THE IDOLM@STER (アイドルマスター) is a television anime series produced by Aniplex, Bandai Namco Games, and A-1 Pictures, based on THE IDOLM@STER 2. It was first announced on January 10, 2011 during THE IDOLM@STER 2 765 Pro H@PPINESS NEW YE@R P@RTY!! 2011 LIVE. It aired on TBS from July 7, 2011 to December 22, 2011 with a total of 26 episodes, and was licensed by Crunchyroll for online streaming.
Synopsis[]
The arduous struggle of the 13 girls from 765 Production who dream of one day becoming idols in the competitive Japanese entertainment industry.
Staff[]
- Director: Atsushi Nishigori
- Series Composition: Atsushi Nishigori, Touko Machida
- Music: Ryuuichi Takada
- Original Creator: Bandai Namco Games
- Original Character Design: Toshiyuki Kubooka
- Character Design: Atsushi Nishigori
- Art Director: Kushiro Usui
- Chief Animation Director: Akira Takata, Haruko Iizuka
- Sound Director: Hiromi Kikuta
- Director of Photography: Shinji Nasu
- Producer: Hisanori Kunisaki, Shunichi Uemura, Yasuhiro Yamaguchi, Yosuke Toba
- Color Design: Kazuko Nakashima
- Sound Effects: Yasunori Ogata
Cast[]
Main Characters[]
- Akiko Hasegawa as Miki Hoshii
- Asami Imai as Chihaya Kisaragi
- Eriko Nakamura as Haruka Amami
- Asami Shimoda as Ami Futami and Mami Futami
- Azumi Asakura as Yukiho Hagiwara
- Chiaki Takahashi as Azusa Miura
- Hiromi Hirata as Makoto Kikuchi
- Manami Numakura as Hibiki Ganaha
- Mayako Nigo as Yayoi Takatsuki
- Naomi Wakabayashi as Ritsuko Akizuki
- Rie Kugimiya as Iori Minase
- Yumi Hara as Takane Shijou
- Kenji Akabane as Producer
- Juri Takita as Kotori Otonashi
Supporting Characters[]
- Takuma Terashima as Toma Amagase
- Yoshitsugu Matsuoka as Shota Mitarai
- Daichi Kanbara as Hokuto Ijuin
- Houchu Ohtsuka as Junjirou Takagi
- Mitsuaki Hoshino as Reporter Yoshizawa
- Takehito Koyasu as Takao Kuroi
Episodes[]
- "This Is Where the Girls Start"
- "The Girls Start "Preparing""
- "Everything Starts With One Courageous Step"
- "That Changes Who I Am"
- "Spending Summer Vacation With Everyone"
- "The Decision to Continue Forward"
- "Things You Love, Things That Are Important"
- "The Indirect Route to Happiness"
- "Things You Can Do As Two"
- "Moving Forward a Little Bit, With Everyone"
- "Hopes, Uncertainties, and Signs"
- "A Goal with a One-Way Path"
- "And so, the Girls Rise to the Shining Stage"
- "The World That Began to Change!"
- "Everyone Together, It's a Live Broadcast! A Live Broadcast!"
- "How It Feels to be All Alone"
- "Makoto, A True Prince"
- "Lots of, Everything"
- "Like the Moon Hiding Between the Clouds"
- "Promise"
- "Like a Flower Blooming"
- "On Christmas Eve"
- "I"
- "Dream"
- "Everyone, Together!"
