Hey, people, I'm back! Before doing the anime review on Nanoha Reflection (which I hope that I can give more screenshot but it's impossible at this moment of time), I'm doing another anime review for an anime that has ended at the VERY end of last year.
It's Love Live Sunshine!!! BUT since I didn't give any rating on the
previous season and the
movie, I will do it here in conjunction with my review on season 2. Let's start!
WARNING:-
SPOILER ALERT!!! If you haven't watched it and plan to watch it without anyone being the spoiler, please DON'T CONTINUE READING!!!
P.S. If you want to be spoiled, well, go ahead and read it. You HAD been warned. Don't blame me for being spoiled if you INSIST on continuing to read this post.
Introduction
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| The girls from the previous Love Live |
Well, there is nothing much to introduce here. No, quite a lot. Love Live! Sunshine!! (and also the previous Love Live franchise) is a Japanese multimedia project co-developed by ASCII Media Works' Dengeki G's Magazine, music label Lantis, and animation studio Sunrise. Just like the idol group from the previous series (that is Love Live), they want to save their school from shutting down by becoming school idols.
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| The girls from Sunshine! |
The project is called as a spin-off in MyAnimeList and in Wikipedia (possibly also by other sites) but the fact is...IT IS A SEQUEL! The plot will make NO sense to us if it is a spin-off. Like the previous franchise, it was launched in April 2015 with music CDs and anime music videos, followed by a manga version in 2016. Anyway, the first season was aired between July and September 2016 while the second season aired between October and December 2017. Both seasons were directed by Kazuo Sakai at Sunrise. There is a
theatrical film has been announced almost right after the second season ended. It's on their
official Twitter account. Anyway, let's talk about the second season of Love Live Sunshine right away!
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| Let's go! |
Plot
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| Reaching out the illustrious light... |
OK, where did the previous season ended? OK, yeah, it ended with a ONE admittance to Aquors' struggling school, Uranohoshi High School and a performance. It started with the ALMOST certain closure of the school and the struggle to make new songs for the next Love Live competition. Anyway, they succeed to make new songs and delay (and possibly) save the school from closure despite initial struggles for the third-year students and first-year students to come out with a song. Well, the second-year student was quite fine even though Chika and her gang had a little difficulty in making the song. I admit, making a new song is difficult, isn't it?
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| The girls decided to not give up |
Well, I spoil quite a lot of the story, isn't it? You came here for the spoiler anyway so deal with it! Anyway, later, some of the members had some...so I say 'crisis'? Dia wants the rest of the member to get closer to her (same problem with the previous-gen), Yoshiko and Riko had a 'crisis' involving a lost dog and...yeah, Chika major crisis. I will talk about Chika later. Don't worry. You will see why later.
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| Chika and Kanan... |
Anyway, Dia's struggles and fails miserably BUT the members later reiterate their friendship. Oh, Yoshiko and Riko? They not only returned the dog to its original owner, but they also bonded stronger to each other and Riko overcome her of dogs. Riko is later called as Lili by Yoshiko. LOL! Before Chika's major crisis, she had to do a REALLY difficult dance move to progress unto the finals of Love Live.
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| The encouragement came in a large amount |
OK, regarding Chika's major crisis...the school is CLOSED. They failed. Chika becomes broken but her (or rather their) schoolmates saves her by encouraging her to win Love Live in order to place the school's name in the history of Love Live. So they win, long story short. The ending is kind of sad but nice. Anyway, it was a good watch although it gets pretty predictable. The story had much more depth to it. BUT, some things that I didn't really predict is that their rivals (in a way) did not enter the Love Live finals. That...warrens a special arc in this story, isn't it? Well, there is some story in it but I'm not gonna go into it as I still talk a bit of the previous season. So, well, let's go!
