Idoly Pride
Idoly Pride is a Japanese idol-themed multimedia project created by CyberAgent subsidiary QualiArts and CyberNext, Straight Edge, and Sony Music Entertainment Japan subsidiary MusicRay'n, with character designs by QP:flapper. The series has been adapted into two manga series. An anime television series by CAAnimation and Lerche aired from January to March 2021.
Plot
A small entertainment company, Hoshimi Production, based in Hoshimi City, produced one of the rising stars of the idol industry: Mana Nagase. One day, she died in a traffic accident on her way to the Venus Grand Prix finals, devastating the people around her, but also inspiring some of them to become eternal idols.A few years later, Hoshimi Production holds an audition to find a new idol. Kotono Nagase, the younger sister of Mana, appears on stage along with Sakura Kawasaki, a girl with a voice just like Mana's. Starting with just Kotono and Sakura, and later totaling to a group of ten girls which are divided into two groups: Moon Tempest and Sunny Peace, they all gather and start living together in a dormitory.
The series also features Trinity Aile wanting to surpass Mana, apart from LizNoir that harbors an extraordinary rivalry with her. Standing up to each other and competing with the pride in their hearts, they aim for their best as the emotions surrounding Mana and the rivalry become entangled.
Characters
Hoshimi Production
Hoshimi Production is a small talent agency focused on idols, located in the suburbs of Kanto, headed by Shinji Saegusa.;Mana Nagase
;Kōhei Makino
;Shinji Saegusa
Idols
The ten girls associated with Hoshimi Production are later divided into two groups: Moon Tempest and Sunny Peace. Together, they are collectively referred to as Hoshimi Production.;Kotono Nagase
;Sakura Kawasaki
;Rei Ichinose
;Nagisa Ibuki
;Haruko Saeki
;Saki Shiraishi
;Chisa Shiraishi
;Suzu Narumiya
;Mei Hayasaka
;Shizuku Hyōdō
Van Production
The entertainment company with a particular specialty in idols, and Saegusa's former employers.;Kyoichi Asakura
;Kiriko Himeno
Trinity Aile
The voice actresses of Trinity Aile are the members of group unit TrySail.;Rui Tendō
;Yū Suzumura
;Sumire Okuyama
LizNoir
The voice actresses of LizNoir are the members of group unit Sphere. In the anime, only Rio and Aoi appear as members of the group at first, while Ai and Kokoro join the group in the last episode.;Rio Kanzaki
;Aoi Igawa
;Ai Komiyama
;Kokoro Akazaki
Media
Manga
A manga series by Hiroki Haruse, titled Idoly Pride Stage of Asterism, was serialized on Kadokawa's Comic Newtype website from June 10, 2020, to November 30, 2021.A second manga series by Yuriko Asami, titled Idoly Pride Beginning of Lodestar, was serialized through the ComicWalker and Niconico Seiga websites from October 30, 2020, to June 24, 2021. The series focuses on Mana Nagase and serves as a prequel to the main series.
Volume list
''Idoly Pride Stage of Asterism''
''Idoly Pride Beginning of Lodestar''
Anime
An anime television series was first announced in December 2019. It is the first anime produced by CAAnimation, a label created by CyberAgent to produce original anime. Lerche is also credited for production. The series was directed by Yū Kinome and written by Tatsuya Takahashi, with character designs by Sumie Kinoshita. It aired from January 10 to March 28, 2021, on Tokyo MX and other channels. The opening theme song is "Idoly Pride" while the ending theme song is "The Sun, Moon and Stars", both performed by Hoshimi Production. Funimation licensed the series and streamed it on its website in North America, the United Kingdom, and the Republic of Ireland; mainland Europe through Wakanim; Australia and New Zealand through AnimeLab.Game
A mobile game for Android and iOS developed by QualiArts was released on June 24, 2021.A year after its initial Japanese release, an English version was later stealthily revealed to be published by Boltrend Games. It had a closed beta test on September 14, 2022, with the end date previously being September 21, before being extended for two days. After said beta, Boltrend Games would start pre-registrations with an official release date to be announced.
Following months of silence, Boltrend Games announced in February 2023 that they were no longer publishing the game. A global release by Neowiz was announced in March 2023. Pre-registrations began the following month. The game was released on June 1, 2023, and would follow the content schedule of the Korean version.