The Idolmaster
Genre(s)	Raising simulation,music,rhythm,business simulation
Developer(s)	Metro Bandai Namco Studios Cygames QualiArts
Publisher(s)	Namco Bandai Namco Entertainment
Platform(s)	Arcade,Xbox 360,PlayStation Portable,PlayStation 3,Nintendo DS,Mobile phone,Windows,iOS,Android,PlayStation Vita,PlayStation 4
First release	The Idolmaster July 26, 2005
Latest release	Gakuen Idolmaster May 16, 2024

The Idolmaster^[a] is a Japanesemedia franchise that began in 2005 with araising simulation andrhythmvideo game series created byBandai Namco Entertainment (formerlyNamco). The series primarily centers on the career of a producer who works with a group of prospective popidols at thetalent agency 765 Production. Originally released as anarcade game, the franchise has grown to numerousports, sequels andspin-offs across multiplevideo game consoles, including severalsocial network games. The series includes a variety of other media such as ananime with the same name, printed media, audio dramas, aKorean drama, and radio shows.

The central aspect of the plot forThe Idolmaster deals with the training of prospective popidols on their way to stardom. The maintalent agency featured in the series is765 Production (765 Pro), a rising studio located in a small office. Other studios include 876 Production (876 Pro), 961 Production (961 Pro), 346 Production (346 Pro), 315 Production (315 Pro) and 283 Production (283 Pro). At 765 Pro, there are initially 10 idols the player can choose:Haruka Amami,Chihaya Kisaragi,Yukiho Hagiwara,Yayoi Takatsuki,Ritsuko Akizuki,Azusa Miura,Iori Minase,Makoto Kikuchi, andAmi and Mami Futami (who work as a pair).^[1] Three additional idols later added to 765 Pro include:Miki Hoshii,Hibiki Ganaha andTakane Shijō.^[2]

A recurring theme in the series emphasizes the struggles an idol must go through to achieve stardom.^[3] This is indicated by the level of an idol's tension meter.^[4] Games in the series also explore relationships between characters, ranging from the relationship that develops between an idol and a producer, to the rivalry between idols and production studios.^[5][6]

In the main series of games, the player usually assumes the role of a producer who is put in charge of one or more idols as a part of araising simulation. The player is initially put in charge of a single idol, but this can increase to more idols once the player gains enough experience as a producer. The player starts by arranging the idol's daily schedule, which gives the player a large amount of freedom on what the idol does, including giving the idol the day off.^[7][8] The schedule includes time for the producer to communicate with the idol, take them to jobs, train them during lessons, and offer directions during auditions and performances until they reach the top spot in the entertainment industry.^[7][9] However, the schedule choices in the original arcade game are limited to doing a lesson or taking an audition.^[10] Training an idol has the player going through a variety of lessons in the form ofminigames. These lessons serve to increase an idol's statistics in vocal, dance and visual image.^[11] The number and type of lessons change over the series; for example, there are five in the original arcade game, six inThe Idolmaster SP, and three inThe Idolmaster 2.^[11][12] The other aspect of the game which increases an idol's statistics depends on their costumes and accessories.^[4][13]

In the communication phase between the producer and an idol, text progression pauses when the player is given multiple responses to choose from over the course of a conversation and the player is given a limited amount of time to make a choice, though the player can pause the game to be given more time. Depending on which choice is made will affect how well or poorly the communication is received.^[14] As mutual trust builds between idol and producer, good memories are formed which help the idol in auditions.^[11] In contrast, if bad memories are formed through poor communication, this will adversely affect an idol.^[4] This communication is further expanded inThe Idolmaster SP with the introduction of a promise system.^[15] The communication phase is supplemented by the idol taking on various jobs to further her exposure and gain fans.^[7][16]

