Pretty Rhythm Rainbow Live 51 + Final Thoughts
I started watching this back in April of last year because it had some of my favorite voice actresses in it, and I liked the music-themed outfits the girls had on. Now that it's over, it's one of the series I've most enjoyed watching. It took a while before things really clicked - episode 9, where "Gift" was first performed - but once it did, it was a consistently fun ride. I'd only seen a few episodes of Aurora Dream and none of Dear My Future, but this is largely standalone.
The story arcs were well executed. They rarely overlapped, but each one's own cast of characters never overplayed the drama too much. (Ito and Bell could get a little over the top, but even that didn't happen very often.) The finale delivered just what I'd expect from a series like this - wrapping up all the characters, including the unit Beef or Chicken or Fish, which is one of the odder names I've seen for an idol group.
I like the musical performances here more than in Aikatsu, for two reasons. The jumps last longer and are more bombastic - like Wakana taming a tiger or Ito rearranging the planets - and the songs are actually sung by the voice actresses. "Rosette Nebula" and "gift" were my favorites, but everything was pretty good. And Otoha's sax is beautiful.
It's not the best kids' show I've ever seen, but I'd put it near the top easily. A very solidly written, emotional, fun show to watch. Rinne is adorable, there's enough to ping the yuri goggles, and the music is great. I'm convinced enough to stick around for All Star Selection.
Okay.
o
