Bandai
is a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational toy manufacturer and distributor headquartered in Taitō, Taitō, Tokyo. Its international branches, Bandai Namco Toys & Collectables America and Bandai UK, are respectively headquartered ...
's
Data Carddass
is a series of Japanese arcade game machines created by Bandai, which largely focus around the Digital collectible card game, digital use of collectible card game, collectible trading cards. It is an expansion of Bandai's ''Carddass'' collectible ...
line of machines, which was launched in May 2016. It is the successor to the '' Aikatsu!'' series of arcade games. The game revolves around using collectible cards featuring various clothes to help aspiring idols pass auditions. An
anime
is a Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, , in Japan and in Ja ...
television adaptation by BN Pictures began airing on
TV Tokyo
JOTX-DTV (channel 7), branded as is a Japanese television station that serves as the flagship of the TX Network.Aikatsu Friends!'' on April 5, 2018.
Plot
The series features a girl named Yume Nijino who enrolls at Four Star Academy alongside some of her friends to become a top idol. The academy is known for a girl group called S4 consisting of the top four idols. Yume also receives attention from Subaru, a member of the boy group M4, who seems to have a crush on her due to his way of speaking and body language when she is around him.
The second season introduces Venus Ark, a rival school to Four Star Academy that uses a ship as its schoolhouse. Two of the students, "perfect idol" Elza Forte and Kirara Hanazono, join Yume and the other idols, while also explaining them about the highest class dress type known as "Star Premium Rare Coord".
Characters
Four Star Academy
;
: (speaking voice) Sena from Aikatsu Stars! (Singing Voice)
:The
main protagonist
A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a ...
, Yume is a first-year middle school student who entered Four Star Academy with her best friend Koharu Nanakura with the goal of becoming part of the top idol unit, S4, a goal which came to fruition after attending the concert of S4's Hime Shiratori, of whom Yume is a big fan.
;
: (speaking voice) Rie from Aikatsu Stars! (singing voice)
:Rola is Yume's classmate who comes from a long line of musicians, with her father being a violinist and her mother being a pianist. She is caring and has a strong sense of justice, but hates losing and can sometimes act before thinking. A Cool type idol, her theme color is blue, and she is a Flower Song Class student.
;
: (speaking voice) Nanase from Aikatsu Stars! (singing voice)
:Koharu is Yume's childhood friend and roommate. She is quiet, gentle, and demure, but is always willing to lend a hand to those who need anything.
;
: (speaking voice) Miki from Aikatsu Stars! (singing voice)
:Ako is a student from the Bird Drama Class who is confident in her abilities as an actress. She was initially calm and collected, but is actually easily flustered, temperamental, and has a tendency to act like a cat.
;
: (speaking voice) Ruka from Aikatsu Stars! (singing voice)
:Hime is one of the 25th S4 members in Season 1. Kind and elegant, she has been in the entertainment industry since childhood, earning herself experience in various fields such as modeling, dancing, and acting. However, her true talent lies in singing, in which she is described as having an angelic voice.
;
: (speaking voice) Nanase from Aikatsu Stars! (singing voice)
:One of the 25th S4 members in Season 1, and the student council president. She is compassionate and reliable, making her popular among underclassmen.
;
: (speaking voice) Kana from Aikatsu Stars! (singing voice)
:One of the 25th S4 members in Season 1, Yuzu is described as a dancing genius. She is typically very active and gets bored easily, and runs away so much that her admins have to find a means to catch her and bring her back in time for a live.
;
: (speaking voice) Miho from Aikatsu Stars! (singing voice)
:One of the 25th S4 members in Season 1, Yozora is a charismatic, big sister-type person who actively cares for her juniors.
;
: (speaking voice) Kana from Aikatsu Stars! (singing voice)
:Yozora's younger sister, Mahiru has a mature aura that makes her difficult to approach, but is shown to quickly befriend Koharu after she gives Mahiru cough drops to help with her cough.
;
: (Speaking Voice) Nanase from Aikatsu Stars! (singing voice)
:A senior admin of the Song Class, Lily is a strong, self-composed girl who is not easily influenced by other people. She forms a duo called Yuzu'n'Lily with her childhood friend, Yuzu.
Venus Ark
;
: (speaking voice) Risa Aizawa (singing voice)
:Elza is the founder of Venus Ark and heiress to a faraway country. She has been a perfectionist since childhood but seems distant from other idols.
;
: (speaking voice) Miho from Aikatsu Stars! (singing voice)
:Kirara is a student of Venus Ark who was born in New Zealand. She has a fluffy character and lives freely without restrictions. Kirara tends to surprise those around her with her unexpected behavior. Despite being often lonely and pampered, she developed great color and design sense from her mother, who works as a painter.
Media
Game
''Data Carddass Aikatsu Stars'' is a Data Carddass game for Season 1. In season 2, a new Data Carddass game titled ''Data Carddass Aikatsu Stars Wings Of Stars'' was announced. Two 3DS games have been released. The first 3DS game, titled ''Aikatsu Stars First Appeal'', was released on July 20, 2016. The second 3DS game, titled "Aikatsu Stars My Special Appeal", was released on November 24, 2016.
Anime
An
anime
is a Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, , in Japan and in Ja ...
television series produced by BN Pictures began airing on
TV Tokyo
JOTX-DTV (channel 7), branded as is a Japanese television station that serves as the flagship of the TX Network.Aikatsu!'' in its initial timeslot.
Film
''Aikatsu Stars! The Movie'', was released on August 13, 2016.