The iDOLM@STER

765 Production Studio manages the unique talents of 13 professional idols as they slowly make their way to the top and become country-wide celebrities. But the girls' journey is far from just fun and games: hard work, sweat, and tears are some of the prerequisites needed to flourish in this industry—and for 765 Pro in particular, a watchful eye out for their rival, the infamous 961 Production.

As the girls' fame grows, however, their time together as a family diminishes, and now the very popularity they sought is threatening to tear them apart. A difficult balance of work and bonding must be achieved, or they risk everyone going their separate ways. The personal and professional ordeals of these idols can not be conquered alone, but with each other's loving support, any obstacle or hardship can be overcome!

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

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Related Anime

Adaptation:	The iDOLM@STER
Alternative setting:	iDOLM@STER Xenoglossia, The iDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls, The iDOLM@STER SideM, The iDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls: U149, The iDOLM@STER Shiny Colors
Alternative version:	The iDOLM@STER Live For You!
Sequel:	The iDOLM@STER: 765 Pro to Iu Monogatari
Spin-off:	Puchimas!: Petit iDOLM@STER, The iDOLM@STER Million Live!
Other:	Voy@ger

More characters

Characters & Voice Actors

Kisaragi, Chihaya

Main

Imai, Asami
Japanese

Hoshii, Miki

Main

Hasegawa, Akiko
Japanese

Kikuchi, Makoto

Main

Hirata, Hiromi
Japanese

Shijou, Takane

Main

Hara, Yumi
Japanese

Amami, Haruka

Main

Nakamura, Eriko
Japanese

Minase, Iori

Main

Kugimiya, Rie
Japanese

Ganaha, Hibiki

Main

Numakura, Manami
Japanese

Takatsuki, Yayoi

Main

Nigo, Mayako
Japanese

Hagiwara, Yukiho

Main

Asakura, Azumi
Japanese

Miura, Azusa

Main

Takahashi, Chiaki
Japanese

More staff

Staff

Toba, Yousuke

Producer

Uemura, Shunichi

Producer

Shimizu, Akira

Producer

Nishigori, Atsushi

Director, Episode Director, Script, Storyboard, Assistant Animation Director, Layout, Animation Director, Series Composition, Character Design, Key Animation

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Opening Theme

	1: "READY!!" by 765PRO ALLSTARS (eps 2-12)
	2: "CHANGE!!!!" by 765PRO ALLSTARS (eps 14-19, 21-23, 25)

