Random Curiosity

Episode 12:

「劇場への道」 (Gekijo e no Michi)
“The Path to the Theater”

With the finale to AKB0048 Next Stage approaching, its second to last episode focuses on setting things up—and what a set up it is. Because even as Chieri reels from her father’s assassination and the other AKB members want to give her some time to recuperate, the fact of the matter is they can’t afford to wait any longer. As Tsubasa puts it bluntly, there’s no time to hesitate—lest D.G.T.O.’s domination becomes complete—and even she gets riled up as a result. Needless to say, I didn’t think I’d see a moment where even she’d lose her cool, but it was definitely quite something to see—and something that ends up working like a charm, although not in the way she originally intended.

The next scenes in the “other world” and the “path to the AKB Theater” (a nice ode to the real AKB’s origins) were admittedly a bit funky/supernatural, but they end up serving nicely in providing some moments for character development/dialogue—giving us the much needed discussion between Chieri and Nagisa, a nice montage of scenes cuing back to some of our members initial joining of AKB0048, as well as some insight into what’s happened to Yuuko since her disappearance. As it turns out, her journey towards becoming Center Nova still isn’t complete… and one wonders how things’ll end up working out for her (if at all). To say the least, it’d be pretty tragic if she ends up being caught in between forever, so I’m hoping that things end up having some kind of positive ending for her—or that she at least ends up returning to the real world.

Continuing on that last point though, I’m wondering how the conclusion will wrap up that plot-line, the one regarding Chieri’s father’s assassination (unless this is already considered “wrapped up”), and the taking back of Akibastar in one episode. It’s do-able I suppose, but I’m definitely wondering if they’re not going to have a third season or something of the sort, because it certainty looks like there’s still a potentially long fight ahead even if they do take back Akibastar. It’s entirely possible that the take back of Akibastar deals enough damage to D.G.T.O. and DES that they won’t pose anymore of a threat—thus giving the series a permanent ending—though. I guess we’ll see how things work out. Either way, it looks like things are just setting up for another typical Kawamori ending—one filled with drama and epicness—and it should be an enjoyable ride to finish Next Stage off.

Episode 13:

「NO NAME…」

AKB0048′s Next Stage finale is finally here and it ends up delivering in a fashion only Kawamori could. You’d figure that after watching many of his series do the same thing—that is, end spectacularly on a dramatic high note—one would be used to it by now, but nope. Despite my high expectations for this finale and my prior experience with Kawamori’s kind of endings, I still couldn’t help but get caught up in everything—after all, how can’t you?

I mean, seeing all the members of AKB either depressed or outright crying… Nagisa getting things thrown at her and willingly not fighting back… all that propaganda from DES… there was no way not to get emotionally riled up from all of that. Combine all of that with multiple inserts, the return of Yuuko, a glimpse of Acchan, the rise of Chieri as Center Nova, and Nagisa succeeding Acchan, and you got the tools for an amazing ending—which is exactly what we got, along with the successful resolution of multiple plot lines as well.

Because as it turns out, those that rise to Center Nova status and disappear end up at the AKB Theater. There they continue to sing, protected from DES and other physical interference, providing a light/hope to everyone via the collective unconsciousness. And well, despite the kind of “out of nowhere” feel of this revelation, it admittedly works extremely well in the grand scheme of things. Not only does it answer why the Center Nova end up staying there, what they’re doing, and where they are… it also serves as a resolution to Yuuko’s situation and ultimately sets up foundations for what this episode (and arguably, this series) was about—hope.

See, every insert this week correlates to the notion of hope—of keeping it alive in yourself, the people around you, and in carrying that feeling over to the next generation. Rainbow Train (lyrics here), Kaze Wa Fuiteiru (lyrics here), Kono Namida wo Kimi ni Sasagu all have lyrics related to that notion (with Kaze Wa Fuiteiru being even more symbolic in how it was made as a dedication to victims of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami) and to me, it’s an exceptionally powerful message—especially so when you consider the dual connection to real-life and the series itself. What makes this notion even more notable, is the fact that it’s only one of many messages/themes the series seems to be sending in general, as it can be said that there’s a lot here about the whole concept of being an idol and the potential of using words to communicate differences, rather than fighting.

Indeed, AKB0048‘s finale ends up highlighting the fact that it’s two-pronged. On one hand, it can be enjoyed just as a casual series to watch. But on the other hand, there’s definitely something extra beneath the “fighting against an entertainment ban” exterior. Regardless, the verdict ends up being the same: the finale delivers spectacularly as expected, and there really ain’t much I can say, because there’s not much words can do to really capture the emotional high this episode delivered. Hopefully though, with pictures being worth a thousand words, the extra screenshots will do some of that for me. That and the final impressions (which you’ll find at the end of the post).

Full-length images: 43 (EXTRA!).

Author’s Note: Apologies for the delay regarding episode 12. Coming from PAX East drained me more than expected and work on the preview ended up taking most of my time upon returning, so I didn’t have much of an opportunity to work on this before the finales to my other series aired.

ED4 Sequence

ED4: 「主なきその声」 (Aruji Naki Sono Koe) by NO NAME

Final Impressions:

Prior to the start of the season, I had mentioned how underrated the first season of AKB0048was. With Next Stage now over, I can say that the second season of AKB0048 also ended up under-appreciated (sadly) as well. Granted, I can see why people ended up staying away from the series—considering its over the top nature and outward appearance as nothing more than a marketing ploy—but it’s still something that makes me somewhat disappointed that more people didn’t give this series a try. Because in the end, this wasn’t a series that just tried to game the system by playing on the group’s popularity. It wasn’t just some amalgamation of songs and AKB concepts into animated form to sell products. There was an actual stand alone story here—and a decent one at that—and that I feel, makes all the difference.

Indeed, what Kawamori Shoji ends up doing with AKB0048 is nothing short of amazing, and it’s something I feel is a worthy addition to his creative portfolio. The end result isn’t on the same level as say, Macross, but what he manages to do here is worth mentioning nonetheless—as ultimately, I don’t think there’s anyone else out there who could’ve pulled off what he did with AKB0048. I mean, not only does he create an original story that combines much of the prior experience he’s had with sci-fi/mecha, he manages to also incorporate all the elements that make AKB what it is in real life, AND creates something that’s not only enjoyable and entertaining, but runs counter to what people expect from series that look like they’re purely for marketing. It’s an impressive feat to say the least.

Ultimately, if there’s one thing left to say, it’s that I’m going to end up missing this series. The over the top and dramatic Kawamori flair is something that can’t really be replicated by anyone else, and the fact that he consistently makes series in my favorite genres only contributes further to the void I feel upon realizing there’s no Kawamori series this spring. At least though, he does seem to be working on something new, so the wait for another Kawamori work may not end up being as long as anticipated.

On that note, I hope those if you reading this now enjoyed this series as much as I did, and I hope that my coverage contributed at least in part to that. Looking forward, I’ll be covering Suisei, Shingeki, and Date A Live next season, so I hope you’ll join me there as well. If not, I’ll bid you a fond farewell for now. In an ode to the episode’s final quote, “someday, we’ll surely meet again.”

