Phantom of the Idol

THIS PHANTOM’S A CUTIE! Yuya, one half of the boy pop duo ZINGS, may be the laziest performer in the Japanese music industry. His partner is out there giving 110% every night, but Yuya’s sloppy dancing and his frankly hostile attitude toward the audience has the fans hating him and his agent looking for any excuse to cut him loose. The career of a pop idol just isn’t the path of easy leisure Yuya expected... After a particularly lifeless concert appearance, Yuya meets a girl backstage. All she wants from life is to perform. There’s just one problem: She’s been dead for a year.

This top idol’s a meanie! Yuya Niyodo thought being an idol would mean easy money, but his lackluster performances and apathetic attitude meant his job was on the chopping block…until the ghost of Asahi Mogami possesses Yuya with the aim of becoming a top idol! After a bombastic Hottie Farm, ZINGS is the talk of the idol world. Yuya’s stage persona that switches between hot mess and god status is not only puzzling (and alluring) fans, but troubling Hikaru Setouchi, the leader of top idol group Cgrass, for Yuya’s apparent mimicry of star idol, Asahi Mogami!! Hikaru will not let this stand—for the sake of Asahi’s divine memory…even though it’s technically Asahi inside.

THESE FANS ARE CRAZY! Yuya Niyodo and his peppy phantom, Asahi Mogami, are making their way to the top of idoldom! After a successful concert, ZINGS wants to give back to their fans through the most practical merch possible—calendars! Overwhelmed with emotions after Yuya’s confession that he was glad he hasn’t quit being an idol, Niyodoids dive deep into product development, allowing their fantasies to go “wild”—such as Yuya with glasses or, wait for it... a different stage outfit! Even more exciting, ZINGS has been nominated for the Up Next Idol Awards!! Excitement is short-lived when Asahi learns of the return of her former idol group’s leader, Chikage Yura, after a year-long hiatus...but Chikage might be leaving the industry?!

THIS PARTNER’S A SWEETIE! Distraught from the realization that Yuya is willingly possessed by the ghost of Asahi--and that their dynamic duo is really a trio--Kazuki enters a depressive slump. For the first time, Kazuki is on hiatus and Yuya is mixed about the newfound responsibility of leading ZINGS’s official activities. Meanwhile, Chikage Yura, Asahi’s former group leader and now protege of the spiritual arts, is ecstatic about the possible breakup of ZINGS. Will ZINGS survive? Or will Yuya’s cake made on live television fall flat?

THIS DRAMA’S A GOODIE! Finally, the Up Next Idol Awards are announced -- and ZINGS manages to secure a top award! (Un)fortunately, Niyodo is rewarded with a supporting role in a television drama, along with the mysterious and aloof "Black Knight Idol"! How will Niyodo and Asahi deal with the grueling schedule of a television drama?!

Deemed a strong actor due to his split persona on stage—even though it’s really Asahi—Yuya is thrown into the task of helping his new co-star, Yakumo Nanase, for their detective drama. Despite being runner-up for the Up Next Idol Awards, Yakumo has been in the idol business for more than a decade, re-debuting twice. Yakumo is determined to make a strong impact in his role, so he takes on method acting—to the extreme. While everything seems to be going swell for Yuya and Asahi, Yakumo enters a spiral of abiding by his fans’ wishes and who he is…

Seeing how Yakumo’s earnest success has led to financial wealth, Yuya suddenly feels like he wants to try being an idol. With this realization, Asahi wants to help Yuya attain “idol enlightenment.” But before that can happen, Niyodo’s mom appears on the scene, and she has some sort of connection with Shinano…?

Yuya can no longer see or hear Asahi, much less have her possess his body! Furthermore, Yuya’s vivacious mother, Haruka, wants Yuya to quit being an idol. For someone who has not had much interest in, well, anything, it begs the question of whether Yuya has enough energy to succeed without Asahi. But Yuya has recently found that he wants to try being good at something…will he be able to reconnect with Asahi?

Yuya has overcome his family problems and has reconnected with Asahi. They are both in top form! Meanwhile, news arrives of the release of the “Asahi Mogami Tribute Album”! Asahi can’t help but wonder how this will be created?! During the recording of the album, Asahi meets Hanabi Iogi, a current member of i’m. It seems she has a secret, and she’s a bit of a curiosity…