The IDOLM@STER - Anime (NOT Xenoglossia)

[Kinny Riddle]

Wonder if we can get discussion on the anime episodes as well, folks?

Though I've been watching some of the gameplay videos on MooCube and am ever edging towards buying myself a console. I hear Bandai-Namco is planning to end IM@S's exclusivity agreement with XBOX360 and port IM@S2 to the PS3, is that true? If so, that saves me from having to get a 360 just for that game.

Wow, pretty much everyone from the IM@S universe has appeared in this week's episode, from 961 (Jupiter) to 876 (the group with Ritsuko's trap cousin).

In the end, 765 Pro had to rely on the financial power of Sanzenin, sorry, Minase Group to ensure they don't become the victims of match fixing. (I do wonder if that is exactly why President Takagi recruited Iori to 765 Pro? )

[ainsoph9]

I looked up how long this series is supposed to last. It looks like we will get 24+ episodes, which kind of surprised me. At the same time, the company and the producer are really struggling right now; so, it looks like it will be necessary to see anything happen that is big.

[Mystes]

Turnovers are common everywhere.

[ShadowZeroHeart]

I looked up how long this series is supposed to last. It looks like we will get 24+ episodes, which kind of surprised me. At the same time, the company and the producer are really struggling right now; so, it looks like it will be necessary to see anything happen that is big.

It is not strange for the ending of the anime to have them struggling, because you start off poor in the game(s). So if you see them striking it rich, its weird for it to connect to the game. No idea if it is 24 episodes though? But they will probably neither form units nor make it as top idols in the anime, because that should be the game part, unless they intend to follow a certain route of a specific idol.

P.S. In the IM@S2 game, you strive to help the idol(s) be the top idol, and will eventually leave your beloved unit to study, making a promise to return. And you start off with the taped 765 outside company, eventually upgrading as you progress and earn more in the game.

[ainsoph9]

That sounds interesting, but that just kind of limits the potential for the series. Seriously though, the producer in the anime really has way too many flags available to him for something NOT to happen to trigger one girl's route over another. I also assume that the games are not quite like the dating scheme for Persona 3 where you can cheat on the girls and get away with it like some gigolo.

[ShadowZeroHeart]

That sounds interesting, but that just kind of limits the potential for the series. Seriously though, the producer in the anime really has way too many flags available to him for something NOT to happen to trigger one girl's route over another. I also assume that the games are not quite like the dating scheme for Persona 3 where you can cheat on the girls and get away with it like some gigolo.

Well, it is more of an idol and music game than a romance game. They are in it for the products to sell I believe, their songs etc.

IM@S2:
In the game, you start off choosing one idol, and spending your first game week with her, going through fixed training, consider it as the tutorial. After that, the blackie(boss) lets you know that you are actually in charge of a unit, rather than a single idol. So you are fixed to the 3 you chose.

As for routes, I never really tested it, but I believe the events are triggered either by the choices you made, thus increasing their opinion of you (In some cases, its "1 girl up, other girls down") and reaching some level, or the events are always about the girl that has the highest opinion of you. That prevents you from going after all 3 girls? But as I would go for a specific idol in the tries I went through, I am not 100% sure of this.

[ainsoph9]

Hmm. In any event, how close are the characters in the anime to the games?

[ShadowZeroHeart]

Hmm. In any event, how close are the characters in the anime to the games?

Personality wise, rather similar? On a sidenote, its hard to compare since some choices in the game are total jokes.

Spoiler! :

On an event with Takane, she was saddened by the time/number of fans she can have hand-shake sessions with(Number of fans / Time = Not much time per fan). One choice you can make is to tell her to shake with both her hands and feet, so it becomes 4 times the initial number. She ran away, of course. So the event was a total disaster with the idol having left the scene.

But having never played IM@S1, I can't say for sure. Miki does NOT sleep that much in IM@S2 though. I mean, they come to work. Hibiki's hamster does not show its appearance, though it is not weird for her to be starting her events looking for her animals etc.

P.S. My friend and I are mighty impressed by Takane. We almost became her fan in a single shout of hers!

[ainsoph9]

Interesting. Is Haruka the poster girl in the games just like she kind of is in the anime?

[ShadowZeroHeart]

Interesting. Is Haruka the poster girl in the games just like she kind of is in the anime?

