imagine-nation S2013E02 - Main Feature: Idol Simulation Game&Animation"Aikatsu!" / Creator's interview: Shigeru Okada Japanese Stop motion animator

Main Feature: Idol Simulation Game&Animation"Aikatsu!"

THE IDOLM@STER debuted in game arcades in 2005, and became phenomenally popular after it shifted over to Xbox 360® in 2007. It is a simulation game where the player sets about turning budding artists into idols of the entertainment industry. Not only the game but CDs featuring IDOLM@STER characters and other merchandise have generated huge sales, and have created a sensation, particularly among the young male "Akihabara" types. 
Namco Bandai Games, which is behind the phenomenal success of THE IDOLM@STER, has since rolled out Aikatsu! a simulation game for girls relying on collectible cards in its data carddass (DCD) series. It is a game where all entertainers rely on cards. The budding female artists in Aikatsu! use them to promote themselves for auditions. The game in many ways mirrors what is happening in the Japanese entertainment industry today. 
Could this blend of anime, game software, books, clothing, food products and other merchandise become an international hit? 


Creator's interview: Shigeru Okada Japanese Stop motion animator

Shigeru Okada is a stop motion animator who eschews computer graphics, relying instead on origami or the Japanese art of paper folding. What started off as a pastime has turned into a full-time job. He is responsible for many amazing productions. A single production can sometimes require more than 15 hours of work each day over a 3 month period. The interest in origami outside of Japan has helped generate a lot of foreign comment about Okada's online animated clips.