The iDOLM@STER (アイドルマスター Aidorumasuta) is a music rhythm game franchise released by Namco Bandai.
The first game released was The iDOLM@STER (Arcade) on July 26, 2005. The game follows the career of a producer who works for the 765 Production studio and has to work with a selection of nine prospective pop idols.
The game features Amami Haruka, Kisaragi Chihaya, Hagiwara Yukiho, Minase Iori, Miura Azusa, Futami Ami, Futami Mami, Akizuki Ritsuko and Makoto Kikuchi.
The game was ported and rereleased to the Xbox 360 in January 25, 2007 and released the new idol Hoshii Miki.
The second game released was The iDOLM@STER: Live for You! (Xbox 360) on February 28, 2008. In this game, due to the temporary absence of their normal producer, the player, in the role of one of their fans, is given the role of "Special Producer" and is charged with coordinating the idols' concert.
The third game released was The iDOLM@STER SP (PlayStation Portable) on February 19, 2009. The game follows the career of a producer who works for the 765 Production studio and has to work with a selection of prospective pop idols.
The game have three versions, which each game have different idols to produce. Perfect Sun game version features Amami Haruka, Kikuchi Makoto, Takatsuki Yayoi and the rival idol Ganaha Hibiki. Missing Moon game version features Kisaragi Chihaya, Miura Azusa, Akizuki Ritsuko and the rival idol Hoshii Miki. Wandering Star game version features Minase Iori, Hagiwara Yukiho, Futami Ami, Futami Mami and the rival idol Shijou Takane.
In this game is introduced the new rival studio called 961 Production, with the idols of the Project Fairy (Hoshii Miki, Ganaha Hibiki and Shijou Takane) and its president Kuroi Takao.
The fourth game released was The iDOLM@STER Dearly Stars (Nintendo DS) on September 17, 2009 under The iDOLM@STER 2nd Vision label. The game follows the career of three idols who works for the 876 Production studio.
In this game is introduced the studio called 876 Production, with the idols Hidaka Ai, Mizutani Eri and Akizuki Ryo and its president Ishikawa Minori.
The fifth game released was The iDOLM@STER 2 (Xbox 360) on February 24, 2011 under The iDOLM@STER 2nd Vision label. The game follows the career of a producer who works for the 765 Production studio and has to work with a selection of nine prospective pop idols.
In this game, Minase Iori, Futami Ami, Miura Azusa and Akizuki Ritsuko aren't more playable, due to the formation of the idol group called Ryuuguu Komachi with Iori, Ami and Azusa as idols and Ritsuko as producer.
In this game the idols of the "Project Fairy" appeared on The iDOLM@STER SP (Hoshii Miki, Ganaha Hibiki and Shijou Takane) are idols of the 765 Production and in the plot of this game, the "Project Fairy" never existed.
In this game is introduced a new rival male idol group called Project Jupiter from the 961 Production (Amagase Touma, Ijuuin Hokuto and Mitarai Shouta).
The game was ported and re-released to PlayStation 3 in October 27, 2011.
A parallel game released was The iDOLM@STER: Gravure 4 You (PlayStation 3). Sold with the Blu-ray volumes of the anime adaptation, the game allows the player to take photos of the idols with many different costumes of The iDOLM@STER 2 game. Each different volume of the game have different costumes. The photos can be saved on PlayStation 3 memory.
The sixth game released was The iDOLM@STER: Cinderella Girls (Mobile phones). Cinderella Girls is a social game exclusive for mobile phones, with similar gameplay of the main games and many multiplayer modes.
In this game is introduced more than 100 new idols to produce, and all the main idols are playable too.
A parallel game released was The iDOLM@STER Mobile i (Apple devices), downloadable at iTunes (Japan Only). Have similar gameplay of the main games and many mobile-only aplications, like access internet sites and personalized clock with an idol.
The seventh game released was The iDOLM@STER Live in Slot!, a iDOLM@STER themed pachinko machine. This games uses the old design character of the first game of the franchise.
The eighth game released was The iDOLM@STER Shiny Festa (PlayStation Portable) on October 25, 2012 under The iDOLM@STER 2nd Vision label. The game is a rythm game, in that the player presses buttons in time with notes that scroll on the game screen (similar to Hatsune Miku: Project Diva gameplay).
The main gameplay of the games consists on increase the popularity of the idol (or unit) in order to obtain more fans and win the main idol contests of the country.
In order to increase their popularity, the idols need to train their skills (Dance, Vocal and Visual) with many different Lessons, win Auditions to appear on TV and Promote your own image appearing on smaller events.
Audition system consists on earn more points than the other units, appealing to the Dance, Vocal and Visual judges.
The series was adapted into a television anime series, iDOLM@STER: Xenoglossia by Sunrise. Directed by Tatsuyuki Nagai, it was shown across Japan from April to October 2007. Numerous of the Sunrise staff working on Xenoglossia have also previously worked on My-HiME and My-Otome. The series centers around mecha and reimagines the ten prospective idols as fighter pilots of those robots, eight of them also posing as students. Some girls were also given different ages. Chihaya, Iori & Yayoi were all made 2 years older (17, 16 & 15 respectively), while Yukiho was made a year younger at 15. The anime series has no relation in story to the game and is an alternate universe from the game.
A 25 minute OVA was included in the The iDOLM@STER: Live for You! limited edition game.
On January 9, 2011 a trailer announcing The iDOLM@STER anime was released on the anime's official website. The new anime series, produced by A-1 Pictures Inc. under the direction of Atsushi Nishigori and Touko Machida as script supervisor, started airing on July 7, 2011 and ended December 23, 2011. The anime series uses the same voice cast as the game and shows a summary of the events of the game The iDOLM@STER 2.
Many songs of The iDOLM@STER 2 was innitialy released as opening songs, ending songs or insert songs of the anime, like "READY!!", "CHANGE!!!!" and many others.
The spin-off manga Puchimasu! Petit iDOLM@STER was adapted to a animated series on January 1, 2013. The series revolves around the 765 Pro idols as they are accompanied by chibi versions of themselves, called Puchidorus.