「扉の向こう側」 (Tobira no Muko Gawa )
“Beyond the Door”

As it turns out, what’s beyond the door is nothing but the unexpected this week on AKB0048. The part where Chieri volunteers to become a Center Nova in exchange for sparing Nagisa and her fellow AKB members? I expected that. The other AKB0048 members trying to find ways to rescue Nagisa and Chieri? Saw that coming too. The hyper jump directly underground to Akibastar? Okay, well, I didn’t see that one coming. But despite the rather crazy nature of the above to try and take back Akibastar, it just doesn’t hold a candle to the last thing we see this episode: the assassination of Chieri’s father.

Gosh darn, what a way to go. Really, out of all the things in the realm of possibility, this was definitely not one of them — especially not after it looked like Chieri and her father might finally manage to come to some kind of proper understanding (or at least recognition of each other). But darn it, instead all Chieri gets after singing her heart out and showing off all her radiance is seeing her father in a pool of blood — and it’s just some really power, but really saddening stuff. Everything — all those flashbacks of Chieri’s past — was just setting up for some grand emotional release… and well, yeah. I can’t say there’s anything particular in words to describe how surprising that end was, although I suppose in ways, there were a few hints potentially dropped throughout the episode.

Regardless, the fact of the matter is Chieri’s father is indeed dead… which leaves Chieri and Nagisa free to return to the Flying Get… and a lot of questions regarding who killed him, whether or not it was DES (or perhaps even someone supporting AKB?) that was involved, and whether or not this means AKB now has some kind of flexibility in terms of taking back Akibastar. With only two episodes left however, it looks like we’ll likely get an answer sooner or later, though I’m admittedly wondering if only two episodes will actually be enough to resolve all the open plot lines at the moment. Makes you wonder if a 3rd season is in the works…

Moving back up a bit though, the big thing for me aside from the surprising developments I mentioned above was the whole contrast between Akibastar and Sagittariusstar — or in other words, the difference between a planet not under the Entertainment Ban and one fully under it. The use of really dreary colors, the quiet atmosphere, billboard-less buildings… just some chilling stuff. Combine that with the whole view into Chieri’s life and how her father actually was the ironic source of her first experience with AKB0048… and the episode in general was pretty nice to say the least.

Admittedly though, the latter did make me wonder if Chieri’s father had intended for her to try and join AKB0048 and become Center Nova in the first place. Because when you think about it, it seems to be way too much of a coincidence for her to just find the PDA, Yasunaga helping her find more AKB reference materials, and her just so happening to be invited to an inspection on Lancastar before a guerrilla concert. I guess it could still be pretty coincidental, but part of me feels like Chieri’s father was intentionally pushing her towards discovering her radiance from the get go — albeit via a roundabout fashion. It’d fit particularly well with the things Nagisa’s father mentioned about him this week as well… which really makes me wonder.

In addition to this though, there was one other thing I wanted to mention, which was the whole bit about “following your heart.” To me, that concept’s always been something that’s resonated with me, I suppose — and I just felt like it was worth a mention, because it’s true. Sometimes, the best decision is the one where you just don’t think too much about it — one where you just follow your gut and what you think is right for you, and let that lead you to wherever it does. All within reason, of course!

In any case, things’ll definitely go out with a bang… although I’m admittedly unsure how exactly it’ll work out after what happened this episode. I reckon Akibastar’ll be taken back before it’s all said and done… but getting everyone to Center Nova status sounds like a tall task, and again… there’s a fair amount to wrap up. I do suppose though, that it’s just how Kawamori likes it, as he certainly has the tendency and ability to make some pretty darn epic endings. Guess we’ll see how that works.

Author’s Notes:

「絶叫パラダイス」 (Zekkyo Paradaisu )
“Screaming Paradise”

Going into this week, I was expecting a bunch of different things… but none of them were anywhere close to what actually happened. I mean, a planet filled with hallucinogenic mushrooms, “space monsters,” and some Zodiac miners to boot? That was… quite something. And well, I can’t say I was particularly pleased with the episode — considering how close we are to the ending and the series of high tension episodes we’ve been getting lately… But at the same time, there were some admittedly nice things here, so I suppose this episode was a bit of the good ol’ hit and miss.

For one, I did quite like seeing Kawamori’s Macross influences show up this week. The whole use of songs/music to transcend language and cultural barriers has been something utilized many times prior for that series and it was nice to see it utilized here for the most part. It just links well with AKB’s purpose and is a solid commentary about how sometimes, even the most different of people can get along. It’s just nice to see that from time to time — despite it being a repeat from the Macross series — especially when it plays a role in letting us see once again that the members of AKB0048 are still, deep down inside, regular girls with a desire for some semblance of a normal life. There’s a kind of “innocence” element in play here — contrasting heavily with the dose of reality represented by DES and Zodiac.

Speaking of Zodiac, this week also gives us the decision by Chieri to try and confront her father — pushed in part by Nagisa and the acceptance her father gave her in regards to joining AKB0048. I can’t see Chieri’s father really changing face at this point in time, but what this does set up is a two-pronged branch of side plots that will likely lead to our climactic finale in three weeks time. To say the least, it’s definitely going to be interesting seeing how the Chieri + Nagisa side works out — especially with the new realization from the AKB team that they may yet be able to take back Akibastar.

And well, that’s about it for the most part. For your reference, this week’s insert (spearheaded by Sayaka) is named “Uhho Uhhoho” and sung by Team K.

「青い裏切り」 (Aoi Uragiri)
“Blue Betrayal”

This week on AKB0048, we get the aftermath of the DES attack — and things aren’t looking good at all, as Yuuko’s disappearance is confirmed and AKB themselves seem on the brink of destruction. Despite this however, our heroines manage to temporarily avoid capture — which ultimately gives much needed time for some necessary character development and for contemplation of what to do next.

And first up on the menu? The confrontation of Minami, whose betrayal is revealed to all, along with an explanation of how she ended up dealing with Zodiac in the first place. Interestingly enough, this then leads to a discussion of two important topics — the revelation that those that become Center Nova either go all the way or lose all their radiance, as well as the confirmation that Dualium and Kirara are important entities that have allowed for interstellar flight. In the end though, the former definitely takes the cake as the more important of the two — both because of how it’s something that I actually never thought about and because it just highlights the ultimate double edged sword becoming Center Nova entails. Talk about living a difficult life! It’s one thing just fighting off armies while balancing insane schedules… but to have the potential apex of your accomplishments resulting in a disappearance you might not want… phew* Tough stuff.

While we’re on the topic though, it’s also interesting to note how Ushiyama actually puts the question out there of whether or not the Center Nova that have disappeared even want to be rescued. Admittedly, it’s something I haven’t contemplated before… but now that it’s out in the open like that, it’s intriguing to think that what Tsubasa and Minami want may ironically end up not being what the missing Center Nova want.

