Idol anime are one of the pillars of anime, no different from Mecha or Shonen in their contributions to the medium, but realism is, at times, a hard find in the genre. There are only a handful of reasons why people watch idol anime- big smiles, likable characters, wholesome fun- yet none of those reflect the very real issues plaguing the idol industry in Japan.
Trapezium, despite only getting a single-day screening in North America, set out to change that.
Aided by the perspective and insight of a former idol, it aims to depict the career of an idol as it really is, rather than continuing to perpetuate the lies that other idol anime indulge in. And in that sense, it suceeds- offering moments so shocking that it rattles the audience as much as it traumatizes the characters, making for a true-to-life story that depresses you because of what happens both inside and outside of the screen.
What does it take to be an idol?
From being denied a chance to be on television to being forced to use dummy mics, protagonist Yu Azuma and her groupmates of Ranko Katori, Taiga Kurumi, and Mika Kamei suffer injustices both big and small- yet all equal in their realism- on their way to the top. Though photographer Shinji Kudo and audio director Moka Koga help out the group- named NEWS after the four cardinal directions of North, East, West, and South- no amount of guidance makes shame easier to swallow and tears easier to wipe away.
Azuma- manipulative, self-centered, yet cooly determined to see her dream made reality- is of course the star of the show. Driven by a fire in her heart that would bring Shonen protagonists to their knees, Azuma takes NEWS from being zeroes to heroes. Squeezing each moment dry of its practical value and charging towards the next hurdle like a bull, she carries herself not with the grace of a ballet dancer, which she herself is, but rather with the cunning of a corporate executive devoted to profit or a politician well-versed in the art of realpolitiks.
Yet humanizing her isn't just the smile that forms on her face with every interview aced and every sold-out venue, but the single-mindedness with which she chases after her dream, all while knowing that her soul will be the price for success. Each of us dreams and works towards those dreams with the belief that we're right in our choices and that our choices are guaranteed to bring us happiness; Azuma is no different.
She is, in her own words, a "nasty" person, and yet her greed and selfishness are incredibly common in the real world, if a rarity in the anime world. Yu Azuma is an impulsive and mean-spirited girl who makes for a terrible human yet an all-too-real protagonist, and she holds together this film the same way she holds together NEWS.
While the other members of the group don't get a tenth of the attention that Azuma does, they each have their quirks and flaws that position them to be both her greatest critics and most devout followers. Katori is optimistic to a fault, Kurumi is cute but hates being in the spotlight, and Kamei is too pure and kind for a field that asks for big egos and small hearts.
Ultimately, Azuma is the only one insane enough to become an idol, but needing others to make up for where she goes wrong, she brings on the other three to be stepping stones and tools for her- a truth that's never put into words, but that anyone can agree with upon seeing the group's dynamics.
Like Azuma, however, Trapezium too is deceptive. It starts off bright and optimistic, with only its star character's unfiltered thoughts and tangible frustration temporarily blotting out the light, yet it descends further and further into despair with every passing minute. The film clearly doesn't intend to be a typical idol anime, yet if you knew nothing about it beforehand, you'd be convinced that it was just that- making for some truly surprising moments later on.
But to reinforce just how messed up its story can be at times, you'll be left with a sick feeling in your stomach and your mouth open in bewilderment even with prior knowledge or after being spoiled. There's just something so wrong about seeing these young girls be subjected to controversy that they didn't ask for and abuse that they don't deserve.
It's abundantly clear that Azuma is both the heroine and the villainess of this story, but seeing the spark fade from her eyes is nothing short of excrutiating to watch- and that goes double for the other girls. This is absolutely an uncomfortable movie, and, because of it, a worthwhile one. While I can't comment on the quality of the original novel, this adaptation sees Takayama's vision of a "real" idol story be brought to life on the silver screen.
But if a vision was all that was needed to redefine genres or to upend the status quo, dreams like Azuma's wouldn't be left unfulfilled all around the world.
The calm after the storm
Steering clear of direct spoilers, Trapezium ends off unsure in what it's exactly trying to say. Was its one and only goal to be the idol anime that idol anime are afraid to be? If so, it pursues that goal like its main character- obsessively, aggressively, and admirably.
But if it wanted to answer bigger questions about why anyone would want to be famous, about if being an idol is worth the sacrifices, on whether Azuma's greed was a cardinal sin or just the mistake of a young and stupid girl, it dodges those questions with the skill of someone used to the glare of the camera and the prying eyes of the public.
In fact, the tonal whiplash from the optimistic beginning, depressing middle, and ambigious ending makes the movie hard to look at as a complete and fully confident work. As someone who swears by idol anime, evem when it's at its most cringe or unrealistic, I wanted to believe that Trapezium could kick off a new age for the genre. But as the credits roll, the story waves goodbye with its head down and back slouched- bested by its own ambition.
To repeat what's already been said, when Trapezium succeeds, it proves itself to be a worthy watch.. Azuma is cunning, but she is also just a normal girl who doubts her own abilities yet dreams of a happiness that she'll never find. Katori, Kurumi, and Kamei may be nothing more than accessories, but their pain weighs just as much as Azuma's, if not twice as more. And when it comes to animation and art- some 3D animated sequences aside- CloverWorks brings their A-game to this film.
But when the smiles are gone, the drama resolved, and the cameras turned off, Trapezium reveals itself to be an ordinary movie with an extraordinary premise. Like most anime, most movies, and most people, it aspires to be something greater than itself, yet comes up short when it matters the most- in this case, failing to deliver a performance that calls for an encore.
Trapezium deserves recognition for what it tries to be. Even those unfamiliar with idol anime can respect its dedication to realism and its daring decision to make such an unglamorous character its protagonist. But a short runtime of 1 hour and 34 minutes and an underwhelming ending deny it the fame it was meant to have- keeping it from basking in the same spotlight that it loathes so much.
7.5/10
According to Crunchyroll, Trapezium will come to France and Germany on November 19 and 26 respectively. Future release dates, including for streaming or home video, have yet to be announced.