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Ending Theme

	20: cont. (Asami Imai & Eriko Nakamura & Akiko Hasegawa & Mayako Nigo & Azumi Asakura & Hiromi Hirata & Asami Shimoda & Rie Kugimiya & Chiaki Takahashi & Yumi Hara & Manami Numakura) (ep 20)
	1: "The world is all one!!" by 765PRO ALLSTARS (eps 1)
	2: "Positive! (ポジティブ!)" by Iori Minase & Yayoi Takatsuki (Rie Kugimiya & Mayako Nigo) (eps 2)
	3: "First Stage" by Yukiho Hagiwara & Makoto Kikuchi (Azumi Asakura & Hiromi Hirata) (eps 3)
	4: "Aoi Tori (蒼い鳥)" by Chihaya Kisaragi (Asami Imai) (eps 4)
	5: "MOONY" by Chihaya Kisaragi & Azusa Miura & Makoto Kikuchi & Miki Hoshii & Hibiki Ganaha & Ritsuko Akizuki (Asami Imai & Chiaki Takahashi & Hiromi Hirata & Akiko Hasegawa & Manami Numakura & Naomi Wakabayashi) (eps 5)
	6: "THE IDOLM@STER" by 765PRO ALLSTARS (eps 6)
	7: "Ohayou!! Asagohan (おはよう!! 朝ご飯)" by Yayoi Takatsuki (Mayako Nigo) (eps 7)
	8: "Hanikami! First Bite (ハニカミ! ファーストバイト)" by Ryuuguu Komachi (Iori Minase & Azusa Miura & Ami Futami) (Rie Kugimiya & Chiaki Takahashi & Asami Shimoda) (eps 8)
	9: "Reimei Starline (黎明スターライン)" by Ami Futami & Mami Futami (Asami Shimoda) (eps 9)
	10: "GO MY WAY!!" by 765PRO ALLSTARS & 876PRO ALLSTARS (eps 10)
	11: "START!!" by Haruka Amami (Eriko Nakamura) (eps 11)
	12: "Shocking na Kare! (ショッキングな彼!)" by Miki Hoshii (Akiko Hasegawa) (eps 12)
	13: "i" by 765PRO ALLSTARS (eps 13)
	14: "Colorful Days" by Haruka Amami & Miki Hoshii & Chihaya Kisaragi & Ami Futami & Mami Futami & Takane Shijou & Hibiki Ganaha (Eriko Nakamura & Akiko Hasegawa & Asami Imai & Asami Shimoda & Yumi Hara & Manami Numakura) (eps 14)
	15: "MEGARE!" by 765PRO ALLSTARS (eps 15)
	16: "Brand New Day!" by Hibiki Ganaha (Manami Numakura) (eps 16)
	17: "Cheering Letter (チアリングレター)" by Makoto Kikuchi (Hiromi Hirata) (eps 17)
	18: "Mahou wo Kakete! (魔法をかけて!)" by Ritsuko Akizuki (Naomi Wakabayashi) (eps 18)
	19: "Kazahana (風花)" by Takane Shijou (Yumi Hara) (eps 19)
	20: "Yakusoku (約束)" 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 (eps 20)
	21: "Sora (空)" by Kotori Otonashi (Juri Takita) (eps 21)
	22: "Happy Christmas" by Haruka Amami & Chihaya Kisaragi & Ami Futami & Mami Futami & Azusa Miura & Takane Shijou & Hibiki Ganaha (Eriko Nakamura & Asami Imai & Asami Shimoda & Chiaki Takahashi & Yumi Hara & Manami Numakura) (eps 22)
	23: "Mitsumete (見つめて) (instrumental)" (eps 23)
	24: "Massugu (まっすぐ)" by 765PRO ALLSTARS (eps 24)
	25: "Watashi-tachi wa Zutto...Deshou? (私たちはずっと…でしょう？)" by 765PRO ALLSTARS (eps 25)

More theme songs

Reviews

Mar 27, 2023

Asasphinx

Recommended

Prior to finally watching this & making this review, I'd been dying to dip my toes into this. Feel like I've seen stuff from every other idol/music franchise except for the one with "iDOL" in the title. This shares various similarities with those other shows I've seen but something about this drew me in.

There isn't really a long term objective at play here. The show is basically a slice of life anime looking at the lives of idols work towards simply gaining exposure and make their mark in the idol world under their studio 765 Production, and as idols they find themselves eventually taking up ... a wide variety of jobs with the help of their Producer. The girls don't have a long term objective they're trying to reach like performing at a popular venue or anything. Some plot points will build up in the background for later episodes to focus on, but most cases here are presented in an episodic fashion. Admittedly they kinda feel rather directionless throughout this until they start to take off later on, but the show seemed more set on looking at 765 as a group and the members individually. The group gets introduced to some rival figures, but aside from a petty producer equivalent to a malicious Pretty Cure villain, they don't have much competition to note. But the world around 765 is balanced. The world of iDOLM@STER is very peachy, but it surprisingly isn't too afraid to get a bit dark at times of and I appreciated seeing it because there are moments that when they happen can hit you.

A general thing I had a problem with is how shows like this tell you a lot but don't always show the processes behind them. In an early episode we're shown the girls taking professional studio shots to help with their promotions, it's a very simple thing but showed a step in them making a transition outside of dancing and singing practice. The show has a lot of things it wants to look at but doesn't always explain or show the steps they took to get to various points. Sure the show could've benefitted from some long-term drama to engross the characters with but I felt like it plays off its slice of life elements well enough.

