The Idolmaster SideM

The Idolmaster SideM (Japanese: アイドルマスター SideM, Hepburn: Aidorumasutā Saido Emu, stylized as THE iDOLM@STER SideM) is a Japanese multimedia spin-off series of The Idolmaster, starting with a 2014 game and expanding to include music CDs, two anime series, a web radio show, printed manga, and a rhythm game. The series focuses on the male idols of 315 Production, in contrast with the normally female idol centric series.

The Idolmaster SideM
promotional art for the SideM anime
アイドルマスター サイドエム (Aidorumasutā Saido Emu)
Genre	Idol[1]
Game
Developer	Alt Plus Inc.
Publisher	Bandai Namco Entertainment
Genre	Simulation, Social network game
Platform	Mobage (iOS, Android, Google Chrome)
Released	JP: February 28, 2014 (reopened: July 17, 2014)
Anime television series
Directed by	Takahiro Harada, Miyuki Kuroki
Written by	Yuniko Ayana, Yukie Sugahara
Music by	EFFY
Studio	A-1 Pictures
Original network	BS11 Tokyo MX ABC TV Nagoya Broadcasting Network
Original run	October 7, 2017 – December 30, 2017
Episodes	13 + Special
Game
The Idolmaster SideM LIVE ON ST@GE!
Developer	Akatsuki
Publisher	Bandai Namco Entertainment
Genre	Simulation, Rhythm Game, Social network game
Platform	iOS, Android
Released	JP: August 30, 2017
Anime television series
The Idolmaster SideM: Wake atte Mini!
Directed by	Mankyū
Written by	Sumeragi
Music by	EFFY
Studio	Zero-G (studio)
Original network	BS11 Tokyo MX
Original run	October 9, 2018 – December 25, 2018
Episodes	12 + 3 OVA episodes

The original game was published by Bandai Namco Entertainment and developed by Alt Plus Inc. was released on the Mobage platform in 2014.[2] and is a male idol raising simulation game. A second game, a rhythm game developed by Akatsuki, was released in August 2017.[3] An anime adaptation by A-1 Pictures aired between October and December 2017,[1] and a second chibi slice of life anime adaptation of a manga, animated by Zero-G, aired from October to December 2018.[4]

Overview

See also: List of The Idolmaster characters § 315 Production

The series follows the male idols and the producer and staff of 315 Production (315プロ, Saiko Production) and their activities as idols, including concerts, events, and stage productions. The idols are grouped into set units, although they are not limited to working within these groups.

Some of the idols are from other series; the Jupiter trio from Idolmaster and Ryo Akizuki from Dearly Stars.

Gameplay

Mobile game

The game is a free-to-play raising simulation in which the player, as the producer, collects idols and completes work tasks. In the games, the idols are individually categorized into one of three attributes: physical, Intelligent, and Mental. Idols are collected through cards that are ranked by rarity, strengthened through lessons, and do work for resources. Idols can 'battle' other idols in auditions, live concerts, and in battles against other players.[5]

The game also contains a mini-game called SideMini, in which miniature versions of the idols bring the player items.

Within the game exists manga about the idols in the form of 'magazines' that can be unlocked via gameplay items.[5]

The game originally opened on February 28, 2014, but due to an difficulties arising from unexpectedly large amount of players, the game was closed a day later[6] and reopened five months later on July 17, 2014.

A version for feature phones was available from launch until June 7, 2016. Around the same time, a Chrome app version was released on May 4.[7]

Live on Stage

A 3D model rhythm game titled Idolmaster SideM Live on Stage was released August 30, 2018 for Android and iOS platforms.

Media

Anime

An animated series animated by A-1 Pictures aired in 2017 on Tokyo MX and BS11, and directed by Takahiro Harada and Miyuki Kuroki. The series was introduced with an extended length special Episode 0. The series focuses on some of the idol groups of SideM with their producer at 315 Pro[1] and features animated performance sequences alongside the story.[8]

A special unaired episode was included as part of the DVD and Blu-ray releases.[9]

The Wake atte Mini anime series directed by Mankyū is based on the official chibi manga and is animated by Zero-G.[4] The anime is a series of shorts featuring all SideM idols.

Music

SideM has image songs published by Lantis (company) (later a label for Bandai Namco Arts.), released in several series. These songs are performed at SideM live concerts and similar live performance events.

The music was later used in the anime, with some songs being part of an animated performance. The anime also introduced original music of its own.

Some of music was integrated into the gameplay of LIVE ON ST@GE.

Manga

In addition to the comics available in-game, SideM has several published serialized manga.

Multiple manga have been serialized in Dengeki Maoh and later collected in volumes.

A series drawn by Michiru Satou called Idolmaster SideM Dramatic Stage ran from November 2015 to September 2017.
Another manga drawn by the same artist titled Idolmaster SideM Struggle Heart ran from December 2017 to April 2020.

The chibi manga Wake atte Mini drawn by Sumeragi was serialized in the magazine from June 2016 to March 2018. It received an anime adaptation in 2018, which in turn lead to a short second serialization from November 2018 to March 2019.[10]

References

1. Loo, Egan (February 12, 2017). "The Idolm@ster SideM Idol-Training Game Gets Anime". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on September 1, 2019. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
2. Romano, Sal (February 23, 2014). "Produce male idols in The Idolmaster: SideM for Mobage". Gematsu. Archived from the original on December 19, 2019. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
3. Romano, Sal (February 11, 2017). "The Idolmaster SideM: Live on Stage announced for smartphones". Gematsu. Archived from the original on April 4, 2019. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
4. Sherman, Jennifer (August 20, 2018). "The Idom@ster SideM Wake Atte Mini! Manga Gets TV Anime in October". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on August 5, 2019. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
5. Kumada, Lipton. "今から始める『アイドルマスター SideM』！ 40人のアイドルの卵をアナタの手でトップアイドルに!!". Dengeki (in Japanese). Archived from the original on February 4, 2019. Retrieved July 12, 2020.
6. "「アイマスSideM」、スマホ版事前登録を再開 プレイデータはリセット". ITmedia News (in Japanese). July 7, 2014. Archived from the original on October 2, 2015. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
7. "BLOG│THE IDOLM@STER OFFICIAL WEB | バンダイナムコエンターテインメント公式サイト". BLOG│THE IDOLM@STER OFFICIAL WEB | バンダイナムコエンターテインメント公式サイト. Retrieved July 12, 2020.
8. Ressler, Karen (April 13, 2017). "The Idolm@ster SideM Anime Promo Shows Idol Group of Former High School Teachers". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on July 24, 2019. Retrieved July 12, 2020.
9. Pineda, Rafael Antonio (May 31, 2018). "Idolm@ster SideM Anime's Unaired Episode Previewed in Teaser Video". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on May 9, 2019. Retrieved July 12, 2020.
10. Hodgkins, Crystalyn (February 29, 2020). "Idolm@ster SideM Struggle Heart Manga Ends". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on March 28, 2020. Retrieved July 12, 2020.