The idol culture is huge in Japan, and moves tons of money. This documentary, even with some shortcomings, tries to understand a little bit of what goes on around the idol world, and what are the reasons it is so important in the country. To do so, it particularly centers on one of the idols, what moves her, and why did she decide to take this path in her career (society kind of gives few options for women, seems the documentary to be vying for?) and one of her oldest fans, a guy that seems to be there for lack of better options. The documentary does a great job of humanizing all the persons that appear in it (even if it is clear to see some 'criticism' towards some of them) and of pointing out to aspects of a phenomenon that show that it cannot be understood by itself, outside of the bigger picture: why do these people use so much money to follow the idols around? why want young girls want to become idols? etc., etc.
Of course, the movie has an agenda. And of course it is a kind of Westernized look on the subject. And of course, it understands what is normal (or not) or accepted (or not) in a particular way (as when the director asks the idol or the fan about having a partner, the desire to marry, etc.). That does not take from a very fascinating look on an aspect of a society that informs about bigger aspects of that society, its culture, its institutions (and the world).
Of course, the movie has an agenda. And of course it is a kind of Westernized look on the subject. And of course, it understands what is normal (or not) or accepted (or not) in a particular way (as when the director asks the idol or the fan about having a partner, the desire to marry, etc.). That does not take from a very fascinating look on an aspect of a society that informs about bigger aspects of that society, its culture, its institutions (and the world).