Minster122

When I tell people to watch this show, they tend to brush it off because it's an idol anime. Because they think it's going to be typical reverse harem show. Then I get them to watch just the first two episodes and then they're addicted. Story: 9/10 It's not the usual "I have talent, I'm going to be an idol" plotline. Rather, nothing actually goes smoothly for these precious boys. The story likes to throw a lot of stuff at you and then only solve a few of the questions you have. It's kind of frustrating since there are plot lines that you would like to seediscovered but are never explored (until later in the game). But most of the anime is dedicated to the struggles of the group as a whole and builds up harmony and relationships. It's pretty down to earth for an idol anime and although there are cliches, they build off the cliches instead of leaving it unaddressed. Art: 9/10 What more can I say? They all look SUPER pretty. It's an idol anime afterall, can't have idols without prettiness. It's not perfect since it's got some spotty CG in there, but most of it's pretty well done. It was just a bit jarring with the switch between animation and CG. Sound: 10/10 Great soundtrack. If you don't find yourself humming along to the songs, it'll usually end up stuck in your head later. They originally had some great songs, but then added in more anime original songs to keep even the fans of the game happy. The voice acting is also superb. Each voice actor does an amazing job at making the characters sound natural and like their own selves. They really seem alive rather than a character in a show. Character: 10/10 There is no way you will not love every single one of these characters. Sure, you'll have favorites, but even characters you start off disliking will worm their way into your heart. Each character is surprisingly profound and is developed throughout the show. Heck, even the manager is given character development. Sure, some more then others (there are a lot of characters. They can't fit it all) but each has their own charms. Each person has their own set of struggles, but watching them influence each other and themselves gives you a strange sense of hope. THEY'RE ALL PURE I TELL YOU. PURE TO THE SOUL. Enjoyment: 9/10 Each episode seems pretty short even though they're the same length as usual. They like to end each episode with cliffhangers, which sucks, but it'll have you on the edge of your seat at all times. Some of the events are predictable, but each reaction from the cast will have you laughing one moment, crying the next, and some moments of outrage because WHY DO THEY NEED TO GO THROUGH THIS? I've loved IDOLiSH7 since the game released two years ago. I'm so happy to see it's getting so much love and support. Color me biased, but this franchise has a lot going for it. And it's not just because they're pretty to look at. The amount of love the creators also put into the series is conveyed easily to the amount of character building and world building that is evident in the series. Not the usual reverse harem, but bros and girls alike should be able to find something they enjoy about this series.

axel360

IDOLiSH7: More than just some pretty faces I'm going to start off by saying I am absolutely not this show's intended audience. Not only am I a guy, but I have never watched an idol anime. I do realize the good-looking anime boys are at least the initial draw for a lot of its fans, but I wanted to try to answer the question: is it worth watching even if you have no such interest in the show's eye candy? The short answer? Yes. The long answer? Well, I'll get to it. Story: 8 The premise is relatively straight-forward. You have 7, for the most part, strangers throwntogether to create the next big boy band, IDOLiSH7. If you think that sounds generic, you wouldn't be totally wrong, but the beauty is in the details. The band's attempt at glory is not a story of instant-success by any means. At one point they literally perform in front of a crowd of single digits. You can feel their struggle as they reach for their collective goal. And as they do start to gain some bit of traction, you can see their fanbase slowly growing and taking this ride with them. Throughout the show, a young fan is shown watching them on TV every chance she gets. She tries to explain the appeal to her family and is clearly emotionally invested in the success of the group. It's these little things that make the journey a little more special. It's not just about them, but their fans as well. Art: 7 Now moving on to the art. It's a very colorful show, that for the most part I found aesthetically pleasing. And I'm not the person to ask, but I think female fans will be satisfied with guys in the show. Obviously being idols, they're all easy on the eyes. There is a fair amount of CGI scenes, which are rarely great, and while it wasn't bad by CGI-standards, the character movements never look as natural. Sound: 10 The sound was really outstanding. The voice acting was quite good, both in the comedic and more serious scenes. And obviously, with it being an idol show, the music is very catchy and will probably get stuck in your head at some point. Character: 8 Not only do all 7 have their own unique personalities, but each has their own specific reason for wanting to become an idol. For the most part, their reasons are fairly compelling, and certainly not as shallow as "I want money and fame". The show does a good job at setting the stakes for each individual, making it much easier to root for them. It also helps they are a likable, and often colorful, bunch. Personally, my favorite was Nagi Rokuya. He was consistently entertaining. (Shocking, I like the giant anime nerd right?) The main female character, their manager Tsumugi Takanashi, I thought was a decent character, even if she rarely stole the scenes she appeared in. She's clearly a newbie that was still trying to prove herself, but she also provided a positive presence to the show and you really felt like she cared about the band members as people. And of course along the way, you have the "rival" band. In this case it is Trigger, the trio that has already made it big so to speak. What strikes me is when they're first introduced, I was pretty sure I was supposed to dislike them, but as the show progressed, we got to see more of them and realized they weren't really the villains of the story. They were just human beings that happened to be where IDOLiSH7 wants to be someday. The head of their talent agency is another story. This show has a lot of likable characters, but he was not one of them. He plays a bigger role in the season's latter stages. I don't want to spoil anything, but he was a history with the head of IDOLiSH7's talent agency. My only small complaint might be regarding the characters is there was a little too many for my taste. It's just a personal preference, really. I'd rather have a smaller cast that I get to know really well over the course of the show. And one minor observation regarding the cast; it was pretty obvious the male characters were made to appeal to female fans, but I don't think their characters were as one-dimensional as you see when it is reversed, like in a lot of these harem and/or "waifu-bait" shows directed at guys. The IDOLiSH7 boys were treated as actual human beings, not simply eye candy meant to sell merchandise. Enjoyment: 8 I did enjoy the show. Maybe I didn't get emotionally attached to any one character, but it was a fun bunch. The music was good, and the story was simple but effective. I do think you'll probably enjoy it more if you're crushing on the male characters, but it's certainly a good enough show to enjoy if that's not the case. Overall: 8 IDOLish7 was a pleasant surprise. I have very few bad things to say about it. Like I said, I know I'm not the target audience, but I wanted to provide another perspective and share my thoughts and feelings with you guys. Thanks for reading.