Synopsis:
Akari, Yuki, and Nozomi are three girls whose paths cross in a big concert by the pop superstar Reika. After the concert, a prestigious music school begins recruiting students who have the potential to follow in Reika's footsteps. The three girls decide to apply, each with her own reason for doing so... not knowing how huge an impact on their lives that decision is going to make.

Review:
Chance Pop Session isn't a high profile series. Most of you have probably never even heard of it... unless you've seen the trailer on one of ADV's DVDs. It's not as widely promoted or hyped up as the likes of "Hellsing" or "The Animatrix" -- in fact, Chance Pop Session reminded me of the frequently overlooked and underrated "Princess Nine".

Chance Pop Session is mainly about three girls who come from three different worlds. Akari grew up in a church, raised by a kind priest. She leads the choir every Sunday, does church work, and is generally a very mature and likeable young lady. Yuki is an independent spirit. Like Akari, she never knew her parents and has always had to work for her own welfare and survival. Meanwhile Nozomi is the sole heiress of an extremely rich and powerful family. The three girls are eventually selected to become part of the academy's S Class, which segregates those who are deemed to possess the most talent and potential. Akari and Yuki are in because of their passion for singing, but for Nozomi it's an opportunity to get close to her idol Reika.

Chance Pop Session plays out very much like a soap opera. Amidst the pressure to perform, our heroines have to deal with jealous peers, intrigues, and other life problems. Admittedly I found certain parts to be predictable, but it's all presented in such a charismatic manner that it became impossible for me to stop watching once I had started. Even if I already had an idea of what was coming next, I still had to see for myself.

The art and animation are pleasant enough -- soft and understated, contributing just the right effect to the series. Music plays an integral role, and almost every episode has a music video-esque collage of scenes with accompanying lyrics to illustrate the sentiments that prevail at the time. Most, if not all of the songs and scores are simply beautiful.

Although I found the main storyline to be rather contrived and far-fetched, Chance Pop Session is overall an endearing series comprised of characters that everyone can relate to. I definitely enjoyed every moment of it, so much so that I wanted to believe such a perfect chain of events is possible.

Miscellanies:
The series is composed of 13 episodes which span 3 DVD volumes.

Screenshots:

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