Shine Post

This series is shocking on three fronts: It's shocking because I didn't expect to like it, let alone LOVE IT; it's shocking due to its overall quality; and it's shocking because no one seems to be talking about it.

TL;DR: If you like idol shows, you'll love this. If you DON'T like idol shows but appreciate well-written characters and realistic drama, you should absolutely give this a chance despite the subject matter. This is a DRAMA SERIES ABOUT IDOLS, not your standard "idol show," and the distinction is an important one.

ART: It's incredible. It's like the character animators are fighting for their lives. Every time the ... characters are onscreen, they're drawn with these little animation flourishes absent from even some of the big-budget shonen titles dominating recent seasons. It's one of the prettiest anime I've seen in ages. Even the CG parts (limited to the dance numbers) are cleverly masked with 2D elements, blending nigh seamlessly with the rest of the series.

STORY: I'm not an idol fan as a general rule, but this series isn't (strictly speaking) and "idol series." It's ABOUT idols, sure, but at its core, this is a coming-of-age character drama about anxiety, confidence, dreams and drive. If you're like me and you typically turn up your nose at idol series, this one might be the exception. I know it's MY exception. The drama (which is gentle and not overly "dramatic") carries this series, as do the loveable characters and subtle writing. I'm rooting for all of the characters, and the ones that seem one-note or thin at the outset all get their moment to develop, grow, and ultimately shine.

MUSIC: It's an idol show. There's music and singing; that's part of the gig here. But the music is very nice, and as of "Yellow Rose," WOW. I'll be humming these songs for weeks.

I've seen so few people talking about this show online, and it's wicked depressing that this series is likely being overlooked due to the idol element of what's otherwise a truly solid character drama. In the end, I didn't expect to write a review of this series, much less such a positive one. I'm enjoying so many series during the Fall 2022 season, but this show might be my unexpected fav of the season. I just wish others would give it SHINEPOST a chance to sparkle like the hidden gem it is.

One of the best parts of the growth of the anime industry is the influx of idol projects we’ve had in the past few years. Seemingly every season we have 2-3 really solid ones including some really special ones recently. That said, I think Shinepost is the best new idol project we have had in the past few years, easily. Studio Kai managed to do something that idol studios struggle with, craft a compelling story and realistic nuanced characters.

On the surface Shinepost seems like your run of the mill idol show with cute girls, some catchy songs and nice performances, but where it sets itself ... apart is its character development. All of the girls had mini arcs that fleshed them out, explained their motivations and backstories, revealed things that they’re hiding from the others and showed them getting over their insecurities. What I liked most is that the reasons for their insecurities are all very realistic and their overcoming those issues felt very logical and organic. The girls feel like actual human beings which is kind of rare in a genre where girls are often personified tropes. In real life idol groups are often filled with people who have insecurities and project a false sense confidence. This show takes you behind the scenes of things like that and really gives you a new take on the genre.

I found all of the mini arcs to be extremely engaging and seeing everyone overcome their difficulties was awesome. The show really went from good to great for me during the last 3 weeks or so. Haru’s arc was the best and rightfully saved for last. The rivalry between TINGS and Hy:Rain, while tense, was really fun and the performances over that stretch were awesome. Well choreographed, fluid animation and some absolute banger songs, could not ask for more out of my idol show.

If you are even at all considering Shinepost, it’s likely because you’re a fan of the idol genre, if so it’s a no brainer to check the show out. Between the performances, characters and heartfelt moments, you will not be disappointed. I actually had no idea that Shinepost was a LN prior to a few weeks ago, so I am hoping that the LN does well enough to give us more seasons or maybe gacha games so I can stay in this awesome world.

Shinepost gets 10 mics out of 10.

Paripi Koumei idol group version???

Idol shows are generally regarded as a niche market with a small target audience. Many people dismissed this show as a typical idol show, including myself, who would never have had the opportunity to watch this hidden gem of a show if I hadn't noticed the show's slow and steady rise in rating as the weeks passed. I definitely enjoyed the show more than I had anticipated.

