Marika Kōno, Yūki Kuwahara, Rika Tachibana star as "underground idols"

Symphonium, a CG anime studio that director Hiroshi Nishikiori ( Azumanga Daioh , A Certain Magical Index ) had just co-founded in July, announced on Monday that it is producing a new idol anime project titled Chika Chika Idol . Symphonium also launched the anime's official website on Monday.

The anime will portray the lives of girls that are members of the "underground idol" group Patisserie. Underground idols, also called live idols and indie idols, are idols who focus on live performances instead of mass media exposure. The anime will be made through CG techniques that will aim to look like cel-based animation.

The cast includes:



Marika Kōno as Tenka Akasaki, a 15-year-old first-year high school student who wants to be a cute idol-like girl



Yūki Kuwahara as Sumi Yuki, a 15-year-old first-year high school student who already has experience performing as an underground idol



Rika Tachibana as Abigail "Abbey" Williams, a 14-year-old third-year middle school student who came from San Francisco to Japan due to her father's work



Ayane Sakura as Hisame Nagasawa, a 15-year-old first-year high school student who serves as Patisserie's manager



Yuri Yamaoka as Yatarou, the calico cat owned by Tenka's family

Nishikiori is directing the anime at Symphonium. Yasutake Honjō is producing the project, and is also credited for the original concept. Mochiko Kagamino is designing the characters. Wataru Osakabe ( Penguindrum , Yurikuma Arashi ) is credited for design. Studio Mouse is in charge of sound effects. The studio F-Sik is in charge of the CG production.

Takeshi Honjō and Nishikiori founded the Symphonium studio for CG animation in July, and Honjō serves as its representative director. Nishikiori is also a board member of the company. It plans to use crowdfunding to produce the Chika Chika Idol anime, and will launch a crowdfunding campaign in both Japan and the United States early in 2016. The campaign may allow the funding of a special first Blu-ray Disc volume with other limited merchandise.

The anime's official website is also hosting a Chika Chika Idol four-panel manga, and Symphonium plans to stream a radio show titled Chika Chika Channel, which will feature the anime's main voice actresses. Symphonium will launch an English version of the website soon.

Source: Anime! Anime!