Forum - View topicEP. REVIEW: Love Live! Superstar!! Season 2
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harminia
 Posts: 2003 Location: australia |
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I preferred Margarete's song to Liella's but plot wise Liella's song has much more meaning. The choreography is easy to dance to like Sunny Day Song and you can sing along easily (like Sunny Day Song...). It shows that being an idol is coming together and having and including everyone, not just being alone and deciding to crush the competition.
But still, Margarete's song was wayyyy better for me. Not as good as her first song but still really good. I know the review was comparing her to like Gundam and Macross and stuff but she feels like a Symphogear character to me still lol. Even though I assume Liella will win I'm not 100% certain because it would certainly be a twist for Margarete to beat them. I feel like they need to do SOMETHING more with her because she hasn't really...done much other than say "Shibuya Kanon" 100 times and drop great tracks. Anyway, overall this episode was nice. I liked that they paired up the first and second years and got to show them actually contributing to the overall work. Plus Sumire helping do costume design was a nice touch. I got a bit emotional when Keke pushes Kinako while they're running, considering it used to be Keke in that position...
I knew I recognised that outfit! I was like "hey, isn't that the outfit from the live not long ago. I swear I saw that there" so I was pretty surprised by it being used in the anime for a new song. Interesting choice. |
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coreymon77
Posts: 21 |
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I have a feeling this was also intentional on a production standpoint for the live concerts. Staff has certainly been planning things with an eye towards the live stuff much more so than than they used to be, and I can tell already that this song is going to be absolutely wonderful when performed live with an audience to join in. I'm super excited to experience it when I go see them in January.
Yeah, the outfit was first used back in March, so it's been around for quite a while as its own thing before being used in the anime. It's quite a unique choice and quite surprising, given that anime songs usually get their own outfits. But it fits and it's a way to introduce this one for the 2nd gen members too. |
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Nate148
Posts: 471 |
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Margarete needs to find her own path not just her sister’s and family path
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Rogueywon
Posts: 251 |
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This is definitely hitting all the right notes. The original Love Live obviously set the template, but was also a mass of rough edges. Sunshine was more polished, but felt too much like a retread. Nijigasaki... yeah, whatever, I can't actually remember the names of half the cast. Superstar feels like it's managed to iterate on the formula, polish the rough edges, but also have its own identity. It's very, very good.
I still think there's a good chance of a season 3, though I'm less confident than I was a few episodes ago. I can just about see how they could wrap things up, albeit with an irritatingly open ending, in one more episode. Still, the number of hanging plot threads makes me think a third season is more likely than not. If they do decide to Do the Impossible, See the Invisible and have a Love Live show go to a third season, there are a few ways they could work it. The most boring would be the big reset switch, where Kanon stays in Japan, Wien goes back to Austria with some magic golden ticket to her school, Liella don't quite win Love Live and they come back in season 3 to finally nail it. Another twist they might go for is to... well... if Love Live can have more than 2 seasons, it can have more than 9 girls in its group. There's a 10th potential member right there ready to join as a first year, though my god they'd have to do some rapid character and plot development to make that happen. Or... more interesting... Kanon goes to Vienna, with Wien in tow. The eight remaining girls have to struggle with picking up without her (albeit with lots of inspirational Zoom calls, no doubt) and maybe pick up some new first years. That'd be an actually new plot arc and I'd quite like to see it, even though Kanon is my favorite Love Live protagonist to date by a country mile. Edit: Also, kudos to Nicholas on the episode review: "...stick their happy little songs where the Love Live! Sun don't Love Live! Shine" is a fantastic line. |
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harminia
Posts: 2003 Location: australia |
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To be fair, Nijigasaki already did that and now has 12 members in its group (+1 a non performing member in Yuu). But I definitely could see Margarete joining in the next school year.
