Love Live! School Idol Project

Otonokizaka High School is in a crisis! With the number of enrolling students dropping lower and lower every year, the school is set to shut down after its current first years graduate. However, second year Honoka Kousaka refuses to let it go without a fight. Searching for a solution, she comes across popular school idol group A-RISE and sets out to create a school idol group of her own. With the help of her childhood friends Umi Sonoda and Kotori Minami, Honoka forms μ's (pronounced "muse") to boost awareness and popularity of her school.

Unfortunately, it's all easier said than done. Student council president Eri Ayase vehemently opposes the establishment of a school idol group and will do anything in her power to prevent its creation. Moreover, Honoka and her friends have trouble attracting any additional members. But the Love Live, a competition to determine the best and most beloved school idol groups in Japan, can help them gain the attention they desperately need. With the contest fast approaching, Honoka must act quickly and diligently to try and bring together a school idol group and win the Love Live in order to save Otonokizaka High School.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Nishikino, Maki Main

Pile Japanese

Yazawa, Niko Main

Tokui, Sora Japanese

Toujou, Nozomi Main

Kusuda, Aina Japanese

Minami, Kotori Main

Uchida, Aya Japanese

Sonoda, Umi Main

Mimori, Suzuko Japanese

Kousaka, Honoka Main

Nitta, Emi Japanese

Hoshizora, Rin Main

Iida, Riho Japanese

Ayase, Eri Main

Nanjou, Yoshino Japanese

Koizumi, Hanayo Main

Kubo, Yurika Japanese

Kira, Tsubasa Supporting

Sakuragawa, Megu Japanese

Saitou, Shigeru Producer

Hirayama, Tadashi Producer

Makimoto, Yuki Producer

Kyougoku, Takahiko Director, Episode Director, Storyboard

Reviews

Jun 17, 2013

Pietru

Recommended

When asked, a lot of people don't like idol anime or anything similar, or in other words, anime based on music and stuff. I'm one of these people. I don't usually watch idol anime, but I wanted to try this out because of the outstanding art that this anime offers.

At first I was really hesitant, even to the point where I removed it off my PTW list because I would feel embarrassed having watched something like this. Sure this anime might be targeted towards children rather than teens/adults, but it doesn't mean that teens/adults wouldn't enjoy this. This anime taught to me that hard work ... actually does pay off, that if you try your hardest, you will eventually arrive to your destination point.

There are a lot of things I liked about this anime, but the thing I liked most was probably the art. Yes, I'm a very picky person when it comes to art, and this anime reached my expectations when it came to the art. All the characters were nicely designed and all of the 9 girls are cute. In other words, the art was what some people call it, flawless.

The only thing I disliked about this anime was the fact that they were taking too long to prepare for the live shows and stuff like that. The producers should have shown the girls in action more (I don't literally mean in action, I meant that they should probably have shown more of their songs).

In terms of characters, all of them are easily likable, none of them are really that bland. There are 3 main characters in this anime, Honoka, who is seriously hyper and energetic, Umi who is very shy and was reluctant to become a school idol at first, and Kotori who is a very calm, and a little shy.

We have these 3 main characters make an school idol group in order to save the school from closing (because they aren't reaching the applicant quota). They name this school idol group 'Muse' (sorry I don't want to look all over the internet just for a greek character). Eventually they reach 9 members by around episode 6-9, forgot. That's basically it for the story since I don't want to spoil a lot.

The sound is the second thing I enjoyed a lot in this anime. The opening was just straight up amazing, I almost watched it every episode. I don't usually watch endings because they're usually dull and boring, but I really loved the ending song this time, I ended up watching it every episode. The insert songs were amazing too, I ended up downloading that 'Dash' song too (it was that good :>).

I could probably say that I felt embarrassed inside while watching the first few episodes due to this being my first idol anime, but eventually I got used to the feeling and I opened myself up to this anime. All in all I could say that I enjoyed this anime a lot for my first idol anime, and I would suggest this to anyone who is looking for an idol anime.

