Love Live! has gained popularity through various media, from anime broadcasts to smartphone games, and it is safe to say that it is a national anime due to its enthusiastic support. This time, let's consider the entire story of Love Live!! Please be careful as it contains spoilers!
Outline of the story of Love Live!
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"Love Live!" is a story about nine girls who become school idols and try to save their alma mater, which is in danger of being closed down, and to participate in the school idol festival "Love Live!". The story has captivated and enthralled many fans, with funny episodes and serious developments featuring unique members. In addition to the bright side of being idols, the story of each of the nine girls growing up while carrying their own worries and conflicts is a must-see, and there are many parts that you can sympathize with.
The birth of the school idol group "μ's"
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First, let's look at how the school idol group was born at Otonokizaka Academy, the setting of the story, and how all nine members were gathered. How was μ's born, and how did the members come together? The anime carefully depicts the process of all nine members being together, and is filled with various thoughts, but please check it out to get a rough idea of the flow.
Kosaka Honoka is surprised by the power of A-RISE
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When Honoka Kosaka learns that Otonokizaka Academy may be closed, she searches for ways to help. Meanwhile, she is shocked by a live video of A-RISE that is being shown on UTX Academy's AdVision, and is inspired to liven up the school with school idols to avoid closure. In this scene, idol-loving Yazawa Nico (Koizumi Hanayo), and Hoshizora Rin who accompanied Koizumi Hanayo, are also present, and the four of them are already in the same space.
Three childhood friends form μ's
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Honoka Kosaka has an idea to liven up the school with school idols, but her childhood friend Kotori Minami agrees, saying it sounds fun, but shy Umi Sonoda is against it. Some people think it's too unrealistic, but in the end they agree with Honoka Kosaka's idea, and μ's is formed with the three of them. Sonoda Umi, who was against it at first, gradually gets into it and starts being a school idol, as she has always followed Honoka Kosaka in the past.
First-year members join
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μ’s first live performance was in an empty auditorium, but they still managed to pull it off. Wanting to become an idol, Koizumi Hanayo watched μ’s live performance and secretly wanted to join. Then her childhood friend Hoshizora Rin gave her a push, and Nishikino Maki, who wrote songs for μ’s, joined, and Koizumi Hanayo's wish came true and she started being a school idol. With this, μ’s had six members and their activities were getting serious.
Reconciliation with Yazawa Nico of the Idol Research Club
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There was someone who didn't like μ's activities, and that was Yazawa Nico of the Idol Research Club. The school already had an Idol Research Club, so they couldn't accept μ's as a club activity, and Kosaka Honoka tried to somehow reconcile with Yazawa, who was viewed as an enemy. Yazawa Nico was jealous of the fact that she had been the only one to continue the Idol Research Club, and that μ's had appeared and started to succeed, but she also wanted to be an idol, and eventually joined the group.
Ayase Eli, the biggest obstacle, joins
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Out of a sense of responsibility and obligation, Student Council President Ayase Eli did not approve of Kosaka Honoka's belief that she could save the school by becoming a school idol. However, this was also an act that suppressed her true feelings, and she was advised by her best friend and vice-president Tojo Nozomi, and was also asked by her younger sister Ayase Arisa what she really wanted to do, which left her conflicted. Eli Ayase finally becomes honest about her feelings and reconciles with Honoka Kosaka. Nozomi Tojo, who had been supporting μ’s from behind the scenes, joins them, and all nine members of μ’s are finally together.
Preventing the closure of Otonokizaka Academy
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When all the members of μ’s are together, the movement to prevent the school closure finally begins in earnest. In order to achieve that goal, they struggle to achieve results at the school festival live show that is just around the corner, as depicted in the climax of the first season of the anime. This is a very intense development, so you will inevitably watch it with bated breath no matter how many times you watch it.
The nine members of μ’s head to training camp
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All the members of μ’s practice together, but Honoka Kosaka suggests holding a training camp. The venue is Maki Nishikino’s villa, where Eli Ayase tries to remove the senior-junior relationship in order to strengthen their unity. Maki Nishikino has always looked at things from a distance, so at the training camp, thanks to the consideration of her two seniors, she is finally able to open up to them. At the same time, the training camp strengthens the bonds between the members, making it a great success.
A school festival live in the heavy rain
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The school festival concert is the best chance to avoid the school closing, but μ's will hold it in bad weather with heavy rain on the rooftop of the school building, which has the worst chance of attracting people. In order to achieve her biggest goal, Kosaka Honoka has been training hard for the school festival, and thanks to that, the first concert by the nine members of μ's was a great success. They were able to take a big step forward to avoid the school closing, but an accident occurred when Kosaka Honoka collapsed during the concert.
The price of preventing the school closing
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Although Honoka Kosaka became ill during a live performance due to overwork, her live performance at the school festival proved to be a success, and there was a possibility that the school's crisis of closure could be averted. Honoka Kosaka was relieved to hear this news, but Ayase Eli, who is also the student council president, saw the fact that the students had been put in danger as a major problem from the school's perspective. The decision was made to voluntarily withdraw from Love Live!, and feeling responsible for having given up on another dream of participating in Love Live!, Honoka Kosaka became desperate and said, "I'm quitting being a school idol."
