22/7

An anime adaptation of 22/7 adds another title to the seasonal idol lineup we get every year. Usually, we get at least 1-2 idol theme anime per season but 22/7 is also known for being a real life idol group. And make no mistake, becoming a member of the 22/7 idol group is no easy task. Because out of over 10,000 candidates, only a few are selected as being worthy. On a few are born to be an idol. Only a few has what it takes to be a member of 22/7. Idol shows are known for their promotional material and a testament of having charactersas role models. The members have strict life styles and in Japanese culture, they must abide to rules or be eliminated. Because of this, becoming part of an idol group is a celebrated feat, an accomplishment that one should be proud of. 22/7 consists of 8 characters, all with different personalities, backgrounds, and ambitions. However, they are united under the same banner, to be idols and entertain the world through music. The idol culture graces us with facts that in the entertainment world, anything can happen. Being high school students, they’re still learning to grow up and taking steps into adolescence is no easy task. The first few episodes promises to set up a storytelling saga to showcase the reality of idol life. Being managed by “The Wall”, the show is unique in that it’s not managed by a talent agency. From the first episode, we are introduced to Miu Takuigawa, an ordinary high school teenager looking for work. After having trouble earning income for her family, she decides to become a member but interestingly enough, Miu is one of the less qualified members compared to the other cast. More interestingly, Miu is initially chosen as the lead center and with that comes a huge responsibility. It doesn’t take long for her to clash with fellow idol member Nicole in the second episode. And this shouldn’t be a surprise either as the audience should easily be able to see that Nicole qualifies more as a leader than Miu. The first two episodes brings together the melodrama and reality of being in an idol group. Even within the group, they have problems so what’s to say they won’t face even bigger problems? Luckily, differences can be put aside as by the time we reach the third episode, 22/7 is in line to perform their first live concert. It doesn’t go well at first due to equipment failure but as the leader, Miu takes charge for herself and manages to save them from humiliation. In essence, her actions earns the respect of the group and the audience. And because of her committment, it’s safe to say that Miu earned her spot. But this show isn’t just about Miu. Viewers should remember that there are 7 other girls and each of them come from different backgrounds. From episode 4 and onwards, we are given insights about some of their personalities and background stories on a personal level for the remaining cast. This form of storytelling is also important as it showcase the realism of the show. There’s obvious social problems that the idols deal with including social anxiety, loneliness, self-doubt, and even the deaths of a loved one. If we look at the bigger picture, this show seems to aim to be an emotional drama than the lighthearted pop culture such as Idolmaster or Love Live. Some of my favorite episodes in this season exists because it gets you emotionally invested into the cast such as Akane, Toda, and even Ayaka. Other times, the anime aims to collectively tell stories about the group as a whole to the world. In one of the later episodes, it tests the emotional connection of the group as they become attached together like a family. The more you watch 22/7, the more you realize it’s more than just a group of idols existing together to perform on stage. It’s about living a life to fulfill dreams and overcoming life obstacles that didn’t seem possible. From the theatrical performances to the character designs, A-1 Pictures adapted this anime like a play. The characters are the actors, or idols in this case, but always portrayed as realistic as possible. They are humans after all and even transcending into the idol realm doesn’t immortalize them as Gods. But as 22/7 grows more in popularity, you can see how the group improves themselves with better dance coordination, singing tunes, and even their stage outfits. On the technical level, the animated music videos themselves uses CGI with some 3D choreography. Now, before you throw the towel, I do want to say this show managed to animate itself rather well. The dance movements look sharp and chereography has coordination while not being overly reliant on the animation itself. It may take time to get used to but as it stands, 22/7’s CGI works wonders. Now, the big question remains. How should the music be judged? As “idols who cross dimensions”, the seiyu in this show had to undergo through lengthy process of being selected so rest assured that the music you hear is top tier quality. It relies a lot on conveying emotions and communicating the idols’ emotions to the audience. Sony Music Records bought top tier talent together to compose their discography. The most noticeable one is perhaps the OP theme song, “MuzuI” performed by Uta Kawase. Also distinguishable is the fact that almost every episode contains a different ED theme, most often featuring the prominent character related to that episode. Insert songs are also occasionally used in episodes during climatic moments. There’s a good chance people missed out on this show this year. It’s a niche anime targeted to the music demographic but from what’s shown, 22/7 itself went above expectations to be more than just idols performing on stage. The amount of melancholy is above the general consensus and in retrospect, it reinvents itself as a music drama. Spread the word and let it be known that 22/7 is a rewarding experience.

