Multi-media franchises have been a huge priority in Japan over the last few years. It isn’t enough just to have a nice little anime series or a successful mobile game anymore. Nowadays, companies design projects to launch as an anime, mobile game, stage-play, manga, and more, right out of the gate. Many of these franchises live and die on the coasts of Japan, but a few manage to make their way overseas. One such series is Shōjo☆Kageki Revue Starlight, a music-infused magical girl battle series that has an officially localized mobile game and anime. Of the many upcoming projects for this franchise, the latest is a compilation anime film that was recently confirmed to be premiering in Japan on May 29th.
Announced via the official Twitter account for Shōjo☆Kageki Revue Starlight, the upcoming film is set to be a condensed compilation of the original television anime that premiered back in 2018. A new trailer for the film uploaded to the Shōjo☆Kageki Revue Starlight YouTube account shows off a flurry of iconic scenes fans can expect to relive in the compilation film. Fans in Japan who purchase tickets starting on Friday, February 14th, will receive a bonus A4 clear file with art from the series.
This compilation film isn’t the only upcoming project for the franchise. Another film is currently in the works, and it’s set to be a brand new story rather than a compilation of existing material. Details and a premiere date for that film have yet to be shared. On top of that, a comedic spin-off anime with chibi-art titled Shōjo☆Konto All Starlight (Girl Comedy Skit All Starlight) has had production green-lit, and is currently in development.
A description of the series, according to MAL:
As preparations begin for Seisho Music Academy’s yearly Seisho Festival, the girls of the 99th class are gearing up to perform their very own rendition of “Starlight,” the tragic tale of two goddesses drawn together by the glow of the heavens but destined to be pulled apart, never to meet again. Created to foster the next generation of theatrical talent, this girls’ only school works to improve the singing, acting, and dancing skills of its students.
One student is 16-year-old Karen Aijou, an easygoing girl who has dreamed of performing on stage since she was a child. Her love for theater is further invigorated when her childhood friend Hikari Kagura transfers to Seisho Academy. Through her old friend, Karen stumbles upon a secret elevator leading to a massive theater underneath the school. Hosted by a talking giraffe, this arena serves as a battleground where her classmates participate in duels to determine who among them deserves the title of “Top Star,” earning them the right to play one of the lead roles in “Starlight.” Emboldened by the promise she made with Hikari to someday be stars together, Karen enters these mysterious battles in the hopes of making their dream a reality.
Bushiroad announced the multi-media franchise back in April 2017, launching it with a stage musical and an anime project. The musical, titled Shōjo☆Kageki Revue Starlight The LIVE, was billed as a “2.5 dimension musical and live concert” and ran in Tokyo during September of 2017. A new stage musical production is set to launch this summer.
The television anime for the series ran for 12 episodes starting on July 12th of 2018, and was licensed by Sentai Filmworks. The company streamed the series on HIDIVE with English subtitles, as well as an English dub. The series has also inspired multiple manga, such as Shōjo☆Kageki Revue Starlight Overture, Butai Shōjo☆Kageki Revue Starlight ―The LIVE― SHOW MUST GO ON and Yonkoma Starlight. The Ateam developed mobile game, Revue Starlight Re LIVE, launched worldwide last April.
