Unveiled at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, Koji Fukada’s film centers on the pressures faced by a J-pop girl group but offers a story with universal resonance, touching on the harsh realities young performers face worldwide. The film follows Happy Fans, a rising five-member girl group adored by teens. From the outset, the members are shown working tirelessly—signing autographs, shaking hands, and posing for selfies—aware that the adults managing them depend on their success to earn a living.
Trouble begins when one member’s social media account is hacked, leading to private images being leaked. The agency quickly isolates her from the group to contain the fallout. Things worsen when Mai (Kyoko Saito), the innocent and sweet-faced member, is discovered to be in a relationship. Bound by a strict “no love” clause in their contracts, the girls must avoid any romantic involvement to maintain a pure image for their fans.
This contractual restriction places immense emotional strain on the young performers. The story shifts from a coming-of-age tale into a tense courtroom drama as Mai and her boyfriend Kei (Yuki Kura) face a lawsuit from the management demanding compensation for an alleged loss of earnings totaling eight million yen (around US$56,000). The legal battle highlights the unbearable pressure placed on these youths, as well as the oppressive control exerted by the entertainment industry.
Set against a backdrop of obsessive fandom—captured chillingly in a scene involving a hoodie-wearing fan who crosses boundaries—the film explores themes of idolatry, industry hypocrisy, and gender inequality. It questions how young girls can be treated as commodities, stripped of basic rights in a male-dominated business that profits from their image and labor.
Fukada’s direction is smart and nuanced, offering a fresh take on the music industry narrative. Unlike many films that focus on fame or the rise and fall of artists, this one digs into the gender disparities and the restrictive environment female idols face. Kyoko Saito delivers a compelling performance as Mai, vividly bringing to life the bubblegum pop world with all its glitz and harsh realities.
In a culture where creativity is tightly controlled by committees and micromanagement, Fukada reveals the darker side of corporate music culture while telling a poignant human story about the fragile nature of young love and personal freedom.
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