Moving on though, another big thing for me this week was the realization of how terrible the understudies must be feeling right about now. After all that hard effort, time, and dedication spent getting in and trying to become successors… they just so happen to be there at the one moment where AKB’s on the brink of annihilation. Of course, while in a way this scenario could be considered a curse, it’s notably one that’s potentially a blessing as well — considering that they hold the key to potentially ensuring AKB’s future survival, the defeat of DES and the removal entertainment bans across the universe, release the Center Nova in the other world, and really just change what has been the status quo for a while now. All they need is a hero to rise up…

…and under what better circumstances would there be for one — or multiple — of them to rise aside from impending total defeat? As Minami shows this week herself, it’s times where you have nothing to lose — times where you may as way go out fighting — where you’re the most lethal. On that note, it looks like Nagisa (and Chieri) will strive towards — and probably achieve — Center Nova status in order to attempt a rescue of Yuuko and the others. And that’s all fine and dandy… except for the fact that it looks like it’s something Chieri’s father wants as well, now that Yuuko ended up being unable to control her awakening. His intentional reassignment of Nagisa’s father seems primed towards coercing Nagisa into becoming a Center Nova, and it’ll be interesting how things work out from here, especially seeing how the Flying Get seems to have had a fateful arrival at what looks like a key planet of some sort — one that seems like it may well hold some important revelations within it.

「決戦アキバスター」 (Kessen Akibasutā)
“Battle for Akibastar”

Looking back toward AKB0048′s first season, one of the most notable things for me was how Kawamori managed to up the ante right at the end, forging a dramatic finish that sent chills down my spine and brought out all kinds of emotions. In the end, it just seems like Kawamori’s just gifted with the ability to end series on high notes, and as the end of AKB0048 Next Stage fast approaching, it looks like he’s still got the gift, as it looks like we’ll be in store for quite the ending. And at this point — especially after this insanely awesome episode — all I can say is: “you’re a darn magnificent bastard, Kawamori Shoji.” Because while I expected some pretty epic things to happen this week, none of those expectations didn’t hold a candle to what actually transpired this episode.

Moving right into the episode itself though, let’s just skip everything and just say it: Yuuko steals the stage in style this week. Not only does she end up protecting Akibastar from destruction, she does so after blatantly disobeying orders from Tsubasa, and becomes Center Nova in the process. To say the least, her epic rise to “Position 0″ was just that: too epic for words.

I mean gosh darn, I don’t even know how it’s possible to summarize the feelings I had this episode at all. The episode was just skillfully sown together — mixing flashbacks of Yuuko, Acchan, discussions about the history of Akibastar with multiple concerts and a whole load of inserts that have been used previously in key moments to first create an atmosphere of dread and impending doom, then blowing us away with an epic battle whose scale easily eclipses any we’ve seen before hand. Gorgeous attention to detail highlights the Sci-Fi nature of the series — and the experience/skills Kawamori brings — and well, it was just eye candy all through out the episode, which was filled with enough emotional moments to fill one’s quota for the year, and topped off with some superb animation that just adds icing to the proverbial cake. And well, in the end, those are the exact reasons why I’ve made the rare exception of attaching 45 screenshots instead of the normal 36 this week — because a picture’s worth a thousand words and this episode’s undoubtedly worth well more than that.

But yeah, I guess that’s enough about how I felt about the episode, as the rise of Yuuko to Center Nova brings with it both a load of revelations, as well as questions. For one, Yuuko’s opening of “The Gate” answers the question of exactly why Mikako ended up helping Chieri’s father — as it seems as though its opening could lead to the retrieval of the previous Center Nova… including Acchan herself. Incidentally, the opening of the gate ends up being the goal of Chieri’s father as well, who seems intent using this to his advantage himself — though I’m admittedly not sure exactly as to the specifics of what that entails. Ultimately though, all of these developments lead to the same thing though, and that’s the question of “what happens now?”

I’m pretty sure at this point we haven’t seen the last of Yuuko, but at the same time, it looks like she may be out of the picture for a little bit. I’m starting to get the feeling that the ending’s starting to piece together as a result however, as it feels that it’s likely that the future will likely end up with either Chieri and/or Nagisa becoming Center Nova and retrieving not only Yuuko, but some of the past Center Nova as well. Of course, it’s more of a gut feeling more than anything, but yeah… I mean, I guess we’ll see how things work out. Gosh darn, the end of the winter anime season is sure is bringing some spectacular episodes ain’t it?

Inserts: Aitakatta, Rainbow Train. Kaze wa Fuiteiru, Heavy Rotation, Dareka no Tame Ni, Korogaru Ishi Ni Nare.

「美森革命」 (Yoshi Mori Kakumei)
“Mimori Revolution”

It’s a Mimori Revolution this week as we get confirmation that she’s indeed becoming a successor — the 8th Shinoda Mariko to be exact — and with it, comes quite a sequence of developments.

First and foremost, the focus of the “cursed 75th Generation” now shifts onto Kanata, who remains the sole trainee from that group. At this point, it’s almost guaranteed that she will succeed someone by the time it’s all said and done — the touching exchange with Mimori at the end all but confirming that inevitability — but the question remains as to who she’d succeed and when she would do so. To that end, the whole discussion between Takamina and Kanata suddenly takes on added meaning, as I can’t help but think now that the time for Kanata’s succession is going to arrive much faster than either of them ever expected. With the DES Mobile Fleet arriving soon — caused in big part by Mikako of all people (HOW COULD YOU!?) — one just can’t help but notice that there seems to be quite a bit of foreshadowing regarding Takamina, who may not escape unscathed. Personally, I’m hoping Kanata ends up succeeding someone else and nothing happens to Takamina… but gosh darn, the odds of that happening sure don’t look too good at the moment.

Moving on though, the big thing for me — the one thing that really got me thinking this episode — was the whole discussion about whether or not Mimori would change, as well as the part about how to succeed, you’d have to give up your own name. Of course, the latter part about giving up your name was known all along, but admittedly, I didn’t quite think too much about it until now. In between seeing our heroines trying their hardest to become a successor, I just guess it’s something that I (and some of the girls themselves too) seem to have really taken for granted as some kind of superficial thing. But now that you really think about it, it would actually be pretty conflicting to give up your name in order to succeed someone. Like you’re happy you achieved your dream and got the chance you wanted… but at the same time it’s like you’re sacrificing your identity a bit to become someone else. Combine it all with the fact that you’re going to bear a lot of pressure from the added responsibility and the potential of one’s personality changing as a result and it really just hammers in how these girls are really sacrificing a lot to achieve their goals. After this episode, there’s just this added appreciation for each of the characters in the series, as well as their real life counterparts.

Shifting back to the “potential of one’s personality changing” as a result of the succession for a moment though, that was another big side topic this episode — sparked in part by Megumi’s assertion that people do change radically when they become successors. With the whole insinuation that succession involves the soul of the person one succeeds “entering your body,” I admittedly spent a lot of time also pondering how literal that change could be in the context of the series. Of course, now we know the end result is that Mimori ends up still being mostly the same person she always was — her appreciation of her fans and the moment with Kanata showing at least that much — but gosh darn, it had me pondering quite a bit whether or not we’d get a radically different Mimori at the end of the episode. Guess I was worried for nothing though, eh?

