Aikatsu! 2012
What is Aikatsu!?
Aikatsu! is a Japanese multimedia franchise that began as an arcade collectible card game and later expanded into an anime series.
- Type
- TV series
- Year
- 2012
- Status
- Ended
- Episodes
- 178
- Runtime
- 24 minutes
- First aired
- Oct 8, 2012
- Last aired
- Mar 31, 2016
- Original language
- JA
- Origin
- JP
- Networks
- TV Tokyo, TV Aichi, TVQ, TV Osaka
- Genres
- Animation, Comedy, Drama, Kids
- Updated
Where to watch
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How long to binge?
Estimate the schedule using 178 episodes and an average 24-minute runtime.
Trailer
No official trailer is available for this title yet.
Find the trailer on YouTube ↗Overview
Aikatsu! is a Japanese multimedia franchise that began as an arcade collectible card game and later expanded into an anime series. The story follows Ichigo Hoshimiya, a middle school girl who joins Starlight Academy, an idol training school, after being invited by her best friend Aoi. At the academy, Ichigo learns what it takes to become a successful idol while participating in various auditions using Aikatsu Cards. The series emphasizes themes of friendship, rivalry, and personal growth within the competitive world of idol performance. Produced by Sunrise, the anime adaptation premiered in 2012 and ran until 2016, spanning multiple seasons. The franchise also includes an associated toy line featuring collectible cards used in both gameplay and storytelling. Additional installments and spin-offs were later developed under the broader Aikatsu! brand. The series is aimed at young audiences and promotes the idea of idols as inspirational figures. Starlight Academy serves as the central setting where characters develop their skills and pursue their dreams.
Should you watch it?
“An ordinary middle school girl enters a prestigious academy to pursue her dreams of becoming an idol.”
- engaging journey of personal growth
- focus on friendship and rivalry
- features a repetitive audition structure
Watch it if you enjoy stories about aspiring performers working hard to achieve their dreams.
The series maintains a lighthearted and family-friendly tone throughout the narrative.
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Cast
Episode guide
Season 1 · 50 episodes
Open the complete Season 1 guide →- E1 I Can Become an Idol? Oct 8, 2012
- E2 So Many Idols! Oct 15, 2012
- E3 I Want to Know More About You Oct 22, 2012
- E4 Oh! My! Fan! Oct 29, 2012
- E5 Ran! Runway! Nov 5, 2012
- E6 Lost in an Autograph! Nov 12, 2012
- E7 Beware the Blog Nov 19, 2012
- E8 The Underground Sun Nov 26, 2012
- E9 Move on Now! Dec 3, 2012
- E10 The Rainbow Maiden Dec 10, 2012
- E11 Otome Falls in Love with Someone Dec 17, 2012
- E12 We Wish You a Merry Christmas! Dec 24, 2012
- E13 Tragedy of Calories Jan 7, 2013
- E14 Naughty Detectives Jan 14, 2013
- E15 Love Under the Camphor Tree Jan 21, 2013
- E16 Heart-Pounding! Special Live: Part 1 Jan 28, 2013
- E17 Heart-Pounding! Special Live: Part 2 Feb 4, 2013
- E18 A Bit of Chocolate Love Feb 11, 2013
- E19 The Moonlit Girl Gives off a Secret Scent Feb 18, 2013
- E20 Vampire Scandal Feb 25, 2013
- E21 Stylish Thief Swallowtail Mar 4, 2013
- E22 Idol Aura and Calendar Girl Mar 11, 2013
- E23 The Muse of Ageha Mar 18, 2013
- E24 Enjoy Off Time Mar 25, 2013
- E25 An April Fool's Promise Apr 4, 2013
- E26 The Season of Sakura Apr 11, 2013
- E27 Raise the Curtain Fresh Girls Cup Apr 18, 2013
