After being forced to graduate from JPX48 following a controversial incident with a male fan, Ai Narata swears to never interact with another man ever again. Using her talents and strong desire to get away from men, Ai auditions for the exclusive all-female Kouka School of Musical and Theatrical Arts. The school is renowned for producing the best actresses that go on to perform in the famous all-female Kouka Theatre Troupe. Coming from the idol industry, Ai is the perfect candidate for the school's hundredth generation class, but her aloof demeanor alienates her from her classmates.
The eccentric Sarasa Watanabe is the only person who wishes to become Ai's friend. She enters Kouka with the goal of becoming a top "otokoyaku" performer—an actress that plays traditionally male roles. After seeing a Kouka performance of The Rose of Versailles when she was younger, Sarasa dreams of performing as Lady Oscar one day. Unfortunately, Sarasa's inability to read a room causes friction between her and her classmates, including Ai, who reluctantly becomes her roommate and partner in many of their classes.
Succeeding at Kouka will involve more than just raw talent for these young girls as jealousy, deceit, and the harsh realities of show business put their mental fortitude to the test. Will Sarasa and Ai be able to rise to the top and stand on the silver bridge?
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
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Comentários
Marinate1016
Kageki Shojo took me by pleasant surprise. As a huge Love Live and idol stan, I was obviously going to give it a watch. What I was not expecting was such a competent story about the darker aspects of show-business and the pressure that many girls are under to succeed in the industry. By week two, it was by far my most anticipated show of the week and I loved it so much I couldn’t help but go out and by every volume of the manga. So, firstly, Kageki Shojo isn’t an idol show per se, it’s more of an acting show and follows girls fromvarious artistic backgrounds coming together to study the performing arts. That’s a bit of a different take on the usual girl idol group team-up to save a dying school formula we often get. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but it’s nice to have something unique. Episode 1 is your usual cutesy pilot style set up, but from episode 2 onward the show really gets going and at points gets surprisingly dark. Offering realistic, but hard to watch depictions of sexual harassment, grooming, eating disorders and child abuse. Yea, this isn’t your usual Revue style set up. I was also amazed by how much each of the characters was developed over the course of the season. While it’s only 12 episodes, it felt like all of the girls had plenty of time for their arcs. Most are dealing with some sort of trauma from their past that stands in the way of them and achieving their goals. The story satisfactorily provides backstory, conflict and resolution for each making for a very enjoyable story.
The artstyle in the show is quite unique. It’s extremely bright and pleasant to look at. It mixes elements of traditional shojo art with a more modern take. I think the voice acting is also great in the show. During some of those darker moments I mentioned earlier, they really add a lot of emotional and depth to scenes.
I can confidently say that if you enjoy shojo manga and revue/idol shows you’ll find Kageki Shojo to be a very enjoyable watch. Underneath it’s bright and colourful exterior, it deals with very real issues that girls face. While it didn’t have the hype that some shows had this season, it quickly made its way to the top.
Kageki Shojo gets 10 out of 10.
Edenharley
Kageki Shoujo was such an incredible depiction of the acting world and really gave me a lot to think about regarding it, I can safely say it had some of the most realistic and modern drama I've ever seen in an animated show all based within a great setting with some fantastic characters to embody it. I really don't have any issues with this show, it did everything I wanted and was so captivating in doing it. The story focuses on this prestigious drama school and our main cast who are admitted to it. From the opening episode the viewer is shown how elite Kouka academyis and you really believe this the whole way through. I cannot stress enough how much this show made me really think about the drama and issues it brought up, pretty much every episode introduces an issue or thinking point about the prestigious world these girls live in and it's handled in such a scarily realistic way consistently. The characters are portrayed so well in these situations and it's all so believable that I was just genuinely impressed throughout.
Speaking more about the characters, most of our main cast have a pretty expansive backstory that is explored throughout the episodes, and they all have their fair share of issues that so many young girls in similar situations in the real world absolutely experience - but it never feels like a trope. They are absolutely written in a way that makes it all seem grounded and you can tell how much they are affected - this isn't limited to just them either, things the other girls do reflect so much on the others and there is a lot of growth because of this.
I absolutely love our main two characters Ai and Sarasa - the development between them from start to finish is so heart-warming and is handled so well, especially Ai. Her character is so damn well written, at the start she is struggling with so much and internalises all of it, but she slowly opens up and Sarasa is absolutely the catalyst - without going into spoilers Ai's backstory is so horrid and unfortunate, but you see how much she grows from it by the end and it's just so great.
The art and animation definitely aren't anything too special but are still really good, everything is very soft and colourful which really sells the idea of Kouka being very pristine and perfect. The soundtrack as well is great throughout, I really love the ED.
Overall this is an absolute must-watch show, it might not sound interesting from the premise alone but I hope this review was able to hook people into checking it out because you will absolutely not regret it!
g1l
It’s rare to see an anime that handles its themes as tactfully and down-to-earth as Kageki Shoujo does. I’ll be honest, going into this anime I had originally dismissed it as another shoujo that was targeted towards a different audience to me. The tall, energetic girl and the short, reserved girl contrast never stood out to me early on, and the setting of a prestigious theatrical school never grabbed my attention either. But then each episode would tackle some new theme or explore some new character, and before I knew it I was drawn in by everything this anime had to offer. While the anime doestackle themes such as trauma, stalking, and eating disorders its important to note that this isn’t the sole purpose of the series. It explores the theatrical industry as a whole, and these are only one portion of it. That said, when it does delve into these darker themes it does an incredibly good job at it. Each character was properly explored and easy to understand, providing great insight into some of the thoughts and mentalities of people affected by these issues. When stalking is brought up it is able to give reasons for the stalker’s actions without ever justifying the act of stalking itself. The anime never gives off the impression of being dark for the sake of holding the viewer’s attention, rather it just simply addresses problems that you can find in the real world. You can almost feel the severity and impact of these through the screen, with some characters feeling all too real at times.
At first the characters might not seem all that complex, but this changes with each passing episode. Numerous well-paced backstories are placed to help better understand the characters, and by the end it really feels like everyone in the show serves a purpose rather than just existing for the sake of it. Character development is great, and a lot of it is shown through acting and performances which was really impressive. Every character has their own goal with their own reasons for seeking it, and you can see them strive for it through their actions. Characteristics of each girl are also reflected in their performances, and emotional moments are blended in with this brilliantly. Breakthroughs in characters become so much more meaningful when there are passionate voice lines during a play going along with it. Rather than having the theatre school as nothing more than a simple setting it becomes a part of the characters’ growth, adding depth and symbolism to the overall story.
Visuals remained solid throughout the anime, and multiple directing techniques were used to enhance certain scenes. Good camera shots made scenes easy to follow and flow well, and there were some neat uses of subtle lighting at various points, particularly whenever something would take place on stage. Of course, the visuals aren’t breathtaking, but good directing and scene composition makes them stand out despite this. A good soundtrack is used well when it needs to be, and when paired with strong voice acting the entire anime suddenly becomes more impactful. The opening and ending are both great and have managed to stick with me after finishing each episode.
