is a Japanese

multimedia Multimedia is a form of communication that uses a combination of different content forms such as text, audio, images, animations, or video into a single interactive presentation, in contrast to tradition ...

spin-off 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 gove ...

series of ''

The Idolmaster is a Japanese media franchise that began in 2005 with a raising simulation and rhythm video game series created by Bandai Namco Entertainment (formerly Namco). The series primarily centers on the career of a producer who works with a group of p ...

'', 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 315 Production, in contrast with the normally female idol centric series. The original game was published by

Bandai Namco Entertainment is a Japanese multinational video game video game publisher, publisher headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo. Its international branches, Bandai Namco Entertainment America and Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe, are respectively headquartered in ...

and developed by Alt Plus Inc. was released on the Mobage platform in 2014. and is a male idol raising

simulation A simulation is the imitation of the operation of a real-world process or system over time. Simulations require the use of Conceptual model, models; the model represents the key characteristics or behaviors of the selected system or proc ...

game. A second game, a rhythm game developed by Akatsuki, was released in August 2017. An anime adaptation by A-1 Pictures aired between October and December 2017, and a second chibi slice of life anime adaptation of a manga, animated by Zero-G, aired from October to December 2018. On October 6, 2021,
THE iDOLM@STER SideM GROWING STARS
', a spinoff rhythm game, was released for Android and iOS. On April 4, 2023, Bandai Namco announced that the game will end its service on July 31, 2023. On November 4, 2022, Bandai Namco announced that the Mobage game will end its service on January 5, 2023.

Overview

The series follows the male idols and the producer and staff of and their activities as idols, including concerts, events, and stage productions. The idols are grouped into set units, although they are not limited to working within these groups. Some of the idols are from other series; the ''Jupiter'' trio from

Idolmaster is a Japanese media franchise that began in 2005 with a raising simulation and rhythm video game series created by Bandai Namco Entertainment (formerly Namco). The series primarily centers on the career of a producer who works with a group of p ...

and Ryo Akizuki from Dearly Stars.

Gameplay

Mobile game

The game is a free-to-play raising simulation in which the player, as the producer, collects idols and completes work tasks. In the games, the idols are individually categorized into one of three attributes: physical, Intelligent, and Mental. Idols are collected through cards that are ranked by rarity, strengthened through lessons, and do work for resources. Idols can 'battle' other idols in auditions, live concerts, and in battles against other players. The game also contains a mini-game called SideMini, in which miniature versions of the idols bring the player items. Within the game exists manga about the idols in the form of 'magazines' that can be unlocked via gameplay items. The game originally opened on February 28, 2014, but due to difficulties arising from an unexpectedly large number of players, the game was closed a day later and reopened five months later on July 17, 2014. A version for feature phones was available from launch until June 7, 2016. Around the same time, a Chrome app version was released on May 4.

''Live on Stage''

A 3D model rhythm game titled ''The Idolmaster SideM: Live on Stage'' was released August 30, 2018 for

Android Android may refer to: Science and technology * Android (robot), a humanoid robot or synthetic organism designed to imitate a human * Android (operating system), Google's mobile operating system ** Bugdroid, a Google mascot sometimes referred to ...

and

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 includes ...

platforms.

''Growing Stars''

A rhythm game titled ''The Idolmaster SideM: Growing Stars'' was released on October 6, 2021 for

and

platforms.

Media

Anime

anime is Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, 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 Japane ...

television series animated by A-1 Pictures aired in 2017 on

Tokyo MX JOMX-DTV, branded as Tokyo MX (officially stylized as TOKYO MX), is an independent television station in Tokyo, Japan, owned by the . It is the only television station that exclusively serves the city. It competes with Nippon TV, TV Asahi, NH ...

and BS11, and directed by Takahiro Harada and Miyuki Kuroki. The series was introduced with an extended length special Episode 0. The series focuses on some of the idol groups of ''SideM'' with their producer at 315 Pro and features animated performance sequences alongside the story. A special unaired episode was included as part of the DVD and Blu-ray releases. The ''Wake Atte Mini!'' anime series directed by Mankyū is based on the official chibi manga and is animated by Zero-G. The anime is a series of shorts featuring all ''SideM'' idols and aired in 2018.

Music

''SideM'' has image songs published by Lantis (company) (later a label for

Bandai Namco Arts formerly Bandai Namco Arts, is a Japanese company formed by the merger of Bandai Visual and its subsidiary Lantis (company), Lantis by its owner Bandai Namco Holdings in February 2018. The company is responsible for the same area of its predece ...

.), released in several series. These songs are performed at SideM live concerts and similar live performance events. The music was later used in the anime, with some songs being part of an animated performance. The anime also introduced original music of its own. Some of music was integrated into the gameplay of ''LIVE ON ST@GE''.

Manga

In addition to the comics available in-game, SideM has several published serialized manga. Multiple manga have been serialized in Dengeki Maoh and later collected in volumes. A series drawn by Michiru Satou called ''Idolmaster SideM Dramatic Stage'' ran from November 2015 to September 2017.
Another manga drawn by the same artist titled ''Idolmaster SideM Struggle Heart'' ran from December 2017 to April 2020. The chibi manga ''Wake Atte Mini!'' drawn by Sumeragi was serialized in the magazine from June 2016 to March 2018. It received an anime adaptation in 2018, which in turn lead to a short second serialization from November 2018 to March 2019.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Idolmaster SideM, The SideM 2014 video games 2017 video games 2015 manga 2016 manga 2017 manga 2017 anime television series debuts 2018 anime television series debuts A-1 Pictures Android (operating system) games Bandai Namco games Digital collectible card games Free-to-play video games IOS games Japanese idols in anime and manga Japan-exclusive video games Music in anime and manga Video games developed in Japan Zero-G (studio)