Right away, the idol group TiNgS was on the verge of disbandment due to not being able to attract even 100 patrons to attend the show in the previous 9 months, and a manager ... named Naoki was tasked with assisting in attracting 2000 patrons for their upcoming anniversary concert in three months in order to call off the disbandment. Calling in the manager and saving an idol band sounds cliche, but there's a twist here, with Naoki wanting to be anything other than the idol group's manager. He has a reason for not wanting to be a manager, which was explained in the show, and his refusal to be their manager threw the group off. This is how the show started and the initial premise, which didn't have the it factor to attract viewers, including myself, but things only got better from there.

As the episodes progressed, we learn more about the idol group, their origins, such as how they were recruited, and the stories behind each and every character, how they were influenced and essentially the reason they wanted to become idols linking to the very same idol, named Hotaru, the similar fate they shared, and how the group they're in is basically their last stand to either achieving stardom or giving up the idol dream. Some may argue that this show incorporates tearjerker and dramatic parts to entice viewers for no apparent reason, but the drama in and of itself is necessary because it is what makes the story more engaging, teaches us more about the characters, their backgrounds, why they chose to be idols, and everything else that entices viewers to tune in for the next episode eager for more. The story is one of the more engaging idol show stories, and it is the show's hook that draws in viewers, as even non-idol fans will enjoy this series. The soft but not overly-dramatic drama effortlessly carries this series, as do the likeable characters and subtle writing, as we can't help but cheer for all of the characters as we see their chances to develop, mature, and finally shine on the big stage. The finale was well-executed, and it was a welcome relief after the group's ordeals.

As for the music, given that this is an idol anime, one would expect the show to excel in that department, which it did. I especially liked Rio Seibu's solo, which left me speechless, astounded, and made me want to cheer and root for her even more, and when combined with her personality and traits, propelled her to the top of my list as the best girl in the series.

In terms of the characters, one could argue that each character has a trope that the show used to portray them in comedic and wholesome moments, but that doesn't stop them from being likeable and relatively well-written, which the viewers experienced firsthand when we learned more about them. Their accompanied VAs did an excellent job voicing the character archetypes these idols represent, which is not surprising given that the show's selling point should be its sound.

The art department, in my opinion, is the weakest link in the show and could use some improvement. I couldn't get used to the art style they used in the show, but it is not really that big of a deal. The show did, however, deliver in the animation department, with the blending and incorporation of 2D and 3D being very smooth, as well as the dance choreography being very good and the dancing being well-animated.

Would I recommend this show? HELL YEAH! This show definitely caught me off guard. I wish the show could gain the recognition it so rightfully so deserves. 🙏 :PRAYGE:

Idol shows are a dime a dozen, they are EVERYWHERE! From the Love Life! series to whatever you can think of being a fan of said genre with its many companies and subsidiaries. But more often a times, they can range from the songs to the drama that just serves as plot device to the overall main product. Such is the case with last season's Extreme Hearts from the creator of Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha being somewhat of a letdown being a subtle but mediocre character-driven story that sadly, reeks too much of the counterparts (a la PuraOre! Pride of Orange) that did the formula ... better, but not by much. Instead, it's shows like CyGames's Uma Musume: Pretty Derby franchise that provides the distinction that atop of its horseracing-cum-idol premise, it is a full load-down of its character-driven drama, and this season, it's Shine Post, Konami Digital Entertainment and Straight Edge's mixed-media project that boasts almost as much observance and excitement as it could get for an IP that pretty much only exists in Japan.

Despite the premise being oh-so-repetitive towards the idol genre space, the one thing that will bug you is how eloquent the character writing is that it's so distinguished and well-thorough. Well, that's because even though Shine Post is a multimedia project, it got its start being a light novel series, written by Rakuda and illustrated by Buriki. And if you're the AniManga industry insider nut that I am, you'll know that these 2 people got their start with the now famous Bench-kun harem rom-com that is OreSuki. This will immediately tell you that Shine Post MEANS business, and it does not goof around with its character-driven story and realistic drama that's just as tightly controlled and enjoyable as it is in OreSuki. If you're the type of person that ABSOLUTELY hated how saturated the idol genre is now, Shine Post is the anime for you to deviate the setting for actual, greatly concocted characters that'll make you think twice about watching idol shows that have both style and substance to boot, and little of that usual fodder that maligns the genre to this day.