Never before have I been so interested in watching a play about Romeo and Juliet. I found myself wanting to see more of each character perform, and the anime really delivers on this in the last few episodes. There is visible development with each passing episode and it’s an absolute joy to watch.
Solid 9/10, time to go watch the Rose of Versailles
Gween_Gween
Kageki Shoujo is one of those dramas that attacks directly to your heart through a beautiful sequence of impactful memories and a deep love towards its setting and motive. Through a ride into the backgrounds of accomplished characters there is a consequential presentation of all the struggles that are involved in the pressure of performing, a conscious and meaningful intent to develop a critique to the toxicity presented in the current era and a vivid intention to develop the concept of developing a sense of who we are in order to create something unique and beautiful. The set of characters are in a perfect symbiosis, almostmathematically designed to create gorgeous juxtapositions over their emotions and reflection. From the trauma of being ignored by your family while being superficially accepted from society to the trauma of being denied by your superficial characteristics but being in a warm family circle. From the struggle of being the first and not knowing the light after the tunnel to the struggle of being the natural progression of your family circle and not living up to your own goals. From the struggle of being selfless to the struggle of the unawareness. There is a guarantee that the exploration gets us to those feelings that we can all sort of relate, and that creates perfectly synced relationships in the difference. And to explore what do we love, what do we care about.
The anime takes no doubts to presents itself in a honest manner, through leaving leaves of mystery and aura of humanity during its runtime, the whole concept goes around understanding the characters and their conflicts, their behavior, by knowing their struggles but to also think about how we would act if we knew them. The mystery of humanity and the dark of how each other are is nothing but perfectly presented here, and it leaves a good message, a beautiful message of understanding. If we are to judge them, we would nothing but be subject to our ignorance, and that is how the real world operates, human.
The deep affection to the theatrical arts is presented through a respect to the craft. The coherency between the discourse of each character and their way to express themselves leaves us with a gorgeous intent to reflect what goes through the process of doing something unique, something human. To repulse the repetition and to elevate being yourself. While straightforward, the message is nothing but wonderful in terms of practicality and relevant towards how the characters were designed. There is nothing as not being yourself unless you want to be someone else.
The struggle of succeeding in such arts and whatever craft is also present in a lovely envelope, the pressure from all the potential directions is always shown with delicacy. From not being up to the performance that you should, to never being able to replicate what others do even with your hardest intent, the extremely human expression of what it feels to be the best is there to elevating ourselves to a concept, not everyone can be the star. World is dynamic, a place where everyone is welcomed, and since that is world, the theatrical arts are nothing but a representation of diversity.
Through all those factors presented each of the developments of the characters creates deeply impactful and dynamic moments. We go from tears to happiness, from laughter to deep sensation of despair in matters of minutes, the events have a magical atmosphere that comes from the fact that they were all nothing but human, honest, authentic, and from love. There is no apparent distortion that produces the everlasting plasticity of fakeness.
While the art and the animation are nothing spectacular, the delicacy of the motion of the characters is wonderful to see and it does its job right. The dances, the impactful moments, and those moments where the characters must express themselves are done with care, which doubled down with the musical aspect leaves us with a fitting atmosphere to where the characters can truly flourish.
Sadly, Kageki Shoujo is not a perfect anime, the story gets a little too convoluted and directionless in some sense after the end of the first conflict resolution, and it lacks a bit of elegancy in terms of giving us a concrete reason to explore the backgrounds in some occasions, which doesn’t degrade completely the whole experience anyways. Also, the time structure feels fuzzy, with no clear distinction of how the time passes in many points of the story, which is also an aspect that could have been treated better.
In conclusion, the anime is a correctly done emotional ride with respect to its topics and the sense of humanity, a well-developed drama about human behavior which will leave you with a sense of interest or curiosity about it, since it presents itself as an entire universe of thought complexity, absorbing characters involved in an artistically pleasing setting
Matheusmiranda96
Kageki Shoujo, the anime that most surprised and won me over this season. This show is not just the everyday life of girls craving stardom at a theater arts school. It's about dreams, overcomings, disappointments, traumas, and hopes. The anime shows a very realistic vision, with several foundations, and cruel life, and often brutal, that a young woman can have when searching for fame and success. Yes, brutal. Kageki addresses topics such as sexual abuse and persecutors, eating disorders, resentments left by hurt and hatred, problems in a destabilized family nucleus, family abandonment, ideals imposed on him by others... They are girls fighting for adesire. Not an idealistic dream, or a desire for megalomaniac greatness, but a passion. They are girls who, when going through all kinds of traumatic situations, overcome them by their own strength to pursue the passion of their lives.
Kageki Shoujo is full of charismatic and exuberant characters, both in sympathy and personality, as well as in willpower. Having dreams is quite common, but who, in their right mind, would shout it to the four corners of an extremely competitive and toxic environment, where every attitude can be subject to reprisals? It sounds stupid but it's not if you're Watanabe Sarasa. The blonde-haired girl's sincerity and willpower captivate every minute on stage.
Escaping from the Kabuki environment, Sarasa finds her place at Kouka College, especially because she meets Narata Ai, the girl who would become her best friend.
There, without a doubt, he is among the characters who achieved the most personal growth throughout history. From Ex Idol, raised in a hostile and neglected family environment, being a victim of attempted sexual abuse as a child, the girl who has androphobia becomes a young girl with no prospects for the future, despite having fame and success.
Naracchi, as she is called, little by little, manages to change when she realizes her real state. Cultivating excellent relationships of friendship and companionship, Ai finds his new goal in Sarasa. To be a friend capable of protecting and possessing enough strength to support your precious mate's dreams.
The anime cast is fantastic. Yamada Ayako, the shy and demure girl, owner of many passions during her adolescence but who doesn't have the main one: her own. Her lack of confidence and self-respect make her an easy target for other girls in the class who are driven by envy, thus culminating in her strong nutritional bulimia. Ayako begins to change when she meets Sugimoto Sawa, a strong and determined girl, willing to fight for everything she wants, even if it means fighting against talent or destiny.
The friendship cultivated between the two is just as important as that of the main pair. Ayako realizes, through Sawa, that the main person to fall in love with is ourselves.
Subtlety and strength. Shyness and boldness. The balance between them is enviable.
While with sisters Sawado, Chika and Chiaki, the story is different. Owners of an unparalleled tune, typical of twins, but distant in their hearts. The pair teach us how dangerous it is to cultivate emotions that are harmful to the heart, such as envy, jealousy, hurt and resentment.
It is worth highlighting the Kouka School and the importance of the Educational Center when the family environment does not meet the needs of growth. Its excellent teachers, both in artistic skills but, above all, in their love for teaching (see the desire to accompany the growth of their students) is, at so many times, the foundation for the maturation of the girls in the Hundredth Class.
