Love Live! Sunshine!!

beanwolf

After slogging through this show, I just had one question on my mind the entire time: where are the fucking Gundams? I started getting worried after like 8 episodes in how Sunrise was going to work giant robots into the series, but as it turns out, they animate one other thing that isn't Gundam these days. All jokes aside, this is the first time I've watched any idol anime, so I'm new to this whole idea of moe blobness musical funfests. I'm aware that Love Live is ridiculously popular, and honestly after watching this I can see why. It's colorful, the girls are cute and have a pretty well defined moe-autismo "personalities" for people to latch on to, and the music is all kinds of J-pop infectious good (if you're into that kind of music). Sunshine is a spin-off of the main Love Live franchise, focusing on the creation of the "Aquors", a real-life Japanese idol group. The shtick with these idol shows is that all the actual idols of the real group voice act for the in-show group, effectively granting them anime avatars. This is a big part of the draw of these show, and although I'm not into it in the slightest, I get why it causes these idol shows to skyrocket in popularity. Aesthetically, the show is pretty alright. The art style is incredibly... washed out? I don't know how to describe it, but the colors are overly bright to the point where they obscure detail. Character designs are overly cutesy, like, instant diabetes level, but considering that Love Live is first and foremost a product and not art, this is to be expected. Sunrise knows what they're doing to create boatloads of money with this franchise, and who am I to complain if they keep using the funding to keep making kick-ass Gundam OVAs? One thing I do have to praise this show for is its use of CG. Love Live is a perfect example of how you can use CG in even the most important scenes and still have absolutely no one give a single fuck: perfect execution. Sunrise is straight up with you that parts of the dances WILL be CG, but the models are incredibly detailed and are constantly shot at angles that make you question whether or not they are CG. The backgrounds are also styled to make the models "pop" less off of them, and the blending is done very well. If you like J-pop, you'll love the music. If you don't, you're going to want to kill yourself. This alone will probably be the deciding factor in you watching this show. Storywise, Sunshine is criminally formulaic. The first half of the show is about recruiting all the 9 different members of the group, with sprinklings of "drama" placed about, and then ending in dreamlike song and dance sequence. There's a strong recurring theme of facing your fears and putting yourself out there even if you might fail, trying your best despite that. The moe "comedy" is alright at best, with 99% of it being tired spins on the same gags you've seen in every SoL show. The term generic is something I keep coming back to when trying to describe the plot and character elements of this show, and I think it describes that aspect of Sunshine pretty well. Despite all this bullshit, I still found myself guiltily enjoying this show, and for the life of me I really couldn't figure out why. But then, a shocking realization came to me... Love Live is literally the anime equivalent of Glee. As someone with a history in performance, this song and dance spectacle shit is always entertaining to me. Glee and Love Live follow the same sort of formula and almost cater to the same type of demographic, except that you replace Glee's celebrity spotlight shit with Love Live's moe otaku pandering. The shows are even structured the same. Every episode is set up -> contrived school drama -> resolution -> song and dance, Glee just went out of its way to try to edgy sometimes with its drama while Love Live tries to be as diabetes level cute as it can while also being anime. As much as I ended up guiltily enjoying it, I still can't bring myself to recommend it. It's still painfully average and generic even as just a slice of life, cute-girl-cute-shit show, just with a little more musical flair. Also there really aren't any Gundams in the show, which for a Sunrise production was really a massive letdown.

CryingLad

# [~~~**I am very sorry for all of this.**~~~]()
Side Note: I am in no way an Idol fan, this review will be from a "newcomer" to the genre. I watched this last year when I was starting to get into Anime and remembered a few memes of Love Live Sunshine. [**STORY:**]() Well, there is no real **Story** more of a **Goal** instead. The goal is so make an Idol group as good as the μ'. Apparently there was a few prequels to this showing us the formation of that group as well and from what I'm hearing this version is basically a carbon copy of that one but with a different cast so you know, take that as you will. Here's a little summary of the event that happen in the show: - Chika gets the bright idea of making an Idol group - Tries to get people on board - Not a lot of people join at first - She is DETERMINED to make people join - People join - They sing - Happy times ahead ~~~img420(https://media1.giphy.com/media/Q9x0fjMphR7Wg/giphy.gif)~~~
[**CHARACTERS:**]() Love Live Sunshine has **9 MAIN CHARACTERS** that is a lot. Luckily I can sum up most of them together, I will be mentioning the few odd ones tho. The characters are so god damn happy it hurts, though a lot of them at the start refused to join and were timid. Which got smoothed out later on. There was drama but nothing to significant. There are 2 characters which pop into my memory better than the rest. Yoshiko Tsushima - She believes she is a demon of some sorts, reason I remember her is cause she breaks the mold and is actually quite unique. She must have watched GabDrop and liked Satania a lot. Dia Kurosawa - She stands out as well because she was so god damn hesitant to join from her past trauma. Again something to break the mold. ~~~img420(https://thumbs.gfycat.com/ComplexDemandingCob-size_restricted.gif)~~~
[**ART/ANIMATION:**]() The animation is...well as I said with many other SOL shows, is quite generic. Its smooth when it needs to be but overall isn't anything groundbreaking. The Art style is...very bright. I understand why though, this is supposed to be "Super Fun and Happy Show", I mean even No Game No Life had incredibly bright art style so I guess I can't dig much into this, ~~sadly xd~~ They do use CG for their perfomances. The CG is, well CG. Not as horrible as Arifureta Dragon Level, this one is actually watchable. Though I do with they would draw it out and make more details since this is the main part of the show. ~~~img420(https://data.whicdn.com/images/248804234/original.gif)~~~
[**MUSIC:**]() The music is not bad actually, I enjoy quite a few pieces. The OP is quite catchy. Of course its not something I would listen to without headphones or even on a daily like I do with MYTH & ROID for example but you get the jist, right? ~~~img420(https://thumbs.gfycat.com/SlightAgileCanadagoose-size_restricted.gif)~~~
[**OVERALL OPINION:**]() Love Live Sunshine, I can't compare it to the previous ones but I can give my opinion on it as a "New Comer" to this genre. I understand why people would like this genre and spend their life on it, afterall I also enjoy me some CGDCT/SOL. The issue I have (apart from not being interested in stories and characters like these) is that when you watch one season you watched all of them, I think this is the main reason why I don't get more into this genre. After all of the things I heard about S1 of Love Live and even the other Idol Shows I just think to myself "B-But I already watched this." even when I was watching the idol "parody" Zombieland Saga I was like "Damn, the new Love Live season looks sick kek". There is also the fact that I can't really relate to any of the character, most of them are so god damn happy, even in K-On I can relate to the character cause they are all lazy like me xd

FestivalsOfComf

