This article contains details about plotlines described in the anime. Do not proceed unless you want to be spoiled. |
Love Live! Superstar!! (ラブライブ！スーパースター!! Rabu Raibu! Sūpāsutā!!) is an anime television series, produced by anime company Sunrise in association with the music label company Lantis, and directed by Takahiko Kyogoku. The first season began airing in Japan on July 11, 2021 and was simulcasted by Crunchyroll. It concluded on October 17, 2021 with a total of 12 episodes. On October 24, 2021, a second season was announced. The second season began airing in Japan on July 17, 2022. It concluded on October 9, 2022 with a total of 12 episodes.
On October 9, 2022, a third season was announced. The third season began airing in Japan on October 6, 2024. It concluded on December 22, 2024 with a total of 12 episodes.
Outside of Japan, Crunchyroll LLC (formerly known as Funimation Productions) has distributed and licensed the series. An English dub was produced by Studio Nano in Irving, Texas and Jill Harris (who voiced Shizuku Osaka in the Nijigasaki's English adaptation) along with Michelle Rojas (who voiced Kanan Matsuura in the English adaptation of Sunshine) served as the co-ADR Directors.
Staff[]
Japanese[]
- Original Story: Hajime Yatate
- Original Plan: Sakurako Kimino
- Director: Takahiko Kyōgoku
- Series Organization: Jukki Hanada
- Draft Character Design: Yuuhei Murota
- Character Design: Atsushi Saitou
- Design Works: Yuu Kisaragi
- Art Director: Reiko Kasuga
- Color Planning: Yoichi Nishikawa
- CG Director: Yuki Iinuma
- Director of Photography: Tadashi Kitaoka
- Editor: Daisuke Imai
- Sound Director: Yukio Nagasaki
- Music: Yoshiaki Fujisawa
- Music Production: Lantis
- Animation Production: SUNRISE Inc.
- Presented by:
- 2021 PROJECT Lovelive! Superstar!!
- SUNRISE Inc.
- BANDAI NAMCO Arts Inc.
- KADOKAWA CORPORATION
English[]
- English Version: Funimation Global Group LLC
- Executive Producer: Gen Fukunaga
- Producer: Justin Cook, Michael Harcourt, Michelle Rojas
- ADR Director: Jill Harris, Michelle Rojas
- Translation: Michelle Tyson
- ADR Script: Bonny Clinkenbeard, Dakota Strong, Heather Walker, Macy Anne Johnson
- Assisstant ADR Director: Natalie Hoover
- Assisstant Producer: Colleen Clinkenbeard, Zach Bolton, Samantha Herek
- ADR Engineer: Nicole Auringer, Ray Wilkins
- ADR Script Supervisior: Bonny Clinkenbeard, Tyler Walker
- Linguistic Asset Manager: Sarah Alys Lindholm
- Materials Coordinator: Trenton Jons
- Mix Engineer: Andrew Tipps
- Production Assistant: Barbara Ross, Jordan Dreasher, Nazeeh Tarsha, Sarah Alys Lindholm, Shousuke Akamatsu, Victoria Keller
- Production Manager: Nazeeh Tarsha
- Senior Video Editor: Daniel Mancilla, Jeremy Jimenez
- Subtitler: Courtney Petras
- Video Editing: Emma Moore, Issa Currie, Josh Tyler
- Recording Studio: Studio Nano — Irving, Texas
- Licensed by: Crunchyroll, LLC — A Sony Company
Cast[]
Main Characters[]
Japanese[]
- Sayuri Date as Kanon Shibuya
- Liyuu as Keke Tang
- Nako Misaki as Chisato Arashi
- Naomi Payton as Sumire Heanna
- Nagisa Aoyama as Ren Hazuki
- Nozomi Suzuhara as Kinako Sakurakoji
- Akane Yabushima as Mei Yoneme
- Wakana Okuma as Shiki Wakana
- Aya Emori as Natsumi Onitsuka
- Yuina as Wien Margarete
- Sakura Sakakura as Tomari Onitsuka
English[1][]
- Kristi Rothrock as Kanon Shibuya
- Julia Gu as Keke Tang
- Maddie Matsumoto as Chisato Arashi
- Lizzie Freeman as Sumire Heanna
- Natalie Van Sistine as Ren Hazuki
Supporting Characters[]
Japanese[]
- Akane Matsunaga as Aria Shibuya
- Mamiko Noto as Kanon's mother
- Romi Park as Director
- Azumi Waki as Nanami Nanakusa
- Miyu Tomita as Yae
- Haruka Shiraishi as Kokono
- Anna Mugiho as Manmaru & Chibi
- Yuna Yuuki as Mao Hiiragi
- Chihaya Yoshitake as Yuna Hijirisawa
- Kana Hanazawa as Saya
- Natsumi Takamori as Akiba Reporter
- Aya Endo as Hana Hazuki
- Misaki Watada as Sumire's sister
- Ikue Ootani as Kinako's mother
- Yoko Hikasa as Natsumi & Tomari's mother
- Ran as Mengmeng Tang
- Sora Amamiya as Margarete's sister
English[1][]
- Cat Protano as Aria Shibuya
- Luci Christian as Kanon's mother
- Ryan Bartley as Nanami
- Natalie Hoover as Yae
- Morgan Lea as Kokono
- Khoi Dao as Manmaru
- Kristen McGuire as Akiba Reporter[2]
