A3! Season Spring & Summer

I seriously hope they delayed the episodes to up their animation skills because it's one of the trashiest I've seen and I thought my tolerance had been pretty high.

I'm caught up to the most recent chapter in the game in Japanese and the story's as good as other prominent idol games (ie. idolish7, which is thankfully blessed with good art studio). It pisses me off these lovely a3 characters receive such poor treatment in comparison.

They screwed up on the body motions? Fine, whatever. But they just had to also screw up on some basic face turnarounds, like c'mon. It's an idol anime and the ... face is like a good percentage of the selling point.

With that in mind it might be a little much, but it would be nice if they put more thought in their framing so it's not all like, bam 3/4 head shots/half body shots + the little animated movement that they already cucked up on.

Being super lenient and giving it a 5 for now for the potential it has in character/story and in hopes of some upgrade in the animation department.

Let me start by saying that I'm a fan of the original game and that this anime is one of the best game adaptions I’ve seen so far.

A3! is a story about friendship, overcoming hardships and chasing your dreams. Please keep in mind that if you're looking for an idol anime, A3 is not the one for you since this is about a theater group – no singing and dancing involved (unless you count the opening). The first season focuses on the characters of the Spring & Summer troupes and offers some lighthearted slice of life moments. While each of them got their ... own issues and problems, they all grow over time while gaining experience; be it on the stage or in their private life. Thus, one of the biggest strengths A3 has to offer is the dynamic between the troupe members and seeing them interacting with each other.

Don't expect an anime packed with action, because it's a slow-paced show with lots of conversations about the fears and wishes of the cast members, including drama and arguments. However, A3 is nothing short of comedy scenes, so you'll eventually come to love all the characters with all of their quirks and drolleries.

I've been playing the game for a while now and I immediately fell in love with the story, the characters, the music and the art. While the anime is very close to the game story-wise, they added some little easter eggs and bonuses for the fans, which, obviously, you might not spot if you're not familiar with the source material. Not all game scenes are included, but they did a good job picking the ones that bring the story forward. That way, it never feels like as if they're skipping important parts or rushing through the story.

Unfortunately, there is one thing I can't only say good things about. The art of the characters in the game is pretty and I’m always amazed about how much details they add to the costumes and cards. The anime, however, has some issues with the art and animations going on, even after they reworked some of it. Movements are a bit stiff and lacking in flow at times, faces are often kind of deformed. That shouldn't ruin the enjoyment for you, especially since the characters are pretty enough once zoomed on their faces, but it can still be irritating in some scenes.

All in all I can say that A3 Spring & Summer is very well-made and deserves to get a chance. THE SHOW MUST GO ON!

- A fun story hidden behind less than average animation -

The first thing I noticed when I started watching the first few episodes was the lackluster animation quality, and so did a lot of other people, hence the low score.
But the second things I noticed were the lovable characters and the story that made this worth watching, despite the animation.

I'd played the game after watching the first few episodes before it went into its short hiatus, and sped through the Spring and Summer troupe stories and after watching the characters triumph through their struggles, I can say this:
The story and characters make this anime worth ... watching despite the poor animation and lackluster art.

The story put in a nutshell is just as you read in the description. Our MC, Izumi, rebuilds Mankai Company while trying her best to avoid the company going under thanks to our local Yakuza dude, Sakyo.
Of course, on top of that simple run-down, we have the characters' backstories and situations to explore throughout the story as they do their best every time to put on the best show to build an audience that will support them (monetarily).

Now, let's look at the characters.
One of the best parts of the wide cast of characters is the Main Character herself. Unlike other female MCs in the genre, she's rich in personality. She's capable, mentally strong, and has actual comedic value. She serves as the perfect leading character for the other characters, who each have their own strong personalities.

Some of the characters follow a lot of common tropes, but they are tropes done right and tropes that keep them interesting and their interactions definitely make it worth watching.

I've picked four of the characters to talk about just a little in this review that have appeared in the anime.
Itaru's section has spoilers, so be warned.

