UlasanAnime.com – The author has been enjoying the current Love Live anime season, sharing a sentiment similar to another review. The focus then shifts to the real-life locations featured in the anime, specifically Odaiba, an area in East Tokyo known for its shopping malls and leisure complexes.
Odaiba is described as a planned community that, while not inherently communal, offers a pleasant environment with sea breezes and open park spaces, alongside dining and shopping options. The author frequently associates the area with Zepp Tokyo and Zepp Diver City, noting they have passed by these venues multiple times.
There’s a critique of the common practice of highlighting the interior of the school buildings, which are located within the Big Site complex. The author finds this aspect less engaging, expressing more excitement for the car museum inside Venus Fort, featured in a previous episode, than any school-related scenes so far.
The author acknowledges that many visitors, like themselves, primarily visit Odaiba for events held at venues such as Big Site. Their own experiences in Odaiba have largely revolved around attending events at Venus Fort and waiting near the Zepp venues. They mention needing to go to Diver City solely for food to sustain a full day of events, indicating that this is not their preferred way to experience the area. The author also expresses a desire to visit the Noitamina Store at some point. They note that the stretch between the two Zepp venues is quite pleasant, especially in good weather, and they have observed the food vendors there. The large Ferris wheel is highlighted as a good spot for selfies during the day, but less so at night.
Beyond the (now absent) Gundam statue outside Zepp Diver City, the surrounding area is presented as a potential outdoor venue for concerts and idol festivals. Tokyo Idol Festival (TIF) and other idol events are famously held there. Other notable tourist attractions include rides on the Himiko boat into Odaiba, which offers a short night cruise suitable even when the weather isn’t ideal.
The author emphasizes that a visitor’s understanding of Odaiba is incomplete if it’s solely based on experiences related to Comiket. They point out that Big Site is situated in the Ariake side, which is more residential and business-oriented. Additionally, there are several smaller event spaces in the vicinity towards the Gundam statue. The scene of Setsuna performing on the steps outside Diver City is described as a sacred idol territory being utilized by an idol. Watching TIF provides a rooftop perspective of Odaiba’s skyline, a view that NijiGaku aims to capture at times and will likely explore further.
Odaiba is characterized as “wota territory,” a fact that overseas “thin-book nerds” should be aware of.
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In a postscript, the author reiterates their positive view of the anime itself. They suggest that if the Sunshine anime had been similar, they might have genuinely enjoyed Aqours. However, they feel it’s four years too late. In the context of the post-Shinymas era, this take on school idols is seen as refreshing, primarily because it’s detached from the PreCure/Aikatsu/PriPara discourse while still pulling the otaku-centric franchise into a more public-friendly sphere. The author finds it fun and acceptable but believes it’s one generation behind in capturing their imagination.
