KING OF PRISM is an anime series that began in 2016. Centered on a group of young male protagonists striving to become “Prism Stars,” entertainers who captivate audiences with their brilliance, the franchise has built a passionate fanbase through its unique blend of storytelling and performance, incorporating elements of music, dance, and figure skating. The series is also widely known for popularizing ou’en jou’eis (cheering screenings), a viewing style in which audiences actively cheer and react during the film. As KING OF PRISM celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, we spoke with producer Nozomi Isowa of Avex Animation Labels Inc. and publicity producer Chisato Sasaki of Avex Pictures Inc. about the unique appeal the franchise has cultivated alongside its fans and the lessons learned along the way.
Participatory Entertainment That Generates Excitement Beyond the Screen
Sasaki "It’s difficult to categorize it as either an idol series or a sports series…"
KING OF PRISM follows the journey of its protagonists as they grow into “Prism Stars” capable of captivating countless fans. Their mission is to deliver the “sparkle of Prism” to audiences—a term that refers not only to the fans depicted within the story, but also to the viewers sitting in front of the screen. One of the franchise’s greatest strengths lies in its ability to fully immerse audiences in the entertainment spectacle unfolding before them.
Isowa "One of the defining features of the series is the CG animation produced by Tatsunoko Production, particularly the characters’ dance performances and the spectacular ‘Prism Jump’ sequences that serve as the highlights of the show. Another key aspect, of course, is the cheering-screening style of viewing."
Unlike the conventional expectation that audiences remain quiet in movie theaters, cheering screenings encourage viewers to actively participate by applauding, shouting encouragement, and waving glow sticks during the performance on screen. The audience becomes united as one, and their enthusiasm resonates back toward the screen. The result is a uniquely exhilarating atmosphere that transforms the theater into a deeply immersive and shared experience.
Isowa "The series has actually been designed from the outset with cheering screenings in mind. We have a feature called ‘Prism☆Dubbing,’ where audience members read subtitles that appear on screen, allowing them to effectively interact with the characters. It’s one of the ways the films are designed to make participation easy and enjoyable."
“ou’en jou’ei"
Sasaki "I think KING OF PRISM is a work that condenses so many of the most exciting aspects of entertainment into a single experience. Our job is to deliver that excitement to as many people as possible without diluting what makes it special."
After a hiatus of nearly four years brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, KING OF PRISM resumed its activities. Looking back, Sasaki recalls that "the fanbase was never particularly large to begin with." Even so, a small team continued to respond to the passion of its fans, and the franchise has since grown into a beloved series with a broad and dedicated following.
At the heart of that success is the idea of leaving room for audience participation. From the earliest stages of planning, KING OF PRISM has been designed to create opportunities for viewers to become part of the experience. This concept extends beyond a unique screening format—it has become a core element that defines the franchise itself.
Expanding that experience while preserving its appeal has been an ongoing challenge. Because the franchise has been supported by such a passionate fan community, determining how far to broaden its reach has always required careful trial and error.
Sasaki "While we want our core fans to continue supporting the franchise, attracting new fans is equally important. Even something as simple as the number of theaters requires careful consideration. Cheering screenings are at their most exciting when a packed audience is sharing the experience together, so expanding to too many theaters can dilute that atmosphere. At the same time, increasing accessibility is essential if we want to welcome new audiences."
Isowa "We struggle with that balance every time. Sometimes we even encounter pleasant surprises. For the 2025 release, many theaters—particularly in Tokyo—sold out, making it difficult for people to get tickets, so we ended up adding additional screenings on short notice. Things don’t always go as planned, but we’ve come this far by constantly asking ourselves, ‘What can we do next?’ and approaching each challenge with a willingness to try new ideas."
Passionate Fans Supporting “Their”
Own Franchise
What is the greatest force supporting this franchise? Without hesitation, Isowa answers: "the fans."
Isowa "Our fans are truly incredible. Two years ago, the opening day of “Dramatic PRISM.1” coincided with a typhoon forecast, and we were forced to cancel several promotional activities we had planned. At that time, fans on social media began discussing whether KING OF PRISM needed more promotion and voluntarily shared ideas about how to help more people discover the franchise. Of course, there are many practical limitations, so we cannot necessarily implement every idea. Still, it made us realize that they view the franchise from a perspective very similar to our own."
Sasaki "I think our fans genuinely feel that they are helping to build excitement around the franchise themselves. Of course, we can’t take that support for granted—we as the official team have a responsibility to lead the way. But they respond to everything we share, and in many ways, it’s their support that keeps us going."
Isowa "It’s very difficult to intentionally create an atmosphere where everyone wants to spread the word together. Another challenge with long-running franchises is that existing fan communities can sometimes become difficult for newcomers to join. However, our fans understand, just as we do, that attracting new audiences is essential if the franchise is to continue growing."
Each fan sees KING OF PRISM as “their own franchise,” and that sense of ownership continues to serve as one of its greatest sources of support.
Sasaki "The franchise has a playful and humorous side, so our promotional activities sometimes include little jokes or comments that are almost asking for a response. And every single time, the fans pick up on them and respond in exactly the right way. Because of that, we’ve built a relationship of trust where we feel comfortable putting things out there and knowing they’ll engage with them. We also often hear from theater staff around the country during stage greetings and cheering screenings, who tell us, ‘Your fans are amazing. They support the franchise so enthusiastically.’ Hearing people praise our fans like that always makes me very happy."
Isowa quietly adds that she feels nothing but gratitude toward the fan community.
Sasaki "Cheering screenings have become an established format thanks to each and every fan. These days, more and more films are holding cheering screenings, but I believe the level of enthusiasm and participation that our fans bring is what makes KING OF PRISM truly unique. That’s what allows these screenings to reach such a high level of completion and excitement."