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| Chika reminded herself of that time...when they had ZERO votes. |
Anime Rating
Season 1
Story (Rating: 8/10)
Regarding the story of Love Live Sunshine (in general), the story has obviously more depth than its predecessor. There is a better and deeper backstory for key characters rather than most of the characters join in for the sake of joining. Anyway, although the Love Live Season 2 gives more backstory for the other characters. BUT in Love Live Sunshine, most of the character's backstory and emotional struggles are revealed in season 1. Since this anime is built on the hype of its predecessor, Love Live, it is actually pretty predictable in terms of its general plot trend of the story. Although that is the case, it still gives a lot of surprise twists to give the audience (especially those who watched the previous franchise). This twist gives us, the audience more interest and more engagement to this new sequel series. Overall, the anime has done well in terms of plot-wise.
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| Oh, Chika... |
Art and Animation (Rating: 7/10)
The arts and animation...Well, it's an improvement from the previous project Love Live even before it has become the anime that it is now. Not the most beautiful but pretty well done.
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| That sudden rain stop...what is this sorcery? |
Sound and Music (Rating: 9/10)
BGM? It's in its proper places and scenario. The OP song was GREAT and at one time, is my ringtone for my phone. The ED song, quite brilliantly made. You don't see that with me and ED songs in general. The insert song? Although not all of them I like, some of them I really like it and in my opinion, well-made (for example, Mijuku Dreamer).
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| One of the insert songs... |
Characters (Rating: 7/10)
The character? Quite predictable. Although they add in different types of characters in Sunshine, they do add in characters that are of a certain type back in Love Live. For example, a HUGE fan of the Love Live, cheerful character, one who knows how to play and compose music, and the fittest of all the members. These are archetypes that they CANNOT MISS putting in. In other words, essential. This makes the character a bit less interesting even though their interaction with others is really funny at times.
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| That moment...when they found out... |
Enjoyment (Rating: 10/10)
I did enjoy it. Really, I did. I don't usually stop watching a certain anime halfway unless it gets really uninteresting or something more important takes priority. Anyway, as a Love Live fan, I won't stop this anime. Plus, the twist of the plot in this show is really interesting and got engaged in the anime. So, yeah, I like it.
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| LOL! Look at Yoshiko's face! |
Overall Rating: 8.2 (7.75)/10
Season 2
Story (Rating: 8/10)
This season of Sunshine? The ending is really predictable. The need for them making a new song is ALSO pretty predictable. AND, the failure to stop combining their school with another school is quite predictable (if you use a bit of logic to it). BUT what is unpredictable is the failure of their rivals, Saint Snow to progress to the finals and of course, the little details in the story (not that the details can be predicted anyway). Of course, the collaboration of Saint Snow and Aquors is NOT EXACTLY PREDICTABLE. Anyway, still, there is plenty of fun and some unpredictability in this story for this to be at least a credit.
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| Chika...looking out into the ocean... |
Art and Animation (Rating: 7/10)
The arts and animation...Pretty much the same as the previous season. Pretty well done.
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| The Aqour Wave... |
Sound and Music (Rating: 7/10)
The BGM is in its proper places and scenario. The OP and ED songs are pretty well-made. The insert song? Although not all of them I like, some of them I really like it and in my opinion, well-made (for example, Awaken the Power).
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| Awakening the power... |
Characters (Rating: 8/10)
The characters? Even though they are kind of a cliche character, their interaction and me getting used to them make it a little more enjoyable. The funny interaction...they are really good. The emotional moments...they are really touching. Well, it's just good.
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| LOL! That Lili part... |
Enjoyment (Rating: 10/10)
Like the previous season, I really did enjoy it. There are ridiculous times, emotional times, touching moments and funny moments in this anime. I enjoyed ALL of them.
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| Oh, that flag again... |
Overall Rating: 8 (7.5)/10
Conclusion
Well, that's the end of this post and possibly almost at the end of the WHOLE Love Live franchise. It is not that I want it but usually, a story material can stretch that much and nobody stretch it anymore, just like the case for Aikatsu and Pretty Rhythm. I enjoyed this franchise (the Love Live franchise) a lot. I will talk about the Love Live Sunshine movie if I had the chance and of course, I must have watched in order to do a review on it. BTW, hope you all enjoy it and hope to see ya again. Goodbye, and God bless you!
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| The end. Hope to you again, people! |
Overall Rating (whole anime): 8.1 (7.625)/10
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