How many don't give up at the first sign of difficulties? Kageki Shoujo portrays the opposite of this.
Girls who won't give up, whatever the cost.
i-like-this
Summer 2021 Tall Girl Supremacy. I try to be as non-bias as possible when I write a review, but Kageki Shoujo/Opera Girl is factually top tier, is one of the best shows of the summer season and has definitely cracked the top 10 anime of 2021 list for right now, so you're just going to have to forgive me whilst I indulge myself this one time. The story follows Sarasa Watanabe a tall, happy go lucky cinnamon roll and Ai Narata an emotionless, cold, former J-pop idol as they enter into an all female opera school producing some of the finest Musical and Theatrical Artists Japanhas to offer with the goal of becoming the main stars of a famous all female Musical Theatre Troupe. To get there they'll have to learn to overcome their sort comings whilst learning with and competing against a cast of success hungry classmates and bitchy sempai's in a brutally competitive environment which expects nothing but perfection from them.
This is not an idol anime. Kageki Shoujo is a school/performing arts anime on the surface, but it's cast of very complex characters and it's commentary on the extreme and sometimes cruel teaching methods utilised by the performing arts institution (especially towards women) is the real hook of this show. Episode 1 and 2 might give you a soft opening to get you settled in, but episode 3 and beyond presents realist depictions of child grooming, sexual assault, eating disorders, sacrifice and questions of self worth. Seriously Ai's back story in particular is very hard to sit through and the rest of the show doesn't hold back on these difficult yet excellently written subjects either.
On the flip side, the show is REALLY funny. Once Ai starts to open up she has some of the best gags in the entire show which are helped with certain moments animated with sakuga. Ai's monotone yet shy personality bounces off Sarasa's ganki-ness well and they have fantastic scene chemistry. They have both very quickly become two of my favourite characters. These moments of humour really help with the shows excellent pacing without undermining the heavier moments of the story.
The animation is solid overall. The sports festival episode was the only time I felt the animation suffered a bit, but honestly it really doesn't matter too much in a show like this. The colour pallet is bright and crisp, excellent camera shots make the characters pop off the screen and scenes flow smoothly.
Amongst all the shit I've watched this season this show feels like finding a diamond in the rough. I understand that not everyone will agree with my rating or enjoy it as much as I did, but I really hope it gets a second season because it's certainly the most deserving.
10/10 Practically Perfect
KANLen09
To lift off a page of ANN's article on the history of the Takarazuka Revue (you should defintely read that fantastic article BTW): Shall I tell a modern tale of girls and a stage? Curtains unraveled to their far reaches, a grand staircase positioned in the back, the spotlight basks on two figures: a sweeping-dress maiden played by a woman, and an epaulettes-coat hero played by another woman. Both are from the Takarazuka Revue. The Takarazuka Revue is such a historical and important milestone in the history of Japan's theatre scene, one that caters only to the women, and is the female version of the Kabuki, whereboth theatres cater to only the sole preferred sex (any criss-crossing are banned). Over time, we've seen influences that hold the Takarazuka Revue in high regard, from the likes of Riyoko Ikeda's The Rose of Versailles and Osamu Tezuka's Princess Knight, to anime series like Kunihiko Ikuhara's Revolutionary Girl Utena, the recent Shoujo☆Kageki Revue Starlight by the production staff together with Ikuhara's protégé student director Tomohiro Furukawa (which is STILL my gold standard for modern-day masterpiece representation of the Revue). And now, we're here with mangaka Kumiko Saiki's Kageki Shoujo!!, which dives deeper into the roots of the Takarazuka Revue and expresses how women are birthed into a lifetime acting career that will tremendously shape the rest of their lives. And for real, Kageki Shoujo!! brings me back to Revue Starlight levels, only more grounded for a history lesson of sorts with immense fascination.
The TL;DR about Kageki Shoujo!!, is that it's the story of the "graduated" J-pop idol Ai Narata and Kabuki reject student Sarasa Watanabe becoming great friends and pursuing dreams in a not-Takarazuka (Kouka) School of Musical and Theatrical Arts. The anime focuses on the routines and challenges of Takarazuka trainees as they learn to develop the necessary skills and expected posture of the Takarasienne-esque roles they are aiming for, with Sarasa set on becoming an otokoyaku and Ai, a musumeyaku. In addition, Ai and Sarasa also have to juggle their school lives with their traumatic past ones, resurfaced memories of abuse by men in Ai's case and dismissal by systems that privilege them in Sarasa's. The anime keeps Nobuko Yoshiya's Class S elements to an explicitly platonic level, as Sarasa is revealed to have a boyfriend outside of the school and classmate Kaoru Hoshino is shown to have harbored positive romantic feelings for a boy from her days before joining it. In hindsight, the real truth about Kageki Shoujo!! is that it's a full-on character development case study that it's not so much on just these girls' ambition to be part of the Kouka Revue (which clearly pays omage to the Takarazuka Revue), but how they got there in the first place. Each and every one of the girls in the prestigious Kouka School, made even special by the fact that they form the Centennial 100th Class, has their own story to tell, whether good or bad, fortunate or tragic, it's clearly a nuance as to how significant events in their lives had led them to this grand stage.
Let's take the main female leads Sarasa Watanabe and Ai Narata's situations for example. Kicking things off with the monotonous girl that started the #MeToo movement: Ai Narata. Having been a successful idol under the JPX48 banner, but with her androphobia (fear of men) causing her to be expelled from the scene in an abrupt turn, she turns to the Kouka School to escape from the reality and trauma that has wrecked her life upside down. With a bit of help rendered from both sexes (surprise twist) and much convincing, Ai calms down, lets loose of her androphobicness, and acknowledges that whatever the case may be harbouring to her hatred for men, she tries to understand from their perspective. That all starts from the very first friend that made an impression on her, the "Lady Oscar" wannabe, the blonde-puffy-haired tall girl Sarasa Watanabe. If you thought that Ai's backstory isn't traumatic enough, then Sarasa's will certainly do. Having an interest in the men's version of the Takarazuka (Kabuki) since young, and made by the fact that she was adopted into a Kabuki family because of her dad (Kozaburou) who got married to a daughter from that family who comes from a long established line of Kabuki actors, Sarasa develops an exhibitant talent for Kabuki, and even once performed at one of the most celebrated Kabuki shows (Sukeroku) under disguise. What went all wrong is that her childhood friend-turned-boyfriend Akiya, who was born with the distinguished family's name from birth, is naturally poised to become the family's successor. But since Sarasa's talent proved too much to be a threat on Akiya's position, his family exiled her to no appeal, essentially banning her from taking part in Kabuki and angering her only family member (her grandfather) so much as to cut their relations off. What keeps her relationship intact with Akiya is that they can only meet externally outside the family's doors in total secrecy, while still maintaining contact with each other.
