While The Idolmaster focuses on the 13 idols, we mustn't forget the people who support them. The presence of their agency colleagues and rivals supports the success of the 765 Pro idols and makes them shine even brighter. In this article, we'll introduce the people who are indispensable to the 765 Pro idols.
The People Who Support 765 Pro
Producer
Source: THE IDOLM@STER ©Toshiyuki Kubooka ©BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc. ©BNEI/PROJECT iM@S ©BNEI/PROJECT CINDERELLA
He is a new producer who recently joined 765 Pro. He has a kind personality and always puts the idols first, and he acts like an older brother to the idols. At first, his enthusiasm was wasted, leading to him giving the idols jobs that were a mismatch and double-booking them, resulting in many failures, but as he gained experience he gradually improved his skills and helped the idols become big hits. However, because he is still a rookie, he often seeks advice from his senior producer Ritsuko, and when the idols come to him with their problems he is unable to come up with a good solution, and is often seen struggling alongside them. He climbs the ranks of the entertainment industry alongside the idols. However, as he sees the idols gradually becoming more reliable, he begins to wonder if he is really okay with staying like this, and goes to America for training to further improve his skills, showing how he is a passionate man who continues to burn with passion for the idols. Since his name is unknown, he is called Akabane P, after voice actor Akabane Kenji.
Office Worker: Otonashi Kotori
Source: THE iDOLM@STER ©Toshiyuki Kubooka ©BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc. ©BNEI/PROJECT iM@S ©BNEI/PROJECT CINDERELLA
Otonashi Kotori is in charge of the administrative work at 765 Pro, supporting the idols and producers behind the scenes. She is also responsible for financial and schedule management. Her age is undisclosed, but she is 2x years old, and she is a woman with a tendency to fantasize. Due to the agency's short staffing, she occasionally helps out with producing work in addition to clerical work. On her days off, Kotori lives a typical office lady life, relaxing in her pajamas and watching TV shows featuring the idols of 765 Production. She is an old friend of the company's president, Takagi Junjiro, and through that connection she has worked for 765 Production. Kotori sometimes performs as a singer at the piano bar that President Takagi frequents. The past of the two is never mentioned in the story, but it is an important part of the story within iM@S.
765 Pro President Junjiro Takagi
Source: THE iDOLM@STER ©Toshiyuki Kubooka ©BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc. ©BNEI/PROJECT iM@S ©BNEI/PROJECT CINDERELLA
President Takagi is actually the second president. The first president was his cousin, Junichiro Takagi, but Junjiro took over as president when Junichiro became chairman. He has a generous and kind personality, and although he can sometimes seem unreliable, he always puts the idols first, and is always willing to listen to the worries of not only the idols but also Ritsuko and the producers, giving them hints on how to solve them, showing his reliability as a president. He believes that the ideal idol is one in which idols work together and compete with each other to reach the top. For this reason, he does not get along with President Kuroi of rival agency 961 Production, and 765 Production is subjected to various forms of harassment. Furthermore, his face is never shown, so his real face cannot be seen.
765 Pro's Rivals
Jupiter
Source: THE IDOLM@STER ©Toshiyuki Kubooka ©BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc. ©BNEI/PROJECT iM@S ©BNEI/PROJECT CINDERELLA
Jupiter, a male unit from rival agency 961 Pro, became even more popular in the entertainment industry than 765 Pro. The members are leader and assertive, egotistical idol Amagase Touma (center), woman-loving, easygoing older brother-type idol Ijuin Hokuto (right), and energetic younger brother-type idol Mitarai Shota (left). At the beginning of the story, they despise 765 Pro, seeing them as a "small production company that uses dirty tactics to gain popularity," and openly hostile, believing they could never lose. However, it is actually 961 Pro that is using dirty tactics, and they gradually grow increasingly distrustful of President Kuroi. Finally, after President Kuroi tells them, "You're nothing more than pawns," they decide to leave 961 Pro. The three then move to other agencies, but they apologize to the producer of 765 Pro for their past behavior and acknowledge 765 Pro as fans and rivals.
961 Pro President: Takao Kuroi
Source: THE iDOLM@STER ©Toshiyuki Kubooka ©BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc. ©BNEI/PROJECT iM@S ©BNEI/PROJECT CINDERELLA
President Kuroi is the president of rival agency 961 Pro. Because he dislikes President Takagi of 765 Production, he launches various acts of harassment against the idols of 765 Production. He instigates various interferences, such as sending unscrupulous reporters to publish gossip articles and manipulating the technical staff at live shows to prevent songs from being played. In fact, 961 Production is a major presence in the entertainment industry, and is able to do so because of its great power and financial resources. However, all of his interference is rejected head-on by the idols of 765 Production, and he ends up being abandoned by Jupiter, an idol from his own agency. He was once a serious man who faced his idols head-on, but he did not get along with President Takagi and they parted ways.
Other
Yoshizawa
Source: THE iDOLM@STER ©Toshiyuki Kubooka ©BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc. ©BNEI/PROJECT iM@S ©BNEI/PROJECT CINDERELLA
A freelance entertainment magazine reporter, known for his glasses, hunting cap, and cigarette. He is good friends with President Takagi and often visits 765 Pro, and at first the idols thought he was just the president's tea-drinking buddy. However, he is actually a highly skilled reporter, and contributed to 765 Pro's breakthrough by skillfully writing articles about the group, which wasn't particularly popular. He also wrote an article revealing the truth about Chihaya, who had temporarily suspended her activities due to a gossip article, and contributed to Chihaya's return, making him a reporter who always supports 765 Pro. He can also be seen doing interviews about 876 Pro, which will be discussed later. Incidentally, he is also someone who is connected to the past of President Takagi, Kotori, and President Kuroi.
876 Pro
Source: THE IDOLM@STER ©Toshiyuki Kubooka ©BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc. ©BNEI/PROJECT iM@S ©BNEI/PROJECT CINDERELLA
This talent agency has close ties with 765 Pro. Its name is pronounced "876" and pronounced "Bannam." Although she doesn't have many scenes, she does interact with 765 Pro when she cheers them on during the inter-agency athletic meet and is invited to the party afterwards. The idols affiliated with the agency are Hidaka Ai (right), the energetic daughter of a legendary idol, Mizutani Eri (left), who is shy but talkative online, and Akizuki Ryo (center), the cousin of 765 Pro's Ritsuko, who harbors a certain secret. The agency is smaller than 765 Pro and the idols are self-produced, but Okamoto Manami serves as its manager (as seen in episode 25). They are positioned as juniors of 765 Pro.