Sakuya, our main guy of the Spring troupe, is an optimistic go-getter with a strong passion for theater. He's very much like a typical Shounen MC, but I found him to be quite likable as I was reading the story and watching the anime. He's someone that makes people say, "He's a good kid."

(!SPOILERS!)
Itaru is a character that I, and surely many others, can relate to, to an extent. He looks like an upstanding, responsible member of society, but behind all of that is a gaming addict. His lack of motivation for anything other than games is something that hit me deep and made me feel just a little bit ashamed. Just a little, I swear.
He's an interesting character (like most of the characters, really), and kind of punchable, in a good way.
(!END OF SPOILERS!)

Tenma, the lead of the Summer troupe, is a snobby rich kid with a superiority complex but (spoilers?) he Gets Better. So hold on a bit if you end up disliking him.

Now Yuki may wear girly clothes (his main outfit is literally a dress), but before you start screaming "trap," let me tell you this: He is not like that. That's why I found him so interesting as a character. I won't go on any more, as I don't want to spoil too much. I'll let you watch for yourself and decide what you think about his character.

For the plays themselves, they are handled fantastically, and as someone who read the story in the mobage, I was really excited watching the first Spring troupe play and was pleased with how it turned out.

I would definitely recommend this anime to those into theatre and plays, and for those who aren't, I would still recommend for the characters and story.

The animation quality of the latest episode at the time of writing this review has gone up a bit compared to the previous episodes, but whether that pattern will continue is beyond me.

And that concludes my review! I hope that this will convince you to give the anime a shot. There's a lot of other anime out there with animation just as average and just as bad, so get through it and watch it for the lovable characters.

I personally think that this anime is underrated.

I liked the art style, character setting and character development though the sound effects were nothing out of ordinary. Considering that it has 12 episodes only, I think the story progression was decent as well. I liked how every character had developed with the flow of the story and how the story was not following and orienting around one character only but all of them.

I'll be looking forward to the next season~

( I liked the tringle obsessed guy xd and I somehow can relate with tenma with the whole being a hard headed and kind of arrogant guy ... )

I've watched the show when it first started and when it came back, and it's been a while since I last re-watched it but I would like to say that this anime is good, it stick's to the game plot and the characters,they got the original voice cast from the game, yes the animations was not that good at sometimes but it's not that bad, there were some parts that was not included in the anime from the game *maybe because of budget or timing * but I think its a nice way for playing the game. Speaking of the game I do recommend playing ... it because *to me* it's more entertaining and you get to learn/more of the characters and their backstory.
Over all I will give this a 7/10 It's good but not great, however I'm looking forward to the Autumn and Winter anime adaptation.

Another anime of a game adaptation, but not the usual kind of "idols" that we'd expect. Instead, it's all about theater troupe acting. A simple act of gesture can go a long way...or so it's said.

Based on the game A3!, the player (director) must navigate through the simple plot about saving a theatre company (that's the Mankai Company) from the demolition of its "good ol' days", which specializes in 4 troupes that's named after the 4 seasons. Sounds simple enough? The anime also has that plot, but for the sake of time, the 1st cour here samples the Spring and Summer Troupes, with every troupe ... being unique and of itself that's based on the past experiences of the niche in talents.

Each and every troupe's group has a specialized theme, of which its 5 grandiose bishounen members must venture though high hell and back to cooperate with one another, and going through their hard-felt journeys of cohesive learning makes for one of the show's finest moments. The times where everyone couldn't see eye-to-eye, or have disagreements pertaining to personality or plain characteristics, all these are the hallmark of good and successful group camaraderie, and by the end of it, the groups are able to pull off their success "stories", which are the icing on the cake, and able to save Mankai Theatre from one step closer to shutting down for good. Different characterizations for all, and while generic, is still good.

Needless to say, the production for this series is quite horrid, but overall poor. A Studio 3Hz and P.A. Works collaboration (with 2 directors), the show really doesn't look any gorgeous, but it resembles ugly paintwork jobs all around, even for the character designs, which look at all decent to the honest eye. Originally set to finish in the Winter 2020 season, the production problems suspended the show for a postponed season (that is Spring), so that's that. Despite that, it's bearable to watch though.

