4piece Audition Program

4piece Logo

THUNDERBOLT CHALLENGE "4piece", commonly known as 4piece, is an unprecedented audition program organized by Thunderbolt Entertainment's Nice Arneb Thunder broadcasted on national television. Participants are be divided amongst four venues that will hold audition challenges simultaneously, with idol judges to review and score their performance as a competition between individuals. At the conclusion of the program, one idol from each venue will be recognized as "special idols" and selected to form a Dream Unit and will get the chance to have a special song and MV produced by NiceP to kickstart their idol career.

The audition program spans over the course of a week in a large dome dedicated to the audition. The dome is split into four venues, with a luxury hotel situated in the middle. While participants can apply to join in advance, walk-ins on the first day of the competition are also allowed. The competition encourages participation of idols of all kinds, including debuted idols, novice idols, and fledgling idols with no idol experience at all. Upon entering the venue, participants are given Audition outfits, and their personal belongings and smartphones are confiscated for the competition.

Audition Arc Story[]

The Audition Arc is part of the main story for Ensemble Stars!!. It began in May 2024.

You can read more about them in the stories below.

For more information, see 4piece Audition Program.

Audition Arc
1 - VS★PRINCESS	2 - VS★GOURMET	3 - VS★AUDIENCE	4 - VS★GLADIATOR	5 - Final Ceremony

History[]

Thunderbolt Entertainment is an entertainment production company founded by Nice Arneb Thunder's great grandfather in the United States after he immigrated to the country when he was young, and is currently the world's largest entertainment company. The company grew to specialize in all forms of entertainment, including toys, amusement parks, and eventually idols as well. Nice Arneb Thunder is a general producer within the company and does not have any presidential power, but is one of the top five among the Thunderbolts.

As a long-time appreciator of Japan's idol industry, the dismantling of Godfather's reign on Japan's idol industry allowed NiceP to finally spread Thunderbolt Entertainment into the industry. He hopes by bringing 4piece to Japan, he can unearth the talent that has been buried by its current state of the industry. While Ensemble Square and Thunderbolt Entertainment are competitors in the entertainment industry, they have joined hands to make 4piece happen, a symbol of peace in the upcoming new era.

THUNDERBOLT CHALLENGE "4piece" is overseen by NiceP as the chief idol producer.

Competition Participants[]

Below is a list of each competitor participating in 4piece.

Esu Sagiri	Ibuki Taki	Kanna Natsu	Fuyume Hanamura	Raika Hojo
Mao Isara	Leo Tsukinaga	Subaru Akehoshi	Tsukasa Suou	Chiaki Morisawa
Mitsuru Tenma	Hiyori Tomoe	Mayoi Ayase	Ritsu Sakuma	Wataru Hibiki
Izumi Sena	Hiiro Amagi	Keito Hasumi	Nazuna Nito	Jun Sazanami
Sora Harukawa	Hinata Aoi	Ibara Saegusa	Yuta Aoi

Judges' Seats[]

The 4piece competition features a panel of various idol judges. At the conclusion of the week, each judge convene with each other to give each venue their respective scores. Competition Points (競技点) are points given to each participant based on their performance as it pertains to each venue's challenge. Individual Points (個人点) are points given to each participant based on the recommendation and favor of each judge.

Known Judges:

Anzu

Venues[]

Prince Castle[]

Prince Castle (王子城, ouji-jou) is the first venue at 4piece, associated with the Audition VS PRINCESS -First piece- event.

Idol participants featured in this venue are Mao Isara, Leo Tsukinaga, Esu Sagiri, Fuyume Hanamura, Subaru Akehoshi, and Tsukasa Suou.

The audition challenge for this venue is to create the best ball. Throughout the span of the week, participants will have the ability to submit "orders" to the 4piece management staff to fulfill and aim to prepare the best ball. Competition points were judged based on the ball's final results and distributed equally to each participant, with 25 being the point cap.

Competition Details[]

One order can be issued every 30 minutes. The period will last for 6 days, with 8 hours per day. The last day will be for the best ball to be held.
Orders will have to be worded carefully. Open-ended orders can be interpreted however they wish to be interpreted by 4piece staff.
If multiple orders are issued by different competitors, a small competition will be held to determine whose order will be fulfilled. These competitions are randomized and include a variety of competitions, such as: dance showdowns, portrait drawing showdowns, vocal showdowns, etc.

