Ensemble Stars!
Synopsis
Yumenosaki Academy has been home to the best boy idols of different generations. Holding immense influence over the school, its student council maintains the status quo by enforcing old traditions with an iron fist. Transfer student Anzu winds up attending as the very first member in the production course, making her the sole female student in the entire school. There, she meets Subaru Akehoshi, Hokuto Hidaka, Mao Isara, and Makoto Yuuki—her classmates and members of the idol unit "Trickstar." The academy holds Dream Idol Festivals—stage battles that put its students' singing and dancing skills against each other, with the audience voting on the winner. Winning these "DreFes" guarantees the members of the idol unit various privileges and prestige. However, with the student council intervening and punishing everyone involved in an unsanctioned DreFes, the members of Trickstar find that they can no longer sit around and let it continue. Alongside Anzu as their producer, they plot to become the revolutionaries of the academy. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
Audience Consensus
The "Ensemble Stars!" anime adaptation is a mixed bag, particularly for those unfamiliar with the game. While fans of the franchise appreciate seeing their favorite characters animated, newcomers may find the story rushed and the characters poorly developed. The anime is best enjoyed as a supplement to the game rather than a standalone series.
Strengths
- Enjoyable for existing fans of the franchise
- Characters are likeable and cute
- Soundtrack is amazing
- Motivating to read the rest of the stories in the game
Weaknesses
- Rushed ending and pacing
- Poorly explains the characters
- Not a good entry point for newcomers
- Fails to capture the depth of the true plot
- Animation during performances is not as good as the anime graphic