Aikatsu!

Aikatsu! (アイカツ!) is a multimedia franchise spawned from an arcade collectible card game in Bandai's Data Carddass line of machines, which launched in October 2012.[4] The game revolves around using collectible cards featuring various clothes to help aspiring idols pass auditions. An anime television adaptation by Sunrise began airing on TV Tokyo from October 8, 2012, to March 31, 2016.[5][6] In 2015, production switched from Sunrise to the studio's subsidiary Bandai Namco Pictures. Four films were released in December 2014, August 2015, August 2016, and January 2023 respectively. Three manga adaptations have been published by Shogakukan, along with four Nintendo 3DS games published by Bandai Namco Games.

Plot

Terminology

Aikatsu Cards (アイカツ!カード)

Aikatsu Cards are cards that contain digitised clothes which are worn by idols during performances and auditions. They are divided into four categories: Tops, Bottoms, Shoes, and Accessories, with some cards, such as one piece dresses, eliminating the need for others. The clothes come from various types of brands and have varying degrees of rarity. Although most clothes come in specific coordinations, players are also able to mix and match different cards to find a good combination.

Student Cards (学生証)

A student ID that represents a student of Starlight Academy, Dream Academy, Himezakura Private Girls' Academy or Étoile Academy and is required to access the Aikatsu System. In the arcade game, these are IC Cards used to store a player's history and create original characters.

In the actual arcade game, student cards are represented by Data Carddass (DCD) System's IC cards with Starlight Academy pattern. Players may use DCD IC cards to save gameplay and create avatar characters.

Aikatsu System (アイカツシステム)

The system in which Aikatsu Cards are utilised. When performing in an audition or performance, idols step through a dressing room, which requires them to insert their student pass and choice of Aikatsu Cards, where they put on their selected clothes. The stage they walk on is largely digitised, providing various holographic displays and special effects during the performance and allowing people to participate in the audience via online streaming. The system reads the emotions of spectators, along with the online spectators, to rate each idol's performance, which determines their success during auditions.

Aikatsu Phone (アイカツフォン)

A handheld phone issued to each student of Starlight Academy. As well as providing various smartphone functions, such as calls, maps and a social network service, the Aikatsu Phone allows students to schedule and apply for auditions, as well as store and utilise their Aikatsu Cards for various purposes, such as holographically trying out coords. There are also a set of lights that are lit up when a student achieves a symbol pertaining to a certain idol quality.

Special Appeal (スペシャルアピール)

A Special Appeal is a technique that is used during a performance, bring an illusion the stage. The types of appeal that can be performed vary depending on the types of clothes worn. Normally, idols are only able to perform a maximum of two or three Special Appeals during a performance, but Mizuki has been able to perform four, which considered to be Legends.

Brands (ブランド)

Fashion companies, each managed by a top designer, who design clothes for idols and convert them into Aikatsu Cards that can be used by the Aikatsu System. There are nineteen known brands in the first series: Angely Sugar, Futuring Girl, Spicy Ageha, Happy Rainbow, LoLi GoThiC, Aurora Fantasy, Love Queen, Magical Toy, Swing ROCK, Bohemian Sky, Vivid Kiss, Love Moonrise, Dreamy Crown, Sangria Rosa, Sakurairo Kaden, Dance Fusion, Retro Clover, Dolly Devil and Mecha PaniQ.

Constellation System (星座システム)[5]

The brand new line of dresses made from the top designers who teamed up to come up with it. A Constellation Appeal is a technique that is used during a performance like a Special Appeal but is only performed when wearing Constellation dresses. This is performed when the performer has maxed out the audience's voltage meter before they can perform the appeal.

Media

Video games

The Aikatsu! arcade game from Bandai began appearing in Japanese arcades from October 2012 as part of its Data Carddass line. The game revolves around using collectible cards to help idols pass their auditions. A handheld title, Aikatsu! Cinderella Lesson (アイカツ! シンデレラレッスン), was released for the Nintendo 3DS on November 15, 2012.[7] A second 3DS game, titled Aikatsu! Futari no My Princess (アイカツ！２人のmy princess), released on November 21, 2013.[8] A third 3DS game, titled Aikatsu! 365-Nichi no Idol Days (アイカツ！365日のアイドルデイズ), released on December 4, 2014. A fourth 3DS game, titled Aikatsu! My No.1 Stage! (アイカツ！My No.1 Stage!), released on November 26, 2015.

Anime

An anime television series produced by Sunrise began airing on TV Tokyo from October 8, 2012, replacing Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal in its initial timeslot.[9][10] A second season began airing from October 3, 2013, with a third to begin airing in October 2014.[5][11] Daisuki began streaming the series from September 4, 2014.[12] Sunrise's director, Masayuki Ozaki, has stated Aikatsu may be considered for a US release if fans are vocal enough about it.[13]

Films

Aikatsu! The Movie, was released on December 13, 2014.[14]

''Aikatsu! Music Awards - The Show Where Everyone Gets an Award!'', was released on August 22, 2015.[15]

''Aikatsu! The Targeted Magical Aikatsu Card'', was released on August 13, 2016.

Aikatsu! 10th Story: Starway to the Future, was released on July 15, 2022 (short ver.) and was released on January 20, 2023 (full length ver.).

''Aikatsu! Memorial Stage ~Shining Unit Cup~'', was released on June 20, 2025.

''Aikatsu! × PriPara: The Movie Deai no Kiseki!'', was released on October 10, 2025.

Drama CD

A Drama CD, ''Aikatsu! Great Starmiya Ichigo Festival: After-party Special!, was released alongside Aikatsu! The Movie''.

Music

The series contains a variety of theme songs and insert songs. Many of the songs are composed and arranged by Monoca, and performed by members of the Japanese idol group Star Anis and Aikatsu Stars who provide the singing voices for the characters.

Printed media

A manga adaption, published by Shogakukan and illustrated by Bambi Shirayuki, was serialized in Ciao.[16]

type	tv series
director	Ryūichi Kimura
producer	Yōsuke Imai Hatsuo Nara (S1) Ryuta Wakanabe (S1–2) Nobuyuki Hosoya (S2–4) Takanori Itō (S2–4)
writer	Yōichi Katō
music	monaca
studio	Sunrise (#1–152) BN Pictures (#153–178)
network	TXN (TV Tokyo), BS Japan, AT-X
first	October 8, 2012
last	March 31, 2016
episodes	178
episode list	List of Aikatsu! episodes

Plot

Terminology

Media

Video games

Anime

Films

Drama CD

Music

Printed media

Legacy

Reception

See also

External links

References