7.6/106 votesLoading...#1 - The Indirect Route to Happiness
Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 8/26/2011
Azusa, Makoto and Miki go modeling as a bride, groom and bridesmaid, respectively, for a wedding magazine at a chapel.
Director: Kentarou Suzuki
Writer: Hideki Shirane
7.6/107 votesLoading...#2 - Things We Can Do Because We're Together
Season 1 Episode 9 - Aired 9/2/2011
After finishing filming a TV mystery mini-drama, Ryuuguu Komachi and Ritsuko return to 765 Production studios for a break with Mami and the Producer returning as well. Iori decides to treat everyone to some special puddings she bought earlier, but finds out the puddings are gone from the refrigerator. Suspecting the other idols as the culprits, Ami and Mami decide to solve the mystery by playing detectives.
Director: Shigeyasu Yamauchi
Writer: Michihiro Tsuchiya
7.4/106 votesLoading...#3 - The Decision to Move Forward
Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 8/12/2011
Ritsuko's idol unit, Ryuuguu Komachi, with Azusa, Iori and Ami as its members, becomes popular after their debut and gets booked in many gigs, including singing on a music television program. Worried over the other idols' popularity, the Producer decides to have the idols audition for several gigs.
Director: Yuki Ito
Writer: N/A
7.2/106 votesLoading...#4 - Everything Stems from the Courage to Take the First Step
Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 7/22/2011
The Producer and the girls head to the town of Furusato to perform a small concert at the local Summer Festival, but it doesn't turn out as they all expected. Yukiho and the Producer both have to face their fears.
Director: Ryuichi Kimura
Writer: N/A
7.2/106 votesLoading...#5 - Changing Oneself
Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 7/29/2011
Haruka, paired with Chihaya, and Takane, paired with Hibiki, appear on a cable-TV cooking show battle hosted by a frog hand puppet.
Director: Daisuke Takashima
Writer: N/A
7.2/106 votesLoading...#6 - Inching Forward with Everyone
Season 1 Episode 10 - Aired 9/9/2011
The girls attend 'The Big Talent Agency Sports Competition' where idols groups from various agencies compete in games.
Director: Ryoji Masuyama
Writer: Hideki Shirane
7.0/106 votesLoading...#7 - Hope, Anxiety, and Omen
Season 1 Episode 11 - Aired 9/16/2011
The Producer informs the girls that their big break has come as they will be performing live at a 765 Production thank-you concert. Despite its main event being Ryuuguu Komachi, the girls are excited since they will be performing a new song and dance routine. However, the girls have to go through tough dance and vocal lessons, which some of the girls are having problems doing correctly, especially since their exams are coming out.
Director: Takahiro Harada
Writer: N/A
6.7/108 votesLoading...#8 - The Girls Start Here
Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 7/8/2011
Shown from a perspective of a cameraman shooting a documentary, this films and introduces the girls of 765 Production studios and their everyday activities as idols. Along with interviews with the staff of 765 Production, the idols themselves are also interviewed over why they became idols and what their goals are.
Director: Atsushi Nishigori
Writer: N/A
6.3/108 votesLoading...#9 - The Girls Prepare Themselves
Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 7/15/2011
After seeing the girls' current profile pictures, the Producer thinks that they need new ones and orders a re-shoot so the girls can make better impressions in their auditions.
Director: Noriko Takao
Writer: N/A
6.2/106 votesLoading...#10 - Vacation with Everyone
Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 8/5/2011
It's summer, but the studio's air conditioner is broken. So the Producer agrees to bring the girls to the beach for a vacation while the air conditioner is repaired. Ritsuko gets a go on the new idol unit she created.
Director: Takahiro Majima
Writer: N/A
NaN/100 votesLoading...#11 - Things I Love, Things That Are Important to Me
Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 8/19/2011
Iori humiliates herself on live television when she forces an interviewer at the Minase estate to focus on her rather than ask about her father and older brothers. The Producer reprimands her actions, but Iori ignores his advice. Yayoi invites Iori and Hibiki to her home to have dinner with her five younger siblings where Iori learns about the life of a 'commoner' and gets to know Yayoi's brother and the eldest boy, Chousuke, who wants to help his sister.
Director: Masanori Takahashi
Writer: Michihiro Tsuchiya
NaN/100 votesLoading...#12 - Last Stop on a One-Way Road
Season 1 Episode 12 - Aired 9/23/2011
As the day of the concert gets closer, the Producer and the idols are worrying about Miki, who hasn't come for practice sessions for the past few days, which Ritsuko explains as being caused by a misunderstanding over Ryuuguu Komachi.
Director: Takahiro Majima
Writer: N/A
NaN/100 votesLoading...#13 - And So, the Girls Head to the Sparkling Stage
Season 1 Episode 13 - Aired 9/30/2011
It's the day of the 765 Production thank-you concert, but complications arise for Ritsuko and Ryuuguu Komachi when a typhoon hits the city. All transit trains are stopped, forcing Ritsuko and the others to drive to the concert, only to get into a traffic jam. With the audience already having arrived at the concert, the Producer issues a change of plans to the backstage crew and the idols to have them perform first to buy enough time for Ryuuguu Komachi to arrive.