Videos[]
Season 1[]
Season 2[]
Season 3[]
Theme Songs[]
Season I[]
Season II[]
Season III[]
Episodes[]
| No. | Title | Air Date |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | "This Yet Unknown Feeling" (まだ名もないキモチ "Mada Na mo nai Kimochi") |
July 11, 2021 |
| Kanon Shibuya takes the entrance exams for the music program at Yuigaoka Girls' High School. But she fails her singing test and ends up taking the general curriculum. She is approached by Keke Tang from her class who asks her to be a school idol with her. Kanon refuses, but is impressed by Keke's passion, and decides to help Keke gather more members. | ||
| 02 | "No School Idols Allowed!?" (スクールアイドル禁止！？ "Sukūru Aidoru Kinshi!?") |
July 18, 2021 |
| Realizing that she still loves singing, Kanon decides to become a school idol. However, Ren Hazuki insists that school idols are not needed at Yuigaoka. Kanon tries to find Ren's weakness with Chisato's help only to find out that many students trust Ren. | ||
| 03 | "KeKa" (クーカー "Kū Kā") |
August 8, 2021 |
| The girls have to place 1st at a local fes to stay school idols. Chisato and Keke try to help Kanon get over her fear but nothing works. Keke tells Kanon she'll sing alone this time. Meanwhile, one of the most prominent groups, Sunny Passion, joins the fes. | ||
| 04 | "Street Corner Galaxy☆彡" (街角ギャラクシー☆彡 "Machikado Gyarakushī☆彡") |
August 15, 2021 |
| KeKa wins the special newcomer award at the Yoyogi School Idol Fes and the director allows them to continue their school idol activities. Meanwhile, Sumire Heanna joins the club to fulfill her showbiz dreams, but when they try to decide the center... | ||
| 05 | "Passion Island" (パッションアイランド "Passhon Airando") |
August 22, 2021 |
| With the addition of Sumire, the Yuigaoka School Idol Club now has 3 members. As they're cooling off from the heat at Kanon's house, they are unexpectedly visited by Sunny Passion, who invites the girls to perform with them at their home, Kozushima. | ||
| 06 | "I Was Dreaming" (夢見ていた "Yumemite ita") |
September 5, 2021 |
| Kanon and her friends train with Sunny Passion for their next concert. Meanwhile, Chisato is training for her dance contest, and Ren spots Chisato's withdrawal letter to the school. Kanon and Chisato talk that night over the phone, but they seem distant. | ||
| 07 | "Battle! Student Council President Elections" (決戦！生徒会長選 "Kessen! Seito Kaichō-sen") |
September 12, 2021 |
| After a successful show at Kozushima, the School Idol Club welcomes Chisato, their 4th member. They are now starting a new term and find out there will be an election for the student council president. If Ren becomes president, it may affect their club. | ||
| 08 | "Connecting Feelings" (結ばれる想い "Musubareru Omoi") |
September 19, 2021 |
| Ren is carrying the burden of Yuigaoka all alone since it's the school her late mother left behind. She asks Kanon and the others not to mention this even though she's facing backlash for saying that the school festival would be put on by the music program. | ||
| 09 | "What's Your Name?" (君たちの名は? "Kimitachi no Na wa?") |
September 26, 2021 |
| Ren joins the School Idol Club, making the member count 5. Meanwhile, the next Love Live is announced and the finals will be at Jingu Stadium. Even getting to the prelims will be hard, but the girls decide to enter. They have to input a group name and... | ||
| 10 | "Check It Out!!" (チェケラッ!! "Chekera!!") |
October 3, 2021 |
| The girls decide on the group name Liella! and enter the Love Live. For the regional prelims, they find out that they have to rap. While the others struggle, Sumire displays impromptu rap skills and Kanon nominates Sumire as the center, but... | ||
| 11 | "Once Again, At That Place" (もう一度、あの場所で "Mō Ichido, Ano Basho de") |
October 10, 2021 |
| Liella! made it through into the preliminary rounds for Love Live!, and the girls agree to perform at the elementary school Kanon and Chisato had attended. Chisato is concerned about Kanon's performance issues returning at the school where her stage fright had first manifested. To help Kanon overcome her fears, the other girls conspire to have Kanon sing alone at the elementary school. | ||
| 12 | "Song for All" ("Song for All") |
