Happy (belated) birthday, Shizuku Osaka!
From starting off as N girl #1 (that’s right, the very first one!) to becoming a loved familiar face in Perfect Dream Project – now known as Nijigasaki High School Idol Club – you’ve definitely gone far during your time in this franchise!
Back when you were only an N girl, I thought that you were okay enough. You weren’t on my radar as much as my favorite N girls were, but I knew that you had some significance since you were #1 in the official album numbering in School Idol Festival. That fact alone made you notable enough for me to acknowledge you whenever you popped up while scouting. Now that you have a larger role in an exciting project, I like you a lot more!
The first thing that grabbed my attention about you was your second bond episode in All Stars. The whole business about making up different backgrounds and having a tendency to talk one’s ear off about said backgrounds is something that I’ve always done, and hearing you geek out about different roles was simply adorkable.
I was excited to see more of you, but you didn’t end up getting as fleshed out as some of the other characters at first. Once the anime rolled around, you got some decent development. I learned that when you were younger, you had some niche interests that kind of scared everyone off, and you were so worried about being different that you tried to hide that part of yourself to please everyone else. It was a very real struggle that many, including myself, could relate to. You tried to apply the same logic to being an idol – being a school idol that everyone else would like instead of being true to yourself. Luckily, Kasumi was able to make you realize how great being yourself was by professing that she loved you the way that you were, and you were able to perform in the way that only you could.
In one of the main conflicts during the second season of All Stars, you went down a similar route. You left the beloved idol club that you’d supported time and time again to see what things were like on the flip side. Performing with the Association made you more skilled in your idol abilities, but it wasn’t allowing you to put your heart into your performances the way you did back in the club. You weren’t being true to yourself. You knew this, but you kept fighting your thoughts against your better judgment because you wanted to to be polished and presentable, and you just wanted what you thought was best for you. Eventually, you came around. (Kasumi helped out yet again. She really brings out the best in you!)
Letting your voice ring loud and clear is what makes you shine the most. When your gentle, yet powerful voice flows through you because you’re happy being the way that you are, that’s what makes you the ideal heroine - courageous and loyal. Never stop being as persistent and powerful as the torrential rain with your performances – whether they’re on the theater stage or the idol stage! Life is full of ups and downs, but no matter what, there’ll always be Osaka!