Music? Of course. When it comes to "idol" shows (I'm not saying this is one), music helps a lot in gaining traction, and the songs here are fine though. From the OP to the season troupe's EDs, they sound fine really, nothing that will blow you away (that is if you've played the game and enjoyed for what it is).

Overall, a fine taste of what the series will be like for a start, since there's still the 2nd cour (comprising of the Autumn and Winter troupes) coming up this Fall (postponed from Summer 2020). But as for now: "The world is your oyster." To build the stage together and act their hearts out.

a3 has a fun story with interesting characters along with its funny and dramatic moments. the game is fun to read through and the anime has been enjoyable, except...

the art and animation lacks a lot. the animation is somewhat choppy and not very smooth, although improving a bit after episode 4. many of the frames lack quality (and im not talking about the basic low quality meme like images that are in every anime) and therefore it takes away from the drama or impact of the scene.

despite these flaws, i believe the characters, along with the fun, exciting story, makes up for the lack of ... skill in animation. i hope to see improvement with the art in the future.

I really enjoyed this anime. I was looking for something funny and light and it delivered on both accounts. It took me a couple of episodes to get into it but once the story gets going and you get to learn more about the characters, it becomes a worthwhile watch. For me, the art style was good (it reminded me of 7 SEEDS) and the sound was great. Where the anime fell a bit short for me was the story and characters, which is why I rated it seven overall. Based on the simpler plot I was expecting more depth when it came to the ... characters and their backstories. While you do get more insight for the members of the first troupe, I would've loved to see this followed through with the second troupe as each character had so much intrigue. There was a lot of potential and relatable components that made each character endearing in their own way. I would've liked to see more of what the characters did in their downtime when they weren't practicing. That said, I loved the way the characters challenge each other to improve and how their friendships develop as the story progresses. If you're looking for something lighthearted and fun, with an emphasis on teamwork, A3! Season Spring & Summer does not disappoint.

This show is fine, and that’s the best way I can say it.

The story is fine. It’s about a kid that likes to act and other people help to keep the business up with whatever the fee of the day is. It’s okay. Nothing really happens, although the story does drag a little a points. 6(.5)/10

The art is good. It’s nothing special, it’s just good. It can sometimes be a little distracting with the main actor’s face looking weird and the buildings looking different and off from weird angels but that’s about it. It’s still good. 7/10

The sound is fine, again. The music is fine. ... The sound effects are fine. The mic quality is fine. The voices are just fine. What else can I say? 6/10

The feel of the show is nothing special. It’s kinda forgettable, and the pacing sucks! The characters in the show are okay, but that’s about it. Okay. That’s it. 5/10

I enjoyed this show, but it’s nothing amazing. I would give it a watch for some time, because it’s still good, but it’s not great! It’s a fine show. 6/10

This show is a 6/10

I went in thinking this was going to be way worse than it was. Despite being better than expected, it at no point was a memorable experience for me.

The characters bring a sense of life to this anime and that is effectively it. They have interesting a realistic stories that are easily accessible to anyone. I teared up a couple of times at the writing with how well they handle the emotions of characters, and I think this is the only selling point to this series.

On the other hand, the animation was boring and stiff, and there are multiple points in ... the show where so little movement was happening at all that I was surprised when something moved. The show felt like a visual novel. There were sequences where characters will hold conversations off screen while we looked at a piece of background art, or characters would be talking but to skip on animating anything at all we were made to look at a still image of the character's body below the head. Comparing that to other series I have watched and it practically put me to sleep.

If your show is going to have every character be attractive, the least you could do is animate them decently.

This could be a good series if they animation team starts animating the characters who have so much life to them. My recommendation if you are considering watching is that this could easily be skipped, but if you feel like watching focus on the characters and their growth and try not to focus on the animation for your own sake.

I don't really understand the appeal of this show. Throughout my watching of it, the whole thing just felt bland and uninspired in every aspect of it.

Nothing about the animation or artstyle ever grabbed my attention. Even though all of the characters have okay designs that should have felt unique, they just felt soulless because of the specific style.