October 17, 2021 |
| Kanon had a successful solo performance at her elementary school. Liella!'s recent concert has brought in new applicants to their school for the following year, and they are gearing up for a live-streamed concert on Christmas to determine which school idol group will represent Tokyo. | ||
| No. | Title | Air Date |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | "Welcome to Liella!" (ようこそLiella!へ！ "Youkoso Liella! e!") |
July 17, 2022 |
| A new school year has begun at Yuigaoka Girls' High School. Liella! is practicing up on the roof as usual, and a new student named Kinako Sakurakoji is drawn in by their voices. She ends up sneaking into the school and quietly watches them train and... | ||
| 02 | "Second-years and First-years" (2年生と1年生 "Ni Nensei to Ichi Nensei") |
July 24, 2022 |
| With Kinako's arrival, Liella! now has 6 members. However, since Kinako joined, no new members have applied to join the School Idol Club. There's rumors going around that the training regimen is too difficult. Liella! tries to reduce the regimen's difficulty, but Kinako still can't complete it. | ||
| 03 | "Next in Line to Win" (優勝候補 "Yūshō Kōho") |
July 31, 2022 |
| Liella! is invited to be the headliner at this year's Yoyogi School Idol Festival. However, Liella! witnesses Wien Margarete win with Butterfly Wing. Afterwards, Margarete leaves the venue while telling Kanon that Love Live! seems like a pointless competition. | ||
| 04 | "The Two in the Science Room" (化学室のふたり "Kagaku-shitsu no Futari") |
August 7, 2022 |
| The first-year, Shiki Wakana, knows that her classmate, Mei Yoneme, loves school idols, but is having a hard time joining the School Idol Club, so she comes up with a plan. She decides to join Liella! herself and makes sure Mei finds out. | ||
| 05 | "Money Makes the World Go Round" (マニーは天下の回りもの "Manī wa Tenka no Mawari Mono") |
August 14, 2022 |
| After Mei and Shiki join, Liella! now has 8 members. Natsumi Onitsuka finds out about Liella!'s popularity and tells them that she wants to produce them through her company. Liella! agrees so they can concentrate on their training, but Sumire has doubts. | ||
| 06 | "DEKKAIDOW!" ("DEKKAIDOW!") |
August 21, 2022 |
| The 1st years have gone to Hokkaido to hold a training camp. Kanon is worried but the other 2nd years manage to reassure her. At the training camp, Natsumi admits to Kinako that she has no dreams, and if she had to choose, it would be to make a lot of money... | ||
| 07 | "UR Ren Hazuki" (UR 葉月恋 "UR Hazuki Ren") |
August 28, 2022 |
| Natsumi joins the School Idol Club, making the member count 9. Love Live has finally been announced, so the members are determined to write a new song. Mei notices Ren is more exhausted than usual, and discovers Ren playing a game in the music room. | ||
| 08 | "Chance Way" ("Chance Way") |
September 11, 2022 |
| Liella! holds a strategy meeting for the Love Live. This year's Love Live will be held remotely, meaning the stage they use needs to stand out. Kanon tries to figure out a symbol that represents Liella! and their school so they can create the right stage. | ||
| 09 | "For Victory" (勝利のために "Shōri no Tame ni") |
September 18, 2022 |
| Liella! gets past the regional prelims. Chisato quietly tells the other 2nd years about the skill difference between them and the 1st years, which may affect them going to the finals. Keke thinks things are fine as they are but Sumire seems uneasy. | ||
| 10 | "The Song That Resonates Through Shibuya" (渋谷に響く歌 "Shibuya ni Hibiku Uta") |
September 25, 2022 |
| Liella! goes to Kinako's house in Hokkaido to hold a training camp in preparation for the Love Live finals. There, the 2nd and 1st years decide to work together to write their new song and create the choreography. | ||
| 11 | "Dream" (夢 "Yume") |
October 2, 2022 |
| Liella! wins at the Tokyo Tournament, but Margarete is unable to accept this fact and storms off. The girls celebrate their victory at Kanon's home, then head to their first shrine visit of the new year. Meanwhile, Kanon wonders why Margarete really came to Japan. | ||
| 12 | "The Story That'll Make Me Come True" (私を叶える物語 "Watashi wo Kanaeru Monogatari") |
October 9, 2022 |
