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| I just love it when the Japanese translates the title for you. |
Love Live! School Idol Project is one of those anime shows that I was REALLY looking forward to watching, but after seeing the first episode was sadly and utterly disappointed. BUT not unsatisfied, no. Before I explain why I was so disappointed, let's talk history first.
History
Love Live! wasn't created with the intention of becoming an anime—it was created with the intention of getting money. In the July issue of Dengeki G's magazine in 2010, the project was announced (thus why it's called "Love Live! School Idol Project") and also mentioned that the magazine will be collaborating with the anime studio Sunrise and music label Lantis to create said project. In August, the story and characters were introduced, and the project was explained in more detail. Also in August, polls were created for cellphones, ranking the characters for their positions in the music videos that Sunrise would produce. An example would be in the idol group's first LIVE (single), "Bokura no LIVE Kimi to no LIFE" ("僕らのLIVE 君とのLIFE" in Japanese), the character Kousaka Honoka won the poll and was the center of the music video. There were also other polls that determined the idols' hairstyles and costumes. In November, there were polls to determine the group's name. Ultimately, μ's (pronounced "muse") was the winner.
Story
All-in-all, the story is pretty simple: Nine high school girls, Kousaka Honoka, Ayase Eri, Minami Kotori, Sonoda Umi, Hoshizora Rin, Nishikino Maki, Toujou Nozomi, Koizumi Hanayo, and Yazawa Niko, form an idol group called μ's in order to save their school, Otonokizaka High School, from closing. There, the simplest plot ever! Of course, each episode has its own little sub-plot, but when you come down to it, it's not much. But this is where I have a problem with the anime.
Oh, how cliché can a show get? We already know what's going to happen from episode 1, so there was really no point in watching it, since I've seen the story before. And yet I watched it. Every episode and every second of it (although I did skip the ending after hearing it once or twice, 'cause, let's face it, the opening is so much better). BUT before any of you decide to skip this show, I will admit there is a twist somewhere near the end, but it was REALLY predictable about what was going to happen afterwards. Here's something I'm gonna admit: For the first two LIVES, I liked how the characters were designed and the story you can kind of pick up from it, but when I watched the anime, I was sorely disappointed.
For one, there is no romance. Why is there NEVER any romance in idol anime (with the exception of Kirarin Revolution)?! From the fourth LIVE, "Mogyutto "LOVE" de Sekkin Chuu!" ("もぎゅっと“love”で接近中!"), it TOTALLY looked like there was going to be romance in the anime, but alas there was not. This is just a nitpick, though. But a big one for me, because I like my anime with some fluff.
Secondly, I wouldn't have mind the anime as much if the story wasn't so cliché. This could've been a great anime, but because of other anime shows (K-On!, iDOLM@STER, etc.), I believe this show suffered from their clichés. As much as I despise the story, I will admit the truth: I was satisfied when I finished the anime.
Characters
There are a total of nine main characters. Yes, I'm not joking. But, hey, at least it's not like iDOLM@STER that has THIRTEEN characters. Honestly, the characters are clichéd, and I can tell you their personalities right here and now. Kousaka Honoka, the typical shoujo heroine; Ayase Eri, the mature, beautiful character; Minami Kotori, the cute, clumsy one; Sonoda Umi, the serious one that is always dragged around by the heroine; Hoshizora Rin, the athletic, "neko" (cat) girl; Nishikino Maki, the tsundere who has to follow her parents' footsteps (doctor career); Toujou Nozomi, the wise oddball (but I will admit that she's the most interesting character of the bunch); Koizumi Hanayo, the shy, stuttering one; Yazawa Niko, the cute one that refused to have anything to do with the heroine, but is convinced later on.
Now, as much as I bash the characters, there are the ones I love (Eri, Niko, Nozomi), the ones I like alright (Umi, Rin, Maki, Hanayo, Honoka), and the one I, er . . . to put it nicely, get annoyed with (Kotori). But I have someone I know who absolutely despises one of the characters (Niko) for every action she does or thing she says. After thinking for some time, I realized that there are some characters that are useless, "some" being Hanayo and Rin. Now, I know there's going to be a season two, so hopefully the characters will become more developed. So, you should find a character you love, like, and absolutely despise get irritated by.
Animation
Alright, if you either have good memory or were paying attention, I wrote earlier that I liked the original designs of the characters from the first and second singles of μ's. Granted, the designs get more colorful and cuter later, but there was something about the original designs that I liked. Okay, here's two nitpicks I have with the current designs: I hate how the elbows and knees look (I hate the pink shade on it), and how the nails on the characters look. Below, I have shown you two images featuring μ's: an original design of the school uniform and the group's fifth LIVE "Wonderful Rush."
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| Before . . . |
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| . . . and after. |
Now, keep in mind, as I said before, these are only nitpicks. But there was something so charming and unique about the original designs that I can't put my finger on it. But the animation in the anime is very well made, as expected from Sunrise, the animation studio that created Cowboy Bebop.
Sound
Although I can't say that the anime music is superior to the singles, the music is pretty well made. My two favorite being the opening song of the anime, "Bokura wa Ima no Naka de" ("僕らは今のなかで"), and a song by another idol group (A-Rise), "Private Wars." As for μ's singles, it'd be "Natsuiro Egao de 1, 2, Jump!" ("夏色えがおで1,2,Jump!").
Overall Enjoyment
Overall, the anime is decent. It's not horrendous or anything, but it could have been a lot better—and I mean A LOT better than it is now. If the anime wasn't as overly cliché as it is now, it probably would've been a pretty good anime. But for what you get, it's enough to satisfy you—some people, at least. Now, after thinking for a little bit, I realized that I was excited to see the next episode when the anime was being released on Crunchyroll. But after season one was over, I began to realize how annoyed I was by the characters, voices, and story.
The Bottom Line
I hereby give this anime the score of ★★☆☆☆, with each section rated the following:
Story: ★☆☆☆☆
Characters: ★½
Animation: ★★★½
Sound: ★★★★☆
Enjoyment: ★★☆☆☆
Because of its rating, this anime is deemed "Terrible," and something you can just pass. For alternate recommendations, I point you to the much better idol anime Wake Up, Girls! While animation isn't as good and colorful as Love Live!, WUG! takes a much more mature and serious approach to the idol genre, showing you the darker side of the idol industry. Another recommendation would be the ever classic idol anime THE iDOLM@STER, a show I've heard positive things about and has a supposedly "deep" story. And with that, see you next time, otakus!
