Ichigo Hoshimiya is a bright young girl who is always helping her mother out at a takeaway bento place. After accidentally messing up her brother Raichi's photos of top idol Mizuki Kanzaki, Ichigo goes to her best friend Aoi Kiriya, who manages to get them some tickets to Mizuki's concert. The three of them go to Mizuki's concert, which leaves a strong impression on Ichigo.

Ichigo and Aoi begin their first day at Starlight Academy, taking in the sights before moving into their dorm. They then meet up with the headmistress, Orihime Mitsuishi, who gives them the Aikatsu cards they selected in the audition, as well as an Aikatsu Phone used to store their cards.

As Aoi begins her job as Mizuki's temporary manager alongside her usual manager, Honoka Tsukikage, Ichigo decides to pursue them in secret. She is soon caught stowing away, but Mizuki lets her tag along regardless.

As Ichigo, Aoi and Ran train for their special audition, they ask Johnny for help on obtaining special Premium Cards needed for their audition.

As Ichigo ends up volunteering everyone to help out for a Christmas party on the day of the special event, she notices the normally energetic Yuna Nakayama is feeling down due to her parents working around Christmas.

The gang decide to go undercover so they can watch Ichigo and Otome's movie in a normal movie theater.

The Fresh Girls Cup is announced, in which students get the chance to challenge Mizuki for the title of Starlight Queen. Ran, who competed the previous year before Ichigo and Aoi transferred in, explains how remarkable Mizuki is for facing off against every single student, stating it will be tough to beat her and all of their rivals.

Ichigo, Aoi and Ran find themselves unable to sleep before the semi-finals and decide to have a sleepover in Ichigo's room.

As Tristar's schedule becomes busier, Ran becomes more isolated from Ichigo and Aoi, who are saddened to hear Ran is unable to return to the Star Academy dorms due to her schedule.

As Mizuki starts to feel the burden of her packed work schedule, Orihime gives Ichigo and the others a key to a Masquerade reference room featuring various materials on the group.

After Ichigo, along with Aoi and Ran, learns about Ringo's secret, she goes home with her to rest up for the Starlight Queen Cup, where Raichi also learns of Ringo's identity.

With two days until the Starlight Queen Cup, Aoi learns that she's won the lead role in a movie while Ran hears of another audition to be Spicy Ageha's representative.

After everyone gets together, Ichigo reveals her intention to leave Starlight Academy and go to America after the cup so she can work on her own Aikatsu, with Aoi putting on a brave face to support her friend. The next day, Ichigo faces off against Mizuki in the Starlight Queen Cup finale, which is inevitably won by Mizuki.

One year after Ichigo left for America, a new rival idol school, Dream Academy, has been formed, raising its own idols. Meanwhile, at Starlight Academy, where Otome is the current Starlight Queen, Aoi and the others meet a peculiar girl, though can't identify her amongst the listed idols.

After Ichigo rekindles with everyone, Seira decides to test if she can pull off a Constellation Appeal, with Aoi letting her take her place in the concert. Ichigo manages to pull off a Constellation Appeal, which results in the contest ending in a draw.

Seira and Kii are due to do a performance together, with Kii suggesting they do their own choreography. Wanting to learn about choreography, the two seek out Johnny, who decides to give them, along with Ichigo and co, a lesson on how to compose choreography.

Aoi is approached about creating a TV drama to promote some new chocolates. After deciding to make the drama about a chocolate-eating detective, Aoi asks Ichigo and the others to audition alongside her, with Seira and Kii also brought in to audition.

Sora Kazesawa, a Dream Academy student studying in both idol and designer courses, is approached by Tiara to start her own Aikatsu brand. However, Sora feels a bit nervous about the responsibility of running a brand, as she's always been free in the way she's designed her clothes.

As idols from both Starlight Academy and Dream Academy gather to participate in the Red and White Aikatsu Battle, Mister S is spotted, hoping to find the person responsible for Dream Academy's rise to fame somewhere among them. After interviews, Ichigo, Aoi, and Ran go to greet the event's super special guest, enka singer Sabuko Nishijima, helping to carry her giant 'Enkatsu card' that she had brought to the event.

Upon beginning their lives as high school students, Ichigo, Aoi, and Ran are requested by Orihime to act as judges for an Audition Caravan scouting the country for potential new Starlight Academy idols.

Akari begins her first day at Starlight Academy, meeting up with Orihime and receiving her cards, ID, and Aikatsu Phone before moving into the dorms with her new roommate, Yuu.

As Akari continues to struggle on her own, Ichigo tries to think of a way to help her out. Thinking about her experiences in America, Ichigo decides to open the letter Aoi gave her back then, reminding her that no matter the time or place, she can always talk to her.

During a rainfall, the roof in Akari's dorm room starts leaking, resulting in Akari and her roommate, Yuu, having to move into separate dorms, with Akari moving in with Sumire Hikami, who she met by coincidence that morning.

On the day before her job with Ichigo, Sumire gets a less than favorable horoscope, but finds a way to twist it into something positive. Later, Akari helps Sumire read up on Ichigo, with Ichigo herself giving her a bag of things to look over.

As part of her role as the Pon Pon Crepe Girl, Akari needs to come up with a pose for a promotional poster. With help from Hinaki, Akari manages to come up with a variety of poses, but also notices Hinaki seems to be downhearted about something.

