First of all, it is best to explain what I*CHU is. In June 2015, the I*CHU application was launched by Liber Entertainment for iOS and Android devices. It was followed by I*CHU Étoile Stage in April 2020, with the original game being discontinued three months later in July 2020. Étoile Stage suffered the same fate, being discontinued in 2021. However, in November 2022, Liber, in co-op with OPERA HOUSE, announced that it would bring the original I*CHU as an offline port for Nintendo Switch, without microtransactions. Basically, it’s an offline version of the gacha game origina, with all the stories released over its five years. It seemed like this game would never leave Japan… until PQube, in the midst of its various announcements, revealed that it would be released in the West. Our story begins at the Étoile Vie school, where talented people train to become idols. Within this school, they are known as “iChu”, meaning idols in training. The cast of I*CHU is made up of nine units: F∞F, Twinkle Bell, i♥B and ArS making up the third generation group, and POP’N STAR, Lancelot, RE:BERSERK, Tenjyou Tenge and Alchemist making up the first and the second generation. Each group has a very unique ensemble. For example: at i♥B, everyone comes from another country, while at ArS we have several “artists” in the literal sense, like an ice sculptor and even a mangaka; and RE:BERSERK has several… uh… chuunis, so to speak. To compensate for the absence of a server, I*CHU: Chibi Edition works on a “season” system. As you read more of the main story and reach the points goal for a given season’s events, you’ll unlock gacha banners, new events, and more. As far as I can tell, there are dozens of seasons in total, which makes sense since the gacha game has been active for five years.
