{"id":1610,"date":"2022-04-13T15:36:40","date_gmt":"2022-04-13T15:36:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kirakiracat.com\/?p=1610"},"modified":"2022-04-13T15:40:01","modified_gmt":"2022-04-13T15:40:01","slug":"a-beginners-guide-to-idol-anime","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kirakiracat.com\/index.php\/2022\/04\/13\/a-beginners-guide-to-idol-anime\/","title":{"rendered":"A Beginner’s Guide to Idol Anime"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>
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Idols have been present in anime for decades but thanks to popular franchises like “LoveLive” there’s been a surge in the genre. What is an idol and why are there so many anime about them now anyway?<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

So What IS an Idol?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

An idol is an entertainer marketed in Japan for their image and personality. Most often these entertainers are singers who preform in concerts with choreographed dancing BUT idols can also be actors, models, or general entertainers appearing on TV and in radio. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a lot more to unpack from the history to the social expectations and use of image as a marketing tool so if you want to dive deeper I recommend reading this article<\/a> or checking out the documentary Tokyo Idols<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Idols in Anime<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Early Idol Anime<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Throughout the 80s, 90s and 00s idols started to appear in a variety of anime. One of the most common to feature them was the Magical Girl genre. Series such as \u201cMagical Angel Creamy Mami,\u201d \u201cFancy Lala\u201d and \u201cFull Moon wo Sagashite\u201d featured young girls granted the power to transform into teens who become idols. While the Magical Genre was a natural fit for idols with similar themes of friendship, perseverance and feminine aesthetics idols were featured in other genres as well. In Sci-Fi, the \u201cMacross\u201d series heavily featured themes of music and idols on the backdrop of a mech show. Within the Horror genre, \u201cPerfect Blue\u201d features a former idol mentally spinning out of control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Idol Anime Today<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In the 2010s you begin to see series that put being an idol at the forefront. \u201cThe Idolm@ster\u201d anime was based on the popular game franchise of the same name and it was one of the first series to focus on idols outside of other anime genres. The plot of \u201cThe Idolm@ster\u201d is centered entirely on the characters working as idols and the challenges that come with it. Around the same time that \u201cThe Idolm@ster\u201d aired the \u201cLoveLive\u201d franchise was kicked off and it would become one of the most widely known idol anime in the west. There was also crossover from real idol groups getting involved in idol anime. The series “AKB0048” was based on the real life idol powerhouse group AKB48. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Idol Anime in the Future<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The idol genre has continued to evolve and even outside of it you can find mentions of idols, idol themes and idol characters. “Aggretsuko,” “BNA,” and “Uma Musume” are just a few recent series to feature idol themes or characters. As idols continue to grow in popularity it is fair to predict we will continue to see them in anime. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Top Anime for new Idol Fans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With decades of idols in anime where do you start? What anime are the best to get a taste of what the genre has to offer? Here are my top series for those interested in idols but overwhelmed by the options. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wake Up Girls<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
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\"Idol<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

Wake Up Girls might not have the best animation but the story is solid and the music is great. This series features a slightly more realistic viewpoint of what aspiring idols face and what is expected of successful ones. If you are looking for an idol story a little more grounded in reality, WUG is worth the watch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Streaming on Crunchyroll<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

If My Favorite Pop Idol Made It to the Budokan, I Would Die (Oshibudo)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\"Idol<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

Oshibudo is a unique take on the genre because the main character is not an idol herself but rather a huge idol fan. She becomes obsessed with a member of an indie idol group and you follow her as she strives to support her oshii in every way possible. This anime is a great glimpse into idol culture in Japan. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Streaming on Funimation<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Idolish7<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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\"Idol<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Idolish7 follows 7 up and coming idols as they work to make their debut. On the surface its a very basic premise but this series is really good about exploring why each and every character is motivated to become an idol, the good and the bad. If you want an anime that is all about character relationships that uses becoming an idol as the backdrop check this one out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Streaming on Crunchyroll<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

ZombieLand Saga<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
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\"Idol<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

My top pick if you are looking to get into idol anime is ZombieLand Saga. This series puts a unique spin on the concept of an idol group as you follow Franchouchou in their quest to save Saga prefecture through highlighting the community in their idol activities. This series offers a lot of comedy while at the same time balancing it with some pretty poignant commentary on the idol industry. I recommend this series to anyone, even those who might think idol anime is not for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Streaming on Crunchyroll<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Idols have been present in anime for decades but thanks to popular franchises like “LoveLive” there’s been a surge in the genre. What is an idol and why are there so many anime about them now anyway? So What IS…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1612,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[21,64,65],"class_list":["post-1610","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-geekery","tag-anime","tag-idol","tag-recommendations"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kirakiracat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/54447267_340986733200980_8825833120910296699_n.jpg?fit=1080%2C1080&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7hYEj-pY","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":611,"url":"https:\/\/kirakiracat.com\/index.php\/2015\/08\/14\/full-moon-full-moon-wo-sagashite\/","url_meta":{"origin":1610,"position":0},"title":"Full Moon: Full Moon wo Sagashite","author":"Cat-chan","date":"August 14, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Construction notes and photos of Full Moon from Full Moon wo Sagashite.","rel":"","context":"In "My Cosplay"","block_context":{"text":"My Cosplay","link":"https:\/\/kirakiracat.com\/index.php\/category\/my-cosplay\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kirakiracat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/21482536779_4b5d17d491_k.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kirakiracat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/21482536779_4b5d17d491_k.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kirakiracat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/21482536779_4b5d17d491_k.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kirakiracat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/21482536779_4b5d17d491_k.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kirakiracat.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/21482536779_4b5d17d491_k.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":865,"url":"https:\/\/kirakiracat.com\/index.php\/2016\/08\/20\/eli-ayase-love-live-school-idol-project\/","url_meta":{"origin":1610,"position":1},"title":"Eli Ayase: Love Live! 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