Extreme Hearts

You've seen sports anime about teens who were new to the game, and you've seen idol anime about struggling idols. But have you ever seen an anime about an entire tournament of people who are bad at BOTH?

Because that's the concept of Extreme Hearts, both the anime and in-universe tournament. Our MC is a failed idol who joins a league of potential idol athletes where the common goal is to use the tournament's notoriety to go pro. Their world has pro athletes and pro idols without combining the two and adding weird unexplained technology, it seems like all players here NEED this tournament of losers ... to become successful. While this COULD be an interesting commentary on the entertainment industry and how fame and success is much more thanks to luck and marketing and riding a wave than raw ability, this is the seasonal garbage anime so none of that is here. Extreme Hearts is a fast paced tournament where its contenders must become pro in every sport and in music, which...isn't normally how attaining pro status and skill in anything works? Luckily the show absolutely refuses to show as much of the games and concerts as possible so we don't even see most of it to need to argue that they're good or justify why, and we also don't spend much time showing meaningful training to need to visualize the concept of improvement or strategy. And when we do...oh boy does it look bad. What isn't just a slideshow of still shots or narrated about without showing is incredibly poor. Most of the girls' games are won by a new team member entering mid game, surprising even the team. Which, sure let's say the first one already had the new players on the roster. The rest...didn't. How did they come in? And even then it's still usually clip show or a quick cut to the ending as if the anime is afraid to show it. What little is animated is very poor quality and unexciting though so I can't say I wanted more. In the final game of the tournament, we actually do show a large portion of the game and I found myself very confused and very bored wondering why we were focusing on it. Clearly nobody on staff was particularly interested in writing staging or combat.

So what is the point of Extreme Hearts? As mentioned it sure isn't the sports. Even the practice is montage and offscreen. So is it the idol part? That's a money maker. But the music is given even less time, with concerts glossed over or even skipped and mentioned in passing. Like with the sports, we also never show much practice despite most of the cast is new to music. If this is supposed to be an idol anime, Extreme Hearts does a miserable job at selling its idol waifus. Even their designs are the blandest most uninteresting girls I've seen in ages. Who would want a figure of any of these girls? Even within their own show, the main team Rise is very noticeably more homogenous, boring, and uninteresting than every other team they face. I understand simplicity for the budget's sake, but maybe you'd have more funds if you could expect anyone to want to buy merch of this show.

Ruling out sports and idols....the two things the show markets itself on...maybe the characters are interesting? But I'm sorry to say they're the most bland and forgettable roles possible. Even the word "archetypal" doesn't fit because that implies some level of interest to grab onto. Our MC is boring the point the final episode even has a discussion about how she's never been seen crying, or overtaken by laughter, or angry, or any strong emotion. Whenever shows have to justify how cool their character is by them being a blank slate, I have to ask...are you trying to convince yourself that's cool? Because I find it boring as can be. Meanwhile every girl that hesitates to join the team is because they're TOO GOOD at sports and hurt someone physically or emotionally and were shunned because of it. So they avoid the team until they learn ITS OKAY TO BE TOO GOOD. Other characters claim its an offscreen responsibility holding them back, or they have no hesitation at all. That's really...everything there is to these girls, and it doesn't even matter because after their intro episodes they fade into the background and have very few lines, let alone development.

So what does Extreme Hearts do with its run time if it doesn't focus on sport, idols, or characters? Honestly I'm not sure. I watched every single episode and every week it just felt like we were either stalling to avoid more exciting things, or we were rushing through events as fast as possible. I understand this show was clearly low budget in an era where we've been having many delays and issues. But this goes beyond adjusting to handle problems because fundamentally from the first moment nothing was working. The designs were bad, the writing was uninteresting, and the pacing was terrible. The show also fails to explore every concept it creates, from what it's Extreme Heart tech really does or how it works, or how much AI melds into society and how that functions, to even how these new hybrid sports idols function in showbiz that also includes actual athletes and entertainers. Whether it's a character beat, the end to a conflict, or a whole theme of the show, Extreme Hearts seems not only hesitant but downright unwilling to work with its own premise.

I have to admit, both idol and sports anime are not my particular favorite genre. While some are unarguably fantastic, I feel like these genres can let in even more forgettable trash than some others. However usually there is something about a pitch to latch onto, or to be disappointed about if it doesn't succeed. But Extreme Hearts is such a...nothing from beginning to end. I was bored out of my mind and resented the time I spent, but at the same time I never cared to begin with to feel let down. It really felt like nobody on staff wanted to be there, and so I didn't either. For a show about the rejects of the entertainment industry, they sure made a poorly entertaining show itself.