22/7... That is the title of the anime...sounds like a mathematical thing. However, what is behind this mysterious number? This numerical value certainly seems familiar to one or the other in relation to π (Pi), but mathematics does not play a major role here. 22/7 or "Nanabun no Nijūni" is an idol group that was formed in late 2016. The group itself consists of eleven members (2 + 2 + 7 = 11), eight of them appear here in the main anime (the other three will appear in the OVA, 13th episode). STORY: With no idea in mind, our eight girls receive a mysterious letter that does nottell anything beside to meet in a zoo. From that point on, we get to know that they are the chosen ones to start a new idol group. Despite the different starting skills in singing and dancing, which is the most important thing for idols, they work together to improve their skills and knowledge. A deep friendship arises, together they manage to overcome hurdles and support each other. In the 21st century, AI (Artificial intelligence) is already an important part in our daily life. So is it possible to analyze everything and calculate even the perfect idol flow? Since all-important information (center position, performance times, etc.) is given by a mysterious "wall" from the headquarter and must be followed absolutely, this could be an indication of such an AI. However, we are humans and not machines, we know sadness, we know what makes us happy, me know the feeling of losing important things. Do we really have to do everything the AI suggests? Our girls also face this hurdle, because the AI demands many things that cannot be understood by humans. CHARACTERS: The first three episodes are focusing on the center member Miu. She is a very shy girl and had little confidence in the whole idol thing at the beginning. She did not want to become an idol even. We get to know her background situation in detail. Nevertheless, all eight members will already be seen in the first episode. After the first three episode, we will learn more and more about each girl. The background stories of them are very touching, some are also very sad. Instead of thinking negatively, they want to transmit new positive energy to people with their songs. All of the girls had a different past, but fate (and AI) brought them together as a unit. Together they spread the happiness among the people and can solve all problems! The harmony between them is definitely there. ART: The animations are a little different from their music videos, which were produced before the anime. It is definitely smoother and better now. The girls are portrayed sweetly, as it is often the case in idol anime. SOUND: One of the most important thing for a good idol anime in my opinion. Although the group has released only four singles yet, it is fun to hear their songs, idol music to brighten up your day. The entire 22/7 group also sing OP and ED. Each character will have their own unique ending song during the anime also. Idol music should spread a good mood and joy among its fans and listeners, their songs certainly succeeded in that way. ENJOYMENT: I was looking forward every Saturday for a new episode of 22/7. I really like the new idea of 22/7 that differs from e.g. Love Live! or Re: Stage Dream Days. The "AI wall" is certainly an interesting thing that is not known from other idol anime. It reflects the power of AI nowadays. Besides that new idea, I really enjoyed the characters. We learn a lot about them and as a result they grow close to our hearts. The support of each other in difficult situations is really very touching. You can feel the love between them. For idol fans (like myself), 22/7 is definitely a recommendation. You will have cute girls, good music and an unique story line. (Looking forward for the OVA and hopefully a second season already!)

