Showbiz Anime

In the entertainment world, celebrities often show exaggerated versions of themselves to the public, concealing their true thoughts and struggles beneath elaborate lies. Fans buy into these fabrications, showering their idols with undying love and support, until something breaks the illusion. Sixteen-year-old rising star Ai Hoshino of pop idol group B Komachi has the world captivated; however, when she announces a hiatus due to health concerns, the news causes many to become worried. As a huge fan of Ai, gynecologist Gorou Amemiya cheers her on from his countryside medical practice, wishing he could meet her in person one day. His wish comes true when Ai shows up at his hospital—not sick, but pregnant with twins! While the doctor promises Ai to safely deliver her children, he wonders if this encounter with the idol will forever change the nature of his relationship with her. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

J-pop idol group CHAM! has spent the last two years entertaining its fans. Sadly, all good things must come to an end, and CHAM! must see one of its members, Mima Kirigoe, leave the group to pursue her acting career. While Mima's choice is met with a mixed response, she hopes her fans will continue to support her. However, Mima's life begins to change drastically after her departure from the group. Wanting to shed her pop-idol image, she takes on a role in a crime drama series, and her career as an actress gradually becomes more demanding and taxing for both Mima and her manager, Rumi Hidaka. To add to Mima's growing unease, an obsessed fan who is incapable of accepting that Mima has quit being an innocent idol, begins stalking her; a new anonymous website begins to impersonate her life with intricate detail; and CHAM! also appears to be doing better without her. One by one, each disturbing development drives Mima to become increasingly unhinged and unable to distinguish reality from fantasy. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

With the help of producer Masaya Kaburagi, Aquamarine "Aqua" Hoshino and Kana Arima have landed the roles of Touki and Tsurugi in Lala Lai Theatrical Company's stage adaptation of the popular manga series Tokyo Blade. Co-starring with them is Aqua's girlfriend, Akane Kurokawa, who plays Touki's fiancée, Princess Saya. Due to the fanbase preferring Tsurugi as Touki's love interest, Saya has made fewer and fewer appearances in the manga, making it difficult for Akane to fully immerse herself in the role. Her struggles are compounded by differences between the play's script and the original work—differences that also frustrate Tokyo Blade's author, Abiko Samejima. Aqua, however, is more concerned with his personal goals than he is with the play. He has only one objective in mind: to grow closer to director Toshirou Kindaichi and find out what he knows about Aqua's mother, Ai. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

Zhuge Kongming earned a reputation as one of the greatest tacticians of the Three Kingdoms period of third-century China. Having led his army through countless grueling victories, Kongming falls gravely ill during the Battle of Wuzhang Plains. The weariness and regret stemming from the seemingly never-ending war catch up to him, and as he draws his final breath, Kongming wishes that if he were to reincarnate, he would be reborn in a more peaceful era. His wish comes true, and Kongming wakes up in modern-day Tokyo with a younger body and his memories intact. Thrust into an unfamiliar world, he finds his way into a nightclub and meets Eiko Tsukimi, an aspiring singer whose performance immediately captivates him. Pitying his confusion, Eiko takes Kongming under her wing and teaches him about the current world, which leads to Kongming's interest in contemporary music. Seeing Eiko's immense musical potential, Kongming vows to make the world recognize her and soon takes on the role of her manager. Unsurprisingly, the music industry is unforgiving to those who make even the slightest mistakes. Still, Kongming is determined to accomplish his goals—even if he must utilize the war stratagems he famously used in his previous life! [Written by MAL Rewrite]

Day in and day out, Kyouko Mogami works multiple jobs to support her childhood friend, Shoutarou "Shou" Fuwa, in his rise to stardom as an idol. She never complains about her way of life, as she is deeply infatuated with Shou and would go to the ends of the world for him. However, her heart is broken when she overhears Shou talk about how he views her as nothing more than a maid he cares little for. Angered over being used, Kyouko flies into a rage and swears to get revenge on her former crush by entering the world of showbiz to surpass him. Joining the relentless and unforgiving entertainment industry proves to be a challenge, as she continuously meets people who force her out of her comfort zone. But for the sake of vengeance, Kyouko is determined to push herself and rise to the top. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

