History Trivia / EnsembleStars

* RelationshipVoiceActor:
** You'll be surprised to know that there are quite a few cast members that voiced a character in ''VideoGame/ToukenRanbu''.
** Tori, Hokuto, Tsumugi, Hinata, Yuta, and Mao were [[{{Manga/Haikyuu}} volleyball players]].
** Rei, Keito, and Kanata were in the [[{{Anime/CuteHighEarthDefenseClubLove}} Earth Defense Club]]. Sora now joins in.
** Quite a few of the voice actors worked on ''Franchise/UtaNoPrincesama'', with Eichi’s voice actor also playing another character named Eiichi... Ootori.
** There's also a good amount of the cast that worked together in ''VideoGame/GranblueFantasy''. [[note]]To list: Subaru's an arsonist Erune, Tsumugi is a primal beast (And the only human looking one), Eichi is a serious fighter who originated from Cygames' other game, ''VideoGame/RageOfBahamut'', Koga is the male (And story-favored) protagonist Gran ''and'' Lancelot of the Four Dragon Knights, Rei is a CowardlyLion Erune who would later [[TookALevelInBadass become a badass in an event]], Tori is a Harvin clown who wants people to smile regardless of how clumsy he is, Hinata and Yuta were both a boy who completely believes in the principle of DefeatMeansFriendship, Mao is a serious vampire (Like Eichi's character, originally from ''Bahamut''), and that's not even counting the large cast that the game has. [[/note]]
** Leo, Akiomi, and Kuro are members of the Yokohama rap trio [[Music/HypnosisMic Mad Trigger Crew]].

* NamesTheSame:
** There is already one known Izumi Sena, but this one's from a series that's correctly labeled as [[Manga/LoveStage BL]].
** Yuuki Makoto shares his name with another Yuuki Makoto, who is [[Anime/Persona3TheMovie the movie incarnation]] of the ''VideoGame/Persona3'' male protagonist. It's also the original Japanese name of [[VisualNovel/AceAttorneyInvestigationsMilesEdgeworth the prosecutor Jacques Portsman]].
** Rei Sakuma also shares his name with a [[Creator/ReiSakuma notable Japanese Voice Actress]].

* LateExportForYou: The game wasn't initially licensed in West, not that it stopped anyone from playing it. Soon China and Korea both got their own respective servers with some exclusive content. And English-speaking territories got an official English version of ''Music'' released in June 2022.

* NoExportForYou: The game wasn't initially licensed in West, not that it stopped anyone from playing it. Averted for China and Korea which both got their own respective servers with some exclusive content.
** Finally averted for English-speaking territories with an official English version of ''Music'' being released in June 2022.

* NoExportForYou: This game isn't actually licensed in West, not that it stopped anyone from playing it. Korea averts it thanks to getting an official Korean translation done. China also gets an official version under Happy Elements's Chinese branch with some version-exclusive content.

** Back in the early days of the franchise, there used to be unit and cross-characters drama [=CDs=] released alongside unit [=CDs=]. In the recent years, these stopped being made for unknown reasons, though it’s speculated that this is due to the [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters sheer number of characters the game has now.]]

** There's also a good amount of the cast that worked together in ''VideoGame/GranblueFantasy''. [[note]]To list: Subaru's an arsonist Erune, Tsumugi is a primal beast (And the only human looking one), Eichi is a serious fighter who originated from Cygames' other game, ''VideoGame/RageOfBahamut'', Koga is the male (And story-favored) protagonist Gran ''and'' Lancelot of the Four Dragon Knights, Rei is a CowardlyLion Erune who would later [[TookALevelInBadass become a badass in an event]], Tori is a Harvin clown who wants people to smile regardless of how clumsy he is, Hinata and Yuta were both a boy who completely believes in the principle of DefeatMeansFriendship, Mao is a serious vampire (Like Eichi's character, originally from ''Bahamut''), and that's not even counting the LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters that the game has. [[/note]]