That's just the tip of the iceberg, and with many girls (and many more) like:
- The similarly tall Sawa Sugimoto who gave up her chance to be a prima ballerina/ballet dancer;
- The blonde Kaoru Hoshino whom not withstanding the issues to use an umbrella to cover her from the sun, therefore prohibiting getting a tan skin, but like Akiya's with the whole familial pressure since her family members also are once prestigious Kouka actresses, coupled together with relationship issues like Sarasa's but only from a distance;
- The timid and clumsy Ayako Yamada who has to juggle her weight issues through an eating disorder that forces her to be in line with the many Kouka girls of high standards, and yet another relationship issue like Sarasa's that went one-sided;
- The Sawada twins of Chika and Chiaki whom like Sarasa, had an inspiration from a Kouka performance, so much so that they went to audition for it that saw a pass and a failure on their admission test that caused the breaking point of their relationship. Both had wanted to be admitted together, but reality strikes the other way;
You can get the sense of admonishment of how hard it is just to be admitted in the Kouka School of Musical and Theatrical Arts, and that's not to say of its exquisitely harsh, high standards of which all girls must conduct themselves in the highest of orders. It's reality for these girls and many others IRL which is a perfect representation of the Takarazuka Revue, a standard of which must be kept pure, pristine and being proud of the tradition they hail from being coveted with a brand name.
It's been long since Pine Jam ever produced a show, but as for purely drama shows, I'd argue that Kageki Shoujo!! is the most aesthetically pleasing show that the small studio has ever done from its humble beginnings since 2016 (or more preferably the breakout show that put the studio on the animation map, 2017's Gamers!). Against the backdrop of its past produced shows (Gamers!, Just Because! and Glepnir), IMO this was a relative departure to be chosen to produce a work that specializes in such a niche category as acting, but man did Pine Jam managed to pull it off so nicely. The vibrant art style and visuals are just as good as the IRL theatre acting stage themselves, bringing out the colours with some nice execution. Animation is just there I feel, but the choreography pretty much made all the difference when it comes to the expression of detail.
What's an acting show without one of the most central aspects of it, the music? It's of a no-brainer to say that the music must complement the acting genre, and in this case, this is as close to Revue Starlight for me, if not a tad down under, but still really good. saji's OP is a nicely well-endowed song that speaks true to its tones, while the various lead EDs by the characters do juxtapose according to the episodic stories featured that showcases their Romeo and Juliet-esque feelings with the Rose of Versailles inspiration all strewn over.
When all is said and done, all of this is reason enough for me to say that this is what makes Kageki Shoujo!! such a compelling show that may not have the ambitious grandeur and pizzazz of Revue Starlight, but manages to shine in its own light of realistic abundance. Series like this aren't the usual fashion of "a dime a dozen", but it's rare to see stories like this get featured in anime, which makes the whole preposition act a lot more desirable in the face of expectations vs. reality. Trust me, if you came from Revue Starlight and it left you wanting more or something else to dig on, Kageki Shoujo!! will give you that assurance. It's delicacy of the utmost balance.
Kuvie28
Kageki Shoujo! is truly a hidden gem of the summer season and I would recommend this in a heartbeat with one caveat (see below). I was truly surprised by the fact that out of all of the series I started this season, this was the one I looked forward to watching every single week. In fact, it was my favorite series this season by far. I literally got chills at times and couldn't help but root for the main characters as they took one step forward towards realizing their dreams. It almost gives me Skip Beat and Act Age vibes at times as the central focusis on drama and acting.
This anime is unique in the fact that it pushes the boundaries of a frontier that has not really been explored in recent years. It brings up real issues that teens go through in a considerate manner and should be applauded for such a feat. Stereotypically shoujo series has a suspension of reality at moments, but the realism that is depicted in this show is undoubtedly a nice change of pace in the genre.
Now, as I mentioned at the beginning, I said I would recommend this show with one caveat.
Despite all of the praise that this show wholeheartedly deserves, you should be aware of one issue that separates this from a masterpiece and might put some people off. There is one episode that gives us a flashback involving one of the main characters. It essentially provides us important insight into the cause of her trauma. As I mentioned before, discussing these heavy topics should be applauded and is not the main issue.
The issue with this is the fact that the direction and handling of the scene fetishizes the sexual abuse of an underage girl. Now, I understand that if the scene was with a teen, it may slide, but the explicit flashback involves a grown man taking advantage of an extremely young school girl. I am no stranger to x-rated material, but when the scene transpired it left a bad taste in my mouth.
Now I understand lolicon is a part of Japanese media culture, but this scene truly highlights a growing issue that needs to be addressed. If you don't think it's a problem, just look up 'Act Age Author.'
Overall, If you can get past the mishandling of this scene, I think Kageki Shoujo! is a show that everyone must watch. Its characters are charming and their progression throughout the story is superb. While open-ended, the ending leaves a smile on your face and you can't help but wish for more. At the moment there isn't any indication of a second season but if there is one down the road, sign me up!
brillante
Wow, what a surprise this was! Kageki Shoujo is probably my dark horse of the year. Even though this isn’t a perfect anime for me, it drew me in and I couldn’t look away. It did exactly what musical theatre is supposed to do - grab your attention, keep it, and then dazzle you with shimmering lights and emotions. This is an anime full of heart and love for acting, and it is delivered through some of the best character writing of the year. Kageki Shoujo is more of a school slice-of-life than anything else, but it’s one of the most realistic slice-of-lifes I’ve seen. Allthe characters share the goal to be top actors in the Kouka Troupe, but they each struggle with trying to reach it. As they struggle, we learn about their motivations and witness the traumas that haunt them, leading to revelations that get both deep and even dark. Sometimes I was reminded of Wonder Egg Priority, but Kageki Shoujo is different - its smart writing assures that the characters’ hardships and how they try to overcome them actually mean something in the end. Since this is a slice-of-life series, I wasn’t too worried if episodes jumped around from topic to topic, but the ending was somewhat disappointing for me. I think the current ending is a good stopping point if you’re faithfully adapting the source material and you only have 13 episodes, but it still felt like a “read the manga” ending.
So yes, the character writing is fantastic, even with its relatively large cast of 7 characters. While Sarasa and Ai are touted as the main duo, all the characters get time for the audience to get acquainted and understand who they are. All the girls show signs of growth, and by the time the final episodes roll around, you might even find yourself silently cheering them on as they mature. Some of the character arcs are tragically realistic and mirror a lot of the ugly that I’ve seen in the theater and dance world, so you may need to be mentally prepared if necessary, but I believe these heavy topics were handled gracefully. Perhaps it was due to Kageki Shoujo’s relatively short length, but it felt like the character writing was trying to cover a lot of ground in so little time because characters were getting developed until the bitter end of the series. If the series had 12 more episodes, or if I knew a second season was coming, I probably wouldn’t be too concerned about it.