With an actress mother, producer father, and rockstar brother, anyone would expect Izumi Sena to eventually enter showbiz himself. However, aside from a commercial for a wedding magazine when he was a child, Izumi has never been in the spotlight; instead, he aims to become a manga artist. But a decade after the shoot, the magazine calls for a 10th anniversary ad, requesting the original child actors for the project. This reunites Izumi with Ryouma Ichijou, now a popular actor who, much to Izumi's shock, has been in love with him ever since their first meeting! However, due to Izumi's feminine appearance and unisex name, Ryouma believed the boy was a girl and continues to do so to this day. Izumi's troubles are just beginning, because even after discovering the truth, Ryouma can't seem to shake off his feelings... [Written by MAL Rewrite]

In the studio of the morning childrens' show "Together with Mama," a crew of miserable adults prepares their facades of amicable smiles and cheerful exteriors to educate a group of innocent preschoolers. In the middle of it stands Uramichi Omota, a former gymnast who can't help but bring the kids down to earth by revealing the harsh and depressing reality of adulthood, even in front of the rolling cameras. Behind the scenes, Uramichi's much-desired peace is disturbed by his two bothersome juniors who work as the show's rabbit and bear mascots and singers: Utano Tadano, a woman who only wishes to get married; and Iketeru Daga, a handsome man with a crass sense of humor. From smoking and exercising to nihilistic outbursts, everyone's big brother Uramichi always brings up the not-so-moral side to his life lessons. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

Dominating the world of indie music, Detroit Metal City (DMC) is a popular death metal band known for its captivatingly dark and crude style. Its extravagant lead singer, Johannes Krauser II, is especially infamous as a demonic being who has risen from the fiery pits of hell itself in order to bring the world to its knees and lord over all mortals—or at least that's what he's publicized to be. Unbeknownst to his many worshippers, Krauser II is just the alter ego of an average college graduate named Souichi Negishi. Although he is soft-spoken, peace-loving, and would rather listen to Swedish pop all day, he must participate in DMC's garish concerts in order to make ends meet. Detroit Metal City chronicles Negishi's hilarious misadventures as he attempts to juggle his hectic band life, a seemingly budding romance, and dealing with his incredibly obsessive and dedicated fans. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

At the turn of the millennium, Ginei Studio's dilapidated buildings are set to be demolished. Ex-employee and filmmaker Genya Tachibana decides to honor this occasion with a commemorative documentary about the company's star actress: Chiyoko Fujiwara, the reclusive sweetheart of Shouwa Era cinema. Having finally obtained permission to interview the retired starlet, an enamored Genya drags along cynical cameraman Kyouji Ida to meet her, ready to put his lifelong idol back in the spotlight once more. Hidden in this secluded mountain retreat is a thousand years of history condensed into one lifetime, waiting to be narrated. Chiyoko's recollections take them on an illusionary journey through Japanese cinematic history that transcends the boundaries of reality; the saga of her acting career intertwines with her filmography, the actors in her life blend seamlessly with the characters on screen, and the present melds with the past. Though the actress may have retired at the height of her career 30 years ago, the curtain on her life's stage has yet to fall. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

Takato Saijou has held the title of "Sexiest Man of the Year" for five years running. He is an accomplished actor, with 20 years of experience under his belt, and is aware his good looks are well above average. Proud of his career, Takato regards the title as an appropriate indicator of his success. But when his reign is ended by acting newbie Junta Azumaya, who debuted only three years ago, Takato's initial shock gives way to jealous hostility. Even in the new drama that he has been cast in, Junta seems to have suddenly surpassed him; snatching Takato's usual spot of lead actor, Junta continually manages to get on his nerves. Most infuriating of all are the bright smile and kind words that accompany everything Junta does. All this animosity comes to a head, however, when Junta catches Takato in a rather vulnerable drunken state. Endangering his own public image, Takato confronts the junior actor with harsh words and angry comments—an opportunity Junta takes every advantage of. With the famous actor Takato Saijou now on video picking a fight with a co-star, Junta has the perfect means to blackmail him. Asking the price of his enemy's silence, Takato is shocked to find that his motivation lies far from advancing his career; instead, Junta's terms are those that can only be realized in the bedroom! [Written by MAL Rewrite]