Niji sort of made it more likely as they had Ayumu go to England at the end of season 2 (though I believe it was only for a short time?). In both these cases though I'm not sure how much Niji counts as it's theoretically a spinoff... Anyway I finally got around to watching this episode and it was good! The whole overseas twist is still a bit lame but it's definitely more impactful. I feel so bad for Margarete; "yeah, we'll let you into the school so long as you bring this random Japanese girl that kicked your ass and who we deem much better than you with you". Also feel bad for the rest of the Liella girls because where's their Vienna invite huh. Vienna looking like Yoko right now. |
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merr
Posts: 470 |
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Hehe, the ending was a total cop out, but I kind of love it anyway! Playing the twist for comedy was the best way to do it. It doesn’t leave you feeling like everything leading up to Kanon’s non-departure was pointless, which would be difficult to pull off otherwise.
Besides, we could still get that trip to Vienna when they make a movie after Season 3! |
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harminia
Posts: 2003 Location: australia |
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damn that twist... I didn't see it coming that's for sure...
Also interested in how they're looking to cast only one person. I assume Margarete may join Liella, but only adding one more member instead of 2 to make the normal 3? Interesting... I did really like how Kanon asked for Liella to keep going. When you think of normal idol groups, they change lineups so much so it's not like its uncommon. I always wanted to see a LL group that keeps going but shifting and changing when third years leave. I feel like the closest we'd got to that prior was Nijigasaki because they were largely just a club and not a group that needed everyone there. |
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senketsumatoi
Posts: 17 |
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Not going to lie, ending on a cliffhanger like that was kind of frustrating...but knowing a third season is coming lessens it a bit and I'm glad it's a third season we're getting, because I going think a movie would even come close to tying up the loose ends.
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coreymon77
Posts: 21 |
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So, I never had the moment to do my whole writeup thing for last episode. I just got really busy. What can you do? I’ll just jump in here. Since it’s the last episode, at least for now, I’ll include my “stream of consciousness” writings while watching (a second time) that I normally exclude from these posts before going into the proper writeup.
- Leave it to the childhood friend to it right to the heart of the matter - Yup these two would be hanging out together - But they’re still throwing the barbs - Okay, this bgm is just plain mean. You don’t throw Watashi no Symphony out like that without warning. - Aww, Ren’s come so far - It’s nice to see how far these four have gotten. - And Nuts moving things forward before they get to maudlin. - Lol, everywhere Kanon goes, she sees her friends. - But it’s hard seeing her not being able to face them. - Nooo, don’t cry!!! - Awww, such a supportive family. - Well that’s not someone I expected to see. - So Kanon finally learns. - Oof, still not past that ego, are you? But yeah, it would be a hit to the pride. - At least she’s practical. - Hmm, nice point about the schools. - It’s not like I’m doing it for you…baka. - And now the matataki bgm. This soundtrack is pure evil. - This season has had criminally low amounts of Manmaru. - I would talk about trespassing on school grounds after hours, but Ren essentially owns the school so… - She said the thing! - Me too. - Lol, Nuts, never change. - No, that’s next season, Chii - Nuts taking the moment to stake her claim, of course. - But Gremlin #1 won’t have it! - Uwoooooooh! Mei smash! - Me too. - Training montage!! - Kinako is going to be me this January when I’m with friends from warmer parts of the world during Japanese winter. - Oooh, these are pretty. - Smug Nuts. - That’s one helluva stage. - Look at them!!! - Also, Mei’s face, lol. - Hair down Chii!! - Pa!! Good to see them here. - Wow, this is beautiful. - 9 person star!!! - Hey look! Another trophy! And room for another one next year too, as it looks. - Smug Sumire - Nice eye sweat there, Shiki - Lol, everyone asking Kanon wtf she’s still doing there. No chasing them down at the airport here. - Wait what? - Wait what?! - Lol, “I can’t read German”. I was wondering when they’d address that. - Also, you asshole cliffhangers!! Soooo, cliffhangers! Aren’t they fun? This one is a doozy. I would have to disagree with many around the interwebs that have said that this makes Kanon’s whole study abroad arc pointless. Given that we have a whole other season still to go, and something clearly happened right at the end there, I think it’s a