Let’s do it a little differently this time.
Since I already reviewed the first season, my scores for the music and animation are basically the same. The story is also pretty much the same as in the previous season, and there are no new characters, so my scores only vary a little.
So since I don’t want to repeat myself over and over again, I’ll do a short review this time, only naming the most important things in one go, while adding the scores at the very end of my review.
If you haven’t watched this season yet, this will also give you the advantage of not spoiling yourself, since you can just view my scores at the end of the post. With that said, let’s get right to it.
Since the girls didn’t manage to get into the Love Live competition last time, the main goal this time doesn’t change, making entering the contest their first big step. The problem however will not only be competing against A-Rise, last year’s winners, they first have to manage to get through an even bigger obstacle. Three of the nine members are already third-year students, which leaves the group with not even one year in the same school together. So while preparing for the Love Live event, and while struggling to win against all the other groups, they have to struggle to keep their own group from falling apart in the first place.
So far, so good. Thanks to that little twist, despite how predictable this was, the story of this season earns some extra points in my eyes. The stages they go through on their journey are done pretty well, and I have to admit that even though I only like three of the nine characters, I actually started feeling all of them, especially during that one episode in which basically all of them start crying on the beach. Even though I don’t like admitting it, it was pretty sad to watch, though no tears were shed in my case (actually, I just don’t want to admit it).
Furthermore, it’s noteworthy that this season did a way better job at giving all of the characters the screen time they deserve. The focus is not solely set on Honoka, Umi, and Kotori. Well, at least not all the time. Rin, for example, has her big chance to shine, we get episodes focusing on Nico, Nozomi, and all the others feel way more important, in general. It’s definitely a nice change, especially since Honoka gets on my nerves pretty easily.
Like mentioned above, I don’t have anything to say about the animation, but I guess I have to leave a few words about the music. >All in all, it doesn’t change much from season one, but there is one song I’d like to mention that I feel was simply way better than all the other songs by any of the groups. What I’m talking about is Shocking Party by A-Rise. This one is the only one that really got stuck in my head, and I can’t resist putting a really great remix of that song right in my review. If you liked the song, please check this out, it’s awesome!
Lastly, let’s also talk about the yuri undertones in this season. Unfortunately it doesn’t really change from what we saw in season one, though there are a few things noteworthy. I’m pretty happy that in this season, Nozomi x Eri finally gained enough awareness to hopefully stop all the Eri x Umi supporters from not only pairing Eri up with the wrong member, but also from pulling Umi away from her actual partner that is Kotori. Oh, I can already feel the glares of all the Eri x Umi supporters on my back, but I’ll just ignore it and list my personal OTPs instead:
Eri x Nozomi
Umi x Kotori
Nico x Maki
Rin x Hanayo
Honoka x Tsubasa
See? Everyone is paired up now, and no one has to be alone. Still, feel free to tell me how you’d pair them up. I’m open for anything as long as you don’t go against my OTP, Eri x Nozomi. 😛
Finally, here are my final words about this season: I guess you could say that it’s a big surprise that I actually started watching the second season, especially after what I said about the first one. I assume that it’s all Eri and Nozomi’s fault, since those two are just irresistible for me. Also, it would be quite unfortunate if I couldn’t fully enjoy all the doujinshi about them, only because I didn’t watch this season.
I guess those are my two reasons why I still watched it, but in reality, deep within me, I actually enjoyed the first season too… well, somehow…. This time, however, I can honestly admit that I enjoyed watching it, because this season is simply better than the first one. The characters are (mostly) more enjoyable than they were before, and since my OTP had some more screen time, I guess I also had an easier time just accepting all the things I still don’t like about this show. What I’m talking about here is mostly the performances, which I just skipped this time. I know I should have done so from the very beginning….
Characters: 7/10
Animation: 7.5/10
Sound: 8/10
Yuri: 3/10
Total Enjoyment: 7/10
YuriReviews and More 
Dancing, dancing, non-stop my dancing~ I bet if they had published this remix, A-rise would have won (and not the boring J-pop songs by μ's…).
