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Bandai's Male '2.5D' Idol Project Dream Festival! Gets Net Anime

Animate announced an anime adaptation of Dream Festival!, the all-male "2.5D idol project" from several Bandai Namco Group companies, at AnimeJapan 2016 on Saturday. The anime will first stream on the Animate Channel. It will also stream simultaneously overseas — specifically, on the bilibili video service in China.

The premise of the project follows five aspiring male idols at a fictional talent agency. In the world of Dream Festival!, fans support their idols with Dream Festival! Cards (a.k.a. "Dorika"). These cards unlock costume changes and special stage performances during the idols' performances.

The voice cast members and the idols they play are:

Toshiyuki Morikawa plays the legendary idol Haruto Mikami.

The project targets the female demographics in their teens, 20s, and 30s, and also includes a planned game app, CDs, character goods, music videos, live concert events, and more. All of these media plans are tied with the official Dream Festival! Card items, which Bandai began selling this spring. The free smartphone game app will link with these Dream Festival! Cards.

BN Pictures is credited with the original story with Bandai credited with the original concept. Yūta Murano (Brave Beats) is directing, and Yoichi Kato (Aikatsu!, Mushibugyō, Yōkai Watch) is supervising the series scripts. Hiromi Kikuta is serving as sound director.

The project's member companies include Bandai Namco Pictures, Bandai, Bandai Namco Rights Marketing (Bandai Channel), Lantis, Amuse, Bandai Namco Entertainment, Banpresto, and Beams. Many of these same companies are also involved in the Aikatsu! and Love Live! idol projects.

[Via Sai-Ani]