Idolatry chapter 2 dump

chapter 1 with translation
https://desuarchive.org/a/thread/280607123/#280619087

>>280836984 (OP)
is this not on kmanga? how come the others have translation?

>>280836984 (OP)
1
New serialization, chapter 2

Shining down, longing for that girl.

**Everything is for my oshi, aiming to become a top idol!! An unconventional success story!!

#2 The Devil’s Contract

Original story: Ootaka Shin, Art: Homare

>>280837000
2
Luxury Restaurant "Nishimoto"

Honestly, you went and did whatever you wanted.
**Name: Harumi Junna
**Date of Birth
**Height

The 101st person, and you didn’t even tell me?
You’ve really climbed up in the world, haven’t you?
Project Raw Stone Co-Manager - President of TAKA TV - Hiroshi Kitaie

Junna Harumi will definitely make this audition interesting.
I simply did my job.
Project Raw Stone – Producer - Ayako Shinjou

>>280837056
3
You just don’t get it, Producer Shinjou

Your job isn't to make the audition interesting.
It’s to maximize profits.

We debut in bulk, then only milk the ones who get popular.
That’s the optimal method the idol industry, like Johnny’s, arrived at.

You're the one who doesn’t understand, sir.
Today’s viewers are used to that kind of approach.
The era when good products alone brought in customers and money is over.

Seems things are getting quite heated in here.

Wh-
why are you here…?

**Ayako Shinjou, former idol and producer of the large-scale idol audition project "Raw Stone"

>>280837081
4
Chairman!?

Chairman of TAKA TV, Tatsumi Amou

In the early days of television broadcasting, the young Amou quietly joined TAKA TV...
...and through his skill, elevated TAKA TV’s position to an unshakable one.

After becoming company president, TAKA TV rose to the top domestically and became one of Asia's leading media content companies.
**President Amou Takes Office
**NET NEWS
**TAKA TV Business Expansion

Later, Amou transferred to the position of chairman.
Now over 90 years old, he still reigns at the top of TAKA TV.

Truly, the very foundation of the postwar media industry!

>>280837093
They don't translate everything.

>>280837313
what a shit app

>>280837087
5
So he’s the man…
This is the first time I’ve seen him in person…

I heard the two of you were dining together today…
So I was wondering if I could join you.

O-of course, Chairman! We’ll get your meal ready immediately!
Please, this way.

Ah, here is fine.
And the food too.

Huh…
Good evening, here’s your MoverMeal delivery!

Jumbo Meeeen~ Ninja Double Burger~~
Two fries~~ Fries~~ Three colas~~~
Is everything correct with your order?
Yup, all good.

Th-that’s a huge amount…
Thank you very much…!!

>>280837115
6
You know, I’ve always thought this...

Hamburgers are the best-selling food in the world,
that makes them the world's most excellent food.

There’s no real value in expensive gourmet meals.
Unless it’s something everyone can pay the same price for...

That’s exactly what television should be.

>>280837115
>>280837417
>Hamburgers are the best-selling food in the world,
>that makes them the world's most excellent food.
Burga.... strong....

>>280837161
7
Whether it's delicious or not doesn't matter.
What matters is that a vast majority keeps paying for it over time.

Whether it sells or not is everything.

Thank you for the meal.

He ate all that!? He's... over 90 years old, right?

>>280837174
8
Well then…
If you believe it’ll sell...
I suppose I’ll let it go this time.

Are you sure, Chairman!?

Yes, but be sure to keep your promise.
There we go
That’s the whole reason I accepted the offer to co-manage this project.

You’re just the “wrapping paper” that makes the product look good.

Don’t overstep your bounds.

>>280837199
9
Well then, President. I'm heading home.
Chairman! Thank you so much for coming all the way here.

That greedy old bastard!!
Talking down to Ayako like that... what a jerk…
Let’s turn him into a hamburger and sell him!! That’d be his true wish anyway!!
It’s fine, Yanai. For now, Junna’s participation has been approved.

I don’t intend to just sit back and watch either.

>>280837218
10
One more person was added!?
Weren’t we supposed to start the audition with exactly 100 people?

*TAKA TV Assistant Director
*Raito Sakayori

The producer forced them in.
TAKA TV Chief Director
Kuji Ashihara

That’s why...
you’re going to do the pre-interview tomorrow!

Whaaat!?

Here’s the file for them.

>>280837258
11
Wait, no way!!
I put in for a day off tomorrow though!?

...Whew...

