New cast member for Mofumofuen unit to be announced at later date

Bandai Namco‘s Idolm@ster franchise announced on Tuesday that Ayumu Murase will “graduate” from the role of Kanon Himeno in The Idolmaster SideM franchise, no longer voicing the character. The company announced a new cast member will join Kanon’s Mofumofuen unit at a later date.

There are currently no plans to replace previously recorded audio, but that may change in the future. Murase will complete recording obligations for a few projects before his departure.

The Idolm@ster SideM Growing Stars smartphone game launched in Japan in October 2021, and ended service in July 2023.

The game inspired a stage play in June 2022.

The Idolm@ster SideM smartphone game launched in 2014, and ended service in January 2023. Like other games in The IDOLM@STER franchise, SideM is built on the concept of “idols you can produce.” The app focuses on the male idols at the agency 315 Production (pronounced “Saikō Production” or “Ultimate Production”). The Idolm@ster SideM Live on St@ge! smartphone game launched in 2017, but it began winding down service in January 2021.

The first game’s anime adaptation premiered in October 2017, after a prologue special about the three Jupiter idol unit members aired in September 2017. Crunchyroll streamed both anime as they aired.

Sumeragi launched the The Idolm@ster SideM Wake Atte Mini! manga in 2016 and ended it in January 2018. Sumeragi‘s The Idolm@ster SideM Wake Atte Mini! Returns sequel manga then launched in Dengeki Maoh in September 2018 and ended in January 2019. The sequel manga’s one compiled volume shipped in March 2019, and bundled an anime episode. The first manga inspired a 12-episode television anime series of shorts that premiered in October 2018. Crunchyroll streamed the show as it aired.

Source: Idolm@ster via Otakomu

The Crunchyroll Store has updated on Tuesday, and it no longer lists physical manga or light novels for sale. Other physical books for Korean manhwa and Chinese danmei titles are also no longer listed for sale. ANN reached out to Crunchyroll for clarification, but Crunchyroll declined to respond.

Crunchyroll announced in July that it would change its Crunchyroll Store in August to be exclusive to the company’s Mega and Ultimate Fan subscription tiers. The updated store features “curated drops and Crunchyroll‑exclusive merch” as well as select collectibles, Blu-ray Discs, and apparel.

Prior to the update, select items on the Crunchyroll Store were designated as “final sale.” In addition, returns or refunds for those final sale items would only be accepted if the product is damaged or defective. This restriction applied only to final sale items, and not to all items on the Crunchyroll Store. Open orders will continue to process and ship, including those released after the store transitions. The company stopped accepting Crunchyroll Store gift cards until August 14. In addition, existing benefits for store discounts with Mega Fan and Ultimate Fan memberships ended on the same day.

Crunchyroll acquired Right Stuf in August 2022 to expand its eCommerce service. Right Stuf phased out its store and migrated its products to the Crunchyroll Store in October 2023. Until the update, customers could still find the products that were previously listed on Right Stuf.

Crunchyroll increased the prices for all of its subscription tiers in the U.S. last February. The company increased the Fan Tier price from US$7.99 to US$9.99, the Mega Fan Tier price from US$11.99 to US$13.99 per month and the Ultimate Fan Tier from US$15.99 to US$17.99 per month.

The Fan Tier has no advertisements, and new simulcast episodes are available to users as they premiere. The Mega Fan Tier includes all features from the Fan Tier. In addition, this tier enables offline viewing and access to four streams at once. Members also get a 10% discount off select products and free shipping for orders over US$50 on the Crunchyroll Store. The Ultimate Fan Tier includes everything from the Fan Tier. It also features offline viewing and access to six streams at once. Members can get a 15% discount off select products and free shipping on the Crunchyroll Store. In addition, members receive an annual Ultimate Fan member swag bag and access to exclusive member-only merchandise.

The Crunchyroll Manga app launched on browser, iOS, and Android devices in the United States and Canada in October 2025. The ad-free app is separate from the main Crunchyroll streaming service. This is not the first time that Crunchyroll has offered manga, with the company launching the first Crunchyroll Manga service in October 2013.

Crunchyroll laid off a number of employees in March, after a restructuring and redistribution of roles based on location. The company’s restructuring was also due to a shift in its e-commerce strategy, and not due to cost-cutting measures.

Crunchyroll halted free ad-supported streaming on its service last December.

Crunchyroll is an independently operated joint venture between U.S.-based Sony Pictures Entertainment and Japan’s Aniplex. Sony Pictures Entertainment and Aniplex‘s Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) parent are both in turn subsidiaries of Tokyo-based Sony Group.

Sony‘s Funimation Global Group completed its acquisition of Crunchyroll from AT&T on August 9, 2021, after the company first announced the acquisition in December 2020. The purchase price was US$1.175 billion, and the proceeds were paid in cash at closing. Funimation‘s home video releases are now listed under Crunchyroll.

Source: Crunchyroll Store via MangaAlerts