Shine Post tells the story of an up-and-coming new idol group called TINGS, made up of 5 girls and stylized by their family names: Kyoka Tamaki, Momiji Ito, Haru Nabatame, Yukine Gionji and Rio Seibu. Out from the cusps of forming yet another idol group to saturate the idol scene even more, it's Manager Yuki Hinase and her ideals of "one's a company, two's a crowd, three's a party". And since more girls can be given their opportunites to be a Shine Post, why not take the plunge? As we all know, being amateur idols is one of the toughest moments because you have to start somewhere, and unforunately for these 5 girls, their spirit of camaraderie and teamwork got off to a wonky start due to distrust and fear of reprisal. That's where the new manager Naoki comes in, the distant cousin of Manager Yuki, and someone who has the ability to see people shining when they lie. Yeah, you think that that angle was weird to see people shining, but in formality, the somewhat unique trope actually works. Also, TINGS didn't start out as the 5-member group that they did, but in yet another stylizing methodology in the form of TiNgS, representing the fallout of members that arose with that same distrust angle (I shall not spoil this since it's something worth noting). While the 5 girls are new to the idol business (except one of them), Naoki is too, and he doesn't really know how to be their manager since his cousin Yuki just threw the job at him, leaving him to his own devices of how he wants TINGS to operate like a an actual professional idol group. But still, he took the plunge, knowing that with proper counselling and advice, he would lead the group to new heights, starting with achieving a 2000-people strong annivesary concert that will make or break (or rather, mold or disband) the group that only achieved at most, double-digit turnouts. And within the heartcries of a group that is immensely struggling to stay afloat, there comes one: leader Haru Nabatame's dream of people like her being idols, being the shining guideposts a.k.a Shine Post, to embrace idols as they are.

Knowing Rakuda's exquisite writing ability in OreSuki also should give you an idea that everyone's journey into becoming idols are immensely different yet present their own sets of challenges as well like tough terrain. Some like TINGS's leader Haru Nabatame has for a part of her whole life, knacked into the idol industry with her friends who become one as well with the dream that they would debut and serve alongside each other to the fullest degree, while others like Kyoka and Rio have to start from scratch and learn from whoever's leading the charge at their own know-how. The amount of drama in Shine Post is so realistic, it doesn't try to sugarcoat anything and instead "BAM!"s you in the face about how tough the idol industry is, and the need to push and grow obscenely fast because one slip, and the world moves on without you ever knowing. This is the harsh life being an idol, and there's nothing but advancements as the days passes by, already planned to the next concert. And this is incredibly hard to be a Shine Post. In that stance, Haru's story is the full package here, and it'd be my due diligence to have you watch the anime as it covers practically the entire show's rhythms.

Shine Post's production didn't skimp out either, and instead it embodies the entire idol setting to make it as grand as it could be. This is thanks in part to director Kei Oikawa, who he has helmed the Uma Musume: Pretty Derby anime adaptations of its now 2 seasons under P.A Works and Studio Kai, and knows well enough on what make idol shows work the charm. The latter holds much regard since it's the studio chosen to adapt this idol drama series, and I'm ostensibly glad that Shine Post got the Uma Musume treatment of a high-quality production that highlights the same exact tones with what Uma Musume Season 2 has been laid upon. So, it's experience that makes Shine Post look the way it is: as grandiose with lustre and eye-popping visuals to look the cut. Even the CG moments can feel worrisome, but in Shine Post you can rest easy because they too look great. Same goes with the songs, from the OP/ED and the OST, you can be assured that they also sound just as good from a star-studded staff team behind the scenes.

With so few numbers following this show, I'm actually surprised that it never caught on towards the general audience, most possibly so because it's an idol show on hindsight, and I can already see the numbers dwindling because of that alone. However, Shine Post is the perfect example of defying expectations while using an almost universal premise to execute its objective. Ultimately, as Anatole France quotes it this way: "It is in the ability to deceive oneself that the greatest talent is shown.", in the exact same way, we got deceived by Shine Post thinking that it'll be the same-old, same-old, generic idol series, when in spirit and in truth it doesn't feel that way and has a certain charm that sticks on you from the get-go.

If there has to be one idol show that stands out in the unlikeliest of situations, it's gotta be Shine Post. And I can finally say for certainty that Shine Post is THE idol show that I can recommend to those not to keen towards the idol genre. It's a cult following, but I'm glad to be part of that cult, it's the idol show to end all idol shows.

First up I am really happy that one clip exploded onto the whole Anime Social Media Community, this show would most likely never gotten as much attention as it has.