- E28 Mizuki and the Soft-Shelled Turtle Apr 25, 2013
- E29 Idol Teacher May 2, 2013
- E30 A Sincere Call & Response May 9, 2013
- E31 An Idol on Mother's Day! May 16, 2013
- E32 Ichigo Panic May 23, 2013
- E33 Chance and Try ☆ May 30, 2013
- E34 Hello ☆ Super Idol Jun 6, 2013
- E35 Star of Tears Jun 13, 2013
- E36 Tristar Takeoff ☆ Jun 20, 2013
- E37 Head For The Sun Jun 27, 2013
- E38 Strawberry Parfait ♪ Jul 4, 2013
- E39 Go get 'em, Soleil! Jul 11, 2013
- E40 Girl Meets Girl Jul 18, 2013
- E41 Summer-colored Miracle☆ Jul 25, 2013
- E42 Finale on Board☆ Aug 1, 2013
- E43 Idol in Wonderland! Aug 8, 2013
- E44 More-Than-True Crisis! Aug 15, 2013
- E45 Happy Summer ☆ Vacation Aug 22, 2013
- E46 Respect J☆ Aug 29, 2013
- E47 Legendary Idol: Masquerade Sep 5, 2013
- E48 Wake Up My Music ♪ Sep 12, 2013
- E49 Where the Brilliance Leads Us Sep 19, 2013
- E50 Memories Lie in the Future Sep 26, 2013
Season 2 · 51 episodes
- E1 That Rock Chick is a Dream☆Girl Oct 3, 2013
- E2 Welcome Back ♫ Strawberry Oct 10, 2013
- E3 La la la ☆ ★ rival Oct 17, 2013
- E4 Secret of Smiles Oct 24, 2013
- E5 The Password is OK-OK-Okay☆ Oct 31, 2013
- E6 Top Secret of Love Nov 7, 2013
- E7 Loose Cha-Ran-Way Nov 14, 2013
- E8 Magical Dancing♪ Nov 21, 2013
- E9 Choco and Solution☆Choco-Pop Detectives Nov 28, 2013
- E10 The Fabled Powa-Puri☆ Dec 5, 2013
- E11 Sparkle Drip Magic☆ Dec 12, 2013
- E12 The Idol is the Santa Claus! Dec 19, 2013
- E13 Red-White Aikatsu Battle! Dec 26, 2013
- E14 Lucky Idol ☆ Jan 9, 2014
- E15 Door Towards the Dream Jan 16, 2014
- E16 The Wonderful Mutual Love Jan 23, 2014
- E17 Fortune Compass☆ Jan 30, 2014
- E18 Flower-Blooming Aurora Princess Feb 6, 2014
- E19 Hosting Heart ♡ Feb 13, 2014
- E20 Stylish Expedition: Cool Angels! Feb 20, 2014
- E21 The Glittering Aquarius Feb 27, 2014
- E22 Happy☆Idol Fest 1st DAY! Mar 6, 2014
- E23 Happy☆Idol Fest 2nd DAY! Mar 13, 2014
- E24 Cherry Blossom-colored Memories Mar 20, 2014
- E25 Again ♪ off time Mar 27, 2014
- E26 Shocking☆Fresh Girl! Apr 3, 2014
- E27 Let's Aim To Be Stars ☆彡 Apr 10, 2014
- E28 Miracle begins! Apr 17, 2014
- E29 Yes! Best Partner Apr 24, 2014
- E30 Aikatsu! Boot Camp May 1, 2014
- E31 Vi-Vi-Vi☆Partner May 8, 2014
- E32 Aim For It☆The Greatest Partners May 15, 2014
- E33 Otome RAINBOW! May 22, 2014
- E34 A Miracle in Bloom! May 29, 2014
- E35 Rhapsody of the Moon Desert Jun 5, 2014
- E36 My Dear Idol! Jun 12, 2014
- E37 Soleil☆Rising Jun 19, 2014
- E38 A Legendary Place Jun 26, 2014
- E39 Longing for Eternity Jul 3, 2014
- E40 Gleaming✩Futuring Girl Jul 10, 2014
- E41 Formation✩Aikatsu 8 Jul 17, 2014
- E42 Summer Idol Story Jul 24, 2014
- E43 Twinkle Stars Jul 31, 2014
- E44 Two Wings Aug 7, 2014
- E45 Where Dreams Bloom Aug 14, 2014
- E46 Let's! Akari Summer Aug 21, 2014
- E47 The Secret Letter and the Invisible Star Aug 28, 2014
- E48 Twin Dresses Sep 5, 2014
- E49 The Tears of the Flower Sep 12, 2014
- E50 The Wings to Our Dreams Sep 18, 2014
- E51 The SHINING LINE of Admiration Sep 25, 2014
Season 3 · 51 episodes
- E1 Let's Aikatsu☆Ready Go!! Oct 2, 2014
- E2 Positive Reading Oct 9, 2014
- E3 Aikatsu Dash! Oct 16, 2014
- E4 Effervescent Sparkle☆ Oct 23, 2014
- E5 Idol☆Halloween Oct 30, 2014
- E6 Two Dreamers Nov 6, 2014
- E7 Gather Your Feelings Into an Apple Nov 13, 2014
- E8 Aikatsu's Hot Wind! Nov 20, 2014
- E9 The Passionate Sangria Rosa Nov 27, 2014
- E10 Dear My Fan! Dec 4, 2014