Thanks for reading :>
- Peten00b

Reviewer’s Rating: 9

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Oct 27, 2017

bmoore07

Mixed Feelings

“You can’t fool television viewers with dancing girls and flashing lights” - Bob Barker

If there’s any pop culture entity that can dispute Mr. Barker’s claim, it is the idol genre. Prizing style over substance, flair over functionality, and pizazz over practicality, titles within the idol genre have discovered success time after time by appealing to its fanbase more than anything else. Unfulfilled character arcs, glacial pacing, stale voice acting, and even gaping plot holes can all be negated by the lavish concerts and energetic score from your standard idol anime. That’s not to mention the miracles that a moe pop idol can conjure; there are ... few tactics with greater financial success than inserting as many cute anime chicks into your show as possible. The idol genre has proven again and again that you really can fool viewers with dancing girls and flashing lights.

It is in this genre that Love Live has established a name for itself. Produced by Sunrise (Cowboy Bebop, Code Geass), Love Live (or “LL” for short) has developed into the biggest and brightest star of the idol genre, its massive fan base and overwhelming merchandise serving as major influences for its fame. Love Live is widely considered to be the greatest anime of its particular category, if not necessarily a critical darling. However, Love Live’s lofty status raises a few interesting conundrums: if titles within the idol genre are, by and large, bereft of depth and meaning, then how is one supposed to properly determine which is the greatest? Why should Love Love be considered the ideal representative of the idol genre? Do Love Live’s characters display more elaborate dances than that of Aikatsu? Does LL possess a greater sense of humor than The Idolmaster? I figured that actually watching Love Live would answer my questions so that’s what I did. To be perfectly honest, I harbored a few misgivings about Love Live, mainly that it's nothing more than meme fodder. However, the optimist in me believed that Love Live would be far more than that. With its charming story, LL would not only soothe my heart but inspire me to espouse its virtues as well.

While Love Live didn’t exactly confirm my worst fears, it is hardly a series that I’d recommend. My opposition to LL doesn’t stem from hatred or disappointment; rather, it is generated from the show’s lackluster execution of its most basic requirements. I’m more than willing to condone a mishap or two in the visual department but a grocery list of logical fallacies, one after the other, is something else entirely. For example, your show might have a problem when your story struggles to formulate a raison d'etre. Love Live is focused on three friends (Honoka, Umi, and Kotori) that desire to prevent their school from closing down but, beyond their adoration for it, they never clarify why they want to save it. If our protagonists are unaware of their cause for concern, why should I be invested in what they’re doing? Anywho, the trio agree that forming a school idol group is the best course of action (because why should you start donations and petitions when you can sing for a great cause?) but first they have to be approved by Eli Ayase, the Student Council President that’s overly harsh towards our aspiring heroines.

Will our main trio find a concrete purpose for saving their school?
Will Ayase change her dastardly ways?
Will Love Live start caring about itself?

These questions will be answered right after Love Live exposes you to the umpteenth shot of Honoka’s butt.

At its core, Love Live is a show that panders like no show has ever pandered before. Not only is there an obligatory beach/swimsuit episode but there’s also the rampant fanservice (especially early on), as well as an unbearable “chest grab” gag (it has to be seen to be believed). Couple that with Love Live’s excessive moe aesthetic (the sparkly eyes, the constant blushing, and the unnatural wiggling/squirming) and top it all off with the bizarre scene in episode 11 where a friend of Honoka’s rubs her head and scratches her chin like Honoka is some sort of dog. What you’ll get is one phenomenal crowd-pleaser of a show, a show that prefers to satisfy fetishes rather than concern itself with storytelling. The flimsily constructed plot accomplishes little beyond serving as an elaborate excuse to showcase the cuteness of Love Live’s characters; the cast is nothing but a hodgepodge of stereotypes. Outside of Honoka, Umi, Kotori, and Ayase, there’s the athletic one (Rin and her “nya”s), the intense rival (Nico and her ridiculous poses), the shy one (Hanayo and her idol obsession), the tsundere (Maki)..... and Nozomi, the Student Council Vice President that perpetrates the aforementioned “chest grab” gag (I’ve never seen a VP constantly undermine the President quite like Nozomi does in LL).

