The artwork and animation reminds me VERY MUCH of the Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya: it looks almost identical, and that kind of animation is flawless, well framed, perfect, i love it. The protagonist also fits my requirements 120%, even tho sometimes he bothers me: the thing is that the protagonist is thrown in the same situation Makoto was in School Days:
He is engaged with Yuki, but he loves(or thinks to love) Misaki, and he makes out with Yuki's manager. At the same time 3 other girls like him. He doesn't have any bad intentions, and he isn't as dickhead as Makoto, but he still makes mistakes: he can't resist the seduction of Yuki's manager, he doesn't really cheer up for Yuki(Yes ok, he's told that he'd be an obstacle for her and so he stops seeing her, but this way he hurts her more), and i lately noticed that i'm softer than i expected: i really can't bear a girl crying. That's why anytime the protagonist makes the girl cry because of his mistakes, i get pissed off (Pay attention: when the guy makes mistakes. When the girl cries because she misunderstands, i can still bear it, but when it's the guy's fault, i'd like to stomp him)
Anyways Yuki, of all the girls, didn't give me much the feeling of "the main heroine". She most probably is, but i don't feel like it. Also, i loved Rina and i hope the 2nd season has more of her. I'll start watching it after lunch, but will give you my impressions after i finish it.
And sorry, you were right: it got mostly romance, and the idol thingie is a really minimum detail. You know, i thought that the protagonist was a full time manager, and that the story only took place in the studios, but instead it dealt with the life of this normal guy, attending college and trying to pick up his girlfriend when he could, while getting in touch with other girls. Oh, and there were also kiss scenes (even tho Yuki's manager bothered me a little).
Thanks for having insisted on this title, but i cannot say "so far i liked it", because i don't know how it'll turn. It could end up in a horrid way like School days, or a similar one without blood maybe, but still horrid ending, so i'll wait to finish the 2nd season to give you my impressions.