is a Japanese
media franchise that began in 2005 with a
raising simulation and
rhythm
Rhythm (from Greek , ''rhythmos'', "any regular recurring motion, symmetry") generally means a " movement marked by the regulated succession of strong and weak elements, or of opposite or different conditions". This general meaning of regular re ...
video game
Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...
series created by
Bandai Namco Entertainment (formerly
Namco
was a Japanese multinational video game and entertainment company, headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo. It held several international branches, including Namco America in Santa Clara, California, Namco Europe in London, Namco Taiwan in Kaohsiung, ...
). The series primarily centers on the career of a producer who works with a group of prospective pop
idols at the
talent agency
Talent has two principal meanings:
* Talent (measurement), an ancient unit of mass and value
* Talent (skill), a group of aptitudes useful for some activities; talents may refer to aptitudes themselves or to possessors of those talents
Talent may ...
765 Production. Originally released as an
arcade game, the franchise has grown to numerous
ports
A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as H ...
, sequels and
spin-offs
Spin-off may refer to:
*Spin-off (media), a media work derived from an existing work
*Corporate spin-off, a type of corporate action that forms a new company or entity
* Government spin-off, civilian goods which are the result of military or gov ...
across multiple
video game console
A video game console is an electronic device that outputs a video signal or image to display a video game that can be played with a game controller. These may be home consoles, which are generally placed in a permanent location connected to ...
s, including several
social network game
A social network game (sometimes simply referred to as a social media game, social gaming, social video game or online social game) is a type of online game that is played through social networks or social media. They typically feature multipl ...
s. The series includes a variety of other media such as an
anime with the same name, printed media, audio dramas, a
Korean drama
Korean dramas (; RR: ''Han-guk deurama''), more popularly known as K-dramas, are television series in the Korean language, made in South Korea.
They are popular worldwide, especially in Asia, partially due to the spread of Korean popular cultu ...
, and radio shows.
Common elements
Plot and themes
The central aspect of the plot for ''The Idolmaster'' deals with the training of prospective pop
idols on their way to stardom. The main
talent agency
Talent has two principal meanings:
* Talent (measurement), an ancient unit of mass and value
* Talent (skill), a group of aptitudes useful for some activities; talents may refer to aptitudes themselves or to possessors of those talents
Talent may ...
featured in the series is
765 Production (765 Pro), a rising studio located in a small office. Other studios include 876 Production (876 Pro), 961 Production (961 Pro), 346 Production (346 Pro), 315 Production (315 Pro) and 283 Production (283 Pro). At 765 Pro, there are initially 10 idols the player can choose:
Haruka Amami,
Chihaya Kisaragi,
Yukiho Hagiwara,
Yayoi Takatsuki,
Ritsuko Akizuki,
Azusa Miura,
Iori Minase,
Makoto Kikuchi
Makoto Kikuchi (born 1911, date of death unknown) was a Japanese field hockey
Field hockey is a team sport structured in standard hockey format, in which each team plays with ten outfield players and a goalkeeper. Teams must drive a round ...
, and
Ami and Mami Futami (who work as a pair). Three additional idols later added to 765 Pro include:
Miki Hoshii,
Hibiki Ganaha and
Takane Shijō.
A recurring theme in the series emphasizes the struggles an idol must go through to achieve stardom.
This is indicated by the level of an idol's tension meter.
Games in the series also explore relationships between characters, ranging from the relationship that develops between an idol and a producer, to the rivalry between idols and production studios.
Gameplay
In the main series of games, the player usually assumes the role of a producer who is put in charge of one or more idols as a part of a
raising simulation. The player is initially put in charge of a single idol, but this can increase to more idols once the player gains enough experience as a producer. The player starts by arranging the idol's daily schedule, which gives the player a large amount of freedom on what the idol does, including giving the idol the day off.
The schedule includes time for the producer to communicate with the idol, take them to jobs, train them during lessons, and offer directions during auditions and performances until they reach the top spot in the entertainment industry.
However, the schedule choices in the original arcade game are limited to doing a lesson or taking an audition. Training an idol has the player going through a variety of lessons in the form of
minigame
A minigame (also spelled mini game and mini-game, sometimes called a subgame or microgame) is a short game often contained within another video game. A minigame contains different gameplay elements, and is often smaller or more simplistic, than t ...
s. These lessons serve to increase an idol's statistics in vocal, dance and visual image.
The number and type of lessons change over the series; for example, there are five in the original arcade game, six in ''The Idolmaster SP'', and three in ''The Idolmaster 2''.
The other aspect of the game which increases an idol's statistics depends on their costumes and accessories.
In the communication phase between the producer and an idol, text progression pauses when the player is given multiple responses to choose from over the course of a conversation and the player is given a limited amount of time to make a choice, though the player can pause the game to be given more time. Depending on which choice is made will affect how well or poorly the communication is received. As mutual trust builds between idol and producer, good memories are formed which help the idol in auditions.
In contrast, if bad memories are formed through poor communication, this will adversely affect an idol.
This communication is further expanded in ''The Idolmaster SP'' with the introduction of a promise system. The communication phase is supplemented by the idol taking on various jobs to further her exposure and gain fans.
The audition phase is the main way for an idol to climb the idol rankings by gaining fans.
The audition process involves another series of minigames, which allow the player to appeal to the judges or audience by earning points in the vocal, dance and visual categories.
If an idol passes the audition, she is chosen to do a televised public performance. In later games, during the performance, the player is able to influence the idol by giving directions.
The same gameplay in the audition process is also used during live concerts and festivals. The player can check the idol's rank, how many fans she has gained,
and how much her
singles
Singles are people not in a committed relationship.
Singles may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''Singles'' (miniseries), a 1984 Australian television series
* ''Singles'' (1992 film), written and directed by Cameron Crowe
* ''Singles'' ...
have sold.
