I don't think there's a way for me to accurately put into words how much School Idol Festival did for me as a person. It sounds dramatic, I'm sure, but I truly wouldn't be here if not for SIF.

Back in 2014, two of my very good friends were playing SIF together while we were all hanging out. They gushed about the artwork and the cards they just scouted and their favorite songs, and I couldn't help but get a little interested in the gameplay when I saw one of them play a song. We all used to play osu! together, and this particular friend was somewhat of a god at it (he was in the top 20 players in the USA for a period of time), so I took all of his rhythm game recommendations VERY seriously. He told me to try it out, so I downloaded it and played it for the very first time at home later that night. I was enthralled by it: the cute artwork, the songs, the gameplay, and the girls themselves.

Hanayo was my immediate favorite, but after I played the game for a while and was informed that yes, there is in fact a corresponding anime series for it, Maki soon took her place (and then eventually, Mari, then You, Ayumu, Shioriko, Kanon, and Mei joined them too). I couldn't stop listening to Snow Halation, nor could I stop single scouting every time I earned 5 love gems (much to both of my friends' disapproval lol). My very first solo scout was Honoka's initial UR. I loved her. I very quickly realized soloing URs was incredibly rare, so I held her ever closer for blessing me as a newbie. I also very quickly found out the hard way why you should never scout in a box after rate up ended (shout out to everyone who remembers 10+1 scouts that ended in all R cards)

As time went on, I started finding new communities centered around Love Live!. I made an account on School Idol Tomodachi to catalogue my cards, but fell in love with the community and all the fun posts and memes there. I found out about people making covers of songs and I tried to join in on several (that never saw the light of day for a lot of reasons). I even started my own cover group! (If anyone from Stardust Live! is reading this, I love you so so much <3). I cosplayed for the very first time - my friend and I went to our local anime convention as magician Maki and Nico. I dove head first into anime merch collecting, much to the dismay of my wallet. I recently acquired my dream figure, Alter Maki, after years of staring at her from afar.

I have met so many incredible people because of this silly little tap tap gacha game. I got to witness the Final Live of one group and the birth of so many others. I stopped playing SIF seriously sometime around the end of 2017; partially because I was busy with culinary school, and partially because other games began to interest me more. But I never stopped loving the franchise, and the game never left my phone's storage.

Even now. I can't bring myself to uninstall it quite yet.

I owe a lot to SIF. There's so many incredible people I never would have met if my two dear friends hadn't shown me the game that day 9 years ago. I never would have gotten the privilege of being a staff member on Idol Story, never would've shed tears at a few too many live viewings, never would've fallen in love with the world of anime idols.

Thank you for everything, SIF. As the song Sayounara e Sayonara says, "Rather than wallow in nostalgia, let's give each other a smile and say 'we'll meet again!'" I can't wait to see what the future holds for all of us in Miracle Live soon!

🇯🇵JP🌟

SIFAS is about to celebrate its 1st Anniversary!

A log-in campaign will be held from 9/17 - 10/2! Log in to receive "1st Tokimeki Free 10-Pull Ticket" x1 every day for 10 days!

The "1st Tokimeki Free 10-Pull Tickets" can be used in a special gacha beginning 9/17! This gacha contains all cards in the current gacha pool (up to the "Toy Shop Panic" event gacha)

September 26th marks the anniversary of the game!! Log in any time before 9/27 3:59 JST to receive a UR Guaranteed Gacha Ticket!

The "1st Anniversary Festival Step-Up Gacha" will be held from 9/26, 15:00 JST - 10/11, 14:59 JST! This gacha contains all regular gacha cards as well as all Fes-limited URs!

• STEP 1: Free 10-pull!
• STEP 2-4: Lower Loveca Star cost!
• STEP 5: One guaranteed Fes-limited UR!

"1st Anniversary Festival" gachas will be available for both μ's and Aqours from 9/26, 15:00 JST - 10/11, 14:59 JST! These group-exclusive gachas will feature a 3x rate-up for all Fes-limited cards! The Shiny Quartz obtained from these gachas can also be used interchangeably!

A special SBL, titled "SUPER Big Live" will be held from 10/1, 15:00 JST - 10/6, 14:59 JST! This will be an extremely large SBL to celebrate the 1st Anniversary! More details will be announced soon~

🇯🇵JP🌟

The next SBL has been announced! It will run from September 1st, 15:00 JST - September 6th, 14:59 JST!

