LogFAQs > #969575229

17. Love Live: Sunshine!!
https://myanimelist.net/anime/32526/Love_Live_Sunshine
Summer 2016 (13 episodes), Fall 2017 (13 episodes)
My Score: 9/10, MAL Score: 7.38/10 S1, 7.57/10 S2
Best Character: Tsushima Yohane Yoshiko

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRs45anUTr4
Favorite performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Km1u6bq__rA

My Aqours figures:
1- Ruby, Yohane, Hanamaru: https://imgur.com/Gi48Tz5
2- Riko, Chika, You: https://imgur.com/fH0yxTc
3- Mari, Dia, Kanan: https://imgur.com/xLsox5Q
(Yes, I own figures of the whole group! The third-years didnt get Fallen Angel figures, so I bought a set where they would at least match each other even if not everyone else)

Premise: Takami Chika, inspired by the popular school idols 's (from the original Love Live), decides to create her own group. Shell need to overcome many obstacles and try to find other girls willing to join.

The Good: Love Live: Sunshine is the best idol anime Ive seen so far. I enjoyed the original Love Live quite a bit too. It set the standard for the genre. Then Sunshine took all those good things and made them better. That might not be the most popular opinion. When I read reactions to Sunshine after first watching it, most people thought it was a shallow imitation of the original. While Ill certainly agree that Sunshine lives in the shadow of its predecessor, I dont think thats a bad thing! In fact, I thought it gave Sunshine a lot of heart.

The girls forming Aqours were all inspired by 's. Even before the real-life viewers had a chance to, these girls were already comparing themselves to their idols. Sometimes that leads to lighthearted fun. I remember laughing when, after realizing their school might shut down, Chika got hyped because that was exactly what happened to 's! Other times the comparison is serious, and the girls in Aqours wonder if theyre good enough to follow that same path. Over time, they begin to accept that the need to find their own way forward. I really liked how they set out to be like their idols but became something else, something better, instead.

Setting comparisons to the original Love Live aside, Sunshine is just a solid idol anime. I linked my favorite performance above, but all of them were great. I also liked pretty much all the characters. Yoshiko, who prefers to go by her chuuni fallen angel persona Yohane, is easily my favorite, but I also really like Dia, Ruby, Chika, and Mari. While I think Kanan and You are both kind of meh, I wouldnt call them bad. Everyone adds something to the group dynamic.

The Bad: The worst thing about this anime is that the sequel movie still isnt streaming anywhere I can see it. Otherwise, I have zero major complaints.

Overall: Sunshine was in my top ten for a long time, but eventually I needed to push a show out and this was the clear weak link. I still love it, though, and I hope to rewatch it someday soon after also rewatching the original Love Live. I really enjoyed the dynamic it had with its beloved predecessor. Love Live: Nijigasaki may as well have been in its own continuity since it never referenced either of the prior shows, and I thought that was a missed opportunity. Sunshine was brave enough to face the legacy of 's. In my opinion, Aqours also eventually surpassed them.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/6/8/1/AABz_zAAD57B.jpg

CHARACTER: Tsushima Yohane Yoshiko (Love Live: Sunshine)
https://myanimelist.net/character/135408/Yoshiko_Tsushima
Voiced by: Kobayashi Aika
TOP 100 RANK: 81st

SPOILERS FOR LOVE LIVE: SUNSHINE

VIDEO LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ouau-Y7FMg
(From very early on, no real spoilers)

Kasumi from Nijigasaki is just barely my favorite Love Live character, but Yohane is a close second! Shes so much fun. I love her fallen angel persona. Her chuuni tendencies are always hilarious, full of egotistical declarations and dark fantasies. Things usually dont go well for Yohane, either. Its fun watching her get injured or ignored. The video I linked is her intro where she falls out of a tree and is trying desperately to act like it didnt hurt her legs. Then Hanamaru completely undercuts her fallen angel persona, and all Yohane can do is flee in tears. Shes great.

Like everyone else, Yohane adds a lot to the group dynamic. She loans them fallen angel costumes early on, and I was so glad they eventually released figures of those because everyone looked amazing in them. Yohane forms a great bond with Riko over the seasons, too. I also like how she, and the rest of Aqours, face some of the later plot stuff. Unlike 's, Aqours isnt able to keep its school from closing. These girls have so much to be sad about, but they dont let it break them. They all keep pushing forward doing the best they can, no matter what. I enjoyed that a lot.

Ill just say one more thing as proof that Yohane is amazing. They recently announced a spinoff in a fantasy setting, and shes going to be the star! I am ridiculously hyped for Yohane of the Parhelion, whether itll be a movie or a special or a new series or what, I dont care. Im excited. I appreciate this tacit admission that Yohane is the best. After all, I dont see any other Love Live girl getting their own spinoff!