Game series
Early years
''
The Idolmaster'', the first game of the series, was first released in Japan on July 26, 2005 as an
arcade game using
Namco Bandai Games'
Namco System 246
The Namco System 246 is a development of the Sony PlayStation 2 technology as a basis for an arcade system board. It was released in December 2000 on its first game ''Bloody Roar 3''. Like the Sega NAOMI, it is widely licensed for use by other manu ...
arcade system board. Developed by Metro, it introduced many gameplay and plot themes common to the franchise. The player assumes the role of a novice producer who works with prospective pop
idols through lessons, auditions and performances. The player can also develop a relationship between an idol and her producer. The game uses the
touchscreen
A touchscreen or touch screen is the assembly of both an input ('touch panel') and output ('display') device. The touch panel is normally layered on the top of an electronic visual display of an information processing system. The display is ofte ...
Rewritable Stage arcade cabinet, which issues the player two rewritable cards containing the player's profile and
save data. It also makes use of the ALL.Net network service to keep track of national idol rankings. The network was discontinued on September 1, 2010, though a few of the arcade cabinets still survive.
A
port
A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as H ...
of the arcade game for the
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. As the successor to the original Xbox, it is the second console in the Xbox series. It competed with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generati ...
was released on January 25, 2007. This version introduced an additional idol,
Miki Hoshii, and includes new songs. The port makes use of
Xbox Live, and the game has been credited with making Japan's ratio of sign-ups for Xbox Live compared to the number of consoles sold as the world's highest.
Over four times as many Microsoft points were sold on the date of ''The Idolmaster''s Xbox 360 release as on the date before it.
A sequel to the arcade game titled ''
The Idolmaster Live For You!'' for the Xbox 360 was released on February 28, 2008. In ''Live For You!'', the player assumes the role of a "special producer" due to the sudden absence of the original producer and is charged with coordinating the idols' concerts. The game focuses mainly on the concert coordination aspect of the original and expands on it in many ways, with higher customization of the stage, costumes and songs. ''Live For You!'' also introduced a
rhythm game
Rhythm game or rhythm action is a genre of music-themed action video game that challenges a player's sense of rhythm. Games in the genre typically focus on dance or the simulated performance of musical instruments, and require players to press ...
aspect into the series, incorporating it as a
minigame
A minigame (also spelled mini game and mini-game, sometimes called a subgame or microgame) is a short game often contained within another video game. A minigame contains different gameplay elements, and is often smaller or more simplistic, than t ...
during an idol's concert. A collection containing both ''The Idolmaster'' and ''Live For You!'' was released on March 12, 2009 as ''The Idolmaster Twins''.
A game titled ''
The Idolmaster SP'' for the
PlayStation Portable was released in three versions on February 19, 2009 titled ''Perfect Sun'', ''Missing Moon'' and ''Wandering Star''.
''SP'' re-introduces Miki Hoshii as a rival idol working for the 961 Pro studio, and introduces the new characters
Hibiki Ganaha and
Takane Shijō, also working for 961. Hibiki is in ''Perfect Sun'', Miki is in ''Missing Moon'', and Takane is in ''Wandering Star''. ''SP'' also introduces a multiplayer mode for up to three players where each of the players' idols can interact and audition together. A
slot machine
A slot machine (American English), fruit machine (British English) or poker machine (Australian English and New Zealand English) is a gambling machine that creates a game of chance for its customers. Slot machines are also known pejoratively a ...
titled ''The Idolmaster Live in Slot!'' was released on May 23, 2012 by
Sammy
Sammy is a nickname, frequently for people named Samuel, and also an English spelling of the Arabic name Sami.
People Music
*Sammy Adams (born 1987), American rapper and songwriter
* Sammy Cahn (1913-1993), American songwriter
* Sammy Davis Jr. ...
using the Xbox 360 version of ''The Idolmaster'' as its motif.
2nd Vision
In May 2009, the franchise's next stage called "2nd Vision" was announced, which was described as ''The Idolmaster''s next project that would further expand the series' world. The first 2nd Vision game is ''
The Idolmaster Dearly Stars
is a Japanese life simulation video game developed by Microvision and published by Bandai Namco Games. It was released on September 17, 2009 for the Nintendo DS. The game is a spin-off of '' The Idolmaster'' series and its timeline coincides b ...
'' for the
Nintendo DS and was released on September 17, 2009. Instead of playing the role of a producer, the player portrays one of the three idols introduced in ''Dearly Stars'' as they enter 876 Pro. In addition to the story mode, the game also features a cheering mode for up to 16 players, and includes wi-fi functionality. The idols from previous ''The Idolmaster'' games make appearances in ''Dearly Stars'' as already established and popular idols.
Another sequel to the original arcade game titled ''
The Idolmaster 2
is a Japanese raising simulation video game in ''The Idolmaster'' series developed and published by Bandai Namco Games. It was originally released on February 24, 2011, for the Xbox 360 in Japan, and later for the PlayStation 3 on October 27, 20 ...
'' was released for the Xbox 360 on February 24, 2011 and later for the
PlayStation 3
The PlayStation 3 (PS3) is a home video game console developed by Sony Computer Entertainment. The successor to the PlayStation 2, it is part of the PlayStation brand of consoles. It was first released on November 11, 2006, in Japan, November ...
(PS3) on October 27, 2011.
Set in the same universe as ''Dearly Stars'' six months after ''The Idolmaster'', the player can choose between most of same idols in addition to Miki, Hibiki and Takane. In ''The Idolmaster 2'',
Azusa Miura,
Iori Minase and
Ami Futami now form an independent unit with
Ritsuko Akizuki as their producer.
