I would like to introduce you guys to a rhythm game with surprisingly compelling stories and characters - 'Colorful Stage'. (Reposted due to a title error)

Known as Project Sekai in several other countries including Japan, Colorful Stage is a rhythm game developed by SEGA and Colorful Palette and one of the best things about this game is that it actually has something for everyone. In fact, this game has an all-female unit that focuses on coolness that is Leo/need, an all-female unit that focuses on cuteness that is MORE MORE JUMP!, a co-ed unit that focuses on coolness that is Vivid BAD SQUAD, and a co-ed unit that focuses on cuteness that is Wonderlands x Showtime. What’s even better is that these units have attributes that go beyond coolness or cuteness, not to mention that they all have “cool” members and “cute” units. Like, L/n and MMJ have cute-looking members like Saki and Minori while also having tomboyish members like Shiho and Haruka in addition to cool-looking silly members like Ichika and Shizuku along with older sister figures like Honami and Airi. Likewise, VBS and WonderShow both have babyfaced members like Kohane and Emu while also having cool-looking girls like An and Nene. It should also be noted that cuteness-focused units have two respective members who are one year senior - Airi, Shizuku, Tsukasa, and Rui. If you would like to listen to some of their songs, here you go:

Leo/need:

1. needLe (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLG4ItqUPRY&list=RDVLG4ItqUPRY&start_radio=1)

2. Integral (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcirYOuivdQ&list=RDQcirYOuivdQ&start_radio=1)

3. SToRY (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTp_CStXDSE&list=RDkTp_CStXDSE&start_radio=1)

MORE MORE JUMP!:

1. Newly Edge Idols (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98nNKdXU5_s&list=RD98nNKdXU5_s&start_radio=1)

2. MOTTO!!! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94r98Y1CsXg&list=RD94r98Y1CsXg&start_radio=1)

3. FUN!! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftxAonaizi4&list=RDftxAonaizi4&start_radio=1)

Vivid BAD SQUAD:

1. Ready Steady (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8Wl94cf2vQ&list=RDy8Wl94cf2vQ&start_radio=1)

2. Beyond the way (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHeMolgpogw&list=RDhHeMolgpogw&start_radio=1)

3. Fire Dance (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAx7DSiXEfQ&list=RDDAx7DSiXEfQ&start_radio=1)

Wonderlands x Showtime:

1. The World Hasn't Even Started Yet (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQJMw-p-X0M&list=RDuQJMw-p-X0M&start_radio=1)

2. Tonal Twinkle Tetrad (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-Uy-UGInUM&list=RDL-Uy-UGInUM&start_radio=1)

3. Smile Symphony (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJHfmIL37Mg&list=RDpJHfmIL37Mg&start_radio=1)

It should also be mentioned how this game has 4 male characters with distinctive looks and personalities with Akito feeling like a shonen anime main character, Toya feeling like a shoujo anime love interest, Tsukasa basically being bit of a teen boy variant of main characters of children’s anime series that are typically aimed at boys, and Rui being bit of a silly older brother figure that you see in children’s anime series (or someone whom little girl's anime series' main character might have a crush on). It’s not all that common that a rhythm game would add male playable characters along with female characters and this game pulled it off beautifully.

Furthermore, while this game does have a lot of classic character archetypes, it doesn’t just keep them that way and actually break some of the most well-known cliches in the process and one character is a prime example of this - Emu Otori. Like, no one disputes that she’s a very silly (and batshit crazy) pink-haired girl, but the thing is that this kind of character is typically portrayed as pretty stupid and gets scared very easily. Emu is not. In fact, it’s heavily implied that she’s actually highly intelligent and is very hard to scare and can actually be serious when needed. And it’s not just her - if you look at other units, for VBS, Kohane is a shy girl who looks like she belongs anywhere else, but she’s basically a proof that looks can be very deceiving. She's often being compared with/to hamsters and hamsters can be pretty aggressive. For L/n, Saki was actually a very sickly girl who was on the verge of death, but after recovering, she became a fun-loving bubbly girl who is trying to live her life to the fullest. I suppose Minori of MMJ is closest to being one of those archetype characters, but you can still argue that her charm is being an ordinary girl who always tries her best in the most sincere fashion. Oh, and speaking of which, this also goes with male characters as well and this is most evident with Akito, who is probably closest to being the most "manly" main character in the game, but even he has softer sides, actually likes eating sweet foods (including pancakes), AND is scared of dogs.

Oh, and also, this game features Vocaloids created by Crypton Future Media including Hatsune Miku. In this game there are 4 Miku variants existing in 4 respective SEKAIs (basically, interdimensional worlds where 4 different units are connected to) and they really do reflect each units’ attributes very well with L/n and VBS Miku variants reeking coolness and MMJ and WonderShow Miku variants reeking of cuteness. Other Vocaloid variants are not quite as distinctive, but they still have their own unique attributes, including WonderShow’s sleepy Luka. Furthermore, these units have other Vocaloid variants at the beginning with L/n having Luka, MMJ having Rin, VBS having MEIKO and Len (likely because this unit is made out of 2 duos - Vivids (Kohane and An) and BAD DOGS (Akito and Toya), and WonderShow has KAITO.

Overall, with 4 unique units and 16 characters with colorful personalities, I'd say that this game really got characters right. In other words, it’s not just a variety of songs that why this game is so popular - it’s also because of so many characters whom we can all get attached to. 😁😁😁😁😁

Wait… am I forgetting something…? 🧐🧐🧐🧐🧐