Locodol

Episodes 1-8

The economy in the fictional town of Nagarekawa (although a Nagareyama does exist) needs a boost. So does high school first-year Nanako Usumi's pocketbook, and through the auspices of her vaguely creepy uncle, both problems are solved. Nanako's uncle is on the town council, and he's heard of this new money-maker known as “locodols,” a portmanteau of “local” and “idols.” In a decision not necessarily designed to endear him to anybody, he tells Nanako that he'll give her the money for a new bathing suit if she'll help him out...by forming the second half of a Locodol duo. While this is a promising start for a very niche show, over the course of its first eight episodes it manages to morph into something more widely enjoyable. It lacks the cheerful heart of Love Live!, but as it progresses, Locodol leaves behind its less savory aspects and instead focuses on the girls (there are four by this point) and their struggles to make a go of this idol thing.

The character we know the most about is Nanako, who accidentally renames herself Nanyako when she gets nervous. (The show calls it a stutter, but that doesn't seem to be quite the right word.) She's the only child of parents who are clearly involved in her life and proud of her no matter what she does, which in anime is really nice to see. Nanako struggles with being alternately proud of her job and being embarrassed by it, and as the story builds on itself we can really see her becoming more confident. This is most clear when the fourth girl, shy Mirai, comes in. Nanako desperately wants to have the same friendly relationship with Mirai that she has with Yukari and Yui, but she's not quite sure how to crack the other girl's shell. This essentially makes up the plot of episode eight, and while it may not be all that exciting, it certainly is endearing to see Nanako try so hard to reach Mirai.

Yukari, a second year high school student, is much more confident than Nanako...and also harboring a major crush on her. This is handled with relative subtlety (yuri manga magazine in her apartment aside), and I suppose could be just an overreaction to having a close friend for the first time. On the other hand, I sort of like the slight yuri tone it lends the show, making it less of a rip-off of other recent idol shows. In any event, Yukari's fondness for Nanako helps to give the other girl confidence, making a parallel between that relationship and Nanako's attempt to be friends with the nervous Mirai.

Yui, the third girl to show up, also helps to introduce Nagarekawa's mascot character, Urogokoro-kun. He's a...big blue thing with a trident and a fish on his back? (I believe he somehow represents the river.) Energetic and more mature than the other girls, Yui is basically up for anything and makes for a very impressive mascot, pulling off moves in the costume that you wouldn't think would be possible. She, as the mascot, also provides the locodols with their first hit song (for a given value of “hit”), the Urogokoro-kun Song. Annoying at first, the song grows on you with the inevitability of mildew on boat cushions, which is to say that it's still annoying, but you come to like it despite yourself.

That's perhaps a good way to sum up Locodol as a show: it really isn't all that great, but somehow it's easy to watch and there are moments of fun in nearly every episode. Urogokoro-kun provides two genuinely funny moments in two separate episodes, my personal favorite being when “his” voice changer malfunctions and he sounds like a hellbeast. Yukari's overreaction to having Nanako over is amusing, and the scene in episode eight where Nanako tries to take Mirai to a karaoke box is humorously awkward. There are still some uncomfortable issues that detract from the story as well, most notably the girls' new manager, Saori. When Saori takes over the Nagarekawa Girls (as they come to be called), at first it looks as if Nanako and Yukari are freed from the vaguely creepy uncle. As it turns out, Saori is much worse, snapping pictures constantly, harboring lustful thoughts for Nanako, and running a prurient fansite with questionable rewards for “likes.” There's a bit of toning down in this from when she's first introduced in episode four, but Saori's camera is still there, clicking away.

Once you get into Locodol, it's kind of a nice show. It isn't really all that good, but it isn't objectively bad either. It has its issues with Saori and (initially) the uncle, and it really isn't great to hear Nanako worry about being fat all the time, but when the girls are just being themselves and trying to navigate their lives, it's pleasant to watch.

Rating: C+

Locodol is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Rebecca Silverman teaches writing and literature and is the author of the fantasy novel A Tale of Apples.