(L) Love Live! School Idol Project (1st Season)

[playmaker2k]

Umi would be Wonder Woman since she's all about fitness. Spartan training with a temper. Supersonic Pillow.

Kotori's Green Lantern (Kyle Raynor) She's the costume designer and artist of the group. (Her main colors too)

Maki is Zatanna since she's the vocal coach and composer. Plus, she always seems to wear a hat on most performances and dem thighs are a winning combination. Just give her fishnets next time. (nosebleed)

(She would have been a better Batman due to her secretive ways and rich background.)

Nozomi is the Martian Manhunter. She oversees them and knows when someone is troubled. She can teleport too.

Rin is The Flash for obvious reasons.

Niko is Plastic Man since she's hilarious and can morph to any form she wants to be.

Kayochin would be Aquaman by default. He talks to fishes. She talks to alpacas. (Close enough)

Spoiler for just in case:

http://animepaw.com/spring-2013-weekly-bd-dvd-pre-order-ranking-march-10th-march-16th/

I'll just leave this here.

[Nork22]

Speaking of BDs, for those interested to know, the subtitles are the ones used in Crunchyroll. None of the extras are subtitled.

[winhlp32]

Episode 12:

...is it strange that only now I'm starting to recognize Honoka as the leader of Muse? When music band/groups splits up, it almost always starts from the lead singer.

The sudden switch to serious was quite awkward. I wished Kotori would've told Honoka she's leaving herself instead of having Umi announced it like that. Though well, attitudes and feelings and all that.

[Magicmonkeyman]

Originally Posted by Nork22

Speaking of BDs, for those interested to know, the subtitles are the ones used in Crunchyroll. None of the extras are subtitled.

thanks for telling me that it has english subs
all soo new to me and unbelivable to me until i saw "Subtitles: 英語"
Now time to take the wallet out ;D

[haru_sunye]

Wow, I'm quite happy the first volume sold so much in Japan. Didn't know how well the series is doing because of the lack of blogging coverage (mainly only visit RC and Enzo's blog), but yeah, really surprised!

Btw, can anyone suggest a reliable website where I can purchase the BD? I'm from Australia if that helps. Thanks!

[kitten320]

Originally Posted by winhlp32

Episode 12:

...is it strange that only now I'm starting to recognize Honoka as the leader of Muse? When music band/groups splits up, it almost always starts from the lead singer.

The sudden switch to serious was quite awkward. I wished Kotori would've told Honoka she's leaving herself instead of having Umi announced it like that. Though well, attitudes and feelings and all that.

It would've been better but Honoka left no place for her to talk. And being timid as she is Kotori simply had no opportunity so Umi had to take action herself before it was too late.


And I wish that Kotori would actually leave. It is possible to have positive ending with her leaving.
And ys she said she won't come for at least 2 years but that's only if she finishes the program. If she decides that it is not for her, she can always come back earlier. That would have far more impact than Kotori suddenly going "No, I'm not getting in that plane!"

[Midonin]

Love Live Life 12 - Blue Bird

I'm... not sure how I feel about the development in the most recent episode. I understand that the titular Love Live was always more of a symbol than a plot point (kinda like K-ON!'s Budokan), but this whole Kotori thing feels at odds with the tone and message of the rest of the show up to now. The first half of the episode, with Honoka's sickness being a minor setback at best, was okay. There were more jokes at Nico's expense, some mutual friend-groping and the show's narrative goal was achieved. Maybe they didn't reach the Love Live, but could promise to make it for the next one now that their school will support them even more. This plotline... it's not like it wasn't built up towards, but Nozomi says right out that μ's is best with nine, and the show spent most of its running time building them up. Separating so soon after forming just feels off somehow. Depending on what they do with the ending (it's not like I'm going to let an ending somehow retroactively "ruin" a show for me), this can still turn out well, but it's simply not the plot direction I would've preferred, that's all.

[Nork22]

Originally Posted by haru_sunye

Btw, can anyone suggest a reliable website where I can purchase the BD? I'm from Australia if that helps. Thanks!

Amazon Japan if you wish to purchase the Japanese BD. AmiAmi is another reliable alternative.

And I see some sales numbers in and Love Live vol.1 sold 18k copies. I wonder what the next volume will be like since it will be a normal price release.

[Hooves]

Many people are overlooking this because it would be "cheesy". But, Kotori has, and is still indecisive about what she truly wants even to now. She may have chosen the interest-path, but what influences have resulted in that? First, she couldn't find a direct answer from Honoka or her mother to choose for her. Second, Honoka was neglecting Kotori's feelings and doubts for the sake of reaching Love Live. This possibly made Kotori feel like the group would still do well without her.