This show's primary cast consists of 13 main girls as the idols, the Producer who handles all the booking. They have the complicated task of trying to sell the audience on 14 characters and as expected they did an alright job at it. Everyone will find someone they consider their favorite(s), but it's a large group so some feel noticeably more significant in the group than others whose motivations and aspirations as idols aren't presented as strongly or effectively as they could've. A character's focus episode most of the times introduces their backstory or explores their personality quickly, gives them a brief moment of acknowledgement, and then resolves it just as quickly or never really look at it enough ever again going forward. Xenoglossia was my 1st iDOLM@STER experience and while people may hate it, I honestly thought it did a better job at selling some of the characters here, but nevertheless they're still a strongpoint of this.

To me, not every character NEEDS to be intricately written and not every character will be. The majority of the 765 girls have basic fundamental characterization & situations to explore and some have more in-depth arcs with deeper tones and messages, but I wouldn't replace or remove any of them. While individually some characters falter, 765 works pretty well as a group is pretty fun to follow. Everyone gets plenty of moments to just be themselves on screen and play to their strengths enough to leave enough of a solid impression from each of them. As I mentioned earlier about the world being peachy but dark that also applies to the characters. While the characters could've been given more time to simmer on their issues and kinks. there's plenty of layers of emotion to them made known. I wish the Producer and Kotori got some of that time to get some characterization, but you could tell that they're just there to assist in spotlighting the girls.

Touching on the aesthetics, the art is good and remained consistent through the show. The animation when it came time to see dancing isn't exactly Sunrise with Love Live quality, but fairly solid. And if you wanted to venture into the iDOLM@STER games they showcase a LOT of songs through inserts and each episode having separate songs used for the ED sequences. The 2 OPs "Ready" & "Change" are good selections whose lyrical content feel fitting for the 2 halves of the show they accompany. And the VAs have varying ranges they reach given they're all playing characters with varied personalities, so you may pick up on little things about each like how Ami & Mami share a VA and she handles it well, Chihiya's VA having a pretty distinguishably good singing voice, Miki's VA doing well at conveying her exuberant demeanor, etc.

iDOLM@STER in spite of some issues is a nice look at the idol industry in anime form with some elements glossed up but with it's own pool of depth. It was very fun, and I honestly enjoyed the slice of life antics here more than I did other series like this that I've shilled for...

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Mar 13, 2016

Tozzy

Mixed Feelings

I’d like to think that I’ve made plenty of ventures into different genres and styles of anime. Part of the fun in consuming the medium for me is finding something new to explore, and throwing myself in the deep end at times has proven to be a worthwhile experience. However, I’d found myself shying away from the realm of idol anime and I’m not too sure why. There was not much that appealed to me or reached out to say ‘you really need to give this a go’. I had to push myself to take a leap of faith and decided to use The Idolm@ster ... to do just that.

The Idolm@ster provided me with a bumpy ride but formed itself into something pleasant by the time the 25 episodes had come to a close. Was I blown away by the visuals, the choreography or the music? Sure, but the reason I enjoyed The Idolm@ster far more than I thought I would is because the show really isn’t about the music and dancing. It’s about the teamwork needed to make that all happen. That really caught me by surprise. It must be said that I’m not really one for the brand of music depicted, with its overly mushy lyrics and the fact that most songs come off as sounding the same to me. I went into the show expecting that to be the focus and have the characterisation poorly tacked on. I was wrong. Even though the cast is pretty much designed to cover all the ranges of emotions and personality types (i.e. the snotty one, the shy one, the mysterious one, the androgynous one etc.) they’re usually fun to watch. The Idolm@ster does a solid job of creating a cast you want to cheer on, even if some of them irritated me to no end.

The Idolm@ster follows 12 girls looking to make their big break in glitzy and glamourous world of idols. They dance, act and sing under the guidance of their producer as they desperately seek out a way to make a bigger name for not only themselves but also their production studio, 765. In the way of a story, as you could imagine, it’s pretty simple. The group take on jobs wherever they can while trying to better understand each other and industry that lays ahead of them. Trouble often strikes in some form, whether it be a wardrobe concern or someone out to sabotage their name. Early on I started to get worried because everything felt so aimless. There all these issues befalling everyone but even when things get resolved it’s back to square one, like nothing has really changed amongst the group as a collective. The comedy seemed to fall flat and the show tended to rely on it too much for its own good. My leap into the genre wasn’t off to the most comfortable of starts.

