Chance Pop Session - Session 1

Rating:
Summary: A decent, inexpensive buy.
Review: I bought this DVD on an impulse for less than $10, and let me just say that it's worth every penny. Granted, for those out there who are die-hard anime buffs, "Chance Pop Session" won't raise any eyebrows, but it's still an enjoyable "American-Idol-esque" tale about three girls following their dreams. At times, yes, it can go a little slow, but the quirky little pop songs quickly become infectious, and you'll find yourself humming to the tunes long after it's done. Take a chance on "Chance Pop Session"!

Rating:
Summary: Princess Nine Meets American Idol? Surprisingly Tight Show!
Review: My friend has the entire Chance Pop (Triangle) Session series, and she let me borrow it to take a look. At first I wasn't too hopeful about the series, as it does start out slow--three girls, three different lives, all connected by one mega-star's concert. (The scope of the concert reminded me of NSync's Popodyssey tour--It was portrayed as THAT spectacular.) After experiencing the concert, the three young women vow to follow in their favorite star's footsteps.

What caught my attention was the careful character development put into the beginning, and (in the fifth episode) the surprising "mystery" that they'll all turn out to share--beyond their being at the same concert. It really pays to pay close attention to the very first episode, as it leaves J.K. Rowling-sized clues (meaning small but significant) for the viewer to keep up with.

Keeping in mind that the series was originally promoted by a real-life Japanese music recording company (Apex, or something like that), some parts of the episodes slow down for music-video like numbers. Though they may seem boring to some people, they too offer some foreshadowing and character development. Personally, I love the music in this series, so I don't mind the repetition of the signature songs, but keep in mind that they'll play the 2-3 signature songs (as well as some other songs) over and over and over and over . . . For the intro, for the end credits, for their practices--you get the idea.

Specifically, for this first volume you'll get a good 5-episode start on everything you'll need to know about the characters--spiritually grounded Akari; street smart, hard-working Yuki; bubbly, pampered (yet not spoiled!) fangirl heiress Nozomi; Superstar singing sensation Reika; and her business-hardened (yet kind) manager Kisaragi Akiba. They will all eventually discover the common thread that binds their amazing destinies together.

Oh, and one more thing: you'll have a fun time looking for the gentle-looking old man with a pug-looking puppy dog with wings. He has his purpose, too!

Go ahead and buy it. If you've watched El Hazard OVA, Tenchi Muyo, or ESPECIALLY Princess Nine, you'll love this series.

Rating:
Summary: Princess Nine Meets American Idol? Surprisingly Tight Show!
Review: My friend has the entire Chance Pop (Triangle) Session series, and she let me borrow it to take a look. At first I wasn't too hopeful about the series, as it does start out slow--three girls, three different lives, all connected by one mega-star's concert. (The scope of the concert reminded me of NSync's Popodyssey tour--It was portrayed as THAT spectacular.) After experiencing the concert, the three young women vow to follow in their favorite star's footsteps.

What caught my attention was the careful character development put into the beginning, and (in the fifth episode) the surprising "mystery" that they'll all turn out to share--beyond their being at the same concert. It really pays to pay close attention to the very first episode, as it leaves J.K. Rowling-sized clues (meaning small but significant) for the viewer to keep up with.

Keeping in mind that the series was originally promoted by a real-life Japanese music recording company (Apex, or something like that), some parts of the episodes slow down for music-video like numbers. Though they may seem boring to some people, they too offer some foreshadowing and character development. Personally, I love the music in this series, so I don't mind the repetition of the signature songs, but keep in mind that they'll play the 2-3 signature songs (as well as some other songs) over and over and over and over . . . For the intro, for the end credits, for their practices--you get the idea.

Specifically, for this first volume you'll get a good 5-episode start on everything you'll need to know about the characters--spiritually grounded Akari; street smart, hard-working Yuki; bubbly, pampered (yet not spoiled!) fangirl heiress Nozomi; Superstar singing sensation Reika; and her business-hardened (yet kind) manager Kisaragi Akiba. They will all eventually discover the common thread that binds their amazing destinies together.

Oh, and one more thing: you'll have a fun time looking for the gentle-looking old man with a pug-looking puppy dog with wings. He has his purpose, too!

Go ahead and buy it. If you've watched El Hazard OVA, Tenchi Muyo, or ESPECIALLY Princess Nine, you'll love this series.

Rating:
Summary: Reviewer misses the heart of this series
Review: The Amazon reviewer didn't do this title justice. This is an adorable series about the hopes and dreams of 3 young women who hope to make it big in the pop music industry. The artwork is angular but not without appeal and once you get used to it it's clear the angular style is intentional and seeks to step away from the "cutesy" stylization inherent in anime and instead bring the viewer closer to a more realistic world.

The story is paced but delibarate, and more than anything the feel of the show reminds me of the better parts of the 80's TV show "Fame." While romance is only a monor aspect of Chance Pop Session it is a good title for anyone who likes anime drama along the lines of Fruits Basket, Someday Dreamers, Millenium Actress, Video Girl AI or perhaps Ai Yori Aoshi. Parents might take note that this title has no nudity, gratuitous sex or even significant violence.

I watched this fully expecting to hate it and have instead found myself moved... and I don't hesitate to recommend it to anyone who is looking for a kindly, gentle, uplifting drama.

Rating:
Summary: It's like Fame, but lame!
Review: This short-lived TV series was about three up and coming students in a special talent school. They all wanted to follow in the footsteps of their idol, Reika. After dealing with jealous classmates and a pushy partner, they finally get their own gig together. But still alot of problems evolve, as they normally do in overdramtic shoujo anime like this. The major problem that this series has is there are WAY too many musical montages in it, including one scene in episode 5 that almost looks like a live-action closing credits piece. There are other decent anime titles that are about girls becoming pop idols, although they usually include magical pets that transform them Sailor Moon-style into idols! But then again, this series probably could've used some annoying talking cats to make it more interesting. For J-Pop junkies only!

Rating:
Summary: American Idol? 3 very different girls, one same dream
Review: What's it about:
Three young girls fortituously meet at superstar Reika's concert. They all leave with the same passion for music and the desire to a part of it. The girls enroll in a special music school by Reika's mentor, who selects them for a special "S" class. It shows the ups and downs as they become what can only be found if the "Angel of Music" smiles upon you.

I was going to give it a 4 because it isn't what I would consider an "anime great", but I am giving it a 5 star. Why? Because it accomplishes the story it tries to tell and it does it really well. Quality of video is great, very clean. The story itself (which in my opinion is the most important aspect) is told at a good pace, where you dont find yourself getting bored.

This series is called "Chance Triangle Session" in japanese, I am guessing the 3 girls have some sort of symbolic representation for this.

With the advent of "American Idol" and the whole idea of becoming a star... this series is fun as it unveils what can happen.

Rating:
Summary: Better than expected!
Review: When I first picked up this DVD, I didn't have real high hopes for it as it seemed a little sappy and childish. However, once I started watching it, I was actually very pleased. I really think this will be a good series. Not the best, mind you, but it could be worse. I think my main beef with this DVD was the songs during the episodes are not translated in the subtitled version. Instead, the lyrics are given in romanji, and so unless you fluently understand Japanese, you'll be at a total loss. But the main characters are full of life and are very well developed...a big plus. This first volume has only scattered bits of the driving subplot for the most part, but by the 5th episode it becomes pretty obvious what will happen. After all, the opening credits kind of give away the eventual result, so don't expect a lot of surprises. As a whole though, this was a nice, warm, and friendly series. Ideal for a break from something heavy like Fushigi Yuugi. I very much recommend this series.