News

Dream Festival! Idol Anime Gets 2nd Season in 2017

The official Twitter account for the Dream Festival! television anime series announced on Saturday that the anime is getting a second season that will premiere in 2017. Bandai had originally announced the new season at the end of the first season's 12th and final episode on Friday.

Crunchyroll streamed the 12-episode series as it aired, and describes the series:

The Dream Festival is the stage that all idols dream of singing on, with their professional debut on the line. In order to get there, idols work their hardest every day to perfect their performance... and the key to coming out on top is the Dream Festival! Cards sent by fans to their favorite idols. Receiving these Cards makes the idols who make it to the stage shine even brighter. Now head to the Dream Festival with your Dream Festival Card in hand for the idol you love most!

Dream Festival! is the net and television anime adaptation the all-male "2.5D idol project" from several Bandai Namco Group companies. The anime premiered online on the Animate Channel on September 23, and the television broadcast premiered on October 7.

The anime stars:

• Sōma Ishihara as the rookie Kanade Amamiya
• Toshiyuki Morikawa as the legendary idol Haruto Mikami
• Masaki Ōta as Itsuki Katagiri, who is amazing when dancing
• Kaoru Masaki as the exceedingly sweet and angelic Chizuru Sawamura
• Kentarō Tomita as Junya Sasaki, "Mister Idol" who aims for the top
• Takuya Mizoguchi as the blue romanticist Shin Oikawa
• Kimito Totani as Keigo Kazama
• Hideaki Kabumoto as Yuto Kuroishi

The premise of the project follows five aspiring male idols at a fictional talent agency. In the world of Dream Festival, fans support their idols with Dream Festival! Cards (a.k.a. "Dorika"). These cards unlock costume changes and special stage performances during the idols' performances.

The project targets the female demographics in their teens, 20s, and 30s, and also includes a planned game app, CDs, character goods, music videos, live concert events, and more. All of these media plans are tied with the official Dream Festival! Card items, which Bandai began selling this spring. The free smartphone game app that is now available links with these Dream Festival! Cards.

The project's member companies include Bandai Namco Pictures, Bandai, Bandai Namco Rights Marketing (Bandai Channel), Lantis, Amuse, Bandai Namco Entertainment, Banpresto, and Beams. Many of these same companies are also involved in the Aikatsu! and Love Live! idol projects.

[Via Nijimen]