New Strengths Created Through
Avex Group Synergy
KING OF PRISM is an original animated franchise. Because there is no existing source material to indicate what the finished product will ultimately look like, promotion has often involved a great deal of trial and error. Even so, encouraged by the reactions of fans, the team has continued searching for the best approach at every stage.
Sasaki "With adaptations, you already know the story, so it’s easier to build promotional plans around the moments fans are likely to be excited about. But KING OF PRISM is different. Its style of presentation is so unique that even after reading the script, it can be difficult to imagine what the finished work will actually look like. Promotion begins while the film itself is still being produced, so we create plans based on what we expect the highlights to be. Then, when we finally see the completed work, the sheer power of the visuals often reveals entirely new selling points. As a result, we frequently add promotional initiatives just before release or adjust our messaging afterward based on fan reactions. It requires a very flexible approach."
Another noteworthy aspect of KING OF PRISM is the appeal of the music featured throughout the series. This is an area where the unique strengths of the Avex Group have been fully leveraged.
Isowa "Since the days of the Pretty Rhythm series, which serves as the foundation of KING OF PRISM, we have performed numerous covers of songs by TRF. For our latest work, “Your Endless Call”, we took things a step further by covering additional songs written by Tetsuya Komuro. Because this project is part of the Avex Group, we were able to collaborate flexibly across the organization, making it possible to bring many iconic songs to life in new ways. We’ve also received tremendous support through group-wide initiatives, such as screening events featuring appearances by DJ KOO."
Sasaki "Among the songs covered from Tetsuya Komuro’s catalog, TM NETWORK’s “Get Wild” became a major topic of conversation and even trended on social media on the film’s opening day. It attracted attention not only because of the song’s enduring appeal, but also because of the unexpected nature of the choice. It felt like a new possibility had opened up for KING OF PRISM. I’d be delighted if we have opportunities to cover even more songs in the future."
Driven by What Looks Exciting:
A Spirit of Continuous Challenge
Supported by passionate fans and partners both inside and outside the company, KING OF PRISM has now reached its 10th anniversary. What values have remained unchanged throughout that journey?
Isowa "Our team places great importance on trying something new with every project. Two years ago, we became the first Japanese animated franchise to release a film in “Screen X”, the immersive format that utilizes three screens."
Sasaki "Chief Director Hishida is the kind of person who constantly incorporates new experiences and inspirations into his work, and I think that mindset has influenced the entire team. Whether it’s “Screen X”, promotional strategies, or merchandise ideas, when someone says, ‘I’d like to try this,’ the atmosphere is usually, ‘Then let’s give it a shot.’"
Isowa "Exactly. You never know until you try."
Sasaki "Even if something has never been done before and looks difficult, if it seems like it would be more interesting, everyone is willing to get on board."
The team has created an environment where people are encouraged to challenge conventional thinking and pursue ideas simply because they seem exciting. Rather than saying, "It looks difficult, so let’s not do it," the prevailing attitude is, "It looks fun, so let’s try." That spirit continues to motivate everyone involved.
Isowa "Sometimes I look at one of Sasaki’s promotional ideas and think, ‘That might be difficult to pull off…’ But we listen to the proposal anyway. And surprisingly often, once we start moving forward positively, those ideas end up becoming reality."
Sasaki "People occasionally tell me, ‘We can’t do that because it’s never been done before.’ But my response is usually, ‘It’s only never been done before—that doesn’t mean it can’t be done.’ (laughs)"
Isowa "Exactly. If nobody has ever done it before, that’s what makes it interesting."
Sasaki "The franchise itself is so fascinating that countless promotional ideas naturally come to mind. The problem is that once I start proposing them all, I end up making my own workload much heavier." (laughs)
Isowa "When one of us gets overwhelmed, we step in and help each other out. That’s how we’ve managed to make it this far." (laughs)
The 10th Anniversary Milestone:
Taking on New Challenges Together
Over the years, the team has built strong bonds and a proven ability to bring ambitious ideas to life. Though relatively small in size, its passion is immense. Looking ahead, what hopes do the two have for the future of both the team and the franchise?
Isowa "I hope this series continues for a long time. After restarting following the pandemic, I think we spent about two years gradually improving our systems and learning how to move things forward more smoothly. My hope is that, by continuing over the long term, we can develop that even further."
Sasaki "My role is that of a publicity producer, but with this project I’ve never felt that I only needed to focus on promotion. I regularly exchange ideas with people across different departments and have been able to look at the entire project from a broader perspective. That’s something I’d like to continue valuing in the future."
Going forward, KING OF PRISM will continue to deliver love to its audience while being supported by even greater love in return, adding new chapters to the shared history between the franchise and its fandom.
Isowa "As 2026 marks our 10th anniversary year, we have a full lineup of activities planned. Since the beginning of the year, we’ve held special screenings and released new merchandise. In February, we staged a theatrical production, and on June 28, we will hold a special anniversary event. We’re continuing to prepare many more initiatives to make this a memorable year, so I hope everyone looks forward to what’s ahead."
Sasaki "Whether you’re within the Avex Group or outside of it, if you have an idea or a desire to collaborate with KING OF PRISM, we would love to hear from you at any time."
Isowa "We truly mean that. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with the spirit of, ‘Let’s give it a try!’"
Believing in the power of the work itself and in the passion of its fans, the team continues to pursue new challenges with enthusiasm. Guided by their individual passions and united in their pursuit of creating something even more exciting, those involved in this project continue moving forward with conviction. Ahead of them lies a future filled with countless possibilities.
ⒸT-ARTS/syn Sophia/avex pictures/Tatsunoko Production/KP Project
Ⓒ T2A/S/API/T/KOP2026