The audition phase is the main way for an idol to climb the idol rankings by gaining fans.^[4] The audition process involves another series of minigames, which allow the player to appeal to the judges or audience by earning points in the vocal, dance and visual categories.^[17][18] If an idol passes the audition, she is chosen to do a televised public performance.^[19] In later games, during the performance, the player is able to influence the idol by giving directions.^[7][18] The same gameplay in the audition process is also used during live concerts and festivals.^[20][21] The player can check the idol's rank, how many fans she has gained,^[7][22] and how much hersingles have sold.^[23]

The Idolmaster, the first game of the series, was first released in Japan on July 26, 2005 as anarcade game^[24] usingNamco Bandai Games'Namco System 246arcade system board. Developed by Metro,^[25] it introduced many gameplay and plot themes common to the franchise. The player assumes the role of a novice producer who works with prospective popidols through lessons, auditions and performances.^[26] The player can also develop a relationship between an idol and her producer. The game uses thetouchscreen Rewritable Stage arcade cabinet, which issues the player two rewritable cards containing the player's profile andsave data.^[27] It also makes use of the ALL.Net network service to keep track of national idol rankings. The network was discontinued on September 1, 2010,^[28] though a few of the arcade cabinets still survive.^[29]

Aport of the arcade game for theXbox 360 was released on January 25, 2007. This version introduced an additional idol,Miki Hoshii, and includes new songs. The port makes use ofXbox Live, and the game has been credited with making Japan's ratio of sign-ups for Xbox Live compared to the number of consoles sold as the world's highest.^[30] Over four times as many Microsoft points were sold on the date ofThe Idolmaster's Xbox 360 release as on the date before it.^[30] A sequel to the arcade game titledThe Idolmaster Live For You! for the Xbox 360 was released on February 28, 2008. InLive For You!, the player assumes the role of a "special producer" due to the sudden absence of the original producer and is charged with coordinating the idols' concerts. The game focuses mainly on the concert coordination aspect of the original and expands on it in many ways, with higher customization of the stage, costumes and songs.^[31]Live For You! also introduced arhythm game aspect into the series, incorporating it as aminigame during an idol's concert.^[32] A collection containing bothThe Idolmaster andLive For You! was released on March 12, 2009 asThe Idolmaster Twins.^[33]

A game titledThe Idolmaster SP for thePlayStation Portable was released in three versions on February 19, 2009 titledPerfect Sun,Missing Moon andWandering Star.^[34][35]SP re-introduces Miki Hoshii as a rival idol working for the 961 Pro studio, and introduces the new charactersHibiki Ganaha andTakane Shijō, also working for 961. Hibiki is inPerfect Sun, Miki is inMissing Moon, and Takane is inWandering Star.SP also introduces a multiplayer mode for up to three players where each of the players' idols can interact and audition together. Aslot machine titledThe Idolmaster Live in Slot! was released on May 23, 2012 bySammy using the Xbox 360 version ofThe Idolmaster as its motif.^[36][37]

In May 2009, the franchise's next stage called "2nd Vision" was announced, which was described asThe Idolmaster's next project that would further expand the series' world.^[38] The first 2nd Vision game isThe Idolmaster Dearly Stars for theNintendo DS and was released on September 17, 2009.^[39][40] Instead of playing the role of a producer, the player portrays one of the three idols introduced inDearly Stars as they enter 876 Pro.^[41] In addition to the story mode, the game also features a cheering mode for up to 16 players,^[42] and includes wi-fi functionality. The idols from previousThe Idolmaster games make appearances inDearly Stars as already established and popular idols.

Another sequel to the original arcade game titledThe Idolmaster 2 was released for the Xbox 360 on February 24, 2011 and later for thePlayStation 3 (PS3) on October 27, 2011.^[43][44] Set in the same universe asDearly Stars six months afterThe Idolmaster, the player can choose between most of same idols in addition to Miki, Hibiki and Takane. InThe Idolmaster 2,Azusa Miura,Iori Minase andAmi Futami now form an independent unit withRitsuko Akizuki as their producer.^[6] A nine-volumefan disc series titledThe Idolmaster Gravure For You! was released for the PS3 from October 27, 2011 to June 28, 2012.^[44]Gravure For You! allows the player to give the idols directions while takinggravure photos of them in various poses, costumes and locations.^[45]

