Initially presented to audiences when the first season of anime The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (涼宮ハルヒの憂鬱) aired in Japan, Hare Hare Yukai became a cultural phenomenon for fans of anime and manga across the world for many years. While its popularity has declined over the years as new franchises have competed for even a few months of attention from audiences, the song and its corresponding choreographed dance continue to be referenced across many mediums.
Now we come to The Idolm@ster Cinderella Girls Starlight Stage, an iOS and Android mobile game co-created by Bandai Namco Entertainment and CyGames. Based on the wider The Idolm@ster franchise, this is a rhythm game that allows you to watch a group of 200ish idols dance to choreographed songs as you tap away in time with the beat. The game is not a stranger to cross-over events, previously doing them with shows including CLANNAD, Steins;Gate, Angel Beats! and Digimon Adventure, among others. These songs are typically 2D style, meaning the experience presented to players is more about the rhythm gameplay than watching the performance.
Was Hare Hare Yukai incorporated into The Idolm@ster Cinderella Girls Starlight Stage, surely it would be fitting for the famous choreographed routine to be replicated in-game? Right? Right! The song has been introduced as a free, permanent addition to the song list in a recent update to the mobile rhythm game.
Although the Japanese voice actors for Haruhi and Kyon to make an appearance in a special event cutscene, the version of Hare Hare Yukai presented is performed by in-game idols Riamu Yumemi (VA: Hoshiki Seena), Yukimi Sajo (VA: Nakazawa Mina) and Nana Abe (VA: Miyake Marie). Even if this is a reprised version of the song, the choreography is mostly faithful to the original ending sequence – although a few liberties have been taken.
The Idolm@ster Cinderella Girls Starlight Stage is exclusively available in Japan, and requires a third-party downloader such as QooApp to install internationally. While I have been doing this for several years now, do note that you do this at your own risk.
