Idol anime phenomenon

Well, considering that idol groups really became a Japanese cultural phenomenon in the 1970s, I'm actually surprised that it took the trend so long to be reflected in anime. I reviewed the anime Locodol for the Crunchyroll newsletter several months ago, and in that review I gave a brief historical overview of the development of idol groups in the Japanese music industry. If I might be forgiven for pointing this out, it seems that anime finally caught up soon after idols themselves became animated; for instance, the Vocaloids. The development of these new virtual idols--who literally belong to anyone who uses them--is in complete contrast to the environment that existed early in the Japanese idol phenomenon, when handlers and record companies sought to increase idols' popularity by surrounding them in secrecy and even fabricated bios. Again, I'm just surprised that anime is so late to this party.