Notably however, the fact that Mimori doesn’t change also gives Tsubasa some extra hope too, as it means that there’s still a chance for her to find Maeda Atsuko the 14th as well. With the DES attack incoming, the insinuation that there’s going to be a Center Nova born in coming episodes (either artificially pushed on due to DES or not), and the fact that it’s pretty much known that a majority of the understudies have the potential to be successors… and well, it suddenly brings up quite the plethora of potential scenarios for upcoming episodes. Wouldn’t it be quite something to see a whole bunch of successions in a row… or Maeda Atsuko’s potential return to save the day? Some really nice, mouthwatering possibilities in the future to say the least.

In any case, things are really starting to ramp up for AKB0048 Next Stage, and if I know Kawamori as well as I think I do — it’s going to be a crazy finish. Too bad it’s a whole week’s wait before we get to see what happens though. Shucks.

Author’s Notes:

「輝きを継ぐ者」 (Kagayaki o Ysugu Mono)
“Inheritor of the Name”

Well dang, with an episode such as this, where do I even start?

Continuing off from the previous weeks, we got Chieri and Mimori becoming more and more popular as time goes by — and we all know what that means. Yup. The talk’s all about succession — particularly the potential of succeeding Acchan — and our main candidates find themselves under more pressure than ever to gain that great honor. In turn, this brings out quite a bit of revelations and some nice commentary to go along with it.

First and foremost on the list of course, is the revelation that AKB’s next photographer is none other than a former Center Nova — Minegishi Minami the 5th to be exact. She’s been on the sidelines observing for a while now, but with a new Center Nova about to be named, it looks like she’ll be taking a more involved role than ever before — both to investigate the “Center Novae Phenomenon,” as well as to try and guide the new generation to success. And on that note, she starts out quite well — giving Yuko some extra perspective by referring to the Center Nova as someone akin to a photographer; one who captures the all the radiance around them at the right moment.

Next up is the discussion about the “fever of succession,” which seems to be something Tsubasa and Minami seem to know quite well. It’s described as a kind of test to see if one’s able to take on a particular name… but the way they describe it — particularly Tsubasa saying it’s the first time she really felt Mariko — makes it seem like there’s definitely more than meets the eye here. In many ways, it’s already been hinted at for a while now that there’s something more, but this has probably been the closest we’ve been toward something actually tangible. Combine that with the supposed energy the Kirara have/can produce and one wonders if they aren’t souls or the life force of those that have previously graduated, and the act of succession involves the uptake of the respective soul/life force of the person a successor is taking the name of… or something. Would be quite interesting if it indeed turns out something similar and Sensei Sensei turns out to really be some kind of amalgamation of former graduate in some spiritual form.

Moving on, another thing I felt was particularly notable was the whole discussion with Nagisa about how “miming won’t lead to succession” — which is a comment that both holds true in the AKB universe and in real life. It’s just a nice commentary about how it’s okay to strive towards being someone or following someone you idolize, but if you just go about it by imitating them, that’s all you’ll be — an imitation. There’s no way an imitation will exceed the capabilities of the genuine article, but taking bits of the genuine article, learning from them, and incorporating what you’ve learned with your own strengths could. In the end, there’s just that fine line between straight out imitation and “emulation” — the latter of which while similar to imitation, is slightly different in the context that you’re using a base as a foundation for greater heights, rather than just using the base. Nagisa realizes this difference this week and really starts coming to her own this week as a result.

Ultimately though, the biggest thing involves Mimori, who tries her best to perform despite going through the fever of succession. One would presume she did enough to succeed someone (or create for herself her own name), but darn it, they sure chose quite the place to leave us hanging. Next week just can’t come soon enough!

Additional Comments:

「禁じられた星」 (Kinjirare ta hoshi )
“The Forbidden Star”

Gosh darn. This series just never ceases to surprise in some shape or form. One moment it’s the understudies being wiped out from doing too much promotional activities and the next it’s an epic multi-pronged attack on a planet completely under the Entertainment Ban (and its military stronghold too!). Combine that with the concert (with Heavy Rotation, River, Boku Dake no Value as inserts) and the over the top antics only this series can provide. Just one of the most enjoyable episodes of this season.

Really though, it’s quite ridiculous how epic this episode ended up. The adrenaline rush was just on full blast all episode—kept afloat by a lot of piew piew, the infiltration, and crazy underground casinos betting on the success or failure of our AKB heroines. Phew* I’m just out of breath just thinking back to it all, but I guess it just shows the heights this series can reach and how enjoyable the series is.

In any case, Makoto gets her chance to shine this episode and seizes it in a style only she could—one filled with false starts and clumsy falls, but inevitably the same results: success. Of course, we got Suzuko and the rest stealing DES mechs and Nagisa shootin’ em up with Sonata too, and it was pretty action packed to say the least. I didn’t expect the Private to play as big of a role as he did, but I suppose the signs were in the cards the second he was singled out midway through the episode. It’s gotta be nice finding fans wherever you go eh?

Moving on though, the end of this episode just highlights how big of a role Chieri’s father and the Zodiac Corporation are likely to play during the remainder of the series. Because it sure seems like he allowed (and planned for) the events of this episode to happen in order to gather more data about the Kirara. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that he was probably making a killing from the casino to begin with, but hey. One still wonders what he the ultimate result would be if he succeeds in artificially creating Kirara… but I think it’s safe to say that it won’t spell great news for our heroines. Our gals just seem to be falling right into his hands at this point, and one can only hope they can find their way out of em’ by the time it’s all said and done.

「新選抜総選挙」 (Shin Senbatsu Sousenkyo)
“The New General Elections”

Continuing off from last week, the remaining General Election results are in and the final spread ends up looking like this:

For the most part, the end result wasn’t particularly surprising. Seems like the biggest one was the one last week in Mimori’s selection, which ultimately set up for the Understudies managing to take two of the top ten spots. Quite the feat to say the least—though I suppose Chieri rising up to 6th place was also a great feat that ran contrary to some beliefs as to what would happen—but it just attests to how special this group of Understudies are.

Notably though, most viewers ended up not being too far off in thinking Chieri would try to remove herself from consideration in some shape or form after last episode, as it’s revealed that she desired to quit AKB0048 should she end up being selected. Ultimately, while the result ends up as expected (Chieri deciding to stay despite her selection), the whole scenario sets up quite the “exposition” in terms of what being an idol and the General Elections are really about. In the end, it was about recognizing the additional responsibilities the heroines have now. Their choices are still their own, but it’s no longer representative of just themselves—but of all the fans that love them, chose to vote for them, and spend their time and effort supporting them. That, as well as recognizing that just because they’re all competing against each other for recognition, it doesn’t have to be something that makes them spiteful or tears them down. Rather, it can be something they can use to create unbreakable bonds and to drive on even stronger. Sure, it’s a bit idealistic and breaks down a bit when applied to equivalent real life situations, but it’s a very powerful statement regardless.

