Love Live! Superstar!!

Everyone has a dream they strive to achieve, and so does the musically talented Kanon Shibuya. However, due to her stage fright, Kanon fails to make it into Yuigaoka Girls' High School's music program and instead ends up in the general curriculum. Even though Kanon makes the conscious decision to quit music altogether, her classmate Tang Keke rekindles Kanon's passion for music with her own: a passion for school idols.

Although Keke and Kanon try to form a school idol group, their effort meets strong objections from Ren Hazuki, the daughter of the school's director. Even so, the girls soon visit the director, who allows them to set up their school idol club under one condition—they must win first place at the Yoyogi School Idol Festival.

The resilience of these aspiring idols is put to the test as they face the challenges that come their way. Throughout their journey, the girls make new friends and meet new members that join them to become the dazzling idols others can only imagine.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Shibuya, Kanon Main

Date, Sayuri Japanese

Tang, Keke Main

Liyuu Japanese

Heanna, Sumire Main

Payton, Naomi Japanese

Arashi, Chisato Main

Misaki, Nako Japanese

Hazuki, Ren Main

Aoyama, Nagisa Japanese

Akiba Reporter Supporting

Takamori, Natsumi Japanese

Hiiragi, Mao Supporting

Yuuki, Yuna Japanese

Saya Supporting

Hanazawa, Kana Japanese

Hijirisawa, Yuuna Supporting

Yoshitake, Chihaya Japanese

Manmaru Supporting

Mugiho, Anna Japanese

Cook, Justin Producer

Ootsuka, Hiroshi Producer

Herek, Samantha Assistant Producer

Kyougoku, Takahiko Director

Reviews

May 21, 2023

NikoNikoNiiLover

Recommended

Love Live Superstar is another lovely edition to the Love Live franchise that continues to cement Love Live as one of the best and most heartfelt idol franchises in the Japanese industry. Full of touching music, likable characters and beautiful animation, Love Live Superstar is perhaps the greatest the franchise has ever been. Rather than standing in another series’ shadow (Sunshine) or being made specifically to cater to All Stars fans (Nijigasaki), Love Live Superstar stands firmly on its own as a wonderfully pleasant slice of life show.

I have to say that Love Live Superstar will not cater to all Love Live fans, particularly ... for those who come for the music and drama. While previous seasons of Love Live were heavier on drama and melancholy, Love Live Superstar is more clearly a slice of life anime. In fact, not only do the main heroines not decide on an idol group name until the very end of the season, they don’t decide to enter the Love Live competition until the very end either. If you’re trying to determine if Love Live Superstar is for you, ask yourself which is more important to you: the idol premise or character development. If you answered character development, then this show is certainly for you.

I found that this installment of Love Live has some of the best character development we’ve seen in the franchise so far. I believe that the staff’s choice to focus on a much smaller cast with only five girls was certainly the right call. Every girl has their moment to shine and none of their arcs seem rushed. Each girl is given approximately two focus episodes, which is a huge plus, considering how previous seasons normally gave each girl only one, and the presence of the numerous others often overshadowed their development. A smaller cast certainly helped the characters become more likable and realistic.

Out of all the characters, Keke was definitely my favorite, even if she was more of a gag character who didn’t really have much serious development like the others. I am drawn to ridiculous idiots most of the time anyway, and she certainly fits that stereotype. All of the other characters were absolutely fantastic as well. Kanon was a unique protagonist compared to the others. While stage fright seemed to be subtly explored with Ayumu in Nijigasaki, it was very a huge part of the plot. Kanon’s struggles with stage fright and her subtle descent into depression that began after it hits incredibly close to home. In fact, I really do see a lot of myself in Kanon. The line in the final episode when she confirmed she didn’t need her headphones anymore because she had friends now nearly made me burst into tears.

Chisato was also a very well developed character. Out of all the characters revealed in the teaser, she was the one who stood out to me the most, although her personality was not at all what I expected. She acts as the foil of the group and is a very strong character with relatable morals. The idea that she wanted to be good at something like Kanon so she didn’t constantly stand in her shadow was surprisingly realistic. Ren was also wonderful. Out of all the token school counsel president characters present in previous installments, her motivations were the most realistic for me. The little hint at her liking yuri content was also a hilarious joke…I actually laughed so hard I nearly cried.

That leaves Sumire. While a very funny and entertaining character, I felt her plot development rather…well, sloppy. It just didn’t feel at all like how a teenage girl would realistically act. Considering how high and mighty she was acting prior to being offered the center position, it just didn’t make any sense for her to suddenly go through all this inner turmoil of how she was “never chosen”. I have to admit, she really was adorable though, even if her development was a bit annoying to me. Her “Galaxy” catchphrase and isopod shenanigans were super entertaining to watch.

Another aspect of the series I liked was that the “rival” characters were never actually rivals. Sure, Sunny Passion were rivals to Liella professionally, but they never treated them bad and were always very kind and helpful. It was very refreshing to see such a change, and their music was also very catchy without relying on the “edgelord” formula.

