All 6 'Love Live!' Series in Order (Including Movies) (2024)

‘Love Live!’ is a multimedia franchise that originated as a Japanese multimedia project developed by ASCII Media Works, music label Lantis, and animation studio Sunrise. The project includes anime series, manga, music CDs, and live performances. The central theme of ‘Love Live!’ revolves around a group of schoolgirls forming an idol group to save their school from closure.

The project turned out to be extremely successful, and so far, the ‘Love Live!’ franchise consists of 6 series and two anime movies, with more on the way. Today, we’re going to tell you how to watch them in order.

Editor’s Note: This watch order was updated in December 2023 with the latest news regarding the ‘Love Live!’ franchise.

All 6 ‘Love Live!’ series & movies in release date order

The first anime project in the franchise was ‘Love Live! School Idol Project’ it was released in 2013, and it was generally very well received. The fans praised the characters, catchy music, and wholesome themes that were in the anime’s center, so it doesn’t surprise us that today, ten years later, the franchise is massive. Let’s see the release date order.

1. ‘Love Live! School Idol Project’ Season 1 (2013)
2. ‘Music S.T.A.R.T!!” by μ’s’ OVA (2013)
3. ‘Love Live! School Idol Project’ Season 2 (2014)
4. ‘Love Live! The School Idol Movie’ (2015)
5. ‘Love Live! Sunshine!!’ Season 1 (2016)
6. ‘Love Live! Sunshine!!’ Season 2 (2017)
7. ‘Love Live! Sunshine!! The School Idol Movie: Over the Rainbow’ (2019)
8. ‘Love Live! Nijigasaki High School Idol Club’ Season 1 (2020)
9. ‘Love Live! Superstar!!’ Season 1 (2021)
10. ‘Love Live! Nijigasaki High School Idol Club’ Season 2 (2022)
11. ‘Love Live! Superstar!!’ Season 2 (2022)
12. ‘Nijiyon Animation’ (2023)
13. ‘Yohane the Parhelion: Sunshine in the Mirror’ (2023)

Are all ‘Love Live!’ series connected? What’s the best way to watch them in order?

The various ‘Love Live!’ series, such as ‘Love Live! School Idol Project’ and ‘Love Live! Sunshine!!,’ are not directly connected in terms of storyline continuity. Each series features a different set of characters, schools, and settings. However, they share similar themes, such as the formation of idol groups to save their respective schools from closure, and they all participate in the ‘Love Live!’ competition.

With that said, it’s best to watch the project in release date order, meaning that you should probably approach the re-watching based on the standalone series release dates.

‘Love Live!’ anime series & movies in chronological order

Even though the individual series are more or less standalone, there is a certain chronological order that you need to take into account:

1. ‘Love Live! School Idol Project’ Season 1 (2013)
2. ‘Music S.T.A.R.T!!” by μ’s’ OVA (2013)
3. ‘Love Live! School Idol Project’ Season 2 (2014)
4. ‘Love Live! The School Idol Movie’ (2015)
5. ‘Love Live! Sunshine!!’ Season 1 (2016)
6. ‘Love Live! Sunshine!!’ Season 2 (2017)
7. ‘Love Live! Sunshine!! The School Idol Movie: Over the Rainbow’ (2019)
8. ‘Yohane the Parhelion: Sunshine in the Mirror’ (2023)
9. ‘Love Live! Nijigasaki High School Idol Club’ Season 1 (2020)
10. ‘Love Live! Nijigasaki High School Idol Club’ Season 2 (2022)
11. ‘Nijiyon Animation’ (2023)
12. ‘Love Live! Superstar!!’ Season 1 (2021)
13. ‘Love Live! Superstar!!’ Season 2 (2022)

1. ‘Love Live! School Idol Project’ (2013-2014) + ‘Love Live! The School Idol Movie’ (2015)

Otonokizaka Academy faces closure due to a lack of applicants, motivating second-year student Honoka Kōsaka to find a way to save the school. Discovering that UTX, a rival school, attracts students with its idol group A-Rise, Honoka decides to form her own idol group with her friends Umi and Kotori. Despite initial challenges, including opposition from student council president Eli Ayase, Honoka remains determined to establish an idol club and save Otonokizaka. The first two seasons of ‘Love Live! School Idol Project’ should be followed by ‘Love Live! The School Idol Movie’ released in 2015 since the movie follows the adventures of the original group.

2. ‘Love Live! Sunshine!!’ (2016-2017) + ‘Love Live! Sunshine!! The School Idol Movie: Over the Rainbow’ (2019) + ‘Yohane the Parhelion: Sunshine in the Mirror’ (2023)

‘Love Live! Sunshine!!’ was the first spinoff of the original anime. Inspired by the idol group μ’s, Chika Takami attempts to establish her own School Idol Club at Uranohoshi Girls’ Academy. Despite facing resistance from the student council president, Chika encounters Riko Sakurauchi, a transfer student from Otonokizaka Academy, and strives to recruit her into the club. The two seasons should be followed by ‘Love Live! Sunshine!! The School Idol Movie’ and if you’re up for it with ‘Yohane the Parhelion: Sunshine in the Mirror.’ ‘Yohane the Parhelion’ has nothing to do with the original anime but reimagines the character from ‘Sunshine!!’ in a fantasy setting.

3. ‘Love Live! Nijigasaki High School Idol Club’ (2020-2022) + ‘Nijiyon Animation’

While enjoying afternoon tea in a park, Ayumu and Yu discover Setsuna’s captivating performance, sparking Yu’s interest in school idols. Eager to join the School Idol Club at Nijigasaki High School, they encounter the student council president, Nana, who reveals that the club has disbanded. Inspired, Ayumu confesses her love for school idols to Yu and expresses her desire to become one, with Yu agreeing to help her achieve that dream.

‘Nijiyon Animation’ is simply a short anime based on the 4-koma series, that shows the daily lives of the members of the Nijigasaki High School Idol Club, it can easily be skipped.

4. ‘Love Live! Superstar!!’ (2021-2022)

On her first day at Yuigaoka Private Girls High School, Kanon Shibuya is approached by Keke Tang, who is eager to form a school idol club. Despite Kanon’s initial refusal, Keke discovers Kanon’s dream of singing and, with determination, convinces her to join the club. Overcoming her fear of public singing, Kanon begins to perform in front of her schoolmates, inspired by Keke’s encouragement.

Where to watch the above-mentioned series?

‘Love Live! School Idol Project’ Seasons 1 & 2 can be streamed on Funimation and Crunchyroll while the movie can only be streamed on Funimation or rented on Fetch.

‘Love Live! Sunshine!!’ is exclusively available on Funimation, with the movie being completely unavailable on the streaming services. ‘Yohane the Parhelion: Sunshine in the Mirror’ can be streamed on Crunchyroll.

‘Love Live! Nijigasaki High School Idol Club’ can be streamed on both Funimation and Crunchyroll, and the same goes for ‘Superstar!!’ as well. ‘Nijiyon Animation’ can be watched on YouTube.

Will there be more ‘Love Live!’ series?

‘Love Live! Superstar!!’ is still an ongoing anime series, so we can assume that it’s going to be renewed for a third season. There is also one movie on the way, focusing on the team from the second spinoff, ‘Love Live! Nijigasaki High School Idol Club Movie.’ The release date is unknown at this time, but we do know that it’s going to be released sometime in 2024.

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