μ’s unity becomes stronger
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Yazawa Nico was the one who strongly opposed Kosaka Honoka's statement that she would quit being a school idol, and the other members were also unable to accept it. Meanwhile, Minami Kotori has been offered the opportunity to study abroad, and after hearing Kosaka Honoka's statement, she decides to study abroad. The news did not reach Honoka Kosaka, and at the last minute she ran to the airport to stop Minami Kotori, where she confessed her true feelings that she wanted to continue being a school idol. Minami Kotori also suddenly canceled her study abroad and reaffirmed her desire to be a school idol, and μ’s came together again, creating a strong bond.
Love Live! Towards Participation
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The second season of the anime depicts how μ's managed to prevent their school from closing, and finally begins to move towards participating in the school idol festival "Love Live!". Standing in their way are A-RISE, who reign as the top school idols, and who have had a huge influence on μ's. Let's take a look at how μ's will struggle in the face of such a powerful rival.
A live showdown with A-RISE
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A-RISE, who had seen through μ’s’s talent as a school idol, invited them to UTX Academy on Kira Tsubasa’s whim. There, they proposed a live showdown, and μ’s agreed to the idea. A-RISE aims to boost the school idol industry, but they also want to crush μ’s, who will become their biggest rival, at an early stage. μ’s has been looking for a venue, so they are looking forward to being challengers in the best location on the rooftop of UTX Academy.
The three fall into a slump before the showdown
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They decide to compete in a live showdown with A-RISE, but when it comes to creating a new song, Minami Kotori (costumes), Nishikino Maki (composition), and Sonoda Umi (lyrics) all fall into a slump. They decide to hold a training camp at short notice, and try to get out of their slump by splitting up into groups to work on their respective areas. The story depicts the members working together, and the song that comes together as a unit is "Yume no Tobira," which wins the live showdown and moves them on to the final round.
Love Live! Direct confrontation in the final qualifying round
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μ’s will be facing off against A-RISE in the final qualifying round of Love Live!, and will be performing "Snow halation" at the illumination venue where the show will be held. A-RISE also competed with their specialty dance tunes, but μ's, who sang a winter love song, won the match, thanks to the atmosphere of the venue. "Snow halation" was born from Tojo Nozomi's desire to "write a song with all nine members," and there was no one who could stop μ's, who achieved results while fulfilling that wish.
μ’s rises to the top of school idols
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In the Love Live! finals, μ’s puts on a spectacular performance with their new song "KiRa-KiRa Sensation!" As a result, μ’s achieves their long-awaited goal of winning Love Live! With the great achievement of winning, and the excitement in the venue showing no signs of letting up, they responded to the encore by performing "Bokura wa Ima no Naka de." Speaking of "KiRa-KiRa Sensation!", it is the answer song to "Bokura wa Ima no Naka de," and the costumes are even more luxurious than those in "START:DASH!!," making it a song that can be called the culmination of μ's.
To make school idols more popular
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After achieving their two goals of keeping Otonokizaka Academy alive and winning Love Live!, μ's is asked to help hold the third Love Live!. To achieve this, μ’s has to fly overseas and answer questions from TV stations, leading busy days. The movie depicts μ’s new activities, their disbandment, and what happens afterwards, making it the final chapter of μ’s story.
μ’s performing overseas
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The 3rd Love Live! is planned to be held at Akiba Dome, which is 10 times the size of the venue where μ's won, and they ask μ's for help in making this happen. The plan is for μ's to be interviewed by overseas media, and they fly overseas to perform. The venue is decided to be New York Times Square, as Hoshizora Rin pointed out, because it looks like Akihabara, and they will perform their new song, "Angelic Angel," which was also the theme song for the movie.
After returning to Japan, they are met with a large number of fans
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After successfully performing overseas, μ’s looks very confused when they return to Japan and are met with a large number of fans waiting for them. Due to the overseas live broadcast, a massive μ's fever was spreading across Japan. Fans who rushed to the venue requested that μ's hold a live concert, and to fulfill their wishes, μ's decided to hold a large-scale live concert in Akihabara.
μ's disbands with the graduation of the third-year students
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The members were confused by the unexpected μ’s fever, and the original plan was for μ’s to disband when the third-year members graduated. However, the chairman of the board of directors asked them to continue in order to make the Love Live! Dome Tournament a success, and Kosaka Honoka thought about fulfilling that request, but after reuniting in Japan with a female singer she met overseas, she once again decided to disband μ’s.
μ’s became a legendary school idol
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After finishing their large-scale live show for school idols, μ’s officially disbanded after the live show. After all the members of μ's graduated from Otonokizaka Academy, third-year students Kousaka Yukiho and Ayase Arisa introduced the Idol Research Club and talked about the history of μ's. They were featured as legendary school idols in Love Live! Sunshine!!, and there's no doubt that the time μ's was active was something of a miracle.
Don't miss the stories of the members written between the lines!
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I've summarized my thoughts on the entire story of "Love Live!", but the stories of each member that exist within the whole are also a must-see, and this is also the reason why people are so obsessed with "Love Live!". However, even if you follow the whole story, there are many elements that you can notice from the second week onwards, and it is true that it is fun to want to watch it again and again. It is filled with various charms and thoughts, and above all, the trajectory of the girls drawn in life-size is sure to resonate with many people.