A nine-volume
fan disc
A fan disc (sometimes called fandisk or simply abbreviated as FD) is a package of additional content, usually released by a game company after the successful launch of one of its titles. The contents of fan discs varies, but often includes new i ...
series titled ''The Idolmaster Gravure For You!'' was released for the PS3 from October 27, 2011 to June 28, 2012.
''Gravure For You!'' allows the player to give the idols directions while taking
gravure
Rotogravure (or gravure for short) is a type of intaglio printing process, which involves engraving the image onto an image carrier. In gravure printing, the image is engraved onto a cylinder because, like offset printing and flexography
...
photos of them in various poses, costumes and locations.
On October 25, 2012, ''
The Idolmaster Shiny Festa'' was released for the PlayStation Portable in three versions. Like ''The Idolmaster SP'', the different versions—titled ''Honey Sound'', ''Funky Note'' and ''Groovy Tune''—feature different idols from ''The Idolmaster 2'' to work with. ''Shiny Festa'' is a
rhythm game
Rhythm game or rhythm action is a genre of music-themed action video game that challenges a player's sense of rhythm. Games in the genre typically focus on dance or the simulated performance of musical instruments, and require players to press ...
, and unlike previous games does not feature any
raising simulation gameplay. The ''Shiny Festa'' games were released on
iOS
iOS (formerly iPhone OS) is a mobile operating system created and developed by Apple Inc. exclusively for its hardware. It is the operating system that powers many of the company's mobile devices, including the iPhone; the term also include ...
and localized into English on April 22, 2013. The titles of the games were changed for the port: ''Honey Sound'' became ''Harmonic Score'', ''Funky Note'' became ''Rhythmic Record'' and ''Groovy Tune'' became ''Melodic Disc''.
An
app for the PS3 titled ''Imas Channel'' was released on the
PlayStation Network on October 2, 2013. The app includes a ''Shiny TV'' component which features a PS3 version of ''Shiny Festa'', and the nine ''Gravure For You!'' fan discs can also be downloaded via the app. The game ''
The Idolmaster One For All
is a Japanese raising simulation video game in ''The Idolmaster'' series developed and published by Bandai Namco Games. It was released in Japan on May 15, 2014 for the PlayStation 3. The story in ''One For All'' is told from the perspective of ...
'' was released on May 15, 2014 for the PS3 and allows players to produce all 13 idols from 765 Pro. A game titled ''The Idolmaster Platinum Stars'' for the
PlayStation 4 (PS4) was released on July 28, 2016. ''The Idolmaster Stella Stage'' was released for the PS4 on December 20, 2017. ''The Idolmaster Starlit Season'', a crossover game featuring idols from the original series, ''Cinderella Girls'', ''Million Live!'' and ''Shiny Colors'', was originally planned to release in 2020 for the PS4 and
Windows
Windows is a group of several proprietary graphical operating system families developed and marketed by Microsoft. Each family caters to a certain sector of the computing industry. For example, Windows NT for consumers, Windows Server for ser ...
via
Steam, but was delayed first to May 27, 2021 due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
, and then further to October 14, 2021 for quality improvements.
3.0 Vision
The franchise's third stage called "3.0 Vision" was announced on December 26, 2022.
Social network games and spin-offs
The first
social network game
A social network game (sometimes simply referred to as a social media game, social gaming, social video game or online social game) is a type of online game that is played through social networks or social media. They typically feature multipl ...
in the series, ''
The Idolmaster Cinderella Girls
is a Japanese free-to-play simulation video game co-developed by Cygames and Bandai Namco Studios for the Mobage social network platform for mobile phones. It was first released on November 28, 2011, for feature phones, and compatibilit ...
'', was released on the
Mobage
is a portal and social network for games, owned by DeNA. The service had 30 million users, who largely play on feature phones.
On February 14, 2011, DeNA announced renaming Mobage Town service name to Mobage, which also merged the Plus+
Plus+ ...
browser game
A browser game or a "flash game" is a video game that is played via the internet using a web browser. They are mostly free-to-play and can be single-player or multiplayer.
Some browser games are also available as mobile apps, PC games, or on ...
platform for
feature phone
A feature phone (also spelled featurephone) is a type or class of mobile phone that retains the form factor of earlier generations of mobile telephones, typically with press-button based inputs and a small non-touch display. They tend to use an ...
s on November 28, 2011, and for iOS and Android devices on December 16, 2011. The game features a card battle system and over 100 additional idols, including the 13 idols from 765 Pro. In September 2012, the ''
Nikkei Shimbun'' reported that ''Cinderella Girls'' earns over 1 billion
yen
The is the official currency of Japan. It is the third-most traded currency in the foreign exchange market, after the United States dollar (US$) and the euro. It is also widely used as a third reserve currency after the US dollar and the e ...
in revenue monthly.
The second social network game, ''
The Idolmaster Million Live!'', was released on February 27, 2013 on the
GREE
GREE (derived from an abbreviation of the " Six degrees of separation" concept) is a Japanese social networking service founded by Yoshikazu Tanaka and operated by GREE, Inc.
GREE focuses primarily on mobile games and over ninety percent of it ...
browser game platform for iOS and Android devices, and
feature phone
A feature phone (also spelled featurephone) is a type or class of mobile phone that retains the form factor of earlier generations of mobile telephones, typically with press-button based inputs and a small non-touch display. They tend to use an ...
s sold by
au,
NTT DoCoMo and
SoftBank
is a Japanese multinational conglomerate holding company headquartered in Minato, Tokyo which focuses on investment management. The Group primarily invests in companies operating in technology, energy, and financial sectors. It also runs the Vi ...
.
Like ''Cinderella Girls'', the game features a card battle system and another 37 additional idols, which also includes the 13 idols from 765 Pro.