While the aforementioned elements are pretty solid, the animation isn’t anything to write home about. There are some episodes that seem to be 50% limited animation and 50% still frames. However, the art and design save it as it evokes nostalgia for the shoujo aesthetics of the 90’s and early 2000’s. There’s something so gentle, yet strong, about how the characters and backgrounds are drawn. Because of this, even when the actual animation is unimpressive, the show is still beautiful to look at.
The soundtrack is only fine. There are one or two songs that drag me in, but I don’t really pay attention to it. I’m not too crazy about the song used for the OP either, but I’m a sucker for the ED and how the singers and the visuals change for each character. But overall, I don’t have much more to say about it.
I had a fantastic time watching Kageki Shoujo, and I give it a solid 8/10. Even with my concerns about some of the anime’s elements, I may have a go at the manga to see if that alleviates them, and that’s big for me to say because I rarely have the urge to go pick up the source material after an anime concludes. But anyway, I always appreciate good arts-oriented anime, and I’m especially appreciative of this as it covers the good and the bad of theatre with care and love. It’s such an injustice that so few people have watched or completed this show so far, so I really encourage everyone to give Kageki Shoujo a chance.
Firechick12012
I pretty much knew nothing about this series until someone posted a review of the first part of the manga on Anime News Network, and that review pretty much made me want to buy it. I mean, hello? In this recent sea of bland isekai, bad ecchi, or generic media, when was the last time we had a genuine shoujo manga that actually had an intriguing story that harkened back to a lot of classics like Rose of Versailles and Glass Mask? Yeah, the whole idea of girls going to a specialized performing arts school has been done to death in other places, but myphilosophy is that if you actually put effort into what you create and manage to make something compelling, complete with good execution and characters we can care about, then there's nothing wrong with reusing a well-worn premise. I actually bought the manga for Kageki Shojo as soon as I read that review, along with what little of it has been released here in the US so far, and liked it a lot, so you can bet as soon as the anime was announced, I was going to watch it without hesitation. So I'm glad to say that this series did meet my expectations, even when it covered parts of the manga that haven't come out in the US as of this writing.
The story takes place at a famous performing arts academy called the Kouka School of Musical and Theatrical Arts. It's basically a school version of the Takarazuka Revue and has been teaching girls since the Taisho era. Two very different girls, Ai Narata and Sarasa Watanabe, find themselves becoming classmates upon being accepted into the famous school, but they couldn't be more different. Ai, a stoic, emotionless girl, was kicked out of her old idol group after an incident with a fan, but this doesn't bother her, as she came to Kouka so she could live a life without being pursued by men. On the other hand, Sarasa is a tall, loud, chipper, energetic girl who loves anime and manga, and her reason for coming to Kouka is that she wants to star as Oscar in a production of The Rose of Versailles, having loved it since she was a kid. They, along with several other students they come to know, will have to learn to cooperate with one another if they have any hope of surviving Kouka's notoriously rigorous training, along with all the pressures and hardships that come from being in such a competitive setting.
One thing you'll notice about Kageki Shojo right off the bat is that it references and takes a lot of cues from both old school anime such as Rose of Versailles, and the famous Takarazuka Revue. For those not in the know, Takarazuka is basically an all-female acting troupe that is famous for putting on lavish, Broadway-style musicals that adapt everything from Western novels, shoujo manga, films, folktales, and on rare occasions, video games (Can you believe they did a series of musicals for Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney of all things?). Rose of Versailles in particular is important because the Revue has performed multiple shows for it, and in-universe, it's the main inspiration for one of the lead characters' motivations for going to Kouka. That being said, both the anime and manga expect its readers/viewers to have some degree of knowledge of both. While it's not outright required, a lot of the references will fly over the heads of people who know absolutely nothing about Rose of Versailles or Takarazuka, especially the latter and how it operates. Whether you're knowledgeable about Takarazuka or not, it's made very clear that the people who worked on both the anime and manga for Kageki Shojo have a deep love and reverence for the performing arts. I mean, somebody made an entire Twitter thread dedicated to showing off all the references and setpieces that Kageki Shojo uses, from various landmarks all the way down to replicating real actors' poses. So I can give the anime props for actually caring about its source material and respecting the intricacies behind the performing arts, both showing off how great it is while refusing to gloss over some of the more dangerous parts of it, such as the overly competitive atmosphere and even some toxic attitudes. A series that really goes out of its way to pay close attention to its setting and the framework behind it deserves major props in my book.
The reverence for Takarazuka also shows in the animation, from replicating setpieces, actors, and performances down to the poses, like I mentioned earlier. Of course, Pine Jam did more than just simply copy the most well known parts of Takarazuka here. The animation is smooth, and the characters have simple designs that manage to toe the lie between being cartoony and realistic, even if some characters' hair colors don't exactly mesh well with the more realistic setting. Seriously, who's idea was it to have Sarasa's blonde hair have light green tips?! Plus, the backgrounds are nicely detailed, the performance sequences are well done, making good use of lighting and motion, and even some of the cartoony parts, like exaggerated facial expressions, aren't so pervasive that they ruin the show's overall tone. The soundtrack is okay, though I didn't find it to be too memorable except for the more orchestrated parts, like the ending theme song. I heard one person say that the show places inappropriate music for some scenes, making them feel dissonant with its intended atmosphere, such as playing soothing harp music while an adult man is leering at a 10-year-old girl, but personally, I disagree, though I think part of it is because the voice acting is louder than the music at times, so maybe I missed it. But I really don't think the soundtrack is as jarringly dissonant as that user says, though I have heard examples that are way worse about this, such as Nurse Angel Ririka SOS and Grimm's Fairy Tale Classics, especially for the Japanese version of the latter.
A show like this lives or dies on its characters, and in that aspect, I think Kageki Shojo succeeds. Since this series only has 13 episodes, it doesn't have time to develop all of them, but it does keep the focus centered on a few important ones, mainly the ones depicted on the main key art. All of them receive time in the spotlight, showing what their strengths and weaknesses are, and why they chose to come to this particular school. Even the characters who might come across as really cliche and annoying, like Sarasa, are given more depth to them later on, and Kaoru's episode is easily the best one. One thing people will notice about Kageki Shojo is that it's not afraid to tackle serious, sensitive subject matter such as eating disorders, stalking, and child sexual abuse. Anime is no stranger to tough topics, but many of them do struggle with depicting them tastefully and not in a voyeuristic manner. Kageki Shojo manages to treat them well enough that it doesn't border on voyeuristic or purely for shock value, but it does tend to tie up the subplots involving them a little too neatly, with one example being the eating disorder subplot with one of the side characters. An eating disorder doesn't simply go away in a week just because someone encouraged her to keep going, though to be fair, the manga had the exact same problem, and apparently that was mainly because the authoress for the manga found out too late that the story was being moved to a different magazine and felt she needed to resolve it so as to not leave loose threads hanging. But that's a story for another review. Really, that's the only problem I had with Kageki Shojo is that it's too short and that it ties up certain subplots too neatly, but those aren't even exactly a mark against its overall quality.
