Ensemble Stars!! Franchise Gets All-New Theatrical Anime on March 4, 2022
Happy Elements announced on Sunday that its Ensemble Stars! franchise is getting an all new anime titled Ensemble Stars!! Road to Show!!. The anime will screen in theaters in Japan starting on March 4, 2022. The film will take place in New York and will feature the characters visiting New York to attend an Idol Film Festival.
Masakazu Hishida is returning to direct the film at david production, and Asami Nakatani is the chief director. Seitarō Kino from Happy Elements is writing the screenplay, and Happy Elements is again credited with the original character design. Haruko Iizuka is the animation character designer and the chief animation director. Tatsuya Katō is again composing the music.
The film stars:
- Showtaro Morikubo as Makoto Yuuki
- Yuuki Kaji as Mao Isara
- Kōhei Amasaki as Aira Shiratori
- Chiharu Shigematsu as Mayoi Asena
- Junichi Suwabe as Nagisa Ran
- Sōma Saitō as Hinata Aoi
- Tasuku Kaito as Kohaku Ōkawa
- Toshiki Masuda as Rei Sakuma
- Masami Ito as Izumi Sena
- Daiki Yamashita as Ritsu Sakuma
The "idol-training produce game" takes place at a private boys' idol-training school with a history of turning out many great talents in show business. The protagonist is the school's lone female student who transfers to the school because of a special situation, and enters the school's producer department. The game features 14 different idol units and has a cast of more than 50 male voice actors.
The television anime adaptation of the game premiered in July 2019. The cast from the game returned for the anime. The franchise also includes a manga, novels, stage musical adaptations, and CDs.
Happy Elements launched the Ensemble Stars!! Basic and Ensemble Stars!! Music apps in March 2020. The two apps feature new content for the idol franchise as well as a new gameplay style. The main Ensemble Stars! game changed its name to Ensemble Stars!! Basic with the launch. The "Basic" app allows players to continue playing the app as they always have. In contrast, the Ensemble Stars!! Music app features a new rhythm game style of gameplay.
Sources: Ensemble Stars! Road to Show!! anime's Twitter account, Mainichi Shimbun's Mantan Web