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Gakuen Idolmaster
2024 video game From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Gakuen Idolmaster (学園アイドルマスター, Gakuen Aidorumasutā; lit. 'Academy Idolmaster') is a free-to-play roguelike deck-building game developed by QualiArts and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment as a spin-off of The Idolmaster franchise. It was released in Japan on May 16, 2024, for both iOS and Android. A version for Windows was released on March 18, 2025 and is available at DMM Games.
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Premise and gameplay
The game takes place at the Hatsuboshi Gakuen, an idol training school. The player acts as a student in the Producer Department of the school, and produces one of the ten idols studying in the Idol Department.
It is a roguelike deck-building game. In a round of the raising simulation, the player raises the idol's stats through lessons with a deck of skill cards, such that she can pass the mid-term and final exams, and perform in a live concert at the end of production. Each skill card in the deck has a different effect including increasing status or energy, and costs stamina when the player uses it. The player can also improve the deck, and acquire P-items and drinks through consultation with the teachers,[2] etc.
The game requires the player to repeat the simulation. In the process, the player can raise their affection level with the idols and their account level. They can also obtain new support and skill cards, and strengthen their existing ones.[2]
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Development
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On July 25, 2023, during the franchise's 18th anniversary live stream, it was announced The Idolmaster franchise would release a new brand, starting with a mobile game. It was also revealed that Hidefumi Komino was the producer of the new brand, and the project had been started almost five years ago.[3] The then-untitled brand would be the sixth brand of the franchise,[4] following the original brand, Cinderella Girls, Million Live!, SideM and Shiny Colors.
The title of the game, Gakuen Idolmaster, as well as the first promotional video, were revealed in a live stream on March 5, 2024. In the live stream, the staff and cast were revealed as well. The scenario is written by light novel writers Tsukasa Fushimi, Yū Shimizu and Kazuki Amamiya. The character drafts were created by Aki Minamino and Hechima. The game was set to be released in Q2 of the same year.[5]
Cast
The audition for the cast of the idols was held in 2021.[6] On March 5, 2024, three of the nine idols and their voice actresses were revealed.[5]
The ten idols who appear in the game are as follows:
- Saki Hanami (花海咲季) voiced by Aoi Nagatsuki
- Temari Tsukimura (月村手毬) voiced by Nao Ojika
- Kotone Fujita (藤田ことね) voiced by Hikaru Iida
- Rinami Himesaki (姫崎莉波) voiced by Yuri Usui
- Sumika Shiun (紫雲清夏) voiced by Miya Minato
- Hiro Shinosawa (篠澤広) voiced by Reina Kawamura
- Lilja Katsuragi (葛城リーリヤ) voiced by Kana Hanaiwa
- China Kuramoto (倉本千奈) voiced by Mao Itō
- Mao Arimura (有村麻央) voiced by Tsumugi Nanase[7][8]
- Ume Hanami (花海佑芽) voiced by Ayane Matsuda[9]
Besides the idols, other cast members include Akio Ōtsuka as Kunio Jūō, the school headmaster, Aoi Koga as Asari Neo, a teacher from the Producer Department,[5] and Minami Tanaka, Yūki Wakai and Yu Serizawa as trainers.[10]
Music
The music works are released under Asobinotes,[5] a record label owned by Bandai Namco Entertainment. The soundtracks in the singles released are different from those used in the live concert scenes in the game, which was the idea from QualiArts.[4]
"Campus mode!!" is the ending theme song of the game,[a] and the player can first listen to it when the affection level reaches ten for any idol. When the game was launched, it was difficult to raise the affection level to ten, so within the fanbase mentioning the song itself is considered as a spoiler of the story plot.[11]
Graphics
According to Hidefumi Komino, the 3D model of a character consists of 60,000 polygons.[12]
Story
It was the first time The Idolmaster franchise had notable light novel writers joining the production from the beginning of a project. Tsukasa Fushimi, the author of Oreimo and Eromanga Sensei, not only wrote the story but also was involved in the character design.[4] The stories of Saki, Temari, Kotone, China and Hiro are written by Fushimi, while those of the other characters are written by Yū Shimizu and Kazuki Amamiya.[13]
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Release
Gakuen Idolmaster was released on May 16, 2024, for iOS and Android devices.[7] In December 2024, Bandai Namco announced an official Windows port of Gakuen Idolmaster which was released on March 18, 2025.[14]
Music
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Discography
Digital singles
CD singles
Albums
Live event
The first live concert tour "Gakuen Idolmaster: Debut Live Hajime Tour" began in August 2024, and will conclude in February 2025.[45]
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Other media
A manga adaptation written by Smile Down the Runway's author Kotoba Inoya and illustrated by Yuu Okino was announced on May 8, 2024. The manga series began its serialization in Weekly Shōnen Champion in the same year. The protagonist is Kotone Fujita.[46][47]
A radio show titled Hatsuboshi Gakuen Ongaku-bu (初星学園音楽部; lit. 'Hatsuboshi Gakuen Music Club') premiered on Apple Music on May 18, 2024. The host is Akihiro Tomita.[48]
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Reception
According to Oricon, Gakuen Idolmaster ranked first in the weekly ranking of the number of downloads among free-to-play games on the App Store platform in its first week of release.[49]
See also
- Bladedance of Elementalers and The Demon Sword Master of Excalibur Academy, light novel series written by Yū Shimizu
- Idoly Pride, another mobile game developed by QualiArts
Notes
- Mafune is the bassist of the band Flower Flower.
- Kanematsu is one of composers of various drama television series, and also anime series including Castle Town Dandelion, Clockwork Planet, My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!, The Café Terrace and Its Goddesses and The Kingdoms of Ruin.
- Tabuchi is the bassist of the band Unison Square Garden, and created songs for various singers including Dialogue+.[11]
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References
External links
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