In this Anime you are immediately introduced to some very fun Characters you think you've completely seen through within the first few minutes but discover as you watch that you weren't even close to understanding them.

I was extremely impressed by the writing of this Anime, a less talented team couldve easily made this a 5/10 show. The way different obstacles were presented and the way they have been dealt with really sometimes makes you think ... "Hey, that might just be what I should do to fix xyz in my life"

I genuinely belive if you watch this show with an open mind you can grow significantly as a person and learn some valuable lessons... Or I mean you can just watch it because you saw cute girls dance in Instagram :)

Wow i really like the anime
animation was great
character were really good looking
Only one this comes in my head why is this anime didn't get that mush popularity it has a really good story and plot i really enjoy this anime and giving it a rating i didn't even think twice it's a 10 out of 10
i really didn't hope for the anime to end like this i wish i can see more...really wanna know what happened next i wish we will get another season of this great anime. tho mostly i don't know anything about dancing...somehow i still enjoy this anime. I espiceally like ... the girls but other characters were also good....what can i say ima boi

Don’t Lie-dols.

“Shine Post” is one of those shows that will be criminally underrated and overlooked except by those who like idol anime. It’s very rare to find idol shows which actually puts into perspective the struggles of being an under appreciated, over shadowed idol group with a metaphorical mountain to climb until said group can hit the big time, but “Shine Post” delivers a surprisingly nuance take on the idol story without having to rely on the moé-moés and kyun-kyuns to fill in the gaps were personalities should be.

That’s not to say the moé-moés and kyun-kyuns aren’t present, this is an idol show after ... all. Haru, Rio and Kyouko are cute, funny and having some incredibly good comedic chemistry, but their character arcs are focused on ridding themselves of their buried negative emotions hidden behind their idol personas, and to face their bottled up anxieties, imposter syndromes and envy towards one another in order to become the best idol group they can be (and also to avoid being disbanded by their agency because their fan base literally consists of 37 people).
That job is left to their new, reluctant manager Naoki to help them achieve that goal. A man who is well aquatinted with the industry and just so happens to have the ability to tell when a person is lying via a gold fart cloud they let off when telling a porky-pie. Thanks to this he can really get to the heart of each girls problems and find a way to force them to confront their issues whether they want too or not. It’s an effective way of creating drama that gets straight to the point without having to beat around the bush sitting through friendship tensions slowly and inevitably breaking because they refuse to talk to each other about their problems.
This leads to some really well written and emotionally grounded character arcs. Kyouko and Rio’s arcs especially are very relatable if you’re someone who's ever worked as a performer and their struggles feel very human. Unfortunately, the third arc -Haru’s arc- loses it’s grounding and goes into soap opera cringe territory with characters over-acting to scenarios that are honestly, not all very relatable or realistic. It sort of goes ‘light novel’ with its drama. However, you’ll notice I didn’t say “*sigh* light novel” despite this arc because I still think this anime is great.

Speaking of great, the production itself is phenomenal! Not only is the art visually very appealing, but the animation is as smooth as butter. The song and dance numbers are all hand animated with hints of digital animation to help with some camera shots instead of the girls dance routines being cgi mocapped and it is genuinely impressive to watch. The jarring switch you get with shows like “Love Live!” isn't present here which is so rare for an idol anime.

“Shine Post” is a real rarity among the idol anime genre. I don’t think it will blow anyones socks off pre-say, but it’s genuinely solid production and voice acting, likeable characters are worthy of praise. It’s third act has issues, but it’s not a deal breaker and I really enjoyed watching the idol group ‘TiNgS’ face their problems and rise to be the musical force they were always mean’t to be. A dark horse of the 2022 summer season.

8/10 Great.

Shine Post is a very tough nut to crack. After the first 2 episodes I rated this show 4/10, which might make my current overall rating very surprising. I'll try my best to keep this as spoiler-free as possible.

