All right, Uzuki-chan, smile.
Okay, that's great.
The age is looking for cat ears, nya.
You mean it's looking for rock.
Cat ears!
Rock!
Cat ears!
Rock!
They're at it again...
Putting those two together in a unit was a bad idea.
Their images are like totally opposite.
What's Producer thinking?
Cat... ears...
Rock...
EPISODE 11
Unit debut?
Yes.
The two of us?
Yes.
Why?! It doesn't make sense, nya!
Any way you look at it, we're not a good match!
Is that right?
I want to be a cute, pop, cat-eared idol, so... so...
...I don't want to do rock, nya!
A-And I don't want anything to do with your stupid cat ears!
We've already got a song for you...
We're holding off on lyrics until I ask both of you about your image.
What do you think?
That song is perfect for a cat ear dance, nya!
It'd be cooler with a rock arrangement!
- It's cuter with cat ears, nya! - Will they be okay?
I hope it works out for them...
I love this cute design and poppy colors, nya!
I'd say this refreshing mint strikes a chord with my hot rock soul...
After my throat's sore from belting out songs, this cool stimulation rocks!
Just walking down the street with one gives my girl power an instant boost.
Talk like that doesn't get across the appeal of the product.
You've got to focus on how cute it is.
What are you talking about?
That cool sensation in your mouth is its biggest appeal.
No, its cuteness.
- Its coolness. - Its cuteness!
Its coolness!
Its cuteness!
We want to frame it like you're a duo who really gets along,
so please choose an outfit from over there and get changed.
Okay!
Well? Does it look good on me?
That doesn't matter!
You need to put on cat ears and a tail so we match, nya!
Why should I?
You adapt to my style.
Nya! We're supposed to be a duo that gets along, nya!
Okay. Good job, both of you.
Recently, Miku-chan and Riina-chan are always together, for work and lessons.
It seems they're trying to work on teamwork before their CD debut.
They fight like every five minutes.
They want to work that badly?
I'm impressed.
I wonder why Producer specifically put those two together.
Maybe it's part of his game plan.
Let's ask P-kun!
I'll go!
Me too!
Idol Festival?
There is such a thing?
Wow! Everyone gets to participate?
It's still in the proposal stage.
I'll give an official announcement when the time is right,
so please don't make a big fuss about it beforehand.
Idol Fest?
Yeah! It was right there on his monitor!
We all get to be up on stage together!
This'll usher in the cat ear boom, nya!
This could be my chance to show everyone how awesome rock is!
You two really have nothing in common.
But at the fest, the units will be performing individually, right?
If you two can't get along as a duo, they probably won't let you participate.
We can't all be on stage together?
Y-You don't really think...
But maybe...
REJECTED
P-chan, please, nya!
Please let us make our debut as solo artists instead of a unit!
Why did you put the two of us together in the first place?
The two of us were left over, so you just randomly put us together?
That never crossed my mind.
I think you two are a good match for a unit.
We're not!
If you insist that it won't work out, then I won't push it.
But in that case, one of you will have to postpone your CD debut.
This isn't good, nya.
At this rate, maybe only one of us will be able to participate in the Fest.
So what do we do?
- I wanna take part in it, nya! - Well, of course, so do I!
What's wrong?
N-Now that we think about it, being in a unit's not a bad idea.
- We figure we'll give it one more shot. - That's right, one more time!
I think we don't really know each other that well yet.
We need more communication, nya!
Then why don't you two live with each other?
I live with my big sister, and we get along really well!
That's a good idea.
Miku-chan lives in a dorm, so Riina-chan could try staying over.
That sounds like fun!
That may be a good idea indeed.
346 PRODUCTION AOYAMA GIRLS' DORMITORY
What'd you bring all that for?
This is one week's worth.
I don't have space for that much stuff!
I already spent a long time getting it down to the essentials.
Huh. This is actually kind of a rockin' place.
