Story: 8/10
The story follows a newly-formed idol group called Wake Up, Girls! and its struggles to gain recognition first in its native Sendai region, and then in all of Japan. The story is truly one of this anime's strongest points. Unlike IM@S, in which most of the girls seemed born ready to be idols, the WUG girls each have their weaknesses, past histories, relationships, and other problems to deal with and overcome before they could truly become great idols. Even up to the last episodes, it was not a happy-go-lucky, rainbows-everywhere type of story.
Of the 3 idol series, the struggles of WUG are the harshest and most realistic. Moreover, throughout the series there is the looming threat of the I-1 idol group, the best group in the nation that is clearly superior to WUG in almost every way. Our protagonists have to overcome this threat, which is much more menacing than any antagonist in the other series. As such, the viewers can really sympathize with the girls and the burdens on their shoulders.
Note that there is a movie out that explains the origins of WUG, but the movie is only supplementary; it is not necessary to watch that before watching the series.
Art: 5/10
The art is honestly the biggest flaw of WUG. Compared to IM@S and LL, the dance animations are mediocre at best, and it was clear the animation budget was not as big as those of its rival shows. It didn't help that the character designs were not very unique, either. This might have been the show trying to keep the character appearances as realistic as possible, but ultimately it was a detriment to the series, as it was very hard to keep track of who was who when every girl looked the same.
Sound: 7/10
With a catchy OP and even better emotional ED, the music of this series was solid. Unfortunately, maybe due to the budget yet again, the song variety could not match those of IM@S or LL. There were maybe 4 or 5 songs tops in the series roster, and for an idol anime, that is not a very impressive number. But what songs are there were very well put together.
The voice acting was great as well, and despite the fact that none of the girls (to my knowledge) was a big name veteran, great performances were delivered.
Character: 8/10
Like I said in the "Art" section, the characters' physical appearances are not particularly appealing. Regardless, the character development of each of the girls is another great point for WUG. Unlike IM@S, which seemed to either breeze through each of the girls in an episode or less, or LL, which focused mostly on the 3 main girls, WUG tries its hardest to give each of the girls a proper backstory, a unique personality, and relatable struggles. In the end, not all of the girls are equally developed (some get a lot more screentime than others), but characterization was pretty well done compared to IM@S and LL. It really helps that there are only 7 girls in the group, as opposed to IM@S's dozen or so.
Enjoyment: 7/10
The series has its ups and downs in terms of enjoyment. Seeing some of the girls' dreams broken and their dignities abused made me cringe at times. But all that just made their triumphs all the more satisfying. Overall, I personally greatly enjoyed the series, but I can see how some people won't enjoy this series as much as other idol anime. It's not as sunny and optimistic as the other idol series, that's for sure, but that is what will contribute to WUG's appeal for some people.
Overall: 7/10
If you have been wanting to get into idol anime, but found IM@S and LL too flowery, colorful, and optimistic, then WUG is perfect for you. Its realism and its ability to make you feel for the characters make this a very good entry into the idol genre.
If, on the other hand, you watch idol anime purely for the dancing, the animation, and the music, then this series may not meet your expectations. Its animation and character design are sub-par in comparison to those of its competitors (IM@S and LL), and the music is not the catchiest, either.
But ultimately, I believe that of all the idol anime released so far, WUG has the most soul and the best realism, and for that alone, it is worth checking out.
___________________
If you liked this anime, I recommend The IDOLM@STER, Love Live!, and AKB0048.
