School Idol Project the runaway success it became is here in spades.
First off,
Superstar looks good. Not just in the polished and cute character designs, or even the highly improved CG dancing animation, but in the world those elements inhabit. The streets of Kanon and Keke s neighborhood are packed to the brim with gorgeous backgrounds, vibrant colors, and nearly every location feels like a character in its own right. Whether it s the quaint red brick and flower beds of Kanon s home/cafe, the busy shopping districts, or the old-fashioned look of their school, every environment is rich and inviting enough to make any given scene worth watching twice. And it s also just packed with small details, like how each episode s title is integrated into a diegetic piece of text like a chalkboard or bus sign. Kyogoku has established himself as a versatile and effective director already, but these first two episodes feel like he s leveled up even more.