Yuu is ruthless about her dream in ways idol anime usually won't let their protagonists be. The second half rushes through character development that deserved more time, but the animation and soundtrack do the emotional work the script doesn't, carrying you through moments that should have landed harder. Watch this for the craft and the uncomfortable truth that ambition doesn't always make you likeable, it just makes you driven.

Yuu Azuma carries one consuming dream: becoming an idol. As a first-year at Joshuu East High School, she refuses to wait around for opportunity to find her. Instead, she sets out to build an idol group from scratch, recruiting one girl from each of her region's four high schools, one for every compass direction. Ranko Kashima, a refined second-year from a southern girls' academy, admires Madame Butterfly. Kurumi Taiga, from a western vocational school, hopes to win a robotics championship. Mika Kamei, from the northern school, is known for her kindness and her volunteer work. With help from Shinji Kudou, Yuu's collaborator and confidant, the four set out on the road to stardom. The path brings hard demands, setbacks and pressure that threaten everything Yuu has worked for, and along the way she learns what her ambition truly means.