- E11 GOGO! Ichigo Cheer Squad Dec 11, 2014
- E12 Stylish☆Vivid Girl Dec 18, 2014
- E13 Happy Tree Christmas☆ Dec 25, 2014
- E14 Unwind☆Japanese New Year Jan 8, 2015
- E15 Ozora JUMP!! Jan 15, 2015
- E16 Sumire-Colored Singing Voice Jan 22, 2015
- E17 Miyabi's Elegant Aikatsu! Jan 29, 2015
- E18 The Nadeshiko's Dance! Feb 5, 2015
- E19 Star☆Valentine Feb 12, 2015
- E20 A Promise to the Future! Feb 19, 2015
- E21 Vampire Mystery Feb 26, 2015
- E22 Spring Bouquet Mar 5, 2015
- E23 The Queen's Flower Mar 12, 2015
- E24 The Other Side of Admiration Mar 19, 2015
- E25 A Warm♪Off Time Mar 26, 2015
- E26 Starry Sky Entrance☆ Apr 2, 2015
- E27 Showtime of Dreams Apr 9, 2015
- E28 Talk Show Runway Apr 16, 2015
- E29 Unit Magic Apr 23, 2015
- E30 The Radiant Dancing Divas Apr 30, 2015
- E31 The Burning Passionate Jalapeño! May 7, 2015
- E32 Hello New World May 14, 2015
- E33 Spontaneous Skipping♪ May 21, 2015
- E34 The World is Centered Around Kokone! May 28, 2015
- E35 Their Name is Fluffy Sweet☆Nadeshiko Jun 4, 2015
- E36 Heart Fluttering☆Unit Cup Jun 11, 2015
- E37 Unadorned Brilliance☆ Jun 18, 2015
- E38 Johnny and the Bride Jun 25, 2015
- E39 Aikatsu Restaurant Jul 2, 2015
- E40 Hot Spicy Girls! Jul 9, 2015
- E41 I Want to Say Thank You Jul 16, 2015
- E42 Horror!? Summer Island Jul 23, 2015
- E43 The Great Candid Idol Operation Jul 30, 2015
- E44 Hot Summer Festival Aug 6, 2015
- E45 Three of Us Again Aug 13, 2015
- E46 The Dazzling Luminas Aug 20, 2015
- E47 Raise the Curtain, the Great Starlight School Festival☆ Aug 27, 2015
- E48 Our Different Colors Sep 3, 2015
- E49 The Bond Between Stars Sep 10, 2015
- E50 Light of the Stage Sep 17, 2015
- E51 The Road of Meetings Sep 24, 2015
Season 4 · 26 episodes
- E1 Let's Fly, Look Out Vast World! Oct 1, 2015
- E2 We'll Take that Potato, and Replace it with a Mic Oct 8, 2015
- E3 Thrilling Carat☆ Oct 15, 2015
- E4 YOU! GO! KYOTO!! Oct 22, 2015
- E5 Little Devil Happening Oct 29, 2015
- E6 I Want to See You, Okinawa Nov 5, 2015
- E7 Galaxy✩Starlight Nov 12, 2015
- E8 Perfect Dream Idol! Nov 19, 2015
- E9 Tale of the Osaka Idol Nov 26, 2015
- E10 ☆Mecha Panic☆ Dec 3, 2015
- E11 Happiness Party♪ Dec 10, 2015
- E12 New Year Ahead! Dec 17, 2015
- E13 Luminas☆Christmas Dec 24, 2015
- E14 The First Wind That I Have Found Jan 7, 2016
- E15 The Sketchbook of Dreams Jan 14, 2016
- E16 A Single Road, Our Parting Ways Jan 21, 2016
- E17 Hinaki Miracle! Jan 28, 2016
- E18 The Power of Idols Feb 4, 2016
- E19 Best Friend Feb 11, 2016
- E20 Spring DreaCarnival! Feb 18, 2016
- E21 Double Miracle☆ Feb 25, 2016
- E22 My Move on now! Mar 3, 2016
- E23 The Futures We Want to Come True Mar 10, 2016
- E24 The Queen of Roses Mar 17, 2016
- E25 Looking Forward to the Future Mar 24, 2016
- E26 The Greatest Present Mar 31, 2016
Frequently asked questions
What is Starlight Academy?
It is a specialized training school where students learn the skills required to become professional idols.
Who is the main character?
The story centers on Ichigo Hoshimiya, a middle school student who decides to pursue an idol career.
What are Aikatsu Cards?
These are items used by characters to participate in and challenge various auditions.
Does the protagonist have friends at the academy?
Yes, her best friend Aoi invites her to join the school and supports her journey.
What is the primary conflict?
The protagonist faces numerous rivals while learning the discipline and effort needed to succeed as an idol.