Staff cites online posts, emails threatening companies tied to event aimed at girls
Image via Himitsu no AiPri anime’s website
© ＴーＡＲＴＳ / syn Sophia / テレビ東京 / ＡＰ製作委員会
The staff for Himitsu no AiPri (Secret AiPri), the fifth main project in TAKARA TOMY A.R.T.S and syn Sophia’s Pretty Series game and anime franchise aimed at girls, announced on Saturday morning that the project’s “Ring Ring Live in Osaka” concert event has been cancelled. The event would have started just hours later at 2:30 p.m.
The project’s website explained that the staff confirmed online posts demanding the event’s cancellation, as well as threats emailed to companies tied to the event. After consulting the authorities, those companies filed a formal complaint to the police, who are conducting an investigation. In the meantime, the staff decided to cancel the event to prioritize the safety of the attendees, performers, and all those involved (including people not just in the Umeda Arts Theater venue, but also the surrounding area).
In addition to the event, the staff canceled the planned sale of tie-in goods, CDs, Blu-ray Discs, and DVDs at the venue. The event organizers are offering refunds to ticket holders.
Image via Himitsu no AiPri anime’s X/Twitter account
© ＴーＡＲＴＳ / syn Sophia / テレビ東京 / ＡＰ製作委員会
Himitsu no AiPri centers around Idol Princesses (AiPri), secret idols who perform in the virtual environment AiPriverse. The project began with game machines in arcades and a television anime in April 2024. The anime has since spawned a second season in 2025 and a film which will open on March 13. An earlier “Ring Ring Live in Tokyo” concert event went as planned on February 14.
The overall Pretty Series franchise began with syn Sophia’s Pretty Rhythm: Mini Skirt arcade game in 2010. The game inspired four television anime series, as well as five anime films and the spinoff King of Prism franchise. The sequel game PriPara (Prism Paradise) launched in 2014 and inspired four television anime series and four anime films.
The first anime season of Kiratto Pri☆Chan premiered in Japan in April 2018. The second season then premiered in April 2019. The show’s third season premiered in April 2020 and ended in May 2021. Crunchyroll added the anime to its catalog.
The Waccha PriMagi! TV anime premiered in October 2021, and its October 2022 finale marked the end of the franchise’s 11 and a half years of uninterrupted television anime broadcast history.
The overall Pretty Series franchise revealed the next installment, Onegai AiPri (Please AiPri), in January. The staff will reveal more details on February 26.
Sources: Himitsu no AiPri project’s website, Oricon