With her leaving? Sure they can make Honoka step up and prepare a final live performance for Kotori. But will that solve Kotori's indecisiveness? Sure it will restore the mood between the two, and possibly restore both their resolves. But what about the promise (thank you Konakaga for reminding me about this) that they would always be together? That's where Honoka was devastated and felt betrayed. Kotori will feel lonely without Honoka and Umi around, so will this really solve anything?

Sure they can just passively deny those feelings of what they possibly could have had together. But that's not the type of ending I want to such a show with such development. I feel it would get a second season because the members are still not fully explored yet, and there are still things left unannounced. Sure the overlying problem of the school being shut down is now gone. But Honoka's desire to continue to raise Muse's performance to that of A-Rise will be left in check. Simply because Kotori is not there to continue to motivate her that she has Umi and Kotori with her.

Like the cards say, the group needs nine members to be successful. THE GROUP JUST GOT NINE MEMBERS EVEN! Obviously I want a second season to continue to watch where the group would go onto Love Live. So I vote that Kotori stays.

Nuff said. Then again, like kitten320 said. They can always have Kotori come back after deciding that she wants to stay with the group.

Edit: Before anyone says anything. Yes I heard Kotori say that was her final decision. It can still end with her leaving, and end exactly at episode 13. I'm just saying that it wouldn't be cheesy at all in my opinion if she decided to stay in my opinion. Also because of my selfish wants of more songs and more Kotori.

[Chiaki_chan]

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Nozomi new costume

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Nozomi perverse

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Nozomi x Maki

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Nozomi x Nico

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[blakstealth]

I'm really surprised to know that the Vol 1 blu-rays sold over 18,000+ copies. That surpassed my expectations.

[Ryonea]

The story has been revolving around the word "what I want to do". That's Honoka's motivation when she formed the group, and what led the others, notably Hanayo, Maki, and Eli to join as well.

Now the question's being directed to Kotori. We all know that she really wants to be with Honoka and friends. While the possibility of her totally leaving is open, things indicate that she'll stay for Muse itself. Not to mention she's the costume designer and also dance steps creator within the group (although someone else could take that role).

It's difficult to make her stay without cheapening the previous drama (but hopefully Sunrise can pull it well), but if she leaves, there are too many things left open too. That's why I don't like why it has come to this kind of development.

I personally want her to stay. Oh, the wait is killing me

[Snuffle]

Originally Posted by Ryonea

It's difficult to make her stay without cheapening the previous drama (but hopefully Sunrise can pull it well), but if she leaves, there are too many things left open too. That's why I don't like why it has come to this kind of development.

I agree with you on this. I wouldn't mind this drama bomb appearing in the show if the show itself had more than 13 episodes. What really makes it a big problem is that she has already decided to leave and is done packing her belongings to move.

I really feel for Honoka though. She's been working so hard to keep things she cares about together, but then one of her best friends (if not her #1 friend) is moving away. If I was in her position, I would be thinking, wtf is the point in all this if I don't get to enjoy it with my friends? I doubt she's doing all the idol stuff for a noble cause, I've never once pictured it that way. In the very first episode, she was looking for a way to save the school, she just happened to find out school idols are popular, it's not like she really really really wanted to be an idol for her own sake (unless I've missed or forgotten something). The way I took it was Honoka was trying to keep her happiness together, which would be her friends. I don't think there was any guarantee that Kotori and Umi would be going to the same school if it closed down next year.

Anyways, I'm hoping that some corny crap isn't going to happen... That would just annoy me. Kotori is my favorite character after Nico, I really do want her to stay, but at the same time, I don't want it to be a rushed conclusion.

[Triple_R]

I can certainly understand why some people don't want Kotori to actually leave. Yes, it would take away from Nozomi's 9-person conception of Muse. And yes, it is a sadder ending for Honoka and Kotori, and would leave us wondering if Kotori would even be in a sequel to Love Live!


However, my view is this - The writers made a bold and hard choice in this episode. But in fairness to Midonin and some others, whether that's the best choice is up to debate.

The writers could have given us a clean comeback story where Muse continues on its magical flight to Love Live!, and dreams become reality after a lot of hard work, sweat, and tears. For pure "fun factor" and simply making the audience smile, I don't think this could have been topped. But the writers decided to go in a different direction.

The different direction they went in is less happy, less magical, less fantasy-esque. The show becomes a bit edgier, a bit weightier, and a bit more "real", but we shouldn't downplay the trade-off it makes to achieve that. Love Live! isn't as "fun and happy" now as it could have been.