I could've excused all of that as long as the story made up for it but it really didn't. The show is split up into 4 parts [Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter] that all feel the exact same.

Every part tries to do character drama, but ... there isn't any impact because it always gets sorted out within the next episode or two. They try to make you worry about whether or not the play has the budget or time to be finished, bit it always does. They might mess up in the play, but then the audience says that the mistakes made the play better and more exciting.

I think a lot of this comes from each part only being six episodes and that this is a game adaptation. There's a lot that you can't do with those constraints, but the way the writers went about this show was not the best in my eyes.

The best part was the music as that always added something to the show, but obviously the soundtrack of something can't compensate for the rest of it being mediocre at best.

I would not recommend this show to people unless you're a fan of the original game. It just left me disappointed and bored by the end.

A3! Season Spring & Summer is an enjoyable watch that captures everything great about theater. The characters are diverse in age and personality, so the chemistry between them is really nice. It's also not a reverse harem where everyone has a crush on the new director, so the story can actually focus on them trying to do the impossible which is to keep the theater from closing down.

The writing is pretty good, and the comedy is on point (especially a certain running gag regarding the script). They have dramatic moments, but never to the point of melodrama. Characters--main and supporting aren't simply too good or ... too evil. There is always a reason to their actions, even if one of those actions are against the main cast. I also love the way they introduce the new troupe before they are needed in the next arc as their presence felt real instead of just existing for the sake of the plot. My favorite part of A3 are the actual shows they put on. I get to see the fruits of their labor, all that rehearsal actually has a pay off. Furthermore, the plays are actually nice to watch with different genres based on the troupes which in this case Spring and Summer).

The artwork is nice and colorful. The animation isn't amazing, but at least it got its point across. The OST is nice too! I like the way the same OP changes singers depending on the troupe.

I may try the game because of this show. Overall, watch A3! because it is fun. I can't wait to watch Autumn and Winter.

I've played the game last year and I absolutely love the characters very much, they they help each other and to help improve themselves with their strong passion or even an interest to start a stage play, to be actors.

So I already look forward to the animation when it was first announced. So I was binged watching the anime yesterday until today at episode 11.
To be honest, I do notice some animation flaws. Especially in the beginning of episode 1, the most obvious was when Izumi Tachibana's hair flow was choppy. Like if I wasn't focus on the animation, I would notice it immediately. So ... I was worried if the animation studio might ruin the image I have since I am aware of how the characters are portrayed in the game. The rest are quite minor, but the noticeable errors are still there. Overall I do think it's fair since I still enjoyed it, knowing that (I won't mention his name) triangle boy still can express himself as that kind of character and his movement very well.

I still like the animation, just that it could've been better and I hope it can be improved since I absolutely am a sucker for these characters from the start. I do hope episode 12 or 13 maybe can end with a good blow, I have high hopes

A3 was surprising in the best way possible. It's everything I want from a SoL anime and more.

It's the right balance of story line and also that repetitiveness SoL aspect that requires minimal thoughts and commitment. It's easy to watch, relaxing, and best of all, I don't have to put much thought behind what's going on in the screen. So if you're looking for a calm anime to watch that you can slowly get through, this is the one.

That being said, when I would sit down to watch it, I'd end up bingeing at least 4 episodes out of pure enjoyment. The story ... is enjoyable, the characters are fun and easy to get attached to and there's 4 different troupes meaning I'll have 4 sets of 5 different characters I'll be able to learn about. If that's not a win idk what is. I like that every character is different, with their own quirks and personalities. I like the drama and I like that the acting aspect isn't that technical.

The animation style is pleasing but simple. The colours are bright and the tone of the anime is almost always happy and uplifting. And it's safe to say the last episode had me in tears. Tears of happiness, but tears nonetheless.

I'm excited to see what A3 season 2 holds, but season 1 so far was a massive hit for me, and it just got better the more episodes I watched. Totally recommend, solid 8/10 and would honestly probably watch again after some time.