Director: Masanori Takahashi
Writer: N/A
NaN/100 votesLoading...#14 - Their World Begins to Change!
Season 1 Episode 14 - Aired 10/7/2011
Ever since the concert and an article by Yoshizawa, a famous reporter who is a friend of President Takagi, the idols have become very popular to the point of having to wear disguises in public.
Director: Ryuichi Kimura
Writer: N/A
NaN/100 votesLoading...#15 - We All Have a Live Broadcast. A Live One!
Season 1 Episode 15 - Aired 10/14/2011
The 765 Production idols star in a comedy/variety show called Are We Live? Sunday, hosted by Haruka, Chihaya and Miki.
Director: Yuki Ito, Akira Amemiya
Writer: N/A
NaN/100 votesLoading...#16 - The Feeling of Being Alone
Season 1 Episode 16 - Aired 10/21/2011
As Chihaya has nightmares about her past, Hibiki has an argument with her dog, Inumi, as both of them are hosting an animal documentary show. Meanwhile, Kuroi plots to sabotage Hibiki's role as the presenter of the show.
Director: Ayumu Kotake
Writer: Hideki Shirane
NaN/100 votesLoading...#17 - Makoto, A True Prince
Season 1 Episode 17 - Aired 10/28/2011
Makoto is a hit with female fans due to her handsome and Prince-like looks. Although Makoto appreciates the fame, she wishes fans admire her as a girl and not a boy.
Director: Yuka Shibata
Writer: Hideki Shirane
NaN/100 votesLoading...#18 - Lots of Everything
Season 1 Episode 18 - Aired 11/4/2011
Ritsuko forces a hard dancing routine on Ryuuguu Komachi to prepare them for an upcoming secret concert, much to the group's displeasure. When Azusa is unable to perform, help comes from an unexpected source.
Director: Akitoshi Yokoyama
Writer: Michihiro Tsuchiya
NaN/100 votesLoading...#19 - Like the Moon, That Disappears Behind Clouds
Season 1 Episode 19 - Aired 11/11/2011
Kuroi hires paparazzi to follow and take pictures of Takane to find secrets about her since her background is a complete mystery, even to everyone at 765 Production studios.
Director: Takashi Igari
Writer: N/A
NaN/100 votesLoading...#20 - Promise
Season 1 Episode 20 - Aired 11/18/2011
Chihaya's tragic past is revealed in a magazine thanks to Kuroi. The magazine slanders her, suggesting Chihaya is heartless and Chihaya decides to leave 765 Production studios.
Director: Takahiro Harada
Writer: Michihiro Tsuchiya
NaN/100 votesLoading...#21 - Like the Flowers Bloom
Season 1 Episode 21 - Aired 11/25/2011
Thanks to a magazine interview by Yoshizawa with Chihaya over her past, the rumors about her have ended as she and the other idols prepare for the Idol Jam concert with Jupiter performing as well.
Director: Takahiro Majima
Writer: N/A
NaN/100 votesLoading...#22 - On the Holy Night
Season 1 Episode 22 - Aired 12/2/2011
It is the Christmas season and Haruka wants to celebrate a Christmas Eve party with everyone at 765 Production, just like last year. But with the idols' new fame, all of the girls are busy attending and performing at TV shows, variety shows, holiday or Christmas specials on Christmas Eve. Most of them might not make it in time...
Director: Ryoji Masuyama
Writer: N/A
NaN/100 votesLoading...#23 - Me
Season 1 Episode 23 - Aired 12/9/2011
Haruka is looking forward to a dance rehearsal with everyone for their New Year's concert. However, the girls of 765 Production are too busy due to their schedules to do the rehearsal, slowly making Haruka lonely and depressed as she is unable to practice with her friends.
Director: Masanori Takahashi
Writer: Hideki Shirane
NaN/100 votesLoading...#24 - Dream
Season 1 Episode 24 - Aired 12/16/2011
The Producer manages to survive his accident but remains hospitalized for a while. As a result, Haruka returns to musical rehearsals to channel her grief into her role and wins the lead from Miki. Desperate to get the idols together, Haruka asks Ritsuko to reschedule or cancel her current gigs so she can practice for the New Year's concert.
Director: Noriko Takao
Writer: Michihiro Tsuchiya
NaN/100 votesLoading...#25 - Everyone, Together!
Season 1 Episode 25 - Aired 12/23/2011
Kotori visits the Producer at the hospital. The Producer expresses his wish to see the idols at the New Year's concert.
Director: Takahiro Majima, Yuki Ito, Masanori Takahashi, Takahiro Harada
Writer: N/A
The Best Episodes of THE iDOLM@STER
Every episode of THE iDOLM@STER ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of THE iDOLM@STER!
THE IDOLM@STER follows 13 girls from the 765 Production Studio, whose sole goals is to become the top idols in the Japanese entertainment industry. Along...
Genres:AnimationDrama
Network:Tokyo MX
Best Episodes Summary
"The Indirect Route to Happiness" is the best rated episode of "THE iDOLM@STER". It scored 7.6/10 based on 6 votes. Directed by Kentarou Suzuki and written by Hideki Shirane, it aired on 8/26/2011. This episode scored 0.0 points higher than the second highest rated, "Things We Can Do Because We're Together".