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Ayumu Murase Steps Down From Kanon Himeno Role in The Idolmaster SideM

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