Aikatsu Stars! (アイカツスターズ！, Aikatsu Sutāzu!) is an arcade collectible card game in Bandai's Data Carddass line of machines, which was launched in May 2016.[1] 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 television adaptation by BN Pictures began airing on TV Tokyo from April 7, 2016, to March 29, 2018. It was succeeded by Aikatsu Friends! on April 5, 2018.[2]
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".
The main protagonist, 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 named "Data Carddass Aikatsu Stars Wings Of Stars" appeared. Two 3DS games have been released. The first 3DS game, named "Aikatsu Stars First Appeal", was released on July 20, 2016.[5] The second 3DS game, titled "Aikatsu Stars My Special Appeal", was released on November 24, 2016.[6]
Anime
Celebration flowers for the Aikatsu Stars! Aikatsu! Special Live 2015 Lovely Party!! live concert performers.
An anime television series produced by BN Pictures began airing on TV Tokyo from April 7, 2016, succeeding the original Aikatsu! in its initial timeslot.[7]
