IDOLiSH7 is an idol-raising rhythm game developed and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment with character design by Tanemura Arina and music collaboration from Lantis. It was released in Aug. 2015 for iOS and Android and has amassed over 2 million downloads since then.
Fully voiced and starring seven main male idols, it has also released a number of singles and albums credited to the in-game units, as well as received a number of manga and novel adaptations. Another notable chapter of the franchise is its 2018 anime adaptation, which is set to receive a second season.
IDOLiSH7 revolves around an upcoming male idol group of the same name. Playing as rookie manager Takanashi Tsumugi, you must support its seven members in order to boost their talent and reputation in this famously harsh industry.
In the game, you take the role of Takanashi Tsumugi, whose name can be changed to suit your preferences. Tsumugi is 18 years old, and her father Otoharu (CV: Chiba Susumu) runs the small agency to which IDOLiSH7 is attached. As an inexperienced manager, she is assisted by Ogami Banri (CV: Okitsu Kazuyuki), a reliable staff member.
The stars of the game, however, are the seven handsome members of IDOLiSH7, each with their own distinct personality and story, as well as a signature musical symbol. While it’s difficult to tell in English, their names all include a single number from 1-7 in kanji. Ready to meet them?
Izumi Iori (CV: Masuda Toshiki)
Age: 17
Birthday: Jan. 25
Height: 174 cm
Signature musical symbol: Double flat
This cool-headed idol’s official profile lists his favorite things as “cool and sharp things”, but in secret, he’s actually a huge fan of everything cute. Despite that, he can have quite the sharp tongue towards those who aren’t his senior.
Nikaidou Yamato (CV: Shirai Yusuke)
Age: 22
Birthday: Feb. 14
Height: 177 cm
Signature musical symbol: Sharp
Before joining IDOLiSH7 as its oldest member, Yamato had no love for the entertainment industry due to a past incident. Once you get to know him, though, you’ll find that there’s passion and considerateness under that cold attitude.
Izumi Mitsuki (CV: Yonaga Tsubasa)
Age: 21
Birthday: Mar. 3
Height: 165 cm
Signature musical symbol: Flat
Iori’s older brother, Mitsuki had always dreamed of being an idol but didn’t have much luck due to his height and lack of particular talent in dancing and singing. He’s not just a cute face, though – his cheerful and hardworking personality contributes to his role in bringing the team atmosphere to life.
Yotsuba Tamaki (CV: KENN)
Age: 17
Birthday: Apr. 1
Height: 183 cm
Signature musical symbol: Mezzo piano
Tamaki is undoubtedly talented, yet at the same time extremely laid-back and does everything as he pleases at his own pace. However, it seems that he’ll do just about anything for purin, or Japanese custard pudding. He’s also a member of IDOLiSH7’s subunit MEZZO.
Ousaka Sougo (CV: Abe Atsushi)
Age: 20
Birthday: May 28
Height: 175 cm
Signature musical symbol: Mezzo forte
Kind, intelligent, and outstanding at whatever he puts his mind to, Sougo seems perfect at first glance. However, he’s often burdened by worries of being unable to find his own unique personality, and can actually be quite scary if he snaps. Sougo is also a member of subunit MEZZO.
Rokuya Nagi (CV: Eguchi Takuya)
Age: 19
Birthday: Jun. 20
Height: 180 cm
Signature musical symbol: Natural
Half Japanese (the other side being Northern European), Nagi tends to stand out not only due to his handsome face but also his tendency to flirt relentlessly with girls. Despite this, it seems that he didn’t have many friends when he was little.
Nanase Riku (CV: Ono Kenshou)
Age: 18
Birthday: Jul. 9
Height: 173 cm
Signature musical symbol: Double sharp
Clumsy yet honest and hardworking, it’s impossible to hate Riku. He spent much of his childhood in the hospital due to poor health, explaining his rather naive personality.
Of course, any aspiring idols will also have other groups to compete with. IDOLiSH7’s foremost rival is TRIGGER, a 3-man unit managed by Yaotome Production Company. In contrast to the former’s youthful and vibrant atmosphere, the latter tends to give off a more dangerous vibe. Each member has one of the kanji for the numbers 8-10 in their names.
Yaotome Gaku (CV: Hatano Wataru)
Age: 22
Birthday: Aug. 16
Height: 183 cm
Signature musical symbol: Treble clef
Gaku’s icy gaze makes it no surprise that he hates to lose. He’s also got a sharp tongue, but in reality there’s also a compassionate side to him. In any case, he’s extremely popular as an idol, even holding the title of the man that fans would most want to be hugged by.
Kujou Ten (CV: Saitou Souma)
Age: 18
Birthday: Jul. 9
Height: 173 cm
Signature musical symbol: Alto clef
Ten may seem like a huge prankster on the surface, but he’s actually a perfectionist who never switches off his ambition to present the perfect performance. This aspect of him often leads people to think that he’s a cold-hearted person.