It's hard to grasp what Extreme Hearts is based on synopsis alone. It's not a sports anime. Nor is it an idol anime. And even with Sci-Fi elements, it's not a typical Sci-Fi series. And it's certainly not somewhere in between those three. This series is best described as a journey about challenging oneself and staying true to your own goals. It's about relating to others, forging new friendships, and it does so with brimming positivity, and a diverse cast of well-thought-out characters.

The story begins with Hiyori, an already debuted singer/songwriter with an extremely small following, and her kouhai, Saki. When Hiyori's contract is terminated, ... she sets her sights on Extreme Hearts, a knockout-style sports-festival for entertainers. The competition itself cycles through different sports, from baseball to basketball, and from soccer to rugby. Hiyori sets out to overcome these challenges, and with the help of her kouhai's friend, Sumika, prepares as best she can to face it. But she's alone, and the aforementioned sports are all team-based sports. Without the help of her friends, she won't get very far.

This series is never about the sports; the sport is the challenge. And it's not about having the most unique storyline. Nor the most realistic. In fact, it's filled with tropes. And the Sci-Fi elements are barely explained. If that grinds your gears, then you'll end up hating this series. But if you're okay with that and you're not heavily leaning into sports or idols, then you'll find a series that overflows with warm feelings and extreme positivity. It's refreshing and wholesome. This applies even between direct competitors in the sports festival. The various groups come together, help each other practice, and lift each other to new heights. It's wonderful and a gentle take on what life is all about.

I can easily draw comparisons between this series and Iwa Kakeru or Dog Days. If you liked those, you'll like this.

Extreme Farts.

Trying to explain the plot of “Extreme Hearts” to a person with functioning brain cells is like trying to run across the ocean which now that I think about it, is probably something a character in this show could do thanks to the sci-fi, cybernetic sports gear that enhances a person ability to do sports… somehow.
If I told you that aspiring idol groups compete in an extreme, ‘hyper’ sports tournament for a chance to get their big, music career-defining break, you might ask the question, “But why? How are those two things connected?”
The answer is; They’re not. Don’t think about it.

"Extreme Hearts" ... is equivalent to that episode of "The Simpsons" in which Homer tried to make a barbecue, but dropped all the contents to make said barbecue in cement and shouts “La Grill?” before smashing the contents to pieces, jamming an umbrella into the mess and accidentally selling off the disaster to a contemporary art collector. It’s a moé idol show combined with a sports anime which also has futuristic, sci-fi elements crammed in for good measure and no, in its current state none of those elements fit together in any way, shape or form.

However, it is weirdly charming. I did watch 8 episodes before asking myself the big question “What am I doing with my life?”, so it’s not like most other sports/idol anime where you can just drop them after 4 episodes from sheer boredom or mediocrity. The show doesn’t make any sense, but I like the characters(?), and when the animators can be bothered to animate it the action can be quite good. The tech the girls wear to enhance their abilities isn’t explained, the rules for each game don’t seem to matter at the moment, and theirs an entire industry dedicated to creating easily affordable moé sports androids to either compete in the sports or be the manager of a said sports team which isn’t explained, but after a while, you sort of say “fuck it” and run with it.

As stupid as everything I just said sounds, I do think in the hands of a better writer and animation team there is a possibility that “Extreme Hearts” would be anime worth watching. It is strangely entertaining for a while, and although the characters are a bit bland and predictable there is at least a skeleton of a good show hidden somewhere within. In its current form “Extreme Hearts” is not good (in fact it’s kinda bad), but it does get something that most sports anime don’t and that’s to make sports feel awesome so I’m going to give it a ‘good try’ sticker along with my rating.

3/10 Wasted Potential.

I’ve seen quite a lot of idol-related anime, and Extreme hearts was another good addition to the genre. I really do like the merging of sports and idols, and there are quite a handful of anime series that have done exactly that, from Pride of Orange, or Uma Musume Pretty Derby, where musical performances after a sporting event is done and it's still uncommon in that theme.