* FanNickname:
** Some fans also used the in-series nicknames to refer to the characters:
*** Makoto is affectionately called Yuu-kun by the fandom.
*** Wataru is often called Six Fingers by the fans. See MemeticMutation for why.
*** "Yanhomo" for Izumi, due to his [[{{Yandere}} extreme]] [[HomoeroticSubtext interest]] in Makoto. People in some circles also call him "Izoom" or something similar.
*** "Galge (Girl game) Protag" for Mao to some people, due to his NiceGuy personality and being very reliable.
*** It's quiet common to associate Mika with Odd-san or Peppers from {{VideoGame/NekoAtsume}}, to the point where some referred to Mika as Peppers as an AffectionateNickname.
*** Arashi is fondly called variations of "Onee-chan", since that's what she asks you to call her in-game.
*** Hajime is called "Shinonon" by the fandom.
*** "Grandpa" for Rei, since he talks like an old man.
*** Some fans refer to Eichi as Satan due to some of his very questionable actions.
*** Since Nazuna asks everyone to call him "nii-chan" in game, it's common for people to call him that or even some other variant of it (such as "Nazu-nii").
*** Madara is often called "Mama" or "Mikejimama" by the fandom due to that being his InSeriesNickname.
** The King's Horseback Ride event is most commonly called the "Judgement event" by fans. There had been events which are known simply for the live that takes place in the story or, in a live unrelated event, the story (Autumn School Trip has been called "[[HotSpringsEpisode Onsen event]]" by fans).
** Ensemble Stars!! is often called Ensemble Stars 2 for some fans to avoid confusion between Ensemble Stars! and Ensemble Stars!!

* TheMerch: Gets plenty due to ''Ensemble Stars!!'' being a CashCowFranchise for the company Happy Elements. At one point and for some time, fans could even vote on dakimakura for characters.
* TheWikiRule: [[http://ensemble-stars.wikia.com/wiki/The_English_Ensemble_Stars_Wiki Here]].

*** Arashi is fondly called variations of "Onee-chan", since that's what he asks you to call him in-game.

** Back in the early days of the franchise, there used to be unit and cross-characters drama CD’s released alongside unit CD’s. In the recent years, these stopped being made for unknown reasons, though it’s speculated that this is due to the [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters sheer number of characters the game has now.]]

* WritingByTheSeatOfYourPants: WordOfGod admits to doing this in an 2020 interview, stating that ''Ensemble Stars!'' is written as though it’s an “unplanned {{Fanfiction}}”. Unfortunately, due to this method of writing the story runs into quite a bit of {{NegativeContinuity}} issues, retcons and more often the writers taking the story in a direction that doesn’t quite match up with any of the developments that came before it (usually in the form of things established in ''Ensemble Stars!'' event stories being contradicted) solely because they wanted to give the characters a new struggle, much to the consternation of readers.

* NoExportForYou: This game isn't actually licensed in West, not that it stopped anyone from playing it. Korea averts it thanks to getting an official Korean translation done. China also get an official version under Happy Elements's Chinese branch with some version exclusive content.

* ReclusiveArtist: For most of the staff outside of the main scenario writer Akira, who actually has a twitter that he updates occasionally following event stories and the voice actors. Very little is known about the people who work on the game. The main card artists are elusive in that they go by alias' so vague that one wouldn't find results for them by trying to google them. The artist for the ''Ready For Stars'' manga artist is this as well, as googling whats assumed to be their pen-name will bring you to the twitter account made specifically to update readers about the manga and nothing else.

** Quite a few of the Voice Actors worked on VisualNovel/UtaNoPrinceSama, with Eichi’s voice actor also playing another character named Eiichi... Ootori.
** There's also a good amount of the cast that worked together in ''VideoGame/GranblueFantasy''. [[note]]To list: Subaru's an arsonist Erune, Tsumugi is a primal beast (And the only human looking one), Eichi is a serious fighter who originated from Cygames' other game, ''VideoGame/RageOfBahamut'', Koga is the male (And story-favored) protagonist Gran, and also Lancelot of the Four Dragon Knights, Rei is a CowardlyLion Erune who would later [[TookALevelInBadass become a badass in an event]], Tori is a Harvin clown who wants people to smile regardless of how clumsy he is, Hinata and Yuta were both a boy who completely believes in the principle of DefeatMeansFriendship, Mao is a serious vampire (Like Eichi's character, originally from ''Bahamut''), and that's not even counting the LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters that the game has. [[/note]]
** Leo, Akiomi, and Kuro are members of the Yokohama division called [[Music/HypnosisMic Mad Trigger Crew]].

* CreatorBacklash: Downplayed as it doesn’t appear that Akira, the main scenario writer, hates ''Ensemble Stars!!'', but he certainly isn’t above venting his frustrations toward it on Twitter.

