The Portal of Zeta: iDOLM@STER Neo Vision

[ZetaFlare]

From my previous topic:

iDOLM@STER Neo Vision is my second-most recent idea. Beginning just a few weeks after the events in iM@S2, a new entertainment company, ZetaPro (consisting of a group of OC idols), seeks to rise to stardom from the depths of obscurity. However, a new unit known as NAZO has become the biggest national idol sensation in just a matter of weeks. Worst yet, they seem to show hostility towards ZetaPro. The young and talented musician/composer Kenji Kodou age 15 is appointed ZetaPro's new producer. As the idols rise in popularity, it becomes apparent that this journey isn't just about shooting for "top idol." Unity will once again become a big factor in this tale of laughs, hardships, coming-of-age, and, of course, fanservice.

Of course, the idols we all know and love (765pro and 876pro) will still be around and Kuroi still has some tricks up his sleeve. No mobile game idols though. Sorry to all you Cinderella Girls and Million Live fans out there...

Everything regarding Neo Vision will be posted in this new thread. To be honest, I'm not sure whether to make this a Powerpoint animation or just a fanfiction series written in a "script" kind of fashion. Still, I kind of want it to feel like the classic idol-raising sim game.

I'll start off with sketches and brief introductions of each character. I'll go into further detail about the storyline, characters, "gameplay," and each idol's Story Mode events in future posts.

[ZetaFlare]

Kodō Kenji (虎堂賢治, age 15). The series' protagonist. He's a musically gifted young man who has achieved modest success as a composer and pianist. Over two years, he has provided the background music for a group of amateur singers. His leadership skills impress ZetaPro's president to the point of appointing Kenji as his producer, though there could be another reason why the president selected him. Normally, he is a dedicated, kind, caring individual, though his personality can alter a bit depending on the actions of the player.
Preferred VA: Tsubasa Yonaga

[ZetaFlare]

Shiranui Sakura (不知火さくら, age 15). ZetaPro's main heroine. Kenji's best friend since they were in Kindergarten. Inspired by Haruka to become a singer herself. Much like her biggest influence, she's cheerful, outgoing, a dedicated worker, very trendy, and seems to get along with anyone she meets (though she's not nearly as clumsy). Later, she attends karaoke nights, establishes and performs in Kenji's amateur group, and joins her school's choir to further develop her skills. Her dream is to one day sing professionally. Affectionately calls Kenji "Ken-kun," even as her producer.
A Jill-of-all-trades in terms of stats. Her focus changes with the trends. Character is very high due to her lasting friendship with Kenji.
Birthday: March 23 (Aries)
Blood type: O
Hobbies: Karaoke, shopping
Image color: Red
Image song: My Sweet Heart (Tokyo Mew Mew)
Appeal element: Fire
Preferred VA: Kaori Ishihara

[ZetaFlare]

Tendō Asuka (天道飛鳥, age 15). She and Sakura have been close friends since they were kids. In contrast to Sakura’s happy-go-lucky nature, Asuka is sweet, gentle, and kind, almost like a Yamato Nadeshiko, but she has a very weak constitution. With a beautiful singing voice and self-taught piano skills, she seems to have inherited some of her internationally-renowned father's musical abilities. She later becomes the second singer in Kenji's amateur group. Respectfully calls Kenji "Kodō-san," even as her producer.
Her stats are relatively middle-of-the-road with an emphasis in Vocal. High character due to her relationship with Kenji.
Birthday: February 4 (Aquarius)
Blood type: O
Hobbies: Piano playing, cooking
Image color: Blue
Image song: Tori no Uta (Air)
Appeal element: Sky
Preferred VA: Yui Ogura

Interesting note: Sakura was named Asuka Tendō during the first few months of Neo Vision's progress.