Takigawa Miu It all started with Takigawa Miu, a shy and anti-social girl. One day Miu found a letter containing an invitation to join an idol named 22/7. The idol group which consists of 8 member, has its own story. in each episode there is a background and reasons for how these 8 member arrived at 22/7. There are lots of anime titles out there like this but none are as unique as 22/7. Carrying the theme of idol, this anime does not only contain girls singing, dancing, or cheering. what makes this interesting is that it contains not only those 3 things, but this anime isactually full of flashbacks or backgrounds of each character. In addition, the song was beautiful, the rhythm of the music hummed melodiously. but unfortunately 22/7 shows very few concerts. Although rarely appear this anime is worth watching and the idol anime should be like 22/7. Not only rely on songs, anime idols must also have a clear background and purpose about the idol itself. I know all of this is only for money, promotion, or fame but there is no harm in experimenting, because there are still many opportunities out there, like the sky does not end.

Real time: I've never been a fan of idols, both the Western kind or Japan's versions of them. The same goes for idol-based anime, mostly because many of them tend to be formulaic or of poor quality. There have been some good ones, but I've seen very few of them. Honestly, the only idol anime I can say that I really love is Fancy Lala, and even that's stretching it, as Fancy Lala's focus isn't really on being an idol. I haven't seen either The IdolM@ster nor Wake Up Girls (I do plan to see the former later on), AKB0048 was fun and ambitious thoughkind of stupid at times, I've heard great things about Skip Beat and ZombieLand Saga, but again, haven't seen them. I like Aikatsu well enough, though it is a show aimed at children and is much more on the silly, idealistic side of things, and anyone who's talked to me at all knows I'm not touching Love Live with a ten foot pole, mostly because of the fact that it plays sexual harassment for comedy, and that absolutely does not sit right with me. I wasn't intending on watching the newest idol anime, 22/7, but reading someone's review of the first episode had me intrigued, because it had a main character who was very cynical and bitter, far from your typical idol anime protagonist, and it had an interesting, if stupid premise. I know nothing of the actual real life idol group 22/7, so the review will solely focus on the anime. To be honest, the first episode did win me over, and I was really hoping this would be good. And it tried. It really tried...but it fell flat on its face. Big time. So what's the story? It begins with a girl named Miu who finds a mysterious letter in her mail. She and seven other girls are made to gather at a zoo, and a man named Gouda takes them down to an underground facility. There, they find out that they've all been recruited to start an idol group called 22/7, and everything they do is going to be dictated by a magical, sentient wall that spits orders on brass plates. In order to be successful, they have to follow the wall's orders to the letter. Understandably, many of the girls don't know what's going on and are opposed to it, Miu especially, as she's not too keen on the idea of being used to fulfill someone else's whims, wall or no. But then she gets fired from her job, and has no source of income. Reluctantly, she and the other girls return to the facility and decide to become the idol group 22/7, though they still have no idea what the wall even is or why they have to do everything it tells them to do. Yeah. The idea of a sentient wall dictating an entire idol group is pretty hilarious in how stupid it sounds, and it's inspired many a joke since the anime's premiere. But if you ignore that, the anime promised to be a more cynical, realistic look at the idol business, not unlike Wake Up Girls. And for the first four or so episodes, the anime seemed to hit the ground running. It has smooth, stunning animation, though not without the occasional glaring CGI, great music, Miu is a great, refreshing protagonist who actually had flaws she needed to overcome, and the anime seemed to actually care about characterization rather than making the girls into one note moe archetypes. In all honesty, 22/7 could have really been something great, and it promised to try and stand out from the sea of bad idol anime. So what went wrong? Why the low rating? Well...a lot of things. First off, for an anime about a group of idol singers, it doesn't really highlight a lot of things that are important to showing the girls becoming idols. We never see them take dance lessons or record songs in a recording booth, other than, like, one single scene and that's it. We rarely, if ever, see them actually putting in effort or learning about the ins and outs of the idol industry, and those things are really important if you want to show these girls growing as both individuals and as a group. Say what you will about Aikatsu, but it at least showed the girls taking the time to practice, train, and go deep into the business practices that make idols what they are. Even Fancy Lala didn't simply gloss over these important details, as it knew they were really important if it wanted to show how the idol industry