>>280837279
12
I don’t give a damn.
As an Assistant Director, it’s your job to give up your days off for the company and work yourself to the bone learning everything.

Wait... isn’t this power harassment...
Haaah? What’d you say?
You let stuff like that bother you, you won’t even be able to film anything.
You can’t call yourself a filmmaker if you can't even endure that for good footage.

Do whatever it takes, short of murder...

If you get it, answer.
...Yes, sir.

>>280837299
13
Haaah...

Damn that power-harassing director…!
Just because he’s a little good at his job, he struts around like he owns the place…

Harumi Junna…
A research trainee forced in after the application deadline.
I can’t help but feel like there’s something shady going on...

What kind of troublemaker are we dealing with?
**J:iDol — Japan Idol Joint Festival Vol.3

>>280837321
14
Are you Raito Sakayori? Hello!!
Thank you for coming out in this heat today!!

Please stay in the shade.
Ah
but if I'm in the frame too, wouldn’t the lighting get too dark?
So I’ll stay in the sun, and you can stay in the shade, Sakayori-san.

What a sweet girl…

>>280836984 (OP)
I'm guessing this manga is more what people expected the dark ruby "arc" in ishi no ko to be

the end

>>280837403
15
I wasn’t sure what kinds of drinks you'd like...
So I brought a few, feel free to drink whatever you like!
What a thoughtful girl…

Then… I’ll go with Pikari...
Okay! I’ll wipe off the condensation now!
She's so sweet!!!

I’m ashamed I even suspected she might be a problem child…

Alright, I’m gonna start the pre-interview.
Just relax and be yourself, like you always are.

I’m sure you already know this… The pre-interview happens before trainees become idols.
The goal is to capture how they look as they take on the audition!

Yes! Then… here I go, no holding back...

>>280837523
16
Her singing is... kind of shaky...!!
Though she's totally into it!

Uhh...
Junna-chan, do you always practice karaoke here?
Yes!

>>280837591
17
Why are you singing the same song over and over again...?
I love this song.
It has a lot of parts sung by Fuwari-chan.

What’s that?
It’s a baby pink glowstick, the kind you snap to activate.
I figure it’s good to understand how fans feel too.
I see… yeah, maybe you’re right...

It’s already been five hours… Sure, we’re in the middle of an interview, but still...
She hasn’t whined or taken a break even once, just kept practicing nonstop...

She really is an awesome girl!!

Alright
I’m going to switch tapes for a sec—hold on.
Um… is it normal to do the pre-interview alone?

This time was last-minute, so it's just me, but usually there are 2–3 people. Why do you ask?
Oh... it just seems really tough...

>>280837658
18
Seriously! The chief director dumps everything on me!!

He's always off drinking or whatever…
Honestly, I’m the one actually getting all the work done, right?

And me?
I still have to properly do the interviews today too!

Man… I wish someone would give me some credit.

I’m just an Assistant Director for now, but...
Someday, I’ll do awesome work and definitely become a producer!!

...Hey.
Hm?

>>280837718
19
“New apartment! The rent's stupid expensive, but I’ll work hard and earn money~!”

Huh?

“Today’s the day we meet~ All my stress from work just melts away~”
“I’m so glad I got into the TV industry… it must be fate…”

“Smartphones these days shoot so clearly. Divine!”
“I’m seriously so glad I moved in so close.”

Room 104, OX-X, OO Ward, Tokyo

H-hey…
that…!!

>>280837775
20
This "Raldo" account...
...is a hardcore fanboy who's madly in love with Yuzuha Murakoshi.

That’s my account!!
Why…?

Yuzuha Murakoshi... she was a former member of Babid Strawberry.
The group disbanded 8 months ago
but this was clearly his fan account dedicated to her.

He only posted subtle hints
but you can totally tell this account belongs to a TV industry idol otaku, just based on how obsessed he is

I'm also... an insider, so... I happen to know...
Looks like she’s entering Project Raw Stone!

That Raldo guy… he probably lives in the same apartment building as his idol.
That agency didn’t leak any talent’s address, not even on bulletin boards…Kinda feels like destiny, doesn’t it?
But when I looked through his social media history, around the time Raldo moved…was exactly when Project RAW STONE started recruiting.
…Hey.

Still reading

>>280837815
21
You're "Raldo", aren't you?

Huh...?
I–I'm not a fan!
A little over a year ago…

Yuzuha-chan and my idol's group were both performing at a Janpan Idol joint festival...
You and I, “Raldo,” were exchanging goods through the mail via SNS, remember?