In any case, the General Elections are some crazy stuff. I can only imagine how crazy they are in real life! But yeah, everyone was just letting their real emotions show now that they had the chance to, and it was some pretty emotional stuff. We a bit extra in terms of development for Tomochin and Takamina, and it’s just quite well pieced together.

Anddd last but not least, let’s not forget about Yuuko—who once again declares that her 1st place win is only one step toward her ultimate goal of becoming Center Nova and exceeding Acchan. Suffice to say, she does it with quite the flashy show too. At the moment, it doesn’t look like anything’s going to stop her, but it looks like before it’s all said and done, Chieri and Nagisa will have their own say in things. Combine that strange cut of Sensei Sensei repeating Acchan’s name shortly afterwards… and there’s some intriguing developments in store. All this and I haven’t even mentioned the ongoing Zodiac Co. plot line either! Phew* Next Stage really taking things to another level this season.

ED3 Sequence

「アイドルの夜明け前」 (Aidoru no Yoake Mae)
“The Idols’ Dark Before Dawn”

IT’S TIME FOR GENERAL ELECTIONS! With even commentators for this event having successors, suitcases handcuffed to guards to prevent tampering of results, an innumerable amount of fans praying for their choice’s victory, and multiple insert themes (Beginner and the OP/ED themes from last season)—it’s no wonder everyone’s been riled up the last few weeks, as these elections are truly serious business. Admittedly, even I underestimated what a big event it would be… and what a spectacular episode it would set up.

To say the least, there was a bit of everything this week, and I’m just having trouble even putting all my thoughts into words at this point. Since the start of this new season, everything’s just on another level in all respects—and it’s just great to watch. For one, there’s the whole drama resulting from the re-establishment of the General Elections and Center Nova position. The competition is fierce, tensions are running high, and it just begs the question: how much pressure can our heroines take? The competition should bring them all to the top of their game (and also assist in investigating the Center Novae disappearance phenomenon), but as even Tsubasa mentions herself this week, there might just be a point where the whole scenario causes more harm than good. Granted, it’s highly likely that our heroines will succeed in overcoming this obstacle regardless, but the fact that they had this scenario—one that challenges each of them to do their best—shows that this series (and the life of an idol in general) isn’t all fun and games. There are things each of them are fighting off and trying to overcome out of the public eye, and this episode not only emphasizes this aspect, but uses it to propel the series to greater heights.

And what exactly do I mean by greater heights? I mean the fact that all of this General Election and Center Nova business gives the series a chance to really hone in on the individual characters. It’s obvious that each of the characters should all have their own unique personalities and/or reason(s) for doing what they do. Actually being able to demonstrate this though, is a whole other story. And this is what I mean. The above scenario gives AKB0048 this chance and the series just seizes it to give us an in depth look at the characters—a notion that just makes this series much better than it otherwise would have been. Heck, this episode alone had individual moments for Chieri, Takamina, Yuuko, Nagisa, and Mimori.

In the end, one can only imagine how hard it is of a task to give individual characters a focus in a series with such a large cast. You just have to tip your hat at Kawamori Shoji (that magnificant bastard!). He just has a knack for incorporating drama with music and sci-fi, and it’s definitely showing in AKB0048′s Next Stage. Looking back, it kind of even feels like he was just setting us up the first season, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he was at this point.

Moving on, another interesting aspect this episode touched on and really hammered in was the fact that what AKB0048 is doing is illegal. As such, they’re quite powerless to do much about people/businesses that use any of their members’ likeness, names, or performances to their own benefit. It just emphasizes how despite the occasional absurdity and the hoops you have to jump through for things like copyrights and what not in real life, they really do serve a protective purpose (usually). Notably, this whole business aspect leads into…

…our next big topic of discussion: the Zodiac Corporation. As we find out this episode, Chieri’s father (I WANT YOU TO JOIN THE DES ARMY!) is indeed influencing a variety of events in the background, having played a big role in having Chieri benefit from the public trial from two episodes back. Heck, he might’ve even instigated the whole thing himself. Either way, Chieri’s father is forcing himself into the conversation, and it’s undoubtedly not only going to have a big impact on Chieri herself, but also AKB0048′s continued existence as a whole. There’s still the Kirara experiments being run in the background too and there’s just a lot going on at the moment.

Suffice to say though, despite some parts feeling slightly rushed, the AKB0048′s Next Stage is really establishing itself as one of the better series this season, and it just pains me to wait a whole week just to watch the next episode. But alas… somethings you just can’t change, so to that end, I’ll catch ya guys next week.

Full-length images: 32.

ED2 Sequence

ED2: 「希望について」 (Kibou ni Tsuite) by NO NAME

OP Sequence

OP: 「主なきその声」 (Aruji Naki Sono Koe) by NO NAME

「衝撃の新展開!?」 (Shougeki no Shintenkai!?)
“A Shocking New Initiative!?”

If there’s one thing this second episode demonstrates, it’s that it’s not easy becoming an intergalactic idol. As an understudy, one not only needs to go through great lengths just to join AKB0048, one also needs to compete with fellow understudies and successors whose radiance and skills seem miles above what you’d believe yourself capable of. There’s a lot of stress involved to say the least, and the return of the General Elections and Center Nova position last week merely compounded that fact. This week, even more things are thrown on top with the return of guerrilla broadcasts (idol equivalent to guerrilla warfare!) and 5AM schedules, and it’s a wonder our heroines are still standing with all that weight on their shoulders!

Horrible Atlas jokes aside, this episode really hammers in the effort our heroines (and idols in general) put into their work behind the scenes—an aspect that I’ve admittedly glanced over and kind of taken for granted throughout the first season. I knew idols put in a lot of work into their craft (and previous episodes have shown glimpses of this), but this episode was one that really made me appreciate the efforts of both the characters in the series and their real-life equivalents, and from there the people that work with them to make their performances (and this series) possible.

In any case, the basic tone of this second episode wasn’t anywhere near as adrenaline inducing as the dramatic introductory episode to AKB0048 Next Stage, but there were quite a few concepts and developments that came up this week that were worth talking about.

For one, the whole concept of doing a variety show and the lackluster effort (STOP THE RECORDING!) on part of the understudies in the beginning felt like a rather nice commentary on life. Because in the end, the variety show and the guerrilla broadcasts are also extremely important to AKB0048′s efforts, and mean a lot to those who see them. They’re not as grand and personal as concerts/lives are, but it just goes to show that sometimes even the smallest, most (seemingly) insignificant things can make a big impact and that sometimes, just because you feel like you’d be better off doing something else, it doesn’t necessarily mean you actually would be. There was just this whole learning experience built into this for our heroines, and I felt like it assisted nicely in putting everything into focus and helping them develop into more mature characters capable of exceeding the current line of successors.

