*Note: If you are a new to Aikatsu!, please read my review of the original anime first for a general understanding of the franchise. This review is primarily guided towards those already familiar with the series.

*This review will cover the entirety of Aikatsu Stars! which is 100 episodes in length.

Aikatsu Stars! is an excellent successor in many regards. Premiered in early 2016, it ran for two years airing 100 episodes before being succeeded by Aikatsu Friends!. It builds and expands from its predecessor without losing the charm of the original series. Fans of the first series will have no problems adjusting to this new world along with its entirely different line of characters. While the weaknesses that are prevalent in the original carry on throughout the sequel, it does attempt to improve on those qualities and, for the most part, actually succeeds in doing so. As a standalone anime, Stars! is pretty decent and new viewers do not need to watch the original to enjoy it.

The story of Stars! is no different than any other anime of this genre. Here we follow Nijino Yume as she begins her journey to becoming a top idol. Sound familiar? The premise may be the same but the setting and direction of the anime differs slightly making Stars! a bit more interesting to watch.
Four Star Academy, the school where the girls attend, is split into four divisions with each specializing in their own skill. They are: Flower Song Class, Bird Theater Class, Moon Beauty Class, and Wind Dance Class. This ties into the school's own idol unit group known as "S4" who sit atop of the school rankings. Each division's top idol make up a member of S4 making it a common goal for many young idols to become an S4 member of their respective class.
This isn't any different than the models, producers, and designers from the original series but instead of keeping it as a side factor, Stars! brings it to the forefront of the story. What does being an idol mean to them? Because everyone isn't forced to fight down one alley it gives room for viewers to enjoy the efforts of multiple characters, ultimately creating a more satisfying story.

"One day, I'm going to be the top star among the idols! Nijino Yume! Starting her Aikatsu!" – Nijino Yume, Season 1 intro

On the topic of story, Aikatsu Stars! is definitely more interesting than the original. Though it brings some minor fantasy elements to achieve this, it never feels unbelievable. The show even introduces a villain-like character, which is not common for these types of shows, in the later stages as well to add more impact to the story. There's even some light drama, although minor and few, scattered throughout the story. It's not something that defines the show but it helped make it a bit more exciting to watch. Stars! tells only one story. The characters established at the beginning are the characters you'll watch grow right until the very end. It feels complete with everyone getting an appropriate amount of development. Even with these differences, the show never strays too far from its core. It takes the formula that we've already come to love and enhances it in just the right ways.

"All of your experiences are reflected in your radiance. Both smiles and tears are valuable experiences you should use to shine even brighter." – Shiratori Hime to Yume, Episode 49

Character wise, Stars! is very similar to Aikatsu!. Typical tropes are used just in slightly different ways. Many of the singers that provided voices for the original also provide singing voices in Stars!. There is also a male idol group known as "M4". They don't really impact the story much other than to change the pace every now and then. Overall, the characters are what you would expect them to be.
On a personal note, I feel the teacher characters are the ones that are the most uninteresting. Bring back Johnny-sensei!

The soundtrack is amazing, just like the original. Plenty of catchy songs to enjoy with a good variety of genres covered.
The animation quality continues to improve from the original, especially in the 3D CGI segments.

"Because my inspiration is you. There's no way I could've made it this far on my own. It was only because you were next to me, never stopping, that no matter how much it hurt, I could muster the will to try again, to win the struggle against myself." – Sakuraba Laura to Yume, Episode 99

Aikatsu Stars! may look like a re-skinned and rehash version of Aikatsu! and to a certain degree I don't think anyone would disagree with that statement. But the decision to take a slightly different approach and add more interesting elements to the series makes it an admirable sequel, all while carrying the same heart and soul that is Aikatsu!. Like its predecessor, it has the same flaws and downsides. But the things that the show does right, it does it very well. Stars! is a great example of a sequel done right.
If you are a fan of Aikatsu!, this show will not disappoint. New and want to get into the series? Aikatsu Stars! is the perfect anime to do so as it does everything the original anime does, but a little bit better.