Shopping Guide
A new development in the anime Aikatsu! currently airing on TV Tokyo will take place this October. In addition, the first part of the Data Carddass Aikatsu! 2014 series will release at the same time, and Haruka Shimazaki from AKB48 will assume the special role of collaboration partner.
Data Carddass Aikatsu! is a card game developed by Bandai’s card division that started in October 2012 in synch with the broadcast of the anime. This game allows players to experience the activities of their beloved idols by reading data from the cards, and for that reason, it is very popular with girls 7-9 years old. The first part of the 2014 series will be accessible in toy stores, department stores, toy departments of volume sellers, and amusement facilities all over Japan.
In Data Carddass Aikatsu!, the player can use the separately sold “Data Carddass Aikatsu! Official IC Card Set” to combine various parts and create their own original characters. The game also allows for further customization through players being able to combine the fashion items on the cards.
The number of fans increases based on the results of “Audition Battles,” the national rankings of which are displayed on the official site the day after. Being able to enjoy feeling like you are really aiming to become a top idol is what makes this game special. In the roughly 10 months since the service started, the cumulative total of cards shipped has reached nearly 40 million and the number of players has exceeded 500,000. The game has done well in expanding its fanbase. Related goods besides Data Carddass are also selling well. In 2012, revenue from these reached 1.5 billion yen. In 2013, it is expected that this amount will reach 6 billion yen.
New characters are also planned to be included in the 2014 series, such as Otoshiro Seira and Saegusa Kii from Dream Academy, a new school. New brands will also come with the new characters, such as the new “Constellation Dress,” which is themed around constellations.
Also, the special collaboration partner this time is Haruka Shimazaki, who enjoys the overwhelming support of elementary school girls. Shimazaki was entrusted with promotion for the series, so there is no doubt that we will get to see her more in commercials and other promotions in the future.
Source: AnimeAnime
Source article written by Yushi Makari
© Sunrise Inc. / Bandai, Dentsu Inc., TV Tokyo Corporation
