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The IDOLM@STER Million Live! TV Anime's New Teaser Unveils August Debut in Theaters, More Staff

The official website for the television anime of The IDOLM@STER Million Live! franchise formally opened and began streaming a teaser promotional video on Saturday. The teaser announces that all episodes of the anime will start playing in Japanese theaters on August 18, before the anime's October television premiere. The website and teaser also announced more staff members.

The anime series will play in theaters in three three-week screening runs. The first part of the theatrical release will run from August 18 to September 7. The second part will run from September 8 to September 28, and the final part will run from September 29 to October 19.

The Asobi Store service is selling MoviTicke Cards for the screenings in two sets with exclusive art. The Producer Set includes three ticket cards, neck strap and card case, concert penlight, and acrylic art stand. The 765 Set includes just the three ticket cards, neck strap, and card case.

The newly announced staff members are:

• CG Director: Daisuke Shioya
• Animation Character Design: Tetsuya Ishii (Sushi Ninja), Kaori Tsuta
• Concept Art: Masato Hakuta, Nami Ogata, Ryuki Hida
• Art/Setting: Natsumi Sakamoto
• Art Boards: BIC Studio
• Color Key Artists: Hikaru Takigawa, Miyuki Satō
• Compositing Director of Photography: Kentarō Ōnuki
• Editing: Akari Saitō
• Sound Director: Hiromi Kikuta

The anime will follow the growth from the initial stages of the theater of Mirai Kasuga and the other idols.

Shinya Watada (Aikatsu Stars! film, Gundam Build Divers, Gundam Build Divers Re:RISE) is directing the anime at Shirogumi Inc., and Yoichi Kato (Aikatsu!, Yōkai Watch) is overseeing and writing the series scripts. Lantis is producing the music. Bandai Namco Studio is collaborating on the anime, and Bandai Namco Entertainment is planning and producing the anime (as well as being credited as the original creator).

Shirogumi Inc. produced the below video when Bandai Namco Entertainment announced the television anime adaptation during the third anniversary of The IDOLM@STER Million Live! Theater Days in 2020.

Shirogumi also animated an anime prologue image music video for the franchise last year:

Namco Bandai Games released the original The IDOLM@STER Million Live! game in 2013 as a spinoff of the main The IDOLM@STER game series. The game initially featured the 765 Pro characters of the original series, as well as 37 new characters. The game allowed players to manage their own idol production company, and raise their idols' skills. The game then ended service in March 2018.

Bandai Namco Entertainment launched a successor to the game titled The IDOLM@STER Million Live! Theater Days for iOS and Android devices in June 2017. The stage for the new game is a 765 Pro live theater, and it takes place in rooms such as the theater's office, waiting room, and greenroom. The game features the theater clerk character Misaki Aoba. In the game, players can communicate more with certain idols by touching them on screen. The game's solo and unit concerts feature rhythm games.

Sources: The IDOLM@STER Million Live! anime's website, Comic Natalie