Overview
Love Live! Sunshine!! (ラブライブ！サンシャイン!!) is a media mix project by ASCII Media Works's Dengeki G's Magazine, Lantis and Sunrise. It is the second work in the Love Live! series, a media mix series featuring the activities of the school idols. This project follows a school idol group Aqours.
The project began in 2015, after a previous series, the Love Live! School Idol Project.
While the world setting is the same as in the previous "Love Live! School Idol Project", the actual setting of this work has been changed to a new one. The main school featured is Uranohoshi Girls' High School, a school in Numazu City, Shizuoka Prefecture, and the main characters are new characters and the cast has been renewed.
The media mix development concept is basically the same as the previous work, with the serial introductory articles, short stories and manga being serialised in Dengeki G's Magazine. At the same time, the cast of the main characters perform real-life idol activities along with the members they are in charge of, and a CD is released by the music label Lantis. A TV animation series produced by Sunrise was broadcast, and as a sequel, a film version of the animation was released. In addition, the series has been made into a game and collaborated with other works.
The series' media mix franchise differs greatly in its world setting and the personalities of the main characters depending on each media. Note that several different settings still exist today.
Plot
Love Live! Sunshine!! is set in Uchiura, a rural seaside town in Numazu, Shizuoka Prefecture, and tells the story of Uranohoshi Girls' High School, a small school that is scheduled to close due to a decline in student numbers.
The main character, Chika Takami, who attends Uranohoshi, admires the legendary school idol group μ's that once existed and wants to prevent her school from closing by following in their footsteps, so she and her friends start their own school idol group, Aqours.
Characters
Aqours
Second-year students
Chika Takami (高海千歌)
(Voiced and performed by: Anju Inami)
Riko Sakurauchi (桜内梨子)
(Voiced and performed by: Rikako Aida)
You Watanabe (渡辺曜)
(Voiced and performed by: Shuka Saitō)
Third-year students
Dia Kurosawa (黒澤ダイヤ)
(Voiced and performed by: Arisa Komiya)
Kanan Matsuura (松浦果南)
(Voiced and performed by: Nanaka Suwa)
Mari Ohara (小原鞠莉)
(Voiced and performed by: Aina Suzuki)
First-year students
Hanamaru Kunikida (国木田花丸)
(Voiced and performed by: Kanako Takatsuki)
Ruby Kurosawa (黒澤ルビィ)
(Voiced and performed by: Ai Furihata)
Yoshiko Tsushima (津島善子)
(Voiced and performed by: Aika Kobayashi)
Saint Snow
A school idol unit from a school in Hakodate, they are rivals to the Aqours.
Sarah Kazuno (鹿角聖良)
(Voiced and performed by: Asami Tano)
Leah Kazuno (鹿角理亞)
(Voiced and performed by: Hinata Satō)
Member's Families
Shima Takami (高海志満)
(Voiced by: Kana Asumi)
Mito Takami (高海美渡)
(Voiced by: Kanae Itō)
Others
Yo-Itsu-Mu Trio (よいつむトリオ)
Yoshimi (よしみ)(Voiced by: Risae Matsuda)
Itsuki (いつき)(Voiced by: Hisako Kanemoto)
Mutsu (むつ)(Voiced by: Yū Serizawa)
Manga
Serialised from the May 2016 issue (30 March 2016) of Dengeki G's magazine. Drawing is by Masaru Oda, who was in charge of the previous comicalisation of the "School idol diary" series (a story about μ's).
The manga follows the initial setting of the series. While the TV anime version shares the world setting with the previous series, the manga version is its own world setting, not connected to any of the previous manga or TV anime series (although the μ's do not appear directly, they are mentioned by the characters).
Anime series
The anime series differs significantly in characterisation and storyline from the original work (serialised in the magazine) and the manga version.
All of the anime series were produced by Sunrise and broadcast on Tokyo MX, KBS Kyoto, Sun Television, BS11 and Shizuoka Broadcasting System.