GREE officially ended the service on March 19, 2018. A successor game to ''The Idolmaster Million Live!'' titled ''The Idolmaster Million Live! Theater Days'' was released on June 29, 2017. The game features all 37 ''Million Live!'' idols from the preceding game and the 13 765 Pro idols, but also introduces two brand new idols, bringing it up to a total of 52 playable and produceable idols.
The third social network game, ''
The Idolmaster SideM
is a Japanese multimedia spin-off series of '' The Idolmaster'', starting with a 2014 game and expanding to include music CDs, two anime series, a web radio show, printed manga, and a rhythm game. The series focuses on the male idols of ...
'', was released on February 28, 2014 on the Mobage platform for mobile devices. The game features a card battle system similar to the other social network games, but instead focuses on male idols at the talent agency 315 Production, which also includes the three idols formerly from
961 Production. A rhythm game with 3D models titled ''The Idolmaster SideM: Live On Stage!'' was released August 17, 2017. A newer game titled ''The Idolmaster SideM: Growing Stars'' was released October 6, 2021.
''The Idolmaster Shiny Colors'' was released for Bandai Namco and
Drecom
is a Japanese software, web, and video game development and video game publishing company. Subsidiaries Drecom Media and DRE Novels publish light novels.
History
The company was founded in 2001 by Representative Director and President Yuki Na ...
's ''enza'' platform for HTML5 games on April 24, 2018. An app version was released for
iOS
iOS (formerly iPhone OS) is a mobile operating system created and developed by Apple Inc. exclusively for its hardware. It is the operating system that powers many of the company's mobile devices, including the iPhone; the term also include ...
and
Android on March 13, 2019. The game is an idol raising simulator similar in style to the original games but with no rhythm game elements. This game features a completely new cast, including 25 idols and 3 employees at 283 Production (including the producer).
Development
Origin
In the early 2000s, there were arcade games already in use that allowed players to
save their progress on
magnetic stripe card
The term digital card can refer to a physical item, such as a memory card on a camera, or, increasingly since 2017, to the digital content hosted
as a virtual card or cloud card, as a digital virtual representation of a physical card. They share ...
s so as to continue playing later.
In 2001,
Namco
designer
A designer is a person who plans the form or structure of something before it is made, by preparing drawings or plans.
In practice, anyone who creates tangible or intangible objects, products, processes, laws, games, graphics, services, or exp ...
Akihiro Ishihara chose to create an arcade game that used that technology.
Ishihara wanted to make a game that would make players want to come back to play every day, which would be tied to the growth of
video arcades
Video is an electronic medium for the recording, copying, playback, broadcasting, and display of moving visual media. Video was first developed for mechanical television systems, which were quickly replaced by cathode-ray tube (CRT) systems ...
. Ishihara realized that players would need an emotional attachment to the game for them to play it every day. With the
target audience
A target audience is the intended audience or readership of a publication, advertisement, or other message catered specifically to said intended audience. In marketing and advertising, it is a particular group of consumer within the predetermined ...
to be male players, Ishihara thought that a
raising simulation where players could befriend girls and young women would lead players to form a strong emotional attachment for the game. Next, in order to effectively use the competitive culture that surrounds video arcades, Ishihara thought about various themes for the game, including
professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring or ...
and
volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. It has been a part of the official program of the Sum ...
. Ishihara finally settled on a game featuring pop
idols, who players would raise and compete against other players' idols to reach the top of the entertainment industry.
There were some members of Namco that thought it would feel awkward to play ''The Idolmaster'' in public and that it would not be well received by players. However, when the game was first tested in arcades, there were long lines of people waiting to play. As word spread and its popularity grew, rival game companies said they had wanted to be the first to create a game like ''The Idolmaster''.
Following the success of the arcade game, Namco Bandai Games went on to develop its Xbox 360 port starting in early 2006, though a port of the game had been discussed as early as May 2005.
Namco Bandai Games
producer Yōzō Sakagami was initially unsure if ''The Idolmaster'' would be suited for a
video game console
A video game console is an electronic device that outputs a video signal or image to display a video game that can be played with a game controller. These may be home consoles, which are generally placed in a permanent location connected to ...
due to hardware and network limitations, but he felt that the Xbox 360 and its
Xbox Live network could handle the game's specifications.
This would also allow the developers to improve the game's quality and attract attention from those who never played the arcade game. Many people who were interested in the arcade game but never played it would tell Sakagami that this was either because their local arcade did not have ''The Idolmaster'', or because they were embarrassed to play it in public. According to Sakagami, to the development team of the port, there was a large significance in correcting these issues. Their other focus was on allowing players to comfortably play the game and enjoy its various scenarios without the rushed gameplay found in the arcade version.
Certain gameplay elements were changed in the port, and this approach to improving and supplementing gameplay elements has continued throughout the series.
Design and graphics
Most of the core design staff for each game is different, but there are several staff members who have worked for multiple games in the series. The arcade game was directed by Akihiro Ishihara, who also directed ''The Idolmaster SP'' and ''The Idolmaster 2'', the latter of which he shared directorship with Masataka Katō.
The director for the Xbox 360 port of ''The Idolmaster'' is Hiroyuki Onoda.
Several returning scenario writers for the series include: Shōgo Sakamoto, Tomoyo Takahashi, Emi Tanaka, Yoshihito Azuma, and Akihiro Ishihara. The original character design was handled by
Toshiyuki Kubooka
is a Japanese animator, character designer, and director. He is particularly known for his work on the ''Giant Robo'' OVA series, as well as his work on the ''Lunar'' series and '' iDOLM@STER''. He was born in Hokkaido.
Notable works
Anime
*'' ...
up to ''The Idolmaster SP''. After that, Kiyotaka Tamiya based the character design used in ''The Idolmatser Dearly Stars'' and later games on Kubooka's designs.