It’s the latter story arcs of The Idolm@ster that make sitting through the tedious opening half of the show worthwhile. These parts start to actually flesh out the characters, delve into their past and - above all - actually show the importance of depending upon each other. The struggles aren’t just simple filming but instead they create consequences for the group as a whole – and that’s much more engaging for the viewer. The questions the characters ask start to steer away from “How can I improve my image?” to “How can I make sure I’m not letting anyone down?”. While it can be fun to watch the cast act cute, it’s much more impactful and rewarding to watch them all resolve their personal problems. The drama is never overbearing though, thankfully. The show always maintains this sense of optimism without being dark or too serious for its own good. The balance is just right. Because we get to know all the cast that little bit more, watching them battle their way to the show’s conclusion is a fun experience.

The 12 girls themselves are a mixed bag. A handful of them came across as interesting, because you could actually see something holding them back and I was left wondering what it could be. Some are there to provide a bit of comedy. Some I feel were just making up the numbers. It would be fruitless to really harp on about what are ‘strong’ and ‘weak’ characters in the 765 group. Everyone will pick a favourite and latch themselves onto their story and cheer them on. That’s the beauty of a show like this. There will be at least one of them that will strike you as likeable or interesting. Some of them I couldn’t stand but that’s to be expected when you are writing to cover as many personalities as possible to appease to the widest possible audience. Some side characters feel irrelevant, including one comically evil villain, who does a better job at dragging down my enjoyment as opposed to being of great value.

The visuals are a treat. Performances look and sound the part – you can certainly see where the bulk of the budget was directed towards by A-1 Pictures. The vocals are top notch, both in and out of musical performances. The VA work helps breathe distinct identities into the large main cast. Biggest praise from me goes towards Asami Imai (Chihaya Kisaragi) and also Kenji Akabane who is the perfect choice for the loveable and often bumbling Producer.

For all its annoying quirks and characters, The Idolm@ster eventually becomes something a slight cut above average. Edging through the often unbearable opening half of the show at least helped pave the way for something more interesting to come. There’s nothing exactly memorable or mind blowing about The Idolm@ster. If you can come to terms with its often cheesy 'friendship conquers all' mentality then there will be enjoyment to be found. Give the show a try if you want something really simple and easy to watch and might just have you nodding your head along. It’s just a bit of colourful, melodic fun.

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Sep 15, 2016

Geddon616

Not Recommended

I hate to be that guy but if there was a definition of a bad Idol anime in my opinion this takes the crown and title.

So what did i liked with this anime hmm well the look of it all wasnt bad but everything else was just bad.

Not sure i can say with good conscious that it even had a story. Everything in it was random their work , their manager , the whole thing was something i cant even begin to describe. Whatever i could have said about the character and rest was ruined by the story.

People will say that ...

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Poll: The iDOLM@STER Episode 20 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 5 ) Ousto - Nov 17, 2011	204 replies	by Mat2468xk »» Mar 10, 1:39 AM
Poll: The iDOLM@STER Episode 19 Discussion ( 1 2 ) Niyawa - Nov 10, 2011	65 replies	by Mat2468xk »» Mar 8, 10:51 AM
Do you have the original (this one) in order to watch million live and cinderella girls FruityLime - Dec 9, 2023	1 replies	by Mardhav_2007 »» Dec 9, 2023 3:58 AM
Poll: The iDOLM@STER Episode 4 Discussion ( 1 2 ) Ousto - Jul 28, 2011	80 replies	by Javen_the_Jammy »» Oct 29, 2023 12:38 AM
Poll: The iDOLM@STER Episode 25 Discussion ( 1 2 3 ) Ousto - Dec 22, 2011	136 replies	by waalex11 »» Sep 12, 2023 8:49 PM

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The iDOLM@STER

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Characters & Voice Actors

Kisaragi, Chihaya

Hoshii, Miki

Kikuchi, Makoto

Shijou, Takane

Amami, Haruka

Minase, Iori

Ganaha, Hibiki

Takatsuki, Yayoi

Hagiwara, Yukiho

Miura, Azusa

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The iDOLM@STER

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Information

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Available At

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Streaming Platforms

Synopsis

Background

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Characters & Voice Actors

Staff

Opening Theme

Ending Theme

Reviews

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