Yes and no. In the game, there is no char that gets special appearance, but overall, Haruka is the most famous/popular one? Probably because I think shes the first idol or something, but I really don't know. As all idols get pretty much the same coverage in IM@S2, it is hard to say for sure. My personal favorite is Yukiho.

Songs wise, my fav are Kotori and Ritsuko, especially after hearing the youtubes a friend got me last time.

[ainsoph9]

I would be interested in finding out why Haruka is seemingly the most popular one. The only reason why I focus in on her is because of the first anime series, which had her as the main protagonist.

I find it funny that you like the androphobe Yukiho. At least she is not violent about it.

I could never personally get into the style of music that IDOLM@STER plays.

[ShadowZeroHeart]

I would be interested in finding out why Haruka is seemingly the most popular one. The only reason why I focus in on her is because of the first anime series, which had her as the main protagonist.

I find it funny that you like the androphobe Yukiho. At least she is not violent about it.

I could never personally get into the style of music that IDOLM@STER plays.

Spoiler:

Spoiler! :

Despite her being androphobe, she still is an idol, because she works hard. She has a lot of problems, but some events with her are really interesting.

For example, once, she and producer-san(you) saw her father at a distance. She then worries about you and wanted to run away. Then the choices made was "We should not run away" but we should go see him or something. "If we let something like this get in our way, how can we succeed as an idol?". Then she picks up her determination, and introduces you(a guy) to her father. The exact chat they have was not mentioned, but the producer later mentioned "I was stunned when he said Please take care of my daughter from now on[or something like Please bring my daughter happiness, cant recall exactly]"

Another was how her first job eventually had to be through the telephone, to succeed that is, because shes too afraid to meet the people on the other side.

The best part was when Jupiter came over to mock 765. Touma Amagase came over to mock Ritsuko's Dragon Palace group. Ritsuko was speechless, because they lost. Yukiho wanted to stand up for Ritsuko and 765, but due to her androphobe, she can neither get close nor speak up loud. Touma was furious and said "If you have something to say, come out, say it loud!" and Yukiho was so scared she cried. Touma was totally stunned by this, and Ritsuko finally started shooting back "You should never make a girl cry, you are such an asshole!" etc

Most importantly, if you finish her route, she will eventually want to change herself, and decided to learn to write lyrics for a song... "First Step", that is the song name. It has yet to be released on any albums, but its a song that you can only hear at the end of her route. It talks about something like how she picks up courage, to take her first step, into the future, despite all her fears and all, all thanks to you. Or at least, having been her producer, I felt that way. Really sad when she cried in some cases, like when she found out that you will be leaving.

[ainsoph9]

It seems like you can really start to sympathize with her.

[ShadowZeroHeart]

It seems like you can really start to sympathize with her.

You got to give her credit for all her efforts to overcome her fears. I mean, are you so strong and capable to face your fears like her?

P.S.

Spoiler! :

There was one scene, that really made my heart shatter. As she is my favorite idol, she is naturally the leader of the unit for me. However, she is shy/androphobe. So she cried, as she felt so pressurized and stressed, leading the idols that are seemingly so much better idols/people than her. Even so, she tries her best to do her job, but it all seems useless having to pit the team against Dragon Palace and Jupiter. So she cried, was in despair, and did not know what to do. She for the first time, screamed and yelled at me(producer-san), for forcing her to be leader, to have given her so much responsibilities that she cannot handle...

Despite how hopeful and nice you are to her, it doesn't change the fact that she is not leader material...

Damn, and I wanted the best for her!!

P.S. part 2: She was still leader till the end nonetheless, I wanted to believe in her, and she proved herself, with that final song she wrote.

Its stuff like those that makes her my fav idol.

[ainsoph9]

I hear what you are saying. Personally, I do not have quite the fears that she has, so I cannot fully relate in the first place. I will say that her character is quite unique in that she is doing something that would normally put her in the wrong business to begin with. Likewise, all of the characters in the games and anime series have such unique characters despite being in the same business. You would think that the characters would have more in common, especially for them to get along like they do. In real life, such a situation might not be so tenable, but the series manages to bring out the best and worst in everyone and make it work, despite the differences. People could learn a lesson or two about something like this.