Love Live! Sunshine!!
| Company type | Multimedia project |
|---|---|
| Industry | Entertainment, Anime, Music |
| Founded | April 2015 |
| Founder | Dengeki G's Magazine (ASCII Media Works), Lantis, Sunrise |
| Headquarters | Numazu, Shizuoka , Japan |
Area served | Japan, North America, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand |
Key people | Kazuo Sakai (anime director) |
| Products | Anime series, music CDs, manga, video games, films |
is a Japanese multimedia initiative jointly created by Dengeki G's Magazine of ASCII Media Works, the music label Lantis, and the animation studio Sunrise. It represents the second installment in the Love Live! franchise and serves as a spin-off sequel to Love Live! School Idol Project. The narrative centers on nine female students who become idols to save their school from shutting down. The project began in April 2015, initially releasing music CDs and anime music videos, with a manga adaptation following in 2016.
The television anime series, directed by Kazuo Sakai at Sunrise, broadcast its first season from July through September 2016, and its second from October to December 2017. These seasons are officially licensed for distribution in North America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand by Funimation, Anime Limited, and Madman Entertainment. Additionally, an anime film titled Love Live! Sunshine!! The School Idol Movie: Over the Rainbow premiered in Japan on January 4, 2019.
A related spin-off anime series named Yohane the Parhelion: Sunshine in the Mirror was released in June 2023.
Plot
Set in Uchiura, Numazu, Shizuoka, Love Live! Sunshine!! follows the story of Uranohoshi Girls' Academy, a coastal school facing closure and a planned merger with another institution. Motivated by the success of μ's, Chika Takami establishes a school idol group called with the goal of competing in the increasingly challenging Love Live competition to save their academy.
Characters
The following character descriptions mainly refer to their portrayals within the anime series; variations may exist in manga and novel adaptations.
Aqours
- Chika is a second-year student who leads Aqours. Inspired by μ's, she initiates the group to prevent her school’s shutdown. Her family owns a traditional inn featuring ocean-view hot springs. She also acts as Aqours' main lyricist.
- Riko, also a second-year student and former attendee of Otonokizaka Academy, is Aqours' composer and skilled pianist and violist. After relocating to Numazu for creative inspiration, she overcomes her fear of dogs during the storyline.
- Third-year student Kanan is Chika’s childhood friend and manages her family's diving equipment store. She serves as Aqours’ chief choreographer and is recognized for her athleticism and maturity.
- Dia, a third-year student council president from a prestigious family, is an avid fan of μ's. She coined the name "Aqours" and fulfills the role of the group's strict yet nurturing member.
- You is an energetic second-year student aspiring to become a ship captain like her father. She designs and coordinates Aqours’ costumes, reflecting her enthusiasm for uniforms.
- Yoshiko is a first-year student who adopts a chūnibyō alter ego known as . Welcomed by Aqours, she contributes a distinctive personality to the ensemble.
- Hanamaru is also a first-year student hailing from a traditional temple family. Renowned for her vocal abilities and fondness for modern technology, she shares a close bond with Yoshiko.
- Mari is a third-year student with an Italian-American hotelier father. Known for her lively demeanor and tendency to mix languages when speaking, her family sponsors Uranohoshi Girls' Academy. Despite being a student herself, she holds the position of school chairman.
- Ruby is Dia’s shy younger sister in her first year and one of Aqours’ youngest members. Although living near the sea, she cannot swim and struggles with androphobia. Her motto , reflects her determination to persevere.
Saint Snow
Originating from Hakodate, Hokkaido, this idol duo acts as friendly competitors to Aqours.
- One half of Saint Snow, serving as Aqours' rival.
- Sarah's sibling and Saint Snow partner, whose aspiration to become school idols was influenced by A-Rise, mirroring Aqours' motivation drawn from μ's.
Others
- The eldest sibling of Chika and head of the Takami household.
- Chika's middle sister and the second-born in the Takami family.
The Love Live! Sunshine!! manga, authored by Sakurako Kimino with illustrations by Masaru Oda, began its run in May 2016 within Dengeki G's Magazine. The inaugural tankōbon volume was published on September 27, 2016, with three volumes available by March 2018. The English-language version is distributed in Malaysia by Kadokawa Gempak Starz.
