(L) Love Live! Sunshine!! TV Series - General Discussion

[Pen3]

The OP/Ed song was quite a letdown because they have many better songs out already. I didn't expect them to be better than the Muse OP/ED, but they could have definitely do better by just using some of their popular singles.

Chika, Riko and Yohane are lovely so far.

Originally Posted by Requiem-x

Maybe it'll be made up by having her drool over Ruby super hard.

That works too, right...?

I hope there is no drooling - -;

Having an all female cast and some baiting is fine, but i hope they don't cross the line.

[R.LocK]

There was no ED yet. It was aninsert song.

[areyoubaka]

Originally Posted by Random Wanderer

How will this work for those of me (probably the only person in the world) who haven't seen the first Love Live? I've got no reason to be biased, either positively or negatively towards this series.

I'd suggest watching Muse's anime first. That way you won't be confused by references and possible cameos. Though ultimately it's a spinoff with its own plot, so you won't really miss much outside recognising their predecessors.

[Random Wanderer]

...The level of overreacting (or really, just plain overacting) to the slightest emotional cue in this episode is kind of... excessive. These kids move too much, and they emote too extremely. It feels almost like they're stage actors trying to overact to convey emotions to an audience that can't see clearly because they're sitting in the nosebleed seats 1000+ feet away from the stage.

Also not a fan of the obstructive administration trope which has been overplayed in nearly any anime that involves a school club of any sort, and it kind of just irritates me on sight these days.

[Triple_R]

Pretty good first episode. There are certain elements of it that concern me, but on the whole, it was solid and enjoyable.

There's definitely a lot of overlap between this 1st episode and the 1st episode of Love Live! Season 1, but there's some twists here that help:

Spoiler for Love Live! & Sunshine!! comparisons:

1. LL! Episode 1 focused a lot on Honoka/Kotori/Umi, with Honoka getting the most focus of all. Instead of a trio, Sunshine!! went with a strong duo focus on Chika and You (though Chika is like Honoka in having the most focus of all). I liked this change from "starting trio" to "starting duo". Certainly nothing wrong with the original approach, but the Chika/You friendship came off as really nice and cute.

2. One of my main criticisms of Sunshine!! Episode 1 is that Dia is so much playing the early Eli role that it's impossible for me not to see it. However, it helps that Chika vs. Dia already has a slightly different flavor than Honoka vs. Eli. Honoka was much more restrained than Chika, and Eli was a little more passive-aggressive than Dia. I particularly liked the way Chika and Dia really started shouting at each other there, just laying it all out on the table (figuratively and literally ) becoming very openly combative with each other. This is a good way to make the Chika/Dia rivalry stand apart from Honoka/Eli.

3. Chika is inspired by μ's, while Honoka was inspired by A-RISE. There's similarity there, but there's also differences. I liked how Chika focused on the seeming normalcy of μ's, because she's right, they often do seem like very normal teenagers. This is very different from how Honoka saw A-RISE, and it makes sense that it's different, since A-RISE really did come off as polished professionals. So here again is a subtle twist that gives Sunshine a somewhat different feel from the original Love Live!

My main concern with Sunshine!! Episode 1 is that it sometimes felt like it was trying a bit too hard. That's better than not trying hard enough, but I hope that Sunshine can find a good zone for itself in future episodes. Thankfully, I did get a sense that the show was starting to settle in a bit, and become comfortable with its own identity, by the last few minutes of the first episode. Kanan's scene was a good one for simple contrast here - In a cast that seems to be overacting every other scene, I liked the relatively mellow easy-going Kanan, as she added some balance.

On the whole, an enjoyable first episode with some very likable characters. So far, it represents a good continuation for the Love Live franchise.

Originally Posted by Pen3

The OP/Ed song was quite a letdown because they have many better songs out already.

I honestly loved the Sunshine!! OP/ED songs. At risk of sounding like a heretic, OP quality is one area where I'd probably give Sunshine the edge over the original Love Live (Season 1). Sunshine's OP really pumps me up, the costumes in it are gorgeous, and the ED has a good edge to it.

I hope there is no drooling - -;

Having an all female cast and some baiting is fine, but i hope they don't cross the line.

This may surprise some people, but I agree with you here. What they had in the original Love Live is probably also good for Sunshine, given the tone that Sunshine seems to be taking (i.e. somewhat lighthearted, not a romance).