Playable songs:

• Bokura wa Ima no Naka de
• Mirai no Bokura wa Shitteru yo
• TOKIMEKI Runners Ch. 17 Ver.

All μ's cards will get a 20% stat boost!

Cards up to the "Come Enjoy These Special Sweets" event will be available to exchange in the shop.

🌎WW🌟

The first official "SIFAS Big Live" is coming! It will run from August 31st, 15:00 JST to September 3rd, 14:59 JST!

For this SBL, all first-year members will have their stats increased by 20%!

The songs playable for this event are:

• It's our miraculous time
• Strawberry Trapper
• Starlight

All cards up to the "Refresh With a Hike!" event will be available to exchange in the shop!

🇯🇵JP🌟

Story Chapter 18 will be added to the game on August 31st, 15:00 JST!

Clear the chapter to unlock:

• LOVELESS WORLD
• MIRACLE WAVE

Additionally, Bond Episode 21 will be added for the first 9 members of Nijigasaki High School Idol Club on August 31st, 15:00 JST!

Clear their stories to unlock their 3rd solo songs! (2D for now)

🇯🇵JP🌟

Nijigasaki Idol Club's 3rd Single, "Just Believe !!!" is about to release, so there will be a special campaign to celebrate!

Beginning 9/2, 15:00 JST, the song "Just Believe !!!" will be added into the game! The song will be playable in 2D only.

From 9/2, 15:00 JST to 10/1, 14:59 JST, special goals will be available! Complete them all to earn various rewards!!

A log-in bonus will take place from 8/29 to 9/2! Log in every day to earn Loveca Stars!!

🌎WW🌟

The "μ's All Stars Summer Set" will be available to purchase from 8/26, 15:00 JST to 9/30, 14:59 JST! This pack contains:

• Star Gems x450
• μ's Summer Splash Costume tickets

The tickets can be exchanged for swimsuit costumes for each member of μ's!

🇯🇵JP🌟

The next SIFAS Fes gacha has been announced! It will run from August 26th 15:00 JST to September 12th 14:59 JST!

It will feature:

• UR "Alright, Now, Stand Still" Honoka Kousaka
• UR "Time Just for Me and You" Riko Sakurauchi
• SR "Why Don't You Ask God?" Nozomi Toujou
• SR "Fluffy, Colorful, and Sparkly" Emma Verde

🌎WW🌟

The 6-Month Anniversary After-Party was announced in the latest episode of KGS! It will run from 8/26, 15:00 JST to 9/19, 14:59 JST!

Log in during this period to receive:

• Exciting Free Scout 10 Ticket x1
• Show Candy (100) x5
• Memory Key x2

Special goals will be available from 8/26 15:00 JST to 9/19 14:59 JST! Complete these goals to earn Exciting Free Scout 10 Tickets!!

The Exciting Free Scout 10 gacha pool will include all regular gacha cards up to the "Cryptid Catchin' Crusade!" gacha.

Live Show Reward drop rates will be increased from 8/26 15:00 JST to 9/19 14:59 JST! Macarons, EXP, gold, and all Practice items will appear at a higher rate! Rare treasure chests will drop at a higher rate as well!!

🇯🇵JP🌟

The "Toy Shop Panic☆" event gacha has been announced!

The first half will run from 8/18 15:00 JST - 8/31 14:59 JST and features:

• UR You Watanabe
• SR Karin Asaka

The second part runs from 8/21 15:00 JST - 8/31 14:59 JST and features:

• UR Nico Yazawa
• SR Karin Asaka

🇯🇵JP🌟

The next Story event, "Toy Shop Panic☆", has been announced! It will run from 8/21, 15:00 JST - 8/31, 14:59 JST!

It will feature:

• UR Ai Miyashita
• SR Dia Kurosawa
• SR Hanayo Koizumi

🇯🇵JP🌟

The next Dream Live Parade has been announced! It will run from August 15th 15:00 JST to August 21st 14:59 JST!

For this DLP, all members of Aqours will receive 1 additional PP!

Beginning August 18th 15:00 JST, you will be able to restore all of your idols' PP and continue to play!