| The director suggests to Kanon that she transfer to the Vienna National Academy of Music, but Kanon's unsure. Chisato also wants Kanon to go so she can make her dream come true, but Kanon's worried about Liella!, so she decides not to go, but... | ||
| No. | Title | Air Date |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | "The Path I've Chosen" (私の決めた道 "Watashi no Kimeta Michi") |
October 6, 2024 |
| Kanon is suddenly told that her study abroad was cancelled. At school, the remaining Liella! members continue to practice, determined to make up for Kanon's absence. Meanwhile, Margarete, who has become a student at Yuigaoka, establishes a "New School Idol Club" to compete with Liella!. However, Kanon sees a reflection of her former self in Margarete, who is unable to recruit new members. Kanon is torn between returning to Liella!, who she already said goodbye to, and isn't sure what decision she should make... | ||
| 02 | "TomaKanoTe" (トマカノーテ "TomaKanōTe") |
October 13, 2024 |
| A first year student, Tomari Onitsuka, requests to join the new school idol club formed by Margarate. Unbeknownst to the others, Tomari is actually Natsumi's younger sister. Shortly after, the three promptly begin their activities as a club. Both Kanon and Margarete are puzzled by Tomari's personality quirks; Tomari is a calm and collected spirit and is very talented at dancing, yet she remains distantly separate from her fellow members. Just like her sister, Tomari is primarily concerned with the monetary benefit of being a school idol. Although they decide to participate in a remote live performance as their on stage debut, each member butts heads as they have different goals and approaches to what it means to be a school idol. As a solution, Kanon suggests that they collaborate and write a song together that showcases their individual strengths. The trio eventually emerge as a three person unit known as TomaKanoTe, standing separately from Liella!, and performs for the very first time. | ||
| 03 | "The White-Colored Center" (白色のセンター "Shiroiro no Sentā") |
October 20, 2024 |
| Inspired by TomoKanoTe's remote live performance, Liella! is determined not to lose. In order to show new possibilities for Liella!, the club president, Chisato, recommends Shiki to be the next center. Shiki wonders what a center is, and why she was chosen to be the center. However, during a rehearsal for the center position, Shiki collapses and is taken to the nurse's office. Liella! had almost given up on Shiki being the center, but Chisato suddenly has an idea... | ||
| 04 | "No Rain, No Rainbow" ( "No Rain, No Rainbow") |
October 27, 2024 |
| The future between Liella! and TomaKanonTe has begun to circulate in Yuigaoka. During practice, the two groups accidentally run into each other. After sharing their feelings to each other, Natsumi and Tomari suddenly run off. Chasing after the Oninatsu sisters, Kanon and the others arrive at the Oninatsu house in Ushiku. Natsumi tells her friends about when she kept giving up on her dreams in the past, as well as about when Tomari continued to support her. | ||
| 05 | "Ni hao! Shanghai! Xiaolongbao~!" (你好！上海！小籠包〜！ "Nǐ hǎo! Shànghǎi! Xiǎo lóng bāo~!") |
November 3, 2024 |
| Summer vacation is about to begin at Yuigaoka. With graduation approaching for the 3rd year students, Keke consults with Kanon about her future plans. Keke is torn between continuing to sing, or quit singing to go to college. Kanon then receives a mysterious letter containing a plane ticket to Shanghai. Kanon and her friends think something has happened to Keke, who has returned to Shanghai. So they fly over to Shanghai to find out what has happened. | ||
| 06 | "Treasure" (タカラモノ "Takaramono") |
November 10, 2024 |
| Studying hard and getting good grades meant everything to Keke. Keke thought that was the best way to show her gratitude towards her kind family. Until the day she learned about school idols in middle school... Keke's older sister Mengmeng arranged for Liella! to participate in the Shanghai Music Festival. Meanwhile, Keke has decided to end her school idol career in high school, and go to college. Kanon was not convinced Keke was happy with this decision... | ||
