The iDOLM@STER Episode 25 [Final]: Top Idols

Summary

The Producer manages to get Kotori to wheel him out to see 765 Pro’s second live concert, which is a smashing success, with everybody’s spirits high and a remix of both OP’s (READY? and CHANGE!!) being sung, as well as a new song which Ritsuko also joins in with.

A new year soon begins for the idols, as Producer is released from the hospital, Are We Live! gets renewed, and President Kuroi cons them once more, this time out of their agency funds. iDOLM@STER ends with everyone together at a park in spring, gathering for a group photo.

Impression

BRAVO! BRAVO, 765 PRO! Wow I must say, coinciding this last episode with New Year’s was a pretty epic idea xD The music started up, the crowd roared, and in the distance I could hear New Year’s fireworks going off celebating 2012. And there I was, sitting in my room cheering to the OPs remix.

The turnout this time was massive, way more than in their debut concert. The camera angles showing the crane and aerial shots of the girls performing were all superb as well, and I’d expect no less given how the last performance mid-way through the series was shown, as well as the OP sequences. One thing I did mind was the lack of songs – though we were treated to a good chunk of non-stop OST, with flashbacks throughout the series I would have liked to hear more of 765 Pro performing. Oh well, gotta save that for when the full OST is released I guess.

No harsh feelings between Producer and Haruka, and things return back to normal for the agency xD Everyone continues doing what they do best – Miki flirting with Honey and being awesome, President Kuroi targeting 765 Pro once more (this time through scamming them out of their money) and Haruka being as optimistic and cheerful as ever. Looking back it’s amazing to see how far our idols have come, not even being recognized at the start of the series to some of them now even performing nationwide and overseas, well symbolized by the seed planted by Haruka that grew into a huge tree, with everyone now on the top branches.

I wonder if there’ll be a second season sometime in the future – the game series had a sequel made where the initial hype of the 765 Pro idols have died down, requiring the player to produce them again. I would definitely be up for that if one was ever made, with possible rivals already being foreshadowed, such as Jupiter once again rising to stardom, and the three 876 Pro girls having an interview with Yoshizawa the reporter.

It’s been a fun ride all the way through, from Day 1 to where they stand now, as top idols after overcoming all their troubles and issues. Coming to think of it, although this isn’t an appropriate series to go into depressed-OMG-NO-IT’S-ENDED mode, I will miss all the characters and their personalities, which I can only say for a handful of other 2011 shows. Kudos to you, Aniplex. You’ve done The iDOLM@STER proud.

Haruka: 765 Pro! FIGHT-O!