List of BanG Dream! episodes explained

BanG Dream! is a Japanese music media franchise owned by Bushiroad that includes an anime television series. The anime currently has three seasons, five films, one OVA and one spin-off.

The first season was produced by Issen and Xebec, while the main production staff included director Atsushi Ōtsuki and screenwriter Yuniko Ayana. The season follows the creation of the band Poppin'Party by first-year high school student Kasumi Toyama, who wishes to find a heart-pounding sound known as the "Star Beat" that she felt as a child. Spanning 13 episodes, it aired from January 21 to April 22, 2017, on Tokyo MX, and was streamed by Anime Network and Crunchyroll.[1] [2] An original video animation episode was released on November 22, 2017, on the seventh Blu-Ray/DVD volume.[3]

A second season developed by Sanzigen aired from January 3 to March 28, 2019. Also 13 episodes long, it continues Poppin'Party's story as the band members enter their second year of high school, while also focusing on fellow all-girl bands Afterglow, Pastel Palettes, Roselia, and Hello, Happy World!.[4] Kōdai Kakimoto replaced Ōtsuki as director for the second season, while the rest of the cast reprised their roles.[5]

Sanzigen returned to produce the series' third season, which follows the BanG Dream! Girls Band Challenge and the growth of Raise A Suilen.[6] It was originally scheduled for October 2019, but it was delayed to January 2020. The third season aired from January 23 to April 23, 2020,[7] though the first episode was released on January 7 as it was bundled with a limited-edition Blu-ray release with the season's theme music.[8]

The main series features eight pieces of theme music. Season 1 respectively uses "Tokimeki Experience!" and "Sparkling Dreaming: Sing Girls", both by Poppin'Party, as the opening and ending themes.[9] The second season's themes are performed by Poppin'Party and Roselia: the former's "Kizuna Music" and the latter's "Brave Jewel" are used as openings, while "Jumpin'" and "Safe and Sound" are the endings.[10] [11] Poppin'Party performs Season 3's opening "Initial" and ending "Straight Through Our Dreams!",[12] for the final episode, the ending was a collaboration between Poppin'Party, Roselia, and Raise A Suilen.

In 2018, two chibi spin-off series titled Pastel Life and BanG Dream! Girls Band Party! Pico began broadcast in May and July, respectively;[13] [14] both are three-minute shorts, with the former following Pastel Palettes and the latter covering every band.[15] For its theme song, Pastel Life subject group plays "Shuwarin Dreaming".[16] [17] A second season to Pico titled BanG Dream! Girls Band Party! Pico: Ohmori aired from May to October 2020.[18] BanG Dream! Girls Band Party! Pico Fever! aired from October 2021.[19]

Various movies have also been produced by Sanzigen. BanG Dream! Film Live, directed by Tomomi Umezu and written by Kō Nakamura, premiered on September 13, 2019.[20] [21] [22] A sequel, Film Live 2nd Stage, came out August 20, 2021.[23] [24] Story-driven films include the two-part Episode of Roselia series released on April 23 and June 25, 2021, and Poppin'Dream! on January 1, 2022.[25] [26] [27]

In 2022, celebrating the fifth anniversary of the BanG Dream! Girls Band Party! mobile game, Sanzigen released a two-part series titled BanG Dream! Girls Band Party! 5th Anniversary Animation: Circle Thanks Party!.[28] Later in the year, a Morfonica-focused series called Morfonication was released online on July 28 and 29.[29]

An anime television series adaptation centered around MyGO!!!!! was announced on April 9, 2023. The series will be animated by Sanzigen and directed by Kōdai Kakimoto, with Yuniko Ayana writing and supervising series scripts. It premiered on June 29, 2023, with three episodes premiering on the same day.[30] [31] Crunchyroll licensed the series.[32]

A sequel, titled Ave Mujica, was announced after the airing of the thirteenth episode in September 2023.[33] It will premiere in January 2025.[34]

Episode list

Main series

Season 3 (2020)

Spinoffs

BanG Dream! It's MyGO!!!!! (2023)

