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A great introduction to the franchise for new fans and a nostalgic watch for seasoned ones!

IDOLiSH7 is an incredibly popular franchise in Japan but it never seems to take off outside of its home country despite having an amazing cast of characters, deep storyline and catchy songs which is truly a shame. It is arguably one of if not the best of its genre at conveying the ups and downs of idols within the entertainment industry without coming off as too edgy or too surface-level. If you're interested in a show that not only keeps you on your toes but also has a cozy found ... family trope then this is a great place to start! (Although the anime series is still the best option for more details)

For those who are familiar with the series and wondering if the movie is still worth a watch, there aren't many new scenes added to the cinematic screening but it is still a great way to speedrun a rewatch of the first season if you're preparing for Fourth Beat (which is in development at the time of this review). IDOLiSH7 as a whole is an easily rewatchable show as there are many tidbits of foreshadowing that you many not pick up on upon your first watch through. The improved sound quality of a cinema definitely helps add to the viewing experience!

This review comes from the perspective of someone who has completed the manga so keep that in mind. Mask Danshi, as an OVA, is short and fast-paced; it is not a slow burn and not for everyone even if you are a regular consumer of the BL genre. The animation quality is average and pacing is unimpressive, the only part that particularly stands out is the voice acting which is to be expected of a rather star-studded cast.

This OVA works well as an introduction to the Mask Danshi manga. If you're looking to invest time into reading the 40 or so chapters and want to ... know it it'd be your thing or not then I would recommend this. If you have no intention of reading it afterwards then you might find this a bit of an underwhelming watch. If you are unfamiliar with Mitsuru Sango's work as a whole then be warned that their work nearly always involves some sort of erotic oral fixation with dubious consent so if that's something you're concerned about, I advise you to follow DLDR etiquette.

This anime changed the trajectory of my life. Period.

Before you brush this off as an exaggeration, I would like to say that yes, I am blowing this slightly out of proportion but this is really how I feel towards IDOLiSH7. I've watched many anime, some of which are awful, some are alright and some are critically acclaimed masterpieces of their generation but I can say with complete confidence that there is no show that even comes close to being as good as IDOLiSH7. This review is 3 years overdue; hear me out.

IDOLiSH7 is a show about 7 boys --each with different motivations-- striving to ... become top idols in Japan's ruthless entertainment industry. What differentiates this anime from other shows that focus on the same theme is that IDOLiSH7 doesn't have a definitive stance. It accepts that the entertainment industry is flawed, fan culture can be toxic and the worship of idols can be taken too far yet they also shed light on the reason why this industry exists to this day despite all this... the human need for belonging.

The reason why the first season is only an 8 in my opinion is that the depth at which they explore these themes are still relatively shallow. This doesn't mean that the season is bad, not at all. IDOLiSH7's first season is still entertaining and jam-packed with great songs and heartwarming moments, it just dulls in comparison to the tonal shift of the later seasons. However, this is not an excuse for the first season to be skipped or disregarded as without it laying down the foundations of all the relationships we'll see in the future, the climax of the following seasons would have less of a payoff.

I will not claim that IDOLiSH7 is perfect in every aspect as there are several valid criticisms such as the amount of female fanservice, the jarring 3D animation and questionable pacing in some arcs. However, this is due to the fact that it was adapted from a mobile game and for similar adaptations, IDOLiSH7 outdoes itself compared to others of its kind. Female fanservice is to be expected as the target audience are women but it isn’t so extreme to the point where it makes the show unwatchable.

In summary, just try watching the first season. If you enjoy it even slightly, watch the second season because the leap in the quality of storytelling is insane. IDOLiSH7 goes from good to great to a masterpiece.

I would like to start off this review by saying that this anime is absolutely NOT for everyone. Even if you're a BL fan, this may not be up your alley if you dislike rape tropes, yanderes, drugging and generally very unethical behavior being shown in a comedic light. There's a lot of discourse in the BL community over what's acceptable and what isn't and a general agreement both sides should settle on is that the issue is nuanced and people should just abide by DLDR/W.

This anime is a hot mess but once the messiness is embraced then it becomes incredibly enjoyable. Dakaretai should never ... be taken seriously and those who do should watch something else because most of the events that occur are resolved in the most nonsensical ways possible. If you're looking for a BL to pass time that has minimal angst and an entertaining plot then this is definitely the anime for you. Dakaretai should be considered a modern BL classic with the way it exhibits classic tropes of its genre (e.g. yandere stalker seme, tsun uke, height difference) while also integrating new ones that are more common in newer BL (e.g. older uke, younger seme).

If the above points aren't convincing enough then the star-studded cast is also a good reason to watch it. The animation may feel a bit janky at times but this was definitely due to the incredible seiyuu lineup who really brought these characters to life. Hiroki Takahashi's performance as Takato is arguably the best as his mature voice deeply enhances the audience's viewing experience. However, earphones are required when watching this anime cause... yk why.

I'm writing this review as someone who isn't part of this anime's target audience, therefore I understand why it didn't resonate with me the way it would for some people. I've watched my fair share of battle shounen and read several manhwas, tbh this would be considered one of the better ones out there. If you're looking for an action-packed anime to turn your brain off to (and by packed I mean like 90% of this is fight scenes and 10% is buildup to fight scenes) then this anime is definitely up your alley. It's right on the tin, the MC levels up on his ... own and turns from sniveling weak guy to strong op guy.

Now for my (spoiler-free) complaints about this anime. Don't expect any fun background characters because we can't possibly let anyone else outshine our darling MC can we? Nope, absolutely not. Only the MC is allowed to have any sort of character depth and development even if that "depth" is the equivalent of a kiddie pool. It gets dry and annoying sometimes because clearly the author is capable of adding more detail as seen from they way they set up the S-ranks' introductions, they just actively choose not to.

Don't even get me started on the writing style. There is no such thing as showing, only telling. Instead of showing the audience that "MC is powerful enough to beat xxx character but is still weaker than xxx character" we are told that information instead. Or another case where a character deals with the weight of growing older. We get at least 5 shots of them complaining about their age like okay we get it you're old but wouldn't it be more effective to show us that instead of having them tell us? Maybe have them lose a spar to an up-and-coming hunter or give us a flashback.

There is also a conversation about the ethics of death that could be brought up and expanded upon but that's just brushed aside. It's a real shame too because the set up's just perfect.

Okay so why does this anime deserve a rating of 7? Complaints aside, it had entertainment value and it delivers exactly what it promises. Solo Leveling never strays from what it does best, fights that go kaboom that makes the MC aura farm like crazy. That level of dedication deserves some respect. The fact that the writer managed to keep the "leveling up" aspect feeling hype every single time is amazing.