Being the daughter of a modeling agency owner, Chiyuki Fujito aspires to represent her father's agency in the prestigious Paris Fashion Week, shining under the spotlight as a runway model. However, although she is equipped with great looks and talent, she unfortunately lacks a key element in becoming a successful model—height. Stuck at 158 cm even after entering high school, her childhood dream seems out of reach. Meanwhile, Ikuto Tsumura is a high school student with a knack in designing clothes; however, without the resources to pursue the necessary education, his ambition of becoming a fashion designer remains a mere dream. But as fate brings Chiyuki and Ikuto together, the dim hopes within their hearts are ignited once again. Together, the two promise to rebel against convention and carve out their own paths in the fashion world. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

All Shuichi ever dreamed about was following in the footsteps of his pop idol, Ryuichi Sakuma and the band Nittle Grasper. Together with his best friend Hiro, Shuichi's formed a band called Bad Luck and they've even managed to get signed to a major recording label! Unfortunately, the studio deadlines are looming and Shuichi still hasn't finished the lyrics for any of the songs. What he needs is a little inspiration... but he's been running a little low in that department lately. While Hiro recommends finding a girlfriend, fate has other things in store for him... Walking through the park late one night, Shuichi's latest lyrics flutter away and land at the feet of a stunning stranger that takes his breath away. Unfortunately, that mysterious stranger happens to be the famous novelist Eiri Yuki, who completely crushes the young singer by telling him he has "zero talent". Now, Shuichi's so annoyed that he's managed to finish his song just so he can find and confront Yuki once again. But, are his actions really motivated by anger, or has he actually fallen in love? (Source: RightStuf)

After being stood up for a movie date, marketing employee Fumihiko Matsumaru is about to throw away his tickets when he is stopped by a girl who implores him to let her accompany him instead. Thanks to his upbeat and eccentric companion Aka Onda, an aspiring voice actress, Fumihiko enjoys his evening. While walking home together, they find out that they live in the same neighborhood. Mere hours later, Fumihiko wakes up from a nightmare and hears sirens outside his window. Going outside to check the situation, he sees that Aka's apartment has burned down, along with all her possessions. Fumihiko invites the distressed Aka to stay at his place, leading to them sleeping together. In the aftermath of that fateful night, their personal and professional lives become inextricably intertwined. Not only do they begin living together platonically despite their one-night stand, they also discover that Aka will be voicing the mascot Fumihiko designed for his company's newest product. While trying to keep their live-in relationship under wraps for fear of scrutiny, the two begin to support each other throughout the difficulties in their respective careers. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

Two years ago, Mitsuki Kouyama's friend, Eichi Sakurai, moved to America before she could confess her feelings to him. Though she cannot contact him, they made a promise to fulfill their respective dreams: Mitsuki wants to become a professional singer, and Eichi an astronomer. She hopes that one day her music will reach him across the world with a brilliance like that of the full moon. There is just one catch: Mitsuki suffers from throat cancer, which makes her voice quiet and singing strenuous. Her grandmother, who has a hatred of music, insists that Mitsuki undergo surgery to remove the cancer, but she refuses due to the risk of losing her voice. One day, two shinigami—Meroko Yui and Takuto Kira—appear to tell her that she only has one year left to live. This sudden revelation spurs Mitsuki into action, and she decides that with Meroko and Takuto's help, she will become a professional singer in the time she has left. Full Moon wo Sagashite follows the emotional story of Mitsuki and her shinigami friends as they discover what it means to sing—and ultimately, what it means to live. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

College student Chitose Karasuma is determined not to do boring things as she enters the adult world. To this end, this bad-mannered beauty barges into a facility that trains would-be voice actors and actresses, somehow landing a job at "Number One Produce," a seiyuu agency managed by her older brother, Gojou. In Chitose's mind, she's poised for greatness, but finds herself at a loss when she continues to only get minor roles. As she clashes with other girls in the agency, including a cunning airhead and a girl with a Kansai accent, Chitose is about to learn that there's more to succeeding in this competitive industry than she imagined. (Source: ANN)

