While it’s definitely a very anime-y take on stage acting and not the most realistic, Dai star shows us just how competitive the top acting troupes can be and takes us along on a journey to become a professional actor. It was one of the most under appreciated shows of the season as well.
If you’re anything like me, you probably know very little about theater. While not an expert after this, I feel like I could at least have a conversation with someone about it now and have a newfound appreciation for the medium thanks to the lengths this series goes to in order to teach you about the business aspect, the hard work that’s required and the pressure of being an actor. It’s no Oshi no Ko, but it is a really fun and cute experience.
The main strength of this show lies with the characters. I think Kokona and the other girls are really interesting. Seeing their various motivations for wanting to succeed was nice, but I particularly liked the multitude of approaches to acting. Everyone’s acting style is an extension of who they are as people. This manifests itself in the form of “senses” which are basically superpowers that the best actors have. Allowing them to fully lose themselves in the scene and script. The different abilities were fascinating to me.
The relationships between characters were satisfying as well, particularly between Kokona and Katharina, the two main rivals in this show. All of their interactions were fun and they pushed each other to new heights as actors. I loved seeing Kokona grow over the course of the show from a timid and mediocre actor to one capable of taking on the biggest roles in the biggest projects. Her emotional development feels natural and rewarding.
This show has some of the same staff who worked on idoly pride involved as well, and if you’re at all familiar with Idoly Pride, you know it had some of the best animation for its idol performances. Same holds true here. The character motions are buttery smooth during the acting scenes and really engrossing.
I think if you’re looking for a new CGDCT to watch or just want to learn more about stage acting, this is a really good option. Story is not going to blow you away, but the animation and characters are great. It’s certainly worth a shot. Sad this is ending, but looking forward to the gacha game.
Dai-Star gets 8, out of 10