The graphics of the original arcade game were limited by the
Namco System 246
The Namco System 246 is a development of the Sony PlayStation 2 technology as a basis for an arcade system board. It was released in December 2000 on its first game ''Bloody Roar 3''. Like the Sega NAOMI, it is widely licensed for use by other manu ...
arcade game board released in 2001, which is compatible with a
PlayStation 2.
Since the arcade game, characters have been rendered using
3D graphics
3D computer graphics, or “3D graphics,” sometimes called CGI, 3D-CGI or three-dimensional computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data (often Cartesian) that is stored in the computer for th ...
with
pre-rendered
Pre-rendering is the process in which video footage is not rendered in real-time by the hardware that is outputting or playing back the video. Instead, the video is a recording of footage that was previously rendered on different equipment (typic ...
backgrounds, except during auditions and performances which use a full 3D environment. The developers employ
motion capture to present a realistic view of the characters—not only during normal gameplay,
but also during performances, which are rendered using motion capture from professional dancers. When developing the Xbox 360 port of ''The Idolmaster'', the characters had to be entirely redone, including the motion capture, which used the same actors as before. Further details were able to be added to the character designs because of the Xbox 360's improved, high-definition hardware.
Music
The titles in the series feature a variety of music sung by the idols, many of which are featured in multiple games either initially or as
downloadable content
Downloadable content (DLC) is additional content created for an already released video game, distributed through the Internet by the game's publisher. It can either be added for no extra cost or it can be a form of video game monetization, enabli ...
. The original arcade game has 10 songs, and this is increased to 16 in the Xbox 360 port, as it includes 6 new songs.
More songs have continued to be introduced in later games, which include: five in ''The Idolmaster Live For You!'', five in ''The Idolmaster SP'', four in ''The Idolmaster Dearly Stars'', 13 in ''The Idolmaster 2'', and four in ''The Idolmaster Shiny Festa''. Additional songs initially released on various music albums and singles have also been featured in the games, including
remix versions of some songs.
Adaptations
Anime
A 26-episode
anime
is hand-drawn and computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japanese, (a term derived from a shortening of ...
television series set in an alternate universe titled ''
Idolmaster: Xenoglossia'', produced by
Sunrise
Sunrise (or sunup) is the moment when the upper rim of the Sun appears on the horizon in the morning. The term can also refer to the entire process of the solar disk crossing the horizon and its accompanying atmospheric effects.
Terminology
A ...
and directed by
Tatsuyuki Nagai
is a Japanese anime storyboard artist and director. He made his full directorial debut in 2006 with '' Honey and Clover II'', after which he had directed 2007's '' Idolmaster: Xenoglossia'', 2008's ''Toradora!'', 2009's ''A Certain Scientific Rai ...
, aired in Japan between April and October 2007 on
Kansai TV
JODX-DTV, virtual channel 8 ( UHF digital channel 17), branded as or , is the Kansai region key station of the Fuji News Network (FNN) and Fuji Network System (FNS), operated by the . Kansai TV is a company affiliated in Hankyu Hanshin Holdin ...
. The series centers around
mecha
In science fiction, or mechs are giant robots or machines controlled by people, typically depicted as humanoid walking vehicles. The term was first used in Japanese after shortening the English loanword or , but the meaning in Japanese is ...
and reimagines the ten prospective idols as fighter pilots of those robots, with eight of them posing as students. ''Xenoglossia'' has no relation to the games apart from its characters.
A 17-minute
original video animation (OVA) episode titled ''
The Idolmaster Live For You!'', produced by
Actas
is a Japanese animation studio founded in 1998. It is currently a subsidiary of Bandai Namco Filmworks, which in turn is a subsidiary to Bandai Namco Holdings.
History
Actas was founded on July 6, 1998, by Hiroshi Katō and Jūtarō Ōba, who pr ...
and directed by
Keiichiro Kawaguchi
is a Japanese animator and director born in Kawasaki, Kanagawa. He got his start at Ashi Productions and has worked as a key animator and animation director, as well as episode director for many projects. In recent years, he has worked as a sound ...
, was included in the limited edition of ''Live For You!'' released on February 28, 2008. The OVA involves Haruka, Chihaya and Miki trying to reach Tokyo in time to catch up with the rest of the girls in their latest concert after the trio gets lost in the middle of nowhere.
A faithful anime television series adaptation, produced by
A-1 Pictures
is a Japanese animation studio founded by ex- Sunrise producer Mikihiro Iwata and it is a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment Japan's anime production firm Aniplex.
History
The studio was established by SMEJ's animation production division ...
and directed by Atsushi Nishigori, aired 25 episodes between July and December 2011 on
TBS and other
JNN networks across
Japan. An OVA episode was released on June 16, 2012. Additional OVA episodes were bundled with the ''Shiny Festa'' games released on October 25, 2012, with a different episode for each of the three versions. An anime film adaptation, titled ''
The Idolmaster Movie: Beyond the Brilliant Future!'', was released on January 25, 2014.
An
original net animation
An original net animation (ONA), known in Japan as , is an anime that is directly released onto the Internet. ONAs may also have been aired on television if they were first directly released on the Internet. The name mirrors original video animati ...
adaptation of the spin-off manga by Akane, ''
Puchimas! Petit Idolmaster
is a Japanese four-panel manga series written and illustrated by Akane, based on Bandai Namco Games' ''The Idolmaster'' franchise. The series revolves around the daily lives of the idols of 765 Production as they are joined by miniaturized ...