[ZetaFlare]

Asō Mirai (麻生未来, age 14). Another main character. Although she's all-around happy and has a positive outlook on life, she essentially fails at everything she does, from classes to hobbies. Because of this, she is constantly mocked by her classmates and nagged by her parents and teachers. Naturally, when she tries out to become an idol, the judges were quick to reject her. However, one of the guest judges of the audition happened to be Sakura. Sensing something special about her singing, she introduces her to ZetaPro, who cautiously accepts her. Is she really a talentless, unlucky girl doomed to a life full of fail? Or could it be that she has yet to awaken her true potential?
She starts with piss-poor stats across the board, but as she levels up, her stat growth becomes exponential, higher than any other idol. Her appeal focus changes depending on her strongest stat. Character is on par with Sakura's due to her positive attitude.
Birthday: January 8 (Capricorn)
Blood type: O
Hobbies: Nothing really comes to mind...
Image color: Gold
Image song: Purachina (Card Captor Sakura)
Appeal element: Life
Preferred VA: Rie Tanaka

[ZetaFlare]

Mitsurugi Jun (御剣純, age 15). The otaku of the group. Most of her time is spent playing video games and watching anime. She's especially fond of the mecha genre. She also has a bit of a humorous side to her, often making references to anime and video games just to brighten up the mood. While she appears to be an undisciplined slacker, she has a surprisingly good memory and can perfectly emulate anything she reads, watches, or plays. Although she seems to have little, if any, talent, she learned some of her dance moves by watching and studying videos on the Internet. She actually flatter than Chihaya, but she wears her pettanko badge with lots of pride. Her catchphrase is "Yoshaa!" which she shouts often when excited or victorious.
Her stats are relatively middle-of-the-road with an emphasis in Dance. High character due to her outgoing nature.
Birthday: December 12 (Sagittarius)
Blood type: A
Hobbies: Video games, collecting mecha models
Image color: Silver
Image song: Rhythm Emotion (Gundam Wing)
Appeal element: Metal
Preferred VA: Junko Takeuchi

Note: Those shoes that Jun is wearing with her gravure swimsuit? They're crocs.
Interesting note: There are rumors going around that she could be a descendant of the Mitsurugi from Soul Calibur.

[ZetaFlare]

Minakami Megumi (水上恵, age 15). The Yukiho of the group. A cute and sweet girl, but is very timid, easily flustered, and has hardly any self-confidence. Her body is much more developed than many other girls her age (her bust size is almost on par with Miki's). Because of this, she’s very popular among boys in her school, but she is often too scared to go near them. She shows a passion for singing, but due to a past performance gone horribly wrong, she got stage fright and lost any confidence she had. Prior to becoming an idol, she had a habit of locking herself in a small, quiet room and sing along to her favorite CDs. A classmate of hers noticed her talents and tried to encourage her to become an idol, but Megumi refuses her request, claiming she will only be a flop. Then, one day, her classmate took her to see Yukiho in concert. Megumi could tell from Yukiho's vibes that she, too, was once as shy and scared as she is. Becoming an idol really helped change her. Plus, she enjoys singing anyway. Megumi reluctantly decides she might as well try to become an idol too. This way she can shed her shy nature (much like Yukiho did) and recover the confidence she had as a child.
Her stats are relatively middle-of-the-road with an emphasis in Visual. While her character is high, she can lose tension easily due to her timidness.
Birthday: March 15 (Pisces)
Blood type: B
Hobbies: Swimming, singing along to CDs
Image color: Aqua
Image song: Miracle Encore (Suzumiya Haruhi no Gekidou)
Appeal element: Water
Preferred VA: Yuko Gotou

Interesting note: Megumi's namesake and personality were inspired by the fact that Yukiho was almost named Megumi during the development of the first iM@S game.

