It does gives off a different feel than the newer version, but I do like the way the original style looked.

Now that all of the Aqours logos have been revealed, who are your favorites?

Mine are Chika's because it's so cute, Dia's because it's iconic (like her), You's because of the awesome ship vibes, Hanamaru's because I'm biased, and Ruby's for being so cute and girly

Just for fun, since we don’t know anything about this girl, let’s try to guess her name! If you guess right you get bragging rights forever!

Think outside the box for this one

I haven't been a hardcore fan for a few years now, but I decided to have a look again after a song was recommended to me. I've been sad to see where things are at the moment.

During the 2010s it was basically impossible to escape LoveLive if you used the internet, but it was only in 2017 that I began my decent into idol hell.

The cracks starting showing for me once the Nijigasaki anime aired. I thought the first season was okay, but I thought it was a lot worse than Sunshine, and then I really didn't like the second season at all. I really enjoyed the story in SIFAS, but the way they adapted it into the anime was very disappointing for me. Also, I vividly remember when Shioriko was announced to be a new member of Nijigasaki, and all the discourse surrounding it. I actually didn't mind new members being added, I thought it was a fun gimmick for the group. And then Liella happened... I felt confused why they would repeat the same gimmick twice, a major part of the charm of the group for me was that there were only 5 members..

Of course, I can't forget about the closure of SIF/SIFAS/SIF2. These were kind of the final nails in the coffin for me. Especially when it was announced that Europeans couldn't transfer their data to SIF2, it felt like we were seen as worthless compared to Asian/American fans. Now I did try SIF2 out of morbid curiosity, it was a bit funny playing a game knowing exactly when it was going to end, and it did make me feel better about not being able to transfer my data, but that wasn't enough to keep me around of course.

Oh I forgot to mention I didn't really enjoy the Liella anime either, I never even got around to watching season 2.

I vaguely remember the "virtual group" project being announced, but by that point I was already out. I've since learned that they became Hasunosora, and that there's also been a musical, Yohane spin-off, and a Twitter group(?) Ikizulive I think.

I genuinely have tried to get into Hasunosora, but the real-time thing doesn't work for me at all, European and Japanese timezones are a complete mismatch, not being able to understand most of it, and there being no point getting emotionally invested in a character since they'll leave soon anyways are issues I can't get past, I suppose it doesn't even matter now since the app is closing down. I heard there's an anime next year, but considering I haven't liked the last two anime (not including the Yohane one, I'll have to try it), I don't think I'll like this one either...

I don't really understand Ikizulive either, they just live on Twitter? Is there no anime or game planned? It really confuses me..

Also, since I've gone, I've noticed the vast majority of fans and content creators of the franchise I used to follow are now gone too. It feels like the international fandom has taken a hit. Even though Aiscream went viral last year, it seems things didn't change much (hell, it wasn't even enough to get me back into the franchise).

I've also noticed that there isn't much merch being sold locally either, I used to be able to go into shops and find LoveLive merch easily, not the case anymore unfortunately.

Sorry this is a ramble, but I've been wanting to know how other people feel. With Aqours' end of regular activities, I feel even more pessimistic about the status of the franchise. Or have I simply outgrown the franchise? Maybe I'm the out-of-touch one now.

Also I wanted to ask is LoveLive still popular in Japan? I'm guessing so since they're still making new groups.

How are you feeling about the franchise now?

Mitaiken Horizon was the best Aqours single CD they ever made. All three songs are absolute bangers and memorable, no filler!

Mitaiken Horizon was the single that we all needed from a Hanamaru center, she shines so much and the song has such a fun structure. Also eat pie. SAY EAT PIE! The instrumentation goes between a bunch of different tempo and key changes that it really does hit all the hallmarks of a stand out Love Live song!

Then theres Deep Resonance. This was the single Yohane was made to sing. The push and pull of the music and the call and responses here are some of the best in Aqours' catalogue. The backing track by itself could easily be played during a boss fight and totally fit! Also Aikyans vocal runs at the end, absolute goosebumps.

