Synopsis
The protagonist is a high school student named Akari. She passionately supports her idol, Masaki Ueno, a member of the idol group “Mazamaza.”
Unable to find a place at home or at school, and struggling to live life to the point of being diagnosed with a mental disorder, Akari’s favorite idol is like her “backbone.”
One day, an incident occurs in which her favorite idol assaults a fan, and Akari’s world begins to waver. Even so, she continues to “interpret” her favorite idol and strives to maintain her existence through her favorite idol activities.
Review
・The phrase “My favorite idol is my backbone” is symbolic, and the protagonist’s desperation, unable to support herself through her favorite idol, is poignant. Furthermore, the way she engages in her favorite idol activities is reminiscent of a researcher. While a researcher’s activities are recognized as valuable by those around them, her favorite idol activities are not recognized as such by society, which is likely why Akari feels lonely.
・While dealing with the modern theme of supporting one’s favorite idol, the story depicts universal issues such as loneliness, dependency, and a lack of self-esteem. In particular, Akari’s oshikatsu seems to be very dependent on her favorite idol. It’s good to like someone, but I feel that there are negative effects to becoming dependent on them.
・Through the event of her favorite idol being criticized, Akari is forced to question the meaning of her own existence and her relationship with society, and I think there are many people who will empathize with Akari’s life.