Thanks for the pin badge back then.
Mr. Raito Sakayori.

No...
You're the criminal who stole personal information.

>>280837962
22
As soon as I heard that named Sakayori would be doing the pre-interview, I knew it right away.

You used your position to find out her address through her application, didn't you?
You live nearby…
Were you staking out places she might go?
At this rate, maybe you were even secretly filming her?

That’s stalking, isn’t it?
No, it’s not!!

I swear…I wasn’t stalking her…!
It’s just that…
Work was just… so hard…
So when I came home… I just wanted to feel like Yuzuha was nearby…

It’s not like I expected anything to happen…

>>280838022
23
Since I got this job out of college, I’ve barely had any days off…

I couldn’t even make it to the on-site shoots I had scheduled…

Even so
I’d wonder… maybe Yuzu passed through this ticket gate too...
Maybe she’d like this little general store...
Just thinking that my idol lived nearby — that alone gave me strength...
That was the only reason I could keep going!!
You get that, right!?

Even that photo, I just happened to run into her and took one pic because I was happy…

That’s seriously all it was…!!

>>280838070
24
But that counts as misusing information you learned through your job, doesn’t it?

...!!

Not even knowing that an otaku is secretly living nearby…
Yuzuha-chan must be terrified.

Looks like your company might have to take some responsibility too.

>>280838120
25
If something like this got exposed, you’d never become a producer.

So you're trying to blackmail me with this…?

What are you trying to pull by doing this!?
Even if you blackmail me, you won't get anything out of me!!

>>280838236
26
Hii…!?

Don’t make a scene.


Blackmail? Don’t be ridiculous.
I’d never do something so barbaric.

This is a proposal.
It’s something that benefits both you and me.

A… proposal…?

>>280838264
27
I'm... a fan of Fuwari Tsukishiro-chan!!

...Huh?

And what about it? I mean, who even is that...?

And you want to be recognized more and maybe fall in love on the side too, right?
I want to make Fuwari-chan, a trainee, into a top idol.

>>280838292
28-29
If you stick with me, I’ll let you shoot the most interesting footage in the world.

I’m going to take all the information you know.
And I’ll capture everything I’m planning on camera…
then release it to the world when the time is right.

Then you’ll be the big hero.
You can become a chief director or even a producer, whatever you want.

If you wanna get close to Yuzuha-chan anyway, this is the only path you’ve got, right?
I don’t mind helping you two get closer, either.

You don’t think it’s such a bad deal, do you?

>>280838365
30
Wha...

What the hell’s going on!? You idiot!!!
You’re just spouting complete nonsense!!!

That’s right…!! I’m the worst kind of gachi-koi otaku!!

You’re saying I can become a chief director, or even a producer, if I want...?
Do you even know the resume of the chief I just told you about!?

Hit shows like Enoki TV or those morning news-variety programs...
Most of the scriptwriting and composition for those is done by that chief!!
He’s also actively directing on-site filming, and even the talents know and respect him...
Even that bastard... is seriously someone amazing!!

>>280838535
31
Even so… I still respected him in my own way!!
You did well.

Not every Assistant Director can escalate smoothly in this job!!

Just because you filmed one trainee like you…

It shouldn’t be something you can just achieve so easily!!

I’ll tell you...
about my plan.

>>280838571
32
This girl... is dangerous.

>>280838630
33
What the hell am I even thinking...
I shouldn’t get involved with her.
My rational mind is warning me to stop.

But...

...Maybe I really could become one.

If I go along with her "plan"…
It might come true
**Someday, I’ll do awesome work and definitely become a producer!!

At this rate, my dream will never come true for the rest of my life...
It might just smolder and die out…

That kind of outcome...

Yuzuha...

I don't want that

>>280838729
34
Fine… I’ll go along with you…
I...

The contract is sealed.
I may have just made a deal with the devil.

>>280838803
35
You’re really… going through with it, right?

Just hurry up and show me already.

Seriously, if we get caught, we’re screwed!!
We’ll do it so we don’t get caught.
We’re already misusing the info. Anyway, what’s the difference between 1 or 10?

Alright.

I mean!! After saying all that to me...
Aren’t you the crazier one here!?
Trying to one-up each other on who's more messed-up? That’s pointless if you ask me.

I just happened to find a conveniently obsessive fan lying around, so I picked you up

…So you’re making fun of gachi-koi fans too now?

