Artist: Aerodog (Pixiv ID#20178801)
Schneider may have a top three that fluctuates week by week, but my number one in The Idolm@ster is always, always Ritsuko. I knew from the first episode that she was going to draw me. But why?
Perhaps because her job is so thankless. Ritsuko refers to herself as a novice, but she’s been at Studio 765 longer than everyone except the chief, and she’s clearly doing all the heavy lifting. She makes the schedules and herds the girls around, all so Mr. Producer can feel free to do his easygoing personal growth routine. But Ritsuko doesn’t seem to mind being downgraded to a subordinate. On the contrary, like some heroine of a shoujo manga, she’s determined to work hard and prove her worth. She’s a true career woman, complete with glass ceiling.
Yes, but for what?
She’s also alone, with no professional allies. The agency may be full of girls, but in time-honored Japanese tradition, all of them are working on borrowed time. Even Ritsuko’s closest associate, Otonashi Kotori, is just an OL– an “office flower.” It’s a temporary job for young girls fresh out of college, pouring tea and filing the mail, and more often than not it ends in marriage. And of course, no matter how much she likes the idols, Ritsuko should know very well that the shelf life of young aidoru isn’t long.
Taken all together, you can see The Idolm@ster as a microcosm of the working world for women in Japan: Unrewarded effort, dead ends and sugar-coated dreams of fame. But Ritsuko isn’t a cynic, and that’s the amazing thing. Even after having spent time as an idol, and now working her butt off at the studio, she continues to hope, and to believe in the future of her protégées.
I admit, in my male chauvinist heart of hearts, I really just want to protect her. And I know that that’s the point, even if the creators behind The Idolm@ster had no intention of invoking arguments of gender equality at the workplace. I’ve been duped. But that’s something I can live with.
Further reading
The Wikipedia article on the Career Woman is surprisingly thorough.
Update: Author is further ahead in The Idolm@ster than I am, and has some thoughts to share. (Mild spoiler warning applies.)
August 17, 2011 at 10:24 pm
Ritsuko’s the only character in the show that stands out without beating the audience over the head with her quirks. Not much attention has been lavished on her thus far, granted, but she’s worming her way up to the top as far as being tolerable goes through sheer hard work and force of personality. Of course, the glasses don’t hurt either.
Anywho, glad you hit on this, since I never would’ve noticed otherwise.
August 17, 2011 at 10:35 pm
Oh, thank goodness. I was afraid this was going to be all ho-hum assumed stuff for most readers.
Consider this my booster post for Schneider’s ranking.
August 17, 2011 at 10:37 pm
During an economics class in one university here in Kyoto, the teacher asked how many of the girls intended to forego looking for a long-term job and find themselves a man that will provide for their needs instead. More than eighty percent raised their hands.
It is often believed that males in Japan are oppressing and thwarting the ambitious and able women, but it is probably more complex than that. Japanese women have learned to function quite comfortably in the current system. Japanese sources often remark that woman have become predator-like in their hunt for a husband, with very precise salary requirements attached.
That said, the above-stated just makes it easier on the system to ignore the few career women there are. And doing anything against the system in Japan is a dead-end street.
August 17, 2011 at 10:47 pm
Kyoto! Wonderful town, very international.
Are you an exchange student?
Anyway, it’s… tricky. Some schools of feminism might argue that women have been conditioned to have lesser expectations by the patriarchal system. On the other hand, if you’re a difference feminist (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Difference_feminism), you might approach the issue, well, differently. But yes, the ways in which women have learned to rechannel their ambitions is indeed interesting.
Thanks for reading!
August 18, 2011 at 8:32 am
You probably know that in the majority of Japanese households, the husband’s salary gets thrown into a bank account… which is controlled by the wife, since she’s the one who pays the bills. With males only getting as much ‘pocket money’ as their wives see fit from the salary they worked hard for, it’s not so obvious to me who gets the rough end of the deal here.
It’s true that women who actually have the ambition to be independent (or to be the one to support the family) have a difficult time making a career. Then again, this applies to any person acting out the bounds of what is perceived as “standard” in this society.
And yes, I’m an exchange student.
August 17, 2011 at 11:48 pm
In some ways, it’s not much different from men (and women) in sports. At the end of a limited career, they retire from direct participation in the game. Some will go on to find work in a completely different field. Others will become coaches or sports presenters.
