A thorough review of the video extras for "THE iDOLM@STER XENOGLOSSIA"! What is the appeal of this second installment in the series?

"The Idolmaster Xenoglossia": A new story of giant robots and girls

"The Idolmaster Xenoglossia" was released as an OVA in 2007, and is based on the popular idol training game "THE IDOLM@STER" by Bandai Namco Games. However, this anime boldly rearranges the settings and story of the original game, depicting a completely new worldview. Here, we will introduce in detail its appeal, features, and recommended points.

Overview

The story of "The Idolmaster Xenoglossia" is set on Earth about 100 years after the collapse of the moon. On Earth, there are "iDOLs" (humanoid heavy machinery that breaks up meteorites), and only selected girls can operate them. The story that unfolds between these giant robots and the girls is at the center of this work.

story

About 100 years have passed since the collapse of the moon on Earth. There, there is an iDOL, a humanoid heavy machine that breaks up meteorites. Only selected girls can operate it. The curtain rises on a story woven by giant robots and girls.

Commentary

"The Idolmaster Xenoglossia" is an original anime project that takes its starting point from the original game "THE IDOLM@STER" but boldly rearranges the setting and story. The story takes place on Earth in the year 107 of the Reconstruction Calendar, about 100 years after the collapse of the moon known as Lost Artemis. There are "iDOLs" (meteorite removal humanoid heavy machinery) that are used to prevent damage caused by the fragments of the moon called "drops" that fall to Earth, and only selected girls, "Idolmasters," can operate them. Their mission is to ride the "iDOLs" and crush the meteorites that fall to Earth outside of the atmosphere while studying every day. How will the heroines encounter the giant robot "iDOL" and what kind of idolmasters will they grow into? The curtain rises on a new story spun by a giant iron robot and girls.

cast

The cast of this work continues the voice actors from the original game, while new characters have been added. Below is a list of the main cast.

• Haruka Amami: Yuka Iguchi
• Yukiho Hagiwara: Yui Horie
• Iori Minase: Yukari Tamura
• Yayoi Takatsuki: Ami Koshimizu
• Makoto Kikuchi: Eri Kitamura
• Ritsuko Akizuki: Mai Nakahara
• Chihaya Kisaragi: Kaori Shimizu
• Azusa Miura: Satoshi Sakurai
• Ami Futami: Kaori Nazuka
• Mami Futami: Momoko Saito
• Reference: Yukana
• Munekata Naze: Noto Mamiko
• Naruma Ohmichi: Daisuke Ono
• Suzuki Soraha: Takahashi Mikako
• Chikako Minamoto: Naomi Shindo
• Hotaru Yasuhara: Ryoko Yuzuki
• Saku Hibiki: Takuma Takewaka
• Crow: Akira Ishida
• Joseph Shingetsu: Kazuhiro Nakata

Main Staff

Many talented staff members were involved in the production of this work. Below is a list of the main staff members:

• Planning: Sunrise
• Original author: Hajime Yatate
• Original idea: From Bandai Namco Games' "THE IDOLM＠STER"
• Director: Tatsuyuki Nagai
• Series Composition: Touki Hanada
• Character design: Hiroshi Takeuchi (Studio Live)
• Mechanical design (iDOL): Junichi Akutsu (B-Craft)
• Guest mecha design: Hiroyuki Taiga
• Set design: Aoki Tomoyuki
• Art Director: Tokuda Toshiyuki (Studio Easter)
• Background: Studio Easter
• Color design: Sayoko Yokoyama
• Director of photography: Hidekatsu Oishi (anime film)
• Edited by: Kazuhiko Seki
• Music: Tsuneyoshi Saito
• Music producer: Shunji Inoue
• Music Production: Lantis
• Sound Director: Yota Tsuruoka
• Music cooperation: Sunrise Music Publishing
• Effects: Mitsuru Kageyama (Fizz Sound Creation)
• Sound production: Rakuonsha
• Producers: Naotake Furusato (Sunrise), Toyota Todoroki (Bandai Visual)
• Produced by: Sunrise
• Produced by: Sunrise, Bandai Visual

Main Characters

The main characters of this work are girls who are based on the characters of the original game, but have new settings and backgrounds. Below are details of the main characters.