__Reviews of anime are SUBJECTIVE.__ If you cannot come to the table on why people have differing opinions of anime, please reset expectations when reading this review and please be more open-minded. There tends to be people who immediately dislike anime unfairly based on first impression due to the contents or its fanbase and associate them together. Don’t knock something until you try it. No matter the opinion, you should try to form your own. This is particularly true of Idols. There seems to be an unfair vehement disgust towards it and I think that’s really unfortunate because they’re creating unfair impressions on something they haven’t experienced. _Kind of ironic_ because anime is unfairly discriminated against by people not familiar with the hobby/medium and some anime experience the same treatment. Again, don’t knock something until you try it, seriously. --------- __Setting expectations:__ This review is being written under a subjective lens and mainly enjoyment. If you come to expect opinions from a very critical sense, wrong place. A lot of people online come to expect reviews as such, this review ain’t gonna be like that. I just like to talk about anime I enjoy. And so this review is about such things. Sorry if this ain't what you're looking for. I’ll try to keep spoilers to a minimum! Also, sorry for the amount of notices beforehand, it’s just to cover my bases because a lot of people like ‘objective’ reviews online and considering idols is so popular plus gets a really bad rep, I want people to properly read my review with an open mind. ---------- __My background when going into Love Live Sunshine:__ I’ve already seen: Love Live School Idol Project (LL SIP) Season 1 (Rating = 7), Season 2 (Rating = 8), and the Movie (Rating = 9). I’m a fan of this series and of the Muse School Idol group but I’ve had some issues with its production, story, and presentation at points. They’ve clearly improved as they went along so you see it trending upwards. There will be people who go into this review and haven’t watched the previous Love Lives. Let me tell you that is a mistake. You’re skipping out on important background episodes that help flesh out the world more in Sunshine. It’s like skipping JoJo Part 1 & 2 and then going into JoJo Part 3 asking why certain characters are so significant and brought up so much. ____The characters from the original Love Live series and how they impacted the world is essential before going into Love Live Sunshine.____ I’ve seen multiple people skip into Sunshine and I think it doesn’t allow you gain the intended enjoyment from the creators. It’s very clear that they assume you’ve seen it and if you haven’t, you won’t get why certain characters behave like they do. Hell, you’ll probably never understand why the Muse School Idol Group is such a main point in the show at all. ---- _Now for my overall series rating: 8.5/10_ If you disagree, we’ll have to agree to disagree, fam. People hold certain points as negative and I hold them as positive. __Why did I like it?__ - __I related A LOT:__ I think in my case, I’ve related to a lot of the scenarios placed among the characters and the group throughout the show. Anime is subjective after all. I personally felt, understood, and related to the characters throughout the show. Almost every single one. This influences my rating majorly, if you cannot get invested or relate, I think this show won’t work for you. - __Some missteps & the last 2 episodes:__ It was set to a 9 - 9.5/10 actually from Episode 1 - 11. I genuinely felt like they were a very very strong representation of the topics and themes displayed. It felt close to the home in terms of the way they presented it. What made it drop was Episode 12 and 13. The way they presented the messages and themes was actually confusing. I wasn’t sure if the translations were able to convey it correctly from the FFF fansub group, but assuming it was, there was clear confusion in what they were trying to say. This confusion can make or break you, to be honest. The way this show treads upon the past and Muse from SIP can be a benefit or negative. It’s quite thin ice on how they do things and that might be the reason why the ending of this season is not looked fondly on by certain individuals. Regardless, for me, I was able to finally understand what they were trying to say and do by the end but it ruined some enjoyment despite the huge highs it had. And the ending - it was good. I liked how it ended and felt it was appropriate for how it went. SIP TV’s ending execution didn’t make me happy so seeing how Sunshine Season 1 ended, I was satisfied with how it went. The final performance and song was genuinely great and entertaining. - __Chasing Muse:__ This was handled really well. I was very impressed from Episode 1 - 11 in terms of how they retread the same steps as Muse in SIP and refined their messaging while also showcasing subtle differences. They’ve paid a lot of close attention to detail to the world, characters, and the effects of the world on the respective societies. My attention was more focused on the world mainly. From Episode 1, you’ll see they’ve re-implemented the formula from SIP. In Sunshine, you see the formula on full-display but they learned from their past mistakes and refined it much better this time. You see how much they take and put in elements from before into Sunshine, plus added in their own fresh spin to it. Aqours is like the spiritual successor to Muse and you can feel that every step of the way. And this is honestly a storytelling offense for a lot of people. Why talk about their legacy when it’s not necessary? Because it’s like real life. People follow their heroes and follow in their footsteps. People mimic their heroes/the top dogs and what worked, it’s more common than you think. To Aquors, Muse are heroes to them and it’s natural they want to be like them. If Aqours was set in a similar environment like Muse, I don’t think this show would’ve been as strong. The subtle differences in rural vs. urban society sold it for me personally. - __Naive teenagers and characters:__ Ever since episode 1, I’ve sort of felt that underlying tension of seeing these teenagers out in the sticks wanting to win Love Live. While it was played up as jokes, it was still seen as Chika’s character motivation. This naivety in behaviour, I understood and sort of forgave when they made mistakes that most people would question. They’re teenagers and I sort of saw them as unreliable narrators sometimes. When their educational standards are lower than the average and heavy nepotism because of being in the rural area, it would make sense why certain things happened. The rural vs. urban difference is a huge issue in society. I think the show displays a realistic portrayal of its differences in the idol context quite well. Though the issue could clearly be explored more succinctly, but… they’re teenagers trying to save a school. The adult supervision is very minimal and in comparison to SIP, the missing pieces are apparent. In SIP, A-RISE and Kotori’s mom are the voices of adult reasoning. For Sunshine, they just have themselves and so that’s why I’ve given it a pass. - __Music was really great and the performances were excellent__ The transition between 3D to 2D was seamless at times. It didn’t feel jarring to me like it did in SIP which was a plus. Also, the music was great and I really liked the camera work. They’ve really upped the performance scalability and how it looks in general. - __The voice actors were great__ I was convinced by a lot of their performances and were sold by what they delivered. Nothing felt out of the ordinary to me excusing Episode 12 & 13. - __Animation was consistent and landed a good final finish__ My main gripe with SIP Season 2 was where the quality of animation started to dip really fast by the end. With Sunshine, I was completely satisfied with how it looked from Episode 1 to the end. Sunrise did a great job of animating this production. ---- And that concludes my review of it, thanks for reading!