Spoilers:

After Leo composed his own musical compositions for the best ball's music, a special rule was implemented to prohibit it as it goes against the purpose of orders.

Gallery

Judging Results
Interim Results^[1]	Final Results^[2]

Gourmet District[]

Gourmet District (美食街, bishoku-gai) is the second venue at 4piece, associated with the Audition VS GOURMET -Second piece- event.

Idol participants featured in this venue are Chiaki Morisawa, Mitsuru Tenma, Hiyori Tomoe, Raika Hojo, Mayoi Ayase, and Ritsu Sakuma.

The audition challenge for this venue is to manage a restaurant. Throughout the span of the week, participants will run their own restaurant and try to turn a profit. A "menu challenge" will be issued every day for the participants to focus their menu around. Participants will then use their funds to purchase ingredients, serve meals, and earn money. Participants will have to utilize their talents to plan a menu, cook their food, attract customers, and turn a profit. Competition points were judged based on each participant's profits at the end of the final day.

Competition Details[]

Each participant will be allowed a starting stipend of 100,000 yen at the start of the competition. Funds for the remainder of the week will have to be financed by the individual through their sales.
Ingredients available to purchase are limited and first-come-first-serve. This does not apply to the base ingredients for each menu challenge, which are provided freely to each participant.
Direct physical attacks, theft, and any other actions that may undermine safety are prohibited.
At the end of every day, results will be tallied and participants with the highest performance will be displayed on the screen.
There is a chance that an individual with a poor level of performance will be selected at the end of the day to spend the following day in the Field. Individuals will use their time to tend to the field, and will also be able to utilize the produce harvested once they return to the venue the day after.

Spoilers:

On the final day, fans of participating idols will be allowed into the venue to act as customers.

Gallery

Judging Results
Interim Results^[3]	Final Results^[2]

Twin Rooster Pagoda[]

The Twin Rooster Pagoda (双鶏塔, soukei-tou) is the third venue at 4piece, associated with the Audition VS AUDIENCE -Third piece- event.

Idol participants featured in this venue are Wataru Hibiki, Izumi Sena, Hiiro Amagi, Ibuki Taki, Keito Hasumi, and Nazuna Nito.

The audition challenge for this venue is to appeal to the largest audience. Throughout the span of the week, participants will split into pairs and compete to appeal to an audience of a hundred judges. Competition points were judged based on the overall hearts each pair gained throughout the week.

Competition Details[]

Prior to the competition, each competitor picks up a wooden block with half of an illustration of a bird on it. The competitor with the matching block that completes their image becomes their tag-team partner for the competition.
Throughout each day, a variety of topics will be challenged for each pair, such as "perform a self-introduction", "show off your special skills", and so on.
An audience of 100 judges, unrelated to the idol judges, will give "hearts" to the pairs that they like as the challenges are performed. The members of the judging panel change daily.
At the end of each day of judging, the pair with the least amount of "hearts" will be announced and eliminated.
For this venue, the audience judges decide each participants' Competition Points, while the idol judges decide their Individual Points.

Spoilers:

On the final day, all the judges from the previous days gather to judge the contestants' lives, a total of 600 hearts.

Gallery

Judging Results
Interim Results^[4]	Final Results^[2]

The Arena[]

The Arena (闘技場, tougi-jou) is the fourth venue at 4piece, associated with the Audition VS GLADIATOR -Fourth piece- event.

Idol participants featured in this venue are Jun Sazanami, Sora Harukawa, Hinata Aoi, Kanna Natsu, Ibara Saegusa, and Yuta Aoi.

The audition challenge for this venue is to become the strongest gladiator. Throughout the span of the week, participants will use fake battle gear to fight each other and earn G (gold). Competition points were judged based on who was able to become a free citizen at the end of the week.

Competition Details[]

Throughout the venue are various shops and areas where participants can earn G (gold).
- Participants can man shops and complete quests to earn G (gold).
- Participants can also do menial physical labor to earn G (gold) more efficiently.
At the center of the venue is an arena, where entering automatically enables PVP between participants. Upon losing, all of the loser's G (gold) is transferred to the victor.
At the start of each day, a battle schedule will be posted that schedules set battles between participant. These battles are required to attend.
- For a sum of G (gold), a summons can be purchased to schedule a fight between the participant and a gladiator of their choosing.
A free citizen application can be purchased for a total of 1 million G (gold).
Trading G (gold) is prohibited, but trading battle gear and other items is allowed.