Other series

Films

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Anime Network Online to Stream Bang Dream! Girls' Band Project (Updated). Anime News Network. January 9, 2017. January 9, 2017.
  2. Web site: Crunchyroll Also Streams BanG Dream! Anime. Anime News Network. January 23, 2017. January 23, 2017.
  3. Web site: BanG Dream! Gets New Original Video Anime, 4th Live Concert. Anime News Network. February 5, 2017. February 5, 2017.
  4. Web site: Ray. Shiladitya. BanG Dream! Season 3: Premiere Date, Characters, Plot. The Cinemaholic. December 10, 2019. December 25, 2019.
  5. Web site: Toji no Miko's Koudai Kakimoto Directs BanG Dream! 2nd Season Anime. Anime News Network. December 12, 2018. December 12, 2018.
  6. Web site: 「BanG Dream!」柿本監督、第3期のポピパは「楽しく嬉しく夢に向かって走っていく」. AbemaTV. February 21, 2020. April 1, 2020. Japanese. "BanG Dream!" director Kakimoto, PoPiPa as third years "runs towards a dream happily and happily".
  7. Web site: BanG Dream! 3rd Season Anime's Teaser Video Reveals January 23 Premiere. Anime News Network. December 1, 2019. December 1, 2019.
  8. Web site: Poppin'Party – 15th Single「イニシャル/夢を撃ち抜く瞬間に!」. BanG Dream!. March 30, 2020. ja. Poppin'Party – 15th Single – "Initial / Yume o Uchinuku Shunkan ni!".
  9. Web site: Ferraira. Samantha. New Bang Dream! TV Spot Features Opening Theme. Anime Herald. January 1, 2017. December 25, 2019.
  10. Web site: BanG Dream! 2nd Season Anime Unveils Overseas Streaming, CD/BD Bundles, January 3 Debut, Ads. Anime News Network. December 12, 2018. December 12, 2018.
  11. Web site: Ferraira. Samantha. Sentai Filmworks Picks Up Bang Dream! 2nd Season Anime; Plans Simulcasts. Anime Herald. December 30, 2018. December 25, 2019.
  12. Web site: 『BanG Dream! 3rd Season』制作発表会まとめ。アニメ第3期のほか『ガルパ』やライブ公演の新情報も. Dengeki Online. December 12, 2019. December 25, 2019. ja.
  13. Web site: Hodgkins. Crystalyn. BanG Dream! Spinoff Anime Pastel Life's 1st Episode Streamed. Anime News Network. May 15, 2018. December 25, 2019.
  14. Web site: Chapman. Paul. "BanG Dream! Girls Band Party! Pico" Kicks Off in July of 2018. Crunchyroll. May 12, 2018. November 16, 2019.
  15. Web site: 'BanG Dream!' Receives 3 New Anime Projects Due to Fan Demand. https://web.archive.org/web/20180515133352/http://goboiano.com/bang-dream-receives-3-new-anime-projects-due-to-fan-demand/. usurped. May 15, 2018. GoBoiano. May 12, 2018. December 26, 2019.
  16. Web site: Komatsu. Mikikazu. "BanG Dream!" Idol Band Pastel Palettes' Anime Short "Pastel Life" Starts Airing Today. Crunchyroll. May 17, 2018. December 26, 2019.
  17. Web site: 『バンドリ!』新アニメ主題歌「ピコっと!パピっと!!ガルパ☆ピコ!!!」の収録が決定!オープニング映像も先行公開. Inside Games. July 4, 2018. December 26, 2019. Japanese.
  18. Web site: 『BanG Dream! ガルパ☆ピコ~大盛り~』の初回放送日が5月7日に決定. Dengeki. March 22, 2020. March 22, 2020. ja.
  19. News: Pineda. Rafael Antonio. BanG Dream! Girls Band Party! Pico Fever! Mini Anime's Teaser Reveals October 7 Premiere. Anime News Network. September 21, 2021. September 21, 2021.
  20. Web site: BanG Dream! FILM LIVE Film Opens in September, Anime's 3rd Season Debuts in January 2020. Anime News Network. March 28, 2019. March 28, 2019.
  21. Web site: BanG Dream! FILM LIVE Film Opens in Japan on September 13. Anime News Network. June 10, 2019. June 10, 2019.
  22. Web site: CAST・STAFF. BanG Dream! Film Love. ja. December 8, 2019.
  23. News: Komatsu. Mikikazu. BanG Dream! Releases Teaser Trailers for 2nd Live Film & Episode of Roselia 1st Part. Crunchyroll. September 20, 2020. September 20, 2020.
  24. 『ガルパ』劇場アニメ『BanG Dream! FILM LIVE 2nd Stage』の公開日が決定. Dengeki. ASCII Media Works. March 16, 2021. March 16, 2021. ja. "Garupa" theater animation "BanG Dream! FILM LIVE 2nd Stage" release date announced.
  25. News: Pineda. Rafael Antonio. 1st BanG Dream! Episode of Roselia Anime Film Opens on April 23. Anime News Network. November 24, 2020. November 24, 2020.
  26. News: Loo. Egan. 2nd BanG Dream! Episode of Roselia Anime Film Opens on June 25. Anime News Network. February 28, 2021. February 28, 2021.
  27. News: Loo. Egan. BanG Dream! Poppin' Dream! Film's Teaser Unveils January 1 Premiere. Anime News Network. June 6, 2021. June 6, 2021.
  28. Web site: Anime(5周年記念アニメ情報). BanG Dream! Girls Band Party!. Bushiroad. March 11, 2022. Japanese. ANIME (5th Anniversary Anime Information).
  29. News: Pineda. Rafael Antonio. BanG Dream! Morfonica Anime Reveals Title, Teaser Video, July 28-29 Premiere. Anime News Network. June 3, 2022. June 3, 2022.
  30. Web site: Loo. Egan. BanG Dream! Project Gets New TV Anime for MyGo!!!!! Band This Summer. Anime News Network. April 9, 2023. April 9, 2023. April 26, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230426145928/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2023-04-09/bang-dream-project-gets-new-tv-anime-for-mygo-band-this-summer/.196933. live.
  31. Web site: Mateo. Alex. BanG Dream! It's MyGo!!!!! Anime Premieres With 3 Episodes on June 29. Anime News Network. May 24, 2023. May 24, 2023. May 24, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230524160044/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2023-05-24/bang-dream-its-mygo-anime-premieres-with-3-episodes-on-june-29/.198395. live.
  32. Web site: Crunchyroll Streams BanG Dream! It's MyGo!!!!! Anime. Pineda. Rafael Antonio. Anime News Network. June 30, 2023. June 30, 2023. June 30, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230630071511/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2023-06-30/crunchyroll-streams-bang-dream-its-mygo-anime/.199793. live.
  33. Web site: BanG Dream! It's MyGo!!!!! Anime Gets Sequel About Ave Mujica. Mateo. Alex. Anime News Network. September 14, 2023. September 14, 2023.
  34. Web site: BanG Dream! Ave Mujica Sequel TV Anime Slated for January 2025. Loo. Egan. Anime News Network. January 6, 2024. January 6, 2024.