The first TV anime season was broadcast from July to October 2016. It depicts the story of the protagonist, Chika Takami, who admires μ's and starts school idol activities to imitate them.
The second TV anime season was broadcast from October to December 2017. Unlike the first season, which told the story of aspiring and following in the footsteps of the preceding μ's, the second season tells the story about the members of Aqours themselves.
Anime series' plot
Uranohoshi Girls’ High School, a private school in the seaside neighborhood of Uchiura at Numazu city, Shizuoka prefecture.
A small high school in a corner of Suruga Bay, it is home to nine teens,
led by second-year student Chika Takami, driven by one seriously big dream:
To become the next generation of bright, sparkling “school idols”!
As long as we don’t give up, any dream can come true...
All we have to do now is keep pushing hard for glory!
Now their “School Idol Project” begins to make their dreams come true!
(Adapted from the official website)
Main stuff
| Original Work | Hajime Yatate |
|---|---|
| Original Concept | Sakurako Kimino |
| Director | Kazuo Sakai |
| Series Composition | Jukki Hanada |
| Character Design | Yūhei Murota |
| Sound Director | Yukio Nagasaki |
| Music | Tatsuya Katō |
| Music Production | Lantis |
| Animation Production | Sunrise |
| Production Committee (Project) |
|
Theme songs
First season
Opening theme "Aozora Jumping Herat" (青空Jumping Heart)
Lyrics: Aki Hata, composition: Ken Itō and Hajime Mitsumasu, arrangement: EFFY, sung by: Aqours
Ending theme "Yume Kataru yori Yume Utaou" (ユメ語るよりユメ歌おう, 'Rather Than Talking About Our Dreams, Let's Sing Them')
Lyrics: Aki Hata, composition and arrangement: Akihiko Yamaguchi, sung by: Aqours
Second season
Opening theme "Mirai no Bokura wa Shitteru yo" (未来の僕らは知ってるよ, 'Our Future Selves Know')
Lyrics: Aki Hata, composition: Hajime Mitsumasu, arrangement: EFFY, sung by: Aqours
Ending theme "Yuuki wa Doko ni? Kimi no Mune ni!" (勇気はどこに？君の胸に！, 'Where Can You Find Courage? Inside Your Heart!')
Lyrics: Aki Hata, composition: Kōtarō Odaka and UiNA, arrangement: Kōtarō Odaka, sung by: Aqours
Insert songs
First season
"Kimeta yo Hand in Hand" (決めたよHand in Hand) (ep.1)
Sung by: Chika Takami (CV: Anju Inami), Riko Sakurauchi (CV: Rikako Aida), You Watanabe (CV: Shuka Saitō)
"Daisuki dattara Daijoubu!" (ダイスキだったらダイジョウブ!) (ep.3)
Sung by: Chika Takami (CV: Anju Inami), Riko Sakurauchi (CV: Rikako Aida), You Watanabe (CV: Shuka Saitō)
"Yume de Yozora wo Terashitai" (夢で夜空を照らしたい) (ep.6)
Sung by: Chika Takami (CV: Anju Inami), Riko Sakurauchi (CV: Rikako Aida), You Watanabe (CV: Shuka Saitō), Yoshiko Tsushima (CV: Aika Kobayashi), Hanamaru Kunikida (CV: Kanako Takatsuki), Ruby Kurosawa (CV: Ai Furihata)
"SELF CONTROL!!" (SELF CONTROL!!) (ep.8)
Sung by: Saint Snow
"Mijuku DREAMER" (未熟DREAMER) (ep.9)
Sung by: Aqours
"Omoi yo Hitotsu ni Nare" (想いよひとつになれ) (ep.11)
Sung by: Chika Takami (CV: Anju Inami), You Watanabe (CV: Shuka Saitō), Yoshiko Tsushima (CV: Aika Kobayashi), Hanamaru Kunikida (CV: Kanako Takatsuki), Ruby Kurosawa (CV: Ai Furihata), Kanan Matsuura (CV: Nanaka Suwa), Dia Kurosawa (CV: Arisa Komiya), Mari Ohara (CV: Aina Suzuki)