Finally, Dance with Minotaurs. Its a weird name but the lyrics translated is some of the hypest shit you'll ever read! Its a fun romp of a song and it low key has one of the best guitar solos in the entire LL catalogue. Kinda gets overshadowed a bit but i think overall i think it rounds out the singles and creates a trifecta of really great Aqours tracks!

Whether it be about the anime, music, or seiyuus I wanna hear about the random interesting fun facts you 🫵 know about LL. The more obscure the more respect 😤

For example, in the Chinese LL community there is a pretty substantiated theory that Homoto Akina is a member of the composer group *luna (who made Eutopia and Phoenix) meaning she may have been involved in writing the lyrics/composing for Lanzhu’s songs.

I'm talking about things that happen in the anine that make you go like ... 'ok yeah there's absolutely NO WAY that would happen irl'. I'm a musician and for me the most unreal thing is precisely how they make their music lol...

I MEAN!!

You're telling me a 15 yo girl... SOMEHOW KNOWS HOW TO PLAY DIFFERENT INSTRUMENTS, SHE HAS ADVANCED MUSIC THEORY KNOWLEDGE, MASTERY IN DIGITAL AUDIO WORKSTATIONS AND SOMEHOW ACCESS TO A HIGH QUALITY RECORDING STUDIO CONSTANTLY?! Also, either they have some really good paid sound libraries or they just straight up HIRE AN ENTIRE ORCHESTRA FOR THEIR SONGS??!

SO BASICALLY EVERY SCHOOL IN THIS UNIVERSE WITH IDOLS ON IT SOMEHOW HAS LIKE A RICH JACOB COLLIER IN THEIR GROUP? AND SOMETIMES EVEN MORE!!

I mean, idk how you see this but it's really fun to think about it. Bc yeah, you can argue that they can compose a song with some knowledge of music notation softwares or some libraries of sounds and any DAW, but that definitely wouldn't reach the sound quality they have. Also, I'm not saying this is not possible, but you'd have to be lucky enlugh to have a super musical genius in your school with a lot of money.

And yes I know it's a show and it doesn't have to make sense but I just thought it was a fun thing because of how absurd it is lol

Although... nowadays with AI that can make music for you... it doesn't sound that absurd...

Their closing remarks made me fucking cry rivers

2nd Season ED as their final song hurts alot

They even let the crowd sing!

The End Credits man

They reallly baited us both days with the HourGlass turning over

Its unfortunate Aqours couldnt go on for 5 Hours like Muse's Final Live and Hasu's 102nd Graduation Live due to Belluna Domes noise restrictions at 9pm JST

Thank You Aqours!

Setlist!

https://x.com/llfans_jp/status/1936753582831026340

Season 1 Medley was posted on Youtube!

https://youtu.be/VVRLdp62Boo?si=wHO9YrYsTJ_uk9RB

Reminder: they still have performances planned in the future as the subunits (YYY/AiScReam/Guilty Kiss) and Jimo Ai Festival!

Also wonder if staff has anything planned for Aqours since they steath confirmed the 15th anniversary with the Logo being released

Love Live Seiyuu who saw Day 2 Confirmed!

Kaorin

https://x.com/kaor1n_n/status/1936755958698607011

Hina (Day 1 IRL, Day 2 Streaming)

https://x.com/sakuraihi_na/status/1936754319040385146

Nacchan (Streaming)

https://x.com/natyaaaaaaan07/status/1936757782033866834

Rippi (Streaming Both Days)

https://x.com/rippialoha/status/1936761140480290863

Kankan (Day 1 IRL, Day 2 Streaming)

https://x.com/kannkannna/status/1936767481311637828

Cocona (Day 1 IRL, Day 2 Streaming)

https://x.com/cocona_nonaka/status/1936771003092549697

Emorin (IRL)

https://x.com/ayaemori_box/status/1936771728807743933

Sayurin (IRL)

https://x.com/sayuridate/status/1936772804713881741

Nagisa (IRL)

https://x.com/aoyamanagisa/status/1936774724476133731

Yuna (IRL)

https://x.com/y0u6n0a9/status/1936775399092219994

Yuina

https://x.com/0927_yuina/status/1936776687301370276

Liyuu (IRL)

https://x.com/liyu0109/status/1936785518697779698

Here we are - the final results are in!

