The Idolmaster series is in its 20th anniversary year, which will conclude with the first cross-brand 3DCG live concert IWSF in July 2026. Multiple brands are active with merchandise, events, and game updates across the franchise.
The Idolmaster series is closing its 20th anniversary year with the IDOL WORLD SUPER FESTIVAL 2026 (IWSF), the first cross-brand 3DCG live concert. The event runs from July 24 to 26 at Keio Arena TOKYO, featuring 43 idols from all brands across three themed days: YAKUDOU, ZESSYOU, and KYOUMEI. The anniversary year, which began in July 2025, has seen a steady stream of brand-specific events and merchandise.
SideM held its first dedicated costume exhibition, THE IDOLM@STER SideM STAGE COSTUME MUSEUM, at Shibuya BEAM Gallery from July 10 to 27, displaying about 250 live performance costumes from 2015 to 2025. The brand also launched a summer pop-up shop at Tower Records Shinjuku and a tourism collaboration in Nagoya with DRAMATIC STARS as ambassadors. Shiny Colors expanded into new merchandise categories: a six-volume plush prize series for the PJ: REFRAC7IONS shuffle unit, a collaboration sneaker line with British brand Admiral, and the first 30 MINUTES SISTERS plastic model kit for an idol, Kaho Komiya.
The arcade game The Idolmaster Tours announced its first major content expansion, Second Stage, adding a Tour Mode, with a free public event scheduled for July 27 at Ikebukuro. The cross-brand game The Idolmaster: Starlit Season received a 60% discount on Steam, promoted as an entry point for newcomers. Premium collectibles continued with a Personal Pub Mirror featuring Roco from Million Live! and a Lucrea figure of Hinana Higuchi from Shiny Colors. The series maintains a high cadence of physical and digital releases across all its sub-franchises.
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The Idolmaster series will hold its first cross-brand 3DCG live concert, the IDOL WORLD SUPER FESTIVAL 2026 (IWSF), from July 24 to 26 at Keio Arena TOKYO. The event features 43 idols from all brands across three themed days: YAKUDOU (dance), ZESSYOU, and KYOUMEI. It caps the 20th anniversary year that began in July 2025.
The Idolmaster SideM will hold a "SUMMER SPLASH! POP UP SHOP" at Tower Records Shinjuku from July 17 to July 26, 2026. The event features newly drawn summer costume illustrations of High×Joker, plus mini character goods for W·Beit. A range of merchandise including acrylic stands, badges, and clear files will be available, with purchase bonuses.
The Steam version of The Idolmaster: Starlit Season is on sale for 3,608 yen, 60% off the regular 9,020 yen price, as part of Amazon Prime Day 2026. The game brings together idols from the 765 Pro, Cinderella Girls, Million Live!, and Shiny Colors brands, plus new idol Kokoro Okugami, in a training simulation spanning roughly 10 months. The discount is promoted as a recommended entry point for newcomers to the series on PC.
Bandai Namco Experience will release a new Personal Pub Mirror featuring Roco from The Idolmaster Million Live! on July 9, 2026. Limited-time pre-orders open at ASOBI STORE until July 27. The mirror, priced at 14,800 yen, depicts Roco as a mermaid princess based on the "Wishing in the Deep Sea" theme. It is part of a premium interior decor series for collectors.
Bandai Spirits will release a six-volume plush prize series, The Idolmaster Shiny Colors Chibi Gurumi ~PJ: REFRAC7IONS~, exclusively at Namco locations starting November 2026. The chibi gurumi dolls feature idols from the shuffle unit project PJ: REFRAC7IONS in their unit costumes. Volumes 1 through 4 arrive in November, volumes 5 and 6 in December.
HIKE announced the first costume exhibition for The Idolmaster SideM, titled THE IDOLM@STER SideM STAGE COSTUME MUSEUM, at Shibuya BEAM Gallery from July 10 to July 27, 2026. The event displays about 250 live performance costumes from 2015 to 2025, life-sized panels of 49 idols with new artwork, and a retrospective video. Tickets are on sale now.
Bandai Namco Experience will hold a free public event at Ikebukuro Sunshine City Fountain Plaza on July 27, 2026, to announce the major summer update for the arcade game The Idolmaster Tours. The new series, called Second Stage, adds a Tour Mode. Four voice actors from the franchise will appear as guests.
MegaHouse is releasing a Lucrea series figure of Hinana Higuchi from The Idolmaster Shiny Colors, in her Palmiere in View costume. The 230mm PVC and ABS figure is sculpted by CKB and painted by Emi Hoshina. Pre-orders open July 3, 2026 at multiple retailers, with a February 2027 release and a price of 29,700 yen.
Meitetsu Kanko Service and The Idolmaster SideM are launching the Deramasu tourism collaboration in Nagoya from August 3 to October 31, 2026. DRAMATIC STARS serve as official ambassadors. Thirteen local businesses each partner with a SideM idol, with accommodation and sightseeing plans offering exclusive goods.
Megahouse has unveiled the colored prototype of the 'Lucrea The Idolmaster Shiny Colors Higuchi Enka [Merry]' figure for the first time. The figure is based on the 'SSR Produce Idol [Merry] Higuchi Enka' illustration from the Twilights Collection and depicts her in the costume 'Palmieri In View' in a dynamic pose. Pre-orders begin in early July on Premium Bandai and other sites.
The Idolmaster Shiny Colors is collaborating with British brand Admiral on sneakers inspired by all eight in-game units. Each pair costs 13,500 yen and comes with embroidered shoelace accessories. Orders open June 26 to August 30. Pop-up and fitting events will be held at Shibuya MODI and Namba Marui.
Bandai Spirits announced a new plastic model kit for Kaho Komiya, a tokusatsu-loving idol from "THE iDOLM@STER SHINY COLORS," as part of its 30 MINUTES SISTERS (30MS) series. The kit is set for release on May 30, 2026, priced at 4,180 yen including tax. It includes all body parts in a single package, with pre-colored costume chest parts that reproduce the character's color coding and details. The model features small wings on the back, a skirt with a wavy printed sheet, and some parts made from smoke clear material with glitter. The skin parts have a matte finish. Three types of pad-printed face parts and hand parts, including three types that can hold a microphone, are included. The hair ornament parts replicate the design of the 20th anniversary costume and can be removed. The kit is compatible with separately sold 30MS series parts for customization. Bandai Spirits also announced a separate option parts set, the 30MS Option Parts Set 28 (Action Wear α), releasing on the same day for 2,420 yen, which adds new joint gimmicks for enhanced posing.
New survey data from the Japan Animation Creators Association shows a sharp rise in full-time salaried roles at anime production studios. In 2024, 47 percent of respondents held permanent positions, up from 17 percent in 2013. Non-permanent work fell from three in four to one in two over the same period. Average monthly working hours dropped to about 190, and median annual earnings rose to ¥4 million, though work stress remains high.