• Haruka Amami: 16 years old, 158cm tall, birthday April 3rd, blood type O. Always positive and full of energy. A bright girl with an intuitive personality, but also strong-willed and not willing to agree with wrong things. She was given a strange nickname because of her ribbon.
• Yukiho Hagiwara: 15 years old, 158cm tall, birthday December 24th, blood type A. A girl with a kind and gentle personality. She is shy and withdrawn, so she wants to become more positive. She is in the same class as Haruka. She has the special skill of being able to sleep anywhere.
• Iori Minase: 16 years old, 156cm tall, birthday May 5th, blood type AB. Haruka and Yukiho's classmate. She's the type who says what she thinks out loud, but she's actually a hard worker. Her nickname is "Deco-chan" because her forehead is always shining.
• Yayoi Takatsuki: 15 years old, 154cm tall, birthday March 25th, blood type O. She loves cute things and has been Haruka's best friend since kindergarten. Her dream is to become a big idol. She is currently the main personality on a radio show.
• Kikuchi Makoto: 16 years old, 163cm tall, birthday August 29th, blood type O. A genius idol master with a cool personality. She hardly trains or puts in any effort, but whenever she sits in the idol cockpit, she always performs at her best.
• Ritsuko Akizuki: 18 years old, 165cm tall, birthday June 23rd, blood type A. A senior to Haruka and the others, she is a big sister type. She is an inventor who loves robots and machines. She has a refreshing personality and is an athlete, and her hobby is giving people nicknames, and she likes to play pranks.
• Chihaya Kisaragi: 17 years old, 167cm tall, birthday February 25th, blood type A. An idol ace pilot belonging to Turiavita. Well behaved, calm and collected, always polite in her speech, and full of elegance.
• Azusa Miura: 20 years old, 168cm tall, born July 19th, blood type O. Mondenkind, head of the idol team in the Idolmaster department. A former Idolmaster, she gently leads Haruka and the others and is always available to give her advice.
• Futami Ami: 12 years old, 148cm tall, birthday May 22nd, blood type B. A real idol who was active in the entertainment industry, and Mami's twin sister. Even though she is still in elementary school, she has good manners and judgment. In some ways, she is the most sensible person. She can use the Harmonizer.
• Futami Mami: 12 years old, 148cm tall, birthday May 22nd, blood type B. Ami's twin sister who went missing with Tempestas seven years ago. She was asleep for seven years, so she didn't grow mentally and her mental age is stuck at five years old.
• Rifa: A mysterious beautiful girl who is 9 years old and hangs out with Chihaya. Her favorite food is candy.
• Munekata Nase: 25 years old, operator and leader of the Idolmaster department.
• Daido Naruma: 23 years old, the only male operator in the Idolmaster department. In charge of data analysis.
• Suzuki Soraha: 21 years old, operator in the Idolmaster department, and the youngest.
• Chikako Minamoto: 25 years old. A member of Mondenkind, responsible for the maintenance of the Nebra.
• Yasuhara Hotaru: 26 years old. Mondenkind medical officer. Quiet, calm, and serious, but sometimes mischievous!
• Saku Hibiki: Leader of the iDOL investigation team directly under Mondenkind HQ.
• Karas: A mysterious, beautiful young man from Turiavita's side.
• Joseph Shingetsu: Head of the Idolmaster department at Mondenkind Japan. He is calm and collected, always wearing a bow tie and standing with good posture, just like a butler.
• Serika: Mondenkind JP maintenance crew member. 16 years old. A bit of a sexy, soft-skinned girl.
• Nazuna: A member of the Mondenkind JP maintenance crew. 16 years old. Timid and a bit laid back.
• Gojo: A member of the Mondenkind JP maintenance crew. 16 years old. A boyish, lively girl.
• Hakobe: A member of the Mondenkind JP maintenance crew. 16 years old. His good nature is his selling point.
• Buddha: Mondenkind JP maintenance crew member. 16 years old. A kind and caring girl.
• Suzuna: Mondenkind JP maintenance crew member. 16 years old. A curly, coquettish girl.
• Suzuhiro: Mondenkind JP maintenance crew member. 16 years old. Cute, cool and adorable.