worked. There's only one scene in episode 3 where the girls are having their first concert and have to deal with bad audio equipment, but it gets resolved right away and leaves no impact whatsoever. For what its worth, the actual soundtrack is good, and the songs are well sung, but I only have one issue with the opening theme: It seems to just cut off at the end, like it didn't have time to really wrap up before the show was set to start. The second main problem is the series' overall structure. Every episode has two parts to it, with one half taking place in the present, showing the girls' activities, and the other half consisting of flashbacks to the girls' backstories, showing how they got to be where they are. But this can be a double edged sword, and without the right balance, this can really make or break a show, and not only does 22/7 suffer from this, its way of inserting flashbacks in their episodes results in a weird tonal whiplash. For example, episode 6 begins with Reika, as a baby, nearly dying of some unknown illness, with her mother doing so later, and the next scene? Bam! Girls at the beach in their swimsuits! Can you see how jarring that type of transition can be? 22/7 can be at its best when it actually puts effort into tying the girls' pasts to current events (Sakura's episode being one such example), but at its worst when it's unable to find that balance (Again, Reika's episode). Because of the way the episodes are made, the show tends to gloss over things that are important while putting too much focus on things that don't really mean much in the big picture. For example, various episodes imply that Sakura returning to America is going to be important, but nothing ever comes out of it, and that plot thread is never resolved. If I could use one word to describe 22/7 in a nutshell, it'd be...contradictory. The writing for this show is really inconsistent and it's like the writers don't really know what they want to do with their characters most of the time, Nicole being an example in that early on, she's established as a haughty, bitchy character, but she's occasionally nice to the girls, and just seems to flip-flop between the two personalities without a real reason for being either one. Not even her focus episode sheds any light on why she's so needlessly mean to the other girls. Some characters are better than others, with Miu being the standout example. In my opinion, I feel she's the best character. Both her backstory and personality are down to earth, and she's such a refreshing change from the happy, optimistic idol series mains who want to be idols, though I will admit, her low pitched voice really isn't going to win her any Oscars. But again, as the show loses steam halfway through its run, Miu's original personality seems to disappear until the very end. Ayaka is pretty much a non-entity as a character and her reasons for being an idol are...really stupid and dumb, and poor Reika really got the shaft, because her episode was not only poorly written and endorsed a bad message (Reika doesn't want to wear a skimpy swimsuit for a photo shoot because she doesn't want to be a teenage sex object, which would normally be valid and understandable? Too bad! Get in the bikini, Reika!), but was really sexist. Jun's episode wasn't much better: What do you do when all your idols save for one get sick from food poisoning? Instead of postponing their jobs and waiting a day for everyone to be back to normal, let's completely overwork a 15-year-old girl by having her do a crap ton of jobs, even the ones her idol friends were supposed to do, over the course of an entire day! Which then leads me to the show's biggest problem: The characters as individuals are fine, though kind of bland, but since we never really get to watch them evolve and grow as a group, any pathos that comes from events such as breaking up doesn't feel earned in spite of the show's attempts to milk as much drama as possible. We never really see them truly come together as a group despite the show's attempts at telling us that they're awesome as a group, because, you know, we never see them doing stuff like dance lessons or recording songs or actually working together. Basically, the show is paying lip service to the idea of developing them as a group. I think the show might have done better had it just focused on Miu and cut down the flashbacks in favor of putting more time into having the girls learn to function as a group, like the show tries to advertise. Finally, we don't learn much about the wall, and even at the end, what the hell it even is is never really resolved, making it yet another plot thread that's been abandoned for the sake of idol flashiness. It's a shame that 22/7 turned out this way, as I really wanted to like this show. The first three episodes were great, but after that, it loses steam quickly and just ends on a whimper, too caught up in its own hubris to really attempt something meaningful. Then again, this is another commerical for a famous idol group, so I guess it turning out the way it did was inevitable. I mean, I'll still watch this over Love Live (Except episode 6. Screw that episode in the eye), but it's an idol show that tried, and failed, to stand out from the oversaturated genre, and just didn't deliver.

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