The Performance that Sparked Bandori [thread]

In an iM@S live in Feb 2014, Aimi stunned fans when she appeared on stage with a guitar. It was unprecedented in iM@S. She performed 'Ryuuseigun', the solo song of her character Julia, a talented guitarist.

The crowd gave a huge roar of approval that shook the arena. Among the audience were Bushiroad staff, whose report to CEO Kidani Takaaki inspired him to come up with a project revolving around girls bands. In Feb 2015, Aimi announced her participation in the BanG_Dream! project.

The 'Star' seems to be the defining motif for both Julia and Kasumi. Julia has a blue star on her left cheek. Her song 'Ryuuseigun' means 'meteor shower' or 'shooting stars' (coincidentally, 'kirakira' and 'dokidoki' appear in the lyrics). Both their signatures incorporate stars.

The guitar she used in that performance was her own. She bought it the day after she recorded Ryuuseigun, hoping to play it in a live someday. She'd been the guitarist in a 5-member high school girls band, but this was the first time she played and sang in front of an audience.