For an idol anime, the plot is on par with idolish7 which is one of the most prominent idol anime. it is very enjoyable. but there are times that the animation looks off, they lower the fps or something for example when the spring troupe performs.

Although it is very enjoyable, this anime is not for me. i dropped at episode 10 when i realize this anime changed characters every 6 episodes. i'm already attached to the characters that appears from beginning (the spring troupe) so it kinda sucks when we can't see them anymore later in the anime. so if you don't mind with anime ... that changed characters often, i recommend you to watch it.

So look this anime is an adaptation of a game i never played im going just of the anime A3 isn't in no means of the word my style but so i tried this anime as a lead to different genre's ill be harshly honest this shit didn't lead me anywhere.

As for the characters they're all so boring or repetitive and its hard to have a fav character but usually that's a good thing but not on this anime the characters feel sloppy and poorly written.

Now the story is literally just like every other casual average anime now don't get it twisted there ate anime ... that portray this type of story well but i feel like if you want a story like that to be good it kinda has to be stretched but if i recall within the first episode the MC already had his dream but i know he didn't get it actually until lile episode 6 but im not going into it all.

In my opinion i say you don't need to wath this anime there's nothing special or intriguing about it you can live your life not watching this to put it straight.

A3! Season Spring & Summer follows a theatre troupe that's on the brink of being destroyed by the landowner due to lack of audience. After seeing Sakuma's performance and a convincing from a new friend, he agrees to keep it running but only if they perform 4 plays with 4 different troupes (Summer, Spring, Autumn and Winter) in the next year with full attendance from the audience.

What I find bad about this anime was that although at first, it sounds like a really fun anime, it is very hard to tell them apart, and with only 6 episodes a troupe it is hard ... to get to know them well.

The animation is alright although the character designs need to have some sort of quirky attributes like crazy hair or emo glasses just to spice it up. I think if they slowed the pace down it wouldn't be as annoying to tell them apart since you'll get to know them better.

Storywise it is ok. I like the entire theatre troupe idea with a landowner watching down upon them (with sneering eyes that are hiding his passion) but it feels like the characters are just gonna get disposed of every time a new troupe comes along. There are some scenes where the characters express emotions and they all deal with them together, but then they get ruined when the characters get replaced.

I've never played the game but just by watching the show, I really enjoyed it! The storyline was consistent, the art was amazing and I have to admit the op end ep was very suitable to the overall theme and feels of the anime.

Though there are a few things I personally didn't enjoy.
One would be the director's character was very mundane and lacked charisma. To put it bluntly, the show wouldn't change whether she was there or not. Her lines are mundane and it didn't make me feel like "I want to follow her". She didn't really leave much of an impression on ... me which was a huge waste as I felt that if her character was done right, the show would have a much stronger impact.

Two. It would have been nice if there was more story to the backgrounds of the characters. The backstory were all either very brief or just nonexistent. Their reasons for joining the troupe was very flimsy as well, it was as if the team had a "whatever works" attitude and just smacked it right into the story.

Lastly, there also wasn't much shown on how the characters struggled to keep up with their "double life" and that made it lack the "real life" aspect which made it hard for me to sympathise with the characters. All of the struggles they faced were solely on acting and yes I get that it's the entirety of the show but as I mentioned, it didn't have that "reality" aspect to it and that made it hard for me to connect well with the characters.

Overall, the storyline was great but there are definitely areas that could have made it better. I love the art style and the animation was amazing, not to mention the colour scheme was very pretty as well, I love how each character had their own unique style to them and it was very easy to distinguish as well. I don't have to comment on the sound, the op and ep even the background music made it easy for me to understand the atmosphere and got me excited when the characters acted on stage.

This is a good anime to watch if you're in it to please your eyes but story and character-wise, I think more improvement could have been made.

I haven't played the game, which is the base of this anime, therefore i'm only commenting on the anime itself.

Story
the story is fine. The pacing is alright and so is the concept but it's nothing too special. It reminds me of every other idol anime i've watched so far (like "Uta no Prince Sama" and "Love Live! School Idol Project"). The twist that the characters are trying to become actors instead of idols, is in my opinion, not that big of a change

Art
It's alright. the art is neither the best nor the worst i've ever seen. It's basically nothing too special and if i'm ... being honest, very rough around the edges...

