The concert...
Just thinking about it makes me nervous!
Hold it!
I just screwed up a little last time!
Fight me again-
You have something else to be doing right now.
Thank you!
Okay, see you around!
Is there something bothering you?
Oh, no.
Is it about the backup dancer girls?
Yes.
Of course, I think they've all got the talent.
But to be honest, it seems too soon to me.
You may be right.
But whatever happens, it'll be a good experience for them, right?
These are our new outfits, right?
Is this for the winter concert?
Hey, hey! Shimamu! Look at this!
You shouldn't touch them without asking!
Oh, come on!
Huh?
Trainer-san?
I'm her sister.
- You look just like her! - I get that a lot.
I'm a trainer just like my sister,
but I'm still new.
So you're a rookie just like us?
Rookie...
Then you can be Rookie-chan?
Rookie-chan?
This is pretty sexy!
You look great, both of you!
So do you, Shimamu! You look like a real idol!
Really?
I'd like you to see if the size fits.
Okay!
Um, my butt's a little...
Oh, you're dressed already!
Are those your stage outfits?
That's so great!
But wouldn't it be sexier if you showed some skin around your belly?
Let's fight, and the winner gets those clothes!
Rock, paper, scissors! Look over there!
I win!
- You're so good, Mio-chan! - That doesn't count!
Luck is a skill too, right?
Okay, break.
It's your turn next.
Hey, Maekawa. How long does it take to catch your breath?
Okay.
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight!
Here you go, Anya-chan.
Spasiba.
Thank you, Minami.
Minami, are they okay being so overworked?
The concert's soon.
So everybody's working really hard.
One, two, three, four!
Keep your knees limber!
Stand with your legs further apart!
Uzuki-chan and the others were working really hard!
Did you say something?
Riina-chan, did you want to stage on the same stage as Mika-chan?
A backup dancer for an idol isn't rock at all.
Hmm? It's not?
You maidens who have been chosen by the eyes,
let the drops of life well forth from you,
as you proceed towards the banquet.
I will rest my coal-black wings for a short while,
in preparation for the day to come.
Hey, come to think of it, where's Anzu-chan?
It's rarer for her to actually be here, right?
Well, I'd say that's the bare minimum you need to pass.
- Alright! - Yeah.
Parts of that were iffy, though.
Good work!
Anya-chan.
Pozhalujsta.
- Thank you. - T-Thank you!
Wait, that's not it...
How do you say it in Russian?
Um...
Pozdravlyayu.
Congratulations.
You all worked really hard.
I'm sure the concert tomorrow will be wonderful.
Is my Japanese right?
Yeah.
Yeah!
Thank you.
We'll do our best!
Can I have one of these?
Yes, go ahead.
Thank you!
Learn everything you can from the more experienced girls.
Everything that happens today will be a valuable experience for all of you.
Okay!
I still can't accept this,
but you defeated me, so I'm entrusting this to you!
Good luck with your concert!
We'll be watching you with everybody!
Okay, thanks!
Thank you very much.
So this is what it's like backstage before a concert.
It's surprising the first time you see it. I helped with merchandise once-
Come this way, everyone.
Introduce yourselves to the performers.
I-I'm Shimamura Uzuki, one of the backup dancers!
I'm Honda Mio! I look forward to working with you today.
I'm Shibuya Rin. Nice to meet you all.
Nice to meet you all!
Is this your first concert?
Y-yes!
I-It's really nerve-wracking, right?
I've been nervous the whole day...
Nice to meet you!
Let's do everything we can to make this concert a hot one!
Your first concert, huh? That's wonderful.
If there's anything you don't know, feel free to ask me.
Hey, you're the girl I met before, right?
Yes, that's right!
I'm glad to have you here today.
Morning!
Good morning!
Let's all do our best today!
Of course!
Yes! Yes! Yes!
Good morning.
I'm glad to be here with you all today.
We're glad to be here!
Um, so stage left...
It's our left when we're on the stage. Stage right is our right.
Um...
Stage left is our left. Stage right is our right.
That was so loud...
That scared me.
Can I get a mic check?
Hello!
I'm Jougasaki Mika!
Nice to meet you all!
Thank you.
Okay, after the intro we'll cut the lights and you can exit stage right.
These are different than our normal shoes.
- They're awkward if you're not used to it. - We're going to do a full rehearsal!
Right!
Watch your heads!
These things move pretty fast, so be careful when you step off!
Okay!
Three, two, one!
Okay, cut for a second.
- Let's do this one more time. - Okay!
Um, can we do that one more time?
I don't think we've got any more time.
What should I do, Rin-chan?
I don't know, but let's at least try to practice along with the dancing.
Excuse me!
Can you up the volume on my speakers?
Somehow I'm just not hungry.
Yeah.
Here's your change!
This is it!
Here?
I wanted to be closer!
But you can see a long way from here!
Right?
Oh, yeah.
This place holds a lot of people, doesn't it?
Let's see what you can do.
Vse v Porjadke...
Here we go!
Yeah!
I'm getting nervous.
It's starting!
It's finally time for the ball to begin!
It's started, huh Mio-chan?
Mio-chan?
Mio?
You've been really quiet for a while. Are you okay?
H-have I?
Okay, everybody get ready.
- Already? - Yeah. Thanks.
It's time to go.
Y-yeah.
You too, Uzuki.
R-right.
It's okay.
- The concert will go just fine. - Right! - Yeah.
Okay, let's go then!
Yeah!
Everybody!
How you doing? Feeling good?
Have you decided on a chant yet?
A chant?
You should have one.
Why not your favorite food?
Mine would be is "Steaming! Hot! Rice!", you know?
Ch-Chocolate!
- Prosciutto e Melone! - Fried chicken!
Rock, paper, scissors!
Okay!
Let's go have fun!
Everybody's ready!
Here we go!
Five seconds! Four!
Three!
Fri! Ed! Chicken!
T! O! K!
TOKIMEKI!
M! E! K!
TOKIMEKI!
Thanks, everybody!
By the way, these girls were our backup dancers today!
They're still brand new, but I invited them to come onstage!
Let's ask them what they thought!
Well?
Um...
It was wonderful!
The whole program's complete!
Good work everybody!
Good job!
That was a great job for your first time! I guess I was right about you!
Thank you!
Thank you, Mika-nee!
Thank you!
Good work.
The concert hall was really fired up!
A great first concert, huh?
I hope we can be together for the next concert.
Good job.
Producer-san!
Um... thank you...
Thank you for letting us be on stage today!
It was a good concert.
Mio-chan!
Rin-chan!
Shimamu...
Shiburin!
We did it! Our first concert was a success!
It was all so sparkly! Being an idol is so wonderful!
Right?
Right, Rin-chan?
Yeah.
Good work today.
I hope you'll apply what you've learned here today.
Right!
It was a wonderful concert.
I hope that both the staff and performers will keep the success in mind
as we head towards our next concert.
- Well, you did okay for today- - You were really shining up there!
- Will you be in the next concert? - Let me be in the next concert too!
I want to be on stage too!
Is this really real?
It was like a dream, wasn't it?
Yeah.