It will be of little surprise to you when I say that most of Love Live’s characters are inessential. Ayase and Kotori, however, are crucial to a certain extent but it’s Honoka and Umi that are the true outliers. Honoka is Love Live’s protagonist, a spontaneous do-gooder cut from the cloth of the spunky girl trope. What truly defines Honoka as a character are her over-the-top speeches (those bits of dialogue are downright painful in the amount of vapid positivity they exude) and her overwhelming ego (we’ll get to that later). Umi, on the other hand, is Honoka’s foil; she’s literally the only LL character with common sense, a realistic approach, and a complex personality. As Honoka’s best friend, Umi desires to aid her friend in achieving her dream but is, at first, adamantly against Honoka’s idea of an idol group because Umi rightfully doubts the effort that Honoka applied to it. Over time, Umi softens her stance on Honoka’s idea and of idol groups on general, even to the point where she valiantly defends the existence of idols in a climatic scene. On a surface level, Umi appears to be the stereotypical “quiet one”, that and nothing more, but she quickly endears herself as she wages war against her anxiety, her timidity, and the mob mentality that is an all-encompassing presence in Love Live.

Honoka lords over Love Live with an iron fist; there isn’t a single character in any medium, animated or not, that wields as much creative control as Honoka. If there’s one thing that you simply must know about Love Live, it’s that this show is gravitated entirely towards what Honoka desires and anyone that deviates from it is severely punished. Honoka advertises her viewpoints as essential for success and for the betterment of others but it’s obvious that she's only massaging her ego. For example, Umi wants to perform in concerts with a knee-length skirt (for several logical reasons) and, while any true friend would respect Umi’s wishes, Honoka, with Kotori’s help, secretly created skirts of shorter length. When Umi discovers this act of treachery, she's understandably upset but Love Live more or less remains loyal to Honoka’s scheme. It’s all very sickening; Honoka is this lionized ringleader of debauchery and deceit with the overarching narrative and Kotori as her partners in crime (Kotori is the ideal yes-man for Honoka; she possesses very, very few individual thoughts or opinions, existing only to blindly support Honoka). The in-universe benefits that Honoka receives from LL are simply absurd; she’s hailed as the idol group’s leader despite not proving herself as one, she’s praised for her unreasonable badgering of potential members, and her excessive pettiness is rarely admonished. The moments where Honoka is called out on her BS, like Ayase pointing out her arrogance or Nico questioning Honoka’s leadership, are so, so refreshing but they are few and far between. Is it too much to expect LL to treat its characters with fairness and rationality?

Buried deep within Love Live’s framework, beneath Honoka’s ego trip, beneath the gratuitous pandering, beneath the shallow characterization, is a redeemable project. It’s LL’s soundtrack that possesses most of this show's promise; soothing and refined, the OST is stunning in its versatility. Not only does Love Live’s score contain acoustic guitar songs and piano solos but there are also big band pieces as well. Although LL tends to utilize the same five or six songs over and over, the music is still a joy to listen to. However, when you’re not enchanted by Love Live’s score, you're left in awe by the artificiality of it all. Like a bouquet of silk flowers, there is very little authenticity in Love Live; its worldview is far too picturesque, too quixotic, for its own good. In the world of Love Live, conflicts are resolved entirely through dogged persistence, flashbacks galore, BS logic, and the power of friendship. Any chemistry issue within the idol group is negated by the characters constantly complimenting one another. “You’re the best!” “No. I’m not that special. YOU’RE the best.” NO; YOU’RE THE BEST!” I’m almost positive that roughly 70 percent of Love Live’s script is composed of exchanges like that.

