Love Live! is a group of members with a wide variety of personalities, but this time we have collected 10 charms of Minami Kotori, who is known for being extremely soothing, that will make you go 'Chunchun' without even realizing it. Whether you're a Kotori fan or not, please enjoy Minami Kotori's cute side and get to know her charms!
Minami Kotori's Profile
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Minami Kotori, a second-year student at Otonokizaka Academy, is an original member of μ’s and, together with her childhood friends Kosaka Honoka and Sonoda Umi, they try to prevent the school from closing. Her mother is the school’s president and appears frequently in the story, but both mother and daughter look very similar. She loves singing and dancing, and has enjoyed fashion such as cosplay since she was a child, so being a school idol could be said to be her calling.
Her gentle personality is the soothing character of μ's
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Although Minami Kotori is considered to be a natural by those around her, she has a gentle personality and is worthy of being called the soothing character of μ’s. Being a school idol is a dream-like activity filled with things she loves, but at the same time, she is not very good at being in front of people. However, after being given the perfect opportunity to make costumes, she agreed with Kosaka Honoka's idea of "saving the school with school idols" and after persuading Sonoda Umi, μ’s was formed.
Minami Kotori's charm 1: Her sweet voice that will melt your brain
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Let's get straight into the charms of Minami Kotori, but the first thing I want to say is her "sweet voice that will melt your brain." The voice actress is Aya Uchida, and her cute voice matches the character of Minami Kotori perfectly, making her even more memorable. You can see various sides of Minami Kotori in the series, from when she is in ecstasy to when she is trying her best, and her sweet voice will make your heart flutter in every scene.
She seems like she would agree to anything if asked...
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The most brain-melting line in all the episodes of "Love Live!" is undoubtedly the one she said to Sonoda Umi in the first episode of the first season of the anime. The moment she said "Please!" with a slightly moist expression, not only did Sonoda Umi blush, but many viewers must have been thrilled too! Her convincing acting made Sonoda Umi reluctantly agree to join the school idol activities, and μ's took its first step.
Minami Kotori's charm 2: Honoka Kosaka and Sonoda Umi are great friends!
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Minami Kotori is especially close with Kosaka Honoka and Sonoda Umi, but this is because the three of them are childhood friends. They have been friends since kindergarten, and the three of them are attending the same high school, so they have a special connection. Although each of them has a different personality, they are a very well-balanced trio, so it's nice to see them getting along well.
A healing presence that neutralizes the clashes between the two
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Being the most gentle of the three childhood friends, Minami Kotori has never fought with Kosaka Honoka and Sonoda Umi. However, Honoka and Umi often have disagreements, so Minami Kotori plays the role of mediating between them and calming them down. In fact, Umi was strongly opposed to school idol activities, but in the end, she blushed and agreed after Minami Kotori's sweet plea.
Minami Kotori's charm 3: The three childhood friends always hang out together
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Even in their school idol activities, the trio of Minami Kotori, Kosaka Honoka, and Sonoda Umi is impressive for always hanging out together. Most of the time, Honoka comes up with the idea, and Minami Kotori and Sonoda Umi follow her, but even so, she says that she rarely fails. At first glance, it seems like she's being pushed around, but the episodes with the three of them show that she trusts Honoka.
Love Live! Leads the two on the day of the final qualifying round
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Although Kosaka Honoka is usually the one leading the trio of childhood friends, in the final qualifying round of Love Live!, Minami Kotori is depicted taking the lead, which is unusual. Heavy snow has paralyzed public transportation, so the three are forced to walk from school to the concert venue, but with the help of the students of Otonokizaka Academy, they arrive safely. On the way, she gives the two words of encouragement, showing great growth by realizing that she is not just someone who follows them around.
Minami Kotori's charm 4: Akihabara's legendary maid "Minarinski"
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When the nine members of μ's started performing together, suspicions arose that Minami Kotori was working part-time at a maid cafe in Akihabara. Although she didn't reveal this fact herself, the other members, suspicious of her actions, secretly followed Minami Kotori. Minami Kotori eventually gave in and admitted to the fact that she was working part-time, but by that time she was already active as Akihabara's legendary maid "Minarinski," and was so popular that her photos were sold in idol shops.
Secret part-time job to get rid of complex
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The reason Minami Kotori started working part-time was not to earn money for costume production, but because she thought she had no distinctive features compared to Kosaka Honoka and Sonoda Umi. Since she was young, she has seen the two of them clash and has mediated between them to come up with a compromise, so Minami Kotori has never really voiced her own opinion. She has always felt like she has been walking behind them, so she started working part-time at a maid cafe to get rid of that complex.
Minami Kotori's charm 5: Her communication skills are top class in μ's
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Minami Kotori, who acts as a mediator between two childhood friends and has worked hard to become a legendary maid at the maid cafe, is one of the best in μ's in terms of communication skills. She also appears to finish handing out all the flyers the μ's members hand out, surprising Yazawa Nico, who did not acknowledge the existence of μ's at the time. She also interacts with the members in a friendly manner, which is why all the characters are captivated by Minami Kotori's aura.
She also seems to have a heart-to-heart with the alpacas
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Minami Kotori's high level of communication skills is not only demonstrated with people, but also with the alpacas kept at Otonokizaka Academy. After μ’s first live performance, she suddenly becomes obsessed with alpacas, commenting how cute their fluffy necks are and forgetting about everything else as she interacts with them. Furthermore, in the smartphone game “School Idol Festival,” she tries to get an alpaca to “shake hands” and is so distracted when she stands in front of the alpaca’s hut.