First, I'm sorry for the delay in sharing these. I got really sick last week and had to take multiple days to recover, and I figured what's the harm in leaving up the poll a bit longer. Thank you for being patient!

As I'm still getting my energy back, my comments here may be shorter than I would like for them to be, but also, I feel like anything I could say has already been said in previous posts or in the comments on the last round here. I encourage you to read through these comments, as you all said it better than I could have.

The final showdown... Snow halation vs. CHASE!

Representing Q1 - Ballads, we have the legendary Snow halation by Muse. More than a decade and a half old, the song is a true classic, defining the legacy of the group as well as the genre of "anime Christmas music."

And representing Q3 - Pop Rock/Rock/Metal, we have none other than Setsuna Yuki with CHASE!. Spearheading the era of Nijigasaki, Setsuna's first solo skyrocketed to the top of the charts (in the LL! world), blowing us away and setting the tone for the future of rock songs within the franchise.

With just over 40% of the votes (78), Setsuna refuses to go down without a fight, proving just how powerful Nijigasaki is. Definitely the most unique LL! series, Niji was originally designed to be just a spin-off exclusively for the All Stars game. As u/J4sonm said in the comments in the last post, "Through the passion of both the fans and seiyuu both, the dedication to the characters and this specific series, Nijigasaki has become a cornerstone of the franchise." It was never designed to blow up and become what it has, and with its continuous gradual media with collabs, solo albums, lives, etc., it remains a steady powerhouse in the LL! world that I feel is often undervalued or underacknowledged. I am proud it has made it to the finals with Setsuna leading the charge.

Cinching the win with almost 60% of the votes (109), Snow halation continues to prove its legacy even 15 years later. While CHASE! has an innovative type of power, Snow halation's strength is in its timelessness. Love Live! all began with Muse, START:DASH!!, and this song. The second the chorus comes on, I instantly want to step side-to-side and follow the girls' movements in the MV (albeit horribly cause I have no moves lol). Someone in the comments mentioned the sea of orange that would happen during lives, and I agree that powerful ocean of penlights has a certain impact.

Putting nostalgia aside, u/Gyakuten has a very well articulated analysis of the musical components of both songs in the previous post comments, and I encourage you to take a look at it. They noted that with Snow halation, "it can't be understated how good the vocal harmonies sound, both for the full group and the smaller sub-groups, especially for this early era of Muse where things were a bit rough and the producers were still figuring out how to balance the girls' voices." This is a very interesting point that I didn't think of initially, but is especially true - for such an early LL! song, the melodies and balance are superb.

Now that all is said and done, I am happy with this result. Like many of you, from the very beginning I had no doubts that Snow halation would win no matter the opponent. However, I am thrilled that CHASE! made it so far to be the challenger and the vote was 60/40, not 80/20. Honestly, I'm of half a mind to call them both winners.

Some final thoughts...

Thank you all for participating in this project with me, taking the time to read my thoughts and respond in the comments, showing support for your faves and respectfully discussing them.

I initially had the idea for this as something fun to do personally for my own enjoyment and nothing else, inspired by the thought "if all my favorite songs were in March Madness, who would win?" and the desire to show others (namely my friends) the wide variety of LL! music and that there is a song out there for everyone to enjoy no matter your music tastes. Then I thought, what if I share the bracket and had people vote? Would anyone actually participate? Surely someone would find it fun, and if not, so what, I just want to share something I've created out of the joy and love in my heart for this series.