When Honoka’s idol group wish to compete in the School Idol Tournament, the school director allows them to do so, no questions asked. She doesn't explain to them the financial costs of this decision to them nor does she schedule a meeting with their parents and teachers to determine whether or not this course of action is wise. If you thought that was an egregious example of a show bypassing logic for the sake of moving the plot forward, then, boy, do I have news for you. Love Live managed to land the jackpot in logical fallacies twice during the same episode. The first was the aforementioned example with the school director. The second? Well, allow me to explain. The director has permitted Honoka’s group to participate in the School Idol Tournament only if everyone within the group lands a passing grade on an upcoming test. Because of this, everyone is diligently preparing for the big day, with Umi, Kotori, Maki, Hanayo, and Nozomi tutoring the academically challenged members of the group, specifically Honoka (she possesses the intellect of a second grader despite being in high school because of anime logic). After everyone finishes their test, the idol group members convene to share their scores with one another. They quickly discover that every member passed; however, Honoka hasn’t shared her score with anyone. As the group begs her to reveal her grade, a few members express regret that their efforts will be worthless if Honoka failed. It is right then and there that Honoka dramatically unveils the graded test that was concealed behind her back. With the inspiring orchestral strings blaring in the background and a larger-than-life grin plastered on Honoka’s face, her graded test is revealed…. to have a score of 53.

I would like to note that, in Japan, a 53 is a failing grade, just like it is in the rest of the world.

As far as acts of stupidity are concerned, this was simply breathtaking. That Love Live treated Honoka’s score like some sort of grandiose achievement is not only absolutely hilarious but it’s quite perplexing as well.

What was the criteria for passing? To answer correctly more than half of the questions?
Did the teachers accept Honoka’s test as a passing grade because he/she pitied Honoka?
Was the teacher bribed by Honoka’s parents to pass her?

Now that I’m thinking about it, I know exactly why Honoka passed: because Honoka is Love Live’s protagonist and presenting her with a challenging obstacle is far beyond LL’s capabilities.

During Love Live’s final three episodes, the narrative attempted something new, gravitating towards poorly handled melodrama like a moth being drawn towards a burning candle. The result was the nadir of a thoroughly average title; Love Live’s emo phase flopped because it was overbearing (especially with the histrionic soap opera that was episode 12), because it was extremely jarring (completely antithetical to a series that, up to this point, was directed towards maid cafes and pillow fights), and because it disappeared the instant that Nico ordered Honoka to stop being angsty. Amidst all of the melodrama, Love Live’s finale introduced us to the highlight of the entire series, a truly beautiful scene with Honoka and Umi reminiscing on the stage of their first concert. It reminded me of what the underrated western Justified used to excel at, simply placing two characters in a given setting and allowing its masterful script to take it from there. With the aforementioned scene in Love Live, there was no overpowering song in the background, no special effects, and no unnecessary camera angles. It was just Honoka and Umi shooting the breeze. As I was watching all of this unfold, I thought to myself, “Why couldn’t Love Live bother to do something like this before?”

If Love Live really is the best that the idol genre has to offer, then I certainly won't expose myself to more of its ilk. Yes, Love Live possesses an excellent soundtrack, a lovable character in Umi, and a spark of untapped potential or two. However, that is hardly enough to deliver it from my wrath. Not only does this show have a repulsive love affair with its protagonist but it treats every other character with the utmost contempt. Not only does this show appeal to the lowest common denominator but it also insults your intelligence. Not only does this show enrage with its wasted potential but it also shoots itself in the foot with its constant tonal shifts. Vapid yet infuriating, erratic yet meandering, bewildering yet unenticing, Love Live is a jack of many trades and a master of wasting your time. Dancing girls and flashing lights cannot redeem this scrap heap of mediocrity.

Reviewer’s Rating: 5

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Sep 26, 2014

Beghty

Not Recommended

After watching "Wake up Girls" and listening to plenty of idolm@ster songs, I decided I had a weak spot for idol shows. I just finished watching NHK and as I usually like to do, switch off to something light before picking up another heavy show.
This being said I never had high expectations of Love Live and knew from the start that it was going to be mediocre and that I was just along to satisfier a cute craving. At first things looked good, with the show making me laugh at several points ... and a couple characters actually being somewhat appealing.
Hoever as the show goes on, it is clear that things get stale. What was once at least a sugary sweet piece of candy loses its charm. The class mate boob grab gag get's overused, one character is literally a cat, and most saddening of all, the music is kinda meh when compared to other tracks I have heard come out the Love Live project. The show even resorts to reusing an old mediocre song as a finale.
I ended up disappointed that even though my moe craving was served, I feel as if it left a bitter taste ini my mouth.

Reviewer’s Rating: 3

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