IDOLM@STER (IM@AS in short) started its glamorous life as an arcade game in July 2005; a kind of simulation game written by Namco (Bandai-Namco Games, presently).
Immediately after the release, arcades were jam-packed densely with boys and young men. Subsequently, IDOLM@STER managed to ascend to the all-time hit console of the arcade gaming world.
What? You never heard of the IDOLM@STER? Well, it's quite reasonable, because this game reeked of such peculiar Japanese flavour that it never travelled out of its native land. Not like silly shoot'em-all and kick'em-all games, Bandai-Namco did not dare to transplant their jewel IDONM@STER to barren environment.
But, then, what is IDOLM@STER actually?