Girls' Anime "Aikatsu!" Lands in Indonesia; Theme Song by JKT
The anime "Aikatsu! -Idol Katsudou!-," hugely popular among elementary school girls, has landed in Indonesia. Broadcasts began on commercial TV station RCTI on September 20th, with trading cards and an arcade game launching in October.
"Aikatsu!" debuted in October 2012 as a trading card and arcade game from Bandai, marketed as the "National Idol Audition Game." A TV anime series based on the game also airs on TV Tokyo. The story follows girls at a prestigious idol academy as they strive in "Aikatsu" (idol activities), tackling numerous auditions. It became a massive hit, captivating audiences from young elementary school girls to adults.
In Indonesia, the TV anime airs weekly on Saturdays. Bandai Namco has also installed game machines in game centers and shopping malls. Related toys like accessories and card cases, along with a fan book, are scheduled for release within the year. Furthermore, a smartphone app is planned for release in 2015. For Bandai Namco, this marks its first full-scale overseas media mix venture.
Masashi Harada, Deputy General Manager of Bandai's Card Business Division, told NNA, an agency distributing Asian economic and business news, "This is a major challenge for Bandai." Explaining the choice of Indonesia, he stated, "The popularity of anime and manga is higher than in other countries, evident even in ordinary bookstores selling Japanese manga." Taiwan, where the game launched earlier in May, is also scheduled to begin airing the TV anime in October. Total sales for the Aikatsu! business currently reach approximately 16 billion yen globally.
The TV anime's theme song is performed by JKT48, who rose to become top idols in Indonesia. They were chosen because their image aligns with the "Aikatsu!" theme of aspiring to be an idol. In the game's promotion, collaboration cards featuring JKT48 have already gained popularity.
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