22 December 2013: The Makoto episode shows the Hibiki episode how it's done
Makoto, that hat's wearing you.
As I stated earlier, one of the biggest problems with the Hibiki episode of The iDOLM@STER TV is that it doesn't feel as if it's really about Hibiki. It's about Hamzou and Inumi and 961PRO as much as or more than it is about Hibiki herself. The following episode, on the other hand, is a Makoto episode which is very much about Makoto.
I wonder what type of toothpaste she uses?
Specifically, the Makoto episode is about 765PRO's "prince" wishing she could be more feminine and lamenting that she gets pigeonholed into playing tomboys and dashing, masculine roles. Nearly all of her fans are girls who shriek about her much in the same way fans shriek over the three boys of Project Jupiter from the aforementioned rival company 961PRO. Consequently, Makoto is unable to pursue more feminine roles because she would alienate her existing fans.
Enjoy the refreshing icy taste of penguins.
Unfortunately, Makoto is also stuck with her tomboy stereotype because she, quite frankly, isn't very good at being a girly girl. This is played up for laughs in various iM@S episodes where Makoto's efforts at wearing frilly dresses fail to garner her intended reactions. Sadly, I have to admit she faces similar hurdles within the iDOLM@STER games themselves. Scouring YouTube and NicoVideo for all-singing, all-dancing Makoto videos, you'll find relatively few examples of her clad in frilly, feminine outfits. Such ones I have found honestly fail to flatter the poor girl and sometimes even make her look ridiculous.
Not pictured: Makoto's bare midriff.
I'm not trying to spark discussion about traditional gender roles or societal expectations. I'm merely acknowledging that (1) Kikuchi Makoto, the character, canonically wants to wear stereotypically feminine clothing, but is unable to successfully pull it off, and that (2) I, as a fan, would also like to see Makoto in more girly outfits, but am forced to admit her previous efforts are less than successful. Perhaps if she would grow her hair out longer? How about a nice hime cut, sweetie?