Originally Posted by Random Wanderer

...The level of overreacting (or really, just plain overacting) to the slightest emotional cue in this episode is kind of... excessive. These kids move too much, and they emote too extremely. It feels almost like they're stage actors trying to overact to convey emotions to an audience that can't see clearly because they're sitting in the nosebleed seats 1000+ feet away from the stage.

Agreed. This is much of what I meant by "trying too hard". It honestly feels like Sunshine is competing with both the original Love Live and KyoAni. They honestly seem to be trying to beat KyoAni at animation quality. Sunrise, it's not necessary, as you already beat modern KyoAni at moe. Don't overdo it.

Based on your comment here, maybe you should check out the original Love Live first. Likely due to lower budget, it doesn't have so much KyoAni-esque super-fluid explosiveness.

[Pen3]

Originally Posted by Random Wanderer

...The level of overreacting (or really, just plain overacting) to the slightest emotional cue in this episode is kind of... excessive. These kids move too much, and they emote too extremely. It feels almost like they're stage actors trying to overact to convey emotions to an audience that can't see clearly because they're sitting in the nosebleed seats 1000+ feet away from the stage.

Also not a fan of the obstructive administration trope which has been overplayed in nearly any anime that involves a school club of any sort, and it kind of just irritates me on sight these days.

I feel the same way that you do too, but some people actually love the craziness and hyper attitude of the Sunshine girls. Going by comments from their live skits, they are just starting, it'll get more intense with Mari on board.

This best sums it up.

Originally Posted by Requiem-x

I don't think subtle terms, or subtlety in general, will apply to this crew very often

[ninjastarforcex]

yohane my bae

[Pen3]

Originally Posted by Triple_R

I honestly loved the Sunshine!! OP/ED songs. At risk of sounding like a heretic, OP quality is one area where I'd probably give Sunshine the edge over the original Love Live (Season 1). Sunshine's OP really pumps me up, the costumes in it are gorgeous, and the ED has a good edge to it.

It isn't bad, but an into will be watched many many times over and it should have a strong impact. I just felt it was a waste they didn't use one of their singles like Step! Zero to One or Heroes.

[Nork22]

Watched it on Line then tried to stay up when Animelab was about to stream it but fell asleep. Luckily I understood most of what being said but had a rewatch when I woke up.

Overall, it was a great little starter. If I had to give this episode a description, it was energetic. I felt the entire show went by at a very fast pace compared to the first episode of the OG. It's not a bad thing mind you, and I love how we got to get a feel of 7 of the girls general quirks.

I still find it hard to get used to is the overly dramatic faces of Yohane but having a sexy voice that doesn't go over the top like any chuunis. Dia is proving to be a fun little Student Council President, without feeling like an Ice Queen. And You, while didn't really presented herself much other than being a BFF, I'm reminded again why she is best girl.

Images

Sorry; dynamic content not loaded. Reload?

Only best girls are allowed to do photobombs.

Kanan and Mari didn't have much spotlight on them this episode but it seems like they might have a history, though I have a suspicion that Kanan, Mari and Dia tried to form their own little idol unit or some sort when they were first years but something happen to rain down on their fun, hence that sombre mood with those 3 in the OP.

Speaking of the OP, the camera work just got 10x better and the CG used in this has gone a long way that it's kinda hard to go back to muse's first and 2nd singles. As for the OP and insert songs, I haven't warmed up to the songs yet, but I'm sure to love them after some more repeat listening. Especially when the full versions comes out later on in the year.

Good to know that the first volume of the BD is coming out September. Will add it to my Final Live preorder. Gonna be an expensive month. Plus I'll try my luck and see if I can score tickets to Aqour's first live as well.

Overall, it was a great start to a new generation of school idols and the wait for each new episode is going to be hard.

[Kotohono]

Originally Posted by Raviel

They aren't even bothering to hide the subtext anymore are they?

I'm telling you guys the YouxChikaxRiko OT3 is going to be a plot point once the issues with the third years are sorted out

They stopped caring about it being hidden subtext in the game awhile ago , not surprised it's a like this here as a result.

Originally Posted by Requiem-x

I heard it takes place a few years after the original, so the time gap might kill some of the hype. Still, how?

