THE iDOLM@STER is my favorite franchise in the entire world. So pretend to be surprised when I say that I had fun with it. It was nice getting to see 765Pro again and to finally get properly acquainted with the Million Live branch... or at least moderately acquainted. Taking my iM@S Glasses off for a second and openly admitting that this show was rushed to heck. I can easily recommend all the other iM@S anime series as introductions to their respective branches, and even feel like they hold up as standalone experiences for someone who wants to get into THE iDOLM@STER. But I cannot recommend Million Live to any newcomers to the series. There's 12 episodes and 39 idols. 52, if you count 765Pro. It was never going to work out.
I had fun with it because I was already somewhat acquainted with these characters and this setup. And everything I witnessed was enjoyable. I just DESPERATELY wanted more. As someone who finally got attached to the other branches through Starlit Season, I was really hoping to get more time to learn about the Million Live members other than the 5 who were in Starlit... guess which 5 members the show is primarily focused on, all throughout...
The animation shined most during the stage performances, as you'd expect. Again, I don't think this show needed to be entirely 3D. It didn't ruin the experience for me, but I definitely think it wouldn't have hurt to have just gone the 2D route, like the previous shows did. The music is great, obviously. Added a lot of new favorites to my iM@S Playlist. I wish I had more to say about it, but it just... ended so quickly.
It really seems like these anime adaptations are just meant to be extras for the pre-existing fanbase, rather than serving as an alternative option to tell these character's stories and for getting new fans into the franchise. And that's EXTRA frustrating when you consider the fact that all of these characters and their stories are linked to a mobile game that's destined to shut down someday, whereas an anime would be the perfect opportunity to preserve these stories for future generations... I wish they got as much time and attention as 765Pro did with their anime, but I know that Namco doesn't really need to put too much effort into an anime, since its far from their only source of revenue when it comes to iM@S. As a pre-established fan, of course I had fun with it. And if you just want a quick, cute show with lighthearted interactions, perhaps you'll still find enjoyment out of it. But as someone who isn't fully knowledgable or experienced with the Million Live branch, I cannot in good conscience recommend this show to someone as an introduction to Million Live, nor as a substitute for checking out the game. My ranking is very generous, since I love iM@S to death, but I completely understand if others would rank this lower than I am.
7/10
Dec 27, 2024
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