There is one character I want to talk about, and that's Sarasa, and there's something I've noticed among anime when it comes to characters like her, particularly kids anime. I'm in the process of watching another anime called Tropical Rouge Pretty Cure, and the main character of that show, Manatsu, pretty much has the same personality as Sarasa: Cheerful, enthusiastic, determined, and nice to everyone, even when people are being really mean to her. Here's the thing: It seems like most people who work on anime like this believe that if you have a character act brightly enough all the time, the audience will see them as cheerful characters, but rather than simply portray someone who's cheerful, they make the mistake of making them so over-the-top cheerful that it becomes their sole character trait. They don't show them as having any other emotions than being overly happy and zany all the time. My problem with Manatsu is that, after 30-something episodes, she hasn't shown any other emotions than being over-the-top happy and zany, constantly shouting "Tropica-shine!" every two seconds, and the few times she acts anything but happy is played for laughs. She's not allowed to be vulnerable or even act like a normal human being, which annoys the shit out of me. Sarasa, on the other hand, is an example of this type of character done right, especially in her focus episodes. Yes, she's shown as being cheerful and annoying at times, but the creators actually allow her to show emotions other than mindless happiness. They allow her to be angry, sad, jealous, insecure, the whole gamut of emotions, which actually make her into a more well-rounded person. She has moments where she's vulnerable and insecure, and she has to feel other emotions when playing characters in a play, because if you don't put yourself in that character's shoes or just copy someone else's take on it, you're nothing. It's the same thing with the two Cinderellas from both Disney movies, the 1950 one and the 2015 live-action remake. The former, while not the most proactive character, feels more like a human being and actually gives a shit about the situation she's in, whereas the 2015 movie tried way too hard to make her smart and independent while accidentally making her more passive and like an overly happy zombie who doesn't even try to do anything about her situation. What makes or breaks a character is how they deal with their flaws, because rather than simply make a character one thing and nothing else, they need to be interesting first. Tl;dr, Sarasa from Kageki Shojo is a better genki girl than Manatsu from Tropical Rouge Pretty Cure because Sarasa is allowed to be flawed and act like a human being.
Alright, I better get off this soapbox. If you're looking for a show that actually cares about its material, definitely check out Kageki Shojo if you can. It's an underrated gem that absolutely deserves more love than it gets.
luvgds
Looking forward for a possible 2nd season of Kageki Shoujo!! The world of Kouka was completely new for me, so it was refreshing to see a school where things are a little bit different than the usual schools in anime. I had my doubts at first, but, after the story developed, I truly became interested in knowing more about the characters (even Hijiri, who's purposefully a hateful character). I've watched a lot of animes, but can't really remember on the spot of ones that dealt with sensible topics in the way Kageki Shoujo!! did... it felt like a punch on the stomach sometimes. And, of course,so many boyish, handsome girls, both with long and short hair. A big treat indeed!
CinaGinger
Did you love 'Rose of Versailles' and 'Glass Mask'? If you don't know any of them I'd recommend watching those (Glass Mask has a remake, by the way) and if you love the classics as much as I did, you'll totally love this series. This has been one of my favorite anime of the year. It's difficult to tag what genre is this but something is certain: it's a mixture of shoujo and josei (some students are from high school and others are already 19-year-olds) and a mixture of shoujo ai and sorority. Everyone is complex and has their own situation and trauma. It has thatold vibe about 80s and 90s but drawn with a modern animation and with values from XXI century so there's nothing cringy about it. They focus a lot on psychologic situations that are later on expressed through musical theatre, although I would have loved to see more of that world.
Still, the characters are remarkable and distinctive and you empathize a lot with them. They focused on every side story so that may be why it seemed so short for me. There's still content for a possible second season or OVAs and I'd be happy to watch that very soon.
LukesYGO_WSonYT
10/10 My new favourite anime and manga. I didn't know about the Takarazuka Revue until now, but this show has made me a fan of it. It told a great story for each of the main characters of the 100th class. They all got their moment to shine and showed great personality's and storytelling. It made you want to cheer for many of them after seeing their past, hardships and how much they are trying to become better.I really hope it gets a 2nd season.
I have all the manga so far and where they are currently up to is really exciting.
VivavideoUser2x
Kageki Shoujo is a show that just gives me so much happiness and satisfaction. This show is really great, I can't really say more than that, so this review is going to be as brief as I can. And this is mostly going to be me gushing about it as much as I can. STORY The pacing felt very satisfying and its tone was very soothing mostly. Also, I can’t act for shit, but the way the show explains stageplays and the audience that watches it was interesting for sure. The show gave me an interesting teaching lesson about “otokoyaku”.I think my one and only flaw wasgetting a little lost with Sarasa’s family affairs but it did teach me about “kabuki” and such. And it was very interesting.
What also surprised me was the absolutely devastating yet realistic depiction of its more serious themes.The show despite being light hearted had absolutely harsh and tough moments, touching on childhood trauma, emotional disorders, and more internal conflicts like self image, jealousy, confidence. But it's not as gratuitous as something like Wet Ass Priority. Also, the way the show weaves in these serious moments with an optimistic tone while also developing the characters gave me such the highest amount of satisfaction.
CHARACTERS
The main characters are wonderful!
I love Ai’s cold personality, becoming more and more open and loving towards individuals despite her past and reputation with the help of her peers.
Sarasa is probably best girl of 2021 so far.
I love her pursuing her goal to be Lady Oscar. The show really explored her character nicely and challenged societal expectations on what a certain gender and body type should do on the big stage. Outside of that, it did explore her bubbly personality on all angles. From why it works, to why others may not like it, and how her personality helps others as well, thus giving her more experiences to learn from.
I also love this ensemble cast sooo much.Despite there being a class of first years, the show focuses on a handful of girls who are special in one way or another.
They get so much development through flashbacks. Through these characters, the show touches on themes of overcoming trauma, defying societal expectations of genders, the weight and responsibility of having famous ancestors, the cutthroat beauty standards and why they are important in stage acting, and the more human nature such as jealousy, envy, and exploring one’s self. And the cast has wonderful chemistry with each other.
Despite some of the characters being harsh and cold, they don't feel completely unlikeable because they have their own struggles and all of them attempt to somewhat overcome or repress them, you can tell that deep down, they do not mean malicious intent, they just either want to push themselves or their peers forward or they're just overcome with envy themselves in a human way. I know these moments may sound sad, but to be honest, seeing these girls overcome these moments and pursuing their goals, watching their dedication pay off,it gave me such a rush of happiness, you know that feeling where you are so happy for someone that you almost start crying? That's what happened to me a lot in this show, and it's such a great feeling.