Hmm, but Chika was shown in her high school uniform when she saw the winner thing, unless it just happened to show µ's of all the past winners, and further more Riko's school remained open due to them, I just can't believe she could have never heard of them even if it had been 3 years since then.

Also I am with others, that the craziness might be turned up a bit too high at times...

The conversation between Chika & Riko on the beach was probably my favorite scene in ep 1, it did a lot to show who Chika is to me.

Overall it was a solid episode & personally I thought the OP might be their best non-subunit song so far its was energetic and great song, imo.

[Random Wanderer]

My main concern with Sunshine!! Episode 1 is that it sometimes felt like it was trying a bit too hard. That's better than not trying hard enough, but I hope that Sunshine can find a good zone for itself in future episodes. Thankfully, I did get a sense that the show was starting to settle in a bit, and become comfortable with its own identity, by the last few minutes of the first episode. Kanan's scene was a good one for simple contrast here - In a cast that seems to be overacting every other scene, I liked the relatively mellow easy-going Kanan, as she added some balance.

I will say the short bit with Kanan probably worked best for me, precisely because of that. Kanan felt natural, rather than like someone trying to overplay a part, and while they were with her Chika and You got pulled into her pace and weren't really overdoing it either.

There's nothing wrong with Chika being enthusiastic, or Yohane acting chuuni, or any of the rest, don't get me wrong. I'm not saying everyone should be mellow. Anime has been making use of various character types like these for ages without a problem. But right now, the way these girls move, the way they react... it doesn't quite feel natural.

Like you said, hopefully the studio can find their balance. Although some people might find it hard to believe, sometimes too much animation can be as much of a problem as not enough.

[Nork22]

Originally Posted by Pen3

It isn't bad, but an into will be watched many many times over and it should have a strong impact. I just felt it was a waste they didn't use one of their singles like Step! Zero to One or Heroes.

That's a rather silly request. It's like asking for Yuujou no Change or baby maybe Koi no Button to be the OP for the first Love Live anime. Just start rewatching or listen to the song more. I too find that the OP song doesn't feel great or has any impact, but that's me just not warming up to it yet. I even thought Sore wa Bokutachi no Kiseki was "meh" when it was first shown, but it grew on me.

[Pen3]

Originally Posted by Nork22

That's a rather silly request. It's like asking for Yuujou no Change or baby maybe Koi no Button to be the OP for the first Love Live anime. Just start rewatching or listen to the song more. I too find that the OP song doesn't feel great or has any impact, but that's me just not warming up to it yet. I even thought Sore wa Bokutachi no Kiseki was "meh" when it was first shown, but it grew on me.

Sore wa Bokutachi no Kiseki grew on me because the song tells a story about their dreams and struggle. I am just betting that the Sunshine end song won't be any of that and it is why it won't warm up to me. It will just go along with their fun and craziness theme and if it doesn't get me right away, i don't think it will be much difference in the end.

[Wandering Soul]

Originally Posted by Random Wanderer

...The level of overreacting (or really, just plain overacting) to the slightest emotional cue in this episode is kind of... excessive. These kids move too much, and they emote too extremely. It feels almost like they're stage actors trying to overact to convey emotions to an audience that can't see clearly because they're sitting in the nosebleed seats 1000+ feet away from the stage.

Also not a fan of the obstructive administration trope which has been overplayed in nearly any anime that involves a school club of any sort, and it kind of just irritates me on sight these days.

I'm glad that I'm not the only one who felt that way. Similar to you, I didn't watch the first series, so I wasn't sure if this was just the series worked or something. It did seem like they pushed the hyper side a little too much.

Chika and Riko's scene on the beach was the best one in this episode to me because it was more relaxed and really established Chika's character.

[Triple_R]

Originally Posted by Random Wanderer

Kanan felt natural, rather than like someone trying to overplay a part, and while they were with her Chika and You got pulled into her pace and weren't really overdoing it either.

Right. Kanan was good herself, and she also helped Chika and You lower their pace a bit, which helps round out Chika and You's characters.

There's nothing wrong with Chika being enthusiastic, or Yohane acting chuuni, or any of the rest, don't get me wrong. I'm not saying everyone should be mellow. Anime has been making use of various character types like these for ages without a problem. But right now, the way these girls move, the way they react... it doesn't quite feel natural.

