*Note: This review will cover the full run of PriPara which includes Idol Time PriPara for a total of 191 episodes.
"It's not my fault I inherited your loud voice!" – Manaka Laala to her Mom, Episode 1
The most notable aspect that makes PriPara different from the other idol anime is its setting, or perhaps better said, world. Girls, boys are not allowed*, must visit their local fashion outlet, "Prism Stone", where they are then transported to the holographic powered world of PriPara.
The charm of the show comes from this magical, fantasy-like world. Flying plush-like animals act as the managers for their beloved idols. Songs are apparently created out of literally thin air and served on a silver platter. A single pair of red glasses operates the entire idol system, there are many things in this anime that don't conform to real world rules. It is a truly silly world that plays by its own rules. That's not to say the show is a complete clown fiesta, well that depends on what we're talking about. It sticks to the rules that it sets and anything that is seemingly implausible is due to the "system". It's not a perfect world, there will be many moments where you'll just have to bite the bullet and accept what you see, but that's part of the fun.
The characters of PriPara are collectively above average. There are some fantastic and lovable characters and there are some annoying ones as well. The show tries to reach out to a wide scope of fans by having a large variety of characters. Unfortunately, if you don't inherit a bias toward certain characters, their antics and personality will put a damper on your experience. Thankfully, the characters that get the most time on screen are the more favorable ones, so this isn't too much of negative.
On a related note, the humor in PriPara is one of its strongest points. Sometimes it's subtle and other times it's direct and in your face. There are lots of funny and wacky moments to be enjoyed despite its childish appearances.
"Kashikoma!" – Manaka Laala's catchphrase
The story is not that bad and the reason why I'm writing it down here is because there's not much to talk about. It's a simple "idols aiming for the top" story that you'd expect from the genre. The arcs ease into one another very smoothly and upon completion, viewers do get a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction. From a purely quality standpoint, the story is a bit mediocre, and much like the setting of the show, it carries the same negatives as it does the positives. Unfortunately, the better parts of the anime comes in the latter portions. So if you've already moved on before then, it's hard to believe in the potential of the anime. To sum it up, it's an okay story told wonderfully.
Finally, we get to the music and dancing. The one thing that makes an idol anime, well, an idol anime! And much like the characters, it is collectively average. There are some very good tunes that'll certainly make it into your daily playlist but there are also some songs that you'll probably be itching to fast forward through. While I do commend the show for taking the wide approach versus sticking with the traditional idol-flavored music, perhaps they could have at least made the worse ones a bit more appealing.
PriPara also uses 3D CGI to showcase its song segments and it actually looks pretty good, even taking into account when the anime came out. The performances look amazing and the character's movements are very dynamic and energetic, it's surprisingly well done. But a big point of criticism is the overabundant reuse of camera angles, or better put, lack of different camera angles. There are over 200 performances to be seen, and the only thing that differentiates one performance of the same song to another is the change in outfits. Because the same camera angles are used, it's hard to get a feeling of something new, something fresh, especially when you will be hearing the same songs more than once.
"Idols have the power to make people happy." – Manaka Laala, Episode 2
PriPara is a fun and unique idol anime. It'll make you laugh, it'll make you cry, it'll give you something to look forward to. But at the same time, much like the theme of this review, it'll have moments where you'll want to skip, it'll have moments where the show just comes short of providing that entertainment you were looking for. There are plenty of things to praise and there are plenty of things to criticize. Given the chance it could become your new favorite anime. Unfortunately, many viewers will likely have moved on before the show begins to show its true colors.
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