Chance Pop Session - Episodes 6 to 13

Chance Pop Session took a turn around episode seven. No longer content with being a look at people getting into the industry, it shed its single ambition and split into a highly, perhaps overly, dramatic story about characters and coincidence. The emphasis must be placed on coincidence because the series did indeed become very chancey. If the title didn't include the word "chance", then it would almost be unforgiveable.

The revelations start right from episode six; the three only just became a trio and already the chances start piling up. The biggest flaw with this is that those in question should really be more surprised; in fact, for so many different revelations to these characters, they take it all in their stride. There's enough variety that they can't be excused for being desensitized.
One of the biggest surprises is quite out of the ordinary for this series - that is, not "fate", or "destiny" guided it. It just happens, and actually quite believably so. The situation could have seemed contrived, but it was less so than it could have been. The rest of the secrets are on a scale of predictabilities that slowly builds into an avalanche of drama that has very little to do with song but quite a lot to do with character.
However, the trio of girls are surprisingly not the most developed characters. The duo of Reika and Kisaragi are the most interesting of all situations. The two are so like mother and daughter and their closeness is precisely why they hurt each other. They believe that they know best and so they attempt to grant independence. They're not like a manager and talent, they go beyond that. During the series Kisaragi and the girls don't get to reach that peak; they don't get to connect with many people rather than each other.
Nice other things include Otoki and Hikoza's attraction and the scenes with Nozomi's family - which are alternately infuriating, funny and sad. There's a slight tone of tragedy around the vaguely religious sheen of the series. As for the religion, it's not even very Christian as Akari has a small shrine to honour the dead in her bedroom next to a chapel.
All very interesting. Of note on the music front is that Nozomi suffers a 'wardrobe malfunction'.

The songs become more naturally integrated and also more varied. The trio really does come across as a group that gets along and would naturally perform together and maybe get hits. The presentation of most of their songs is interesting, although their flagship song is not all that it is hyped up to be: it's simply the OP inserted into the program. Ironically it makes it sound more manufactured than it already is; the overplaying makes it seem lacking in energy and the truly bizarre animation that accompanies their stage performances of this "Pure Blue" is a case for bewilderment; what's more is that for a group that is supposed to be about playing off each other, the song focuses on Akari's vocals (perhaps more accurately, Iizuka Mayumi) and detracts from the idea of R-3.
Still, the song production in general grows into a good mixture; "Love Forever" starts to pack an emotional punch, and it becomes clear just how clever Reika's song choice was.

It all started with a concert: a concert that would bond these women together for life. One Chance Pop Session, if you will, blossomed into this series of new and wonderful experiences for all involved. There are secrets, there are tragic pasts, and there are redemptions. The second half of this series was indeed different to the first, but definitely for the better.