Is Lapis Re: Lights worth your time? – Full Review

Lapis Re: Lights (Rapisu Riraitsu: Kono Sekai no Idol wa Mahō ga Tsukaeru) is an anime television series by Yokohama Animation Lab and directed by Hiroyuki Hata premiered on July 4, 2020. The series is based on a mixed media project that combines fantasy, magical girls, and idol elements.

The storyline is based around a group of students as they train to become idols using the magic of music and actual magic in their performances. For those looking to dive into a world of music, magic, and some fun characters, Lapis: Relights is your final destination.

1. Quick Review

Lapis Re: Lights has a unique plot that merges the worlds of both idol and fantasy anime.

The anime has gorgeous animation that can be appreciated through the diverse characters, the charming rooms, and magnificent magic.

The show revolves around a group of students as they train to become idols using the magic of music and actual magic in their performances. The characters portrayed do seem to be rather a cliché for an idol anime but they fit well together and the addition of magic puts a one-of-a-kind twist to the entire storyline.

 The story unfolds through the protagonist Tiara who pursues her dreams to attend the academy and become an idol. There, she meets her new companions, a group of girls with similar dreams.

Tiara arrives at the famous Flora Girls’ Academy to finally achieve her dream of becoming an idol. She is very nervous about being accepted into the legendary academy but is surprisingly admitted almost instantly by headmistress Chloe.

The headmistress’ only instructions are that Tiara joins her old friend Rosetta’s group.  Tiara agrees as she’s thrilled to be with Rosetta and meet her new fellow group mates Lynette, Ashley, and Lavie.

There’s something cynical about Tiara’s quick acceptance to the academy which is revealed only towards the end of the episode.

2. Info Card & Watch Link

3. Is it worth watching?

Lapis Re: lights is definitely worth watching. Its unique fusion between the worlds of both idol and fantasy anime makes it an interesting watch for those who are fans of idol or fantasy anime as it does good justice to both.

Lapis Re:LiGHTs Trailer PV | SUMMER 2020 ANIME

The series contains many characteristics of an idol drama combined with a bit of realism, a world with a magical high school, and plenty of neat visual scenarios.

I. Plot

Lapis Re: Lights has a unique plot that merges the worlds of both idol and fantasy anime.

The animation is gorgeous and the fact that the characters are diverse, the charming rooms, and magnificent magic just adds to this show appeal, one layer at a time.

The story revolves around the protagonist Tiara who dreams of not only joining her old friend Rosetta at the prestigious witch school- Flora Girls’ Academy. Our protagonist is instantly accepted into its ranks by the headmistress Chole who assigns her to Rosetta’s team.

Flora Girls’ Academy is depicted as a massive, prestigious institution where young witches from all walks of life join to perfect their magic and become idols.

As Tiara explores the halls of the academy, she comes across many exciting magical courses and practices of magic. This makes her even more excited about being a part of it all.

Towards the end of the first episode, our protagonist learns the alarming truth about her acceptance into the academy that would make achieving her dream almost impossible.

II. Characters

The episode kicks off with the main character Tiara. She defies her older sister Lady Eliza’s wishes and decides to attend Flora Girls’ Academy. Tiara travels from her home in Bristol to Mamkestell in order to join the famous institution.

We hear Tiara being referred to as “Lady Tiara” and she also wears, well, a literal tiara, which gives us an indication that she may very well be royalty.  When she joins the academy she meets her old friend, Rosetta.

We can see how fond she is of Tiara as she recollects the exact number of days that they’d been apart.

During the campus tour, Rosetta introduces Tiara to the other team members. They run into Lavie at the library. She is portrayed as a shy bookworm who absolutely loves books and is seen gushing about the academy’s library.

Rosetta then continues the tour outdoors where she spots Lynette and Ashley playing dodgeball on the field and approaches them to introduce their newest team member.

During their introductions, we learn that Lynette is a blonde-haired witch with a high-spirited personality who proclaims herself to be the academy’s ace. Ashley, on the other hand, is perceived as the level-headed “cool” character who is seen teasing Lynette.

The four girls, now with the addition of Tiara, form Team Lapis.

III. Setting

The entire first episode shows us a glimpse of a Renaissance-like city called Mamkestell. The anime is predominantly set in Flora Girls’ Academy.

IV. Theme Songs

“Lapis Re: LiGHTs Stars” performed the opening theme song “Watashi-tachi no Startrail”. The opening song along with its visuals gives viewers a feeling of familiarity, as though we are a part of the character’s journey.

LiGHTs performed the ending theme song “Planetarium.” The music is nice to listen to and befitting the series as it is indeed a music anime.

4. Grade

5. Final Thoughts

Lapis Re: Lights is off to a great start. It satisfies the most crucial aspect of an idol anime which is about delivering a cast of lovable teenage characters. The anime has gorgeous art and fluid animation, making it a joy to watch.

The various aspects of the anime fit well together and the addition of magic to this musical mix makes it a unique show to be on the lookout for.