- "The Story Called 765 Pro"
Music[]
Opening Theme[]
- "READY!!" by 765PRO ALLSTARS (eps 2-14)
- "CHANGE!!!!" by 765PRO ALLSTARS (eps 15-26)
Ending Theme[]
- "The world is all one!!" by 765PRO ALLSTARS (ep 1)
- "Positive!" by Iori Minase & Yayoi Takatsuki (ep 2)
- "First Stage" by Yukiho Hagiwara & Makoto Kikuchi (ep 3)
- "Aoi Tori" (TV ARRANGE) by Chihaya Kisaragi (ep 4)
- "MOONY" by Chihaya Kisaragi, Azusa Miura, Makoto Kikuchi, Miki Hoshii, Hibiki Ganaha, Ritsuko Akizuki (ep 5)
- "THE IDOLM@STER" by 765PRO ALLSTARS (ep 6)
- "Ohayou!! Asagohan" by Yayoi Takatsuki (ep 7)
- "Hanikami! First Bite" by Iori Minase & Azusa Miura & Ami & Mami Futami (ep 8)
- "Reimei Starline" by Ami & Mami Futami (ep 9)
- "GO MY WAY!!" by 765PRO & 876PRO ALLSTARS (ep 10)
- "START!!" by Haruka Amami (ep 11)
- "Shocking na Kare!" by Miki Hoshii (ep 12)
- "i" by 765PRO ALLSTARS (ep 13)
- "Colorful Days" by Haruka Amami, Miki Hoshii, Ami Futami, Mami Futami, Takane Shijou & Hibiki Ganaha (ep 14)
- "MEGARE!" by 765PRO ALLSTARS (ep 15)
- "Brand New Day!" by Hibiki Ganaha (ep 16)
- "Cheering Letter" by Makoto Kikuchi (ep 17)
- "Mahou wo Kakete!" by Ritsuko Akizuki (ep 18)
- "Kazahana" by Takane Shijou (ep 19)
- "Yakusoku" by Chihaya Kisaragi, Haruka Amami, Miki Hoshii, Yayoi Takatsuki, Yukiho Hagiwara, Makoto Kikuchi, Ami Futami, Mami Futami, Iori Minase, Azusa Miura, Takane Shijou, Hibiki Ganaha (ep 20)
- "Sora" by Kotori Otonashi (ep 21)
- "Happy Christmas" by Haruka Amami & Chihaya Kisaragi & Ami Futami & Mami Futami & Azusa Miura & Takane Shijou & Hibiki Ganaha (ep 22)
- "Mitsumete" (Instrumental) by NBGI (Yoshi) (ep 23)
- "Massugu" by 765PRO ALLSTARS (ep 24)
- "Issho" by Haruka Amami & Yayoi Takatsuki & Miki Hoshii & Azusa Miura & Ami Futami & Mami Futami (ep 25)
- "my song" by 765PRO ALLSTARS (ep 26)
Insert Songs[]
- "Aoi Tori" by Chihaya Kisaragi (eps 1, 26)
- "Watashi wa Idol♡" by Iori Minase & Yayoi Takatsuki & Ami Futami & Mami Futami (ep 2)
- "ALRIGHT*" by Yukiho Hagiwara (ep 3)
- "Otome yo Taishi wo Idake!!" by Haruka Amami (eps 4, 13, 26)
- "Kami SUMMER!!" by Haruka Amami & Yayoi Takatsuki & Ami Futami & Mami Futami & Yukiho Hagiwara & Iori Minase & Takane Shijou (ep 5)
- "SMOKY THRILL" by Iori Minase, Azusa Miura & Ami Futami (ep 6)
- "Kiramekirari" by Yayoi Takatsuki (eps 7, 13)
- "Agent Yoru wo Yuku" by Makoto Kikuchi (eps 8, 26)
- "Meisou Mind" by Makoto Kikuchi (ep 8)
- "Hare-iro" by Azusa Miura (ep 8)
- "shiny smile" (REM@STER-A) by Azusa Miura & Makoto Kikuchi (ep 8)
- "Alice or Guilty" by Toma Amagase, Hokuto Ijuin & Shota Mitarai (eps 10, 19)
- "L.O.B.M" by 765PRO ALLSTARS (ep 10)
- "Waratte!" by Haruka Amami (ep 11)
- "Furufuru Future☆" by Miki Hoshii (ep 12)
- "Watashi wa Idol♡" by Miki Hoshii (ep 13)
- "Day of the Future" by Miki Hoshii (ep 13)
- "Marionette no Kokoro" by Miki Hoshii (ep 13)
- "Flower Girl" by Takane Shijou (eps 13, 19)
- "Me ga Au Toki" by Chihaya Kisaragi (eps 13, 26)
- "Next Life" by Hibiki Ganaha (ep 13)
- "Omoide wo Arigatou" by Yukiho Hagiwara (ep 13)
- "My Best Friend" by Haruka Amami & Chihaya Kisaragi (ep 13)
- "Start→ Star→" by Ami Futami & Mami Futami (ep 13)
- "Jibun REST@RT" by Haruka Amami & Miki Hoshii & Chihaya Kisaragi & Yayoi Takatsuki & Yukiho Hagiwara & Makoto Kikuchi & Ami Futami & Mami Futami & Takane Shijou & Hibiki Ganaha (ep 13)
- "THE IDOLM@STER" by Haruka Amami & Miki Hoshii & Chihaya Kisaragi & Yayoi Takatsuki & Yukiho Hagiwara & Makoto Kikuchi & Ami Futami & Mami Futami & Takane Shijou & Hibiki Ganaha (ep 13)
- "Kimi wa Melody" by Yayoi Takatsuki, Yukiho Hagiwara, Makoto Kikuchi, Iori Minase, Azusa Miura & Ritsuko Akizuki (ep 14)