superp2222

After having a chunk of my soul firmly ripped out by the ending of the Love Live Movie, I heavily debated whether or not I would be able to bear the pain of knowing that the µ's we had come to know and love over these past 24 something episodes and a movie would no longer be the group we follow. After several hours on Reddit, I ultimately decided to continue, I haven't looked back since. Story Love Live Sunshine depicts a similar story in a different setting, with familiar aspects making returns while new ones arise. We start with a core trio in their second year of high school, with one of them having been inspired to become a School Idol, she quickly gathers her other friends and starts recruiting, along the way, the core trio helps the first years overcome their nervousness, while helping the third years atone for their past mistakes. A conflict of interest inevitably comes up, as well as the risk of the school closing down. The first concert is inevitably one of the more memorable ones, no matter how well it does, and the crew's choreography and song composition inevitably climbs from there. From an outsider's perspective, it would inevitably seem that the Studio itself is clinging to the legacy µ's left behind, as the characters introduced, the sequence of events, and the plotline all paralleled events that µ's went through as a group, until it didn't. It should also be noted that while these events parallel the things µ's went through, they certainly did not parallel the depth of each event. Aquors experienced way more hardship along the way compared to what µ's did, even doing really badly at their first concerts, but eventually slowly climbing their way all the way to the top of the leaderboards. While the majority of the season was basically a carbon copy, around 2/3 of the way through, our new idol group, now affectionately named Aquors, realizes that they aren't µ's, and will no way match what µ's made into a legacy, instead, they split away from the carbon copy plotline to form their own. This obvious copied plotline splitting into a new one makes for an oddly stunning realization to the viewer that that plotline is exactly what their train of thought is. We all started this series pleading for any chance to see µ's again, but we slowly come to know and love each and every member of Aquors. Well Played. Art and Sound From the first moment the OP played, it became clear that Aquors was its own thing, while the animation style remained the same, because, duh, its from the same studio. There was an interesting shift of atmosphere. Not because this time the story's set in a coastal town, but because of the namesake. Everything done in this season reflects the name "Sunshine". Everything's brighter, and I mean everything. Of course, you can't have an idol anime without its music, and this is where Aquors truly shines in its individuality. Their songs are notably brighter, happier, and perhaps shinier than µ's tracks. It makes sense on a physical level, considering that many of the voice actors in Aquors have higher voice registers or know how to sing higher than most members of µ's, but also because of the namesake once again, While µ's specialized in dreamy, sparkling music, Aquors bursts in with such an overwhelming amount of positivity I would honest-to-god recommend their tracks to the more pessimistic people in life. A comparison between the two season's OPs also proves my point. µ's Bokura wa Ima no Naka de is an absolute banger, however, when you hear Aquors's Aozora Jumping Heart, you are instantly filled with more determination than Honoka's ever had in her time spent with µ's. It shows how serious Aquors is about setting their own legacy and how much skill they have to back it up. Characters The characters of Aquors and µ's share a lot of similar traits like, a TON of similarities. Here's a few I noticed before diving into the specifics of each character. A few of the similarities were shuffled between characters, possibly to mix things up a bit, but ultimately they show up in both groups - An extremely upbeat, overly hyper orange haired protagonist - A grey haired second year who's the protagonist's lifelong friend - A second year who sacrificed time at her other club to be at the School Idol Club - An overly shy 1st year - The best friend of the overly shy 1st year with a signature catchphrase - A third wheeling 1st year who everyone also likes - A foreigner 3rd year with a signature catchphrase in their mother tongue - Another 3rd year who tried starting their own School Idol Group but failed for whatever reason - A 3rd year who's the Student Council President - A pianist who serves as the composer for the group Those were just a few of the similarities the groups have, of course, these listed traits have been shuffled from person to person, but it still bears an undeniable similarity to µ's and therefore an even bigger reason for that hole in your heart to open back up. Overall, I feel that despite being basically a carbon copy of the original Love Live with some uniqueness to them, it still feels reasonable and not bad. The explanation behind this makes sense too, that Aquors is simply trying to find their own path, what makes them different from µ's, and their own unique musical style. It keeps that hole in your heart open, but at the same time also seals it. Its refreshing knowing that the group that inspired us also inspired them, and I can't wait to see what this group will do

LiyuuSix

DigiTheMelon

>“Let’s shine with everything we got” img720(https://files.catbox.moe/d5uyfw.png) NOTICE: This review encompasses my thoughts solely on the two seasons of the Love Live! Sunshine anime and has no mention of the movie. This review has two purposes: a breakdown+exploration of the themes of Love Live! Sunshine and as a review proper. This may be considered long for most readers, as such feel free to read at your own pace. If it’s too challenging, you may jump to SECTION 2 as it holds the critical thoughts. ___INTRODUCTION___ Following the high of School Idol Project, I jumped straight into its successor Love Live! Sunshine. I prepared myself for the same, if not even greater emotional investment compared to the original. After all, people appear to hold this season in incredibly high regard. Imagine. Watching a show that’s supposed to be even better than one that immediately jumped into my top three anime of all time. I was coming in with extremely high expectations. The songs, dance choreography, story, and characters had to challenge the behemoth that is its predecessor. One that casts its shadow over the entire season. Yet, as if to stay true to its name, Love Live! Sunshine shone, as its own experience with its own unique merits, morals, and flaws. Moving on from the dream that was School Idol Project, we are now beset by the beautiful reality of Love Live! Sunshine and the miracles created by girls who tried their very best. Love Live! Sunshine teaches us how to struggle, make the most of everyday, and open ourselves in hopes of producing a miracle. ___SECTION 1: BREAKDOWN___ __PART 1: LOVE LIVE FORMULA__ img720(https://files.catbox.moe/xhwckm.png) Cementing a Love Love! formula, Sunshine decides to repeat certain beats and narrative structure from School Idol Project. This is mainly in the form of homage and enforcing its existence as a spiritual successor as the