[ZetaFlare]

Uemura Nozomi (植村希, age 17). Personality-wise, Nozomi is like a cross between Chihaya and Ritsuko. She's all serious business, devoting most of her life towards music. However, she is a bit of a perfectionist and can become a control freak if things go awry. Even at a young age, she's established herself as a singing prodigy. Most of her free time is spent practicing or studying music theory and history. Many of her classmates and fellow choir members look up to her as a reliable leader who provides good advice and motivation to help them succeed. She became an idol in order to display her talents nationwide and to hopefully get accepted into an esteemed music conservatory. Julliard is her first choice.
She has a strong Vocal stat, but lacks Visual. Her character is so-so. She will lose tension on a Normal lesson due to her high standards.
Birthday: May 16 (Taurus)
Blood type: A
Hobbies: Studying music theory and history, voice training
Image color: Green
Image song: Innocent starter (Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha)
Appeal element: Wood
Preferred VA: Nana Mizuki

[Amazing_Grace]

I'm actually really liking these characters so far. I can tell you've put a lot of thought into their backgrounds, which is awesome, because without a well-thought-out background, characters are just...boring. I can see lots of cute and funny scenarios happening between them all!

I'm not sure whether to make this a Powerpoint animation or just a fanfiction series written in a "script" kind of fashion. Still, I kind of want it to feel like the classic idol-raising sim game.

I almost feel like a (to be read in a Dinosaur Office voice) PowerPoint presentation would be best if you want to make it kinda like a game...? But at the same time, maybe a fanfiction would be easier.
I'm not good at advice. But I would kinda like to see a (Dinosaur Office voice) PowerPoint presentation.

[ZetaFlare]

Thanks, Grace. I'm not finished yet, though. Some of their stories really come into play when selected as the unit's leader in Story Mode.

i.e. Sakura has a bad history with one of NAZO's members. She feels like she has to perform at her level in order to catch up with her and thus changes her styles of practice and performance entirely. Because of this, she begins to lose her appeal. Sakura almost quits her job, feeling like the gap between her and her rival is just too great, but with a little help from Kenji and Haruka, she regains inspiration and remembers why she wanted to be an idol in the first place...it's fun for her and loves bringing smiles to all who listen to her voice.

Asuka's weak constitution comes into play and challenges her career. NAZO's spiteful producer tries to take advantage of it.

Nozomi is at a different level than her partners. With the looming threat of NAZO, she starts to push them beyond their limits, believing them to be holding her back. However, everything changes when NAZO's leader tells her that she's the unit's weakest link. While this does shock her at first, she eventually accepts this and changes her style so that each member flows together perfectly.

Sorry if I spoiled anything, but I thought I'd give some examples. Stay tuned for more brief bios.

[ZetaFlare]

Kazama Mai (風間舞, age 16). A sporty tomboy with a fiery personality. Her mother was a professional dancer whose career came to an abrupt end after injuring her leg. She later died of a stroke when Mai was 6. With her dying wish, she wanted Mai to succeed her and become a big-time dancer. Mai didn't appreciate taking all those dance lessons at first, but this event was the spark that caused Mai to devote her life to dancing. She studied ballet, tap, and jazz and has done remarkably in several competitions. Believing the sky's the limit, she became an idol in order to further develop her talents as well as awaken several others she never knew she had. Originally born in Osaka, she speaks with a Kansai dialect. She sometimes has a tendency to perform high kicks and leaps onstage.
She has a strong Dance stat, but lacks Visual. Character is decent, but her tension drops significantly during a Bad result. Trust me, you don't want to piss her off.
Birthday: September 28 (Libra)
Blood type: A
Hobbies: Competitive dancing, taking strolls
Image color: Sky Blue
Image song: Believe (One Piece)
Appeal element: Wind
Preferred VA: Kana Ueda

Note: Mai wears tights and jazz shoes with her training clothes.

[Amazing_Grace]

Thanks, Grace. I'm not finished yet, though. Some of their stories really come into play when selected as the unit's leader in Story Mode.

I can see how that would be true, yeah. Still, even just in a brief bio I can start to get a feel for how the character is. My favorite part of any project/franchise is the characters. If the characters don't make me happy, I'm not gonna stick with it. And I'm already excited for this.
Which means now, you HAVE to do it.

Sorry if I spoiled anything, but I thought I'd give some examples. Stay tuned for more brief bios.

