What’s it about ?
Young girls starting a career at the Prism Show, an ice-skating/dance spectacle that’s all the rage these days.
Characters
Aira, our clumsy protagonist, who had barely heard of the Prism Show before and can barely make three steps without falling over herself, but still somehow gets scouted in the street and set to perform in front of an audience of thousands the same day. She plays along mostly because the dancers get to wear cool clothes.
Rhythm (no, really, that’s her name), Aira’s self-proclaimed rival, who gets scouted at the same time when Aira trips over her. At least she’s got decent ice-skating skills, although not enough to execute the super-dupper dance move the audience is expecting. (But Aira can, of course…)
Mion, the idol who was supposed to perform her debut at the Prism Show but has suddenly gone missing, triggering the random scouting of replacement dancers. Actually, she doesn’t even show in person during this first episode.
Of the Prism Show we also see the two main producers (one’s a shrewd pragmatist, the other’s an eccentric with a eye for hidden talent – well-hidden in the case of Aira) and the three male dancers for the B-act (probably future love interests for the three girls).
We also get a long opening skit with Aira’s family, who skirt very near the line of being quite annoying (although the scene’s saved with the punchline to Dad & Mom’s double act).
Production Values
Pretty good for a (girls’) kids’ show. I particularly like the 3D rendering for the ice-skating sequences, which barely enter the Uncanny Valley at all.
Someone thought it’d be a good idea for the ED to depict the voice-actresses in live-action… It just looks ridiculous. Especially since they’re not even wearing the same costumes as their roles, for some reason (maybe it’s the school uniform ? We haven’t seen it yet…).
Overall Impression
Yet another kids’ show which could not proclaim “NOT FOR ME !” any louder. I’m not a fashion-obsessed teenager, I don’t care about X-Treme ice-skating, and the plot contrivances to get Aira on stage annoy rather than amuse me. There are some okay jokes, but not enough to overcome the huge prejudice I have against this kind of series.
