Kotori Minami

Minami Kotori is one of nine main characters in Love Live! She is 16 years old and a second year in high school. Kotori was born on September 12th and is a Virgo. Her main color is a teal-like color. She is 159 centimeters tall, and her blood type is O. She is part of Printemps and her solo single is called "Kotori, Lovin' You". Kotori is voiced by Aya Uchida. She also known as "Legendary Maid Minalinsky" while working in Akihabara.

Background
Since she was young Kotori has been friends with Kousaka Honoka and Sonoda Umi. Her mother is chairwoman of the school board.

Personality
Minami Kotori is known for having her head in the clouds, despite this she is the group's designer along with Yazawa Niko. Kotori is shown to be very kind to her friends, and does genuinely care about them.

Clubs and Hobbies
She is μ's wardrobe supervisor and helps with the choreography. It was discovered in episode 9 that Kotori works in a maid café in Akihabara.

Chronology
In Episode 1, it is discovered that Otonokizaka High School is going to close after everyone graduates because of lack of applicants to the school, which shocks Honoka. So, to prevent the school from closing, Honoka, Umi, and Kotori try to think of a way to attract students. It wasn't until Honoka finds out that her little sister is going to UTX, a high school getting a lot of applicants because of their idol group A-Rise. That's when Honoka gets the idea to start an idol group to save the school. Honoka soon finds a talented singer and pianist that Honoka begins to have more faith. Umi finally decides to go along with Honoka's idea along with Kotori. Even though their idea of a school idol club was rejected by student council president Ayase Eri, Honoka is set on becoming idols.

In Episode 2, Honoka manages to book the school's auditorium for a concert, yet Umi doubts they'd be ready to perform by then. They all try to come up with a name for their idol group, but have a difficult time in doing so, so they decide to hold a contest for the name. Honoka then realizes that don't have a song to even perform, so Umi takes the job of writing the lyrics reluctantly. Since Umi is in archery and has enough stamina, Umi has Kotori and Honoka exercise to get better stamina. Honoka tries to get the singer and pianist, Maki, to compose songs for them, but refuses. Eri warns them that their plan could backfire and ruin the reputation of the school. However, the girls' class supports them, and they receive a name for their idol group: μ's. Honoka approaches Maki again and gives her the lyrics Umi wrote to her. After getting some advice from the vice-president Toujou Nozomi, Maki sends a CD of the song she composed from Umi's lyrics.

In Episode 3, it is the day before μ's first concert. Umi starts to get more nervous about performing. So, in order to get Umi more self-confident, Honoka and Kotori hand out fliers. When Kotori reveals the costumes μ's would be performing in, Umi gets more worried because of how short it is. When it's finally time for the concert, none of the freshmen come because they're busy with the other clubs. However, before the girls gave up, first-year student Koizumi Hanayo shows up to see the concert. Despite there barely being an audience, μ's performs their song Start:Dash!! which attracts a small but satisfied crowd. After the song, Eri appears, asking them what they plan on doing, to which Honoka replies that μ's will keep on performing until they can fill up the whole auditorium.

In Episode 4, the girl, Hanayo, from the previous episode debates with herself to join the idol club. Some time later, Hanayo comes across Honoka's sweet shop, where Umi and Kotori also are, where they notice a video of their performance of Start:Dash!! gaining views on the internet. The girls then ask Hanayo to join the club. Maki and Hanayo's best friend Hoshizora Rin know about Hanayo's shyness, so they both give Hanayo a push, which then  helps Hanayo agree to join μ's. Rin and Maki both decide to join, as well.

In Episode 5, a girl named Yazawa Niko threatens Honoka and Kotori to disband μ's. While in fast food joint, trying to think of a place to practice during the rainy season, Honoka suddenly realizes that there's enough members to form an official club. However, the girls learn that there's already another an Idol Research Club. Ends up that Niko is the only member of the club. The girls ask her if they can merge their groups together, Niko flatly rejects them, based on the fact that they don't have personas. Nozomi explains to μ's that Niko once tried to start a school idol group, however, the group's members quit one by one, because Niko set the bar too high for them, which eventually led the group to fall apart. After some thinking, Honoka comes up with the idea to join the Idol Research Club to have Niko teach them how to be proper idols. After asking, Niko accepts, happily.