Being asked to work as a voice actress at a game company might not be so bad, unless you are Kanna Aoyagi. On her 16th birthday, her older sister Yayoi guilts Kanna into doing voice work for her at Blue March, a game company that specializes in eroge: erotic games with lots of sexual content. Sweet and innocent, Kanna has no idea how she can possibly succeed at such an occupation when she has no sexual experience. But as she plays eroge for research, uses her vivid imagination, and receives unorthodox help from her coworkers, Kanna slowly becomes more comfortable with her new, embarrassing profession. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

Restaurant worker Minare Koda has recently been through a bad breakup. Heartbroken and drunk after a night out, she rants about her misery to a complete stranger—Kanetsugu Matou, a radio station director local to Sapporo, Hokkaido. The next day at work, Minare is shocked to hear a recording of herself from the previous night playing over the radio. Flustered, she rushes to the radio station in a frenzy to stop the broadcast. As she confronts Matou, a chain of events leads to her giving an impromptu talk live on air, explaining her savage drunken speech. With her energetic voice, she delivers a smooth dialogue with no hesitation, which Matou recognizes as raw talent. Minare soon becomes a late-night talk show host under Matou's direction, covering amusing narratives set in Sapporo, all while balancing her day job and personal life to make ends meet. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

Third season of "Oshi no Ko".

Sixth grader Sana Kurata has a perfect life. Her mother is a (fairly) successful author, she has a young man employed to keep her happy and safe, and best of all, she is the star of the children's television show Kodomo no Omocha. There's just one thing bothering her, and that's Akito Hayama. Akito is a classmate of Sana's, and ever since he's started acting out in class, the rest of the boys have followed his example. Every day, the girls and the teacher wage a battle to keep the class under control and to get some actual learning done. That rotten Akito… Sana won't stand for this! The hyperactive Sana decides to dig deeper and find out what makes Akito tick, so class can go back to normal and the teacher can stop spending every day crying instead of teaching. But the more she learns about him, the more she realizes that there might be more to Akito than meets the eye.

Bundled with volume four of the manga series Love Stage!! written by Eiki Eiki. This OVA takes place right after the final episode of Love Stage!! the anime series, which is based on the manga volumes 1-3.

Kei Kunieda is a newscaster who strictly maintains an amiable and kind persona while at work. Although he smiles on the outside, he covertly curses at others to his heart's content. His everyday life is smooth, even if he keeps half of himself hidden at all times, but that changes when he meets Ushio Tsuzuki, an independent stop-motion animator. Soon, Kei finds himself caught in a lie borne from his two personas meeting Ushio under different conditions, with the other man unaware they are the very same person. As feelings begin to blossom between them, Kei cannot be sure if Ushio will love both sides of him—or only just half. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

Dreaming of becoming a top-tier professional in the fast-paced, competitive world of voice acting, rookie Futaba Ichinose frantically scurries around, searching for auditions and performance sessions. Rubbing elbows with some of the biggest names in the industry, she tries to find her own unique voice and style. Along the way, she befriends two important allies: Ichigo Moesaki, an aspiring idol who claims to be a princess from another planet, and Rin Kohana, a cheerful child actress who tries her best to balance her career and school at the same time. Together, the girls brave the ups and downs of the entertainment industry—but as for Futaba, whose performance assessment at her agency is just around the corner, her career might be over sooner than expected! Sore ga Seiyuu! is a humorous and sincere celebration of the industry that gives anime its voice. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

Joelle Davidovich Pomponette, better known as simply "Pompo," is an extremely talented movie producer, having inherited her grandfather's connections and cinematic eye. Despite her promising outlook, Pompo refuses to produce anything other than trashy B-movies. That is, until she hands her assistant, Gene Fini, a script for an ambitious screenplay about the life of a composer and announces that he has earned his first directorial credit. Determined to make the film shine, Gene throws himself completely into his work. However, with an overwhelming workload and a deadline only days away, the aspiring director struggles with what must be sacrificed in the name of creation. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

