Getting people into the imas series

[Maka]

Sooooo have any of you had any success "converting" someone into an Idolmaster fan? How did you go about doing that?

I've been trying to get my girlfriend into the series lately, and I'm beginning to suspect it might be a lost cause (even though we only watched the first anime episode together, and she does like LLSIF). I also have a few friends who I'd love to talk about the series with...

[Virgofall]

I managed to generate an interest in the series in a few friends, though I don't quite remember how. I think it was due to the anime - though I also suspect it was more "the person I showed the anime to made a convert out of others by association" as he organized a fandub (which hasn't been posted yet) and half the participants are people I only know in passing or just don't know at all.

I was trying to get That One Person interested in it, and he actually did go as far as downloading the anime (though, I suspect it was more BECAUSE he knew of my interest that he did, though I already seen it - he sometimes streams for friends when he feels like it). However, I know he hasn't seen it yet and because of his current situation, I doubt I'll find any definite answer in his interest until '15. He's at least tolerant of my bringing up the subject though, so better than what it could be.

[Takechan]

I actually managed to get my boyfriend into Idolmaster, though we usually always watch anime and stuff together so I guess it wasn't really that hard. I showed him the anime and that's what got him interested in it. It does pick up after episode 3 in my opinion, so maybe just keep going? I also skipped around at first and showed him some of the more funny episodes, like 15. He seemed to enjoy it without having any idea what was going on. Haha.

As far as friends go, I don't have many that actually watch anime. I do think the best entry point is probably the anime, however.

[DeviantProtagonist]

The anime is no doubt the best entry point for casuals. Everything that began for me in terms of iM@S stemmed solely from that -- once I had thought this was your typical slice of life anime with Asami Imai, but come the later story arcs and it was something much more~.

[Amazing_Grace]

I literally just told my otaku friends to watch the anime. One particularly hilarious example, though, is how I got my science-y manly man friend to watch this. The conversation went a little something like this:

Me: R---, you should watch The iDOLM@STER, since I already made you watch Xenoglossia.
Friend: Isn't that show, like, for girls?
Me: Well, yeah, but it's cute! Come on, please?
Friend: I don't know...
Me: Will you at least watch Puchim@s!?
Friend: It's so girly, though.
Me: Please? ;-;
*Friend agrees to try Puchim@s!*
*Friend survives about five episodes and then gets back to me*
Friend: IT HURTS. MY MANLY INSTINCTS HURT.
Me: YOU CAN DO IT, R---. NOW GET TO THE ORIGINAL SERIES.
Friend: Well, if I survived that, I guess I can do this. Alright, I'll try!
*Friend watches about six episodes of the original series, then gives up*
*I ridicule Friend*
*Friend refuses to try anymore*

But at least I got him to watch Xenoglossia, so that was SOMETHING.
Except the characters were so messed up it doesn't even count.

[SakuraMaxX]

But iM@S's target demographic is men?

[MetalPredat0r]

But iM@S's target demographic is men?

I thought it's target demographic was unisex.

Anyway, I have had no actual dice in "converting" anyone. I have a friend of mine from art class watching the anime, but he constantly sidetracks from it so I don't know what to make of that. Though there are quite a number of people at my school who are well-aware of iM@S and another friend of mine is a fan herself, so there's that. There's also another friend (those who played Smash with me last Friday know him) who I tell info on the series to and he is very well aware of the franchise's existence, but I don't know if he can really be considered a fan. He is interested in Miki, though. But yeah, no luck on my end.

[AlmightyPeach]

I thought it's target demographic was unisex.

Well you could say the games assume you're a male, since the idols refer to you as one (Like how the twins call you Nii-chan and stuff). But on the topic, I have converted 3 people to Idolm@ster (all females) and it surprised me because what got them into it was the anime before the games. I used to think only people who were already fans could really enjoy the anime, but I guess I was wrong!

[MetalPredat0r]

Well you could say the games assume you're a male, since the idols refer to you as one (Like how the twins call you Nii-chan and stuff). But on the topic, I have converted 3 people to Idolm@ster (all females) and it surprised me because what got them into it was the anime before the games. I used to think only people who were already fans could really enjoy the anime, but I guess I was wrong!

Its generally agreed that the anime is how a lot of newer fans got into the series. Heck, that's what got me into the series, even. For all the criticisms people tend to give the anime, its at least a good adaptation by being accessible to newer people who don't know about iM@S firsthand, which is a lot more than I can say for OTHER video game-based anime.... *coughsBlazBlueAlterMemorycoughs*

[Yui]

Sooooo have any of you had any success "converting" someone into an Idolmaster fan? How did you go about doing that?

Hmm... let's see...
Though I didn't had intention, some friends of mine decided to try listening iDOLM@STER songs. I used some iM@S nicknames in a MMO, said what sort of music I listen, and et cetera. And people have some curiosity to know about iM@S series. Buuuuut, in my nation, iM@S isn't thaaaaat popular. If I can put in order of "What people like?", it'll be Vocaloid>Touhou>iM@S.

[Virgofall]

I think that the demographic's primarily male, if you consider the cited reason for Ryo's existence (which essentially comes off to me as "We need a male PoV character"), the fact that introducing male idols who presented as male had caused quite the revolt within the fandom, and the fact that the spinoffs still primarily focus on girls - even before we consider how the producer's addressed in the main series. I HIGHLY doubt, say, Takane and Miki would've accused the producer of being perverted if the producer were female.

I was semi-into the series by the time the anime came out, but I'll admit I became more interested post-anime. I didn't really become a huge fan prior to getting the games, though, since the music was what lured me in to begin with (as a Vocaloid fan at the time - not so much now - it was a pretty natural extension). I grew curious about how certain combinations of idols sounded on various songs, and that was enough for me to disregard the language barrier.

[Amazing_Grace]

But iM@S's target demographic is men?

Take that up with him, the cute idols and adorable music was just too feminine for him.

I do kinda think the target is men, though. Weird considering literally everyone I know (in real life, not including you guys) who loves that series is female.

[Naryoril]

Take that up with him, the cute idols and adorable music was just too feminine for him.

I do kinda think the target is men, though. Weird considering literally everyone I know (in real life, not including you guys) who loves that series is female.

Adorable music? Sure, some songs are made to be cute, but there are also songs like Overmaster or eDEN

[Amazing_Grace]

Adorable music? Sure, some songs are made to be cute, but there are also songs like Overmaster or eDEN

The anime pretty exclusively sticks with the cuter songs, at least in the first few episodes. edeN didn't even exist when the anime came out. READY!!! and CHANGE!! and The World is All One! and Positive! and those songs are the ones that show up in the early episodes (OK, not CHANGE!!, that one came later), so they're the only ones this friend heard.

[Okayu]

I've tried many times over the years but haven't succeeded in converting anyone. Can't be helped.

it'll be Vocaloid>Touhou>iM@S.

That's pretty much how it is on nico as well from what I can tell.

For all the criticisms people tend to give the anime, its at least a good adaptation by being accessible to newer people who don't know about iM@S firsthand

The problem is the anime misrepresents the series. It just takes the basic concepts and does it's own thing. It may be a decent gateway series, but it is by no means a good adaptation.

even before we consider how the producer's addressed in the main series. I HIGHLY doubt, say, Takane and Miki would've accused the producer of being perverted if the producer were female.

Producer also uses a male pronoun and talks like a guy. It's pretty obvious the producer is meant to be a guy but that doesn't mean girls can't play it.