"MIRAI TICKET" (MIRAI TICKET) (Ep.13)
Sung by: Aqours
Second season
"My Mai☆Tonight" (MY舞☆TONIGHT) (ep.3)
Sung by: Aqours
"Kimi no Kokoro wa Kagayaiteru kai?" (君のこころは輝いてるかい?) (ep.3)
Sung by: Aqours
"CRASH MIND" (CRASH MIND) (ep.5)
Sung by: Saint snow
"MIRACLE WAVE" (MIRACLE WAVE) (ep.6)
Sung by: Aqours
"Sora mo Kokoro mo Hareru kara" (空も心も晴れるから) (ep.7)
Sung by: Aqours
"DROPOUT!?" (DROPOUT!?) (ep.8)
Sung by: Saint Snow
"Awaken the power" (Awaken the power) (ep 9)
Sung by: Saint Aqours Snow
"WATER BLUE NEW WORLD" (WATER BLUE NEW WORLD) (ep.12)
Sung by: Aqours
"WONDERFUL STORIES" (WONDERFUL STORIES) (ep.13)
Sung by: Aqours
Related videos
Love Live! Sunshine!! Episode 1 (English sub) (official video)
Movie
The Love Live! Sunshine!! The School Idol Movie Over the Rainbow (ラブライブ!サンシャイン!! The School Idol Movie Over the Rainbow) is an animated feature film that is a sequel to the TV animation series "Love Live! Sunshine!!", which was released on 4 January 2019.
The distributor was Shochiku, as was the case with the previous film, which was released in 2015. The film was released on 128 screens across Japan.
Insert songs
"Bokura no Hashitte kita Michi wa..." (僕らの走ってきた道は…)
Sung by: Aqours
"Hop? Stop? Nonstop!" (Hop?Stop?Nonstop!)
Sung by: Aqours
"Brightest Melody" (Brightest Melody)
Sung by: Aqours
"Next SPARKLING!!" (Next SPARKLING!!)
Sung by: Aqours
"Meisou Meisou Mobius Roop" (逃走迷走メビウスループ)
Sung by: The third-year students
"Believe Again" (Believe Again)
Sung by: Saint Snow
Related videos
Theatrical main trailer (90-second version)
Teaser just before release (120-second version)
Live Concert
Refer to the article List of live concert event in Love Live! series (ラブライブ!シリーズのライブイベント一覧).
Game
The members of Aqours have appeared in both School Idol Festival and School Idol Festival ALL STARS.
Radio
The web-distributed radio program "Love Live Sunshine Aqours Uranosei Jogakuin RADIO", in which the cast members talk as radio personalities, has been available on the Hibiki Radio Station since 13 April 2016. Updated every Wednesday.
External link: Hibiki Radio Station's program distribution page
Related Illustrations
Collaboration fan art with previous work has also been posted.
Related Videos
Trailers
“Love Live! Sunshine!!” Trailer (Official)
“Love Live! Sunshine!!” Trailer for TV Anime Program (Official) (with English subtitles)
Songs
Aqours 1st Single "Kimi no Kokoro wa Kagayaiteru kai?" (official MV full)
Aqours 2nd Single "Koi ni Naritai AQUARIUM" (official MV full)
Aqours 3rd Single "HAPPY PARTY TRAIN" (official MV full)
Aqours 4th Single "Mitaiken HORIZON" (official MV full)
Related Article
Spin-off work
Sunshine in the Mirror (幻日のヨハネ)
The Genjitsu no Yohane: Sunshine in the Mirror (幻日のヨハネ -SUNSHINE in the MIRROR-) is a spin-off featuring Yoshiko Tsushima as the protagonist.
This work has been running a short manga series from 2022, and it was announced that a series anime will also be produced in 2023.
Official Trailer
External Links
Love Live! series Twitter (@LoveLive_staff)
VISIT NUMAZU | The official tourism and travel information website of Numazu City (English)
Numazu City × Love Live! Sunshine!! portal page (Japanese)
Sunshine in the Mirror