Tsunashi Ryunosuke (CV: Satou Takuya)
Age: 23
Birthday: Oct. 12
Height: 190 cm
Signature musical symbol: Bass clef
Ryunosuke’s image as an idol full of danger and sex appeal is at odds with his actual personality, which is gentle and shy. This contradiction between his two selves often causes him to feel confused and worried.
The second chapter introduces another rival group named Re:vale. The names of this comical idol duo consist of the characters for one hundred (Momo) and one thousand (Yuki).
Momo (CV: Hoshi Souichirou)
Age: 25
Birthday: Nov. 11
Height: 173 cm
Signature musical symbol: Left repeat sign
With his naturally cheerful and considerate personality, Momo is particularly capable at defusing tense situations. He can be a bit more awkward when it comes to himself, though.
Yuki (CV: Tachibana Shinnosuke)
Age: 26
Birthday: Dec. 24
Height: 178 cm
Signature musical symbol: Right repeat sign
In contrast to Momo, Yuki is the cool and collected one of the pair. That doesn’t mean that he can’t give people a laugh, though – he also plays the straight man to Momo’s silly comments, making them seem almost like a comedy duo.
Finally, IDOLiSH7’s latest group ŹOOĻ was introduced in the third chapter. Their names are themed around Chinese zodiac signs: pig, dog, tiger, and snake).
Isumi Haruka (CV: Hirose Yuya)
Age: 17
Birthday: Dec. 6
Height: 170 cm
Signature musical symbol: Triangle fermata
The youngest member of ŹOOĻ and also one of its vocalists, Isumi loves sweet things but hates hard work. Although he used to have a goal to strive towards, a certain incident derailed it all. He also happens to go to the same school as Iori of IDOLiSH7.
Inumaru Touma (CV: Kimura Subaru)
Age: 20
Birthday: Dec. 29
Height: 176 cm
Signature musical symbol: Dal segno
He may seem scary at first, but fitting for someone with the kanji for “dog” in his name, Touma is a big fan of the four-legged critters. In addition to Haruka, he’s on vocals in the group. He’s had experience as an idol, having gotten into a run-in with TRIGGER in the past.
Midou Torao (CV: Kondou Takashi)
Age: 21
Birthday: Mar. 15
Height: 185 cm
Signature musical symbol: Simile mark
The son of a family that manages a chain of luxury hotels, Torao is one of the “performers” of the group. Incidentally, he always seems to have girls by his side, neither chasing those who leave or refusing those who come to him. However, he feels conflicted about the gap between his actual self and the image expected from those around him, like many of his fellow idols.
Natsume Minami (CV: Nishiyama Koutarou)
Age: 21
Birthday: Mar. 15
Height: 185 cm
Signature musical symbol: Release pedal
Minami is the second of ŹOOĻ’s “performers” and another idol who is no stranger to the entertainment industry, having made his start as a child actor. Beware of his words, though – he may sound polite overall, but the ill will that comes through is deliberate.
Like many other games of the idol-raising genre, IDOLiSH7 has both a main story and a rhythm game element. Split into three overall parts with more chapters within, the story is fully voiced, and it’s necessary to achieve a number of tasks or goals to unlock more, which will give you EXP in turn.
As you go further with the story, naturally you’ll also need to nurture the idols under your wing. This can be done by holding live performances – in other words, the rhythm game part of the game. IDOLiSH7 boasts numerous songs that can be played in easy, normal and hard mode, with more LP consumed the more difficult it is. The gameplay itself is no different to most other rhythm games – simply tap the icons in the order and timing that the screen indicates. Clearing each of the three difficulties will unlock expert mode, which will enable you to receive even more items.
You can also build up your team through scouting, or the game’s gatcha, which will net you different types of cards (with the possibility of choosing the design for some through Nanakore) at the cost of Friend Points, Stellar Stones (the game’s currency) or a few other methods. Incidentally, Stellar Stones are purchasable through microtransactions, although the app itself is free.
If you’re keen to get your hands on more Stellar Stones and items, it’s a good idea to participate in the game’s events, which are held regularly and based on characters’ birthdays, the game’s anniversaries and so on. There are also many more features to discover, so why not get started with training the boys?
IDOLiSH7 has been adapted into a 17-episode TV anime directed by Bessho Makoto and animated by TROYCA. The original voice actors from the game reprised their roles for the adaptation, which retains the original concept of the seven unit members chasing their dreams of shining on the stage as top idols. For a taste of what the anime is like, check out the first episode below.
A second anime season has been announced, with TROYCA to return for animation. However, information on the staff, cast and broadcast date has not yet been released.
The first episode of a spinoff anime titled IDOLiSH7 Vibrato is also available on YouTube. However, the episode follows not the titular unit, but instead the beginnings of rival group TRIGGER.
IDOLiSH7 is available to download on iOS and Android in Japanese only. For more information, visit the official website or its Twitter account.
This is a Tokyo Otaku Mode original article.