Characters
The Characters are... let's say meh. There are the basic type of guys, e. g. Tsundere, Deredere, a NEET, a foreigner, the mature one, a shy guy... It's once again nothing too special. The characters even seem rather flat, there's simply not a lot of development happening. Sure, the shy one becomes slightly more comfortable around the group and opens up and the "mean/Tsundere" type becomes more friendly but that's it. One's whole character trait is that he likes triangles and i don't think there's anything else to him…

Overall
If i'm being honest, i don't know what this anime is trying to be. Is it trying to be a re-harem? i don't know. Is it trying to suggest that all the characters are gay without showing it (like "Free!")? i don't know. I don't think i would recommend this anime to someone else. It feels like it's trying to be too many things/establish too many characters at once. Maybe it's a nice thing for people who've played the game and know more about the different characters but since i don't have this experience, i can only see the characters and the story as flat.. :/

To get things out of the way, yes I have played the game before watching the anime. The game is fine on its own, the otome genre never interested me but the game wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I finished the anime a few months ago and I was like you know what? I'm gonna write a review on it. Now is this adaption faithful to its original source? And for the sake of this review, I'll be referring as harem anime with a female lead involved with male characters as otome.

Story: 6
The story is simple yet a bit cliché to ... me, theater is in debt and our fellow main character decides to help, and meets a group of eccentric male actors. To me it's cliché because it just sounds like your typical otome anime plot. Another reason why it doesn't really appeal to me is that its centered with acting and theater, so maybe theater anime fans will enjoy this.

Art: 5.5-6
Look I get it, due to covid-19 being at its peak the anime got a huge quality drop. The animation got choppy at times, it used frames that were already used, and it's nothing that impressive. I wasn't surprised by it, it's not an action or fantasy anime, which it usually has amazing animation. The artstyle to me is nothing special, it's just your average otome artstyle.

Sound: 6.5
One of the things I think this anime did a good with was the opening, it got annoying at times but its pretty okay. It's nice to see that the voice actors of the game sing, and speaking of the voice actors I want to tackle one thing that bothered me while watching it, the voice acting. The characters' voices in the game are good, not outstanding, but they aren't terrible either. But characters voices like Misumi's kinda bothered me with all the voice cracks. The voice acting isn't impressing, but it's passable.

Characters: 7
Now let's talk about my favorite thing about this anime, the characters. They act just like how they act in the game. In the Spring Troupe we got Sakuya, the troupe leader who just wants to act, Masumi, who has an obsession with the director (who by the way he's like 16 and the director is on her twenties), Tsuzuru, who writes the plays, Citron, an immigrant, and Itaru, an office worker who secretely streams him playing videogames at midnight. The reason why I say why the characters are my favorite thing from this anime is mostly because of Citron, he's hilarious and deserves more, Itaru is also likeable. But then there's characters like Tsuzuru who I found annoying as hell from the beginning, but the rest of the boys are okay. Then there's the Summer Trouble, which has a crazier cast of characters, Tenma, a former actor, Yuki, a crossdresser who makes costumes for the plays, Muku, a shojo manga fanatic, Misumi, a man obsessed with triangles, and Kazunari, who's obsessed with social media. The summer troupe is definitely more energetic than the spring troupe.

Enjoyment: 7
If you aren't into harem anime then this is not your cup of tea. However, I recommend this one over other harem anime, as person who dislikes harem anime with a cast of boring male characters I found A3 to be quite enjoyable. Of course if you're the opposite of me and enjoy harem with a passion, then you'll definitely like this.

Overall: 6
Does this anime adaption remains loyal to its original game? Yes, I think it does. If you haven't played the game would you like this? Depends on your current anime taste. The second season is gonna be out in a few days and I hope it does better, but just by watching the trailer it feels like it's gonna be the same as the first season. All we can do is hope it's better animation wise.

Thank you for reading my review! I apologize for my spelling errors and grammar, English isn't my first language.