I-Chu is a mobile game developed by Liber Entertainment. It’s a rhythm game that focuses on the player ‘producing idols.’
Idol based anime have always been popular, featuring good music, serving otomen looks, and the reverse-harem romance for the protagonists.
In this year of idol anime, yet another one is coming to join the fray. An anime production of I-Chu was announced last year.
1. Release Date
I★Chu: Halfway Through the Idol was announced last year. It will premiere on TV screens on January 6, 2021 and will run for a course of 12 episodes.
Revealing the PV for the new anime! From now on, all the information regarding I-Chu will be announced through Twitter and our new website, so check it out!
English Translation, Twitter Translate
After the successful release of the new version of the game, the anime production has been going smoothly.
There are 42 voice actors cast for the game, and most of them are returning to resume their roles for the anime. Will an anime based on rhythm games be ever popular? Is it just a promotional shtick?
2. Theory Section
Let’s look into the details of this upcoming anime to see what will influence the making of ‘I★Chu Etoile Stage.’
I. Popularity of Franchise
The original I-Chu game was released by Liber Entertainment in 2015, for both Android and iOS phones.
A new version of the game called I-Chu Etoile Stage was released in April 2020, and the first version was discontinued.
This version is described as a ‘love rhythmic adventure’ game and includes a cast of 42 voice actors.
Over 10,000 users pre-registered before the game’s release, and by 2017, over 1 million users were playing the game.
With the success of the game, the company released various CDs portraying the characters in the game. This led to several adaptations of the series like stage plays and now, an anime.
There were four stage plays released by 2019, and they gave rise to two concerts in Tokyo last year.
II. Fan Reviews
Since the anime announcement, the official YouTube channel has posted song performances by the idol groups from Etoile Stage.
The anime is very similar to the upcoming Aikatsu franchise, which is based on a card game, and the latest A3! series, which is also based on a game developed by Liber Entertainment!
With the success of its ‘Senpai,’ we can rest assured that Etoile Stage won’t disappoint.
The game has guaranteed that the series has a good enough audience to make the anime successful. This was confirmed by the strong response to the songs posted online.
The idol groups themselves have started gaining fans, despite not being shown in any trailer or PVs.
There are eight idol units in the story, so we might see the plot from several perspectives.
The idol groups are the passionate ‘Fire Phoenix,’ techno-style twin idols ‘Twinkle Bell,’ the international band ‘I♥B,’ individualist artist group ‘ArS,’ cute crossdressers ‘POP’N STAR,’ jazz-rock band ‘Lancelot,’ chuunibyou’s ‘RE: BERSERK,’ and the traditional ‘Tenjou Tenge.’
P.S. Who is this Alchemist group, and will they be in the anime??
3. Visuals & Trailers
The official Twitter account released key visuals and character designs of each idol team.
The visuals feature the main team, Fire Phoenix, consisting of Kanata, Seiya, and Akira.
The official account released a PV declaring the announcement of the anime.
The video starts with one of the main leads, Seiya, attending a concert of an idol. The scene ends with his wish to become an idol lingering in the background.
A trailer was also released showcasing some scenes where we see the struggle and determination of the characters to become idols and mesmerize their fans.
4. Expected Plot
In the story, a famous talent agency called Ailedore has created an academy called Etoile Vio School.
Here idol-hopeful students known as ‘I-Chu’ will undergo training to become full-fledged idols. However, things are off to a strange start when the new students are given a speech from their bear principal?!
The I-Chu work steadily toward their goals and ask, ‘What is an idol?’
Everyone will learn to shine as they struggle to find their answer. So how will the studio manage to animate this story?
5. Music and Animation
I. Animation Quality
Lay-duce is known for Adventure of Sinbad and O Maidens in Your Savage Season. Both anime fall under different genres; one is a fantasy action, while the other is a comedy school-romance.
But both have one thing in common: great animation. This is seen in the PV of Etoile Stage too.
The scenes have great framing of characters within the screen, special effects usage, and clean animation.
We will get to see how the studio implements their dancing choreographies instead of fighting sequences for once!
II. Theme Songs
The Opening theme song is Rainbow Harmony while the Ending theme is Swinging! Singing!. Both are from the same group TWIN ENGINE.
Each idol team’s theme songs from Etoile Stage have been uploaded on their YouTube channel.
Though all of them come under the Pop genre, they have their differences in style.
From visual kei vibes to ballads, Etoile Stage is full of surprises, and it won’t be astonishing that the OSTs would be catchy.
6. Fan Expectations
The game’s fans have been in an uproar since the announcement of the anime.
If not all, most of the fans are happy to see their favorite characters ‘alive’ on the silver screen.
Hypnosis Mic is definitely releasing this October, and Idoly Pride is yet one other idol anime up for a Winter 2020 broadcast.
Other than idol characters, few fans want the ‘producer’ protagonist to be in the anime too!
Etoile Stage is set for a good debut with all the hype surrounding the genre, game, and voice actors in the upcoming anime.
7. Cast & Staff
All voice actors from the smartphone game are reprising their roles for the anime. The following are the cast and staff members for I★Chu Etoile Stage:
I. Staff
| Position | Staff | Famous Works |
| Director | Hitoshi Namba | Golden Kamuy, Grappler Baki |
| Series Composition | Yoshimi Narita | I’ve Always Liked You |
| Character Design | Mina Oosawa | Gakuen Babysitters, Given |
| Studio | Lay-duce | Magi: Adventure of Sinbad, O Maidens in Your Savage Season |
II. Cast
| Character | Voice Actor | Famous Works |
| Seiya | KENN | Akihito (Beyond the Boundary) |
| Kanata | Yuuichi Iguchi | Max (Fairy Tail) |
| Akira | Toshiyuki Toyonaga | Katsuki Yuri (Yuri on Ice) |
| Satsuki | Shoutarou Morikubo | Nara Shikamaru (Naruto) |
| Mitsuki | Takashi Kondou | Onodera Ritsu (Sekaiichi Hatsukoi) |
8. About I★Chu Etoile Stage
The story revolves around ‘Etoile Vio School,’ an academy that aims to train successful students. As a new semester begins, the school welcomes a group of young students.
The story of young idols begins as they struggle to search for the answer to the question, ‘What is an Idol?’
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