I don't really mind spoilers, so it's alright. It's awesome that you've already thought that far ahead and you haven't even started it yet. I like the existence of NAZO to serve as a whole rival agency like 961 was to 765. It provides a chance for the girls to grow and change. Which is always good.

Also, your sketches are cute.

[ZetaFlare]

Aida Momoko (愛田桃子, age 14). Moody, spoiled, and self-centered, she's pretty much teenage angst in a nutshell. She's a self-proclaimed "prettiest girl in all of Japan," has a naive view of love (she's very choosy about the boys she hangs out with), and would do almost anything to have her way. She's a HUGE fan of Miki and looks up to her as a role model, inspired by her beauty and her ability to succeed with very little effort. She hopes to one day become a big-time pretty idol much like Miki. However, beneath her strong side, Momoko has very low self-esteem and is disturbed by people who ignore her or don't notice her. All her life she did her best to make herself noticed from putting on private concerts to wearing seductive clothing, but still no one paid any attention to her. Sometimes, she'll even get clingy towards a boy she wants to talk with and will push anyone else aside. The real reason she became an idol was so that she could get people to notice her. Becoming popular might give her much-needed comfort. Momoko dyes her hair pink (she's really a brunette) in order to stand out from other idols. Her catchphrase is "No one's as pretty as me!" *giggle*
She has a strong Visual stat, but lacks Vocal. Character isn't too good due to her moody nature. Loses tension during Normal lessons because of her "I'm not going to lose" attitude.
Birthday: February 14 (Aquarius)
Blood type: B
Hobbies: Reading magazines, chatting with friends
Image color: Pink
Image song: Romeo to Cinderella (Vocaloid)
Appeal element: Heart
Preferred VA: Aoi Yuuki

[ZetaFlare]

Tsukishiro Reika (月城麗華, age 18). Brought up into a life of luxury. She's elegant, kind, polite, and very respectful towards even people she doesn't know, but a bit naive due to little exposure from the outside world. Due to her father's interest in European cultures and history, Reika became interested in classical and opera music. He even taught her to sing and play the piano. He does, however, keep her inside his mansion at all times, not wishing to taint her with the evils of the outside world. ZetaPro's president discovered her talents one day, but her father would not allow her to become an idol. One night, Reika runs away and decides to become an idol anyway, seeing it as an opportunity for a life of adventure, discovering a world that has been hidden to her for years. Still, what is her father up to? Is he hiding something? Is it for her best interest? Like Takane, she speaks very formally using terms like watakushi. Calls Kenji "Producer-dono" out of respect.
She has a strong Vocal stat, but lacks Dance. Her tension changes either way are pretty even. While she has standards, she still deeply respects her producer.
Birthday: September 6 (Virgo)
Blood type: O
Hobbies: Listening to classical and opera music, gardening
Image color: Purple
Image song: JEWEL (Dream C Club)
Appeal element: Moon
Preferred VA: Rina Satou

[ZetaFlare]

Kasugano Hikari (春日野光, age 14). The tsundere of the group. Very energetic, but can get very sulky and tends to act before she thinks. Takes pride in her dancing skills acquired from participating in her school’s rhythmic gymnastics club and dance troupe. While she claims to have become an idol out of the thrill of the competition, she hides an inferiority complex. While her skills are decent, many of her teammates have advanced much further than her and often consider her a burden. Tends to hide this complex behind her stronger nature, not wanting other people to see her look so weak. She really became an idol in order to show people that she’s better than they give her credit for. Her catchphrase is "muguguu..." which she often utters when frustrated or simply angry. It's kind of like a growl.
She has a strong Dance stat, but lacks Vocal. Due to her tsundere nature, her tension tends to fluxuate. Loses tension during Normal lessons because she's not willing to lose.
Birthday: August 7 (Leo)
Blood type: A
Hobbies: Rhythmic gymnastics, rhythm games
Image color: Chartreuse
Image song: Real (Dream C Club)
Appeal element: Light
Preferred VA: Ayana Taketatsu