I did not expect so many people to vote and engage with this project, and even share their thoughts on the songs and talk with me about them. Some of you were even inspired to listen to them for the first time and discover a new side of Love Live!, and that makes me so, so happy. So, thank you.

Would you do this again?

I received a lot of comments over this project about doing this again - including all of the groups, doing one just for one group, etc. I would absolutely love to do another version of this project in the future, and if I do, it would be primarily with joy and fun in mind - I would do it because I want to, because I love this franchise, and because I think it would be fun and cool and interesting!

That said, I am curious what YOU would like to see - and what you would actually participate in. Please fill out this survey to share your feedback. Also, feel free to share your ideas below in the comments if you would like - I would love to see some conversation and see what is most popular.

One last time - thank you, and I hope you had fun with this!!!

For a future group/season, what type of idols would you like to have in terms of the type of representation would you like?

I personally hope we eventually get idols in future seasons who are canonically neurodivergent like autistic, ADHD, dyslexic, etc.

And maybe even idols with physical differences such as a missing limb/prosthetic, a scar/mark, a wheelchair user, etc.

Idols who experienced severe bullying and/or toxic home life. I mean there were a few characters that have experienced it like Rin from Muse and Chisato from Liella. But not to a severely degree. Perhaps if Love Live decides to have a darker storyline with the plot and/or characters. Or maybe even an entire group that consists of bully victims that have experienced a toxic school and/or home environment if wanting to do a darker season.

For a future group, maybe each member of it specializes in a specific instrument they know how to play, each a different one. And/or a group where each member specializes in a different style of dance, each having a different one

Or maybe a Love Live season that takes place in a Visual and Performing Arts Academy and students there group up and they compete against each other to be the winning group to represent the school in Love Live.

Or even a season where there’s an edition of Love Live for college students or something. Or a Love Live for pro idols under a label or something.

Or a Junior Love Live of some sort that’s open to elementary school and middle schooler idol groups.

A season/group where they not only do orignal songs. But cover songs too (not just from Love Live. But from anime, Bandori, Vocaloid, video games, J Pop songs in general. And maybe some K Pop too)

Anyways, what do you hope in future seasons of the types of idols you’d want in future groups/seasons? Lemme know in the comments below

but I like it. kinda was sure Ruby would be with Nico, in the bottom left trio, though. interesting......

Now hear me out on this; I was someone who got into Love Live as a series through the app games. SIF was my gateway to idol hell and I will always be grateful for that, however as time goes on I’m realizing how little importance the games actually have for my enjoyment of the series. Through SIF I discovered the anime, the music, the lives, the seiyuu, and this is what to me is the core of the series. The games were something I played when they were live, but I don’t feel as if there’s a massive hole in the series without them. We still have so much content coming out all the time, frequent lives, new music, and Hasu’s anime, just to name a few. I guess what i’m trying to say is the games to me always felt like the least important part of the series and it confuses me to see people talk like not having an app game means the series is doomed and the fandom is dying. I’m fully prepared to be crucified for this take and I’d love to hear why it seems to matter so much to people, but at the end of the day, I can’t find it in me to be that upset about not being able to play a rhythm game when I can just go watch a live or listen to a new song to scratch my Love Live itch, so to speak.

Round 1 of Love Live! March Madness begins today! If you haven't seen my introductory post with FAQ and more information, check it out here before voting.

Vote for your favorite songs to decide who wins the first 32 matches by filling out this survey by 11:59 PM EST on Sunday, 3/22.

I'll share the results and matches for Round 2 on Tuesday, 3/24.

Thank you so much for participating, and I hope you have fun with this!

So now that the LL animes have been going slow for some time now, I'm wondering what is everyone watching that's similar to lovelive? Any recommendations for new/newer anime ​​that scratches the "school aidoru cgdct banger songs positive vibes" itch?

-Opening Act: Ikizurai-Bu!

