"Love Live! Superstar!!" depicts the activities of a school idol group called Liella!, a group of high school girls who perform idol activities at school. The first season aired in July 2021, and the second season is scheduled for July 2022, garnering much attention. In this article, we'll take a chronological look at Liella!'s journey from their debut to the present!
Information Released!
The launch of this project was announced at a Love Live!-related event in January 2020. At this point, the group's name had not yet been announced, but the five characters and their names were revealed in March of the same year. What's notable about this project is that the group's name was chosen through a public contest. As a result, the group was named "Liella!"
What is the origin of the group's name?
The name is a combination of "lier," meaning to connect, and "brillante," meaning inner brilliance, from "Yuigaoka," the name of a school that appears in the work. The group's name carries the wonderful meaning of representing the inner brilliance each individual possesses, and the idea that by connecting these stars, even small stars, they can one day become superstars.
First Open Audition
As a first attempt for this project, we held an open audition for the main cast. The two successful candidates were Sayuri Date, who played Shibuya Kanon, and Nagisa Aoyama, who played Hazuki Ren. Initially, we planned to only have one successful candidate, but this was changed to two. Having participated as a member of the public, she made a spectacular debut by being selected as a main cast member in a popular series. Date, in particular, has long been a fan of the Love Live! series, and must have been overwhelmed with emotion when she was selected to star in a work she had always admired.
First Live Broadcast
In January 2021, the five cast members of Liella! held their first live broadcast. The music video for their debut single, "Hajimari wa Kimi no Sora," was also released for the first time. Incidentally, it was the first time the five cast members had even seen the music video.
Debut Single Release and Online Event
The debut single "Hajimari wa Kimi no Sora" (Beginning is Your Sky) was released, with two jacket versions. An event featuring the five cast members was also held on the same day. Due to the impact of COVID-19, the event was held online, featuring one-on-one online talk sessions and online autograph sessions.
Difficulties Due to COVID-19
As the group debuted during the COVID-19 pandemic, precautions were taken when holding events. Meanwhile, in June 2021, one of the cast members, Nako Misaki, tested positive for COVID-19. Fortunately, her symptoms were mild, and the other four cast members who had close contact with her tested negative. It's truly fortunate that they didn't become seriously ill. Overcoming these difficulties, they were able to hold an event with an audience in August of the same year.
The long-awaited event with an audience!
At the end of October 2021, the long-awaited tour with an audience will be held. Additional performances have been scheduled, and a second tour has also been announced. The second tour will also feature guest appearances by the Sunny Passion cast. Since the COVID-19 situation was relatively calm at this time, the event seems to have gone smoothly. Also, just before the tour began at the end of October, it was announced that a second season of the anime would be produced, bringing with it plenty of exciting news for fans.
New Characters in Season 2
In April 2022, visuals of four new characters appearing as freshmen in Season 2 were released, and it was announced that the main characters from Season 1 would be promoted to second-year students. The voice actors for these characters have also been announced, and fans are already excited to see what kind of characters they will be.
A Summary of Their Journey from Debut to the Present
Liella! has experienced many things unlike any other group before them, including a different audition process, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the addition of new characters midway through the series. I'm already looking forward to the second season to see how Liella! will interact with the new members! That's all for today. Thank you for reading.
