The Pretty Rhythm arcade games Takara Tomy feature a group of characters whose appearances can be customized with special outfits located in Prism Stones,[1] which can be acquired through clearing stages in the game.[2] The characters also appeared in anime and manga adaptations.[1]
Overview
The first game, Pretty Rhythm: Mini Skirt was released on July 15, 2010.[3] Rizumu Amamiya was the main player character, whereas Kanon Todo and Serena Jonouchi were unlockable characters once the player reaches Bronze and Gold rank respectively. The season 2 update, launched on October 14, 2010, featured a collaboration with girl group AKB48, with then-trainee members Miyu Takeuchi, Anna Mori, and Haruka Shimada releasing the song "Mini Skirt no Yōsei" under the group name Mini Skirt.[4] For a limited time, Takeuchi, Mori, and Shimada were also playable in the game using their nicknames, Miyumiyu, Nan-chan, and Haruu.[4][2]
During the season 4 update, the game was rebranded as Pretty Rhythm: Aurora Dream to coincide with the anime adaptation tie-in, and it was launched on April 28, 2011 with Aira Harune added as a playable character.[3] Mion Takamine was added as a playable character during the season 7 update, "Pretty Remake Edition", on December 15, 2011.[5]
During the season 9 update on April 26, 2012, the game was renamed Pretty Rhythm: Dear My Future and added Mia Ageha, Reina Miyama, Karin Shijimi, and Ayami Oruri, fictional versions of the girl group Prizmmy, as playable characters.[6] Season 10, "Pretty[a] Debut Edition", was launched on July 19, 2012, adding Hye-in, So-min, Shi-yoon, Chae-kyung, and Jae-eun, the fictionalized versions of the girl group of Puretty, as playable characters.[6]
Pretty Rhythm: Rainbow Live was launched on April 18, 2013 as a new series and tie-in to the animated adaptation of the same name.[7] The session 1 update was titled the "Prism Live Debut Edition" and added Naru Ayase, Ann Fukuhara, and Ito Suzuno as playable characters, along with Rinne.[7][8] Rinne, a playable character first introduced in Pretty Rhythm: My Deco Rainbow Wedding, a Nintendo 3DS port of Pretty Rhythm: Mini Skirt, was also added as a playable character.[8] The session 2 update, "All Rare! Ki-ra-me-ki Days Edition", was launched on July 11, 2013, and added Bell Renjoji, Otoha Takanashi, and Wakana Morizono as playable characters. June was added as a playable character beginning November 23, 2013 during the session 3 update, when the game was retitled Pretty Rhythm: Rainbow Live Duo.[9] Cosmo Hojo was introduced as a new playable character in the Nintendo 3DS game Pretty Rhythm: Rainbow Live: Kirakira My Design.[10]
An expanded version of Kirakira My Design was released for the Nintendo 3DS on January 5, 2015, under the title PriPara & Pretty Rhythm: PriPara de Tsukaeru Oshare Item 1450!, as a crossover with the Pretty Rhythm and PriPara games. PriPara character Laala Manaka and Hiro Hayami were added as playable characters.[11][12]
The series' guide is named Mega-nee Akai (赤井 めが姉ぇ, Akai Mega-nee, Voiced by: Kanae Itō), who is in charge of helping the player dress up and provide information about clothing.[17] Hibiki and Wataru, members of the group Callings, appear as non-playable characters during the story mode in Pretty Rhythm: Mini Skirt.
Notes
^The group Puretty, fictional characters based on the real-life girl group Puretty, was spelled "Pretty" in the original arcade games.[6]
^ abcMini Skirt, Aurora Dream, and Dear My Future's updates are counted as "seasons" and are cumulative. Seasons 1-3 take place in Mini Skirt, Seasons 4-8 take place in Aurora Dream, and Seasons 9-11 take place in Dear My Future.[13][5][6]
^ abRainbow Live and Rainbow Live Duo's updates are counted as "sessions" and are cumulative. Sessions 1-2 take place in Rainbow Live and Session 3-4 takes place in Rainbow Live Duo.[7][14][15]
^ abcPlayable in Season 2 (Fall Collection) only,[4] which took place between October 14, 2011 and January 20, 2012.[13]
^Playable in Season 7 (Prism Remake Edition) and Season 8 (Prism Queen Edition).[13]
^ abcdePlayable in Season 10 (Pretty Debut Edition) and Season 11 (Dear My Future Shuffle Edition).[5]
^ abcPlayable in Session 2 (All Rare! Ki-ra-me-ki Days Edition).[7]