Aikatsu on Parade!

Lore & Background

The story follows Raki Kiseki, a second-year middle school student who transfers to Star Harmony Academy to become an idol. After receiving an Aikatsu Pass from her elder sister Saya, an Aikatsu engineer, Raki experiences mysterious events: when she opens doors before her, she meets Aikatsu! idols she never knew before. She vows to design her own premium rare dress and perform in it on stage.

The anime television series aired on TV Tokyo from October 5, 2019, replacing the Japanese dub of PAW Patrol in its time slot. A manga adaptation has been serialized in Pucchigumi since their November 2019 issue. An original net animation titled Aikatsu on Parade! Dream Story aired from March 28, 2020 to July 11, 2020, following the television series, and revolves around a grown-up Noel Otoshiro from Aikatsu Friends!, who attends Star Harmony Academy following the footsteps of her older sister, Seira.

Reader's Guide

Aikatsu on Parade! holds significance as a crossover entry that unites characters from multiple Aikatsu! series—Aikatsu!, Aikatsu Stars!, and Aikatsu Friends!—within an alternate universe. Its arcade game launched in October 2019, and the anime adaptation ran from October 2019 to March 2020, bridging the gap between earlier installments and introducing new protagonist Raki Kiseki. The series expanded the franchise's lore by incorporating a multiverse concept through Raki's ability to meet idols from other timelines. Its legacy includes a manga serialization in Pucchigumi and a follow-up ONA, Aikatsu on Parade! Dream Story, which continued the story with a focus on a grown-up character from the original series. The anime's time slot replacement of PAW Patrol's Japanese dub indicates its targeted demographic shift. As a Data Carddass title, it maintained the franchise's interactive card-collecting gameplay while advancing the narrative through television and online media.

Did You Know?

• The anime replaced the Japanese dub of PAW Patrol in its time slot on TV Tokyo.
• The manga adaptation began serialization in Pucchigumi from their November 2019 issue.

Franchise Positioning & Arcade Origins

Aikatsu on Parade! is an arcade collectible card game built into Bandai's Data Carddass machine lineup, debuting in October 2019. Rather than serving as a direct sequel, the title occupies a unique crossroads within the broader Aikatsu universe. It functions as a spin-off branching from Aikatsu Friends! while simultaneously pulling in characters and elements from the Aikatsu! and Aikatsu Stars! arcade titles, making it a genuine crossover experience. The narrative is set in an alternate universe, which gives the story creative latitude to blend elements from multiple entries without being bound by a single continuity. This positioning allowed Bandai to introduce new characters and mechanics while still feeling connected to the wider franchise. The Data Carddass format means the game is played on physical arcade cabinets, where players collect and trade card-based assets, tying the entertainment experience to a tangible, in-person activity rather than a home console or mobile app.

The Protagonist & Central Story

The heart of Aikatsu on Parade! is Raki Kiseki, a second-year middle school student voiced by Rin Aira. Raki transfers to Star Harmony Academy with the goal of becoming an idol, but her path takes an unexpected turn when she activates an Aikatsu Pass. This pass was given to her by her elder sister Saya, who works as an Aikatsu engineer. Upon using the device, something mysterious occurs: doors appear before Raki, and through them she encounters idols from the Aikatsu! series that she had never known existed. This encounter becomes the catalyst for her central ambition. Rather than simply following in someone else's footsteps, Raki vows to design her own premium rare dress and take the stage performing in it. Her story is thus framed not around inheriting a legacy but around forging an original identity within a world where multiple idol lineages already exist, making her drive to create something wholly her own the emotional core of the series.

Anime Adaptation & Broadcast Context

The anime television adaptation of Aikatsu on Parade! was produced by BN Pictures and aired on TV Tokyo from October 5, 2019, through March 28, 2020. Its broadcast slot was notable: it replaced the Japanese-language dub of PAW Patrol in the same time period, marking a shift in that particular programming block. The series ran for a single season before concluding, after which the franchise's animated storytelling did not simply stop. A manga adaptation also entered the picture, with serialization beginning in the November 2019 issue of Pucchigumi, a magazine aimed at a younger readership. This multi-format rollout—arcade game, anime, and manga—gave the title a broad presence across different media touchpoints almost simultaneously, ensuring fans could engage with the story through whichever format suited them best and extending the narrative well beyond the arcade cabinet alone.

Dream Story & Extended Narrative

Following the conclusion of the television series, Aikatsu on Parade! expanded its narrative scope with an original net animation titled Aikatsu on Parade! Dream Story. This short-form series aired from March 28, 2020, to July 11, 2020, effectively picking up where the main anime left off. It was released alongside an additional content update for the Data Carddass arcade game, tying the animated story back to the physical card-collecting experience. The Dream Story arc centers on Noel Otoshiro, a character from the original Aikatsu! series, depicted as a grown-up. In this continuation, Noel enrolls at Dream Academy, following in the footsteps of her older sister Seira. This choice to bring back a character from the earliest Aikatsu! entry and age her forward demonstrates the franchise's willingness to weave its long history into newer storylines, rewarding long-time fans with a familiar face placed in a fresh and forward-looking context.