Moving on, the other big thing was the reveal that Chieri’s father seems to be trying to create artificial Kirara. It’s not exactly revealed for what purpose… but it does seem like there’s a lot of subtle hints that they may be some kind of pure energy source, perhaps formed from human emotions (or even human souls themselves). The whole flashback to Acchan and her comment of wanting to “turn into light and shine on you all forevermore” and her voice appearing in the first season seems to hint at something similar, but it seems too soon to be able to conclude on anything really. Notably, Tsubasa seems to be slowly catching onto his plot as well.

And last, but not least, another notable development was the announcement of Chieri as #9 in the early results for the General Elections. Of course, this was something that was pretty predictable considering all the shots of Chieri we got this episode and all that discussion about her wide spread popularity after the trial, but I found the way they ended the episode on her as #9 rather interesting. Personally, I was thinking she would’ve gotten a bit higher… so the fact that she “only” got #9 makes me wonder if there’s the chance that Nagisa might have actually topped Chieri in the elections. It’d be an interesting development to say the least, but like the above theory regarding Zodiac… just a theory and something to take with a grain of salt.

Still, what I do know is that it looks like things are setting up for some pretty epic developments, and AKB0048′s Next Stage just might end up surprising even those that enjoyed the first season.

Quick Wrap Up:

ED1.02 Sequence

ED: 「この涙を君に捧ぐ」 (Kono Namida wo Kimi ni Sasagu) by NO NAME

「少女裁判」 (Shoujo Saiban)
“Girls’ Trial”

Finally. After six long months since AKB0048′s debut, we finally get the sequel to one of the most under appreciated series of 2011. And if there’s one thing that’s for sure, it’s that if this episode is a sign of things to come, it’s going to be a spectacular ride—because this was a darn awesome way to start things off.

Continuing shortly after the end of last season, Kawamori gets the ball rolling right off the bat with two inserts (Shonichi – Opening Day and Niji no Ressha – Rainbow Train)… and some darn nice animation too. Some of the CG ain’t quite perfect (and shows itself in some of the screenshots), but the fact remains that AKB0048′s Next Stage is setting itself up with a high bar in terms of standards—in terms of drama, entertainment, and visual goodness.

As we move on, we get Tsubasa’s announcement that general elections will be re-established, along with the Center Nova position that Yuuko in particular is glad to have back. With the fact that fans can now vote for who they wish to perform the new single, it makes it so that even the understudies have a chance to shine now on the same level as the successors, and it just injects some nice intrigue to it all. There’s just that added element of both looking at each other as real rivals and also as teammates you’d risk your lives for in the background, and it’ll be interesting to see how it either solidifies or separates our heroines from one another. That and who ultimately becomes the first Center Nova since Acchan.

In the meanwhile, it seems like we’re getting the development of another large plot line too—in the form of DES and their increased vigilance against AKB0048 in general. And it’s here where Kawamori shows a bit of his dramatic genius, luring us in first with some concerts to set up a rather cheerful vibe, then suddenly shifting things to a surprise DES strike and subsequent “trial” of Chieri, Sonata, and Yukurin, who end up being captured and bought to Kasumigastar. Combine that with the inevitable rescue mission (and yet another insert in the song “Pioneer”) and things end up pretty epic considering it’s only the first episode of this sequel. As usual, there’s some suspension of disbelief involved in it all, but if you’re still watching this now, I don’t think it’s anything particularly surprising at this point.

Ultimately, what can I say aside from just stating that Kawamori does a darn great job here? Combining various aspects from the other sci-fi series he’s worked on (Macross Frontier’s borrowed aspects were particularly noticeable this episode), he manages to fit in quite a bit in this first episode while still making it work. New inserts, a dramatic new soundtrack, quality animation, and fights with DES on levels we haven’t seen before just come together flawlessly, and it was a darn joy to watch. Definitely feeling pretty good about making sure I had this series covered… and I hope you guys’ll join me on what looks like it will be quite the ride.

Full-length images: 21.

ED Sequence

ED: 「この涙を君に捧ぐ」 (Kono Namida wo Kimi ni Sasagu) by NO NAME

End Card

「笑顔のために」 (Egao no Tame ni)
“For Their Smiles”

There’s really isn’t all that much to go on about this last episode of AKB0048, except to just lie back and bask in its glorious spectacle. And boy, if there’s one thing I’ve learned from all the Kawamori-directed shows I’ve seen until now, it’s that the guy certainly knows how to deliver one hell of a flashy, bombastic climax in shows already filled with flashy, bombastic moments. It’s as if the guy always looks back and says to his team: “Okay guys, we need to take it FURTHER.” Because that’s what this episode essentially is, AKB0048 cranked up to 11, as we get back-to-back performances of Kibou ni Tsuite, Yume wa Nando mo Umarekawaru, and AKB insert Yakusoku Yo! And boy was it glorious. Kawamori and Studio Satelight again prove why they are one of the industry’s go-to for animating concert scenes thanks to their signature style – one of blindingly flashy colors, dazzling visual effects, impressive shots from a dizzying variety of angles and pans, ambitious sequences, as well as the impeccably timed inserts that flow alongside the wild scene-shifts between performances and fights – a winning combination that we’ve seen time and time again in AKB0048, and back in Macross’s various incarnations. Few other studios and directors have managed to capture the same frenetic energy that so defines these musical performances and translated it onto the animated screen, much less with the panache and flair these people have shown. Hell, the sensory overload from all the SFX in this concluding performance is enough to make me forgive the rotoscope CG animation Satelight tends to falls back on, especially when I got to the brilliant rendition of Kibou ni Tsuite. (Surprisingly, the CG looks extremely decent in this episode, although it could’ve been the saturation.) The visual quality of the show has quite honestly never been higher, as Satelight displays an impressively balanced mix of keyframe and rotoscope animation in the performance amidst the overtly saturated backdrop of the Lancaster concert venue.

In a way this episode encapsulates what makes AKB0048 entertaining for me at its most basic level, Kawamori’s predisposition for the Hoot and Hooray. The performances are very much a part of this, but let’s not forget the spectacle of the repeatedly ludicrous, yet ridiculously entertaining clashes between the teenage idols, wotas and DES, an aspect which has by now become an integral part of the series’ identity. The best part of it has always been how little it took itself seriously, and this last episode continues the tradition in grand fashion. Almost none of that character drama I’ve raved about for the last few weeks is present, but you know what? This was a perfectly fine way for the show to wrap up. Sure, the questions to the hanging plot threads still linger in my mind, but as conclusions go, I liked that instead of trying to rush inconclusive answers for our many questions, AKB0048 brought us full circle with an episode that has the Kenkyuuseis now performing in the very place of the idols we saw in the very first episode. It is an episode that also serves as a reminder that AKB0048, for all that’s been said and done, is a show that can entertain on multiple levels.

Of course, with the knowledge of a continuation (be it second season, OVA, or movie) secured, the episode takes the liberty of thrusting onto us a number of wild developments, like the disembodied voice of the former Maeda Atsuko speaking to 00, S-Quad declaring a new Center Nova amidst the Kenkyuuseis, and to my great surprise, Takamina regaining her position in the Succession Kiraras’ eyes. It’s thankful that amidst all this setup for the next arc in the story, most of the immediate issues were neatly resolved, the most prominent being Nagisa’s voiceless situation. However, I did feel that the way they went about it was less than ideal, as having her meet her parents seemed to undo all that her arc stood for, the sacrifices made for her sake, even if she did come out of it with a stronger conviction. Also, where was poor Megu during the entire episode!? Being the one character to get the shaft this badly, I do hope that she emerges as part of the main cast in the continuation, since her character has been one of the most interesting and underused in the story.

