Things are a little different this time around, but it's still Aikatsu!
Aikatsu Planet! is the fourth major installment of the Aikatsu! franchise, and in a complete change of pace from previous installments, a blended tokusatsu and 3D series produced by BN Pictures in cooperation with Tohokushinsha Film Corporation. This series followed the conclusion of the franchise crossover Aikatsu on Parade! in early 2021.A movie based on the show, simply titled Aikatsu Planet! The Movie, was released in July 15, 2022.
This series contains examples of:
- Always in Class One: Mao and Shiori are in Class 1-A.
- Be Yourself: The Central Theme, considering the concept of Aikatsu Planet.
- Catchphrase: Shiori's "Here's a question for you" and Beat's "ja nai?"
- Color-Coded Characters: Hana is pink, Ruli is blue, Beat is red, Shiori is light green, Q-pit is green, Ann is lavender, Rose is magenta, and Sala is orange.
- Costume Porn: Especially the Premium Rare dresses.
- Curtains Match the Window: Technically applies to everyone now that the show is live-action. But as avatars, Ruli, Q-pit, Ann, Sala, and Rose.
- Early-Bird Cameo: The opening features all the main characters in both real life and as an avatar, some before they even debut in the show proper.
- Everything's Better with Sparkles: Carried over from previous Aikatsu! installments, the performances are heavy with special effects.
- Evolution Power-Up: The Dressia are eventually revealed to be able to evolve through a phenomenon called "Dressiup".
- Evolving Credits: The ending features a photograph sequence of every episode.
- Faceless Masses: Averted, for the most part. As with previous Aikatsu! installments, background characters typically have their own unique designs. They are rendered as faceless masses during performances when attention should naturally be on the idols on stage.
- Fairy Tale: The motif for Story Dressia. Shiori, as an avid lover of fairy tales, naturally gravitates towards using them.
- The Fashionista: Ruli, who is the producer of her own fashion brand, Melty House. Also Sala, who is the dress designer for Starlet Promotion.
- Feud Episode: Episode 19 features Mao and Shiori having their first fight.
- Friendly Rivalry: Between all of the main characters, really.
- Friendship Song: Mao and Shiori write an original song called "Soulmate" which they perform in their first battle stage against each other. Rose and Q-pit later borrow it when they face off in the Grand Prix semifinals.
- To a lesser extent, there's also "See You See You See You See You See You Tomorrow".
- Friendship-Straining Competition: Subverted. When Hana and Shiori are pit against each other for a spot in the Planet Princess Grand Prix, Mao is worried their friendship is over when Shiori starts avoiding her. They reconcile when Mao realizes that all Shiori wanted was for her to take their rivalry seriously instead of holding back like she always does for her.
- Frilly Upgrade: When the Dressia evolve into their ultimate forms, their dresses also change to become more elaborate.
- Group Hug: With the main four after Hana loses her battle stage against Rose.
- Impossible Task: The Planet Marathon, an event where idols have to perform after running a whole marathon. Q-pit and Beat become the first to complete it successfully.
- Instant Expert: In Mao's first battle stage as Hana, she beats Q-pit who in that time was second on the Aikatsu Ranking. Shiori also beats Ruli in her first battle stage. Subverted in later episodes where they do end up losing sometimes.
- Internal Reveal: Kyoko and Mao eventually reveal their identities as Beat and Hana.
- Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane: The mechanics behind the Aikatsu Planet! world aren't really explained.
- Medium Blending: A first for an Aikatsu! series, being half live-action and half-anime. The live-action follows the girls' everyday lives but switches to anime when they become idol avatars in the world of Aikatsu Planet!.
- Meaningful Name: The main characters' names all allude to their preferred Dressia type.
- The Mentor: Meisa is shaping up to be one for Mao, as per tradition.
- Mentor Mascot: The Dressia, to an extent.
- Merchandise-Driven
- No Antagonist: As with previous Aikatsu! installments, the conflict of the series is largely centered around the girls as rivals.
- Odd Friendship: There are many moments where the girls acknowledge how well they get along despite their different personalities. Ruli and Kyoko even consider that if it hadn't been for Aikatsu!, they likely would have never interacted outside of exchanging greetings in the school hallways.
- One-Gender School: Averted. For the first time in Aikatsu!, Seirei Private High School sees the idols attending class with males, with even the co-ed Four Star Academy having separated its students by gender.
- The One Guy: Segawa, who is the only male at Starlet.
- Only One Name: The avatars.
- Pimped-Out Dress: The Premium Rare dresses.
- Pinball Protagonist: Mao at first spends much of the time basically picking up where Meisa left off and doing all of Hana's jobs that Izumi accepts for her. It isn't until the announcement of the Planet Princess Grand Prix that she becomes more active.
- Pop-Culture Pun Episode Title: All of the episodes are titled after famous Japanese songs. Episode 22 has them title it after the show's opening theme, which is fitting considering it's The Climax.
- Power Gives You Wings: As per Aikatsu! tradition, the outfits derived from the Dressia's ultimate forms come with wings.
- Protagonist Power-Up Privileges: Hana is the first of the main characters to get a second Premium Rare Dressia.
- The Rival: Ayumi and Meisa. Mao is slowly being integrated to form a three-way rivalry.
- Roger Rabbit Effect: Used in the intro and when the girls "mirror in" to Aikatsu Planet!.
- Secret-Keeper: As a result of Mao and Kyoko keeping their idol identities secret in the first few episodes.
- Slumber Party: The main four hold one at Mao's house, which Shiori claims is a "training camp" for Hana's battle stage with Rose.
- Team Hand-Stack: With the main four right before Hana has her first battle stage with Rose.
- Technician Versus Performer: Ayumi is shown to be an extremely hard-worker who is continually refining her skills, while Meisa is presented as a prodigy who focuses on freedom and is more natural on stage.
- Those Two Guys: Mao and Shiori's classmates, Keito and Sho. Although they're also part of trio with Ryoka.
- Tournament Arc: Starting Episode 12, the characters start preparing for the Planet Princess Grand Prix, which the top four idols on the Aikatsu Ranking participate in. The actual competition itself only spans from Episode 21-22.
- Western Zodiac: The motif for Q-pit's preferred Horoscope Dressia.
- Winged Humanoid: The ultimate form of the Dressia has them turn into this.
- The Worf Effect: Several instances, most notably Q-pit, who is the current top idol but is beaten twice by Mao's Hana. Ruli also loses to Shiori during the latter's debut stage.