The music certainly isn’t bad. Nonfiction was the only song I ended up adding to my Spotify playlist, but the others aren’t bad in the slightest. If anything, most of the group songs are very generic, which was somewhat disappointing, since I liked a lot of the group songs from previous generations. Regardless, there isn’t a song that is boring, even if they are all familiar. The animation in the show is also absolutely stellar. Beautifully vibrant and gorgeously fluid. You can hardly tell when they switch to CGI.

I highly recommend Love Live Superstar for fans of slice of life. They will not only find lots of cute and fluffy moments in this series, they will find realistic character development and some lovely music to brighten up their day! Can’t wait to meet the new girls in the second season.

Reviewer’s Rating: 8

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Nov 6, 2021

Pravaris

Mixed Feelings

I started watching Love Live! Superstar!! with the expectation that the smaller cast of 5 would allow more time to explore each character's dreams and worries, strengths and flaws, past failures and present efforts. Exploring their character, in other words.

Well, yes, but actually no.

While each character certainly had more screen time and lines compared to some idol anime, the additional attention was squandered. The anime eventually became formulaic again. Most character development and progression was made in service to the overbearing and repetitive Love Live formula.

The best episodes were the first 4. Each one focused on the ... three starting cast of characters, Kanon, Keke, and Chisato. The in-universe Love Live competition was but the lofty dream of Keke; the fuel that drove her actions and compelled her to push Kanon — who, in turn, pushed Chisato.
This worked excellently in the anime’s favour because the characters, the most interesting part of the anime, were developed. The Love Live premise was used to drive character growth.

As an example (minor spoiler), I want to focus on the first character we’re introduced to, Kanon.
The anime began on a personal level. Kanon was a bright, passionate, and talented singer with a dream of getting into an art program of a prestigious school. Her dream was dashed, however, when crippling stage fright took hold.
Cut back to the present, she lay in bed with a vexed expression. She derided herself for choking when it counted. Her failure coloured her every interaction as she entered the new school year at the aforementioned prestigious school — but as part of the general curriculum.

As the episode went on, we learnt more about her. After a few encounters with the pushy Keke, perhaps answering her enthusiasm with sincerity, Kanon opened up, explaining that she had always been unable to sing at important moments. She had experienced a series of major setbacks.
So she gave up.

I distinctly remember that the first Love Live anime dealt with this exact topic before but I don’t care — I think this type of story is what Love Live is good at. A personal story of encountering repeated failures and still pressing on.
It then came to a heartwarming conclusion; with support from others — like-minded people who will stick with you no matter how long it takes — you can keep trying.

Too bad “The Love Live plot” had to come in eventually.

Student council doesn’t approve? Yes.
School shutting down? You bet.
Student council member joins the group? Of course.
Prolific rival helps them out? Hell yeah.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

This level of predictability would not be so bad if “The Love Live plot” stayed in the background and fuelled character development but no.
Past the halfway point, the tried and tired “Love Live plot” got its Love Live coloured appendages all over the script and every single character arc now had a predictable and rushed end.
Every character struggle must wrap up in 1 episode — 2 episodes tops. Every arc must end with a dramatic resolution, whether or not human behaviour or the laws of physics have to be flagrantly broken.

By the time I got to the grand finale, I realised that I could not care less about their triumph or defeat because my immersion had long since evaporated. The hand of the author(s) was too obvious and I could no longer suspend my disbelief.
Suspension of Disbelief: Gone
The most glaringly obvious influence of “The Love Live plot” are the 2 rival characters, a school idol unit called Sunny Passion. They are a pair of convenient counsellors with an uncanny awareness of the protagonists’ plight. Where there is a void that the main characters cannot fill, they warp into existence, twisting and stretching their personality and abilities into the shape of the void. These vapid husks, masquerading as humans, are lauded as the greatest school idols of the region and just that fact tears down my suspension of disbelief.

I exaggerate. Kanon’s clairvoyance and Keke’s creation magic also ruined my immersion.

I tried to turn off my brain and enjoy the emotional moments, but the eldritch hand of the author(s) is too much to bear. My eyes were opened and I could not look away.
“The Love Live plot” controls the world.

In conclusion, although the first third of Love Live Superstar showed promise, it quickly fell back into a predictable plot that tainted all character development with the same predictability.
If you are a fan of idol anime and can ignore the franchise’s tendency to bend reality, you will probably enjoy this too.

For the rest of us, skip.

Reviewer’s Rating: 5

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Dec 3, 2021

Lilfukoling

Not Recommended

As a fan of love live, this was probably the most boring love live I've seen. The story was okay but kind boring. Average at best. The art is your every day love live art style, taking after the original and sunshine. The character designs aren't great, this was probably the poorest designs I've seen so far from the love live series, the worse looks being sunny pas and rens design overall, the only thing that makes it work while is the personalities for 4 outta the 5 main group, ten being the most poorest of personalities. The outfits aren't amazing there very poorly designed ... especially the opening outfits which didn't look like they knew what they were doing with it. The music was average and just sounded like things I've heard before to the point of the first ending looking visually and sounding like aikatsu precious, way to closely in fact. Overall this series is below average for me with only the characters actual making it worth the watch at most but even then I wouldn't go back for seconds unlike the other series which were far more enjoyable and had far more likable characters to them.

Reviewer’s Rating: 4

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