I know that, for many people, AKB0048 can be quite a stretch when it comes to storytelling. Heck, I had a hard time trying to explain the plot of the first season, which tackled a future where entertainment was banned in many planets, thus leading to the creation of a guerrilla idol group that featured members who could fight with microphones that become veritable light sabers even while they were performing.
Yet, I greatly enjoyed the first season run of AKB0048 (now officially titled as AKB0048 First Stage), even if I did struggle to properly explain what's so great about it. And I also ended up enjoying its eventual second season, even if it featured even more baffling mythology that affected the lives of the official members and understudies of the AKB0048 idol group.
AKB0048 Next Stage continued to tell the story of the titular idol group that continue to rebel against the human government's decision to ban entertainment, thus suppressing the supposedly negative emotions that it can evoke in people. The final concert in AKB0048 First Stage ended with Sensei-Sensei's revelation that the group composed of the combined 77th and 75th generation understudies would produce the next Center Nova, a position that has been left vacant ever since the disappearance of Maeda Atsuko the 13th. Not long after, it was publicly announced that not only will a new Center Nova be named, but that all the AKB0048 members and understudies will participate in the general elections event, which will determine the top ten most popular girls in the group. Meanwhile, the government group DES steps up their efforts to eliminate the group and their efforts to spread entertainment to the different planets. They are aided by Sono Chieri's father, through his company Zodiac, due to his obsession to understand and obtain the powers offered by the Center Nova Phenomenon.
AKB0048 Next Stage shifts its focus from the understudy group to a select few characters, highlighting their individual struggles that relate to their goals as members of the idol group. Much of the storytelling revolve around 77th generation understudies Motomiya Nagisa and Chieri, and AKB0048 member Oshima Yuko the 9th. Nagisa struggles to accept the competitiveness among the girls because of the general elections, while Chieri fears that her rise in popularity is influenced by her father and his plans to get her to become Center Nova. Yuko, on the other hand, is obsessed with gaining the top spot in the general elections and becoming the next Center Nova, thinking that gaining the position will help her find out what happened to Atsuko the 13th and the other Center Nova who disappeared over the years.
The storytelling also highlighted a different set of challenges for the characters. While everyone aimed to gain a spot in the general elections and the understudies continue to work towards inheriting a name from the historied AKB48 idol group, they were also faced with the increased efforts of DES to suppress their efforts in spreading entertainment. And underneath it all lies the ultimate mystery of the kirara's significance and the destination of every member who invoked the Center Nova Phenomenon.
The series wasn't perfect during its AKB0048 First Stage run, and AKB0048 Next Stage is no different. With all the different characters to focus on and the continuous array of challenges faced by the girls, the narrative wasn't as tight and had a tendency to feel cluttered, causing me to lose my interest in certain episodes.
Yet, they more than made up for those shortcomings when the narrative returned its focus on the biggest storylines of the season, and when the moments of despair had been eclipsed by the literally glowing moments of triumph that Nagisa and Chieri achieved, because their triumph as AKB0048 idols is a reflection of their self-growth.
And as far-fetched as the series's themes might seem, you can't doubt the excitement brought forth by the series when the girls are engaged in battle, melding the physical fighting while performing the songs they believe can actually bring positive changes in people.
I would still be hard-pressed to properly explain what AKB0048 is about, but I can at least confidently tell you that it's worth checking out.
Happy viewing!!Labels: Action, Adventure, AKB0048, Anime, Drama, Music, Must-Watch, Sci-fi, TV