Experienced voice actor Yasumi Utatane works hard to maintain her image as a pure and innocent idol to please her fans, even as she struggles to find more jobs in the industry. But Yasumi has a secret—she is actually Yumiko Satou, a high school girl who prefers loose clothes and flashy jewelry, a complete contradiction to her false professional persona. As Yasumi, Yumiko is finally offered an exciting opportunity to do a radio program alongside another up-and-coming voice actor she admires: Yuuhi Yuugure. In Yumiko’s eyes, Yuuhi’s cute looks and talented acting embody what a voice actor should be. As soon as they are introduced at the recording studio, however, Yumiko realizes that Yuuhi is actually her gloomy classmate, Chika Watanabe. Together, the pair commit to their radio program and slowly begin to open up. In supporting each other, Yumikoi and Chika gradually learn to be true to themselves. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

Two Girls. One Dream. And the entire world for a stage. At 13 years old, Maya Kitajima seems destined to spend the rest of her life toiling in a crowded restaurant alongside her bitter and unstable mother. But when her incredible acting talent is discovered by the legendary diva Chigusa Tsukikage, Maya finds a new future filled with both golden opportunities and terrifying risks. For Ayumi Himekawa, success has always been assured, yet she longs to be recognized for her own talents and skills, not her famous parents' connections. For both, the ultimate prize is the role of The Crimson Goddess in the play of the same name, a part created by Chigusa. To achieve this goal, both Maya and Ayumi must seek out and conquer every acting challenge, pushing the limits of their talent and endurance to the utmost, until they are worthy of the part… But for one to win, the other must fail! (Source: Sentai Filmworks)

Takato Saijou and Junta Azumaya—Japan's sexiest men—perform wonders together as co-stars. Their next joint assignment is to act in a play featuring a flamenco showdown, but Junta once again holds an advantage due to his ancestry and because Takato has never danced before. Fueled by his ceaseless desire to outshine Junta, Takato decides to travel to southern Spain and learn firsthand the passion needed to perform the demanding dance. In the warm and friendly Spanish streets, Takato meets a wonderful flamenco dancer, an older handsome gentleman by the name of Ceres. Although Takato wishes to learn from him, his plans are soon interrupted by Junta's arrival in the area to visit his grandfather's hometown. Now, aside from struggling to reach Junta's skill level, Takato must also deal with Junta's family and face off against Antonio—an unexpected rival for Junta's love. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

Kirari Tsukishima, a gluttonous 14-year-old beauty, is a girl who does not care about idols and the entertainment world because her mind is occupied by food. Her obsession with food only causes her to be clueless about love. One day, after saving a turtle that is stranded in a tree, Kirari meets with a handsome and gentle boy named Seiji, who gives her ticket to a SHIPS (a popular idol group) concert to show his gratitude for her saving his pet. Kirari then storms off to the concert and runs into another boy, who tears up her ticket and warns her to stay away from Seiji because she and Seiji live in different worlds. The outraged Kirari then sneaks into the concert, only to discover that Seiji and the boy who tore her ticket, named Hiroto, are actually members of SHIPS. Finally understanding the meaning of "different worlds" (Seiji is a popular idol while she is an average middle school student), Kirari refuses to give up. Filled with determination to be with Seiji, she declares that she will also become an idol. (Source: Wikipedia)

Bad Luck's lead singer and lyricist, Shindou Shuichi, is a total wreck. With deadlines for the band's next album looming, the pressure is on, but the normally energetic Shuichi has become listless and fallen into a writing slump. It's all because Yuki - the great love of his life - has suddenly become cold and distant. Depressed and anxious, Shuichi doesn't want to think about lyrics - he just wants to know how to get Yuki to talk to him! Now, thanks to Shuichi's big mouth bragging to the press about how talented he is, the band can't even hire someone else to write the lyrics for them. If they don't manage to break Shuichi out of his slump soon, it could mean the end of Bad Luck for good! (Source: RightStuf)

As a new agency, AiRBLUE's roster consists of voice actresses with absolutely no experience. Expecting to hone their skills and build courage at a gradual pace, the girls are taken aback when the head of their agency, Masaki Ootori, announces that they will be partaking in an audition for Bloomball—a popular sports manga receiving an anime adaptation. Despite all odds being stacked against them, each of the girls is now presented with a momentous chance to make their debut in the unrelenting world of voice acting. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

While going out to eat with his roommate Aka Onda, Fumihiko Matsumaru encounters Tanaka, a woman from his company's accounting department who had previously stood him up on a date. Dumped by her boyfriend just minutes before, Tanaka forces Fumihiko to drink with her, spurring Aka's jealousy. After Fumihiko escorts a drunk Tanaka home, he ends up tending to her the entire night, leading Aka to become suspicious. How will Fumihiko clear up the misunderstanding? [Written by MAL Rewrite]

This is a special introductory episode of Detroit Metal City.

