Idol anime has always been one of the most popular genres in the anime community, and it's not surprising. The genre consists of shows and movies full of cute characters singing and dancing to iconic pieces of music, whilst also adding a bounty of drama throughout the episodes too.
Many idol franchises also branched out into video games too, and there is a ton of spin-off idol movies available to watch, especially for those who are fans of Love Live! There are also a handful of idol mobile games that feature popular characters from some of the most famous idol anime, garnering a wide fan base and introducing them to other aspects of the idol community.
6 Franchouchou from Zombieland Saga
Zombieland Saga is an interesting type of idol show, mainly due to the fact that the members of the group, Franchouchou, are all in fact zombies. Throughout the show, viewers are taken along the journey of the deceased characters while they try to get to grips with becoming an idol. It's important to note that these girls weren't idols beforehand, so it's understandable that they're overwhelmed at first, especially after being introduced to their enthusiastic manager Koutarou.
The show delves into the past of each girl and what eventually led to their deaths, making it a bittersweet kind of show. There's plenty of comedy and wholesome moments, but the anime definitely dives into some darker topics at times. Overall, Franchochou gains a ton of popularity and they must work hard to reach the top of the idol industry, whilst making sure the public doesn't realize that they're actually zombies. The members of the group have to wear makeup every time they make a public appearance to disguise their true zombified faces and bodies.
5 Muse from Love Live!
The members of Muse are students at Otonokizaka High School, a school that is due to be shut down in the near future. Honoka Kousaka is a strong-willed individual who refuses to see her high school closed, and she does everything in her power to prevent this from happening. She desperately tries to find a way to help keep the school open, until she comes across an idol group called A-RISE. The special thing about this group is the fact that they are high school students, giving Honoka an ambitious idea immediately.
She gathers two of her childhood friends to form an idol group called Muse, and they eventually go on to recruit additional members too. Throughout the show, fans watch the members balance idol preparation with their school work and the difficulties that may come with this. It's a truly heartwarming show, and it displays the beauty of friendship and teamwork. Their goal is to perform at the Love Live competition, an event for school idol groups to attend and gain popularity. Honoka believes that if Muse performs at Love Live, and if they gather enough fans, they can prevent Otonokizaka High School from shutting down.
4 CHAM! from Perfect Blue
Viewers don't get to see much of CHAM! in the movie, Perfect Blue. However, Perfect Blue is one of the most popular and classic anime films to date, and it follows Mima Kirigoe's journey to becoming an actress. One of the most famous scenes from the movie is that of CHAM! performing their last ever show as a group, with Mima Kirigoe announcing that she plans to leave to pursue a career in acting. This upsets a lot of fans, and Mima returns home to malicious fax, presumably from a fan of CHAM!.
Mima struggles with her public image, as the roles she must play in her acting career are far from the role of the angelic idol of her past. Viewers watch Mima Kirigoe's psychological state worsen as she traverses the tough world of modeling and acting, all whilst being stalked by an obsessive fan. Perfect Blue is a perfect example of a psychological thriller, starting out as a typical idol-themed movie, but eventually becoming much darker as time goes on.
3 22/7
Miu Takigawa is taken by surprise when she receives a special invitation from GIP, an entertainment company. She opens this invitation to discover that she has been specially selected to take part in their brand new project. Miu is a reserved and quiet girl who usually lets life pass her by, but she uses this invite as a chance to gain confidence and have the ability to express herself. Following the instructions from GIP, Miu Takigawa travels to the designated meeting spot and meets a vibrant group of girls who she finds out is her fellow members of the project.
Their manager arrives and takes them to a luxurious place. Nothing exactly stands out about this place at first, until the girls find out that they must follow the instructions from "The Wall" and they are instructed that they must never stray from said instructions. They form the group 22/7 and they must work hard to become a popular idol group, despite having no experience in the idol industry prior to this project. "The Wall" informs 22/7 that they will make their debut on the 24th of December 2016, no matter what they do or how they cope with being an idol leading up to this date.
2 Suzu☆Rena from Selection Project
Selection Project follows a group of girls who each have a dream of becoming a famous idol. At first, it seems like a typical talent contest, but throughout the show, viewers get to see each of the girls flourish and go through the trials and tribulations of the entertainment industry. There are plenty of ups and downs and fans watch each of the girls go through their own personal troubles inside and outside of the idol world. Suzu Rena is the duo group consisting of the main protagonist Suzune Miyama and Rena Hananoi.
Much to Suzu's surprise, Rena is the sister of her favorite idol, Akari Amasawa. Rena and Suzu don't get along well at first, but after bonding on a much deeper level than with the other girls in the contest, they make a strong connection that translates amazingly into their performances.
1 GAPsCAPs from Selection Project
GAPSsCAPs is another incredibly likable idol group in the anime, Selection Project, consisting of Mako Tomo, Uta Koizumi, and Shiori Yagama. Each girl in this group has a completely different personality, which leads to some arguments and butting of heads along the way. They form a strong friendship throughout the show despite their differences, and the viewers are treated to a snippet of their home lives.
Mako plays the big sister role at home, as she takes care of her younger siblings, Uta is a famous child actress and Shiori was born from a rich family. While their chemistry gives the show a lot of comedic and wholesome moments, there is also a ton of drama between the three girls at times.