When Glee Meets Anime: Love Live!

If you can already tell by the title, yes.  This week’s review takes us back to the dreaded days when we had the musical high school drama that we all dribbled over when we were kids.  Though this show would fit into this category, it’s a lot better than what you would expect.  In fact, this one is starting to become one of my favorites.  So let’s learn a little more about this show, shall we?

Love Live!: School Idol Project –also known simply as Love Live!-is about a school idol group.    Now to explain what a school idol group is.  In Japan, some schools have what is called a school idol group.  Basically, it’s like a show choir, but they function more like a pop band.  Anyways, when her high school announces that it will no longer accept students because it is closing down, Honoka Kosaka decides she wants to do something about it.  So, she decides to start a school idol group.    At first, the group starts off with Honoka and her two friends Kotori and Umi, but eventually six more members join in on all the fun.  And throughout the series, the μ’s (that’s muse for those who aren’t familiar with their Greek alphabet) sing and dance to save their school and take a shot at competing in a competition called Love Live!, a school idol competition that features some of the best groups in the country.

Overall, I give Love Live! four out of five stars.  Now I will admit-and I’ve said it earlier-, this anime is starting to become one of my favorites, and that’s actually very unusual for me because this is a show that I would usually turn my nose up at- I prefer a show with a little more action.  But among the many things that I enjoy about this show, one of them is music.  A lot of the songs that μ’s sing are pretty catchy and it’s very entertaining to watch them do their little shows.  Also, the story, with all its drama and comedic moments, is pretty good.  And again, it’s entertaining.  Reduntant? Yes.  But true? Also a yes.

Now this is usually the part where I say something bad about the show.  In all honesty, I don’t really have anything negative to say.  Call it me being biased, but I do like the show a lot.  And even looking at it, there really doesn’t seem to be anything that bad about it.  Now, I will say though, I think that Love Live! is one of those shows that’s sole purpose is to entertain.  With that much said, the depth of the plot is weak, so that is something of lacking.  But regardless of what is good or bad about the show, it’s pretty good overall.  The only thing is that like any other anime- though very few fall into the category of perfect-it could be better.

Unlike the other shows I’ve reviewed so far, this one is not so easy to watch.  It doesn’t come on Toonami and it’s not on DVD (yet.  I’ve recently heard that there will be a DVD release of the show in September).  So the only way to watch it is through the marvelous invention called the Internet.  It is totally worth it, believe me!  You will be singing and dancing!  So to conclude this week’s post, if you love musicals, if you love drama, if you love high school, this is the show for you!  It certainly gets an A+ in the entertainment factor, but despite my growing love for this show, it certainly has the capacity to improve.  Well, that’s all I have.  So until next time, stay tuned for more!

-Hanime on Anime

P.S.- I almost forgot to mention that Love Live! is currently in its second season.  So if you get through season one and want to keep going with it, I encourage you to watch it.