Love Live! is synonymous with the genre- a slice of life. Having gained great success and having mustered a huge audience’s support within a decade, Love Live! Managed to extend its reach beyond manga and anime with its own movie and game. In its own right, it is a massive project that succeeded in extending beyond the conventional manga and anime model. The idea of it being an idol anime, with bits of yuri speculations generated by fans, was what led to it connecting so well with the audience.
The series revolves around girls who become idols to save the Otonokizaka High School from closing. The group named μ’s (pronounced as Muse) is formed by 9 member girls- Eli Ayase, Nico Yazawa, Honoka Kosaka, Hanayo Koizumi, Kotori Minami, Nozomi Tojo, Umi Sonoda, Maki Nishikino and Rin Hoshizora.
As the series succeeded in engaging a huge audience with its unique storyline and cute characters, it managed to generate enormous revenue. As per the numbers of Hakuhodo, Love Live! Earned over a hundred billion yen between 2014 and 2020. With the successes of the series, along with all of the assisting elements, it is correct to say that the franchise is truly a billion-dollar machine. Without wasting any time, let us jump right into knowing facts about Love Live! that will astonish you.
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1. The phrase “Nico Nico Nii” has a wholesome backstory
Having been featured in memes and an incredibly famous element of the franchise and its identity, the phrase “Nico Nico Nii” is related to the Idol Research Club’s president and the Muse outfit designer- Nico Yazawa. Even though some find it annoying, it rather has a more wholesome story to it.
After seeing a younger child crying, Nico said, “Nico Nico Nii.” It made the child smile. The phrase passed down to her by her father, “Nico Nico Nii,” made her sure of the fact that the phrase could make anyone smile when they were having a tough time. Quite a wholesome story for a meme’s origin, isn’t it?
2. Different stories behind the joining of Hanayo and Rin
Two of Love Live! ‘s main characters are Rin Hoshizora and Hanayo Koizumi. These two idols shape a significant part of the idol group. But it might come off as something new to you that the stories of the two joinings Muse are different in anime and manga.
In the manga, even before joining Otonokizaka High School, Hanayo and Rin are longtime friends of Honoka Kosaka. Upon the declaration of Honoka forming her own idol group, Rin joins the plans readily. Meanwhile, Hanayo is not very happy about it initially. But with Kotori Minami taking care of her knee that got scratched, she joined the group as well.
Meanwhile, in the anime, Hanayo has been an idol fan since the very beginning. She even attends the very first concert of Muse and cheers for them. At the same time, Rin is pretty clear about her wish to join the sports club.
3. Suzuko Mimori loves pro wrestling
As well known as Umi Sonoda, her voice actor-Suzuko Mimori. She enjoys huge popularity for voicing Umi in Love Live! and Kourin Tatsunagi in Cardfight Vanguard!! Contrary to her cuteness is her Love for muscles and pro wrestling. Yes! Her appearance might mislead you into believing that she is all anime and definitely not wrestling. But it is actually the other way around.
Even though this might come as a surprise to many, she is even married to the NJPW pro wrestler Kazuchika Okada. As NJPW is owned by Bushiroad and Suzuko Mimori has worked in a number of anime related to the entertainment company, it led her to find her spouse as well.
4. Yoshiko’s voice is way different in both Japanese and English versions
Yoshiko Tsushima of Love Live! Sunshine!! Has a huge difference between her voices in the Japanese and English versions of the show. Even though the people behind the series try to establish similarities between the voices of a character in both Japanese and English, Yoshiko Tsushima’s voice has definitely not followed the similar tone and pitch rule.
While Aika Kobayashi gave her the iconic high-pitched voice that she has, the English dub went off the route and chose Morgan Berry. Berry’s voice is clearly quite deep in comparison to Kobayashi’s voice. This is quite a good reason why people might be thrown off guard when switching from Japanese to English or vice versa.
5. Rippi almost had an ‘uh-oh’ moment during a performance
In the very iconic first part of Love Live!, there is no way anyone can forget Rin Hoshizora. Unforgettable, along with Rin, is the seiyu- Riho Iida. Also, going by the name of Rippi, Riho’s reliance on contact lenses during concerts almost cost her an entire performance. A performance required the group to perform at least 4 songs. Unfortunately, Rippi’s contact lenses fell out during the very first performance.
To not mess things up and make sure that the performance went on smoothly, she stayed very aware and cautious throughout the entire performance. Even though her vision was completely disturbed due to the lenses’ absence, she performed the songs as well as she could. Now that’s some serious dedication towards the business.
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6. Idol groups and characters were chosen by fans
Love Live! Established a great connection with its fans because of their timely interactions. It is visible throughout the franchise’s timeline, from the manga’s time to the anime and to the movies and games. But did you know that the μ’s (Muse), Aqours, and the Nijigasaki Idol Club were actually selected by the fans?
It has always been a thing in Love Live! that fan polls are valued a lot. It was the same with Muse’s name. It was a poll conducted on phones that helped get the iconic idol group its name. With Otonokizaka Idol Club, Little Diamond, Livestar!, and Otonokizaka Nonetto as the options, the poll helped generate an incredibly memorable idol series. Aqours were also given the name, and their subunits and leads were also decided by fans.
The same went for Nijigasaki Idol Club as well. DiverDiva, A-ZU-NA, and QU4RTZ have all been named by the fans. In this case, they were allowed to give their own suggestions as well. Clear evidence that fan interactions and involvement play a huge role in keeping a series high.
