Review of Love Live! Sunshine!! The School Idol Movie: Over the Rainbow

I've held the Love Live series in high regard for years at this point and have went into each series cautiously and optimistically in mind to how the series got its start with School Idol Project. Of the many spin-offs and followups after SIF, Sunshine definitely had a rocky start as Aqours' biggest issue throughout Sunshine seemed to be establishing their own identity apart from the likes of Muse and in some way this movie gives them another chance in doing what season 1 was trying to do, but it still has it's own issues. Over the Rainbow follows up on the plot point withthe school that season 2 left off with and the 3rd years are naturally preparing for life after high school away from Aqours and the remaining 6 members struggle to function as a group knowing the 3rd years won't be with them going forward. This is the biggest plot point of the movie along with a continuation of school drama Aqours seeks to resolve following the closure of Uranohoshi Girl's High School in season 2, but it's not the only one as the film picks up a good few other narratives and attempts to provide some clarity on. If you're a fan of Sunshine then perhaps you'll be content with how it looks at all issues with heavy dramatization and solving those issues through configuring their emotions and everything else works alongside their own evolutions. You could say the overly dramatic approach to storytelling is a part of what makes this series what it is at this point and I'd be inclined to agree, but I didn't feel like it juggled the handful of plot points too well here. The trip that they take to seek out the 3rd years gets rendered pointless by it not being relevant other than mostly serving for a temporary setting. And like it the other plot points are either rushed towards a conclusion too soon or resolved a bit too easy in favor of the movie reaching a satisfying ending for everyone.

Aqours themselves are all back and carrying the same cute quirks and traits as they've always had and along with them Saint Snow as well. Over the Rainbow somehow felt like it didn't do anyone in Aqours too much justice for anyone individually. Even for the few who get highlighted we're not given too much time to absorb ourselves in the drama because it gets solved quicker than it feel like it should've been. The few who'll get some seperate camera time get at least a little something in, but the rest seemingly get relegated to roles they already had from the TV series.
(Like You being snubbed of screentime more than Chika & Rika, Hanamaru & Yoshiko acting as comic relief to varying degrees, and Ruby at least being able to synchronize & develop in a similar sense with Leah from Saint Snow over their sisters and idol performances with them)

While it staggers with the story it does of course do great with everything else. The songs and performances are of course good as expected, may be so bold as to say I might have a new favorite Aqours song or two now from the movie. While I don't quite have an eye for details regarding things like CGI, there is nothing I have to say against it here because it's something Love Live does very well all around it's multiple series. The models always look good and the choreography for the dances seems impeccable, some of the best choreography in anime tends to come from this series. Also liked how the movie felt more like a musical too with how well they'll move from a scene then immediately transition into a performance.

Over the Rainbow treads into the same familiar territory that it the Sunshine TV series does but for better and worse in various respects from both seasons, but if you liked Sunshine then you'll likely like the movie as well. The movie didn't quite feel like the farewell for Aqours that I hoped it would've been like with μ's but it felt like it did them just enough justice for me to walk away and feel like the series has concluded. But I did like that it ends on the same note that season 1 starts on, and rather than that goodbye like μ's had this felt simple and pleasant. While Aqours' overall tale was a bit rough having retread familiar territory and stumbling a bit on it's own spins it was still nice being with Aqours for the ride.