Main Robot Items

The main robot in this game is a meteorite removal humanoid heavy machine called "iDOL". Below are details of the main robots and items.

• Idol (iDOL): A humanoid heavy machine that removes meteorites. In the 107th year of the restoration, fragments of the former moon have formed four orbital rings around the Earth. The giant robot iDOL destroys meteorites that fall from orbit and onto the Earth outside the atmosphere. Only the chosen Idolmaster can operate the idols.
• Invel: One of the "Prometheus" series, the original iDOLs owned by Mondenkind. Total height 38.83m. Weight 232.27t. Master is Amami Haruka. Later equipped with the "Faust Schlag", an enhanced part for Invel.
• Nebla: One of the "Prometheus" series, the original iDOLs owned by Mondenkind. Total height 37.90m. Weight 228.4t. Masters are Kikuchi Makoto and Minase Iori. Later equipped with the reinforcement part "Ziedrat" for Nebla.
• Nubian: One of the "Prometheus" series, the original iDOLs owned by Turiavita. Total height 41.61m. Weight 234.2t. Master is Kisaragi Chihaya. Later equipped with the "Shoop Baller", an enhanced part for Nubian.
• Tempestas: One of the original iDOLs from the "Prometheus" series who went missing along with Futami Mami in an accident seven years ago. Total height 46.35m. Weight 256.3t. When it first appeared, its frame was destroyed, leaving only its core.
• Hiemus: One of the "Prometheus" series, the original iDOLs owned by Turiavita. Total height 40.87m. Weight 249.4t. Master is Kikuchi Makoto. Turiavita obtained the core that was sleeping in Iceland.
• Epimetheus: One of the "Epimetheus" series, an artificial iDOL newly constructed by Turiavita. Total height 31.63m. Weight 227.5t. Piloted by Rifa. Mass-produced later.

subtitle

This work consists of 9 episodes, each with a different subtitle. Below are the subtitles and broadcast dates for each episode.

• #1: Welcome to the Izayoi Dormitory! (2007/07/27)
• #2: After all, she's an idol! (2007/08/24)
• #3: Tan Mermaid (2007/09/25)
• #4: Even when I become an old lady☆ (2007/10/26)
• #5: Even though it's spring (2007/11/23)
• #6: More than anyone else in the world (2007/12/21)
• #7: SWEET MEMORIES (2008/01/25)
• #8: Longing, sadness, and comfort (2008/02/22)
• #9: Original epilogue version Episode 26 "The Moon and the Penguins" (2008/03/25)

Related Titles

This work is part of the "Idolmaster" series, and there are other related works. Below is a list of related works.

• THE IDOLMASTER XENOGLOSSIA

Ratings and Recommendations

For fans of the original game, "The Idolmaster Xenoglossia" is a fresh surprise and a moving story. The story of giant robots and girls is an exquisite blend of science fiction and idol elements, and has the power to draw viewers in. In particular, the portrayal of each character's growth and relationships is superb, and the story development is easy to empathize with. In addition, the mechanical design and battle scenes are also impressive, providing plenty of visual enjoyment.

The recommended points are as follows:

• Fans of the original game can enjoy it from a new perspective
• The combination of giant robots and girls is refreshing.
• Deep depiction of character growth and human relationships
• The mechanical design and battle scenes are worth seeing.
• The story is consistent and easy to empathize with.

This work is recommended not only for fans of the original game, but also for those who like science fiction and robot anime. Please give it a watch.