On October 25, 2012,The Idolmaster Shiny Festa was released for the PlayStation Portable in three versions. LikeThe Idolmaster SP, the different versions—titledHoney Sound,Funky Note andGroovy Tune—feature different idols fromThe Idolmaster 2 to work with.^[46]Shiny Festa is arhythm game, and unlike previous games does not feature anyraising simulation gameplay.^[47] TheShiny Festa games were released oniOS and localized into English on April 22, 2013.^[48] The titles of the games were changed for the port:Honey Sound becameHarmonic Score,Funky Note becameRhythmic Record andGroovy Tune becameMelodic Disc.

Anapp for the PS3 titledImas Channel was released on thePlayStation Network on October 2, 2013. The app includes aShiny TV component which features a PS3 version ofShiny Festa, and the nineGravure For You! fan discs can also be downloaded via the app.^[49] The gameThe Idolmaster One For All was released on May 15, 2014 for the PS3 and allows players to produce all 13 idols from 765 Pro.^[50] A game titledThe Idolmaster Platinum Stars for thePlayStation 4 (PS4)^[51][52] was released on July 28, 2016.The Idolmaster Stella Stage was released for the PS4 on December 20, 2017.^[53]The Idolmaster Starlit Season, a crossover game featuring idols from the original series,Cinderella Girls,Million Live! andShiny Colors, was originally planned to release in 2020 for the PS4 andWindows viaSteam, but was delayed first to May 27, 2021 due to theCOVID-19 pandemic, and then further to October 14, 2021 for quality improvements.^{[54][55][56][57][58]}

This sectionneeds expansion. You can help byadding to it.(December 2022)

The franchise's third stage called "3.0 Vision" was announced on December 26, 2022.^[59]

The firstsocial network game in the series,The Idolmaster Cinderella Girls, was released on theMobagebrowser game platform forfeature phones on November 28, 2011,^[60] and for iOS and Android devices on December 16, 2011.^[61] The game features a card battle system and over 100 additional idols, including the 13 idols from 765 Pro.^[62][63] In September 2012, theNikkei Shimbun reported thatCinderella Girls earns over 1 billionyen in revenue monthly.^[64]

The second social network game,The Idolmaster Million Live!, was released on February 27, 2013 on theGREE browser game platform for iOS and Android devices, andfeature phones sold byau,NTT DoCoMo andSoftBank.^[65][66] LikeCinderella Girls, the game features a card battle system and another 37 additional idols, which also includes the 13 idols from 765 Pro.^[66] GREE officially ended the service on March 19, 2018.^[67] A successor game toThe Idolmaster Million Live! titledThe Idolmaster Million Live! Theater Days was released on June 29, 2017.^[68] The game features all 37Million Live! idols from the preceding game and the 13 765 Pro idols, but also introduces two brand new idols, bringing it up to a total of 52 playable and produceable idols.^[69]

The third social network game,The Idolmaster SideM, was released on February 28, 2014 on the Mobage platform for mobile devices.^[70][71] The game features a card battle system similar to the other social network games, but instead focuses on male idols at the talent agency 315 Production, which also includes the three idols formerly from961 Production.^[72] A rhythm game with 3D models titledThe Idolmaster SideM: Live On Stage! was released August 17, 2017.^[73] A newer game titledThe Idolmaster SideM: Growing Stars was released October 6, 2021.^[74]

The fourth spin-off,The Idolmaster Shiny Colors was released for Bandai Namco andDrecom'senza platform for HTML5 games on April 24, 2018.^[75] An app version was released foriOS andAndroid on March 13, 2019.^[76] The game is an idol raising simulator similar in style to the original games but with no rhythm game elements. This game features a completely new cast, including 25 idols and 3 employees at 283 Production (including the producer).

