The Idolmaster

Season 1

Episode 24: Dream

The Producer manages to survive his accident but remains hospitalized for a while. As a result, Haruka returns to musical rehearsals to channel her grief into her role and wins the lead from Miki. Desperate to get the idols together, Haruka asks Ritsuko to reschedule or cancel her current gigs so she can practice for the New Year's concert, but Ritsuko cannot do it. Miki overhears this and berates Haruka for being selfish, especially after she seized the main role in the musical, and asks Haruka why she wanted to become an idol in the first place. Haruka loses what little confidence she had left and breaks down when she realizes she doesn't even remember her reasons. With Haruka given rest from her work, her friends begin worrying about her. A few days later, Haruka does an errand for her mother until she meets Toma and Jupiter, now under a new company, where they get to know their stage crew thanks to what she and 765 Production taught them. After consulting with the hospitalized Producer, Chihaya gathers the rest of the idols and tells them why Haruka wanted to do dance rehearsal with everyone: Haruka realized everyone was drifting apart and losing their true selves due to their work, and she wanted to do the rehearsal to reunite the bonds they always had. Meanwhile, Haruka meets a group of kindergarteners and sings with them until she sees a younger version of herself who brings her to the stadium where the 765 Production thank-you concert was held. Then she remembers that she became an idol to sing, dance and make people happy together with her friends, and her younger self, now looking older than when she became an idol, ensures Haruka that her friends believe in her. As Haruka runs back to 765 Production studios, the idols make a live broadcast announcing their New Year's concert and apologizing to Haruka for not realizing what she was doing. Glad to see this, Haruka reunites with her friends.