There is an anime for every type of fan in every part of the world; for the fans that love music, dancing, and performing, the idol genre is the place to be. While a somewhat niche genre, Idol anime takes viewers on a fun-loving ride to stardom as young women and men work hard to make their spot in the competitive world of being an idol.
However, being an idol isn't sunshine and rainbows; it's hard work for idols to look perfect, sing perfect, and keep fans from realizing they're not zombies. But in between the rehearsals and interviews, there is a sense of camaraderie within the idol community that each idol shares with their partners or group members that touch viewers' hearts. Here are some great Idol anime for newcomers to the genre.
8 Skip Beat!
A good lite step into the Idol anime genre is Skip Beat!; the story follows a young girl named Kyouko who is hopelessly head-over-hills for an attractive up-and-coming male idol named Shoutarou. Things take a turn for the worse when Kyouko finds out that Shou has been using her all this time for her money; a fire of revenge ignites inside Kyouko, and she decides to take the idol world by storm and beat Shou at his own game.
Biting off more than she can chew, Kyouko struggles to get a handle on being on the big stage with bright lights; However, with hard work and determination, Kyouko finds out that more than revenge, she likes being in the spotlight.
7 IDOLiSH7
IDOLiSH7 takes fans of the idol genre and gives them something different in this series; in her first venture out into the world of managing idol groups, Takanashi is granted a high responsibility of supporting a fresh group of young male idols.
A bit overwhelmed, Takanashi plants her feat and takes on the challenging task of managing a group of seven talented young boys and takes them to the top of Idol stardom in her father's production company. The seven boys, Riku, Sougo, Iori, Tamaki, Mitsuki, Yamato, and Nagi, form the group IDOLiSH7 and do their best to be successful and make their manager proud.
6 Love Live! School Idol Project
Honoka Kousaka is a young high school student attending Otonokizaka high; unfortunately, the school she holds dear is suffering from low enrollment rates. However, Honoka and her friends come up with an exciting idea to form an idol group to raise the school's popularity but vastly underestimate the daunting task.
With a fast-approaching idol contest called the “Love Live” on the horizon, Honoka must put together the best possible group to save the school and rise to the top as the best Idol group in Japan; along the way, she must face off against some of the most talented groups in the country and inside opposition from the student council president who is against the idea of idols.
5 Aikatsu
Aikatsu follows young Aoi Kiriya on her journey to become a famous Idol like her personal Idol, Mizuki Kanzaki. Taking the first step, Aoi and her best friend Ichigo enroll in Starlight academy, the country's most prestigious school to train upcoming Idols.
The challenge before Aoi and Ichigo is a great one as they learn that there is no easy way to reach the top of the stage, and only hard work will get them to where they want to be. Starlight is filled with eccentric individuals all sprinting for the same goal, but only a small few will make it to the finish line; with a new adventure and obstacle around every corner, Aoi faces each challenge head-on.
4 Zombieland Saga
There was nothing that Sakura Sakamoto wanted more than to do than be a famous Idol in her lifetime; Sakura gets her wish when she is brought back to life as a zombie after a tragic accident along with six other young girls to form an Idol group to help Kotarou Tatsumi in breathing new life into his hometown.
Zombieland Saga does not disappoint by mixing undead horror with the lighthearted adventures of a group of girls who just want to have fun. With a second chance at life, Sakura takes full advantage, puts her all into the new Franchouchou Idol group, and supports her new friends.
3 Bang Dream!
Kosumi Toyoma wants nothing more than to feel the rush she experienced as a child when looking up into the star-filled sky; now, as a budding young high school student, she desperately searches for something that gives her that feeling but with no luck.
Until she experienced a live performance at a local event house, Kasumi was ready to give up; but the thrill of the music pushed her to finally realize what it was she had been searching for. So Kasumi decides to form a band at her local high school but is completely taken aback at the trials and tribulations she would go through on this journey.
2 Pripara
Lalaa Manka loves music, singing, and dance but has reserved herself to sitting on the sidelines most of her life; her life changes forever when she receives a ticket into Pripara, a magical dimension built around nurturing the talent of girls to turn them into pop idols.
Told constantly that she would never make it as an idol, Laala is ecstatic at her chance to finally prove that she can cut it in Pripara. Along with several other girls, Lalaa competes for the number one spot and discovers she may hold more talent than she’s ever known.
1 Pretty Rhythm
Aira is a clumsy junior high girl who falls into the world of Idols by complete accident, Amamiya is a somewhat ditsy romantic that loves to dance, and Takamine is a mischievous overachiever; together, these girls begin their journey to become Prism stars, the most prestigious idols in the country on the famous Prism Show.
Dancing, Singing, and most of all, fashion must all be pristine if they are even to stand a chance or risk being left behind. Each girl has their own reason that fuels their determination to work hard, but only one can come out on top.