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The Idolm@ster SideM Anime's Video Previews Prologue Special

The official website for The Idolm@ster SideM television anime series revealed the "The Idolm@ster Prologue SideM -Episode of Jupiter-" television anime special and began streaming a promotional video on Tuesday. The prologue anime will tell the story of the three Jupiter idol unit members before they join the agency 315 Production.

The special will debut on Tokyo MX, BS 11, Gunma TV, and Tochigi TV on September 30 at 24:30 (effectively October 1 at 12:30 a.m.). The anime will also air on ABC Asahi Broadcasting and Nagoya TV in a late-night time slot and stream on Niconico Live.

In addition, the website revealed a new key visual and premiere date details for the television anime series. The anime will premiere on Tokyo MX, Nagoya TV, and BS 11 on October 7 at 23:30, followed by ABC Asahi Broadcasting at 26:29 (effectively October 8 at 2:29 a.m.). Bandai Channel, Animate Channel, and Niconico Live will also stream the series.

Yūma Uchida, Shugo Nakamura, and Taku Yashiro, who voice the Dramatic Stars idols in the anime, will appear on the "Anime Idolm@ster SideM Hōsō Kinen SP St@rting Ceremony" television special on September 23. They will also appear on the tentatively titled "Idolm@ster SideM Anime Hōsō Chokuzen Special" streaming program on Niconico Live on September 3. All 46 of the 315 Production idols will appear at "The Idolm@ster SideM 3rd Live Tour ~Glorious St@ge!~" live event, which will be held in four locations in Japan between February 3 and April 29.

The television anime series stars:

• Yūma Uchida as former medical surgeon Kaoru Sakuraba
• Shugo Nakamura as former lawyer Teru Tendō
• Taku Yashiro as former pilot Tsubasa Kashiwagi

• Yuichiro Umehara as former convenience store part-time worker Kyōji Takajō
• Shun Horie as former mascot costume wearer Pierre
• Tomohito Takatsuka as former florist Minori Watanabe

• Yoshiki Nakajima as former high school chemistry teacher Jiro Yamashita
• Junya Enoki as former high school English teacher Rui Maita
• Kent Itō as former high school math teacher Michio Hazama

• Yusuke Shirai as Haruna Wakazato, former drummer for a light music club
• Sho Nogami as Shiki Iseya, former vocalist for a light music club
• Takuma Nagatsuka as Jun Fuyumi, former keyboardist for a light music club
• Shōya Chiba as Hayato Akiyama, former guitarist for a light music club
• Hiroshi Watanabe as Natsuki Sakaki, former bassist for a light music club

• Takeru Kikuchi as former soccer player and older twin brother Yūsuke Aoi
• Yoshitaka Yamaya as former soccer player and younger twin brother Kyōsuke Aoi

• Yoshitsugu Matsuoka as Shōta Mitarai, formerly an idol with 961 Production
• Takuma Terashima as Tōma Amagase, formerly an idol with 961 Production
• Daichi Kanbara as Hokuto Ijuin, formerly an idol with 961 Production

Other cast members include Kengo Kawanishi as Ken Yamamura and Fumihiko Tachiki as Takashi Saitō.

The anime's main staff are returning from other works in The IDOLM@STER series. Takahiro Harada (The IDOLM@STER, The IDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls episode director) and Miyuki Kuroki (The IDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls, Occultic;Nine episode director) are directing the anime at A-1 Pictures. Yuniko Ayana (BanG Dream!, Kinmoza! Kiniro + Mosaic) and Yukie Sugawara (Hina Logi: from Luck & Logic, Overlord) are in charge of series composition. Yuusuke Tanaka (Occultic;Nine, Fractale animation director) and Haruko Iizuka (Tamayura, Little Busters!) are designing the characters. Tanaka and Maho Yoshikawa (Touken Ranbu: Hanamaru, The irregular at magic high school) are serving as chief animation directors. EFFY is composing the music. The voice cast for all six idol groups are performing the show's opening theme song "Reason!!".

Other staff members include:

• Color Design: Asuka Yokota
• Art Setting: Kazushi Fujii
• Art Director: Hisayo Usui
• 3D Director: Akira Fukuda
• Director of Photography: Yukiko Nagase
• Editing: Akinori Mishima
• Sound Director: Takatoshi Hamano

The Idolm@ster SideM game launched in July 2014, and is available for iOS and Android devices, as well as on Mobage and ChromeApps. Like other games in The Idolm@ster franchise, SideM is built on the concept of "idols you can produce." The app focuses on the male idols at the agency 315 Production (pronounced "Saikō Production" or "Ultimate Production"). The app now has more than one million downloads.

Bandai Namco Entertainment revealed The Idolm@ster SideM Live On St@ge app in February. The app will arrive later this year.

Source: Comic Natalie