The appeal and evaluation of the "Love Live!" series - A review of the first season of the TV anime

Otonokizaka Academy, a traditional school located between the three cities of Akihabara, Kanda, and Jimbocho, was in danger of being closed down or merged. In the face of this crisis, nine female students, led by second-year student Honoka Kosaka, rise up to protect the school they love. What can we do to protect our beloved school? That is to become idols! Let's become idols, promote the school to the world, and increase the number of students enrolled! This is where their "story of making it come true together" - the School Idol Project - began!

・Honoka Kosaka/Emi Nitta/Eri Ayase/Yoshino Nanjo/Kotori Minami/Aya Uchida/Umi Sonoda/Suzuko Mimori/Rin Hoshizora/Riho Iida/Maki Nishikino/Pile
・Nozomi Tojo/Aina Kusuda ・Hanayo Koizumi/Yurika Kubo ・Nico Yazawa/Soura Tokui

Original story / Yatate Hajime・Original concept / Kimino Sakurako・Director / Kyogoku Naohiko・Series composition / Hanada Jukki・Character design and animation director / Nishida Asako・Character design and main animator / Murota Yuhei・Design works / Aike Yukiko, Ozaki Tomomi, Suzuki Risa・Set design / Takahashi Takeyuki・Art director / Moriyasu Yasunao・CG producer / Matsumi Sei・Color design / Yokoyama Sayoko・Director of photography / Nogami Daichi・Editor / Imai Daisuke・Sound director / Nagasaki Yukio・Music / Fujisawa Yoshimasa・Music production / Lantis・Animation production / Sunrise・Production / 2013 Project Love Live!

■μ's (Muse)
・Honoka Kosaka
Age: 16 Birthday: August 3rd (Leo)
Blood type: O Height: 157cm
Measurements: B78, W58, H82
Favorite food: strawberries Least favorite food: green peppers
16 years old. Second-year high school student. Founder of μ's. Always smiling and energetic, her best feature. She acts on instinct and impulse, and once she makes a decision, she charges ahead recklessly. Even when she faces some difficulties, she overcomes them one after another with her inherently super positive thinking. She is the engine and driving force behind μ's.
・Eri Ayase
Age: 17 Birthday: October 21 (Libra)
Blood type: B Height: 162cm
Measurements: B88, W60, H84
Favorite food: Chocolate Disliked food: Umeboshi, seaweed
17 years old. Third year high school student. Quarter Russian. Intelligent, athletic, and good at anything he does. Extremely popular at school, with a strong sense of responsibility, he served as student council president.
・Minami Kotori
Age: 16 Birthday: September 12th (Virgo)
Grade: 2nd grade Blood type: O Height: 159cm
Measurements: B80, W58, H80
Favorite food: Cheesecake Least favorite food: Garlic
16 years old. Second year high school student. Honoka's best friend. They are childhood friends and have always played together since kindergarten. In contrast to Honoka, she has a gentle and calm personality and is an excellent student who does well in her studies. Although she is gentle, she has a strong core and is not easily intimidated.
・Umi Sonoda
Age: 16 Birthday: March 15th (Pisces)
Blood type: A Height: 159cm
Measurements: B76, W58, H80
Favorite food: Honoka's house steamed buns. Dislikes: Carbonated drinks.
16 years old. Second year high school student. Raised in a family of Nihonbu dance masters, she is a dignified Japanese woman with a dignified aura. She has been trained in Kyudo since she was a child, and is a girl with perfect manners. She is a typical example of someone who is strict with herself and those around her. She hates bad deeds and laziness. She is childhood friends with Honoka and Kotori.
・Hoshizora Rin
Age: 15 Birthday: November 1st (Scorpio)
Blood type: A Height: 155cm
Measurements: B75, W59, H80
Favorite food: Ramen!
Disliked food: Fish
15 years old. First year high school student. She is an athlete and always cheerful, preferring to get active rather than worrying. As an athlete, she is very caring and always looks after her childhood friend, Hanayo. No matter what she is told, she responds loudly and practices briskly.
・Maki Nishikino
Age: 15 Birthday: April 19th (Aries)
Blood type: AB Height: 161cm
Measurements: B78, W56, H83
Favorite food: Tomatoes Least favorite food: Mandarin oranges
15 years old. First year high school student. The daughter of a wealthy family whose parents run a large hospital. A long-awaited first year student who is exceptionally good at singing and playing the piano. She is arrogant and proud, and doesn't like to show her true feelings. With her natural courage, she stands up to the upperclassmen. In fact, she also has a lonely side.
・Nozomi Tojo
Age: 17 Birthday: June 9th (Gemini)
Blood type: O Height: 159cm
Measurements: B90, W60, H82
Favorite food: Grilled meat Least favorite food: Caramel
17 years old. Third year high school student. In contrast to Eli, she has a laid-back personality and speaks in a unique tone that is a mix of Kansai dialect. She makes a good pair with Eli, who has a cool demeanor. She is easygoing, and sometimes it seems like she is actually the oldest mentally out of all the members. She may seem easygoing, but is she actually a strategist?
・Hanayo Koizumi
Age: 15 Birthday: January 17th (Capricorn)
Blood type: B Height: 156cm
Measurements: B82, W60, H83
Favorite food: White rice Dislikes: None
15 years old. First year high school student. A quiet girl who doesn't stand out much in class. Lacking confidence, she tends to give up no matter what she tries to do. Admiring μ's, she joins the club with Rin and Maki. She is good friends with Rin and is always together. Her favorite food is white rice.
・Yazawa Nico
Age: 17 Birthday: July 22 (Cancer)
Blood type: A Height: 154cm
Measurements: B74, W57, H79
Favorite food: Sweets Disliked food: Spicy food
17 years old. Third year high school student. A bona fide idol otaku who works hard day and night to become an idol. As a senior who is also aiming to become an idol, she often talks down to Honoka and the others. Despite that, she makes a lot of mistakes and is surprisingly clumsy. Her catchphrase is "Nikko Nikko Nii".
■A-RISE
Kira Tsubasa
A girl who takes the center position of A-RISE. Although she is short, she shows powerful dancing with sharp movements. Her charm point is her forehead.
・Toudou Erena A tall member with a mature atmosphere. Her narrow eyes are strong-willed and dignified, and she seems to have a lot of female fans. Her teardrop mole is sexy.
・Yuuki Anjyu
The most girlish and ladylike member of A-RISE. She is known for her loose, fluffy hairstyle and sweet voice.