Akari is informed about her first solo concert, which will take place in a shopping mall. Feeling that this could be a decisive moment for her, Akari decides to try and obtain a Premium Dress from Dream Crown's designer, Tsubasa Sena, who is wrapped in mystery.

After Ichigo announces her own Great Starmiya Ichigo Festival, which is being produced by Aoi and Ran, Akari decides she wants to help with the preparations.

With the start of the new semester, Akari makes a new year's resolution to find something she is good at. To this end, Akari decides to audition to become a weather girl, with Sumire and the others helping her to train.

The girls get together to watch a mystery movie that they all starred in together. When Sumire Gelato is abducted by the vampire Yurika, vampire hunter Jurius Caesar Salada is sent to Starlight Academy to investigate.

The Starlight Queen Cup is moved up to Spring, with the entire middle school section eligible to participate. As the girls are asked by Otome to help her move out of her current dorm, which is reserved for the next Starlight Queen, Sakura, who had previously lost against Otome, keep her distance, feeling she doesn't yet have the right to enter the dorm just yet.

Soleil announce they will be launching a half-year long nationwide tour in the spring, setting up a project room at Starlight Academy to plan the tour.

With Sumire busy with Dancing Diva, she asks Akari to watch over Madoka, who is offered a gig. Madoka wants an Angely Sugar Premium Dress for her performance, but is reluctant about asking her grandmother for one as she doesn't feel she is worthy enough. Akari decides to spend the next week training with Madoka to build her self-confidence, assuring her that even the pros aren't perfect when it comes to being confident.

Deciding she wants to be in a unit herself, Madoka asks Akari to become her partner, to which she immediately accepts. Jumping straight into meetings to decide the nature of their club, Akari takes Madoka with her as she goes about her daily work schedule, seeing how she interacts with her fans and learning about why she chose her as her partner. Inspired by Madoka's spontaneous skipping, Akari decides to name their unit "Skips".

With the Aikatsu8 Election results drawing hear, Akari speaks with Ichigo, who had just returned to Starlight Academy, hearing about her desire to get all of Soleil into Aikatsu8 this time around, whilst also stating those who don't get chosen still have a chance to shine on their own.

Both Soleil and Luminas are lined up for the final day of the festival, with Akari and the others struggling to nail their unit appeal. Nonetheless, with Akari's optimistic outlook, the girls train until the last minute, finally managing to perfect their appeal.

When the three members of Luminas began their Luminas☆Japan Tour, their very first location was the Land of the North, Hokkaido. In this land filled with the presence of nature, an encounter was made with the Sing and Dance Lovers, Nono Daichi and Lisa Shirakaba. When their encounter begins, right here, right now opens the curtains of the beginning of the two idols' Aikatsu!

After meeting Luminas, the pounding hearts of Nono Daichi and Lisa Shirakaba are unstoppable. This came from the strong feeling of admiration towards them as an idol. And so, in order to express this feeling of theirs, the two have decided to participate in the Entrance Audition for Starlight School...!

Akari Ōzora's previous roommate, Yū Hattori has gained popularity through being a "Travelling Idol"! Now, Yū and Akari's unit Luminas are heading for Kyoto at the same time. The TV program in Kyoto that Yū was planning to attend turns out to have also invited Luminas. The reason behind the brilliance of Yū right now is thanks to a promise made between her and Akari.

The next location of the "Luminas☆Japan Tour" will be held in Osaka! At the location, the unit Akari Ōzora is in, Luminas will be coming across Nina Dōjima, who attends Naniwa World's No. 1 Academy, the Comedy School Osaka is so proud of. Nina whose head features bear ears that acts as her trademark is a cute and intense character...!

A new year has begun, and Headmistress Orihime has announced the beginning of the next Starlight Queen Cup. Everyone has began to make their entries, but Sumire has yet to make a decision on "what kind of queen would she like to be". While Akari and Hinaki are beginning to feel impatient as they already have a clear thought, what will be the answer that deprives from Sumire...?

There is a month left until the beginning of the Starlight Queen Cup. While Sumire Hikami and Hinaki Shinjō has completed their preparations of unveiling their new Premium Rare Dresses for the stages, Akari Ōzora's dress has yet to be completed. On the other hand, the designer Tsubasa Sena who is aiming to produce the best dress continues creating his masterpiece. After seeing Tsubasa's actions, Akari who has begin to think about becoming a power to help someone...

Receiving encouragement from Sumire, who still places in the top eight in spite of her failed Fever Appeal, Akari steps up for the final performance. Not only does Akari manage to beat Hinaki and win the title of Starlight Queen, but she also earns the Special A-Rank for her Fever Appeal. During the awards ceremony, Akari is crowned by Ichigo and thanks everyone for helping her get so far. Afterwards, Akari moves into the Starlight Manor, where she finds Sumire and Hinaki waiting to join her in celebration.

Akari is invited out by Ichigo, who treats her to a special made bento to celebrate her victory. After her meal, Akari makes a request to have Luminas and Soleil hold a joint concert together. Following the performance, the other idols bring out a birthday surprise for Akari, pitting her in an obstacle course race against Ichigo for her present. Managing to catch up to Ichigo at the last second, Akari is treated with a spectacular view and is offered whatever present she'd like, which turns out to be a solo concert with Ichigo.