execution between both series highly differs. The beats mentioned are the titular Love Live! tournament and the promotion of a closing school, structured with an introductory arc to gain members and eventual full-focus towards the overarching tasks. However, due to the proactivity of its main characters and the late reveal of Uranohoshi’s closure, the show is functionally different from School Idol Project. So, rather than saving the school being the primary, motivating factor and objective, we are able to spend the first season fully focused on breathing life into characters and developing the world of Sunshine. And, that works wonders for the series. Season one is a character study that introduces a major theme in "shining," or being your true, honest, individual self and accepting the wants and conflicts that come with it. The second, while staying true to that ideal, indulges further into the plot. Yet, it’s still completely character driven with a tone unlike School Idol Project. There’s a contemplative deepness to the show that constantly plays with your heart. These girls grow, some in the subtlest ways, and it will surely impact you. __PART 2: LOVE LIVE! __ img720(https://files.catbox.moe/5tl0g5.png) The Love Live! Tournament has completely evolved from its predecessor. Now, a more serious and legitimate entity, it involves higher difficulty and stakes. Immediately demonstrated is the iconic 0. In their first Tokyo showing, Aquors received an astonishing number of 0 votes. Another aspect is that the Love Live! is the initial goal rather than a means to an end, placing a unique focus on it. It provides the girls with a distinct proactivity and competitiveness, which extends to the show’s rivals in Saint Snow who are an embodiment of the tournament itself before they evolved into standalone characters. The importance of this segment is to demonstrate a shift in the world of Love Live! Being a school idol isn’t a casual feat. It’s something that requires pure dedication and hard work. Being able to win it requires the completion of a miracle– one of the overarching themes of the series. __PART 3: UCHIURA __ img720(https://files.catbox.moe/nqbhpf.png) As a massive departure from the original, instead of the big city and the usually crowded Akiba, Sunshine takes place in the more subdued, serene, seaside town of Uchiura. There’s not much to do there and entertainment is far and difficult to travel to. At first glance, it’s a town with nothing. A closer look reveals the tight-knit, endlessly supportive community who makes the seemingly dull town shine. Their festivals, culture, and school are alive and optimistic. The background art and design do wonders for the town. It’s gorgeous in every shot, sun up to sun down and visually impactful with its messaging. Simply seeing the afternoon sun bathe the sea should be enough for you to understand. The setting is as integral as the cast itself. Without its subtle vibrancy, we would be blind to how the world itself can shine. Uchiura is a place determined to make the most of the little it has, and as it does so it serves a role of inspiration and feels as dynamic as any other character in the show. The city is a place that is outwardly basked in lights and “shining.” But, Uchiura is a place that knows to show its best self and find ways to enjoy life. Such that, its seas is a place doven into for introspection, and its mountains climbed for communion. It offers what the girls need as long as they search for it. It shines when you’re really, truly looking. Just like Aquors, beyond its outward normal appearance, is a unique and shining character. __PART 4: AQUORS __ img720(https://files.catbox.moe/ybrr7e.png) As stated, Love Live! Sunshine is a character study more than anything else, and the plot serves more to accentuate them and facilitate interactions and growth as the girls are actively driving it. Each character demonstrates facets of wanting to “shine,” an idea I hope to express as I go through the characters and eventually explain. Before that though, is understanding what Aquors is. Before the characters, is the idea of Aquors. Aquors exists in two iterations, both inextricably linked to Uchiura and Uranohoshi Girls School. The original consisting of the seniors attempted to save the school years prior, and the second created by the ambitious Chika began with the dream of Love Live and eventually took up its original burden. Aquors is read “aqua,” or water. It is Uchiura: the oceanside town is the only place where this idol group could have been born. This ocean-blue identity is something that constantly rears its head, both metaphorically and narratively. Uranohoshi students are constantly cheering for and supporting Aquors: they’re the heart of the group. The blue comes up in an inherited metaphor from its predecessor to be discussed later. Onto the actual Aquors members. They all have a unique individual arc, with some intersectionality between others (which proves conductive for both parties and introduces layers to the personal themes of the series). __PART 4.5: CHARACTERS, OR WHAT IT MEANS TO SHINE __ For this section, I will divide the characters into three sub-groups depending on their year, as each trio while occasionally overlapping with others have a distinct message to say as part of the grand theme of “shining.” >“To enjoy life.” _CHIKA TAKAMI_ “I want to turn the zero into a one” img720(https://files.catbox.moe/rw80sz.png) The normal monster. Chika is a difficult character for viewers: her character arc is the subtlest of the girls, so she appears static and borderline annoying (presumably some misinterpret her optimism). Comparatively, Chika is the anti-Honoka. Honoka being a “selfish,” trusted leader who is the final word for μ's and Chika being an unconfident, flawed leader who relies on Aqours for motivation equally. Chika was someone who never stood out. She had no special interests or talents, completely unlike her best friend. Yet, one day, she miraculously came across Love Live! promotions and became enamored with the school idol group μ's. Her admiration with μ's is central to how she grows as a character. It occupies a lot of her dialogue. Her suggestions were usually related to μ's. She was trying to be just like them. That was the goal she motivated herself toward: the first time she ever really tried. After all, she was one of many inspired by their swan song. On this journey Chika encountered many miracles: the first being the talented transfer student Riko and the second was the success of her first concert. Completely insistent on Riko joining the group, she may have come off as bothersome. But, she reveals a nature of understanding and empathy when they talk and when she adopts others into the group. She understands that Riko will eventually need to resolve her issues, she teaches Hanamaru that all that matters is if you have the desire and will to do something, and she accepts Yohane for her true self. All the while, she sought her own shine. Each piece of advice she gives is reflected towards herself as she learns what it’s like to truly be passionate. She experiences failure over and over again, experiences frustration, and experiences what it’s like to try her hardest. She wants to turn a 0 into a 1, and that into something much greater. She wants to see her efforts bear fruit and she wants to see herself grow. She’s an