So, 1 year later, have you changed your impressions on any of the girls? Your favorite girls changed or you started liking a girl that you didn't like much at first?
Sure, why not. LL impressions coming right up!
Honoka
Not gonna lie, I really wasn't feeling Honkers at first. I took one look at her and went "Nah." I changed my tune pretty quick after getting into the anime though! I've gone at length on why this character is amazing, but suffice it to say, her character arc in the anime is legit compelling, she's super entertaining, and her voice is to die for. She's the lovable, charismatic heart of Muse.
Even now, after reading through countless doujins and getting caught up with the various side material, my feelings towards her hasn't changed one bit ♪
Umi
No 2 ways about it, I ♥ Umi. I guess I just have a soft spot for characters that stick by their best friends through thick and thin (Umi had that in
spades.) I liked how she was a constant pillar of support in the anime, but
also a near endless source of comic relief. She was the goddess of facial expressions.
My feelings towards her haven't really changed, but I now know (and appreciate) how she's super lesbians for her friends, and a bit of a
pervert.
Kotori
Ahhhhh, it's hard to write about Kotori. She's kind of just... there, you know? Her indecisiveness and lack of confidence are compelling character traits but... there are parts of her character that don't really jive with me. I wasn't a fan of "Minalinsky" (why even bother hiding it from your friends?!) I think I actually prefer her non-anime incarnations, because even though she's possibly even
more vanilla outside of the anime, at least she's got more confidence in herself (and she's more of a fashion otaku). Don't get me wrong, I like Kotori and I think she's mad adorbs, but she's definitely on the lower end of the cast for me.
My thoughts on her haven't really changed since watching the anime... maybe if I read her School Idol Diary?
Maki
I went into the anime thinking i'd seriously dislike her (I don't really like her type) but that sentiment didn't last very long; Maki was damn great. The smart, aloof and cool beauty who slowly warms up to the group isn't usually anything to write home about, but the execution on her was top notch. Like, this girl is
2cool4school, but she's also the
biggest dork ever. I also like for how seemingly fortunate she is, it's pretty obvious she's got a lot of emotional baggage to deal with. Her School Idol Diary goes into more detail, and it's very good read (the chapter where she goes postal on her dad gave me chills). Oh, and who doesn't love the fact that she's
thirsting for her senpai. Seriously, her lips are practically
parched.
My current opinion of Maki has only improved after getting invested in Love Live!; like I said, her School Idol Diary Novel is really good, and if you're even remotely interested in her character, you owe it yourself to check it out. Do yourself a solid!
Hanayo
Rice goddess is seriously adorable. I can't get enough of her squeaky voice, her obsession with idols and her hilarious fetish for all things rice. But on a more serious note, her lack of self-esteem and insecurity about her weight really sets her apart from the rest Muse. I'm really fond of the episodes of the anime that center around her. Shoutouts chapter 6 of SIF, which has a legitimately good message about crash dieting and a heartfelt ending.
I actually wasn't too big on Hanayo at first, but I've grown to like her the more I reflect on the anime. I never really got tired of her rice jokes.
Rin
Part cat, super genki and a really good friend. She's the moodmaker of the group, and very, very cute. She doesn't usually shine on her own (barring that episode on S2 that centered around her, which was baller) but she's a really great supporting character. Hell, I even liked before she joined Muse. I'm hit and miss on her backstory in the anime. Her past trauma about being shamed for trying to wear feminine clothing sounds good on paper, but shuffles through it rather quickly (too quickly for it to really have an effect on me.) I get that the Love Live! anime moved at an incredibly brisk pace, so I can't really fault them for how it was presented but... ah it really could have been better! That aside, Rin was just solid. She's kind of like a condiment that instantly makes any meal better.
In regards to how I feel about her post anime, I've always liked her, but I became a huge fan of her after listening to the audio dramas. Shoutouts to her extremely bizarre (yet amazing) relationship with Nozomi. Also, her nyaa's are the greatest, the end.
Nozomi
Nozomi was probably the first Love Live character I really liked. Her eccentric-yet-serene personality coupled with that tarot theme made her extremely appealing. One minute she's doling out helpful life advice and getting Maki to break out of her shell, and the next minute she's screaming about
IDOL DAKIMURA'S. That's the kind of character she is. Err, maybe. See, her characterization is wildly different depending on the adaptation, but I actually really like that. Her audio drama self in particular is absolutely hilarious. Like, i'm pretty sure she's actually insane, but in the best way possible.
I've only grown to like her more since finishing the anime; NozoEli is still a top tier pairing
and legit one of the main reasons why I started the anime and it's pretty clear that she's a fun character to write around.
Eli
She's pretty much got it all: looks, smarts, charisma,
Nozomi but she manages to avoid being grating in the least bit, which is quite a feat. I liked her as the well-intentioned, but obviously biased Student Council President with a bitter backstory, and I also liked her as the leader-but-not-really reasonable figure of Muse. Eli's just an all-around good character, though to be honest, she doesn't wow me as much as the other girls. I do like how she's the only character who consistently manages to keep a cool head no matter what the situation (and I mean it! She rarely loses her head, which is notable in a cast full of goofballs)
As for how I feel about her now... she was originally one of my lesser liked characters, but she ranked up after I got got through more of the Love Live! adaptations. She's honestly a pretty cool character; every group ensemble needs an Eli!