I am going to be real with you, if you’re not that type of viewer with a solid interest of those genres then you should look elsewhere, I tend to notice a lot of reactions are on the negatives ... because they expect it to be as comparable to what you see from a highly budgeted popular series, and unfortunately people tend to look too deep into something that is supposed to be just your simple and bare-boned anime show, which you should keep in mind.

Extreme Hearts isn’t the next Love Live, Haikyuu, or any other significant popularized mainstream of the genre, but it sure does enjoyably deliver well enough for the common target market who just wants to watch and enjoy an anime about Sports with Idols.

I, myself, see nothing majorly wrong with the show, like I said, despite what people may say towards Extreme Hearts being an idol cliche, low-budget in animation, and that it is “an overdid plotline” that tries to be different with these unnecessary sci-fi ideas, sure, there some truths to that. But at the end of the day, is the music good, yes, is watching the sequences of the sci-fi themed sports fun, yes, are the characters entertaining along with the commonly used plotline, hell yeah, it was enjoyable.

If you’re an avid fan of the genre seeking a new idol sports anime as they rarely come out nowadays, then I recommend it, as a guy who has watched over multitude of slice-of-life Idol shows, my experience watching Extreme Hearts was a fun one

An original, very diverse anime, a mix of sports, singing, dancing, show business, Idols, and Kawaii girls.
Football, basketball, baseball, volleyball, tournaments.
The intervention of very advanced technology throughout history.
Robots (AI), and the use of gravity shoes, allowing the people who wear them to influence the surrounding gravity, so as to be able to greatly strengthen their physical abilities (jumps, sprints, throwing, receiving, kicking , or punch).
All in color.
Beautiful girls, and beautiful songs sung.

The characters whose daily lives we will follow are all girls.
Despite everything, it's very pleasant to watch.
The settings aren't perfect, but the story, and seeing girls in the foreground more than makes up for ... it.
In addition, each of the girls will have their own stories, which will spice up the anime a bit.

I want to be clear as I write this review, that I do not think Extreme hearts is a bad show, more that it's not a good either. Not that it can't be enjoyed, but if you were to call anything mid, or low mid, it would be Extreme Hearts.

Story and characters: 5
You'd be foolish to think this was purely a sports kind of anime, when it's more a mix of that, and a idol like anime. Which is a very interesting combo, and I'd honestly say, the flashy moves during the first two episodes, do remind me of Galactic Football a bit. But a ... low tier version of it, not that they're not trying, it just doesn't really impressive the view with what it has, or least doesn't get past the point that you would be jumping out your seat, and recommending it to your family and friends.

It really shows with it's characters, they're pretty simple, and have relatable goals. A bit of good and bad point with them honestly. As they really do nothing to stand out, but they're still a nice bunch despite that, with many more to come. It's a good cast, but not great. Not that they need to stand out, while simple, they're fine on their own two feet.

But it's not completely bad, it's cute, has it's charming moments, and is uplifting for an anime. It reminds me of an anime for kids, where everything works for the heroes, or least it goes their way in the end, hard work, and team work work best, and you can over come anything. That kind of flavor. It's fits that niche super well, which it deserves credit for. So I can't down it completely, because it does it's job there. It's anime that's more kid friendly.If you're looking for something more action packed, best look elsewhere though.

Art and sound: 7
I'd honestly rate it nicely. While it's simple on the eye, but like most idol animes, the sound is always good. From the character sounds, and reactions, to how they sing too. But an extra few points do go to the animation of the special moves, they really do flow nicely, despite my negative points, I cannot fault that at all. While simple and being fitting, it goes along with the kind of show it is.

Extreme Hearts sounds cool, but is more kid friendly type of anime then anything more. If you're not really a fan of that, best look elsewhere, but if you're into a nice anime to watch. Then go for it.

Extreme Piss, the Queens (or rather, Princesses) of Hearts of a formula already done before, but that it is also subpar. People just don't learn, that's the hard-and-fast rule and unfathomable truth.

As I would like to call it, the now famous Uma Musume formula of involving sports and idoling, CGDCT style, it certainly has seen a major success incorporating such a genre that back then, didn't have a lot of competition. And CyGames definitely took advantage of that formula by being the first anime adaptation of their popular mobage game to do so, such that it was the precedent going forward. And many similar other ... tried to replicate this exact styling from the likes of "PuraOre! Pride of Orange" and now this show, but it's very clear that the concept didn't work out as it should, being a novel concept on paper but forgetting about everything else that came with it. And this is exactly what Masaki Tsuzuki, the creator of Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha and Dog Days did, that try as hard as he might to hope to make a splash, but like the useless Pokémon Magikarp that takes long enough to evolve into a Gyarados, this show couldn't evolve from having a now generic formula, with basically nothing unique to show.