unconfident character trying to break through her own self-perception and become someone for herself. But, she learns to forge her own path through it all. It’s endlessly relatable. Everyone has a passion or dream that they can fully commit themselves to. Everyone stumbles, struggles, fails and eventually succeeds. Everyone has to learn to move on from failure. Everyone has to know that they’re special. _YOU WATANABE_ “Aye aye! Full Speed Ahead!” img720(https://files.catbox.moe/x7qeee.png) You is my favorite member of Aquors. I personally think she’s adorable, with her energy and uniform fascination. You is Chika’s best friend, who’s always supportive of the girl’s endeavors and one of Chika’s biggest motivators. Her relationship with the girl is an integral aspect of her character. That’s why the episode where she’s the main focus puts a lens on that very relationship. You had always wanted to do something with Chika, and the school idol club was finally her opportunity to do so. Yet, Chika quickly became enamored with the transfer student who later members even believe started the group with her. You felt like she was being replaced, that Chika had found someone better. Her role was being taken away. She was losing the place where she shined. You’s struggle is communication. You can’t face her jealousy and open up about it. She quickly dismisses herself and efforts, believing someone else was a better fit than her. The episode produces an interesting dynamic: You personally feels she’s being replaced, while literally replacing someone for their routine. You re-evaluates her self-worth. Her arc concludes with her understanding that she’s irreplaceable, and that Chika had always wanted the same thing You wanted. We, as people, aren’t as replaceable as we think. We need to communicate our feelings and hold faith in where we belong. You shines in the place she helped to make for herself, and no one can take that from her. _RIKO SAKURACHI_ “I want to prove that I made the right choice.” img720(https://files.catbox.moe/fx7tkd.png) Riko is a miracle. She transferred in at the perfect time to be one of the earliest members of Aquors and their composer. She moved from Tokyo– from Otonokizaka High School, a place where dreams came true–and from the piano. She lost her passion and confidence in herself, freezing up at a major event. She moved to the small neighborhood of Uchiura and escaped it all. The first time we see her, Riko tries to listen to the song of the ocean. The song of the ocean is a very particular term, one that came up again during Chika’s arc. Seeing as I’ve already introduced the connection between Uchiura and Aquors, it should be obvious as to what it means. This song is the heart of both the town and the idol group she grew so fond of. It’s the song that tells us that even the most average girl can come to shine. Eventually, she joined Aquors as their composer just when the group realized they needed one. She joins until she can rekindle her passion for piano. Doing so she grows as she encounters each new attitude and persona that enters the group: she finds a place where people are constantly pushing each other forward and growing past failure. She’s an integral part of that unit and a part of their complete miracle. But she still has to do something for herself. She misses the qualifiers in order to participate in a piano tournament. She has to face her individual struggles head-on. And, she’s so much stronger for it. She sees her life be validated through her efforts both individual and with the group. And both Chika and her underclassman Yohane show her that her choices were all worth it and that the miracle–the coincidence that brought them all together–was a result of their feelings respectively. Riko is a character for those at an impasse in life. She also has some of the best interactions out of those in the cast. She’s the literal manifestation of the show’s theme of miracles, as I’ve heavily suggested. Her introduction and eventual development of a “faith” in those miracles show her deep roots within the theme. And, she’s an exemplary example of it and of a great character who naturally develops. >“Walk our own path” _YOSHIKO “YOHANE” TSUSHIMA_ “I’ll grow wings one day and return to the sky!” img720(https://files.catbox.moe/jur6n4.png) Yohane is great. Even beyond being this group’s resident gremlin, Yohane is a great fucking character. More than anything, Yohane wants to be someone else. She wants to be a fallen angel–to believe that she’s someone special and can truly stand out on her own. When the girls first meet Yohane, she refuses. Yohane hid away the parts that make up her identity: shoving her cosplay wings, fortune telling tools, and even chosen name to the side. She forcibly became the normal girl Yoshiko. Yohane hid her best self. That is until she found a group of people that readily accepted her. To shine meant to be her best self–the self she loved and shouldn’t hold back. Through her interactions with Riko, we learn more about the nature of Yohane. Yohane knows there’s no such thing as fallen angels or magic. But, she wants to believe. Yohane wants to believe her bad luck and struggles mean something: that she’s special. She recontextualized her misgivings. And doing so helped both Riko and us recontextualize miracles. A coincidence doesn’t exist. Everyone’s lives and feelings bring them together somehow. That’s the true magic and force. Living life is the miracle. Yohane is easily within the top three for Sunshine’s cast. She’s quirky, funny, and adorable– stealing the show whenever she’s on screen. She’s just like me fr… Well, like everyone. She’s one of the more prominent examples of shining. One of the earliest meanings of doing so was “to show your favorite self,” after all. _HANAMARU KUNIKIDA_ “It’s the future, zura!” img720(https://files.catbox.moe/3k9lya.png) Hanamaru is cute. Jokes aside, Hanamaru is a surprisingly static character. She primarily serves as support beyond her introduction. However, her introduction tackled an issue with her own self-image. Hanamaru believed that she wasn’t fit to be a school idol. Having isolated herself due to her dialect and awkwardness, Hanamaru embraced loneliness and shut away her own desires, escaping reality through books until she found someone to share in loneliness with. But with the encouragement of that same someone, she took the open hand of Aquors that taught her to do what she wants even if she believed she couldn’t. Hanamura, along with Yohane and the soon-to-be discussed Ruby, are emblematic of people being controlled by their inhibitions and self-image. Yet, just like her, we too shouldn’t let ourselves be helped back by the festering question of whether I can or can’t. All that matters is that you strive to break free from that shell and do what you truly want. _RUBY KUROSAWA_ “I’ll do my Rubesty!” img720(https://files.catbox.moe/1m4wdk.png) Ruby gets a surprising amount of focus in the show, even having a two-episode arc in the second season. She, too, was held back by her own personal failings– her shyness– despite truly wanting to be an idol more than anything else. But, the deeper aspect of her character is how she is defined by her relationships. She’s a character who’s quick to connect with others; examples being Hanamaru and Leah. Her most important relationship was that with her sister–the person who held her