In Episode 6, Nozomi was recording interviews of each member of μ's, until she came to Honoka and asked her why she was the leader when she did nothing. Niko then comes up with the idea to have a karaoke and dance contest, and the one with the highest score would be the leader (although, secretly, Niko was planning on getting the highest score). Unfortunately, all the girls get similar scores. Honoka then suggests that maybe μ's doesn't need a leader. Everyone agrees with her, although they believed that she was the most worthy (except Niko, of course).

In Episode 7, Hanayo tells μ's about the Love Live, a concert where the top 20 school idol groups compete in. The girls then go over to the chairwoman to ask permission to be able to enter the Love Live. Despite Eri's objection, the chairwoman allows them to enter, but only if they all pass the upcoming exams. The members that need to study the most is Honoka, Rin, and Niko, who presumably have bad grades. Umi and Kotori helps Honoka study, while Hanayo and Maki help Rin, and Nozomi with Niko. Later on, Umi comes across Ayase Arisa, Eri's little sister, listening to one of μ's songs. Unintentionally, Ayase reveals that Eri recorded their Start:Dash!! concert and uploaded it on the internet. Umi then confronts Eri about why she refuses to accept μ's, she replies that she considers all school idols amateur. Upset, Umi tells Eri that she can't say that, but Eri ignores her and goes home with Ayase.

Umi asks Nozomi why Eri would think that, and she tells her that Eri used to be a ballerina and shows her a video of her performing. Because of this, Umi asks Eri to become μ's choreographer. Once the exams finished and everyone passed the exams, Honoka excitingly goes to the chairwoman's office, but overhears her telling Eri that the school would be shutting down next year.

In Episode 8, Honoka and the others barge into the chairwoman's office telling her that she can't do that. The chairwoman then tells μ's that if the school's upcoming open day doesn't go well, the school will be closed. While Eri tries to think of a way to attract students, Umi suggests to μ's that Eri should be their choreographer. Eri soon agrees and puts the group through intense training. Later on, Nozomi informs μ's that Eri wants to join, but believes she can't because of the way she used to treat them. The group then asks her to join μ's. Eri becomes honest with herself and feelings, and joins μ's with Nozomi. Nozomi then reveals to the group that she came up with the name; μ's meaning the nine goddesses of music. The now nine members of μ's performs at the open day and successfully pleases them.

In Episode 9, Eri assigned Kotori to write lyrics for a new song based on Akiba culture, because she works at a maid café there. Kotori, unfortunately, struggles to create the lyrics, which soon has an impact on her studies because of her stress. However, thanks to Honoka and Umi, she is able to create the song Wonder Zone by recalling her feelings when she works in Akihabara. After the performance, Honoka, Umi, and Kotori go pray at a shrine for μ's success. Then, as they were leaving, they look up at the stars and promise to each other they'll be together forever. The next morning, however, an air mail arrives in Kotori's mailbox with her name written on it.

In Episode 10, μ's get permission to go to Maki's beach house to supposedly train. Eri, wanting to break the barrier between under and upperclassmen, makes a rule that no one is to call their upperclassmen with the honorifics 'senpai'. For most of the time there, the girls spend time on the beach, playing (although Umi was planning on making the beach trip a training session), and Eri and Nozomi are the only ones that notice Maki isn't participating. When the girls were going to sleep, Honoka says that she couldn't sleep and began eating food. Nozomi soon starts a pillow fight and the rest of μ's (excluding Umi) have a pillow fight with each other. Accidentally, a pillow hits Umi and, crankily, Umi began throwing "supersonic pillows". It wasn't until Maki knocks her out with a pillow, saving everyone from Umi's rage. The next morning, when the sun was rising, all the members of μ's go outside to the beach and hold hands with each other.

In Episode 11, Kotori apparently read the mail she received in her mailbox, but seemed hesitant on telling her friends the news. When warming up on the rooftop, Umi was telling Honoka that she shouldn't be working herself too hard, but Honoka said that it's all right. When Umi asked Kotori to tell Honoka to stop, Kotori didn't respond because she was thinking about the letter. After Umi snapped Kotori out of her daze, Kotori said that Honoka should do whatever she want, disappointing Umi and making Honoka happy.

Later on, during a phone call, Umi asked Honoka if she ever noticed Kotori acting weird. When Honoka said that she didn't, Umi told her to go straight to bed instead of exercising, then called Kotori. Then, Kotori explains her situation to Umi, but the audience do not get to hear the conversation.

While getting ready for the concert at the School Festival, Umi asks Kotori if she was fine with her decision, to which Kotori says yes and that she'd tell Honoka about it. After the concert, Honoka faints from overworking herself, and Kotori is seen obviously worried like the rest of her friends.