Now, if the writers follow-through on this edgier, realism shift, then at least the shift achieves what it was meant to. But if the writers do a 160, and go back to happy escapism by having Kotori change her mind due to The Power of Friendship (tm) and/or The Power of Love (tm) then this latest shift seems pointless to me.

In fact, it would make it seem to me like Love Live! is half-assing it all-around. Half-assing the fantasy by denying Muse entrance into Love Live!, but also half-assing the edgier realism shift by not following through on Kotori leaving Muse.


All of that being said, Kotori changing her mind would certainly not ruin this show for me. Love Live! has been an awesome and lovely ride regardless, imo.

[novalysis]

Personally, I think this is a classic case of poor communication kills.

Additionally, I was facepalming throughout Honoka's closing I Quit rambling. Yes, it was very impactful, emotionally wise. But still, two wrongs don't make a right. If she listened to herself, she would realize she is taking the very same self-centered position she is accusing herself of. After all, is she going to imply that all those friendships you've acquired in your group are rubbish? Dross? That she is not taking those friendships seriously?

Then again, I wonder, had the Farewell performance been pitched to her as a Farewell performance for friends, for all of them together, to make memories together for a final time... would the outcome be different?

[Triple_R]

Originally Posted by novalysis

Personally, I think this is a classic case of poor communication kills.

Additionally, I was facepalming throughout Honoka's closing I Quit rambling. Yes, it was very impactful, emotionally wise. But still, two wrongs don't make a right. If she listened to herself, she would realize she is taking the very same self-centered position she is accusing herself of. After all, is she going to imply that all those friendships you've acquired in your group are rubbish? Dross? That she is not taking those friendships seriously?

I honestly don't think that it's registered for Honoka that these people are her friends now.

I actually think that Honoka has been noble and idealistic about all of this (another reason for my Superman comparison). She's been very "mission-oriented". She had absolutely steely focus on her two main goals. Those being:

1. Save the School!

2. Get into Love Live!


1 is now "Mission Accomplished!", and Honoka to her credit was clearly quite happy about that. But 2 is a failure, and it can't be reversed. So she achieved one goal, and failed the other. Without these goals driving her forward, Honoka now focuses on her own assessment of how good a School Idol she is. And Honoka feels that she can never measure up to A-Rise, so what's the point in continuing to be a School Idol? Honoka was never being a School Idol "just for fun", as she had clear, serious goals in mind with it. Goals that made her want to be "the best". And those goals are moot now.

Couple that with Kotori leaving, and Honoka's motivation to keep being a school idol is just completely shot. She just doesn't feel it any more.

At the moment, Honoka is basically blind to all of the friendships she's made throughout this narrative because her focus was not on "making friends", but on "saving the school and getting into Love Live". I want to be clear here - Honoka wasn't coldly using the people who joined Muse. She really does like them. But I don't think she viewed them as "new friends", but rather as admirable allies that helped her come closer to achieving her goals.


I think what we'll see next episode is Honoka come to the realization that these people like her for her (i.e. not just because she's working for some noble goal of saving the school). Honoka is now their friend, and they want to keep enjoying good times and making pleasant memories with their friend.

I think there could be some really touching scenes here, where Honoka comes to the sudden and moving realization that she's made six new friends due to her efforts. And I think she'll come to the conclusion that this is more important than "matching" A-Rise. That it's fine to embrace School Idols simply because that's what brought her and her new friends together in the first place.

[playmaker2k]

Spoiler for 1st Class Ticket:

This is the only way to travel.

[haru_sunye]

Originally Posted by Nork22

Amazon Japan if you wish to purchase the Japanese BD. AmiAmi is another reliable alternative.

Cheers mate!

[jeroz]

Originally Posted by Triple_R

==snip==.

Continue from this argument, I also think Honoka haven't yet realise that she's the central inspirational leader of the team. While it's obvious from a bystander and even other members' point of view, I think she just see herself as someone rash and merely another member of the group instead of someone really important.

The fact that they quit LL due to her mistake plays a huge part in her psyche, since it's her "no name" that's dragging the whole team down. Has she realise that they made this decision for the sake of their leader she wouldn't be this much down, nor would she feel so insignificant within the group to the point that she wants to withdraw even temporarily.

She's another case of a person that relies on goal and confidence. Once both are gone it's often a huge mess. I can see her getting back to her feet easily by having others telling her how important she is to the group instead of just being another member. Yes this is cliche, but it's often how things work out. With a sense of responsibility on her shoulder maybe she won't become so self-destructive. I'd seen many athletes go through similar stages; by given them the role of the captain you see them lift their games by miles.

[Natsu_]