back. Her mutual love for idols grew to be denied by the person she cherished the most. Compounded with her natural shyness was the fear and anxiety of loving something her sister forbade. And that’s why the first part of her character arc is doing what she wanted even if she wasn’t the right fit or if others were blocking her path. Her second arc marks the growth of an individual–what it meant to walk your own path. With Leah, she wants to show that she can shine even without her sister. That Dia can graduate without any worries because Ruby knows what she wants and is a person capable of achieving it without overlying on someone. Ruby is the encapsulation of the first years’ aspect of shining. While I wouldn’t say she’s my favorite Aquors member, she shows some of the most personal growth while staying true to the theme. Like Hanamura, she broke through her self-image issues and did what she wanted. Like Yohane, she took the path of her own individual self and continues to carve it going forward. >“Take whatever came our way” _DIA KUROSAWA_ "You don't have to worry about it. I just..." img720(https://files.catbox.moe/nhhvlk.png) Dia is hilarious. Following in the steps of the overly serious Eri as the resident student council president, we have the dramatic, haughty, and vocal Dia Kurosawa. She starts off as a clearly antagonistic force, rejecting the idea of the School Idol club and denying her shared passion with Ruby. It’s even immediately made apparent that she has a love for school idols and her sister.. Dia does it all to protect the girls, which is one of her major recurring traits. She helps to form the original Aquors to protect the school, she hides Kanan’s secret to protect her friends, and she stands in the way of the reborn Aquors to protect them from the frustrations of failure. Under her facade is a girl who treasures the feelings of others. Dia’s focus episode, following episodes where she stole the show and brought the girls closer, has her wanting to be more familiar with her new friends. She’s fully taking in the new life that came her way, and wants to cherish this second chance. Dia is a character who reflects and bounces off others excellently. She’s someone who wants to do everything in her power to protect others, even if it means casting aside what she loves or hurting them in the process. When failure came her way, she reacted poorly and strained what she had. But, taking this new chance, she made sure to push everyone forward in the best ways she could. _MARI OHARA AND KANAN MATSURA_ “I’m not giving up! I’m going to get it back!” “I feel like this is going to really bring it all together.” img1080(https://files.catbox.moe/uvlv4h.png) I feel like it’s best to discuss these characters as a pair, since they’re so united in their dynamic. One that creates some of the show’s strongest character moments. Yes, they do have their merits individually, but to understand one you must discuss the other. Especially since, these two are going to lead us directly into what it means to shine. Mari Ohara shines. Immediately when you look at her, she’s bright yellow, energetic, and has her own unique vocal quirks. Yet, she works behind the scenes. It’s an ironic position: being such a distinct character, but never standing in center stage. She’s someone who shines, but doesn’t allow herself to do so. Even so, she’s someone actively encouraging the new Aquors’ growth. Kanan Matsura doesn’t immediately stand out to the viewers. Despite that, she’s one of the earliest characters offered to join the new Aquors, but declines. She’s always avoiding the narrative and the possibility of being a school idol. Kanan stays disconnected from the school entirely, completely unlike Mari. An unfortunate incident and disagreement led to them breaking up the original Aquors, straining the whole group’s relationship. Mari actively wants to bring them all together, while Kanan continues to avoid it all and deny her. Kanan’s motivations run way deeper than one could originally expect. She pushes Mari away in order to give her the opportunity to shine while Mari wants to be with her. It all leads to an extraordinary climax and the completion of Aquors. Kanan and Mari rekindle their friendship and move past, well the past, and grow stronger because of it. They took what came their way–the trials, tribulations, and heartaches–and finally shone again. __PART 4.5.1: SHINING __ >“We have to run freely, right?” img720(https://files.catbox.moe/3xm6qc.png) Shining. What I consider the thematic core of the season, even more so than miracles. Hopefully, you were able to connect the dots, as I’ve discussed the characters. Because to shine is to be yourself, to take your own path, to stay true to your feelings, and to enjoy life with everything you have. It’s how we can stand out in this world, despite our apparent blandness or preconceptions. Shining dashes away our shadows of doubt. Like Chika, we learn the toils and joys of finally pursuing a passion without ever giving up. Like You, we decide and create our place in the world where we can shine. Like Rika, we can find love in shining, stick to our decisions, listen to our hearts, and finally achieve something in the fields we love. Like Yohane, we can choose to be our favorite selves and interpret the world in a way that makes us shine. Like Hanamura, we can go forward and do things solely for the reason we want to. Like Ruby, we can reach towards our dreams and become an independent person. Like Dia, we can protect what we love and find that love in something new. Like Mari, we can fight and fight and claw at the barriers that prevent us from shining in the place we love. Like Kanan, we can move forward with others and shine. The first years tell us to shine as our own selves. The third years tell us to move forward and create places to shine. The second years tell us that to shine is to enjoy life. Everything can shine, even in a world that makes it seem impossible to do so. So what if Uchiura seems like a basic, nowhere town compared to Tokyo? We know at its heart it is a gorgeous, lively, shining community who will do anything for one of its own. So what if the girls are just plain normal girls compared to all the other idols? We know that each of them has the capacity to and will shine. So what if Love Live! Sunshine has to follow up a massive giant as its predecessor? We know that just like every other single part of it, that it can do anything and SHINE! So what if I think something about myself? I can shine too… __PART 5: FAILURE __ img720(https://files.catbox.moe/cwdqyc.png) Before fully contextualizing miracles and connecting it completely with the cast, there’s an important factor to discuss: failures. Aquors fails surprisingly often. Their 0 being the premier example: one that haunted them and eventually grew to be their biggest motivator. Yet, Aquors is a group almost established on failures. The original three failed in their endeavors and broke apart because of it. Its rebirth was made when someone scarred by failure joined the group. Its members all met some personal failing which held them back from flourishing as school idols. Aquors failed to save the school, completely unlike μ's. It’s a grounding principle of the narrative, and helps to develop the show’s unique tone and world. And, it also moves the viewers. Failure builds both the theme of miracles, yes, and