- "Smile Taisou" by Yayoi Takatsuki (ep 15)
- "arcadia" by Chihaya Kisaragi (ep 15)
- "TRIAL DANCE" by Hibiki Ganaha (ep 16)
- "Jitensha" by Makoto Kikuchi (ep 17)
- "Ippai Ippai" by Ritsuko Akizuki (ep 18)
- "Nanairo Button" by Iori Minase & Azusa Miura & Ami Futami (eps 18, 23)
- "Koi wo Hajimeyou" by Toma Amagase & Hokuto Ijuin & Shota Mitarai (ep 21)
- "Nemurihime" by Chihaya Kisaragi (ep 21)
- "Hana" by Kotori Otonashi (ep 21)
- "relations" by Miki Hoshii (ep 22)
- "inferno" by Chihaya Kisaragi (ep 22)
- "Attakana Yuki" by Miki Hoshii & Yayoi Takatsuki & Ami Futami & Mami Futami (ep 22)
- "My Wish" by Miki Hoshii & Yayoi Takatsuki & Yukiho Hagiwara & Makoto Kikuchi & Iori Minase & Ritsuko Akizuki (ep 22)
- "i" by 765PRO ALLSTARS (ep 23)
- "Little Match Girl" by Yukiho Hagiwara (ep 23)
- "Honey Heartbeat" by Yayoi Takatsuki & Yukiho Hagiwara & Makoto Kikuchi (ep 24)
- "Sayonara wo Arigatou" by Haruka Amami (ep 24)
- "READY!! & CHANGE!!!! SPECIAL EDITION" by 765PRO ALLSTARS (ep 25)
- "Kazahana" by Yukiho Hagiwara (ep 26)
- "Nanairo Button" by Makoto Kikuchi (ep 26)
- "Ohayou!! Asagohan" by Chihaya Kisaragi (ep 26)
- "Tonari ni..." by Azusa Miura (ep 26)
Promotional Videos[]
Trivia[]
- Some of the idols are coincidentally named after Imperial Japanese Navy Destroyers from World War II. Kisaragi (Chihaya) and Yayoi (Takatsuki) are from the Mutsuki Class Destroyers. Hibiki (Ganaha) is from the Akatsuki Class Destroyers. Akizuki (Ritsuko) is from Akizuki Class Destroyers. Azusa (Miura) is from the Tachibana Class Destroyers. The Azusa is never completed at the end of the war.
- The Futami Twins seems to struggle on speaking the English language. Every time Ritsuko orders something to them, they reply "Yes Sir!" instead of "Yes Ma'am!".
- Based on the scenery shown during the beginning of episode 1, Haruka lives in Ninomiya, Kanagawa Prefecture; which is located some 70 Kilometers from central Tokyo along the Tokaido line.
- In episode 1, Haruka went inside a convenience store called "Lowson" and met Makoto reading a magazine. "Lowson" is a parody of a popular convenience store in Japan called "Lawson".
- In episode 7, at around a little less than 10 minutes, Yayoi's siblings have a doll on the ground. This is a doll that looks very much like Haruka.
- In episode 7, Iori has a pet dog named "Jean Valjean" which is named after the main protagonist of Victor Hugo's novel "Les Miserables".
- In episode 15, there's a scene where Haruka attempts to open a box but she can't open it then all of a sudden she was hit by the box lid on her face as it opens which made Chihaya laugh hard. This scene is a re-enactment of a viral video which features the two voice actresses of Haruka and Chihaya (Eriko Nakamura and Asami Imai respectively) which Eriko Nakamura also attempts to open a box and also hit on the face which made Asami Imai laugh hard.
- In episode 24, Haruka together with her imaginary younger alter ego is riding on a train. Next to her there's an advertisement poster of Makoto endorsing "Porari Sweat". "Porari Sweat" is the parody of a popular soft drink called "Pocari Sweat" which is manufactured by Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
- 765 Pro's name is a pun. The original game was made by Namco. Spoken, 765 Pro's name is said "NAMUKO Pro", because of NAna (7), MUtsu (6), and KO (5) (Ko is the basic form of the syllable "go").
- 961 Pro's name is also a pun. 9 is "Ku" (off of kyu), 6 is "ro" (short for roku), and 1 is "i" (short for ichi). Put all together, it spells Kuroi Pro, and Kuroi means Black, a fitting name for the rival, underhanded agency.