One thing I didn't expect the show to have was really supportive friends and adult figures. Sarasa chatting about her problems on twitter with her boyfriend and her father in-law is just so wholesome. And they really feel supportive of her .Ai’s bond with her uncle is very wholesome as ever, since she had such a bad past, him being there to help her out all of these years as not only a teacher but a family member is very touching. Also, the teachers at Kouka are very supportive as well. They are very cutthroat at times but they also have a very soft side that adds depth to them. You can tell that they do want the girls to push themself but still teach them to not overdo it and harm themselves. Some scenes where the teachers were helping out the girls warmed my heart like a bun in an oven.The upperclassmen may act a bit bitter but some help out the girls when they get flustered. And even the professional actors who are Kouka alumni give the student some tips and insight as well.
My favorite part of the show hands down is when it ties basically everything together. The adversity the girls went through, their backstory, what they learned in the school, their interactions with others and many elements. All of those elements collaborate together and not just develop the characters but their choices when they need to perform for judges. And when these moments happen, it's so…..Idk how to even describe it, i don't wanna say “orgasmic” because that would be too gross of a word to describe something as hopeful and innocent as Kageki Shoujo.
ART AND SOUND
I love the look of it as well, the color scheme is beautiful, designs are distinct and pop out, and Sarasa’s hair is literally everything.While the designs may look a little bit wonky at times, there are very standout moments that use them well animation-wise.It really does compliment the Japanese VA’s wonderful performances. And the soundtrack was so refined and cheery to listen to. ITs the type of music that you want to happily cry to.
ENJOYMENT
I’m still brimming with a smile despite me finishing the show just hours ago, man. It's just a jolly good show, with solid writing, great characters, and holds together pretty well visually and soundly. I just love seeing characters overcoming adversity and improving themselves, I mean why do you think I watch a lot of battle shounen? It's a more realistic and down to earth setting that not just entertained me but also taught cool things about stage plays. It was whimsical, funny, absolutely heart wrenching at times and just mostly dopamine shots all the time. It’s a genuinely great watch, I highly recommend it, if you love to feel good. Emotionally, not sexually though.
Overall-9/10
Potato-Chhan
Kageki Shoujo is the kind of series that you really dont know if you wanna continue watching after the first episode but after watching a little more, you cant stop! This anime really focuses on the acting world, the ups and downs the performers go through, their dreams as well as their fears and for some, how hard it is to keep going and not give up. Acting is harder then you might think but what you really see in this anime is how anyone from anywhere can become a star if they truly work for it and put all their time in effort into theirplay. If you cant offer any of that, then too bad so sad, you have no chance to become one of the big ones.
The characters are well thought of, each have a special personnality and arent the same just copied and paste. In my opinion, in this series, there is no villain. You might think there is but no. Just put yourself in the shoes of the so called villains, if you were them, you would act the same because its jalousy that drive them to act like that and jalousy is normal in acting. The teachers are hard because if they were all sweet and candy, the students would have no chance in life.
So, if you wantto watch an anime were you can truly see what goes in the mind of future actors and how hard it is to be a star in the acting world, watch Kageki Shoujo! :)
MimiHamburger
It's rare that the character design for anime teaser art catches my attention while browsing. Only four other anime series in the past 10 years have caught attention the way Kageki Shojo!! did from the getgo. And today Kageki Shojo!! adds to my perfect track record of being attracted to the best of the best. The animation took absolutely no shortcuts. Like none. Every scene, even the silly scenes, is perfectly thought out. I can't even think of another anime that stays this constant with their animation and design. Which fits the entire theme of the show and the actual Takarazuka culture. Perfection. Every characteris good. Even the antagonist.
Everything from the character to the music had so much love put into it that it was almost overwhelming - but in the best way possible.
Although I wish there was a bit of a trigger warning, the way they handle trauma was done really well. This is the first time I've seen an issue thats a part of me being represented in media. Watching the character begin to improve made me want to get better. Thats never happened to me before.
When I like an anime this much, I typical watch it in both English and RAW Japanese. I thought the English VAs were fantastic all around, however it only really captured the Takarazuka magic when in Japanese. I have been fascinated by Takarazuka ever since I learned about them while studying abroad. I understand how localization works but I found myself continuously switching from dub to sub depending the episode theme or character focus.
That being said, I would do the unspeakable for a Season 2 rn. Or maybe I'll just pick up the manga.
OneFaintingRobin
This is one of those shows where the overall satisfaction somewhat depends on the future. There's clearly a lot more manga than has been adapted here, so what we have definitely isn't a full story, and nor does it feel like one. It's definitely going to need further seasons to really spread itself out, and the uncertainty of whether or not that will happen makes it a little difficult to judge this show on its own merits. Of course, I'm going to try anyway. The good thing is, there are a lot of those merits. "Kageki Shojo" is a really fun show, with a big castof nice and distinctive characters, that largely manage to get a surprising amount of development despite the cast's size and the show's 13 episode run. The focus is, of course, protagnoists Ai and Sarasa, and they're both perfect for the roles they play in the story. Their somewhat unlikely friendship is really fun to watch unfold as the story goes, and despite both definitely having their quirks, both manage to feel like well fleshed-out characters, with a good balance of positives and issues they need to work through. The rest of the main cast all get their moment in the spotlight too, with a couple of the episodes more focused on them being some of the most interesting in the show. Again, though, the short run-time does put a little damper on this praise, simply because it's so clear that so many of those characters have a lot of development left to do, and I would really like to see it.
From an animation standpoint, I imagine opinions are going to be mixed. The art-style itself is great, giving a really comfy and appealing shojo aesthetic, and there's some really need bits of direction in here. That said, the show clearly ran into a few budget restrictions. Pine Jam are a fairly new and small studio, and it shows that they don't have the resources of a much bigger studio. Personally, it doesn't bother me; I'm generally a huge fan of some of their previous work; "Just Because!" and "Gamers!" are two shows I absolutely love, for various reasons, and because I appreciate what those shows, and this one, do, I can forgive the slightly less refined animation. It's not bad, to be clear, there's plenty of good movement and facial expressions, and the animation is consistent, but it's clear that it's a little less refined than bigger studios.
And, again, what story is there is put across very well, for the most part. It's definitely a character-first kind of show, so most of what I mentioned about the characters can be repeated here. Ai and Sarasa's backstories are both pretty interesting, and give them a unique point of view on the world of the show, and it makes their development over its course really satisfying as we learn more about what brought them to Kouka. Overall, it's all well-paced, with a good momentum to it, and never feels like it's wasting time on filler or brushing over important things.
Again, my only real concern about this show is that we might not see any more. Certainly, I've seen people talking about the show, so hopefully it's been fairly successful financially, but if it hasn't, I doubt a small studio like Pine Jam would be able to justify making more. To speculate, I imagine that budget is why this is all we have anyway; there definitely seems to be enough manga material to have at least put out a 24/25 episode long season, but that, naturally, costs twice as much to make.
