Ankira
| Ankira | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||||||||
| General Unit Data | ||||||||||||||
|
Anzu-chan and Kirarin's HappyHappyTwin (杏ちゃんときらりんのハピハピツイン☆ Anzu-chan to Kirarin no HAPIHAPITSUIN), shortened to HappyHappyTwin in Starlight Stage, and also known simply as Ankira (あんきら Ankira) is an idol unit featured in THE iDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls. There are two members: Anzu Futaba and Kirari Moroboshi. While they are currently working at an unnamed talent agency in Cinderella Girls, in the Cinderella Girls anime they are affiliated with 346 Production and both members are a part of CINDERELLA PROJECT.
History
Anzu and Kirari are both 17 years old, but they have complete opposite personalities and physiques, with Anzu being one of the shortest idols in Cinderella Girls and extremely lazy, and Kirari being the tallest idol and extremely hyperactive. This contrast made them a very popular combination in fanworks, which was then reflected in the official Cinderella Girls Theater comics, where Kirari often carried and doted on an annoyed Anzu. When the THE IDOLM@STER CINDERELLA MASTER "Onegai! Cinderella" album was released in 2013, they were given their own version of the Onegai! Cinderella, which featured Kirari doing calls during the song and a conversation between them where Kirari bribed Anzu to keep working with candy, which became their typical dynamic. They were also given a drama track called "Ankira Theater" (あんきら劇場 Ankira Gekijou) Around this time, they had their first official unit appearance as a rival unit in the Cinderella Girls mobage, called Anzu-chan and Kirarin's HappyHappyTwin☆, likely referring to them both wearing twintails in their idol outfits.
In the Cinderella Girls anime they were close among the members of CINDERELLA PROJECT, and often appeared together, with Kirari carrying Anzu, giving her candy to get her to work, and searching for her when she was skipping. Though they were placed in separate units, in the second half of the show they were given a variety show corner called "Ankiranking". Anzu expressed concern over Kirari's feelings about them being put together essentially as a novelty, and Kirari said that she loved spending time with Anzu regardless.
THE iDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls Starlight Stage features additional development of their relationship. In Kirari's main story episode, it's revealed that they first met while waiting at the same audition. After both passing their auditions, they talked and were surprised to find out that they were the same age and their birthdays were only a day apart. At that time, Anzu recognized that Kirari's strange mannerisms were partially due to insecurity about her height and reassured her, as Anzu also doesn't like standing out because of size.
In the Ankira!? Kyousoukyoku event, the two directly asked the Producer for a unit song (under the guise of Anzu's stuffed bunny) and received one under the condition that only the song would be provided and the two of them had to make the costumes and set themselves. In the event, Anzu was uncharacteristically dedicated, which she said was because she was working for not only her own sake but Kirari's. In the episode for Kirari's card from the event, she says Anzu and the Producer are special to her as the first people who looked out for her.
Unit Costumes
Music
- Onegai! Cinderella (Happy☆Happy ver) sung by: CINDERELLA GIRLS for Ankira (Kirari Moroboshi and Anzu Futaba)
- Ankira!? Kyousoukyoku sung by: HappyHappyTwin (Kirari Moroboshi and Anzu Futaba)
Trivia & Fan Culture
Trivia
- When Anzu's and Kirari's New Year SR+ cards are lined up, a panorama of each other can be seen.
- During their event in Starlight Stage, the trainer comments that they don't fight at all. Kirari says this is because they fought a lot in the past, but now know each other well enough that they understand how the other feels without need for argument.
- Due to their comical chemistry, Anzu and Kirari often appear together in bonus skits in the Cinderella Girls mobile game, generally featuring them interacting with another idol, such as Akane Hino or Mizuki Kawashima, with humorous results.
Fan Culture
- Because both their birthdays are only a day apart, they are often collectively celebrated as one birthday by fans.