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Aikatsu Planet! Live-Action/Anime Show Reveals Videos, More Cast, January 10 Premiere
posted on by Rafael Antonio Pineda
The official website for the Aikatsu! idol franchise unveiled on Thursday a new video, cast members, visual, and January 10 premiere date for Aikatsu! Planet, the franchise's first television project that combines animation, 3D CG, and live-action.
The site also posted a video showing the opening sequence for the show, featuring the opening song "bloomy*Smile" by the main four cast members.
The new cast members include:
- Shimba Tsuchiya as Itsuki Segawa
- Kaito Irie as Keito Kirihata
- Makoto Yamashita as Kakeru Kurosaki
- Sumire Hanaoka as Ryōka Dōba
- Shunsuke Ōe as Kanade -otoha-
- Mitsuki Saiga as Aurora Pegasus
- Azusa Tadokoro as Smart Kyūbi
- Sumire Morohoshi as Bright Sapphire
- Shino Shimoji as Glossy Ruby
- Ryoko Shiraishi as Love Sagittarius
- Shun Horie as Noble Leo
- Akane Matsunaga as Bloody Rock
- Rin Aira as Hip Hop Brake
The previously announced cast includes:
Rio Ogura as Ruli Tamaki, a fashion model whose avatar is Ruli
Mizuki as Ayumi Tsukishiro, a second-year private high school student whose avatar is Q-pit (both her name and her avatar name are wordplays on Cupid)
Shizune Nagao as Kyōko Umekōji, Mao's cool older schoolmate whose avatar is Beat
Rion Watanabe as Shiori Motoya, Mao's childhood friend whose avatar is Shiori
Amy as Ann Kurimu, a second-year junior high school student whose avatar is Ann
Narumi Uno as Meisa Hinata, the original alter ego for Hana, whose current avatar is Rose
Rurika Uno as Sala Itoi, Starlet Promotion's dress designer whose avatar is Sala
In addition, former AKB48 idol group member Sayaka Akimoto plays the idols' manager Izumi Watanuki.
The story revolves around "Aikatsu Planet," a world where anyone can assume the role of an avatar and become an adorably cute idol. Mao -otoha-, an ordinary first-year student at the private academy Seirei High School, becomes the #1 idol Hana when Hana's previous alter ego Meisa Hinata suddenly disappeared. However, Mao's new role as the avatar Hana is a secret to everyone else. The tagline of the project is, "To become the 'me' I want to be, I enter the mirror."
The project will use anime and CG to depict the scenes in the "Aikatsu Planet" world, and it will use live-action footage to depict Mao's daily life.
BN Pictures is credited with the project's development, original story, and production, and Bandai is credited with the original concept. Ryuichi Kimura is serving as both chief director and director, and Misuzu Chiba is supervising the series scripts. Risa Miyadani is designing the characters. Tohokushinsha Film Corporation is producing the live-action footage. The characters Mao, Ruli, Kyōko, and Shiori are singing the opening song "bloomy*Smile," and the new unit Starry Planet is singing the theme song "Happy ∞ Aikatsu."
The Aikatsu! franchise began with the original arcade card game in October 2012. The game inspired a television anime that ran from 2012 to 2016, and three anime films. The second entry in the franchise, Aikatsu Stars!, inspired a television anime that premiered on TV Tokyo and its affiliates in April 2016. Aikatsu Stars! received an anime film in August 2016.
The third entry in the Aikatsu! franchise, Aikatsu Friends!, premiered in April 2018 along with the accompanying Aikatsu Friends! Data Carddass arcade game. A sequel television anime titled Aikatsu Friends! ~Kagayaki no Jewel~ (Shining Jewel) then premiered in April 2018 with its own aracde game tie-in. The sequel is set two years after the story of Aikatsu Friends!, with the main character Aine Yūki now in high school.
The Aikatsu on Parade! television anime premiered on Saturday, October 5 with the new lead character Raki Kiseki and characters from the previous Aikatsu! anime series.
Sources: Aikatsu!'s website, Comic Natalie