While being somewhat unclear, the episode also tries to pin down what exactly the “idol spirit” means here, which is roughly explained as the desire to give a good, worthy performance despite adversity. It’s a simple and perhaps trite answer, yes, but as a beginning to what could potentially be an exploration of the concept in the continuation, it feels like a good starting point.

Full-length images: 04, 09, 14, 18, 24, 25, 29, 30.

ED3 Sequence

ED3: 「虹の列車」 (Niji no Ressha) by AKB48

Final Impressions

Sell-out. Product tie-in. Cash cow. The definition of “Pandering”. There’s a lot of animosity attached to AKB0048, and to be frank, I too approached a good portion of the show as a cynic rather than as an ideal, unbiased watcher. There was a great temptation for the team to just kick back and let the brand name take up responsibilities for the sales, while delivering the bare minimums of a serviceable story built purely on the hijinks of idols, interspersed with inserts of fan-favorite songs, and I think everyone saw that possibility, even expected it. The AKB brand is huge in Japan, big enough that it seemed like it was possible for the anime to sell decently so long as it pandered to fans at the lowest common denominator. It certainly didn’t help these impressions that the designs were so very reminiscent of various moé archetypes, to the extent of characters having hearts symbols emblazoned into their very beings. For me personally, I wasn’t a fan of the group, and in fact used to regard them as another one of the music industry’s endlessly generic pop groups. I was thus, prior to its airing, firmly in the camp that dismissed the show.

So in retrospect, it’s amusing how well the show has won me over across its run, to the point where I am absolutely giddy at the confirmed prospects of a continuation. At its most basic, AKB0048 was pure popcorn entertainment, encapsulated by the hijinks of the 00 girls as they go about their idol lives. And I guess the reason I found it so much more enjoyable than it rightly should’ve been was mainly because it wasn’t just your typical slice-of-idol-life stuff, as equal parts were fueled by the spectacle of the 00 vs DES conflict – which saw some of the most enjoyably silly fights I’ve had the chance to see – and also by the animated replications of AKB48’s performances, jazzed up with Kawamori and Satelight’s signature flair for combining brilliant visuals and music together.

And for sure, I was having fun, god forbid the DES stop me from that! But make no mistake; this superfluous entertainment isn’t all there is to AKB0048. The bulk of the show is driven by its character drama of the struggles idols face as part of 00, and this was executed with a genuine sincerity one would not have probably expected out of the show. I was truly surprised by the amount of depth certain characters gained over the course of the show, without the developments feeling particularly contrived at all. For all that’s been said about the voice acting cast which mostly comprised of industry newbies handpicked from AKB48’s repertoire of performers, they have carried the anime along surprising well, breathing some truly believable emotions into the characters we see and hitting the right notes on some of the show’s more sentimental moments. But what I thought was particularly smart about the writing was that most of the drama is framed in developments that relates to the Japanese pop industry. What would’ve otherwise been an above-average psychological drama on a group of girls wanting to be idols transforms itself into a meta-documentary of the realities in the idol business, touching on the themes of adversity, competition and the personal hardships faced by every individual in such a career.

It’s hard to believe that this came from Kawamori and Okada, two of the industry’s most eccentric personalities, because it some ways, AKB0048 represents one of their most straight-laced efforts in the drama and developments. Their trademark is obvious, with the tendency for loud exaggerations to prove their points, but the characters at least represent some of the most down-to-earth in term of emotional development, without the wild tangents we’re so used to seeing from them. Plus, despite the outlandish nature of the setting, the drama can at times feel surprisingly grounded.

I guess, in some ways, AKB0048 is still very much a work that panders to the AKB fan. There is a sense of the immense respect paid to AKB48 throughout the anime, and while admirable, very little is given to the questioning of this pervasive, religious-like worship of the group and their anime counterpart. Here’s the thing though; I’ve never quite seen fanservice being used in such a smart, context-aware manner. AKB0048 draws inspiration from the history and the workings of the group for their meta-documentary, and through the smokes and mirrors of its premise, actually gives us audience a look into the nature of one of the most prolific groups of the Japanese music industry. For fans, there is the gratification of seeing the numerous, smartly placed references to the group and its members as the show places the idol group on its pedestals. Meanwhile non-fans like me get the exposé on the life of a prospective idol in the business like I’ve mentioned above, and I can’t quite argue with the way it was executed here. I’d especially like to make a note of the Takamina-Kanata arc, my favorite in the entire show, as the stand out which brilliantly captured the paradoxical nature of competition within the group, playing on the contrast between teamwork and individual success while integrating this idea into an extremely sentimental character arc for two aforementioned idols.

Now the show isn’t without its flaws of course, the most glaring one being that there will come a point in the show where your tolerance of its sillier moments will be tested. It is a fine line between silly entertaining and just plain silly that the show treads, as I’ve complained about before in my earlier posts, most prominently in episode 5 and 10. How well you can take the wackiness so inherent to the nature of the show is thus something that will undoubtedly affect your overall enjoyment. One of my other gripes with the show was the way DES was persistently portrayed as a central antagonist when they are in fact mainly used as a plot device to further along the character drama, and they never could develop past that role. While it certainly became the least of my concerns the further I got into the series, their inconsistent portrayal, from ruthlessly efficient to clumsily incompetent, remains one of the weakest links in AKB0048.

Bottomline here? AKB0048 is a work that proves it can entertain while giving a relatively thought-provoking look at the harshness of the idol business, as well as the regimental nature of the AKB48 group. Kudos to Kawamori and Okada, who made this anime far greater than what it might’ve been, and gave me what has been one of the biggest surprises of the spring season.

Folks, it’s been a one hell of a season – to me, the best in years – and AKB0048 wraps it up in glorious fashion. I immensely enjoyed watching this show, and you can bet that I’ll be there for the continuation in 2013. Onwards to next stage!

Preview (Continuation)

「愛をうたうアイドル」 (Ai wo Utau Aidoru)
“Idols who Sing of Love”

What would you sacrifice for your dreams? Back in the first episode of AKB0048, this was the message that was fleetingly hinted at during the girls’ departure from Lancaster, leaving their home, family and friends behind so as to chase their idol dreams. 11 episodes on we see this same message finally being realized, as we bear witness the true extent of what the Lancaster girls have lost, as well as the consequences of their dream. For Nagisa, it has been the complete deconstruction of her former life, what with her father now being held in prison by DES, and her mother likely being in as ruinous a condition as her house. For Yuuka, we see first-hand the warm family she has been blessed with, a family that she has now chosen to leave behind yet again. True to AKB0048’s style, there is some meta-commentary going on about the realities of the idol business, with the theme prevalent throughout the episode being one not just of the personal sacrifice undertaken by each aspiring idols but also of the sacrifices, both literally and figuratively here, that the people around them have to endure.