The fifth spin-off, namedGakuen Idolmaster, was announced on March 5, 2024.^[77] The game was released on May 16, 2024.^[78]

In the early 2000s, there were arcade games already in use that allowed players tosave their progress onmagnetic stripe cards so as to continue playing later.^[3] In 2001,^[79] Namcodesigner Akihiro Ishihara chose to create an arcade game that used that technology.^[3] Ishihara wanted to make a game that would make players want to come back to play every day, which would be tied to the growth ofvideo arcades. Ishihara realized that players would need an emotional attachment to the game for them to play it every day. With thetarget audience to be male players, Ishihara thought that araising simulation where players could befriend girls and young women would lead players to form a strong emotional attachment for the game. Next, in order to effectively use the competitive culture that surrounds video arcades, Ishihara thought about various themes for the game, includingprofessional wrestling andvolleyball. Ishihara finally settled on a game featuring popidols, who players would raise and compete against other players' idols to reach the top of the entertainment industry.^[3] There were some members of Namco that thought it would feel awkward to playThe Idolmaster in public and that it would not be well received by players. However, when the game was first tested in arcades, there were long lines of people waiting to play. As word spread and its popularity grew, rival game companies said they had wanted to be the first to create a game likeThe Idolmaster.^[80]

Following the success of the arcade game, Namco Bandai Games went on to develop its Xbox 360 port starting in early 2006, though a port of the game had been discussed as early as May 2005.^[81] Namco Bandai Gamesproducer Yōzō Sakagami was initially unsure ifThe Idolmaster would be suited for avideo game console due to hardware and network limitations, but he felt that the Xbox 360 and itsXbox Live network could handle the game's specifications.^[3] This would also allow the developers to improve the game's quality and attract attention from those who never played the arcade game. Many people who were interested in the arcade game but never played it would tell Sakagami that this was either because their local arcade did not haveThe Idolmaster, or because they were embarrassed to play it in public. According to Sakagami, to the development team of the port, there was a large significance in correcting these issues. Their other focus was on allowing players to comfortably play the game and enjoy its various scenarios without the rushed gameplay found in the arcade version.^[3] Certain gameplay elements were changed in the port, and this approach to improving and supplementing gameplay elements has continued throughout the series.^[3][7][8]

Most of the core design staff for each game is different, but there are several staff members who have worked for multiple games in the series. The arcade game was directed by Akihiro Ishihara, who also directedThe Idolmaster SP andThe Idolmaster 2, the latter of which he shared directorship with Masataka Katō.^[82] The director for the Xbox 360 port ofThe Idolmaster is Hiroyuki Onoda.^[81] Several returning scenario writers for the series include: Shōgo Sakamoto, Tomoyo Takahashi, Emi Tanaka, Yoshihito Azuma, and Akihiro Ishihara. The original character design was handled byToshiyuki Kubooka up toThe Idolmaster SP.^[83] After that, Kiyotaka Tamiya based the character design used inThe Idolmatser Dearly Stars and later games on Kubooka's designs.^[82]

The graphics of the original arcade game were limited by theNamco System 246 arcade game board released in 2001, which is compatible with aPlayStation 2.^[81] Since the arcade game, characters have been rendered using3D graphics withpre-rendered backgrounds, except during auditions and performances which use a full 3D environment. The developers employmotion capture to present a realistic view of the characters—not only during normal gameplay,^[3] but also during performances, which are rendered using motion capture from professional dancers.^[84] When developing the Xbox 360 port ofThe Idolmaster, the characters had to be entirely redone, including the motion capture, which used the same actors as before. Further details were able to be added to the character designs because of the Xbox 360's improved, high-definition hardware.^[3]

The titles in the series feature a variety of music sung by the idols, many of which are featured in multiple games either initially or asdownloadable content. The original arcade game has 10 songs, and this is increased to 16 in the Xbox 360 port, as it includes 6 new songs.^[81] More songs have continued to be introduced in later games, which include: five inThe Idolmaster Live For You!, five inThe Idolmaster SP, four inThe Idolmaster Dearly Stars, 13 inThe Idolmaster 2, and four inThe Idolmaster Shiny Festa. Additional songs initially released on various music albums and singles have also been featured in the games, includingremix versions of some songs.

