The Anime Central convention and Bandai Namco Entertainment announced on March 25 that the convention will host six idols from The IDOLM@STER franchise, including: Asami Imai (Chihaya Kisaragi), Akiko Hasegawa (Miki Hoshii), and Yumi Hara (Takane Shijou) from 765PRO ALL STARS; and Ayaka Fukuhara (Rin Shibuya), Ayaka Ōhashi (Uzuki Shimamura), and Minami Tsuda (Miho Kohinata) from The IDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls. The idols will perform at a concert at the convention on May 15.
Image via Idolm@ster franchise’s website
©窪岡俊之 THE IDOLM@STER™& ©Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc.
This will be the first time that the 765PRO ALL STARS idols will perform in North America. Members of The IDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls group last performed in the United States on at the Anisong World Matsuri music festival event in Anime Expo in 2018.
Chihaya Kisaragi is one of the original 10 characters released for the original The IDOLM@STER arcade game in 2005. Miki Hoshii joined in the Xbox 360 The IDOLM@STER game in 2007, while Takane Shijou joined in the The Idolmaster SP game in 2009. The original 10 idols, along with Miki, Takane, and Hibiki Ganaha, are considered the “original 13” idols of The IDOLM@STER franchise, which appear in the franchise’s definitive The IDOLM@STER 2 game.
Rin Shibuya, Uzuki Shimamura, and Miho Kohinata are part of the original 84 idols of The IDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls, with Rin and Uzuki being the face of the game as part of the group’s “new generations” central trio alongside Mio Honda.
The Anime Central convention will take place at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center and Hyatt Regency O’Hare in Rosemont, IL on May 15-17.
Sources: Press release, Anime Central, The IDOLM@STER franchise’s website
