High School Star Musical (commonly known as STARMYU) is a 2015 anime series by C-Station.
The story follows Yuuta Hoshitani, a boy who decides to enroll in a music-oriented high school in hopes of learning how to dance like a mysterious white-haired high school boy he saw in the rain prior to the start of the series. Learning of the special music program, Yuuta auditions and manages to be put into a special group with four other boys; Tooru Nayuki, Kaito Tsukigami, Kakeru Tengenji, and Shuu Kuga. Together, the five of them will go through the struggles of advancing in the music department, under the tutelage of their mysterious white-haired senpai, Itsuki Otori.
Aside from the setting, has nothing to do with High School Musical.
The series currently consists of two seasons, two OVA, and a stage show. Season 2 premiered in April 2017. A second stage show and a third OVA were announced for 2018. Season 3 will premiere in 2019, and the third musical will run at the same time. Two spin-off stage musicals have also been performed, with smaller groups from the cast.
This anime provides examples of:
- Absurdly Powerful Student Council: The Kao Student Council. Their leader, Tsubasa Hiiragi, seems to have heavy sway on the school, dishing out punishments to rowdy students where teachers might be expected to step in, and giving the opening address at the school's welcoming ceremony. The Academy's whole Music Department seems to be held in high regard.
- It is show later, however, that they do have to answer to a higher authority, as Hiiragi negotiates the punishment with the staff on Team Ootori's behalf.
- All There in the Manual: The anime's official website offers far more detailed information about every character.
- April Fools' Day: The 2018 celebration turned the setting into a serious medical drama.
- Cast Full of Pretty Boys
- Chekhov's Gun: Invoked in episode 7 with the Hiragi family's antique vase.
- Creator Cameo: Fourpe, or Urashimasakatasen, the group that sings the second season opening "SHOW MUST GO ON!", appear as actual characters in the series.
- Cuteness Proximity: Tengenji loves cats, he calls them "angels."Tengenji: That's right. Why do you hate the angels?
- The Cutie: Nayuki, he is very motherly and a very Nice Guy, probably the nicest of the five.
- Elaborate University High: Ayanagi Academy. It's home to a number of successful stars, and is largely built around its multiple Departments, resembling more of a liberal arts college than a regular high school
- Family Business:
- Tengenji is the heir to an important family of kabuki performers.
- Tsukigami's family is also well-connected in the theatre world, and he is considered a "thoroughbred", like Tengenji. His main conflict is the pressure of living up to such expectations, particularly considering that his older brother is the current top star.
- Hiiragi's family runs the school, and is also an important family in the theatre world in the story. Otori comes from a branch of this family.
- Genki Guy: Hoshitani has a go-getter attitude and is perpetually happy.
- Idol Singer: They're trying to be musical actors, not idols, but it fits with the recent trend of idol anime, and has quite a few voice actors in common with them. The costumes, choreography, and song style for many of their numbers also fit more with idols than with musical theatre.
- Jerkass: Tengenji comes off as very rude and standoff-ish, calling everyone a "boor."
- Team Hiragi's Ugawa actually fits this trope better than Tengenji, as he's often deliberately aggressive and condescending.
- Meaningful Name: Hoshitani has "star" in his name ("hoshi"), and signs his name as the kanji for "tani" with a star instead of the middle box.
- Mood Whiplash: The musical inserts, given their abruptness. Only Kaito Tsukigami's first insert song seems to be given anything similar to a transition.
- Priceless Ming Vase: At the Hiiragi villa. After lampshading the Chekhov's Gun, they try to out-improv their senpai and bluff their way out of it.
- Psycho Supporter: Akatsuki invokes this concerning Ootori, whom he views as corrupting the Ayanagi brand.
- Sibling Rivalry: A one-sided affair between the Tsukigamis. Kaito clearly resents his brother, but Haruto seems unaware of it.
- School Clubs Are Serious Business: Given the Music Department's popularity, it certainly is. The different Departments give the Academy more of a liberal arts school feel than a regular high school.
- Tall, Dark, and Handsome: Shuu Kuga, Sakuya Sazanami.
- Teen Idol: Haruto Tsukigami, though he's well on his way to becoming considered an adult by the time of the series.
- Theme Naming:
- Team Otori has celestial/sky-related names: Hoshitani (star), Tsukigami (moon), Tengenji (heaven), Nayuki (snow), Kuga (sky)
- Team Hiiragi has animals: Tatsumi (dragon), Toraishi (tiger), Inumine (dog), Ugawa (rabbit), Sawatari (monkey)
- Team Yuzuriha seems to have insects, Team Sazanami has directions (Kitahara (north), Nanjo (south), plus east, west, and center), and Team Akatsuki (?) has powers of ten.
- Yamato Nadeshiko: A male example in Nayuki. Quiet, kind, and a good homemaker to boot, yet also strongly faithful to his friends.