'', was produced by Gathering and directed by Mankyū. The 64 short episodes streamed between January and March 2013. A second season titled ''Puchimas!! Puchi Puchi Idolmaster'' streamed 74 episodes between April and June 2014. The series revolves around the 765 Pro idols as they are accompanied by
super-deformed
Chibi, also known as super deformation, or S.D. is a style of caricature originating in Japan, and common in anime and manga where characters are drawn in an exaggerated way, typically small and chubby with stubby limbs, oversized heads, and m ...
versions of themselves. An OVA episode was bundled with
ASCII Media Works' ''
Dengeki Maoh
is a Japanese seinen magazine published by ASCII Media Works (formerly MediaWorks). It first went on sale on October 27, 2005, and is sold every month on the twenty-seventh. The magazine features information on video games, manga, and light nove ...
'' magazine in October 2012.
An animated
music video
A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device ...
of the spin-off game ''
The Idolmaster Cinderella Girls
is a Japanese free-to-play simulation video game co-developed by Cygames and Bandai Namco Studios for the Mobage social network platform for mobile phones. It was first released on November 28, 2011, for feature phones, and compatibilit ...
'', featuring the song "Onegai! Cinderella", was streamed within the game on November 28, 2013 in celebration of its second anniversary. A special animation video featuring the character Mirai Kasuga was streamed within the spin-off game ''The Idolmaster Million Live!'' in commemoration of its first anniversary. An anime television series adaptation of ''The Idolmaster Cinderella Girls'', produced by A-1 Pictures, aired thirteen episodes from January to April 2015. A second season of ''The Idolmaster Cinderella Girls'' aired with 12 episodes from July to October 2015 plus an OVA episode released on February 25, 2016.
An anime television series adaptation of the spin-off game ''
The Idolmaster SideM
is a Japanese multimedia spin-off series of '' The Idolmaster'', starting with a 2014 game and expanding to include music CDs, two anime series, a web radio show, printed manga, and a rhythm game. The series focuses on the male idols of ...
'', featuring male characters and also by A-1 Pictures, aired from October to December 2017. An anime television series adaptation of Sumeragi's ''Wake Atte Mini!'' spin-off manga, produced by
Zero-G
Weightlessness is the complete or near-complete absence of the sensation of weight. It is also termed zero gravity, zero G-force, or zero-G.
Weight is a measurement of the force on an object at rest in a relatively strong gravitational fie ...
and directed by Mankyū, aired from October 9 to December 25, 2018.
An anime television series adaptation of the spin-off game ''
The Idolmaster Million Live!'', produced by
Shirogumi
, member of The Association of Japanese Animations, is a company centralized in the production of animated series and feature films, as well as the making and adjusting of visual effects.
History
In 1973, Tatsuo Shimamura established . To expan ...
and directed by Shinya Watada, is scheduled to air in 2023.
Other media
Various guidebooks for the video games and anime adaptations have been published over the years. Two
light novel
A light novel (, Hepburn: ''raito noberu'') is a style of young adult novel primarily targeting high school and middle school students. The term "light novel" is a '' wasei-eigo'', or a Japanese term formed from words in the English languag ...
s based on ''The Idolmaster'', written by Yūsuke Saitō and illustrated by Otoko, were published by
Enterbrain in 2006. Two separate light novels based on ''Idolmaster: Xenoglossia'' were published by
Fujimi Shobo in 2007 and
Hobby Japan
is a Japanese publishing company known for publishing and releasing books, magazines, light novels, games, and collectibles. Founded in 1969, the company owns and distributes such publications as the eponymous ''Hobby Japan'' magazine, as well ...
in 2008. ''The Idolmaster'' has been adapted into 26
serialized manga and several other manga
anthologies, which include direct adaptations of the video games and anime adaptations, in addition to numerous
spin-offs
Spin-off may refer to:
*Spin-off (media), a media work derived from an existing work
*Corporate spin-off, a type of corporate action that forms a new company or entity
* Government spin-off, civilian goods which are the result of military or gov ...
. The earliest manga was published in 2005 by
Ichijinsha
is a Japanese publishing company focused on manga-related publication, including magazines and books.
The company was first established in August 1992 as a limited company under the name Studio DNA whose main purpose was to edit shōnen manga. ...
, and since then other manga have been published by
ASCII Media Works,
Enterbrain, Fox Shuppan,
Hakusensha
is a Japanese publishing company. It is headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo.
The company mainly publishes manga magazines and is involved in series' productions in their games, original video animation, music, and their animated TV series.
The c ...
,
Kadokawa Shoten,
Kodansha and
Square Enix.
Frontier Works
is a Japanese company specializing in the creation and distribution of media related to anime, such as producing OVAs, radio dramas, drama CDs, anime soundtracks, or other related products. The company was established in August 1990.
Projects ...
published 12
drama CD
Radio drama (or audio drama, audio play, radio play, radio theatre, or audio theatre) is a dramatized, purely acoustic performance. With no visual component, radio drama depends on dialogue, music and sound effects to help the listener imagine ...
s from 2005 to 2009 for the games: six based on the arcade game, three based on its Xbox 360 port, and three based on ''The Idolmaster SP''.
Lantis released three drama CDs based on ''Idolmaster: Xenoglossia'' in 2007. Frontier Works also published two drama CDs based on ''Puchimas! Petit Idolmaster'' in 2011. There have been 15 radio shows for the video games and anime adaptations.
A
South Korean drama
Korean dramas (; RR: ''Han-guk deurama''), more popularly known as K-dramas, are television series in the Korean language, made in South Korea.
They are popular worldwide, especially in Asia, partially due to the spread of Korean popular cultu ...
television series based on the games and titled ''
The Idolmaster KR'' premiered in 2017, running for 24 hour-long episodes. It is streaming worldwide by
Amazon Prime Video as an
Amazon Original.