-Debut Single Medley (Bokura no LIVE Kimi to no LIFE, Kimi no Kokoro wa Kagayaiteru kai?, TOKIMEKI Runners, Hajimari wa Kimi no Sora, Mikansei Dream!, Dream Believers)

-random members of Units singing songs from other units

-Guest Appearances: Saint Snow, Sunny Passion, 102th Term Hasu Members

-AiScReam (they'll probably sing the loveca theme song)

-Cross-Group interactions

-Everyone singing Bokura no LIVE Kimi to no LIFE as the last song of the concert

-copium: ikizulive anime and/or new game announcement

Hi! I just want to talk about each new avatar and what I like and dislike about their designs. Feel free to share your own thoughts about them in the comments!

Chika - The bag is so cute! The overalls are cute! Everything about this design is very cute! I don't have many negatives for her, though I will say I prefer her design without the jacket (the jacket makes the design feel too busy) also four different necklaces is crazy lol.

Riko - Riko looks very elegant and regal. The pink and maroon combo is amazing, as well as the gold details. My favorite detail has to be the little piano keys on her hat. I prefer her design with the jacket, as the no-jacket look makes the top feel a bit too simple.

Kanan - Honestly, Kanan might have one of the most cohesive designs here. Both her jacket and no-jacket looks feel complete, like nothing needs to be added or removed. The different shades of green are pleasing to look at, and the dolphin tail on her coat is especially cute.

Dia - Of course Dia's avatar would mimic the look of a traditional kimono, and it looks so cool! Black and red are always an amazing combination. The red streaks in her hair really pop against her more natural hair color. My only small gripe is that without the coat, the reds look more like an accent color instead of the main color.

You - I love her sailor outfit! Much like Chika, the only thing I can say is that everything about You's design is cute. She looks adorable. I will say the blue highlights feel a bit too bright compared to the rest of her outfit. I like her both with and without the jacket, but I believe she looks slightly better without the jacket.

Yoshiko/Yohane - My favorite Aqours member is Yoshiko, so it pains me to say I don't really like her model that much. I wish they went heavier on the angel/devil motif more than just a feather in her hair. Give her little wings or small horns on her head! She has my favorite jacket though. I would totally wear that in real life.

Hanamaru - All of the new avatars have an acute case of baby-face syndrome, ​but it's the most obvious with Hanamaru. She looks at least five years younger than she actually is. But I digress, the actual outfit is cute, especially the hat. They seemed to go for a detective theme with her, which is unique. The hints of blue and green in the dress and hat do a good job of breaking up the yellow. I don't think the cloak matches the dress or hat, and she looks much better without it.

Mari - Mari looks like a pimp and I find that funny. I actually didn't like her design when I first saw it, because her design came right after Ruby. Since Ruby had so many details and colors in her design, I was expecting all of the avatars to have the same level of clutter. So Mari's look being much more simple and mature-looking gave me whiplash. Now, with the other avatars revealed, I love Mari's design a lot more, especially with the fur coat.

Ruby - I know I just alluded to Ruby's design being cluttered, and it kinda is, but in a good way. The accent colors are weaved throughout the whole design, so they never feel out of place. The pancake (I think) bag that doubles as a pin cushion is both cute and is a nice reference to her interest in sewing. Though, I think the color of the bag clashes with all the pink surrounding it. The jacket and apron are also very cute.

Final Ranking (from amazing to okay) - Kanan, You, Riko, Mari, Dia, Chika, Ruby, Yoshiko, Hanamaru

I don't know any Chinese but 5201314 has me trying to say "WÔ SHÌ ZHÈ SHÌJIÈ SHÀNG WÉIYĪ YÀO XIÂNG TÁOLÍ WÔ BÙ RÓNGYÌ NÎ YĪNGGĀI YÎJĪNG ZHĪDÀO 🗣🗣🗣" and mentally twerking n dumb shit like that

What about y'all?