I've only got the one bed, so you can sleep on a futon on the floor, nya.
Sure.
Still, all these boxes...
Why'd you bring all these headphones?
That's my precious collection.
All you need is one pair, nya!
Well, you've got tons of pairs of cat ears, right?
Cat ears are my stock in trade!
My headphones are similar.
Hanging a poster on my wall, nya!
What's wrong with it?
It's morning, nya! Wake up, wake up!
I always skip breakfast...
Breakfast is a source of energy.
Hurry up, eat, and then get to school, nya!
W-Why'd you put sauce on it?
You put soy sauce on fried eggs!
Soy sauce? That's heretical!
- Regular sauce, of course! - Soy sauce!
- Regular sauce! - Soy sauce!
Regular sauce!
Dinner is served in the cafe until 8:00.
Let's stop at the supermarket since we finished late tonight.
Okay.
This late, you get a good deal on side dishes, 50 yen off.
You eat that much?
The body is an idol's asset,
so I always try to get 30 different kinds of dishes for dinner, nya!
I love how much space there is in here.
Well, I'm ready to get out.
You're not warm enough yet, nya!
First count to 100!
Jeez, you're annoying.
Miku-han. Good evening.
Um, is it crowded in there?
Totally empty, nya!
Thank you.
See you later.
See you later, nya!
That was Kobayakawa Sae-chan and Kohinata Miho-chan?
They're pretty famous but seem so normal...
I didn't know you were such a fangirl, Riina-chan.
I-I'm not!
I was just thinking that natural feeling is pretty rockin'...
"Rockin'" just sounds like an excuse to me.
How so?
I'm Riina Tada with 346 Production.
My goal is to become a rock idol.
No one loves rock more than me!
Thank you for your consideration.
Done already, nya?
How'd it go?
So-so, I guess?
It'll be okay, nya!
I'm sure we'll make it, nya!
I'll put the cat ears on and charm them!
Yeah, good luck to you too, Miku-chan.
Number three, please.
T-That's me!
Guess this'll take a while.
Nya! I'm so nervous, nya!
You can go on home, Riina-chan.
I'm back... and exhausted, nya.
Welcome home.
What are you doing?
I thought eating prepared food from the supermarket all the time is no good,
so I cooked for us.
Riina-chan, you cook, nya?
Once in a while.
It smells good.
What's on the menu?
Boiled flounder!
This is one of my signature dishes.
Wait a few, I'm almost done.
But what's wrong?
I can't stand fish, nya!
No way! I mean, with the cat ears...
That has nothing to do with this, nya!
If you were going to cook, you should've made a meat dish!
Excuse me? You tell me that now, after it's done?
Nya!
I made fish because I figured you like it...
I was out of line before, nya.
Here, this mint candy will put you in a good mood.
Sorry, I'll pass.
Mints are kind of spicy, which I'm not crazy about.
Even though you said mints were cool and the best?
That was for an ad campaign.
Most people prefer a sweet flavor, don't you think?
What's rockin' about that?
I-If I think it's rock, it's rock!
What I'm saying is rock comes from the heart.
Without a passionate heart, the fans won't follow you, right?
Being so cute you make people happy just by looking at you is an idol's charm!
That's why I wear the cat ears!
Cat ears just don't go with rock.
Instead, you should get a guitar and come up with some soulful licks.
Why don't you play some of those "soulful licks" for me, nya?
I-I'm still learning how to play...
If you can't play, then don't bring it here, nya!
I-I said I'm learning!
Okay, okay, okay!
Y-You shouldn't fight...
I thought living together would bring them closer...
I don't see much of a difference...
I'm okay. I said you didn't have to call.
You don't need to worry about me. Things are going fine.
I'll talk to you soon, Mom.
An idol who can sing?
Yes.
The plan was to have them sing for our event two days from now,
What's up?
I was hoping 346 Pro would have a singing idol who could fill in.
