The iDOLM@STER: Million Live!

[Roswell]

I somehow doubt a social game could kill any franchise.

[Maka]

It's doing better than DS, at least, and the franchise survived that.

[Cael K.]

Just gonna throw out the fact that there will be multiple 8th Anniversary concerts, if you buy the Million Live CD Thank You! you can try to get a ticket before anyone else does, and the last such anniversary concert is at the Tokyo Game Show. That second fact could be mere coincidence, who knows - the Cinderella Girls CD is being released around the same time after all. At least some of the original Im@s idols will be around for the concert, but there will be others performing.

But no, what'll kill a franchise is having a high profile main game that doesn't do well... twice. After one, a franchise kinda starts limping and really needs something good to turn it around. After two, it's gone. That being said, Million Live is not said high profile main game.

I mean, if side games like these could ruin a franchise, no one would make 'em. Besides, who'd say that Sakura Taisen/Devil May Cry/Idolm@ster is a bad series because their pachinko games were horrible pachinko games? I know I wouldn't.

[rin fans]

I'm sorry maybe i overreact about this but I'm starting think ML killed Imas franchise since some Japanese fans comment say so and there 3 defining factor in my opinion:

factor 1:
there a post in some popular Japanese community who say ML in ranked #1 in most played game in gree plaform instead praise majority of comment somehow end-up being recommendation to other idol themed series (like AKB0048,love live,Aikatsu and so on....) and several days later ML significantly drop from the ranking.

Factor 2:
with Lawson campaign announced many Japanese fans in my community starting get sick with the scamco aptitude to forcing the Japanese Imas to like ML or the fact scamco rushing ML Promotion/want ML get popular fast.         

Factor 3:
With Announced of promotion if you buy ML CD you get Anniversary concerts ticket many buy ML CD but most Japanese fan reaction toward this move is disgust, pathetic and disbelief how low and dirty scamco(or Lantis) could be. (Also from my personal observation this factor is worst impression ML give to Japanese fans)

also the reason why some Japanese fans call ML as Franchise killer to Imas Franchise most likely dislike us who see CG and ML as "side game" Japanese fans treated ML as "main games" (which supported by Imas homepage)

also if you interested how popular ML i suggest to check pixiv because Japanese Fandom for some reason despite ML ranking system

I am sorry to reply this so long because i need to set mind straight again and do some research     
 

[RisingStar]

It is kinda strange that Namco, or Lantis, is pushing so hard to make ML a success. CG didn't get THIS much push when it came out.

At least some of the original Im@s idols will be around for the concert, but there will be others performing.

Do you know who will? Any names yet?

[Daverost]

They clearly dumped more money into ML with all of the seiyuu and help from A-1 on the art assets and aren't getting enough of it back.

[Cael K.]

most Japanese fan reaction toward this move is disgust, pathetic and disbelief how low and dirty scamco(or Lantis) could be

Tales. Im@s2 PS3. Im@s2 XBox, even.

... We've been saying this for how long? ^^

Do you know who will? Any names yet?

As far as the regular idols go? Kazuto popped a link on the G+ community, but...

http://ameblo.jp/project-imas/entry-11513866548.html

Nagoya
Nakamura, Hasegawa, Imai, Shimoda, Numakura, Takita

Osaka 1
Nakamura, Nigo, Asakura, Shimoda, Hara, Wakabayashi, Takita

Osaka 2
Nakamura, Nigo, Asakura, Shimoda, Hara, Wakabayashi, Takita

Yokohama
Nakamura, Hasegawa, Imai, Nigo, Asakura, Hara, Numakura, Wakabayashi

Fukuoka
Hasegawa, Imai, Kugimiya, Hara, Numakura

Tokyo Game Show
Nakamura, Hasegawa, Imai, Shimoda, Nigo, Kugimiya, Hara, Numakura, Wakabayashi

No clue about who else is coming - the blog entry says "And others" after each one of these.

[ninjamitsuki]

I can understand being upset about that third point, but enough to kill the franchise? Really?

Japanese iDOLM@STER do have a tendency to overreact from what I'm getting.

[RoninatorMarx]

I am apologize if this sounded rather extreme but did you think it's not impossible to say million live is  franchise killer for Imas franchise?

I am sorry if this sound rather harsh but i am starting think this after i read too many negative opinion about ML in Japanese (which dominating let's just say every post/news about ML)

Well, Daverost pretty much said my argument: Cinderella Girls was kinda like a sleeper hit in terms of popularity. It became a hit on its own because it "earned their place" over time. Million Live, as I've felt it, was Namco's attempt on jumping on the bandwagon CG started for them, and taking every measure they could to make sure it gets as big of a following to CG (familiar anime art, all idols have VAs, etc.). I guess we all know how that story is going. ML's situation is probably salvageable, and could be turned around to what Namco envisioned where it would be, but for that to happen I'm betting on one factor: time.

