Quote:
Originally Posted by Random Wanderer
I have yet to see any convincing evidence of that.
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Really?
For one thing, she's shown to have more natural talent than anyone else in her generation. At the same time, towards the beginning of the series she lacked the "idol spirit" that came more naturally to the other girls, preferring to work alone and whatnot. Recall Mayuyu's warning to her in episode 3 and her behavior in episode 5. It took a while for her to really integrate with the rest of the girls.
Meanwhile, we know that
Kawamori Chieri's dad is experimenting with Kirara technology, and it's heavily implied in episode 14 that he sees his daughter as no more than a means to that end. Then in episode 15, it appears that he's counting on Chieri's success to further his business plans. Combined with the ominous way in which the photographer lady (former Minegishi the 5th) mentions the sponsors backing Chieri, it looks like almost everyone has concluded that it's Zodiac or Zodiac-controlled front organizations that are sponsoring her.
This would all fit with the modus operandi of someone who doesn't really understand the "idol spirit" trying to create an idol artificially. Give her all the skills, give her all the corporate backing, but don't worry as much about her team spirit or relationship with the other girls (in episode 15, all that solo work may be making her more popular, but it's distancing her from her teammates).
I could see them playing this into some message about how it's not what you're born as that determines who you are, but the decisions you make. Chieri discovers her past and her father's actions, despairs thinking that all her life has been a lie and all her success was artificial (she has similar doubts in episode 15), but then Nagisa and the rest remind her of their friendship and say that everything she did she chose to do herself, and that's what counts.
(Hey, maybe she'll even turn to the Dark Side for a while. It's not an uncommon scenario, if they want to pursue a "determinism vs. free will" plot. Chieri concludes that because she was created as a Zodiac test subject, she has no business in 00 and should obediently work for the Zodiac side. Basically, she gives in to her inherent nature and "fate", and her friends have to force her to realize that she can choose the side of light, etc. etc.)
Anyway of course this is
all speculation, and I wouldn't be surprised if it's totally wrong, but from what we have so far, it seems to fit.