Reception and legacy
Commercial reception
Each installment of ''The Idolmaster'' has seen different levels of success. The Xbox 360 port of ''The Idolmaster'' was awarded the special prize at the 2007
Japan Game Awards
The Japan Game Awards is the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's awards ceremony, which was created in 1996 as the Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association, CESA Awards. While it repres ...
partially for its unique take on raising simulation games at the time.
The Xbox 360 port of ''The Idolmaster'' sold 25,000 copies in its first week of sale and was the fifteenth best selling console video game in Japan for the time of its release. ''The Idolmaster Live For You!'' would see better success, selling 44,000 units in its first week of sales as the fifth best selling console video game in Japan. In their first week of sales, the three versions of ''The Idolmaster SP'' sold 129,088 units. ''The Idolmaster Dearly Stars'' sold 30,786 in its first week of sales. ''The Idolmaster 2'' for the Xbox 360 was voted one of the most anticipated future game at the 2010
Tokyo Game Show
, commonly known as TGS, is a video game expo / convention held annually in September in the Makuhari Messe, in Chiba, Japan. It is presented by the Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association (CESA) and Nikkei Business Publications, Inc. ...
by attendees. Despite this, the Xbox 360 version of the game initially sold 34,621 units and was the tenth best selling console video game in Japan for the time of its release, but the PlayStation 3 version sold 65,512 units in its first week. The three versions of ''The Idolmaster Shiny Festa'' sold 119,132 units in their first week of sales.
''
The Idolmaster Cinderella Girls
is a Japanese free-to-play simulation video game co-developed by Cygames and Bandai Namco Studios for the Mobage social network platform for mobile phones. It was first released on November 28, 2011, for feature phones, and compatibilit ...
'' earned more than per month ( annually) in Japan during 2012.
''
The Idolmaster Cinderella Girls: Starlight Stage'' grossed in Japan during 2017, and during 2018. This adds up to at least () in mobile game revenue.
Up until 2012, ''The Idolmaster'' anime DVD and Blu-ray releases grossed in Japan,
while music CD and concert sales grossed .
In 2013, the franchise grossed in home media (videos, manga, music, novels) sales.
In 2014, anime DVD and Blu-ray sales generated .
''The Idolmaster'' home media (videos, manga, music, novels) sales earned in Japan between 2015 and 2016,
and then between 2017 and 2018.
This adds up to approximately () in home media sales revenue, .
''
The Idolmaster Movie: Beyond the Brilliant Future!'' (2014) grossed in East Asian theaters, including ¥772,973,700 () in Japan and () in South Korea. ''The Idolmaster'' merchandise grossed () in Japan retail sales during 2007.
Critical reception
The raising simulation system in the series has been described as simple and easy to understand,
and the various minigames have been described as "addictive".
However, the audition system in later games such as ''The Idolmaster 2'' has been called strategically weaker, but at the same time easier to understand than previous games.
As the series progressed, the improved realism in the idol's expressions, movements and manner of speaking was praised.
As the first handheld release, ''The Idolmaster SP'' was praised as satisfying the needs of the fans who enjoy "lovingly raising their favorite idols" at all times.
Overall, an enjoyable aspect of the series has been cited as deepening one's relationship with "cute and individualistic" idols while going through the ups and downs of the story.
The introduction of rivals into ''The Idolmaster SP'' was described as effectively giving each game a different impression,
and competing against rivals in the series has been praised.
While one reviewer for ''
Famitsu
formerly ''Famicom Tsūshin'', is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Kadokawa Game Linkage (previously known as Gzbrain), a subsidiary of Kadokawa. ''Famitsu'' is published in both weekly and monthly formats as well as in the f ...
'' suggested it was natural to identify with the idols when watching them perform, a different reviewer in the same magazine issue stated that the game would be somewhat tiresome if the player did not have an emotional attachment to a given idol.
However, another reviewer noted that it was easier to empathize with an idol when the story is told from the perspective of the idols in ''The Idolmaster Dearly Stars''.
Although, because other aspects of the gameplay in ''Dearly Stars'' are similar such as doing lessons and auditions, the sense of enjoyment is not that different from other games.
Early aspects of the series were criticized as presenting a narrow and unrealistic view of the idol world.
Appearances in other games
''
Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation'', another Xbox 360 game developed and published by Namco, references ''The Idolmaster'' in special paint schemes for the
Su-33 Flanker,
F-117A Night Hawk,
F-16C Fighting Falcon
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single-engine multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful ...
,
F-2A Viper Zero,
Su-47 Berkut,
F-15E Strike Eagle
The McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) F-15E Strike Eagle is an American all-weather multirole strike fighter derived from the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle. The F-15E was designed in the 1980s for long-range, high-speed interdiction without rely ...
,
Rafale M,
Mirage 2000-5
The Dassault Mirage 2000 is a French multirole, single-engine, fourth-generation jet fighter manufactured by Dassault Aviation. It was designed in the late 1970s as a lightweight fighter to replace the Mirage III for the French Air Force (''A ...
,
Typhoon
A typhoon is a mature tropical cyclone that develops between 180° and 100°E in the Northern Hemisphere. This region is referred to as the Northwestern Pacific Basin, and is the most active tropical cyclone basin on Earth, accounting for a ...
,
F-14D Tomcat and
F-22A Raptor
The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor is an American single-seat, twin-engine, all-weather stealth tactical fighter aircraft developed for the United States Air Force (USAF). As the result of the USAF's Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) program, ...
as part of downloadable packs of extra aircraft colors made available for purchase between November 22, 2007 and March 31, 2008. The character Miki Hoshii appears on the paint schemes of the Su-33 and Su-47, Yukiho Hagiwara appears on the F-117A, Chihaya Kisaragi appears on the F-15E, Haruka Amami on the F-22A, Yayoi Takatsuki on the Mirage 2000-5, Azusa Miura on the F-14D, and Iori Minase on the Rafale M.