I'm sorry, but it's just too short notice.
Excuse me!
Would you let us do it?
We've never even sung together before!
Why did you volunteer for that?
I'm sorry.
But I didn't want to pass up a chance.
Chance?
We still haven't gotten on the same page yet.
I really want to participate in the Idol Fest.
But in the end, that's not a good reason to force us into a unit.
I want to see for myself why Producer put us together.
And if it's clear that we can't make it work,
I want you to make your debut first!
The event is two days from now.
Even with the song, there aren't any lyrics yet.
W-Well...
We can write it in two days, can't we?
Riina-chan!
I'm interested in songwriting, anyway.
And I feel the same way you do.
You're serious, then?
Yes!
Understood. I'll handle the outfits and accompaniment for the song.
Please have the lyrics ready by morning of the day after tomorrow.
Right!
"Burning heartbeat... Rock you...
Kiss you... Sad rain drenches the town...
Now is the time to run through a rockin' night"...
What? Are you trying to pick a fight?
Do you have your own ideas?
Of course!
"Nya, nya... Goro-goro, nyan... Deliver a lovely smile, nyan"...
What is that?
It's better than yours!
Even though you looked smug when you said you were interested in songwriting!
I'd be too embarrassed to sing what you wrote!
Here, soy sauce...
Thanks.
Here is the source of great power!
We brought you snacks.
Anyan! Ranko-chan!
Thank you!
I have no idea!
Well, I do, nya!
How am I supposed to sing "nyan, nyan" or "goro-goro" with feeling?
Well, I don't know what your lyrics mean either, nya!
Let's go back to the drawing board.
Yeah.
We've got a pretty good crowd here!
And now let's play rock-paper-scissors for a prize!
Rock-scissors... paper!
You didn't get much rehearsal time. Are you going to be okay?
Yes! We'll be fine.
Leave it to us, nya!
So I can have faith in you two.
Of course!
Do your best.
Right!
Okay, everyone, thank you for playing the rock-paper-scissors tournament!
We really are on different pages, huh?
That's what makes our unit unique, nya.
Well, shall we go?
Yeah!
It's gonna start!
Yay!
I'm Miku...
...and I'm Riina! Thank you for coming!
Miku and Riina?
I've never heard of them.
What a great crowd, nya!
Today, we're going to show you lots and lots and lots and lots of our charm!
Follow us to the end, everyone!
All right, let's see a little more spirit, nya!
Everyone say "nya"!
One-two...
Nyaaa!
Nya...
Huh?
That's strange! I couldn't hear you!
Say it in a voice loud enough for Miku-chan's cat ears to pick up!
Okay, let's try it once more, nya!
One-two...
Nyaaa!
Nyaaa...
Nyaaa!
One more time, nya!
Nya!
Nya! Nya!
Nya!
Nya! Nya!
Okay!
Here we go!
One-two... "Over"!
So it's okay for you two to make your CD debut together?
Yes. I think we can get by, respecting each other's quirks as we go.
I'll take good care of my cat ears and rock, nya!
Producer-san, can I pass this Idol Fest proposal on to the rest of the company?
Sorry, we haven't decided yet on their unit name...
It's not Asterisk?
No, I just put that mark as a placeholder until we decided their name.
Really?
Asterisk?
What's that?
In Latin, it means "little star."
Asterisk... That kind of rocks.
It's cute, nya!
I think that settles it.
Then let's go with "Asterisk" as your unit name.
Right!
Also...
...the costume designs for your debut song are ready.
The cat ears are adorable!
Huh, it is cute.
This is kind of rockin', too.
How is this in any way "rockin'"?
W-What? I told you. If it feels like rock, it is rock!
That's no kind of policy, nya!
It seems you both approve.
Nya! We're through! We're done!
They're fighting again.
Those two never learn.
They really are close.
Yeah.
They may actually be a good combination.
EPISODE 12