On June 30, 2016, ASCII Media Works released a 160-page fanbook titled Love Live! Sunshine!! First Fan Book, featuring character profiles, original manga content by Sakurako Kimino, and a cover illustration created by Yuhei Murota.
Anime
A 13-episode anime series produced by Sunrise, directed by Kazuo Sakai and scripted by Jukki Hanada, aired from July 2 to September 24, 2016, with simulcast availability on Crunchyroll. Licensing for North America was secured by Funimation, for the UK by Anime Limited, and for Australia by Madman Entertainment. Funimation began streaming the English dub on July 30, 2016. The opening and closing themes—"Aozora Jumping Heart" and "Yume Kataru Yori Yume Utaou"—were performed by Aqours. Bandai Visual issued limited-edition merchandise inspired by each episode as "memorial items."
The series' second season broadcast from October 7 to December 30, 2017, featuring opening and ending songs "Mirai no Bokura wa Shitteru yo" and "Yūki wa Doko ni? Kimi no Mune ni!," both performed by Aqours. The final episode reused "Aozora Jumping Heart" as its opening theme. In 2018, this season ranked as Japan's top-selling animated series on DVD and Blu-ray with sales totaling 330,102 copies. The franchise expanded with an anime film titled Love Live! Sunshine!! The School Idol Movie: Over the Rainbow, which debuted in Japan on January 4, 2019; its English dub followed on February 25, 2020. The original cast and production team returned for this film.
Announced on June 26, 2022, a fantasy-themed anime spin-off emerged from fantasy artwork featured in Love Live! Days, spotlighting Yoshiko as the protagonist. Initially presented as an April Fool’s prank, it was later confirmed officially. Produced by Bandai Namco Filmworks, the project is directed by Asami Nakatani with writing by Toshiya Ono, character designs by Yumiko Yamamoto, and music composed by Tatsuya Katō. The series had an early premiere on Abema on June 25 and officially launched on July 2, 2023 across Tokyo MX and other channels. Aqours performs the opening theme .
Video games
In January 2016, it was announced that Aqours would be incorporated into the Love Live! School Idol Festival rhythm game app starting July of that year. This update introduced new storylines, songs, and collectible cards including R rarity cards added by KLab. By June 2016, characters Chika and Riko were featured in regular in-game events. A spin-off titled Love Live! School Idol Festival All Stars, including Aqours members, was released in September 2019.
In 2017, Hanamaru Kunikida became the new mascot for Puyo Puyo, succeeding Rin Hoshizora. Alongside μ's, Aqours appeared in the doll-themed game Puchiguru Love Live!, launched on April 24, 2018 for Android and iOS platforms; however, it ceased operations on May 31, 2019.
From August 9 to August 21, 2018, all Aqours members took part in a crossover event with the mobile RPG Granblue Fantasy, named . Characters were grouped into teams based on their school year and could be obtained through event narrative or material exchanges.
A side-scrolling action game, , developed by Inti Creates, was announced in June 2023 and launched in Japan on November 16, 2023 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and Windows.
Music
Aqours consists of nine members, organized into three distinct subunits: CYaRon! (Chika, You, Ruby), Azalea (Kanan, Dia, Hanamaru), and Guilty Kiss (Riko, Yoshiko, Mari). Out of their singles, seven are accompanied by anime-style music videos, whereas two feature live-action footage showcasing the voice actresses themselves.
Saint Snow independently releases singles and music videos, with some tracks also included in Aqours' singles and albums. Together, these two groups combine to form the collaborative idol unit known as Saint Aqours Snow.
Reception
In 2018, Nick Creamer from Anime News Network evaluated the first season. He observed that although the storyline recycled components from the original series, it successfully developed a "genuinely imperfect" ensemble and presented a narrative with greater "emotional depth." Creamer commended director Kazuo Sakai for preserving sharp visual humor and unique character personalities while enhancing the quality of CG dance sequences. He ultimately regarded Sunshine as a valuable continuation of the Love Live! franchise despite its familiarities and imperfections.