STORY (6.5/10):
Here's the thing that makes Shine Post hard to crack. The story is both disappointing and surprisingly pleasant at the same time. Shine Post has an amount of depth I wouldn't expect from an idol show, but it's one of those shows where the depth can easily go unnoticed until you learn more about the past. The story is still predictable, but having depth that connects ... everything together into a sensible and meaningful story is something that many shows do poorly at, therefore Shine Post deserves the praise for doing so.
Most of the story revolves around the characters and their problems with confidence and anxiety with the ultimate goal of becoming stronger together to reach their goals and dreams. That makes the anime interesting to a wider audience, as you do not need to be an idol fan to enjoy a show like that.
The story is also further supported by decent comedy in the form of your everyday funny over the top reactions, screams, noises, characters bouncing of each other, etc. I should also add that this comedy is further supported by brilliant voice acting, but more about that in the characters section of the review. In most cases it's nothing groundbreaking, but there were a few really good moments. The light comedy makes this show pleasantly chill and enjoyable.
So then, what's disappointing about the story? This show has a Supernatural tag and the synopsis talks about Manager-kun's remarkable ability to see the shine of someone who is lying. The first few episodes even give quite a bit of screen time to him and his past and show off his ability. But if you expect a lot from this interesting twist, you'll likely be a bit disappointed. If you look at the Characters list, Manager (Naoki Hinase) isn't even listed as a main character. In short they're making a big deal out of something they then barely utilize.

CHARACTERS (7.5/10):
The characters are decent and likeable. Each of them has some kind of a character trope that serves as a tool for comedy and wholesome moments, but none of their personalities are too outstanding on the spectrum of anime character personalities. They're just very nice, energetic, motivated and entertaining young girls chasing after their dreams while facing their own problems.
What I would like to highlight is the quality of voice acting. In general, voice actors in this show are doing a pretty good job. But there is one absolute highlight that solocarries the VA aspect of this show to another level - and that highlight is Natsuyoshi Yuuko's amazing job at voicing Seibu Rio. Her capabilities as a voice actor are used really really well and fit the character and behaviour of Rio astonishingly. It's not perfect, but even the occasional lows are still voiced pretty well. On the other hand, the highs are really, and i mean really high. There are multiple moments of all kinds, be it wholesome, funny or cute, where Rio's voice takes the slightly wholesome scene and makes it one of the cutest most wholesome things you've ever heard, takes a barely funny scene and makes it very funny, or blesses the show with random cute noises that even sound like the perfect fit for Rio's character. Truly an outstanding performance worthy of high praise.

ART (7.5/10):
Character design is decent. Some of the characters are fairly unique, some a bit more generic, but in general the art looks good.
The quality of animation is usually very good. Dance choreography seems very good too and the dancing is well animated, except for one thing - I do have a problem with CGI. However, that is more of a general rule for me and honestly the CGI in this show is fairly well masked and bearable. Luckily they pretty much only use CGI for background crowds and to assist the dance numbers.

MUSIC (8.5/10):
Let me start with the boring part - OSTs are utilized pretty well to set the mood, although I feel like they were a bit too loud in some scenes.
Now for the performances and theme songs. I'll keep it simple just to give you an idea, as music taste very much differs from person to person anyway:
Opening (Wonder Starter) - Great, banger. Feels like a pretty typical idol song, the instrumental sounds nice and is accompanied by very good singing that fits it well.
Ending 1 (Palette Girls) - Very interesting, sounds pretty nice and unique. It's nice to have variety, especially with an instrumental and singing of such quality.
Ending 2 (Ippo Mae no Sekai) - Great, banger. On par with the opening, this time once again something very different. Gotta say that variety is definitely not gonna be an issue with this show. While slightly lacking in how good the singing is compared to the opening, this song makes up for it with a really well made light eurobeat instrumental. And a good eurobeat is something I'll take any day.
Ending 3 (Yellow Rose) - A beautiful modern ballad once again adding to the variety that this show provides.
Insert 1 (Sweet Surrender) - Honestly don't like this one, but it should be noted that this is NOT a TINGS song. This is the insert that plays at the beginning of EP1. The chorus is decent, but overall a very underwhelming song.
Insert 2 (Be Your Light!!) - Pretty good. Just doesn't feel as rememberable and outstanding as the OP and ED2

To give a little bit of a summary - Shine Post is a surprisingly enjoyable, albeit in some ways slightly disappointing, idol show that provides great music, very good dance choreography, incredibly wholesome, cute and funny moments and a story that doesn't require you to be an idol fan to enjoy it. Overall I rate this show 7.5/10, leaning towards 8. If you're going to try this show out, don't forget to pay attention to how well Rio-sama is voiced. It might not strike you at first, but you should know what I mean once you encounter one of the "highs".