Web, merchandise, live events... The expanding world of Aikatsu! And now, into Asia.

"Aikatsu!" pursues an extreme sense of realism to appeal to lower elementary school students. Following our previous interview, we spoke again with Mr. Tsuyoshi Hirose of Bandai, who oversees the Aikatsu! card game; Ms. Kayoko Hashimoto of Bandai, who handles merchandise development; and Mr. Takanori Ito of Sunrise, the anime's producer, about initiatives to expand the Aikatsu! world and future developments.

──What are the key points of character empathy for the target audience of young girls?

Ito: We avoid creating characters based on simple categorization. When designing characters, it's easy to make their personalities too exaggerated, which makes girls think, "There's no one like that, it's not realistic." So, we strive to create characters who share the girls' perspective, inspiring both admiration and relatability.

──One difference in story approach compared to boys' anime is the lack of character battles. Is this a conscious choice?

Ito: While using villains or battles to drive the story is a relatively easy approach, we consciously avoid that in Aikatsu!. We aim to create characters that viewers can genuinely root for, steering clear of stereotypical villain archetypes. The core of the story is each character facing challenges, overcoming them, and growing.

Hashimoto: For children in the lower grades of elementary school, I don't think they need to know about fights or messy drama, and parents probably wouldn't want them to see that either. Aikatsu!'s foundation is built on being enjoyable for anyone who watches, and we are very strict about that.

Ito: A unique challenge for Aikatsu! is making sure viewers grow to like the rival characters introduced later. Even as rivals, they aren't just villains or supporting characters; we develop their scenarios with particular care during their first appearances to ensure they become beloved characters themselves.

──It seems the shift in parents' sensibilities also plays a role in the boom.

Hirose: It's significant that the parents of these children are the gaming generation themselves, having experienced anime and fashion culture, so they have no resistance to the Aikatsu! world. A typical viewing style is the mother flipping through a binder of cards while her child plays the game.

Ito: Fathers seem to really get into the anime's storylines. We hear comments like, "I cried watching it with my daughter," "It was so sports-themed," or "Aoi-chan is such a good kid!" Kiriyama Aoi is Ichigo's best friend and a character especially beloved by the father generation.

Hirose: We also have many adult female fans. While this demographic wasn't anticipated, it aligns with our goal of creating something enjoyable for anyone, so we're delighted. Securing the core target while expanding to other demographics fosters a sense of mainstream appeal and longevity, which reassures parents holding the purse strings.

──Your in-game My Character can now be enjoyed online too. What was the goal there?

Hirose: There used to be a stereotype that girls don't use the web, but we were confident that if it's fun, it would catch on. We also hypothesized that since kids today grow up exposed to their parents' smartphones from a young age, they wouldn't feel resistant to the web. There are limits to the amount of information we can provide within the game itself, so we're building out the web to offer complementary, detailed information.

It's fundamental to media mix strategy: we're considering how much we can draw players into the core Aikatsu! game through the web and merchandise that expand the Aikatsu! world. We're constantly thinking about what players can do with the cards after taking them home, not just using them in the game.

──What other ways do the cards interact with the game?

Hashimoto: For merchandise, we have the Aikatsu Phone. Given it's a high-priced item (the Aikatsu Phone Look released in October has a suggested retail price of ¥12,000), we designed it to link with cards for long-term play. The Aikatsu Phone is also a crucial item in the anime, owned by all the idols.

Hirose: Separate from the arcade cabinets, we've installed Data Spots with communication functions in various locations. By inserting the Aikatsu Phone's microSD card into these Data Spots, players can download new dress data and other content. This system aims to expand the play experience.

──How do you maintain a unified worldview across these diverse expansions?

Hashimoto: For clothing merchandise, each brand has an exclusive designer who creates design proposals. These are reviewed internally, and sometimes rejected. The reason might be, for example, "Designer Yumekoji (from the anime) would never make a design like this!" Whether something could exist within the Aikatsu! world is a key criterion in product development.

Ito: Even when creators want to push a product, thinking buyers will surely love it, we withdraw it if it doesn't match the Aikatsu! worldview. By reviewing products through the lens of the characters who appear, we maintain the unity of the Aikatsu! brand and worldview.

──The live CG in the anime's final concert is also technically impressive.

Ito: Samurai Pictures handles the live CG production, and honestly, they pour so much passion into it that sometimes we think, "You didn't have to go that far..." It's not just about faithfully recreating the anime characters; the camera work and direction are crafted with as much ingenuity as a real idol stage.

Within the 30-minute anime time slot, the pattern has become established throughout the series: the story begins at the start, problems are solved through the characters' efforts and friendships, and it concludes with the CG live scene.

Ratings also tend to climb as the time slot progresses, so I think many viewers look forward to the live CG segment.

Hirose: While the game prioritizes the feeling of controlling the character CG yourself, when I spoke with the team at Samurai Pictures, they mentioned aiming for the sensation of watching the characters' stage as an audience member for the anime's live CG. Hearing that made me think, "Ah, I see!"

──The "Aikatsu! LIVE☆Illusion" held in August was also well-received, wasn't it?

Hashimoto: We built that stage hoping people would say, "My first live concert was Aikatsu!" For Pretty Cure concerts, we use mascots, but elementary school kids figure out mascots aren't real. So we asked, "What is real?" That led us to project holograms of the characters onto the stage for the live performance.

Ito: After the live, we heard feedback like, "I met the real Ichigo-chan!" and "Ichigo-chan looked at me and waved!" So we felt it was a success.

──Regarding future developments.

Ito: Starting in October, the story will follow Akari Ozora aiming to become an idol alongside fresh new members. We're crafting the story with a one- to two-year outlook, weaving in current events and trends, as the growth stories of characters with slightly different backgrounds and goals.

Now that Ichigo has reached a high stage as an idol, we'll return to our roots with Akari at the center, freshly depicting daily life, work, and encounters with cards. Of course, senior idols will also appear, expanding and deepening the Aikatsu! world. And Kanzaki Mizuki, whom Ichigo admired, will make a major decision regarding her idol activities.

Hashimoto: Alongside the new characters, we'll introduce a new brand and release lots of merchandise.

Hirose: For the global market, we plan to roll out games, anime, and merchandise in Indonesia just like in Japan. We'll also collaborate with JKT48, Indonesia's version of AKB48, for large-scale promotions. We see Indonesia as a growing market, and since idol popularity there feels similar to Japan's, it looks promising.

Hashimoto: For global expansion, we've focused on anime in Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong so far. We localize character and brand names for each country to make them more accessible. In Hong Kong, since we couldn't provide game cabinets, we created transparent cards. The gimmick is that stacking them completes a fashion set.

Ito: The "Aikatsu! The Movie" is scheduled for December. It tells the story of Ichigo-chan becoming a top idol. We're working hard to create a film that makes you feel like you're attending a live performance by Hoshimiya Ichigo, in a different way from LIVE☆Illusion. In the movie, Ichigo, as a top idol, says, "I want to create a stage that helps everyone who watches it greet a wonderful tomorrow." We aim to make this film deliver exactly that kind of moving experience.

──I'm looking forward to it even more now! Thank you very much.