Admittedly, "Wake Up, Girls!" has some issues. That's not to say, however, that it isn't a good show. As an idol show, it makes an attempt to do something new, which makes it quite a refreshing take on the genre. And while it does succeed at a lot of things, the show is also pulled down by some others. Story: (+) A more realistic take on the idol industry (+) Interesting overarching story (+) Likeable characters (+) Excellent pacing (-) Underdeveloped characters(-) Cliched near the end

Art:
(+) Non-CGI dance sequences look good for the most part
(-) Characters almost look the same
(-) Animation quality fluctuates from terrible to decent

Sound:
(+) Catchy songs
(+) Good voice acting for the most part
(-) Song selection is low compared to idol shows like "Idolm@ster" and "Love Live"
(-) Matsuda's voice can get on your nerves (although this may just be my opinion)

Character:
(+) Characters are likable
(+) Backstories are convincing and relatable
(-) Not enough screen time on certain characters

Remarks:

This show was a surprisingly good idol anime. Of course, as mentioned earlier, the animation quality tends to fluctuate and the story occasionally misses its mark. Nonetheless, if you're a fan of idol anime, I strongly suggest you watch this, as it paints an image of the idol industry that is far different than that of more cheerful shows like the "Idolm@ster." As a matter of fact, I would say that "Wake Up, Girls!" is more or less the "Idolm@ster" in terms of the concept of an underdog idol agency crawling to the top.

At the time of this writing, the real life Wake Up, Girls! group is on a live tour. I am hoping for a second season, as this show has a lot of potential.

8/10