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The first round of the audition process consists of contestants submitting an application form with a self-introduction, at least two photos, and a singing performance of “Ai to Ai.” Applicants must record a singing performance with the new theme song and upload it onto YouTube. The video can be unlisted or made public, but participants must share the YouTube URL link. The required photos must have been taken within 3 months and one needs to be a photo of the bust-up and the other be a full-body. The second round will begin in late June whereas the third and final round will start in late July. The second round is online while the final round must be in-person at Tokyo.
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Sunrise Announces New Projects to Hype Next Macross Series
Sunrise is best known for producing the Gundam franchise and is part of Bandai Filmworks. The Macross series has done similar open auditions in the past, casting Minori Suzuki for Macross Delta and Megumi Nakajima for Macross Frontier. Both actresses appeared on a special Macross live-stream stream on March 2nd to discuss their experience auditioning and getting the roles. Sunrise Studios will be doing a new campaign called “Ai to Ai” – Cover Performance Project as part of the New Macross Super-Dimensional Diva Audition 2025.
The campaign will post a new video each week with a special guest performing the new theme song. Potential special guests will include past Macross songstress with the first video shared to the public being Suzuki performing “Ai to Ai.” FlyingDog and Lantis, part of Bandai Namco Music Live, have helped produce the new song for Macross.
Music and Pop Idols Have Always Been Important to Macross
Music and female pop idols have always been a cornerstone of the Macross series. Experiencing different cultures and having various cultures intermingled has been a core theme of the franchise. Music has been used to exemplify different cultures coming together, with songs transcending beyond cultural differences to touch all types of people. Every Macross anime features a pop idol among its cast, with some entries containing a full cast of musicians.
The original Super Dimension Fortress Macross series helped pave the way for anime characters to become pop idols. The franchise has now made it a business to create concerts and sell soundtracks based on the music performed in the shows. The next Macross series by the studio that brought people Gundam will continue this trend, possibly even discovering the next pop idol sensation in Japan with the new auditions competition.
H/T: Oricon USA, Anime News Network