Anyways, I feel the same way in most points (except that Nico x Maki gets on my nerve *cough*), season 2 was definitely more enjoyable than the first one.
I also have to thank you because you helped me to stay awake with this entry 😛
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This remix would have won the competition for sure~
And who showed this to me? Hmm I wonder who that great person was? 😛
Also, are you commenting while still in university? 😛
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I hardly remember anything from this season, so I'd say I still prefer the first season, just because it stands out more for me.
That song is good. I didn't really realize I liked it until it was in your (totally unfair) quiz. 😛
And I'd pair up Maki x Nozomi x Eri x Umi. Yup, Maki gets her very own harem! 😀
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Yeah, good question 😛 must be a really great person 😛 (even so why did you link the fake version, I'm sure that I sent you the version uploaded by the artist himself…)
Exactly, but unfortunately, I still fell asleep for several seconds 😛 so please make more entries when I'm at university so that I can distract myself from falling asleep 😀 (just kidding, but you're a great help anyway)
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I was looking for it for like half an hour and I just couldn't find it, so I settled with this one, and now I'm too lazy to change it, damn it 😀
Wait about 5 more days and I'll post a new one 😛
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Totally unfair? I pretend like I didn't hear that, since you're just a sore looser when it comes to my challenges 😀
Maki x Nozomi x Eri x Umi?! NO, just NO!
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Despite your shenanigans, I was still able to beat it. The first 60 tries didn't count though. 😀
Maki's not a girl, not yet a woman. She needs the freedom to figure out what she wants and doesn't want. 😛
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Your OTP-s is kinda the same with me. We are in the same side regarding that Eri x Umi pairing, i'm against it as well. But oh, there was this one doujin that actually can shake my belief about eri and umi pairing, JUST because their art. And the story is kinda cute too. NOOOO
Check it out :
http://dynasty-scans.com/chapters/rely_on_me_more
And, i must have been fallen in love with their art.
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I needed one minute to find it o_o and why didn't you ask me 😦 now I'm kinda feel useless ;(
Oh…that'll be next week…still look forward to it 😛 in the meantime I have to find a different way to keep me awake 😀
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Ok wow, that's definitely some top-notch art.
I have to admit, with an art like this, I might not find that pairing all that bad 😀
Also, this artist is already starting to become one of my favorite artists, just look at that, I don't even mind that it's not Nozomi 😀
http://dynasty-scans.com/images/2145
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You were not at home during that time. I would have asked you otherwise 😉
And you know, you can always ready yuri doujin in university 😛
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Yeah right?? Whenever i saw her works, i was just like NOOOO and KYAAAA at the same time
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LOL, especially NSFW to distract the row behind me even more 😀
b-but I played once, at the people behind me were making fun of me ;(
(I don't have to be at home to be able to help you 😦 at least I could have helped with the artist's name…)
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great review i feel the same way about season 2 being better than season 1. also my pairings are pretty much the same but i still love eri x umi but i know the true otp is eri x nozomi which i also love so plz dont bash on me 😛 also seeing as how i enjoyed season 2 a lot im pretty excited for the hbu lena k
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Thank you 🙂
Thanks to Nanda Nasution up there, I found out that I might actually be ok with Eri x Umi, as long as it's nicely drawn, so I won't bash on anyone 😛
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And still I'm sure Maki doesn't want this huge and unreasonable ship you put her in 😛
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What did you play? If it was Sono Hanabira I can kinda understand why people would do that 😀
And thanks 🙂
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I neglected to watch Love live series when it first came about; but is it similar to “Idolm@ster” series? (besides the theme of music)
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I have never watched Idolmaster, so I don't know.
Thought, they have similar tags, so you might be right.