* WritingByTheSeatOfYourPants: WordOfGod admits to doing this in an 2020 interview, stating that ''Ensemble Stars!'' is written as though it’s an “unplanned {{Fanfiction}}”. Unfortunately, due to this method of writing, the story runs into a lot of {{NegativeContinuity}} issues, retcons and more often the writers taking the story in a direction that doesn’t quite match up with any of the developments that came before it (usually in the form of things established in ''Ensemble Stars!'' event stories being contradicted) solely because they wanted to give the characters a new struggle, much to the consternation of readers.

** Madara Mikejima was originally going to be the focus of the April Fools 2020 event with the theme being “Together with Mama” according to one of the games head writers, Akira. According to him, however, due to various unexplained difficulties this idea ended up being scrapped with the Yumenosaki staff members Kunugi and Sagami ending up leading the event instead.

* ContentLeak: There have been several over the years, the most being the creators accidentally leaking the 5th anniversary video for the Rhythm Link office weeks before it was originally supposed to go live.

* AudioPlay: Back in the early days of the franchise, there used to be unit and cross-characters drama CD’s released alongside unit CD’s. In the recent years, these stopped being made for unknown reasons, though it’s speculated that this is due to the [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters sheer number of characters the game has now.]]

* DuelingGames: With ''VideoGame/IDOLiSH7'', ''VideoGame/IChu'' and ''VideoGame/TheIdolmasterSideM'' as male idol mobile games, and ''VideoGame/{{A 3}}'' as a mobile game in general.
** With the release of the separate apps ''Ensemble Stars!! Basic'' and ''Ensemble Stars!! Music'', the franchise has dueling games within itself due to the ''Music'' RhythmGame reaching a wider audience than the original games touch-and-go gameplay, which remains in ''Basic''. Both games having the same events, with mostly the same rewards at different point requirements, certainly didn’t help when fans decided which game they preferred to play more.

* CashCowFranchise: Wouldn't you believe it. The franchise quickly became one of the most popular male idol series in TheNewTens, and a competitor to the likes of ''VideoGame/TheIdolmasterCinderellaGirls'' or the long-running ''VisualNovel/UtaNoPrinceSama''. Now that the game has been split into two apps, one being the original game and the other being a rhythm game, it’s an even bigger competitor and reaches a wider audience.

* VirtualCelebrity: With the introduction of '''DREAM LIVE''', which is a concert consisting of units from the game performing in front of a live audience via holograms, similarly to Hatsune Miku’s “live” concerts, the characters have become this. So far, there have been 4 live tours titled ''Morning Star!'', ''Bright Star!'', ''Double Star!'', and ''Prism Star!'', respectively. A 5th tour was originally planned for 2020, but was inevitably [[https://stars-dreamlive.com/ pushed back to 2021 due to COVID-19]].
** More units are introduced to perform with every tour update and so far the only units to perform have been Trickstar, Akatsuki, UNDEAD, Knights, RYUSEITAI, Ra*bits, 2wink, Valkyrie and Switch. [=MaM=] and fine were announced to perform in 2020 (Which was pushed back to 2021) for the 5th tour with a guest performance from Eden.

** According to one of the early drafts of Rei's concept art, he was planned to have pointed ears to reflect on his pseudo-vampiric nature, however this was evidently scrapped. The ears did return for a scout card where he's depicted as a demon.
** Leo almost had pink hair with blue or gold eyes, according to his concept art.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen:

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Beta Trickstar's unit costume design originally had darker colors than the current, bright colored costumes.

* VirtualCelebrity: With the introduction of DREAM LIVE, which is a concert consisting of units from the game performing in front of a live audience via holograms, similarly to Hatsune Miku’s “live” concerts, the characters have become this. So far, there have been 4 live tours titled Morning Star!, Bright Star!, Double Star!, and Prism Star!, respectively. A 5th tour was originally planned for 2020, but was inevitably [[https://stars-dreamlive.com/ pushed back to 2021 due to COVID-19]].

* VirtualCelebrity: With the introduction of DREAM LIVE, which is a concert consisting of units from the game performing in front of a live audience via holograms, similarly to Hatsune Miku’s “live” concerts, the characters have become this. So far, there have been 4 tours with a 5th one originally planned for 2020, but it was inevitably [[https://stars-dreamlive.com/ pushed back to 2021 due to COVID-19]].

* FanTranslation: While it’s impossible for fans to localize the game, the fandom wiki has volunteers translate the pretty much everything related to the game such as event and scout stories to varying levels of [[{{Woolseyism}} accuracy]] given that the game has yet to be brought over the west and [[NoExportForYou likely will never be.]]