The project revolves around a group of nine schoolgirls who become idols in order to save their school from shutting down.

Learning that school idols are popular, Honoka and her friends decide to follow A-Rise's footsteps and start their own school idol group called μ's (ミューズ, Myūzu, pronounced "muse") to attract new students.

Once they successfully prevent Otonokizaka Academy from closing, the girls from μ's set their sights higher.

They participate in Love Live, the ultimate school idol competition featuring the best groups in the country.

Despite winning the competition, the girls from μ's disband soon after for their own personal reasons, and because the third-years are graduating.

Starting in August 2010, online mobile phone popularity contests have periodically been held to rank the characters, which influences the positions of the idols in the anime music videos produced by Sunrise.

For example, the idol who ranks first in a given contest will be in the center position in the front row in the music video that follows.

[20] Starting with the November 2010 issue of Dengeki G's Magazine, readers were polled to determine the name of the idols' group.

A similar polling system was used to determine the names of the three subunits: Printemps, BiBi and Lily White.

[21] A manga adaptation titled Love Live!, written by Sakurako Kimino and illustrated by Arumi Tokita, began serialization in the January 2012 issue of Dengeki G's Magazine.

School Idol Diary, written by Kimino and illustrated by Masaru Oda, began serialization in the June 2014 issue of Dengeki G's Comic.

School Idol Diary is written by Kimino and contains illustrations by Yūhei Murota, Natsu Otono and Akame Kiyose.

[27] A 13-episode anime television series produced by Sunrise, directed by Takahiko Kyōgoku, and written by Jukki Hanada aired in Japan on Tokyo MX from January 6 to March 31, 2013 and was simulcast by Crunchyroll.

[28] The opening theme is "Bokura wa Ima no Naka de" (僕らは今のなかで, lit.

"We're Living in the Moment"), while the ending theme is "Kitto Seishun ga Kikoeru" (きっと青春が聞こえる, lit.

The opening theme is "It's Our Miraculous Time"[b] (それは僕たちの奇跡, Sore wa Bokutachi no Kiseki, lit.

School Idol Festival as developed by KLab and released by Bushiroad for iOS devices in Japan on April 15, 2013.

[48] At the end of September 2016, the English version of the game added Korean support due to merging between the two servers.

[50][51][52] The game released globally on February 25, 2020 with support in Thai, Korean, traditional Chinese, and English.

[53][54] A series of three rhythm-action video games developed by Dingo Inc.,[55] titled Love Live!

The nine idols of μ's are divided into three subunits: Printemps (Honoka, Kotori, and Hanayo), BiBi (Eli, Maki, and Nico), and Lily White (stylized in all lowercase) (Umi, Rin, and Nozomi).

[62] Anime News Network had two editors review the first season in 2013: Carl Kimlinger reviewed the first six episodes of the series, finding fault in some of the characters lacking depth and the use of 3D animation in the dancing scenes, but praised director Takahiko Kyōgoku for his use of visuals and for giving a realistic approach to idol groups.

This includes the raw yen totals of Blu-ray Discs, DVDs, music CDs, novels, and manga, but not video games, film tickets, digital downloads, and other forms of media sales.

[79] The "Hit or Miss" (2018) Internet meme originates from a TikTok video featuring a cosplay of Nico Yazawa.