The upcoming anime series THE [email protected] Cinderella Girls: U149 will premiere in April as part of the spring 2023 anime season.

U149 refers to a spinoff manga series from the franchise that emphasizes the smaller characters in THE [email protected] Cinderella Girls. 

The 149 part in particular is a reference to how all the girls featured in the series are 149cm tall (approximately 4’10) or lower. Characters like Arisu Tachibana, Momoka Sakurai, Chie Sasaki, and more are heavily present in the spinoff manga.

THE [email protected] (also shortened to [email protected], or simplified to The Idolmaster or imas) is a multimedia franchise spanning multiple games, anime series, and original songs. Players take on the role of a usually faceless idol producer who helps the girls he manages achieve their dreams of stardom.

The Cinderella Girls spinoff in particular follows a different set of girls from the main series. Whereas the main series follows the fictional 765 Productions, Cinderella Girls follows 346 Pro Talent Agency.

However despite technically being a spinoff, Cinderella Girls has achieved a following that matches if not exceeds the enthusiasm for the original cast.

THE [email protected] Cinderella Girls: U149 will premiere on April 5.