The anime studio Asahi Production has announced on Wednesday that it is launching the AGC38 project, which it describes as the first talent and entertainment unit composed of 38 female characters. In Asahi's plans, this unit will perform for merchandise branding, in commercials, on television programs, and in virtual shops. Asahi is also hoping to develop anime and manga for these characters, but it will not limit AGC38 to just these forms of media.

Starting on September 11, Asahi will be auditioning voice actresses to play these characters at the Tokyo Anime Center in Tokyo's Akihabara UDX Building. The auditions will be streamed live on the Ustream website. Starting on October 1, Asahi will debut five girls from AGC38 every week on the official website.

Another anime studio, Sunrise, is collaborating with ASCII Media Works' Dengeki G's Magazine and Bandai Visual's music label subsidiary Lantis on a different idol project called Love Live! A Love Live! CD/DVD bundle shipped last month with an animated music video. AKB48, the entertainment unit composed of dozens of female singers, has been performing in Akihabara and creating hit songs for several years.