Pretty Rhythm All Star Project Launches With Manga, TV Anime

Toy and game maker Takara Tomy announced more details on the new Pretty Rhythm television series and feature film last week.

The new Pretty Rhythm television anime will be titled Pretty Rhythm All Star Selection, and will feature the three main heroines from the past Pretty Rhythm television anime series. Aira from Pretty Rhythm Aurora Dream (the first series), Mia from Pretty Rhythm Dear My Future (the second Pretty Rhythm series), and Naru from Pretty Rhythm Rainbow Live (the third series) will teach the new, unnamed heroine. The new girl is training to become an idol, and the three previous idols will show her Prism Shows from the past to show her ways to shine. Takara Tomy hints that fans can experience the story of the new anime by playing the "All-Star Chapter" of the Pretty Rhythm Rainbow Live: Kira Kira My☆Deco Design video game, which debuted in November for the Nintendo 3DS.

The Pretty Rhythm feature film will be titled Pretty Rhythm All Star Selection: Prism Show☆Best Ten. The film will be animated by Tatsunoko Pro and 10GAGUE, and Deko Akao will return to write the scripts for the film. 20 theaters across Japan will screen the film, and Pretty Rhythm band Prizmmy will perform a concert at certain screenings of the film. Although the film advertises that movie-goers will recieve a rare Prism Stone to use in the arcade game, the stone will only be given to children. The film will open on March 8 in Japan.

In addition, a manga by Michiyo Kikuta (Mamotte! Lollipop) with the theme of All Star Selection will begin serializing in the April issue of Shogakukan's Pucchigumi magazine. Kikuta also penned the Pretty Rhythm Dear My Future and Pretty Rhythm Rainbow Live manga in the same magazine.
Toy maker Takara Tomy and game developer syn Sophia have been running the franchise continuously since the 2010 arcade game Pretty Rhythm Mini-Skirt. The arcade games are targeted towards elementary school girls. The stories center around aspiring idols who compete in Prism Shows, a new kind of event that combines skating, dancing, singing, and fashion.

The first television anime, Pretty Rhythm Aurora Dream, premiered in 2011. Two more television anime, Pretty Rhythm Dear My Future and Pretty Rhythm Rainbow Live, have since followed.