Agreed. I was pleased and amused by Yohane's introduction. Personally, I felt there was a little bit of intentional self-parody to it, which helped a lot. I also liked how Yohane's voice changes considerably from in-character to out-of-character. Very deep voice in-character, much more cutesy voice out-of-character. Very good work by Yohane's seiyu there.

In any event, yeah, a lot of the issue is that they actually overdid the animation, making certain movements seem fluid to the point of "do these girls have superpowers?" Combine that with the frequent overacting, and it just felt like a bit too much at times. I'm cautiously hopeful that future episodes will be better balanced here, as there's a lot of pressure on Sunshine to make a very good first impression given the massive success of the original Love Live. I'm sure everybody involved in Sunshine has this huge weight on their shoulders, and are giving it their all, especially for the first episode. Once the animators and seiyu feel more comfortable/confident, the show will probably hit a better balance, I think.

Although some people might find it hard to believe, sometimes too much animation can be as much of a problem as not enough.

Agreed. There's a reason I watch anime a lot more than I do Bugs Bunny-style cartoons.

Originally Posted by Wandering Soul

I'm glad that I'm not the only one who felt that way. Similar to you, I didn't watch the first series, so I wasn't sure if this was just the series worked or something. It did seem like they pushed the hyper side a little too much.

Chika and Riko's scene on the beach was the best one in this episode to me because it was more relaxed and really established Chika's character.

Chika and Riko's scene on the beach was also my favorite in the episode. I agree with you on it.

The first series' cast includes some very genki and/or highly emotive characters, but the first series probably did have more balance between genki and mellow.

I strongly recommend the original Love Live to both you and Random Wanderer.

[playmaker2k]

We're back, baby!

First off, I really like the episode. The OP was catchy and I have it on repeat. I like the little touch of having an insert song at the end just like they did in the past. They also recreated their own version of the Leader meeting the Composer. Riko came off really well and I'm surprised by her passion for music.

Chika is no clone and is more of a realist who sees Muse as girls like her, who were able to thrive in their own way. I can't wait to see her character arc grow.

My prediction is Riko will be one of two dark horses who will end up being Center at then end of this season. Her role is basically Maki but insecure with Umi's Humbleness. I'll say it once again, "The Kars of Aqours". And she's lying about not knowing Muse. There's no way she doesn't know who they are.

You is positive and outgoing. The ultimate wingman. I'm rooting for you! (Agenda: I need muh yoshiriko ship to set sail, Captain! I'll call you Luffy.)

Besides Mari, they gave us a small glimpse of what to expect from each girl's personality and quirks. I don't think their expressions were too over the top. I'm pretty sure it's going to be a staple for this series in order to separate themselves even further from their predecessors. Dia was a good surprise.

Yohane has to be over the top, She's a chunni. If she wasn't a big ham with a flair for the dramatic then that would be a crime against anime tropes and The Fallen Angel herself. Now lower eyes before her Blinding Greatness, you despicable, lowly humans.

[Pen3]

Originally Posted by playmaker2k

Yohane has to be over the top, She's a chunni. If she wasn't a big ham with a flair for the dramatic then that would be a crime against anime tropes and The Fallen Angel herself. Now lower eyes before her Blinding Greatness, you despicable, lowly humans.

The only complaint i hear on Yohane so far is that she uses a different voice when she acts chunni. it doesn't sound natural like Ranko from Cinderella Girls, who sounds more like a natural born chunni. If that makes any sense.

[playmaker2k]

That's the point.

She's creating a different identity for herself that is separated from her normal voice.
It's like how Bruce Wayne changes his tone when he is Batman.
Or how you talk to your boys compared to how you talk to your mom.
Think of it as a flair for dramatics. To make you feel larger than life. "I'm a Beast"
Besides, her Fallen Angel voice is amazing in general.
I can't tell you how many fangirls she has now after using that voice.

[Triple_R]

Originally Posted by playmaker2k

That's the point.

She's creating a different identity for herself that is separated from her normal voice.
It's like how Bruce Wayne changes his tone when he is Batman.

Precisely what I thought of, actually. Though it's certainly a better voice than the Bale growl.

[blakstealth]

I like it when Yohane uses a different voice for her chuuni mode. It's mature, deep, and feels very out of place...which is funny.