7. The Love Live! and Gundam connection
In Love Live!, a number of references are there. Of what? Gundam! The sci-fi branch, which has won hearts for decades, has made its way to Love Live! as well. With a number of very smoothly inserted references, there are some tributes that one can find. Love Live! Sunshine!! Live Adventure 2020’s Guilty Kiss has a number of references related to Gundam.
The Yoshiko Tsushima boost is named-’Yohan Am. It is a clear tribute to Mobile Suit Gundam’s Trans Am System. The planet’s name is also a reference to the Universal Century’s Char Aznable.
8. Love Live! Voice actors have won a number of singing awards for their performances
As an idol-based franchise, the voice actors of the entire Love Live! Franchises have won a handsome number of awards to themselves. With a huge fandom in mind, they have managed to deliver great results. For these, their voice actors have won a number of Seiyu Awards.
With μ’s bagging an award at the 9th edition, Aqours’ win at the 11th edition, Hinaki Yano’s win at the 16th edition, and the Nijigasaki High School Club’s win at the 17th edition of the Seiyu Awards, it will not be wrong to say that the iconic idol anime is truly setting the bar higher and higher.
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9. Kotori and Honoka are childhood friends
In one of the fan QnA sessions that have been done by Love Live! to maintain a bond with their fans, the creators told the people that Kotori Minami and Honoka Kosaka were childhood friends and were living on the same street because their mothers were close friends as well.
Interestingly, in the manga, Kotori is not a childhood friend of Honoka and Umi. But in the anime, all three are featured as a childhood friends’ trio. Even the ponytail of Honoka that she likes to have on the side was made by Kotori initially.
10. It is one of the most successful media franchises
Love Live! has been one of the most successful media franchises. With its own movie and games, it definitely opened a number of revenue gateways. In the time period spanning from 2014 to 2020, it has earned over 1 billion US dollars. Pretty impressive for a franchise that practically dominated the idol genre for a long time.
In 2015, it was the number 4 top-selling media franchise in Japan. In 2016, the entire franchise made a huge leap to secure the number 1 place. Pretty impressive to see that in the available numbers, the franchise has never gone below 10 billion yen between 2014 and 2020.
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11. Rina loves science
Rina Tennoji is easily recognizable in Love Live! Franchise’s Nijigasaki High School Idol Club phase. She can be identified with ease because of the paper sheets that she uses to display her moods but hide her face at the same time. It should be known that she loves science and maths. While this can just be an average fact, it extends a bit more.
She has actually gone into space. Yes! Rina has actually ventured into space. It has been shown in the initial Yonkoma (four-celled) mangas that Rina, Ai Miyashita, and Ayumu Uehara have gone for out-of-the-world rides. While these were featured in specific Famitsu content, it clearly gives an idea that the Nijigasaki High girls are definitely not just limited to being idols.
12. The numerology of Nico
Nico Yazawa has quite an interesting numerological reference that will blow your mind. Nico has quite some references that relate to the number- 25. Her first name can actually be read as 25. Here Ni resembles the Japanese word for 2, and Ko sounds like the word for 5. This is where one can go on to notice a number of references that branch out from it.
The price of meat in Love Live! is also 2525 yen. And the Japanese word for meat is ‘Niku.’ Sounds similar to Nico’s name, doesn’t it? And if you thought the references finished here, think again. Even the wristband of Nico Yazawa features the number. Too many references, and they are so strikingly similar. Love Live! Definitely gave me a lot to observe.
13. The Kurosawa business is beyond your thoughts
The Kurosawa family’s business extensions go vast beyond the point of our understanding. Dia and Ruby are members of the very same family. What the majority knows about the family is that the 2 Aqours members (Dia and Ruby) hail from it and that it has a lot to do with the fishing industry.
But what many don’t know is that the family gets its revenue from human resources, entertainment, eateries, and real estate as well. Although fishing is where the family has gained its name in the area, the other industries also support the Kurosawas.
14. Love Live! Sunshine!! ‘s town actually used to exist in real life
Just the way almost every anime series has some real-life inspiration in terms of location, Love Live! Sunshine!! It was no exception. The locations used for the Uranohoshi Girls’ High School girls were inspired by really spectacular but lesser-known locations. Especially the town of Uchiura. Initially as a fishing town, it forms a part of Numazu city.
The school that inspired the creation of the Uranohoshi Girls’ High School and a lot of other locations, including characters’ residences and much more, are in Uchiura and its vicinity. What is amazing is that a number of real-life locations are also there in Hokkaido. All the locations have been utilized really well by the creators, and the resemblance can be seen to date.
15. If not for Chika, Anju Inami was about to quit
Anju Inami, popularly known as Anchan, has voiced the lead of Love Live! Sunshine!! It might come as a surprise to many, but Anchan would have quit early on in her career. Yes! Anju Inami was really close to quitting her career as a seiyu. It was the audition opportunity for the second part of Love Live! that changed her view.
She appeared in the auditions and got selected to voice an idol. Not just any idol but the leader of the idols- Chika Takami. Just on the edge of her career’s apparent end, the Love Live! Fangirl’s ticket to fame was with her. Starting from a point where she was just a fangirl of Hanayo and struggling with her career as a seiyu, Anju Inami ended up as the fan favorite Anchan.
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