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Its kinda funny how I dont much care for the anime but the doujins are among my favorite. 😛
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Haha that is so true! The doujinshi are like 100 times better than the anime could ever be 😀
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It was of course Sono Hanabira 8, and some people behind me got nosebleed 😀
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lol I bet they weren't the only ones, right Miss Nosebleed? 😛
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I've only read some Lovelive yuri doujins (like CrysSugar +the racoon ones) so I know really little of the actual Lovelive series- now that I think 'bout it …(I'll fix that over the thxgiv break). I do know some other music girl-idol related stuff tho, like iDOLM@STER (above) or Vocaloids.
Speaking of JPN anime music stuff, “Hinabita” a music album series done with art by CUTEG is something I've been looking into recently, since CUTEG does SweetMagicSyndrome (& also did an Idolmaster yuri doujin) and CUTEG's art is amazingly cute (hence the name) plus the music sounds great.
Hinabita: -Bitter Sweet Girls- Album trailer(ひなビタ♪)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J40xj75Ze4c
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Well this music really sounds incredibly cute, I think it's so cute that it's hard to handle even 😀
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xd:
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I'm really glad that I watched this series and its all thanks to your review that I watched it so thank you xD.
Your pairings are also the same as mine. I like that they release pairing song about our OTP's check it out if you like Anemone Heart( KotorixUmi), garasu no hanazono (ElixNozomi) and zurui yo magnetic today (NicoxMaki).Magnetic today is probably my favorite because you can hear nico and maki arguing behind the scene and the lyrics just totally fit this pairing.
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…I loved that song there!! I'm on episode 13 of first season… I don't see how anyone could ship Eri and Umi 😛 Nico and Maki make sense, Rin and eh contact lense girl,before glasses girl, seem to me nothing more than friends,but eh anime is entertaining, I really liked the song you posted <3
I first became aware of Love live! due to some NicoxMaki doujinshi, made by Cocoa break …ah soooo gooooood <3 hehe
well I enjoyed the review, good work!
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Sorry for the late reply!
I've seen many, really MANY Love Live doujinshi here in Japan.
Most of which are simply random pairings which surprised me.
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Finally someone who appreciated this awesome remix~
Sweet Pea (who is probably who you mean when saying Cocoa Break) is probably the best and most popular author for Maki x Nico doujinshi and I can totally see why.
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As someone who's only bothered to read the LoveLive doujins, I have no actual right to speak but sometimes when I look at Nozomi (with twintails+sailorfuku only) >>>
>>somehow the word o̶b̶a̶a̶s̶a̶n̶ (paperchimes.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/yandere.jpg) pretty oneesan comes to mind.
I like her casual clothes the best.
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What's with that pic?! 😛
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No idea what that is 😛
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After watching both seasons, I have come to the conclusion that none of them can be paired off. In fact I watched this show on your recommendation to gauge your scale of 1-10 for Yuri. You rated this a 3/10. To me, Yuri isn't just about direct affection, it is also about how deeply the characters know and understand one another. When they do go so far as to reveal themselves completely, and they choose to continue growing together, that is how love works, to me. I see no possibilities for pairings. However, I distinctly see signs that without the limitations of location (i.e. graduating to different schools) the nine of them would most likely, and unknowingly develop into a polygamy. If they are not already one. Case in point “Muse” ends when just one of them leaves, and, the group crying at the station.
That being said: Minami Kotori is the cutest character ever created in the history of this planet of Earth! Every face she makes, all her sounds, her charm and personality, and less importantly her submissive nature, makes her so incredibly F**KING lovable from the get go and builds up like a steam-pot until the cuteness has taken over your body and soul!
Thank you for your recommendation.
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Reading your comment now makes me think about the possibility of the group developing into a polygamy.
It's an interesting though and I think you might actually be right with that.
Well, we could also say that those 9 are just really, really great friends, but I of course like your thought a little more 😛
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I see many arguments made here and their like: “Well, these two had this totally yuri moment blah blah blah episode ## of season # !” But the arguments are made for each pairing that a moment happened. If so many moments happened, does that mean that they are not sure of each other, or does it mean that they all feel real love for each other and are just too adolescent to realize it yet?
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I'm not sure I can follow, but I think the fact that so many specific yuri moments happened only means that the producers couldn't go full out or they only wanted to tease us with it.
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