View source for Aikatsu Friends!

{{Short description|Japanese arcade game & its franchise}}
{{Infobox animanga/Header
| name            = Aikatsu Friends!
| image           = File:Aikatsu_friends_poster.jpg
| caption         = Aikatsu Friends anime key visual
| ja_kanji        = アイカツフレンズ!
| ja_romaji       = Aikatsu Furenzu!
| genre           = [[Japanese idol|Idol]] (Singer)<ref name="ANN1">{{cite web|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2018-01-24/aikatsu-friends-debuts-in-april-as-3rd-aikatsu-idol-tv-anime/.126884|title=Aikatsu Friends! Debuts in April as 3rd Aikatsu Idol TV Anime|publisher=[[Anime News Network]]|date=January 25, 2018|accessdate=February 8, 2018|archive-date=November 14, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191114035941/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2018-01-24/aikatsu-friends-debuts-in-april-as-3rd-aikatsu-idol-tv-anime/.126884|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Note: Use and cite reliable sources to identify genre/s, not personal interpretation. Please don't include more than three genres (per [[MOS:A&M]]). -->
}}
{{Infobox animanga/Print
| type            = manga
| title           = 
| author          = Chihiro Komori
| illustrator     = 
| publisher       = [[Shogakukan]]
| publisher_en    = 
| demographic     = ''[[Shōjo manga|Shōjo]]''
| imprint         = 
| magazine        = [[Ciao (magazine)|Ciao]]
| magazine_en     = 
| first           = April 5, 2018
| last            = September 26, 2019
| volumes         = 
| volume_list     = 
}}
{{Infobox animanga/Video
| type            = tv series
| director        = Shishō Igarashi
| producer        = 
| writer          = Yūko Kakihara
| music           = Digz Motion Sounds
| studio          = [[Bandai Namco Pictures|BN Pictures]]
| licensee        = {{English anime licensee|[[South Asia|SA]] / [[Southeast Asia|SEA]]|[[Muse Communication]]}}
| network         = [[TX Network|TXN]] ([[TV Tokyo]], BS TV Tokyo), [[AT-X (company)|AT-X]]
| first           = April 5, 2018
| last            = September 26, 2019
| episodes        = 76
| episode_list    = List of Aikatsu Friends! episodes
}}
{{Infobox animanga/Other
| title           = Video games
| content         = 
* Aikatsu Friends! ([[Data Carddass]], 2018)
* Aikatsu Friends! Brilliant Jewel ([[Data Carddass]], 2019)
}}
{{Infobox animanga/Other
| title           = See Also
| content         = * ''[[Aikatsu on Parade!]]''
}}
{{Infobox animanga/Footer|portal=yes}}
{{Nihongo|'''''Aikatsu Friends!'''''|アイカツフレンズ!|Aikatsu Furenzu!}} is an arcade collectible card game in [[Bandai]]'s [[Data Carddass]] line of machines, which launched on April 5, 2018. It is the successor to the ''[[Aikatsu!]]'' and ''[[Aikatsu Stars!]]'' series of arcade games. The game revolves around using collectible cards featuring various clothes to help aspiring idols pass auditions.

An [[anime]] television adaptation by [[Bandai Namco Pictures|BN Pictures]] aired from April 5, 2018 to September 26, 2019, replacing the ''Aikatsu Stars!'' series.<ref name="ANN1"/> A [[manga]] adaptation by Chihiro Komori began serialization in [[Shogakukan]]'s [[shōjo manga|''shōjo'' manga]] magazine ''[[Ciao (magazine)|Ciao]]'' from April 3, 2018.<ref name="ANN3">{{cite web|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2018-03-01/aikatsu-friends-anime-gets-manga-in-april/.128409|title=Aikatsu Friends! Anime Gets Manga in April|publisher=Anime News Network|date=March 1, 2018|accessdate=March 2, 2018|archive-date=August 27, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230827223827/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2018-03-01/aikatsu-friends-anime-gets-manga-in-april/.128409|url-status=live}}</ref> The series was followed by a spinoff title, ''[[Aikatsu on Parade!]]'' on October 5, 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2019-08-17/aikatsu-on-parade-tv-anime-to-unite-previous-shows-idols/.150156|title=Aikatsu on Parade! TV Anime to Unite Previous Shows' Idols|publisher=Anime News Network|date=August 17, 2019|accessdate=August 17, 2019|archive-date=September 7, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190907010832/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2019-08-17/aikatsu-on-parade-tv-anime-to-unite-previous-shows-idols/.150156|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Plot==
Aine Yūki, who is a regular student at Star Harmony Academy's normal division, meets Mio Minato from the idol division, who invites her to join Aikatsu to fulfill Aine's goal to make friends. She also befriends Maika Chōno and Ema Hinata who are also idols. Aine and Mio form a pair to become best friends to become the bright "Diamond Friends". Karen Kamishiro and Mirai Asuka are categorized as "Diamond Friends" and are in the Diamond Class!

==Media==
===Anime===
{{see also|List of Aikatsu Friends! episodes}}
An [[anime]] television series produced by [[Bandai Namco Pictures|BN Pictures]] began airing on [[TV Tokyo]] from April 5, 2018 succeeding the ''[[Aikatsu Stars!]]'' anime series in its initial timeslot.

A second season titled "Aikatsu Friends! ~Kagayaki no Jewel~" has been announced, and it aired from April 4 to September 26, 2019, succeeding the first season of ''Aikatsu Friends!'' anime series in its initial timeslot.<ref name="ANN4">{{cite web|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2019-01-27/aikatsu-friends-anime-gets-new-series-in-april/.142645|title=Aikatsu Friends! Anime Gets New Series in April|publisher=Anime News Network|date=January 29, 2019|accessdate=January 29, 2019|archive-date=October 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211004040921/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2019-01-27/aikatsu-friends-anime-gets-new-series-in-april/.142645|url-status=live}}</ref> This was also the last installment of the ''Aikatsu!'' series to be produced in the [[Heisei period]] and the first to be produced in the [[Reiwa period]].{{efn|This season aired 3 days after the announcement of Japan's new period, following Prince [[Naruhito]]'s ascension to the throne on May 1, 2019.}}

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Official website|http://www.aikatsu.com/friends|Official website}} {{in lang|ja}}
*{{anime News Network|anime|20586}}

{{Aikatsu!}}
{{Bandai Namco Pictures}}
{{Ciao}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Aikatsu Friends}}
[[Category:2018 anime television series debuts]]
[[Category:2018 video games]]
[[Category:Aikatsu!]]
[[Category:Bandai Namco games]]
[[Category:Bandai Namco Pictures]]
[[Category:Japanese idols in anime and manga]]
[[Category:Shogakukan manga]]
[[Category:Shōjo manga]]
[[Category:TV Tokyo original programming]]