>>280838971
36
Huh?

They say stuff like, "Acting like that at your age? That’s just a dumb crush,"
or "You don’t even understand personal boundaries" or "You’re gross"
I’m used to it, idiot!!

It’s not like I actually think that, though?

There’s no good or bad way to be an otaku, right?
Saying one way to support someone is “right” and comparing them, that’s what I hate.

>>280838999
37
He's like, seriously obsessed.
He actually thinks he can date her? That's insane lol.
Gross, lol.
It sucks being lumped together with people like that...
Get a grip on reality.

If you believe it's the greatest love of your life, then that's all that matters.

...Mm
y-yeah...

It’s so true... Everyone has their own way of supporting their idol, but those good-for-nothing nobodies just keep whining and nitpicking...
Right, Fuwari-chan?
**pats pats
O-oh…
So you've been through something on your end too, huh...

>>280839085
38
So
this is the data you currently have, huh?
Your desktop is a mess.
Haven’t loaded the actual show content yet, though.
Leave me alone.

What’s this chart?
That’s the preliminary ranking decided during the initial screening.

Ranking...

Fuwari Tsukishiro — Rank 72

Junna Harumi — Rank 101

Fuwari-chan is... ranked 72nd...??
That’s terrifying...

>>280839143
39
...Will these rankings be made public?
No, this one isn’t.

The rankings are first announced after the very first test.
**Not disclosed
**Publicly announced

**Selection of 100 contestants (Not disclosed)
**Preliminary ranking (Not disclosed)
**First test (Publicly announced)
**Ranking 1 (Publicly announced)
**Second test (Publicly announced)

I see...
So this preliminary ranking is only visible internally then.

What are these stars next to their names?
Looks like there are two of them.

Ah, just between you and me...
These are the girls the network told us to focus on filming.

According to rumors, they’re the top picks of the higher-ups, and they’re basically guaranteed to debut.

>>280839198
40
That’s not fair.

…Hey.
I know you’re fully prepared for this.
But this audition...

>>280839274
41
With every round of testing, rankings are updated. Trainees who fall to the bottom are forced out.
As the show is streamed and made public, and a few more rounds of testing finish, half the contestants will already be gone.
It’s what you’d call a survival show.
And despite all that, there are only 5 spots open for debut in the end.

**Selection of 100 contestants
**Preliminary Ranking
**Test 1
**Ranking
**Test 2
**Ranking
**Test 3

That girl Fuwari Tsukishiro couldn’t get popular in her previous group either, right?
And her current ranking is 72nd…Neither her singing nor dancing is being recognized.
And seriously…You talk big, but aren’t you in last place?

At this rate… you...
You’ll be eliminated in no time.

Then this means…
if that’s the case…
Pfft, haha…
Hey!! Are you even listening to me!?

>>280839360
42
The content of the first test
Is it “singing and dancing to the show's theme song”?

How do you know that…
It wasn’t even written that clearly in the documents!!

It-
It’s not that big a deal.
If they’re gonna show rankings, they’d probably want to start with something simple, like individual performance.
Well, the main source is… the credits.

The credits...? You mean that long list of staff that scrolls at the end?

Yeah, look here.
It lists the composer, choreographer, even arranger.
**Composer – Misae Adachi
**Arranger – Carlos Kasazuka
**Choreographer – ITTETSU

>>280839387
43
At first, I thought they were just judges or trainers for the show…
…but every last one of them is a big name!
**A legendary figure who supported Heisei-era idols - Adachi
**Genius Choreographer - ITTETSU
There’s no way they’d keep this elite lineup attached to the broadcast for a full six months.
Which means...

They must be the production team for the theme song.

You…
You’re keeping track of even that!?

?
Isn't it obvious?
Of course I know everyone who provided music to Talk Live.
I keep track of every single person who might even be a little involved with Fuwari-chan.
The ones who didn’t give Fuwari-chan a solo part, the ones who didn’t pass her in screening, I’ve got all their names in my head.
Scary...

>>280839425
44
>She figured out the judging criteria just from one credit list...
>This girl…

>is amazing...
>Then after that, most likely...
>Which means if I do this here like that...

>I can see it now.
>The path to victory!!

>To be continued in the next issue!!

>What is Junna’s brilliant plan for a comeback reversal!?
>With (?) allies now on her side, the next audition begins!!

That’s all, see you guys next week

.

Hope someone edits in the translation.

her name is not Makishiro Fuwari, it's Tsukishiro Fuwari.