School idols: Idol groups that have been formed in schools all over the country in recent years. Although they are made up of students, top-class school idol groups are extremely popular, especially among teenagers. They often appear in magazines and other media, and schools with famous school idols attract a lot of attention.
・Popular school idol group A-RISE
Among school idols, the most popular is A-RISE, a three-person unit formed by students from UTX Academy. Their signature song is the dance number "Private Wars."

Episode 1: "Make our dreams come true!"
・Episode 2: "Let's start being idols!"
・Episode 3: "First Live"
・Episode 4: "Makirinpana"
・Episode 5: "Nico Attacks"
Episode 6: "Who's the Center?"
・Episode 7/"Elichika"
Episode 8: "What I want to do"
・Episode 9/"Wonder Zone"
・Episode 10: "No senpai!"
・Episode 11/"The Best Live Performance"
・Episode 12/"Friends"
・Episode 13 / "μ's Music Start!"

・OP1
・We are in the present・Lyrics by Aki Hata・Music by Shintaro Mori・Arrangement by Shintaro Mori・Singer by μ's

・ED1
・I can hear the youth ・Lyrics by Aki Hata ・Music by Akira Takada ・Arrangement by Akira Takada ・Singer by μ's

・Insert song 1
・Period/1
・Suggest → Tomorrow・Lyrics by Aki Hata・Composition by Takahiro Kawada・Arrangement by Takahiro Kawada・Vocals by Honoka Kosaka (voiced by Emi Nitta), Kotori Minami (voiced by Aya Uchida), Umi Sonoda (voiced by Suzuko Mimori)

・Insert song 2
・Period/3
・START:DASH!!
Lyrics: Aki Hata Composition: Yu Sasaki Arrangement: Yu Sasaki Singers: Honoka Kosaka (voiced by Emi Nitta), Kotori Minami (voiced by Aya Uchida), Umi Sonoda (voiced by Suzuko Mimori)

・Insert song 3
・Period/6
・Someday from now on
Lyrics: Aki Hata Music: yozuca*
・Arrangement: lotta
Singers: Honoka Kosaka (voiced by Emi Nitta), Kotori Minami (voiced by Aya Uchida), Umi Sonoda (voiced by Suzuko Mimori), Rin Hoshizora (voiced by Riho Iida), Maki Nishikino (voiced by Pile), Hanayo Koizumi (voiced by Yurika Kubo), Nico Yazawa (voiced by Sora Tokui)

・Insert song 4
・Period/9
・Wonder zone
Lyrics: Aki Hata; Composition: Yugo Sasakura; Arrangement: Yugo Sasakura; Singer: μ's

・Insert song 5
・Period/11
・No brand girls
Lyrics: Aki Hata Composition: Takahiro Kawata Arrangement: Takahiro Kawata Vocals: μ's

・Insert song 6
・Period/13
・START:DASH!!
Lyrics: Aki Hata Composition: Yu Sasaki Arrangement: Yu Sasaki Singer: μ's