I do love underdog stories, and Extreme Hearts' story plot shows a newbie group's rise to fame: Team RISE, consisting of team leader Hiyori Hayama, members Saki Kodaka, Sumika Maehara, Yukino Tachibana and Lise Kohinata, does feel just that. The always enthusiastic team leader, Hiyori has actually made a name for herself as a guitarist, but even with a solo debut, that's still not enough to break even. That's where her one and only fan Saki Kodaka comes in to persuade her not to give up music, for this competition/tournament for idol groups that's known as Extreme Hearts provides her another avenue to use her talents in a better way. Subsequently, with the rise of the team, comes more girls that bred from the necessity of evolving the team to greater heights: Sumika Maehara with her knowledge on Hyper Sports, Yukino Tachibana in baseball and last but not least, Lise Kohinata...in just making the team complete in numbers, that's all. That to me, screams inconsistency, though props must be given for having members that are of necessity other than just a want "because I'm a fan".

The other girls of rival groups, yeah...it's just how PuraOre! did the same thing to satiate the tastes to generic boringness, though there are some that I like. Case in point: the 2-member team Snow Wolf compromising of Michelle Jaeger and Ashley Vancroft, both dedicated to their craft of robot manufacturing and making the world a better place. It's just absurd how an even smaller side group like this ironically is my favourite team, though they ultimately become assistants to Team RISE, which isn't all that bad.

Honestly, director Junji Nishimura has recently been in a rolleroaster of shows that director-level or not, hasn't really been working things out for him. Being the director and one that has the most input on Mamoru Oshii's Vlad Love, it's a very unique take on the madman's creative side that however, just feels like it's a "style over substance" show. And most certainly as studio Seven Arcs's in-house director, shows like Bermuda Triangle: Colorful Pastrale really only cater to the kids style, and I'm left wondering if like Extreme Hearts, he's gonna screw up the upcoming anime adaptation of Mato Seihei no Slave (which the original source material is actually quite good). But I can only judge what he has now, and it's starting to feel like Junji Nishimura is feeling his ripe old age whom he is at the limit of making good decisions and leaving everything else to his production staff team. And truthfully, it is sad and a shame.

The OST...forget it, it's the same generic idol-ness that doesn't really stand out in its uniqueness, or might as well that I say that character-centric songs are somehow getting worse, at least it is to me.

I've already said this once in my PuraOre! review, but like a certain Touko Machida, Masaki Tsuzuki's writing prowess is leagues behind the times, and although the enjoyment may have sufficed with both Nanoha and Dog Days back in the day, Extreme Hearts is a comeback that honestly, it's better off without in its entirety. Just don't waste time on this show unless you have a penchant for similar shows like these that you'll enjoy, no matter its overall quality.

I believe it was Nico Yazawa who said an idol's job is to make people smile. This show ABSOLUTELY did that, and so much more. It has everything an idol anime needs, great characters you want to support and see develop, actual character development, rivals and competition and great drama, all to the backdrop of hyper sports with awesome OST work. If you're a fan of idol anime this is a must watch, and a true hidden gem in my opinion. I couldn't stop smiling and being invested in every story being told. The show paces itself brilliantly, never introduces too much too fast, and, ... oh yeah - the idol performances are great too!

It's a great anime if you like sport anime and idol anime,character that been use in this anime was very cute,to attract viewer,but i don't think it's a problem.

This anime has something that most people want to see which they play a lot of game and not just focus on one game only which was pretty interesting,unlike other sports anime which just show one sport only such as baseball,but this one are different and a masterpiece,only blind say it bad.

It's also including a lot of beautiful song,which was also a great thing as it was very great and even better than some anime idol(believe me,i ... already watch a lot)maybe it's not goosebumps but still fantastic.

It show about teamwork and hard work to achieve the goal that been made,it's also show to us the important of friendship in any situation especially during playing a game,in overall i can say it was a very great anime.

if you like a romance or killing anime or even guy as mc then get loss from here,SOL anime for a relax people Don't leave anything bad just because it doesn't stick with your mind,what guy mc can do that girl mc can't do?