Hopefully, we get to see this story continue. And, if we do, I am sure that it's continuation will be just as great as this was. Overall, a really fun and interesting show, with good characters and a simple but competently executed plot. Let's just hope the shareholders are just as happy with it as me.
tt5
Kageki Shoujo!! is a good show, sadly not more. For me it had to stand the comparison with Shoujo☆Kageki Revue Starlight where it fell one step behind in every category. Most particular is the story. Shoujo☆Kageki Revue Starlight managed to tell a full story in 13 episodes which is even much more packed as what Kageki Shoujo is looking to contain and yet did this show not manage to even come to a partial goal of the story. It just stopped in the middle at a very low impact point. There is no benefit to watch this show as you will have nothing at the end exceptsome characters.
Which on the positive side the characters are the only selling point for me making me watching week for week. It will touch quite dark topics. Also that the characters keep their traits and not change 180 just because they hear a speech. Art and Sound are quite good but not stellar. The episodes were quite enjoyable to watch and at least for the first 8-9 episodes they also made me want to see the next episodes.
If there will be a second season which will cover at least cover the play I will raise my rating to 8 but as it is its a 7 and you should watch Shoujo☆Kageki Revue Starlight before considering this show.
audioxtc
I’d like to start out by clarifying I’m a guy whose not very familiar with musicals, ballets, etc. The most exotic prestigious outing I’ve had was for the Russian Nutcracker, and a few other classics at my local live theatre. I’m not really a big fan of live dramas nor do I watch them from home. Kageki Shoujo seemed to be a behind the scenes for these exact live shows that I’m so unfamiliar, thus I’m not even sure why I even decided to watch it; I can’t stress enough just how opposite of a show this is from what I normally would watch. Allof this is to give a little perspective, because I ended up loving this series and honestly believe if given the chance others will as well!
Initially, I believed this to be an in depth look at live shows such as Hamlet or Romeo and Juliet. That’s partially correct, in that this is a grouping of young female actors for live theatre. But it’s what the show expands on that made it so intriguing. I suppose the main focus is what you’d expect: practice, class, drama, etc. What I didn’t expect was the complex back stories for each character. I’ll admit, I don’t have much in common with these high school girls, so I’m not sure how I expected to empathize with their situation. The stories are told so well though that you can’t help but be riveted with what you’re seeing. The group as an entity did not entice me at all, but as they focused on the individual main characters, I began understanding what the appeal to this show actually was.
I'd like to point out that if you're watching for the theatre aspect then you'll be fine of course. The main location is called Kouka, which is a prestigious theatrical school for girls, so naturally you can expect classes , etc., taking place. My only point before was to say there's something for everyone, and the plot is executed in a very unique way. But there most certainly is a lot of theatre talk, and what sounds like legitimate discussions as if it were a real theatrical school.
The first episode starts off with our protagonist Ai, who is an ex idol of all things, as a man is trying to approach her on the subway. Clearly in great distress at the thought of being approached by, specifically, a man, she takes off running and luckily finds sanctuary with her uncle who just happens to be in the area. I won’t delve into her backstory but there’s a reason she's scared of men in general and hates being recognized as an ex idol. Her fears are so extreme, it's crippling. I'm not saying she isn't justified to a degree, there are a lot of weirdos, but you can't excommunicate an entire gender and still be able to function in society (which is what I perceived as the point of her arc). Moving forward, Ai is accepted to Kouka, Theatrical School for Girls, where it seems she's attempting to avoid her personal anxieties regarding men and the public. Whatever her motivations, it's clear avoiding her insecurities is not the solution, to which she eventually concedes via a rather extreme form of exposure.
It's at Kouka that we meet the other students in her class and are slowly introduced... along with the series’ base plot. Since Kouka has such a low acceptance rate, it’s made clear that the students' journey is not going to be an easy one. Inevitably we see how some of the students came to be accepted and what their reason is for going per the shows individual introductions. it's these intro's, or dedicated episodes, that appealed to me most.
Ai's personality and story stood out to me in particular. Like I said I won’t delve into it, but the series does a good job of breaking down her story from childhood to present. I will say her's appears to be the most tragic of all the girls, so seeing her grow along side her classmates was fulfilling for me to see. I'm glad the series follows her as the main protagonist as well since her inadvertent actions provide a plethora of content for the series, whether it be drama, dialogue, or, believe it or not, comedy. She's very funny once the story progresses past a certain point, but I wouldn't say she's the series' comedic anchor...although her reactions were hilarious. She'll often give advice and believe her words to have no substance, due to her awkwardness, but it's that advice that helps move the other students forward. I also appreciated her words and learned a little from them myself.
If not for Ai's existence, I probably wouldn’t have enjoyed the series as much as I did. That being said, different episodes follow different students and their own personal trials, with each one having their own approach to school life, along with a unique characteristic you won't see from any of the others. This is why the characters are so highly regarded in my eyes, since no two are alike and were created almost methodically to fit in with the plot perfectly. Again, it doesn't take away from the theme of the show and does a great job blending in with the overarching plot.
Kaoru is another student I enjoyed learning more about. Hers is less tragic than Ai's though, and more of a romance. I may be bias, since I'm a romantic at heart and enjoy anime like Your Lie in April or Kaguya Sama, but I honestly appreciated this episode more than many of the others. The theme of the episode is basically her history with a boy from her high school on the baseball team and how she juggles that along with getting accepted to Kouka. Being that she starts out, at the beginning of the series, hostile to most of her classmates, seeing her cute and shy side brim with excitement over a simple text with this guy felt heartwarming; especially considering romance isn't really a common theme throughout the series. It was surprising how well the show was able to convey so much about her past, giving us a complete arc mostly in the span of just one episode. Her episode even ends on a positive note looking toward the future, which I was grateful for.
There is more character development along the way, and depending on your preferences, you'll most likely enjoy each one. The plot is fun and I ended up appreciating what the series was going for. There were a few annoying events and characters along the way, but it's not so bad that it can't be endured. Some characters behave pretentiously, which is what I expected before even starting the series, while others seem fake and/or willfully ignorant. One person in particular bugged me, but I'll keep it to myself considering she's a main character and I don't want to piss anyone off. I'll just say that this character is overly animated to an annoying degree, so she wasn't my personal cup of tea, but I grew used to her inane behavior. Other than that though, I struggle to find much wrong with Kageki Shoujo, ,however I wouldn't be surprised if others found specific aspects they hated as well.
Basically instead of the series being solely about acting and acting school, the audience is treated to legitimate character building and individual growth. Yes we see what the academy is all about, and what acting life may or may not be like, but its not nearly the shows main focus. In my eyes, this is a series about individuals with varying backgrounds and individual struggles, coming together with one goal in mind. Honestly they could be playing volleyball or part of a circus, and I don’t believe the singular story telling would change much. Needless to say, I really enjoyed Kageki Shoujo and what it had to offer. It was charming, humorous, and an all around interesting show to watch. You really don’t have to be a fan of acting to appreciate this series. There’s something for everyone and is worth watching.