A 26-episodeanime television series set in an alternate universe titledIdolmaster: Xenoglossia, produced bySunrise and directed byTatsuyuki Nagai, aired in Japan between April and October 2007 onKansai TV. The series centers aroundmecha and reimagines the ten prospective idols as fighter pilots of those robots, with eight of them posing as students.Xenoglossia has no relation to the games apart from its characters.

A 17-minuteoriginal video animation (OVA) episode titledThe Idolmaster Live For You!, produced byActas and directed byKeiichiro Kawaguchi, was included in the limited edition ofLive For You! released on February 28, 2008. The OVA involves Haruka, Chihaya and Miki trying to reach Tokyo in time to catch up with the rest of the girls in their latest concert after the trio gets lost in the middle of nowhere.

A faithful anime television series adaptation, produced byA-1 Pictures and directed by Atsushi Nishigori, aired 25 episodes between July and December 2011 onTBS and otherJNN networks acrossJapan. An OVA episode was released on June 16, 2012. Additional OVA episodes were bundled with theShiny Festa games released on October 25, 2012, with a different episode for each of the three versions. An anime film adaptation, titledThe Idolmaster Movie: Beyond the Brilliant Future!, was released on January 25, 2014.^[85]

Anoriginal net animation adaptation of the spin-off manga by Akane,Puchimas! Petit Idolmaster, was produced by Gathering and directed by Mankyū. The 64 short episodes streamed between January and March 2013. A second season titledPuchimas!! Puchi Puchi Idolmaster streamed 74 episodes between April and June 2014. The series revolves around the 765 Pro idols as they are accompanied bysuper-deformed versions of themselves. An OVA episode was bundled withASCII Media Works'Dengeki Maoh magazine in October 2012.^[86]

An animatedmusic video of the spin-off gameThe Idolmaster Cinderella Girls, featuring the song "Onegai! Cinderella", was streamed within the game on November 28, 2013 in celebration of its second anniversary.^[87][88] A special animation video featuring the character Mirai Kasuga was streamed within the spin-off gameThe Idolmaster Million Live! in commemoration of its first anniversary.^[89] An anime television series adaptation ofThe Idolmaster Cinderella Girls, produced by A-1 Pictures, aired thirteen episodes from January to April 2015.^[90][91] A second season ofThe Idolmaster Cinderella Girls aired with 12 episodes from July to October 2015^[92] plus an OVA episode released on February 25, 2016.^[93]

An anime television series adaptation of the spin-off gameThe Idolmaster SideM, featuring male characters and also by A-1 Pictures, aired from October to December 2017.^[94] An anime television series adaptation of Sumeragi'sWake Atte Mini! spin-off manga, produced byZero-G and directed by Mankyū, aired from October 9 to December 25, 2018.^[95]

An anime television series adaptation of the spin-off gameThe Idolmaster Million Live!, produced byShirogumi and directed by Shinya Watada, aired from October to December 2023.^[96]

An anime television series adaptation of the spin-off gameThe Idolmaster Shiny Colors, produced byPolygon Pictures and directed by Mankyuu, is scheduled to air in 2024.^[97]

Various guidebooks for the video games and anime adaptations have been published over the years. Twolight novels based onThe Idolmaster, written by Yūsuke Saitō and illustrated by Otoko, were published byEnterbrain in 2006. Two separate light novels based onIdolmaster: Xenoglossia were published byFujimi Shobo in 2007 andHobby Japan in 2008.The Idolmaster has been adapted into 26serializedmanga and several other mangaanthologies, which include direct adaptations of the video games and anime adaptations, in addition to numerousspin-offs. The earliest manga was published in 2005 byIchijinsha, and since then other manga have been published byASCII Media Works,Enterbrain, Fox Shuppan,Hakusensha,Kadokawa Shoten,Kodansha andSquare Enix.

