"Oshi no Budou" is a story about underground idols and otaku. The underground idols featured in the story are a local idol group called "cham jam" based in Okayama, made up of seven members. They have been active as a group for around three years (as of volume 5 of the original manga), and in addition to singing and dancing as idols, they also interact with fans at various events such as sports days and camps. In this article, we'll introduce you to the members of "cham jam" and their activities! Take this opportunity to become a fan of "cham jam" too!
Leo, the Pink Leader
First up is Igarashi Leo, the leader whose pink color is the main character! Though she looks young, she's the oldest member of the group at 22. She's incredibly caring and acts as the group's leader! She's the undisputed center of cham jam and the most popular member of the group. Her charming features are her long pigtails and her hobby: collecting bear merchandise. She wears a bear hair clip when she goes on stage. Leo is compassionate, kind, and flawless, but she also has a weakness: she's physically frail.
Previously a Member of a Popular Group
Although Leo is now the undisputed center of Cham Jam, he was active in another group before Cham Jam was formed. That group was far more popular than Cham Jam, and Leo ranked fifth out of five in popularity polls, making him the least popular and consistently performing on the fringes. After that group disbanded, she now serves as the center for Cham Jam. However, it seems she's conflicted because she's been in a popular group and has experienced the view from above...
Sorane's Cool Blue
Sorane was the second most popular character after Leo, known for her short hair and cool personality. Her catchphrase is, "I love people who love me." While her appearance and personality suggest she has a cool and straightforward personality, she surprisingly has a worrisome side. Many of Sorane's fans are serious fans (fans who fall in love with her as a romantic partner, not just as an idol), and Motoi, who often hangs out with Eripyo, is also a Sorane fan.
Popularity Slumps After Unexpected Scandal
Reo and Sorane consistently held first and second place in popularity polls, but one day, a scandal struck Sorane. Information about Sorane walking with a man became a hot topic online. This caused Sorane's popularity to plummet. Even within the group, Sorane's relationship with Fumi temporarily deteriorated, and she was caught doing egosurfing despite having no knowledge of the incident. (She always denies it.) Ultimately, it was a misunderstanding caused by a fan seeing Motoi and his sister Rena (who resembles Sorane). However, the suspicion never went away, and Sorane ended up coming in fifth place in the popularity poll.
The Angelic White "Yuka"
Energy, energy, and energy. The youngest member, Yuuka, whose color is white, is a bit of a dork with an incredibly cheerful personality. She's known for her straightforwardness and ability to read the mood, earning her popularity among fans. She placed third in the popularity poll, earning a spot in the front row. At first glance, she might seem stupid, but deep down, she's a total idiot! (lol) Even though Sorane is helping her with her studies, she's in a miserable situation, not understanding a single thing.
Gentle Purple "Yume-ri"
Yume-ri is a gentle, calm, and passive character. She doesn't particularly try to stand out, and she's not particularly interested in popularity polls. To put it in a positive way, she has a reserved personality. Conversely, it could be said that her personality isn't suited to being an idol, whose job is to stand out. However, she excels at singing and dancing, and fans praise her as the best in the group, especially in dancing, which she has been practicing since childhood. She's particularly close with Maki within the group, and they often hang out together in private.
Sexy Yellow "Maki"
When it comes to the sexy side of cham jam, it's the big sister-type Maki. As her appealing point states, she has an E-cup bust, and as such, she has an incredible figure and a model-like figure. She has a calm and collected personality and never gets carried away. When she went to Tokyo, she rested in her car, saying, "I can come to Tokyo anytime," while the other members were excited. She is particularly close with Yumeri, and they often walk hand in hand. She even bought a ton of her CDs and voted for Yumeri, hoping to get her to perform in the front row, helping her rise to the top of popularity polls.
Tiny Green "Aya"
Aya is the smallest idol in the group, standing at 147 cm tall. Although she didn't do so well in the popularity poll, she hates to lose more than anyone else and has the personality of a real idol. Although she can be quite harsh in her everyday life, she is an idol who works hard anyway, and when Sorane had problems with men, she was the only one in the group who got seriously angry. When she realized there was no demand for loli characters, she changed her image to a more mature look, but it was so unpopular with fans that she immediately went back to her loli character... (lol)
Aya's Part-Time Job is at a Maid Cafe
While some members of Cham Jam work and appear on local TV shows and dramas, Fumi usually works part-time at a maid cafe. When Eripyo and Kumasa happen to visit, she serves them in her natural, un-idol-like manner. Eripyo's "Maid-chan's Recommended Parfait" includes salmon fillets inspired by Maina's salmon pink color, much to Eripyo's delight. Later, she displays her tsundere side by asking Eripyo to continue supporting Maina, who placed third.
Salmon Pink "Maina"
Eripyo's favorite character and the main heroine of this work is Maina, whose salmon pink color is a subtle shade! Maina is shy and reserved, completely unsuited to being an idol, but she joined Cham Jam because she aspired to be one. One of the highlights of the series is her desperate efforts to change her shyness and interact with Eripyo. Incidentally, the salmon pink color was decided arbitrarily by the management, and Maina doesn't particularly like salmon. (Her favorite food is bread, and she neither likes nor dislikes salmon.)
She's usually cold, but she loves Eripyo!
No matter how many Eripyos she collects (or how many CDs she buys), Maina always seems cold at handshake events, and even runs away when Eripyo approaches her while handing out flyers. But in reality, this behavior is just because she's so obsessed with Eripyo that she's embarrassed. Deep down, Maina wants to receive fan mail from Eripyo and reply to it, regularly checks her tweets, and even breezily dies when she receives a present (kibi dango). Maina absolutely loves Eripyo. However, when they meet, she can be shy and reserved, making it difficult for them to become close.
Cham Jam Hosts Various Events
As underground idols, Cham Jam primarily performs in the basements of buildings, as their name suggests. However, they also perform outdoor concerts, participate in events, and occasionally host their own events. Their biggest events are a sports day and a camp! Many Cham Jam fans attended these two events.
Autumn Sports Day: Breaking Bones for Some Reason
The Autumn Sports Day was held in a rented elementary school gymnasium, but the previous year, the event was held in a studio, resulting in numerous injuries. The worst injury was suffered by leader Leo, who broke both legs, a truly tragic situation... Despite this, the group prepared perfectly for the gymnasium event, but this time there were casualties as well. Fumie fell during the relay race, her legs bending strangely, resulting in both legs being in casts. However, in the next episode, she was back in action as if nothing had happened (lol).
An Exciting Camping Tournament with Idols
Another major event was the camping tournament. While the sports day was all about watching the idols compete, the camping tournament brought idols and fans together! While everyone thought they would join their favorite idols... But instead, the groups they would be in were decided by lottery. Eripyo, Kumasa, and Motoi were unable to join their favorite idols' groups, and for a moment, they lost their emotions. Eripyo, jealous of Kumasa for joining Maina's group, even demands that she get a retinal transplant.
Cham Jam Summary
So far, what do you think of Cham Jam? While idol shows usually have one or two girls with bad personalities, the members of Cham Jam are all good-natured, so it's hard to decide who to root for. Who did you choose?
