Eri is a fan. Not just a regular fan, but a full-on fanatic. Her favorite idol is a singer with Cham Jam, a small, not-well-known idol group from Okayama, in western Japan. Eri has given her life over to support her idol, who is very cute, pathologically shy and almost always in the back row. While her fellow fans shout their support for the main three, Eri enthusiastically lets Maina know she’s got at least one fan.

The problem is, that neither Eri nor Maina can seem to communicate. Eri tries to give Maina her support, but is awkward and incompetent…and the author will complicate this in maddening ways. Maina is apparently unable to understand Eri or communicate with her in any way that makes sense, setting these two up for a frustrating relationship in which two people who appreciate each other are completely unable to express that to each other. 

This is on top of what I have to believe is a critical look about the mutually manipulative relations between idols and fans, because if it I believed it were really only cheap jokes, I would collapse in tears.

If My Favorite Pop Idol Made It to the Budokan, I Would Die, Volume 1 has come out in English and I still don’t know what to think about it. It’s well executed. If you read my reviews of the 8 volumes I’ve read so far, you’ll see me go through a whole journey and back. ^_^; 

This is what I said about this first volume in Japanese, back in 2016. “So used am I to feeling frustration born of absolute disinterest in hideously boring characters in previous Hirao Auri manga series, that reading Hirao Auri’s new manga, Oshi ga Budokan Ittekuretara Shinu, Volume 1（推しが武道館いってくれたら死ぬ）instilled in me a wholly new feeling – frustration because I actually care about the characters! It’s a completely different feeling, I assure you. ^_^”

I have been wearing this series like an albatross around my neck for 7 years. So, like the Ancient Mariner (wow, two classic literature references in a week, I’m on a roll!) let me warn you: This series is not light comedy. It pretends to be light comedy and we are supposed to be laughing.  I have laughed out loud once that I can think of in 8 volumes – which is *still* a better record than I had with Hirao-sensei’s previous long-running series Manga no Tsukurikata. It does get better. It’s a slow crawl, but it does get better and, funnier.

I really like the otaku group. They aren’t all one thing, but we really get to see a side of the idol/fan relationship we don’t tend to see if we’re not part of it. And the Cham Jam girls are nice, as well. You don’t feel yucky liking them

If you are interested in a mockumentary about provincial idol groups, with a highly improbable main Yuri relationship (and a few actual side ones, and a business Yuri relationship or two, for flavor) this is a solid series. As light comedy, it’s agonizing.

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – Frustrating, but there is hope for a decent payoff; some moments of joy, no matter how brief
Character – 8
Service – Not really, except for it being a pop idol group, but even the costumes aren’t creepy.
Yuri – 4 Hovering at “I think I feel something for you, but can’t put a finger on it,” to “I can’t look you in the eyes, but don’t know why” with potential

Overall – 8

Thanks very much to Tokyopop for the review copy. It reminded me of all the feelings I have about the idol – and fan – industry. And Hirao-sensei. ^_^