Frontier Works published 12drama CDs from 2005 to 2009 for the games: six based on the arcade game,^[98][99] three based on its Xbox 360 port,^[100][101] and three based onThe Idolmaster SP.^[102][103]Lantis released three drama CDs based onIdolmaster: Xenoglossia in 2007.^[104][105] Frontier Works also published two drama CDs based onPuchimas! Petit Idolmaster in 2011.^[106][107] There have been 15 radio shows for the video games and anime adaptations.

ASouth Korean drama television series based on the games and titledThe Idolmaster KR premiered in 2017, running for 24 hour-long episodes. It is streaming worldwide byAmazon Prime Video as anAmazon Original.^[108][109]

Each installment ofThe Idolmaster has seen different levels of success. The Xbox 360 port ofThe Idolmaster was awarded the special prize at the 2007Japan Game Awards partially for its unique take on raising simulation games at the time.^[110] The Xbox 360 port ofThe Idolmaster sold 25,000 copies in its first week of sale and was the fifteenth best selling console video game in Japan for the time of its release.^[111]The Idolmaster Live For You! would see better success, selling 44,000 units in its first week of sales as the fifth best selling console video game in Japan.^[112] In their first week of sales, the three versions ofThe Idolmaster SP sold 129,088 units.^[113]The Idolmaster Dearly Stars sold 30,786 in its first week of sales.^[114]The Idolmaster 2 for the Xbox 360 was voted one of the most anticipated future game at the 2010Tokyo Game Show by attendees.^[115] Despite this, the Xbox 360 version of the game initially sold 34,621 units and was the tenth best selling console video game in Japan for the time of its release, but the PlayStation 3 version sold 65,512 units in its first week.^[116][117] The three versions ofThe Idolmaster Shiny Festa sold 119,132 units in their first week of sales.^[118]

The Idolmaster Cinderella Girls earned more than¥1 billion per month (¥12 billion annually) in Japan during 2012.^[119]The Idolmaster Cinderella Girls: Starlight Stage grossed¥26.6 billion in Japan during 2017,^[120] and¥22.5 billion during 2018.^[121] This adds up to at least¥61.1 billion ($598 million) in mobile game revenue.

Up until 2012,The Idolmaster anime DVD and Blu-ray releases grossed¥2,275.4 million in Japan,^[122] while music CD and concert sales grossed¥10 billion.^[119][123] In 2013, the franchise grossed¥1,845.9 million in home media (videos, manga, music, novels) sales.^[124] In 2014, anime DVD and Blu-ray sales generated¥125.6 million.^[122]The Idolmaster home media (videos, manga, music, novels) sales earned¥10,104,641,518 in Japan between 2015 and 2016,^[125][126] and then¥13,365,945,920 between 2017 and 2018.^[127][128] This adds up to approximately¥37.717 billion ($389 million) in home media sales revenue, as of 2018^[update].

The Idolmaster Movie: Beyond the Brilliant Future! (2014) grossed$7.84 million in East Asian theaters, including ¥772,973,700^[129] ($7.65 million) in Japan^[130] and ₩212,428,000 ($187,797) in South Korea.^[131]The Idolmaster merchandise grossed¥5.42 billion ($68 million) in Japan retail sales during 2007.^[132]

In terms of fan demographics, the fanbase ofThe Idolmaster franchise within Japan has an average age of 31 years, and a male-to-female ratio of approximately 50:50, based on a December 16, 2023 survey conducted byNikkei Entertainment.^[133]

The raising simulation system in the series has been described as simple and easy to understand,^[134] and the various minigames have been described as "addictive".^[4][134] However, the audition system in later games such asThe Idolmaster 2 has been called strategically weaker, but at the same time easier to understand than previous games.^[137] As the series progressed, the improved realism in the idol's expressions, movements and manner of speaking was praised.^[34] As the first handheld release,The Idolmaster SP was praised as satisfying the needs of the fans who enjoy "lovingly raising their favorite idols" at all times.^[34] Overall, an enjoyable aspect of the series has been cited as deepening one's relationship with "cute and individualistic" idols while going through the ups and downs of the story.^[137]

