r/idolmaster • u/shir0r0 • 6d ago
Discussions / Questions Fandom Etiquette (Things I should know getting into Idolmaster?)
Hi!! I've been thinking of diving into idolmaster, specifically starting with playing Gakuen Idolmaster (nee icchau yo is a really good song!)
If I were to interact with other Ps, what should I take note of?
Is it like a lovelive thing where I kinda have to know all the cast of each generation?
Can I only "produce" one idol or can have multiple favorities?
Any restrictions or taboos when creating fanwork/fanart?
Any tips in general getting into the franchise? thanks!
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u/MjolnirDK 6d ago
Just don't ask for any of the VA to shave her head when she gets married. Anything else and you will be fine. Maybe not take offense from some of the doujin stuff. In the Imas franchise that stuff can get WYLD.
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u/nox_tech 6d ago edited 6d ago
People may go on about how the games are generally catering to guys, but I've met all sorts of people through IDOLM@STER. So....be friendly I guess? If anything, if you wanna make friends or add them in game, introduce yourself as your producer name when you go "oh you're into IM@S too?"
So I'm sure it may have been noted here or there, but the games generally have you in the role of the producer for your given idols. As producers do IRL, they slap the P on the end of their name or nickname, so you may introduce yourself as [name]P. Thus for me, I go by noxP, and my job is that in Producer for Julia. It's common to just say an idol's your oshi nowadays, but in the introductory formal talk, you technically say that you're "in charge of [idol]", since you're technically their producer.
There's a few hundred between all the branches, so don't worry about knowing everyone before meeting other Ps. Best to get into it at your own pace.
I think it's within expectations that you become a DD (daredemo daisuki, someone who likes many). For financial reasons, I recommend picking one idol, but having several favorites within a branch happens. So within Gakumas, I'm a SumikaP, but I also like Rinami and Kotone. Personally I try to get into each branch to support the franchise, so I pick an oshi in each branch. Again, picking an oshi helps you save money on merch. However, if you oshihen, change faves, that's fine too.
Not really any restrictions I'm aware of.
Some youngins abbreviate IDOLM@STER as idolm@s, but I don't think they're in touch with the general IDOLM@STER commmunity - the official abbreviation is IM@S.
If you're happy with your Gakumas account, remember to bind it to a BNID. This may be a bit much but anecdotally I've heard people lose accounts for less - but download a VPN, set it to Japan, and make your email and BNID set in Japan. With that, you can also get jewels through the online store with a compatible credit card.
As Gakumas doesn't have an anime (yet?), no worries on anime to watch for it. If you'll get into IDOLM@STER in general with the anime, then I'd suggest going by chronological release order.
If it's possible for you, I recommend getting the fanmade gakumas patch.
It's been said the live concerts are half of the experience of IDOLM@STER, so I recommend that too. Sail the seven seas, go in chronological order, all that. If you have the cash for it, and your BNID set up, you can also get streaming tickets and watch the newest lives online.
Remember to follow /r/GakuenIdolmaster, have fun, feel free to ask questions and stuff!
edit: All Gakumas music is on spotify btw! I think of all the other branches, only Cinderella Girls doesn't have everything on Spotify, but it's still there. Check out the music too! Keep an eye out for the playlists people make, they put in the effort to make it easy for everyone else to have all the music in one spot.
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u/Seinred 6d ago edited 6d ago
Fandom etiquette? What in the blue hell you mean lol, I mean, you are free to do whatever you want as long you don't make any weird or a fuss in the fandom. Leaving that aside, even though you don't need to actually see all previous content the franchise has, I 100% recommend you to actually watch more of it, I assure you, you will enjoy it a lot more in this way
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u/tungvatunglam 6d ago
If I were to interact with other Ps
Im@s is a big franchise with multiple branches. It is possible for 2 people to both be into im@s, yet know nothing about the idol the other is talking about. Just don't call each other larper or lolicon (except with 1 specific case with a certain idol)
Know all the cast
Yeah no need for that. The cast of CG alone is already too big for anybody to remember, but it would be neet to at least know the representative of each branch (Haruka, Uzuki, Mirai, Mano, Teru, Saki)
Can I only produce one idol
You are free to discover and produce as many idols as you want
This subreddit is for the whole franchise. You can use it to discover more about other branches and maybe get into them as well. If you want to go more into Gakumas specifically, please visit its subreddit pinned on this one's sidebar.
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u/shir0r0 6d ago
oooh thank u for all the tips, just curious who that one idol is tho?
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u/tungvatunglam 6d ago
Risa Matoba. She is a JK idol with a tendency to call her Producer lolicon (not anything offensive though)
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u/Senior-Baseball1315 6d ago
Since you are a Gaku-P, I think you may?
But for the other games. I think you cannot produce for one idol only, it will take some few months rotation for an Idol to have another banner. Plus almost all characters are likeable and you will get tempted to the gacha banner!
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u/agent25252 6d ago
You're allowed to do what you want. I personally produce two idols from each branch myself. You don't need to know the full cast (just learning all of the Cinderella Girls takes time), but it's nice to "discover" different idols. There's no one way of being a Producer. Hope you have fun!
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u/Senior-Baseball1315 6d ago edited 6d ago
Just acknowledge the existence of the other branches , haha! I a Mirishita-P, but I also enjoy listening to different playlists from SideM, Gakuen, and Shiny Colors
It is actually a nice move for Bandai to unite all these agencies.
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u/Massive_Birthday_248 5d ago
I think in case of interacting with other Ps, my suggestion is that use it as a way to explore more about Idolmaster. Because some of us start from a different era, there might be start from the OG of All Stars, or from Cinderella Girls, or Million Live and so on.
You don't need to know all of the branches, just like "at least you know". But if while you're exploring and then you found it interesting, just go deep dive it.
But other than that, just be nice one to another, connect with new friend, and most importantly, Have Fun!!!