my #1 priority with love live is the music. ive always been into jpop and kpop girl groups so this is what i care for the most.

the SIP anime was cute, funny, generally liked all characters, and had the type of music i like (my #1 priority). sunshine is cuter, funnier, actually like all characters, and still has the type of music i like. the most important part is that with each series i get a stream of music to fill my phone with and give me hours of listening and piano inspiring enjoyment. so for me personally, sunshine delivers in what i like most about love live in the first place.

some people are in it for the same reasons or care about story or the seiyuus, so in that regard, i cant comment much on it though i can say that neither are bad imo.

how did my opinion change about this series before it started? well i liked the songs before the anime came out so it was already positive. in the first few episodes i thought, "omg these girls are weird...". mid-season i changed that thought to, "omg these girls are weird... but i love them".

tl:dr - love live sunshine for me, delivers on everything i liked about the first series minus no maki.