Japanese iDOLM@STER do have a tendency to overreact from what I'm getting.

My thoughts exactly.

[rin fans]

after some time of memory digging i remember the reason why Japanese fandom say ML going kill Imas Franchise : Extreme paranoia

The day when ML release there a rumor who starting appear and say ML girl going appear in the movie and as time goes on this rumor starting evolved to being say ML girl going appear in Im@s 3 and being main character on Im@s 3.

because emm.. ML girl is "not well received" to say at least and they fear they ruined the franchise and in the end their paranoid become "ML kill franchise" thing

so the Factor 1 i mentioned probably because some of they already paranoid enough to suggest other fan to leave Imas franchise for good

on other hand the third website i always come usually always cold headed about this starting to get the impact to sure they don't say ML kill the franchise thing but they starting thing ML kill 765pro

on the note i usually look 3 website about Imas franchise news related thing and here their view about ML:
1st website:the most paranoid one
2nd website:the anti-ML already become bland and vocal about their haterd
3nd website:the cool headed one but starting get the impact

note:only 2nd website is the one who focused on Imas franchise only the 1st and 3nd website is more to anime,manga and game general but their opinion is more honest before in the end the anti-ML in 2nd website more bland

and lastly because i tell Japanese fandom opinion about ML i'm starting to think to tell my opinion ML to

and here the freshly baked insult toward ML:
> Social Games latest "Idol Master Million Live" is a big hit
   I'm sorry, when did you hit?
I just using Google translate about this but this clear enough
 

[animagic4u]

they starting thing ML kill 765pro

Implying that any of the iDOLM@STER spin offs aren't killing 765 pro. I like how the backlash of ML seems well spoken but yet I barely seen any grief for CG.

However I agree that anyone who is too worried about this game is just paranoid. Just let $camco be $camco. Loyalty issues are clearly none of their worries. They'll do whatever it takes to expand the franchise even if it hurts a few of their existing fans.

[ninjamitsuki]

I actually kind of wanted the Million Live girls to be in iM@s 3, along with the old idols.

I just want something brand new to work with when it comes to coordinating. I love all of our 765 idols dearly but I'd die to have some new idols to meet and produce, and have them interact with the 765 idols. I actually made a post on Tumblr about my pipe dream about iDOLM@STER 3, where basically it was like Pokemon versions, one version had 765 and one version had Million Live, each had different song selection and the rivals in the game would be the characters from the opposing game. But hey, maybe the next generation of consoles could have enough space for ALL the idols.

I thought the only thing preventing my pipe dream from happening other than it being a fan idea was the large budget it would require, but I suppose fan hate is the other major reason.

While I don't want to say goodbye to 765, I do want some sort of fresh start.

[rin fans]

Implying that any of the iDOLM@STER spin offs aren't killing 765 pro. I like how the backlash of ML seems well spoken but yet I barely seen any grief for CG.

well about this whatever i search the answer
the answer always same

okey dokey if CG takeover because CG idol is loveable and appealing character but not okay if ML takeover because ML idol is shit/unappealing and melt-face

Also lately because ML 765pro image getting bad most likely because they become like AKB (sure this thing is trivial but for the Japanese AKB is sacred thing)(and this reason is also source of most bashing come from) the other reason is because ML 765pro lose it original touch 

Also the reason why many buy the ticket mostly because they paranoia i say earlier most of Japanese fans say they going go to TGS concert just to confirm their own paranoids 

Also they still small but there a faction who want CG takeover Imas franchise because for them is the only way to save Franchise, for greater good 

i also interested if true ML girl going be main character in Imas 3 i wonder how much Japanese fans who going leave

[ninjamitsuki]

So the Cinderella Girls are okay?

Then I guess my pipe dream about different versions would involve popular Cinderella Girls instead of Million Live girls. I changed my post accordingly. Even though a lot of the Cindrella Girls' personalities are very simple stereotypes.

But that would still require a large voice budget, I imagine.

Either way I am probably the only person in the world who wants new idols. It's just... I want something fresh.

[SakuraMaxX]

I actually like CG, but they feel more like they should stay as their own thing rather than becoming part of the main stuff. Same goes for Million Live (I actually can count off more CGs that I like rather than MLs since Shizuka is the only cool one).