The introduction of rivals intoThe Idolmaster SP was described as effectively giving each game a different impression,^[34] and competing against rivals in the series has been praised.^[137] While one reviewer forFamitsu suggested it was natural to identify with the idols when watching them perform, a different reviewer in the same magazine issue stated that the game would be somewhat tiresome if the player did not have an emotional attachment to a given idol.^[134] However, another reviewer noted that it was easier to empathize with an idol when the story is told from the perspective of the idols inThe Idolmaster Dearly Stars.^[136] Although, because other aspects of the gameplay inDearly Stars are similar such as doing lessons and auditions, the sense of enjoyment is not that different from other games.^[136] Early aspects of the series were criticized as presenting a narrow and unrealistic view of the idol world.^[134]

Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation, another Xbox 360 game developed and published by Namco, referencesThe Idolmaster in special paint schemes for theSu-33 Flanker,F-117A Night Hawk,F-16C Fighting Falcon,F-2A Viper Zero,Su-47 Berkut,F-15E Strike Eagle,Rafale M,Mirage 2000-5,Typhoon,F-14D Tomcat andF-22A Raptor as part of downloadable packs of extra aircraft colors made available for purchase between November 22, 2007 and March 31, 2008. The character Miki Hoshii appears on the paint schemes of the Su-33 and Su-47, Yukiho Hagiwara appears on the F-117A, Chihaya Kisaragi appears on the F-15E, Haruka Amami on the F-22A, Yayoi Takatsuki on the Mirage 2000-5, Azusa Miura on the F-14D, and Iori Minase on the Rafale M.^{[143][144][145]}

Yayoi Takatsuki made a cameo in Namco'srole-playing game (RPG)Tales of Hearts as a support attacker by using a move named High Touch. Haruka Amami made an appearance as a cameo costume for Mel in Namco's RPGTales of Phantasia: Narikiri Dungeon X.^[146] The gameTales of the World: Radiant Mythology had several of the girls' costumes featured as purchasable and wearable armor.Downloadable content (DLC) costumes can be bought as custom outfits fromThe Idolmaster for the Namco Bandai gamesTales of Graces andTales of Xillia. InGraces, Sophie, Pascal and Cheria can have costumes purchased for them,^[147] and inXillia, Milla, Leia and Elise can have costumes purchased for them.

A stage inBeautiful Katamari set in the producer's office features a song by ten of the girls titled "Danketsu". A remix was produced titled "Danketsu 2010" sung by all of the girls. Some of the Katamari Cousins in the game also represent the idols. Four songs fromThe Idolmaster series were featured inTaiko no Tatsujin 14.^[148] An update patch forPlayStation Home featuresThe Idolmaster slot machines inside the Namco Bandai hubs where one can win special clothing to make PlayStation Home avatars look like Haruka.^[149] A collaboration DLC package between Sega'sHatsune Miku: Project DIVA 2nd andThe Idolmaster SP was released, featuring a Haruka costume forHatsune Miku, a combined version of Ami and Mami's costumes forKagamine Rin, and a Chihaya costume forMegurine Luka. The package also comes with "Go My Way!!" redone by Miku and "Relations" redone by Luka and Rin.Ace Combat: Assault Horizon as well as theRidge Racer series on PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita and Xbox 360 also include DLC forThe Idolmaster series.^[150]

Bandai Namco Entertainment andAniplex has allowed third party companies and organizations to use the franchise's characters in their promotions both individually or as a group. Miki Hoshii was named the store manager ofTower Records' Japanese branches on March 21, 2011 at the retailer's Shinjuku branch.^[151] In 2012, the Tokyo Shrine Agency distributed posters and pamphlets featuring the 765 Production idols as part of a campaign to attracthatsumōde visitors.^[152]Sagan Tosu featured the idol characters ofCinderella Girls on the tickets and merchandises for their September 12, 2015 match against theShimizu S-Pulse and September 26, 2015 match against theVentforet Kofu.^[153][154]

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