In a certain company, in a certain time, 3 groups emerged as idols: the elegant duo Kitakore, the clashing THRiVE, and the light and poppy MooNs. These three groups and ten boys were the result of the B Project— shortened for "Bambi Project", they were trained since childhood to become the best idols they could be. But do they have what it takes to reach the top?
B-Project is a multimedia franchise by LOVE&ART and MAGES., produced by Chiyomaru Shikura with designs by Utako Yukihiro (of Devils and Realist fame). Beginning in 2015, it consists of multiple CDs, a video game, a stage play, a spinoff manga and an anime series that aired in 2016 titled B-Project: Koudou Ambitious. This particular page will be focusing on the anime series.
Here, we're introduced to the Project through the eyes of the new A&R department hire, Tsubasa Sumisora, and follow her through her attempts to assist the boys in their various idol activities. Accompanied by their manager Yashamaru, they get through the ins and outs of the business and mostly light-hearted adventures. Emphasis on the mostly.
2017 announced a second season, Zeccho Emotion, for the anime, introducing the 4-man group KILLER KING to the anime's lineup after appearing later in the overall franchise. The new season premiered in Winter 2019. A third season was announced for a release in 2021, but the season (later called Netsuretsu Love Call) finally premiered in 2023 with the addition of yet another idol group, Ultras. A Switch and phone game were announced for release sometime during the year.
Tropes Be Ambitious!:
- Beach Episode: Episode 8 has all of the groups do a photoshoot on a boat, but a tropical storm washes them away to an island where they spend the rest of the time looking for a way to get home. Luckily, the island was just one of many pieces of land tat the Kitakado corporation owned, so they were able to get back to safety with some assistance.
- Best Served Cold: Yashamaru secretly hated Tsubasa the entire time, given that she was the daughter of the man that inadvertently ruined his life. So his vengeance against him and the company he founded was to create a boy band popular enough to drum up controversy and run Gandala Music into the ground by taking their star attraction away.
- Birthday Episode: Episode 10 is Yashamaru's, and the group tries to do their darndest to give him the best possible birthday party for all that he's done for them. Unfortunately, he's nowhere to be found, and he didn't answer to anyone the whole day, making everyone at Gandala suitably worried.
- Contrived Coincidence: The island all the boys get stranded on turned out to be an area owned by Kitakado's family business, after recognizing one of its buildings while searching for something to contact land with.
- Creator Cameo: T.M. Revolution shows up in Episode 6 during the concert.
- Demonic Possession: During the audition, one particular contestant got too into his role, using a sword with a hilt supposedly possessed by a vengeful spirit.
- "Do It Yourself" Theme Tune: It wouldn't be an idol anime if they didn't do this. "Koudou*Ambitious" is sung by B-Project together, while the ending themes "Hoshi to Tsuki no Sentence", "Starlight", and "Yume Miru POWER" are done by Kitakore, THRiVE, and MooNs respectively.
- Evil All Along: Yashamaru was never an ally of Gandala. He was planning to take it all down from the start, and created B-Project precisely for that reason.
- Exposed to the Elements: After a clothing mishap ruins the outfits of the boys, they decide to perform topless in the cold, rainy weather.
- Fanservice:
- Every episode of the first season ends with a frame of a particular boy in a Ready for Lovemaking pose, saying sweet nothings to the viewer before they go to sleep (or not, depending on what's being said). Even the higher ups get in on this, save for Yashamaru.
- The second season keeps up the trend, this time with the boys enjoying a day at the pool.
- Home Nudist: Hikaru has the habit of walking around the apartment naked or in a Modesty Towel. In episode 11 ends up dropping said towel right in front of a mortified Tsubasa who gets a full-body blush at the eyeful while the rest of the boys reprimand him on his lack of modesty.
- Revenge by Proxy: Considering that Tsubasa's father died prior to the start of the anime, Yashamaru says that he'll be satisfied nonetheless if he takes away one of the things that his daughter holds dear.
- The Show Must Go On: The B-Project's first large performance has them perform shirtless, in tight fitting pants, in the rain, just to keep the show from cancelling due to an unexpected storm, and because their costumes weren't prepared in time. It earns the respect of the other acts as well.
- The Smurfette Principle: Tsubasa's the only woman who has an important role in the series. In the mobile game the player (who the other characters treat as a girl) takes over her role.
- Training from Hell: From what the boys say about the Bambi Project, it wasn't a cakewalk for them. Especially since they were just kids when it started.
