Danica Davidson
December 15, 2022 
The anime movie Aikatsu! 10th Story ~Mirai e no Starway~ (translated as Aikatsu! 10th Story ~Starway to the Future ~) is set to hit Japanese theaters on January 20. Ahead of this a trailer dropped on December 15, and in it you can hear the opening theme song “My Starway” being performed by Waka Kirishima, Fūri Uebana, and Yuna Ichikura. The Starway to the Future title seems to be a reference to Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven,” though it isn’t said outright.
You don’t hear it in the trailer, but the ending theme song will be called “Kōri no Mori” (translated as “Ice Forest”), which is performed by Waka Kirishima, Fūri Uebana, and Yuna Ichikura, as well as Remi Mitani, Eri Aino, and Risuko Sasakama. The movie’s opening title sequence has been shown previously to get people interested in watching the movie.
This movie was made as a 10th anniversary film, as referenced in the title. The story for the movie is new, but it’s meant to take place during the 2012 – 2016 anime Aikatsu! The main character will be Ichigo Hoshinomiya.
The colorful idol franchise got its start as an arcade game in 2012. Not long afterward came the original anime series, followed by three movies. Next came Aikatsu Stars!, which also got an anime series and a movie.
Then Aikatsu Friends! came out in 2018, accompanied by the Aikatsu Friends! Data Carddass arcade game. After this was Aikatsu Friends! ~Kagayaki no Jewel~ (translated as Shining Jewel), which additionally received an arcade game.
The anime Aikatsu on Parade! launched in 2019, with Raki Kiseki as the protagonist.
The past decade has shown the popularity of Aikatsu! in whatever medium it’s made.
Are you interested in seeing this latest part of the franchise?
Source: ANN
____
Danica Davidson is the author of the bestselling Manga Art for Beginners with artist Melanie Westin, plus its sequel, Manga Art for Everyone, and the first-of-its-kind manga chalk book Chalk Art Manga, both illustrated by professional Japanese mangaka Rena Saiya. Check out her other comics and books at www.danicadavidson.com.
