With Superstar being the franchise's fourth and latest adventure, it's understandable that some may be reluctant to watch once more a series seemingly treading familiar roads. Coming less than a year after the third Love Live series, Nijigasaki, I was worried of the fatigue that may come from yet another shuffling of the cast. Those fears, however, were misguided. Superstar revealed itself not just as an excellent anime in its own right, but also the most fresh the franchise has been in nearly a decade. Contrary to expectations, Superstar is actually a slice-of-life anime first, and an idol anime second. Where the previous series opted fora more dramatic approach to the storytelling, Superstar looks instead to comedy and catharsis as a means of connecting with its audience. There is no impending doom from the girls' school potentially being entirely closed, nor is there romantic tension or heated rivalry in the lieu of Saint Snow's portrayal in Sunshine— quite the opposite. Instead of striving to make the audience teary-eyed, Superstar looks to instill joy and laughter. In many regards, the 'school idol' setting of the franchise is more a backdrop than a primary focus. The girls do not even decide on a group name until the last few episodes of the season. Those looking for performances and idol moments may find Superstar's first season feels like more a prologue than a first half of a story. And, naturally, this means Superstar will not be to every Love Live fan's palate. But it is exactly this aspect that made Superstar so refreshing for me, as a veteran of the franchise. If I wanted those idol moments, I would watch the original once more. If I wanted drama, I would watch Sunshine. And for romance and emotionally-charged character moments, I would watch Nijigasaki. By breaking away from genre expectations, Superstar succeeds in crafting its own identity, which is perhaps the single most important characteristic for a franchise now in its fourth stage. Superstar also withdraws from the nine-girl trope we have come to expect, and instead focuses on a smaller cast of five girls. For the most part, this is a wise creative choice for a two-cour anime, as the previous series would typically have two or three characters that are significantly less developed or interesting than the others. But this does not necessarily mean the five girls from Superstar are profoundly more developed than the girls from previous series. Rather, the unnecessary characters have been trimmed, like a chef treating to the fatty parts of a steak. Kanon and Chisato are the standout characters from my perspective, a level above the rest of the cast. It is rare for a girl in Love Live to play the role of a mentor and instructor, as all the girls typically start out as fresh-faced newcomers. This is largely why Chisato grabbed my interest early on in the story, as her goals regarding music, as well as her long-time friendship with Kanon, tie in neatly with her later addition to the group. The anime also does a solid job of making Kanon's and Chisato's friendship with each other feel natural, through the work of several flashbacks and episodes dedicated to expanding this part of their characters. And, while Kanon may sport a similar design to previous protagonists Honoka and Chika, she is much more interesting than her predecessors. Kanon is actually opposed to involving herself with school idols at the start of the story, due to childhood traumas and ever-present stage-fright, an important issue that many idol anime fail to touch upon. So, rather than being the instigator and vehicle for the group's activities, Kanon is actually a major participant in the story herself. Ren is also a recipient of solid characterisation. While she initially appears to fit the mold of the stereotypical class-rep, objections and all, she has perhaps the most meaningful backstory of all the girls. My only issue is that the anime has detailed her mom's experiences, but has shown little of Ren's own feelings and ambitions towards the world of school idols. Perhaps this will be explored further in the second season? This leaves Keke and Sumire. While these two have adorable character designs and are the cause of some hilarious moments, they aren't quite as developed as the other three. Sumire is essentially Superstar's comedic relief, abducting the protagonist and literally wearing a poop-themed hat in one scene! Her ambitions of becoming the group center are sympathetic, though, due to the feelings of inadequacy she's no doubt endured throughout her experiences in self-proclaimed show-biz. Conversely, Keke is a force of cuteness and plays her part by encouraging the rest of the group, but doesn't have any outstanding moments or features at this point in time. As someone who was also a foreigner living in Japan for a number of years, I'd like to see Keke's experiences adapting to Japanese culture explored with a bit more detail and finesse. As it stands, the foreign aspect of her character seems primarily a means to broaden the franchise's appeal with its large Chinese fanbase. So, while Keke may indeed be speaking Chinese on Japanese TV, I'm still not entirely sold on this element of her character when she otherwise behaves just like any ordinary Japanese girl would. The art in Superstar is of a high caliber. Love Live always set high standards for itself in this regard, and Superstar is no exception. In tandem with the series' more easygoing nature, the art style has also shifted slightly, as there are larger contours and rounder faces characteristic of much of the slice-of-life genre. Those with a distaste for cutesy art designs may have troubles with Superstar, but then it would almost be paradoxical for someone averse to cuteness to be watching such anime in the first place. Superstar's music is wonderful, as is the norm for Love Live. I particularly appreciate the way the ending song starts early and leads naturally into the ending cinematic, in a similar vein to other popular anime like One Piece. My only issue is that there are not many full songs actually performed by the Superstar girls over the course of this initial season. But the songs that do exist, including the opening and ending, are excellent, and there is not more I could ask from them. That said, the 'rap' scenes in one episode did feel slightly out-of-place. While some people who watch the series may also be fans of rap (myself included to a lesser extent), it is not what anyone is watching Love Live— of all things— for! My suspicion is that Sunrise was trying to birth some meme material out of the series, in the hopes that it may go viral on social media. The effect this might have had is unknown to me, however, as I try to abstain from migraine-inducing platforms like TikTok and its ilk... One can only hope that Superstar will break free from the franchise's two-cour format, as there is so much more potential to be found in its characters. As well, the slower pacing, relative to other Love Live series, would lend itself perfectly to a three or even four-cour format. I'm also not entirely sure having a fifth Love Live series in a single decade would be the right move, as it can be emotionally-draining for fans to grow attached to a cast only to see them replaced by a new series every couple years. We shall see soon what Sunrise's plans for Superstar and the franchise as a whole are, once the second season flies us by. Love Live has learned a lot from some of the mistakes it made during the Sunshine era. At this point, with its fourth outing, I believe the franchise has truly nailed just what it is that makes Love Live so damn special for so many people. I can't make the claim that Superstar is some grand, ocean-deep story, but then it was never trying to be such in the first place. It is entertainment first and foremost, and in that regard, it excels in a way few anime can even dream to. As someone who has found themselves struggling to watch modern anime, Love Live Superstar is a beacon of hope, a testament that joy trumps all.