After the break up of their old band, guitarist Yuki & drummer Santa decide to form a new one. They recruit bass player Towa, young guitarist Atsuro, and after much persuasion, vocalist Sakuya. Together they form Lucifer and they struggle to make it in the music business, and also to stay together. As well, they have to deal with personal issues, such as parental objections, and watching their old bands succeed ahead of them. Sakuya is the most troubled band member, as he has to deal with his tragic past, and his relationship with teenaged lyricist Aine.

Compilation movie of Paripi Koumei.

Two brothers are in the spotlight: one a movie star making a football movie, the other a musician who occasionally goes to school (to cover for his sibling). What will destiny bring them?

Five girls came to a training school to become voice actresses holding each thought in her mind. Momoko - she wanted to be a voice actress to meet her favorite voice actor. Rinka - she is an armature voice actress, but she didn't have special purpose to become voice actress. Yurika - she likes anime very much. Tsubasa - she was a girl in love, and acted only as a boy. Amane - she found a deadlock as a actress and tried to find another way. They managed to get over the difficulty to become voice actress although they couldn't perform as main characters yet. There is a love romance with a boy works for an anime company, and you can catch a glimpse of situations of anime industries. (Source: ANN)

The Kodomo No Omocha OVA is a thirty-minute animation video that was made before the TV series. It covers the first volume of the manga, so it's equivalent to TV episodes 1-6. It relates Sana's troubles with Hayama at school as a result of the "oyakodon baka" situation and culminates when Hayama's dad and sister realize their mistakes thanks to Sana's efforts. (Source: AniDB)

Special episode of Sore ga Seiyuu! bundled in BD & DVD Vol.7

Hagiwara Mio is a 14-year-old TV actress who has gotten popular. One day on a set, she meets Kumagai Ichiya, who tells her that her acting "stinks." Mio is hurt by his comments, but she finds that she can't get Ichiya out of her mind. It turns out that Ichiya is a promising director, who directed a music video for Mio's friend Sawaki Aya, an idol singer. After the success of this music video, Ichiya is asked to direct a movie, and he wants Mio to be the heroine, because he feels that she is a "handsome" girl like the actresses of old. How will Mio cope with her feelings toward Ichiya? (Source: T.H.E.M. Anime Review, edited)

In the year 2010, the Japanese radio industry is in decline. To reverse their flagging ratings, a station staffed with perennial losers makes a daring gamble: to hire the industry's first android on-air host. Maico is cute, but it will take more than novelty to win over the fickle audience -- especially with a crew as inept as this one.

Set in 2014, the anime follows the adventures of 23 years old Mafuneko, a newly minted assistant director who joins the TV production department at Tokyo Hajikko Television, only to discover that the glamorous and glitzy life of working behind-the-scenes making TV shows involves strange and inexplicable tasks such as "gathering 300 acorns" and "making a mosaic out of the images reflected in the camera lens." Despite being surrounded by chaos, set-backs, and weirdos, Mafuneko struggles to become a fully-fledged TV producer. (Source: Crunchyroll, edited)

Follow a cast that makes pornographic movies. The loves and loyalty it creates and the friction it causes. (Source: AniDB)

Saori was thrown into a voice actor vocational school to escape from being a NEET. There she meets Miki, a former nurse, and Ayano, who aims to become an idol voice actor. School life begins with three beautiful girls aiming to become voice actors! (Source: Official Site)

The story of a fashionable teen model, Pommepomme-chan. The popular model, Pommepomme-chan, is a magical transformation of a 5th grade girl named Akino Apple! (Source: Official Site)