The episode jumps almost immediately into Nagisa’s attempt to break out her father, only to find her father refusing to leave with her. And while Nagisa still believes it to still be her fault, it feels to me that her father understand the nature of the sacrifice he has willingly taken on for his daughter to continue pursuing her dream, and refuses to belittle the significance of it by leaving with her. The guilt however, only seems to further pile onto Nagisa with this failure, and the short, but succinct scene of her passing over the chance to see her mother indicates just how much she wants to avoid facing the sacrifices made for her sake.

I hardly get to see an aftermath, a consequence, played out to this extent, and it makes the subsequent development of Nagisa losing her voice from the accumulated stress – likely from the pressure of the role, and the realities she faced on Lancaster – all the more engaging, as her guilt continues to grow now that the other Kenkyuuseis have to cover for her. We’ve seen angst on the show before, but never a complete breakdown like this, making Chieri’s speech about her loss ring all the more true: Despite the support she received and sacrifices made for her sake, she still couldn’t handle the stress, and a breakdown like that would probably be the end of an idol’s career in reality. However you want to look at it, Nagisa seems to have indeed lost as an idol due to the lack of will and drive to see her dreams through. Of course, being anime, there is a strong underlying message of never giving up, and it’s almost certain we’ll see an emotional rebound from Nagisa in the final episode.

Where Nagisa’s situation shows us the sacrifices made by the people supporting the idols, nowhere is the idea of personal sacrifice exemplified more than in the star crossed relationship of Yuuka and Mamoru, their mutual longing forsaken in the pursuit of Yuuko’s dream to continue performing as a 00 member. It’s a development we’ve seen many times before – love being given up for a greater cause – and while AKB0048 certainly doesn’t quite seem to hit any emotional peaks with it, what was done here felt genuinely sincere in its execution and acting, which is more than I can say for most stories. Like many of AKB0048’s developments, there is a parallel to be drawn here with the workings of the actual group; idol groups like AKB48 always had partially sold on the fantasy of its idols virtuous, virginal image, with the group itself going as far as to impose a dating ban on its performers to preserve this. Putting aside the ethical implications of this rule as well as the questionable expectations of the Japanese media and public, (because, really, you could get an entire debate out of this) it makes scandals, especially those concerning relationships, absolutely destructive to an idol’s career. Each of these idols had to sacrifice the freedom in their private lives for the sake of their careers, which is the idea we’re seeing here, albeit framed in a different context.

This episode had plenty to muse upon, but alas, at the rate it is going it seems almost impossible for the show to give a proper conclusion by its end. There’s still so much that can be explored in the show, and I’m hoping for a second season looking at the Kenkyuuseis after succession that would make a brilliant follow up. AND YES, SECOND SEASON CONFIMED. REJOICE YE!

Full-length images: 05, 10, 18, 20, 22, 23.

ED2 Sequence

Preview

「ランカスター再び」 (Rankasuta Futatabi)
“Return to Lancaster”

The girls are back to the place that started it all, as we enter what seems to be AKB0048’s final arc. And what a dramatic way it is to enter this last arc in such a manner! This episode threw out the developments left and right as the show starts setting itself up for what seems to be a grand finale concert on Lancaster, also the Kenkyuusei’s very first official performance.

On the 00 front, the major events were undoubtedly in Nagisa getting a solo for the performance – which is, curiously enough, called Nagisa no Cherry (Seaside Cherry) – and the understudies getting their own song as well, Yume wa Nando Demo Umarekawaru (Dreams are Forever Reborn), which has been serving as the show’s ED.

The question here is of course on why Nagisa was chosen. No, I’m not discounting the artistic cues or meta-logic, but rather, it is a questioned posed within the context of the story. Having Nagisa perform the Center Nova promotion solo is a rather arbitrary decision when she has largely been one of the more average performers, especially when even the characters noted comparisons to standouts like Chieri or Kanata. No doubt the fact that Chieri’s Kirara glows in response to her has some measure of influence, but are the mysterious S-Quadruaple and succession Kiraras still pulling the strings, or is it Tsubasa’s own agenda at work here after she confirmed the Kirara’s reaction in the previous episode? In any case, the girl is now a shoo-in for the succession of the Maeda Atsuko role, something which people have been suspecting since the start of the show. But what exactly is it about Nagisa that relates her to this vague title? The anime has done little to give us a proper exposition on the Acchan character, and I still can’t quite connect this passive girl that wants everyone to get along to the person that basically amounts to the heart of AKB, both in the context of the anime and reality. (Or is that the connection right there? That Nagisa is suppose to be the core that connects AKB?)

Speculation aside, what I did like about this particular development was the way it is executed, and the consequences that resulted. The decision to give Nagisa the solo is met with appropriate cynicism not just from her peers but also from herself, as Nagisa struggles with the arbitrary expectations placed upon her and the knowledge that there were better choices than her for this role. Even Chieri, the one person who believes Nagisa to be the better idol, cannot seem to connect the disparate nature of Nagisa’s unconfident behaviour with her own ideals of an idol, and becomes extremely cynical about it. It’s easy to empathise with Chieri here because I myself am questioning if Nagisa truly deserves the role in the place of other characters that have been established with much stronger ambitions and motivations. For one of these characters, we see from Yuuko an open hostility quite unlike anything we’ve seen before in the show, as she is passed up not only for the Center Nova solo, but as a successor, also for 00’s newest song in years. Playing on the competitive nature we’ve seen from 00, these snippets lend considerable weight to the magnitude of this arbitrary decision and its cascading effects, the result being something truly engrossing to watch.

There was a clear focus on Nagisa this episode even as the setting changed over the Lancaster, as we’re given a look at how much the situation on the mining planet has changed since the girls left the planet. Disregarding the color swaps that mark a clear change in tone from episode 1, Lancaster is (and I find this as weird to say as it is) even bleaker than what it was before, with some major Big-Brother vibes going for it. The planet is largely under the control of DES, and what little resistance remaining appears to be in pockets of the administration and the hollowed out ruins of the Lancaster trio’s old school. For those of you (Okay, let’s face it. It was all of us.) who predicted that Mamoru, Yuuka’s “friend”, was going to reappearkas a DES soldier for some assured melodrama, surprise! AKB0048 pulled a fast one on all of us, and the guy is now a staunch wota and Suzuko fan. Cue jealousy hijinks!

The heart of the matter is of course squarely on Nagisa, who finds out that her father has been arrested because of her associations with 00, and that she is largely the reason for the presence of DES on her home planet. The girl is already in an emotional flux thanks to 00, and here we have news that throws her further into turmoil. AKB0048 just loves trolling with them girls, don’t they? With the next episode seemingly setting up a reunion between father and daughter, I’m interested to see where the show plans to take Nagisa emotionally, and if she can somehow prove herself to truly deserve the promotion song.

Full-length images: 04, 23.

Preview