| 07 | "In Order To Win Against Liella!" (Liella!に勝つために "Liella! ni Katsu Tame ni") |
November 17, 2024 |
| Liella! and TomaKanoTe have successfully held a joint live in Shanghai. While the members of Liella! want to merge with TomaKanoTe, Margarete is determined to win against Liella!. Tomari is also against joining Liella!. However, only one group from Yuigaoka can participate in Love Live. A decisive battle or solidarity? Kanon is forced to make a decision, so she decides to have a sleepover with TomaKanoTe!? | ||
| 08 | "Yuigaoka VS Yuigaoka" (結ヶ丘 VS 結ヶ丘 "Yuigaoka VS Yuigaoka") |
November 24, 2024 |
| The losers must listen to the winner's request. Liella! and TomaKanoTe promised each other that they would decide who'd win by holding a live performance at the school festival. Mei, Natsumi, Tomari, and Margarete are chosen to write the song to be performed at the showdown, but they couldn't come to a consensus. According to Shiki's analysis, the reason is because the Onitsuka sisters are on bad terms. Natsumi is determined to repair her relationship with Tomari, but the time for the decisive battle is drawing near. | ||
| 09 | "Salzburger Nockerl" (ザルツブルガー・ノッケルン "Zarutsuburugā・Nokkerun") |
December 1, 2024 |
| Liella! finally has 11 members! Although practice has begun with 11 members, Margarete has difficulty getting along with the other members. Kanon, who wanted everyone to get to know each other as they created the live show together, asked Margarete to come up with a formation for the next show. However, unaware of Kanon's intentions, Margarete evaluates the members calmly and objectively. Kinako and Natsumi in particular received harsh evaluations... | ||
| 10 | "Kinako Sakurakoji" (桜小路きな子 "Sakurakoji Kinako") |
December 8, 2024 |
| Having made it through the regional qualifiers, Liella! is now preparing for the Tokyo Tournament. Kanon recommends Kinako to write the lyrics for their next song. Kinako accepts the request, in response to the wishes of the first generation members who want the second and third generation members to step forward and shine more. However, Kinako is feeling the pressure. Meanwhile, Ren is struggling to find a successor to be the student council president. Worried about Ren, Kinako decides to help her find a successor... | ||
| 11 | "Superstar!!" (スーパースター!! "Sūpāsutā!!") |
December 15, 2024 |
| Kanon visits the Vienna National Musicology alone to complete the admission procedures. Keke, Chisato, Sumire, and Ren have also decided on their post-graduation paths and are starting to walk towards their own futures. Meanwhile, Kinako, Shiki, Mei, Natsumi and the others were working hard to make their song for Love Live! finals, which was entrusted to them by their seniors. Slowly, yet surely, Yuigaoka is starting to change as the 3rd years's graduation approaches. Liella!'s final Love Live! begins, with an unprecedented chance to win two consecutive championships... | ||
| 12 | "Forever and Ever!" (ずっとずっと！ "Zutto Zutto!") |
December 22, 2024 |
| Yuigaoka Girls' High School is about to hold its graduation ceremony. When Kanon visits the school for the first time in a while, she sees the 2nd and 3rd generation members struggling to win the Love Live! title for the third time in a row. The first generation students may have graduated, but Liella! will continue to move forward. Kanon and the others, who understand the thoughts of their juniors, begin to compose a new song together. Kanon reveals that she wants their juniors to see their live performance...
The story of Liella! with 11 members has come to an end - along with the song that started it all. | ||
Trivia[]
- This marks the first Love Live! series to not include 2nd or 3rd year students (prior to Season 2).
- This also marks the first formation consisting of 5 members only.
- NHK-E Tele's exclusive broadcast finishes with a musical section called Songs of Liella! (リエラのうた "Liella no Uta") inspired by NHK's Minna no Uta and which it shows special animated music videos with Liella! songs.
- It also marks the first Love Live! series to only have 12 episodes, instead of the standard 13.
- This marks the first time a Love Live! series got a third season.