Minami Kotori's charm 6: Her mysterious crest is cute
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Minami Kotori's hairstyle is characterized by a uniquely tied side ponytail, and her crest is her trademark (?). From her live costumes to her casual clothes, and even when she is dressed in a maid outfit as Minalinski, the crest extending from the ribbon is eye-catching. What's even more surprising is that the crest is still there when she is sleeping, and you can see it on Minami Kotori's head even when she is in pajamas at a training camp.
She is also the only one to have her hair down
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The crest is not only present in Minami Kotori, but also in her mother, the chairman of the board of directors, which makes us think about heredity. The more we think about it, the deeper the mystery becomes, but there was also a scene where she was the only one without a crest. It was a scene where she was sitting on her bed at home while talking on the phone, so it could be that the crest is like makeup when she goes out in public. However, it is definitely a mystery in Love Live!, and for Minami Kotori, the crest is probably something that helps her to be herself.
Minami Kotori's charm 7: I want to be "Kotori's snack"!
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During the popular character general election, Aya Uchida, who plays Minami Kotori, said, "If you don't vote for Kotori, I'll make you a snack!" This was based on the lyrics of the song "sweet&sweet holiday" by Printemps, a unit consisting of Honoka Kosaka, Kotori Minami, and Hanayo Koizumi, and ended up in second place. Since then, "Kotori's Snack" has been treated as a joke among Lovelivers, and it seems that they use it with affection.
Cheesecake causes a catastrophe
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Her favorite food is cheesecake, which is a typical Minami Kotori choice. In the story of the smartphone game "School Festival," when μ's decides to hold a hot pot party, Minami Kotori brings cheesecake with her. This was the result of her taking the phrase "bring your favorite food" literally, but for some reason she ended up adding it to the hotpot. Furthermore, Hoshizora Rin added dried noodles to the mix, and the hotpot party turned into a disaster.
Minami Kotori's charm 8: In charge of creating μ's costumes
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Minami Kotori, who is in charge of costumes for μ’s live performances, is a fashionista who has loved wearing various costumes, including cosplay, since she was a child. She also had a desire to make costumes, so when Kosaka Honoka suggested that she become a school idol, she was excited at the joy of being able to make costumes. She is skilled enough to embroider mascots when she has the time, so this must have been the perfect opportunity for Minami Kotori.
She quits studying abroad and devotes herself to school idol activities
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As a school idol, Minami Kotori is in charge of making costumes for μ’s, but her dream for the future is to be involved in costume making. She is given the chance to study abroad to learn costume making, and is forced to choose between her activities with μ's and her own dreams. She discusses it with Sonoda Umi, but is unable to tell Kosaka Honoka anything, and ultimately chooses to leave in silence. However, with Honoka rushing to her side at the last moment, she decides to prioritize her school idol activities.
Minami Kotori's charm 9: The cute Kotori growing out of the screen
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Minami Kotori is a charming character who can be seen as cute in many ways, but at the same time, she is also a girl who makes a strong impact. The reason for this is in the opening video, where her face is shown peeking out from the bottom of the screen, and all Love Livers have described it as "Kotori growing out," which has become a hot topic. Since then, similar appearance scenes in other works have been described as "growing out," so it can be said that this originated with Minami Kotori.
Kotori growing out from the bottom of the screen in PVs and OP videos
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In both the opening videos for the first and second seasons of the anime, Minami Kotori grows out of the bottom of the screen, and it's safe to say you can't start watching Love Live! without seeing her. The same is true in the second film, Love Live! Sunshine!!, where characters such as Watanabe You, Sakurauchi Riko, and Kunikida Hanamaru grow out of the bottom in scenes in the series. If the third film is broadcast as an anime, we can't help but pay attention to who grows out of the bottom and look forward to seeing them.
Minami Kotori's charm 10: She's soft-spoken but has a strong core
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The last charm of Minami Kotori that I would like to introduce is that she is natural and easygoing, but at the same time, she acts with a strong core. Among her childhood friends, she seems to follow the opinions of either Kosaka Honoka or Sonoda Umi, but she doesn't just get swayed by either of their opinions; she makes her choices based on what is right and interesting. She is interested in μ's because she gets to make costumes, and it's clear that she is not persuaded by Kosaka Honoka's forceful persuasion.
Thinking and acting for μ’s
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Yazawa Nico was dissatisfied with her job of making costumes, but she said, "If everyone comes together and does their best in their roles, a wonderful future awaits." Yazawa Nico feels guilty about Minami Kotori's mature response, but I feel that these words have a good meaning that can also be applied to the real world. By fulfilling their roles, all nine of them will make their dreams come true... This line expresses the catchphrase of "Love Live!", "A story that we all make come true."
Minami Kotori's charm is making me squeal with pleasure!
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Minami Kotori is seen as a soothing, gentle, and natural character in μ’s, but she actually has her own ideas and acts with them, making her a more mature character than she looks. She’s not just a thinker or a talker, she’s also a person of action, and I think your impression of her will change dramatically if you get to know her on the inside. Her greatest charm is that she’s more mature than anyone else, so pay attention to every word and action she makes.