it endears us to the characters. Sunshine has a human cast: one ridden with anxieties, interpersonal struggles, and failings. Beyond their appearances, lies such powerful characters who motivate themselves beyond it all. __PART 6: MIRACLES __ img720(https://files.catbox.moe/a5echr.png) Miracles are completely man-made. These girls, Aquors, through their hard work and with the cooperation of those around them created miracles. Yet by shining, the girls can force their dreams to come true. And even us as viewers, can make miracles in spite of our failures. We can shine and do anything. SECTION 2: REVIEW This is the segment where I talk very generally, despite gushing how so many parts came together for a brilliant moral. And that’s where we’ll start. __PART 7: NARRATIVE __ img720(https://files.catbox.moe/3rqp50.png) Boasting an overall stronger narrative, Love Live! Sunshine surpasses its predecessor. It’s full of heartfelt drama, amazing comedy, and the aforementioned brilliant morals. It’s impossible to go through the show without at least tearing up. It all weaves itself strategically to provide the best tone and experience imaginable. Everyone has time in the spotlight, even though the overall narrative is tense and focused. Being able to accomplish both speaks to the excellence of the show’s writing. For example, the build-up and passing of the school’s closure is an excellent arc as we see the girl’s struggle and ultimately fail. And while doing so, the individual episodes that build it provide great character focus and highlights. Utilizing its later time following the School Idol Project as I’ve identified in PART 2, the show is able to maintain that aforementioned tone and use its extensive characters and character work to deliver an excellent story. You can’t get bored watching, and you definitely can’t come out with nothing. It’s a passionate story about living life to its fullest, after all. It has to hit you no matter who you are. The variety of relatable stories told along with the skill in which they are told are at the core of this season. Yet it pales in comparison to the characters. __PART 8: CHARACTERS __ img720(https://files.catbox.moe/q7p0sr.png) I’ve discussed the characters to death in previous parts, and how they demonstrate the show’s theme. Although, despite electing to demonstrate their depth through action more than explicitly stating it, I will use this part more for the qualitative aspect of their characters. Because, yes, the characters are deep and yes they are thematically fitting. That’s why I should also say they are all incredibly well-written. Aquors as a whole stand strong as individual characters and when those characters intersect they are amazing. It’d be more fitting to say that they shine even stronger together than they do alone. Each character’s arc is well-written, natural, and relatable. As well as the arcs are well-integrated into the overall narrative. Remember, I labeled the show as a character-study more than anything else. The characters run and motivate the show, which is a concept I love. I prefer proactive characters who initiate the plot more than anything else. The only failing in the characters aspect is character interactions. When the characters intersect, it leads to some amazing episodes. Eg. Rika and Yohane. This is where I see School Idol Project as its superior: every character had a dynamic with another. It’s an obvious flaw when the show even addresses that some of the characters need to improve their dynamics in SEASON 2. Aqours can feel like two-to-three different groups at times which is a shame because I’m sure that everyone works well together, because when they are given the opportunity it generates some of the liveliest episodes. __PART 9: SONGS __ img720(https://files.catbox.moe/s3gmsg.png) Rather than describing it as sound and visual design, I’ve chosen to call this part songs as there’s no need for me to dive into the stellar performances of the voice cast and the literal sound design. Visually, the show is a massive step up overall from School Idol Project with sleeker, better character and background designs and amazing 3D models. Sometimes it’s even impossible to tell the two apart, and other times you want to see the 3D as much as possible because it looks freaking amazing. Not only that, I find most of the songs incredibly enjoyable musically. I don’t have the expertise to really go into why, but I can assure you they’re all awesome. The lyrics in complement to them, just make an experience. Some of these songs will genuinely hit you. One performance in particular that I can’t stop watching is “MY Mai☆TONIGHT”. The camera work and choreography have complete control over your focus and weave your eyes through a gorgeous scene that’s a mixture of traditional Japanese music and modern pop. It’s stunning. Their hands, facial expressions, and even sweat are used to draw your eyes for perfect transitions over an insanely catchy song. __PART 10: MY THOUGHTS __ img720(https://www.crunchyroll.com/imgsrv/display/thumbnail/1200x675/catalog/crunchyroll/7a1c3be7d61da22e1c16aad3c4ff4e8a.jpeg) If you’ve read the entire essay, it should be obvious that I thought a lot about Sunshine. It has so many components building its theme, and even beyond that it’s practically perfect. It was all so perfectly concentrated into providing the best experience possible. Its peaks are immaculate, and its lows are nonexistent. I really enjoyed watching the show and I’m sad to see it go (and be followed up by its mediocre movie). And, well. I want to shine too. I want to find my place in the world. I want to find people who’ll help me push myself. I want to find something that I can wholeheartedly commit myself to. I want to make the impossible possible with nothing else but hard work and my feelings. Sunshine makes me feel like I can. I’ve never stood out or committed myself to anything before, but in these characters I see fragments of myself. When a show can perfectly encapsulate the human experience, it has transcended itself. ___CONCLUSION_ __ Watch Love Live! Sunshine. P.S. I went 5,000 words without mentioning the feather kekw

Anim3Life

onionbubs

_Love Live! Sunshine!!_ is one of my favorite anime. I won't claim it's something absolutely anyone would love. But for me personally, it's a 9/10 show. If you had told me a few years back that I'd like an idol anime enough to give it a 9, I would've been skeptical. But honestly, considering how much the show has inspired and uplifted me, and how often I find myself going back to it and finding new things to appreciate, I really can't give it anything lower. A brief background on Love Live! (not sure how many reading this would actually need it, but might as well): it's a multimedia franchise about high school idols that started in 2010. The franchise has produced songs, manga, video games, concerts, and more, but of course, what we're talking about here is the anime series, which began airing in 2013. The original _Love Live! School Idol Project_ anime is a funny series with an iconic cast. Seriously, I always used to blindly assume _Love Live!_ would be some boring show for kids, but nah. It's pretty crazy. Now yeah, it has a couple little elements I rather dislike, and its attempts at drama can be slightly awkward, but overall, I always have a great time watching it, and it's what made me love µ's. I wasn't sure I even wanted to give another _Love Live!