371st G-View: Shoujo☆Kageki Revue Starlight

What was erroneously perceived as “another idol anime” by some when it was clearly about “theatre girls” quickly showed to be more than that. Much more. Question is whether the complete package was enough to make an impression on the interested. Join me as we watch a tale of cuties, hotties and bananas, eternally foretold in Shoujo☆Kageki Revue Starlight.

NOTE: This is one of those shows where it is best to go into it as blind as possible to get the full experience. I will do my best to explain to newcomers what makes the show worth checking out before going into mild spoiler territory in red.

Genres: Drama, Yuri

Themes: Theatre, Takurazuka

(Some genres and themes are hidden to avoid spoilers)

Number of episodes: 12 + 1 Special

G-Rating: 10/10

Plot Summary: “Starlight” is the song and dance revue troupe loved throughout the world. Karen and Hikari make a promise with each other when they’re young that one day they’ll stand on that stage together. Time passes, and now the girls are 16 years old. Karen is very enthusiastic about the lessons she takes every day, holding her promise close to her heart. Hikari has transferred schools and is now away from Karen. But the cogs of fate turn, and the two are destined to meet again.

Typical romantic yuri drama…Yes. Typical…

Revue Starlight has two sides to it. The first one is a fun “all-female theatre school”, aka “Takurazuka” show about nine cute and sexy girls studying and training to put on the 100th performance of the “Starlight” play. These feature typical school life shenanigans from the comedic to the dramatic. It is somewhat akin to Hibike! Euphonium. Not exactly like that but it is the best modern example to give viewers an idea of the antics the girls get themselves into and the personal obstacles they must overcome, be it a desire to be with the one you love or yearning for happy times. There is depth in the characters’ personal obstacles but how much depth requires going into spoiler territory so take my word for it that it is not as simple as wanting to be the best in order to get the lead roles.

The performances are the main draws of the show.

Moving on to the performances they are quite unique I must say. In most of the episodes one or more girls have the spotlight on them. Them being theatrical each one tell their stories through song and dance which is a very nice touch. Similar to another anime series that again enters spoiler territory it is necessary to pay attention to the lyrics to fully enjoy the development. Like I said each performance tells additional information about the girls’ stories from their hobbies to in-depth details on what exactly is bothering them. The stage props, the dance moves and the lyrics all combine to tell nine different stories. These performances also have quite the intense and magical aura to them…but again “mum’s the word”.

The animation is, if I heard correctly, interesting. See, apparently the staff did not have enough artists to work with so they hired some peeps from the West to help out with later episodes and major props to everyone involved because the show, especially during the performances, looks stunning. I do not mean cinematic masterpieces but the amount of creativity on screen and the ladies’ movements is major eye candy. Same goes for the soundtrack. The casual and fun tunes are all neat but again it is during the performances where the music truly shines. As mentioned the songs play an important part to tell their stories. Not only that but alongside one of my favorite OPs of 2018 the ED has a different touch each and every episode. Depending on which girl or couple is singing the ED they again tell part of a story, in this case a girl’s situation and couples’ relationships. They have some similarities but trust me when I say it is a different experience every single time. Highly recommended checking out subs with translated lyrics (Maybe the English dub also features translated lyrics. Not sure).

Lots of Shiro (white/light) yuri goodness to be found on this show.

The second major attraction of the show are the couples and their respective journeys to grow their snuggle power. From the main couple to the four other couples such as Kaoruko X Futaba and heavy hitters Claudine X Maya. Each couple have their own development and way of expressing their growing affection for one another off and on stage. The aforementioned songs obviously play a role here as well. Put simply the yuri is similar to that of shows like Harukana Receive, meaning “no goggles required” and “no strings attached”.

Before we get to the juicy stuff let us sum up the show for newcomers who want to experience the majestic glory of the show for themselves. Overall Revue Starlight is a fantastic viewing experience and in my personal top 5 anime of 2018. The cast is full of charming ladies who for some start off mild but they all quickly become prime time darlings. The drama is both simple and complex at the same time depending on the personal obstacle, the presentation is a melting pot of creativity, the performances are top notch and the yuri is very delightful. Highly recommended to yuri fans (and possibly the interested) looking for a unique and special viewing experience.

Alrighty then. From this point on it is time to spoil the juicy stuff as we talk about the second side of the anime. Newcomers have been warned. It is advised not to go beyond this point unless it does not matter to you.

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My one little gripe with the show is that (Ba)Karen was the only girl to get a transformation sequence. At least it is quite nice to look at every time.

Time to duel.

So now let us talk about what I liked to refer to as “The Fight Club Theatre” (FCT for short) duels. This is what caught everyone off guard and REALLY got lots of eyeballs on the show. For reasons that could only be explained as “because anime” Karen ran into a mysterious elevator. At the other side she was met with her dearest Hikari in a heart pounding duel equipped with a dagger against Junna. The duels were hosted by a telepathic demon giraffe. There is a reason for “what a giraffe?”  but is ultimately unnecessary to enjoy the battles. All viewers need to know is that he is the “scheming mascot” of the show. The battles are not to the death but as I said before they are intense and magical. For viewers who saw Toji no Miko and thought the duels did not mesh well for them may find the ones here more to their liking. After all, there are more slashing and striking weapons present besides swords. Heck a Revue Starlight fighting game would be awesome! Still waiting on that all-lesbian fighter though there are some featuring lesbian characters. I mean one where EVERY GIRL and/or WOMAN IS GAY!

One of my favorite duels. It can be said that each duel got better and better.

As I said before every part of performances told a girls’ story, their personal struggles and desires. Every prop, lyric and even the weapons of choice had as much to say about a performer as their actions. Not only that but this is partially where the psychological part of the show comes in. Like most mysterious tournaments there is a catch. During the story more clues are laid out leading to the ultimate reveal of what the FCT is for and what becoming the “Top Star” entails. ANOTHER SPOILER, “it ain’t pretty”. Come on, it almost never is. Symbolism aplenty but not Ikuhara levels of complex. Still it is overall fascinating. Like I said it is a unique and special viewing experience. A hint is to pay attention to the excerpts from the Starlight story and other theatrical messages laden throughout.

Put simply Revue Starlight is Takurazuka X Euphonium X Utena (with a dash of Yuri Kuma Arashi) X Symphogear and it all works quite well. Oh do not worry. Despite the scheming mascot this is not a “Moepocalypse” show.

PS: The hidden genres and themes are “Duels and Psychological”