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AKB0048 (Anime) add (All reviews)
Aug 13, 2021
AKB0048 represents everything I love about anime, and I have yet to find another show that matches it for sheer enjoyment. It conjures a setting that is objectively absurd, takes it completely seriously, and uses it to communicate a simple but powerful message: music and joy are powerful enough to change the world. This show leaves you feeling like dreams matter, that hope is everything, and that teenage girls are capable of anything they put their minds to.

You aren't supposed to take the setting seriously, and the absurdity of it takes on a kind of deadpan humor I really enjoy. Despite being so odd, this show actually does do a great job of portraying the world and its internal logic in a way that makes idols performing guerilla concerts in mechs genuinely seem like a sensible and heroic thing. The characters all have a believable and interesting mix of personality traits, and even though there are so many of them they all feel like tangible people with their own motives and goals. The balance between the idol and guerilla warfare aspects of the show is also done really well, with neither ever overshadowing the other for too long - and both are executed equally well. The music is catchy, the concert fight scene visuals are like candy for your face, and the character designs are unique, adorable, and weirdly badass.

This is the kind of story that could only ever be told through animation, and it's done fantastically. Just don't take it too seriously and you're in for a heck of a ride.

(This review is for both seasons.)
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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