Yayoi Takatsuki made a cameo in Namco's
role-playing game (RPG) ''
Tales of Hearts
is an action role-playing game released for the Nintendo DS in Japan and the PlayStation Vita worldwide. It is the eleventh main entry in the ''Tales'' series, developed by Namco Tales Studio and published by Bandai Namco Games. The Japan-ex ...
'' as a support attacker by using a move named High Touch. Haruka Amami made an appearance as a cameo costume for Mel in Namco's RPG ''
Tales of Phantasia: Narikiri Dungeon X''. The game ''
Tales of the World: Radiant Mythology'' had several of the girls' costumes featured as purchasable and wearable armor.
Downloadable content
Downloadable content (DLC) is additional content created for an already released video game, distributed through the Internet by the game's publisher. It can either be added for no extra cost or it can be a form of video game monetization, enabli ...
(DLC) costumes can be bought of custom outfits from ''The Idolmaster'' for the Namco Bandai games ''
Tales of Graces
is an action role-playing game released for the Wii in Japan in December 2009. The game is a core product of the ''Tales'' series and was developed by Namco Tales Studio. The game was ported to the PlayStation 3 under the title and was rele ...
'' and ''
Tales of Xillia
is an action role-playing game released exclusively for the PlayStation 3. It is the thirteenth main installment of the ''Tales'' series and is developed by Namco Tales Studio with Namco Bandai Games as the publisher. The game was released in ...
''. In ''Graces'', Sophie, Pascal and Cheria can have costumes purchased for them, and in ''Xillia'', Milla, Leia and Elise can have costumes purchased for them.
A stage in ''
Beautiful Katamari
''Beautiful Katamari'', released in Japan as , is a video game by Namco Bandai Games for the Xbox 360. ''Beautiful Katamari'' is the fourth game in the Katamari series of games following ''Katamari Damacy'', ''We Love Katamari,'' and '' Me & My ...
'' set in the producer's office features a song by ten of the girls titled "Danketsu". A remix was produced titled "Danketsu 2010" sung by all of the girls. Some of the Katamari Cousins in the game also represent the idols. Four songs from ''The Idolmaster'' series were featured in ''
Taiko no Tatsujin 14''. An update patch for
PlayStation Home
PlayStation Home was a virtual 3D social gaming platform developed by Sony Computer Entertainment's London Studio for the PlayStation 3 (PS3) on the PlayStation Network (PSN). It was accessible from the PS3's XrossMediaBar (XMB). Membership was ...
features ''The Idolmaster'' slot machines inside the Namco Bandai hubs where one can win special clothing to make PlayStation Home avatars look like Haruka. A collaboration DLC package between Sega's ''
Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA 2nd'' and ''The Idolmaster SP'' was released, featuring a Haruka costume for
Hatsune Miku, a combined version of Ami and Mami's costumes for
Kagamine Rin, and a Chihaya costume for
Megurine Luka
, codenamed "CV03", is a Vocaloid software developed by Crypton Future Media, headquartered in Sapporo, Japan. Its official ''moe'' anthropomorphism is a 20-year-old woman. She uses Yamaha Corporation's Vocaloid 2 and Vocaloid 4 singing synthesiz ...
. The package also comes with "Go My Way!!" redone by Miku and "Relations" redone by Luka and Rin. ''
Ace Combat: Assault Horizon'' as well as the ''
Ridge Racer
is a racing video game series developed and published for arcade systems and home game consoles by Bandai Namco Entertainment, formerly Namco. The first game, '' Ridge Racer'' (1993), was originally released in arcades for the Namco System 22 ...
'' series on PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita and Xbox 360 also include DLC for ''The Idolmaster'' series.
Bandai Namco Entertainment and
Aniplex
is a Japanese anime, music production and anime licensee company owned by Sony Music Entertainment Japan. Established in September 1995, Aniplex has been involved in the production and distribution of several anime series, such as both '' Fullm ...
has allowed third party companies and organizations to use the franchise's characters in their promotions both individually or as a group. Miki Hoshii was named the store manager of
Tower Records
Tower Records is an international retail franchise and online music store that was formerly based in Sacramento, California, United States. From 1960 until 2006, Tower operated retail stores in the United States, which closed when Tower Recor ...
' Japanese branches on March 21, 2011 at the retailer's Shinjuku branch. In 2012, the Tokyo Shrine Agency distributed posters and pamphlets featuring the 765 Production idols as part of a campaign to attract
hatsumōde
is the first Buddhist temples in Japan, Buddhist temple or Shinto shrine visit of the Japanese New Year. Many visit on the first, second, or third day of the year as most are off work on those days. Generally, wishes for the new year are made, n ...
visitors.
Sagan Tosu
is a Japanese professional football club, currently playing in the J1 League. The team is located in Tosu, Saga Prefecture.
''Sagan'' is a coined word with a couple of meanings behind it. One of its homophones is in Japanese. This symbolises ...
featured the idol characters of ''Cinderella Girls'' on the tickets and merchandises for their September 12, 2015 match against the
Shimizu S-Pulse and September 26, 2015 match against the
Ventforet Kofu
is a Japanese football club from Kōfu in Yamanashi Prefecture. The team currently competes in the J2 League and play their home games in JIT Recycle Ink Stadium, located in Kōfu.
The word "Ventforet" is a compound formed from two French ...
.
Notes
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Idolmaster, The
2011 anime television series debuts
A-1 Pictures
Actas
Anime television series based on video games
Bandai Namco Entertainment franchises
CloverWorks
Seinen manga
TBS Television (Japan) original programming
Video game franchises introduced in 2005
Video games adapted into television shows