Ritsuko appears to be filling that coach/mentor role while working as a producer (novice or not). No doubt the fact that she is a mere “novice” producer is a reflection of the tendency for the Japanese to be culturally unaccepting of women as leaders.
I’ve said before that moe is wanting to protect a character (as opposed to sexy or annoying). I wonder, does it reflect on your age if you find the older lady more moe than the young ones? So far, I haven’t wanted to protect any of the “obasan”s who try hard to still act young (Like Meme in Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko), but is it not far off?
August 18, 2011 at 10:44 pm
Wanting to protect the older ladies is a product of their behavior. Hence: Meme, no. Sakurai-sensei from Nichijou, yes! Yukarin from Azumanga Daioh, no. See what I mean?
August 19, 2011 at 10:51 am
I would see a bit better if I’d watched Nichijou or Azumanga Daioh….
All I know is there are few older ladies in anime that put out a moe feel. They tend to be motherly or desperate and dateless….
August 18, 2011 at 12:14 am
I LOVE THIS POST!!!!!!!!!!!!!
August 18, 2011 at 10:48 pm
Thanks!
August 18, 2011 at 12:30 am
So… Is the show any good?
August 18, 2011 at 10:49 pm
It has its moments.
Go, pick your favorite! Love her, and you will continue to watch.
August 18, 2011 at 12:46 am
When I think of Idolm@ster & Ritsuko I end up thinking about Octave & Yukino, the 18-year-old former idol back in the biz working behind the scenes, attempting to eke out a living as she begins adulthood.
Thinking about Yukino & Setsuko in relation to this post drives home the added fiscal & social difficulties of a relationship between two young women looking to support an alternative lifestyle.
A thoughtful & honest (considering the admission in the last paragraph) post that encouraged me to take a look beyond merely it’s subject, Idolm@ster. Thank you, 2DT!
August 18, 2011 at 10:51 pm
Hmm. Would you believe I’ve never read Octave? But it sounds fascinating, so I’ll definitely give it a look! Thanks! And you’re very welcome, too, of course.
August 22, 2011 at 3:13 am
Ooh, yes Tib. This post reminds me so much of Yukino.
August 18, 2011 at 3:30 am
Ironic post in a way. I see a couple different narratives, and at least one of them highlights the difference between male and female perspective to their work-related problems. I don’t know if Risuko is better example of this workplace microcosm, or the idol girls themselves…?
But you usually say something unusual, so I expected no less
August 18, 2011 at 10:54 pm
True, each idol is a little story in herself. But I don’t know if they constitute a proper narrative. I don’t really think Ritsuko’s story is much of a narrative either (in the sense of change over time– but I’m admittedly behind). If there is one, it’s Mr. Producer being Mary Poppins in a tie and cool-biz shirt.
Aww, you flatter me.
Thanks for reading!
August 18, 2011 at 7:23 am
Please to compare to Kimi wa Petto.
August 18, 2011 at 10:58 pm
Tramps Like Us? On one hand, the heroine of that story is just as much a product of the patriarchal system, in that she wants a man superior to her in every way before she’ll consider him as a mate. But on the other hand, she falls for the poor ballerina, which must be a feel-good message about loving what’s inside. On the other other hand, good lord, girl, you’re a young professional, what’re you doing with that freeloading dancing punk?
… Is how I think about it. I’m very ambivalent about Kimi wa Petto.
August 19, 2011 at 10:49 am
It’s “on the gripping hand”. You need to read yourself some “The Mote in God’s Eye”. Classic sci-fi.
August 20, 2011 at 6:17 pm
Damn, never knew mere fluff could be so entertaining before IM@S
August 22, 2011 at 3:10 am
It’s rather long-lived, as fluff goes. The first game came out in ’05, and survived a rather odd mecha anime adaptation before this. So that might have something to do with it.
August 22, 2011 at 3:12 am
When you first mentioned Ritsuko as your favorite, I had a feeling it wasn’t just because of her glasses or even her OL look. ^ ^
Lovely post!
August 22, 2011 at 3:18 am
I’m not especially into the OL style, no. But somehow, when I see someone like Ritsuko working hard, looking tired and beautiful, I just want to give her a shoulder massage and a coffee with one sugar.
That’s all, no ripping stockings or anything like that. I realize that this makes me a deviant.
September 1, 2011 at 2:38 am
[...] 2-DT talks about a different kind of conflict while watching this series. Let them know:TwitterFacebookMoreRedditDiggStumbleUponLinkedInEmailPrintLike this:LikeBe the first to like this post. [...]