bit premature to declare that this was pointless and nothing came of it. I think this won’t be the last we hear of this and that the reasons why it was suddenly cancelled will be relevant. If I were to guess, there were some family drama happenings that caused this, or something that will be relevant not just to Kanon and Margarette, but possibly to all of Liella. It also still remains a huge mark of character growth for Kanon and for her friends as well. If they end up just dropping it and forgetting it happened and it’s never brought up again like a big reset button, okay. However I do think it is somewhat premature to be making that claim. The narrative structure of this series has hinted towards 3 seasons the entire time, so it’s clear that this was intended, and written as, a 3 season story. As such, it is somewhat premature to claim anything is pointless or worthless, in my opinion. I just want to comment on how real these characters are. As was mentioned in the review itself, this episode was mostly talking. We had the characters all talking with each other and it felt completely natural. They actually talked things out, with multiple people, but not in a way that made them feel like overly mature adults either. They actually act as characters and in complete accordance to what we know about them so far. With the remaining second years, we have Keke and Sumire sitting and talking about the situation together (but not without a few barbs being thrown, as is there usual). Ren knows that Chisato would be having doubts about what she said, so she goes out to talk with her and comfort her, showing how far she has come. With the first years, we have them gathered together to talk things out, as they usually do, given how close the 4 have gotten, and right when things are just about to get too heavy, Nuts changes the topic. It’s a perfect showcase of how far everyone has come in this series and it’s wonderful. Then we have Kanon, the normally ever cheery Kanon, is avoiding all of her friends, unable to face them at the moment and then, upon arriving at home, breaks down in tears when faced with the support of her mother. And can I say how much of a wonderful thing it is to see this kind of family support? This is a huge decision for Kanon and she’s clearly conflicted and doesn’t know what to do. To get that kind of care and support from her mother and sister, it’s wonderful. We really don’t see enough of it. And then we have the great moment where Kanon instantly shuts down the idea of Liella ending when she leaves. After everything that has happened with this group, I’m glad to see that shut down, and everyone agreeing with it so quickly, regardless of if Kanon actually ends up leaving or not. And that song, wow, that song. I’ve heard a lot of people complain that it doesn’t feel like a winning song, but I couldn’t disagree more. Sure, it’s not a head-bopping hype song, but man is it ever beautiful. The vocals, the instrumentation, the meaning behind the lyrics, it is absolutely wonderful and, honestly perfect for Liella. And thus, this season comes to an end, and what a ride it has been. I was one of the many who was initially rather skeptical of the decision to add 4 new girls into the mix. I was really fond of the dynamic the initial 5 had, both animated and irl, and was concerned at what inserting new people after the fact would mean. While the initial live streams relieved my concerns about how the new 4 would fit in irl, there was still a worry about how they would fit in to the story. Honestly, though, I’m not sure they could have done a better job than they did. The way they introduced, developed and integrated these new girls, it’s to the point that it’s kinda weird to think of a time when they weren’t there. I can only give my sincerest congratulations to the writers for such wonderful work on that front. I'm really excited now because the 3rd season can tackle things they've never addressed before, namely the "now what?" of what happens after you win Love Live. The big win has always been the end, so that has never been addressed, but now we have Liella likely having to deal with it. They're national champions now. What does that mean for them? What does that mean for their school? What additional difficulties, opportunities, benefits or anything else of the sort does this bring? Where do they go from here? What is their goal? Where do they find the motivation after already conquering the biggest stage? It is an opportunity to explore some really neat things that this franchise has never had the opportunity to explore. I legitimately don't know where they are going to go next season, and that's unusual for something as established as Love Live and quite exciting. Really, with this series, this franchise is the best it has ever been, in my opinion. With it breaking new ground not only in content and themes, but in also being the first series to ever reach a 3rd season, I’m super excited for what is to come. The future is bright. See you next time! |
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