_ group a chance after becoming attached to them—and I say that as someone who watched the show many years after it originally aired, by the way; I can only imagine how it must have felt back in 2015 to find out a whole new group was being introduced to the franchise. Anyway, the original _Love Live_ is great and worth watching. And I believe some aspects of _Love Live Sunshine_ will be a bit less meaningful if you skip it. But, with that out of the way, I'll say: yeah, _Sunshine_ is my favorite _Love Live_. _Sunshine_, which like its predecessor has a script written by Jukki Hanada, will feel familiar in many ways. There are nine girls, each with an easily identifiable personality trait. The orange-haired protagonist decides to form a school idol club, while the student council president opposes her. Don't let this sense of familiarity discourage you too much, though. In making a second attempt at certain story beats, _Sunshine_ manages to do some of them better (for example, I think the student council president's motivation for opposing the group makes a lot more sense this time). While drama in _School Idol Project_ tended to feel unnatural to me, _Sunshine_ has dramatic moments that genuinely move me every time I watch them. The other hidden benefit to all the familiar plot points is that you might start to let your guard down and start assuming you know exactly how things are going to go, only to have those expectations subverted soon after. I think that's fun. Now, a series like this kind of lives or dies on the likability of its characters. People loved the nine members of µ's, so how does _Love Live_ follow that up with a whole new set of nine? Well, first of all, I think it's fair to say that the girls of Aqours are even quirkier than µ's. I've seen people call them too gimmicky or whatever, and yeah, I can see how someone would think that. I don't really agree because I think there is more to the characters than just the gimmicks. But also, I really like how goofy they all are. I definitely did not expect one of the main characters to have chuunibyo. I love that. I need to avoid writing an essay about why I like each individual character, so let it suffice to say: I think the cast is fantastic. They all have unique and memorable personalities, brought to life by an incredibly talented cast of voice actors, and they all get their moments to shine (some more than others, admittedly)—in fact, I think every main character has made me laugh at least once. The show also put a good amount of thought into the characters' relationships and histories with each other, and how their personalities might mesh or clash. Not only is that valuable for the comedy, but it's also what gives some of the drama its juice. An unresolved past conflict is one of the big story arcs of season one, and when it gets resolved, it's one of my favorite scenes in—well, any anime. Yes, I meant it when I said I found the show's drama moving. In addition to character relationships, there's another aspect of _Sunshine_ that makes its drama compelling: the story does not go easy on the girls. In _School Idol Project_, it was smooth sailing, honestly. The school was closing down, but (spoilers I guess?) it didn't even take a full season for µ's to fix it. But Aqours' school is in a rural area; there's like thirty people going there total. Plus, the school idol scene, the show explains, has gotten far more competitive in recent years. And so, Aqours' quest is not going to be an easy one. Of course, a show where harsh reality rains down on a bunch of kids and crushes their dreams wouldn't exactly be fun to watch, but that's where our determined protagonist comes in. I think Chika is a huge part of what makes the show special to me. On the surface, a leader character like her may seem boring—she didn't really stand out to me early on, at least. But look at what's actually driving her. In the first episode, we learn that when she saw µ's, a group of ordinary-looking girls who "shined," she suddenly found a deep desire to be like them. Chika says that she's always been normal; she believes there's nothing special about herself. She's not trying to be a school idol merely for the fun of it. It's how she thinks she will find her own "shine." The very concept of what it means to "shine" is abstract, isn't it? But actually, that just makes her motivation even more relatable to me. I think most people have had times where they didn't feel like they were good enough and wanted to become someone better, even if they didn't know how exactly. Chika's strong desire to find that "shine" makes her a driven and relatable protagonist. The highly personal motivation she has for being a school idol also means that when she has to face rejection or failure, it will hit especially hard. But she will push through. She'll lead the group onward, against incredible odds. And man, I find it so inspiring. There is one final reason I have for why Aqours' struggles in this show resonate deeply with me: they illustrate just how difficult it can be to start something brand new. When trying to start a new career or any sort of creative endeavor, for example, it may be a long time before you get _anywhere_. The simple wisdom we find in _Sunshine_ is that when you're at zero, you just need to focus on turning it into a one. And then, after that, maybe you turn your one into a ten. But it's one step at a time. The main thing is, if you're at "zero," don't give up. So, those are pretty much all the reasons I love Sunshine's writing. It's funny. It has compelling drama. And it inspires me. I guess I can talk about other aspects of the show too. The animation is by Sunrise, and they do a good job, as you'd expect. I can't not notice the change to CG during dance sequences, but it really doesn't look bad at all. There's also a really healthy amount of visual gags and funny faces in the show. The music. Of course you have some songs, this being an idol show. And they're good. More often than not, they bring the perfect energy to perfectly match and complement a particular moment in the story. The opening and ending songs are also great. To me, the way the first opening "Aozora Jumping Heart" starts with these super high notes says, "Yeah, we're raising the bar this time." I also really need to highlight the score, composed by Tatsuya Katou. It is some absolutely fantastic work. You have relaxed tracks to perfectly set the tone of living in this little seaside town. But then you also get these super emotional, powerful tracks. Listen to "Okosou kiseki wo" from season 2. It's so good they had to give it lyrics later with the song "Kiseki hikaru!" So yeah, obviously, I love this show. I could go on about it for too long, but I'd better not. I've given a totally positive review here, but I am not completely without complaints for the show. For example, I feel that the pacing definitely drags in a couple of episodes. There are some odd little plot contrivances in season 2 I find distracting. And it's always a little weird how whenever there is a "bad" performance, it can only happen offscreen, isn't it? I could probably think of other criticisms if I really tried, but yeah, all my complaints are pretty minor. _Love Live! Sunshine!!_ has overall been a great anime to have in my life, and I hope you'll give it a chance sometime.