I think it was a given that Aqours would pass Love Live’s regional qualifiers and make it to the finals. If they don’t make it, we would have no show. I am little surprised to see Aqours land in first place. I was expecting second or third since this show has presented them as an underdog and dark horse in the race. Then again, them getting first place makes this victory more satisfying…and the aftermath more awkward.
The real question to ask was whether or not Uranohoshi would get the minimum of 100 prospective students needed for the school to continue on. Despite the insane momentum Aqours has achieved, the same can’t be said about their school. There just hasn’t been that much interest in the place. In the end, that fear becomes a reality. Aqours winning the qualifiers does give their school a much needed push but it’s ultimately not enough and the applications end short with 98 prospective students. Uranohoshi is closing for good.
I must say, getting to that revelation is tense. Aqours has done all they can for their school so all that’s left to do is anxiously check the application screen and pray that they fulfill their quota. The girls stay overnight at the school, making them and the viewer feel the clock ticking away. Mari convinces her father to extend the deadline up until the next morning, giving the situation a sense of hope. By the time you get to the conclusion, you really feel how earth shattering it is.
As you can imagine, the girls don’t take the news very well. Chika is hit the hardest. Saving Uranohoshi isn’t what started Chika’s school idol career but it is the goal she latched onto. It became synonymous with her desire to shine. Having failed to save the school, Chika can’t help but think she lacks the spark that she’s been chasing this entire time.
Another issue that arises is the Love Live finals. At first, the girls carry on with practice but they then decide to take a day off to really decide if they should perform. On one hand, the girls got this far so they might as well participate in the event. It’d be especially nice for the third years as they’ll graduate high school after this particular Love Live (and as we all know, school idols don’t exist in college). On the other hand, would any of the girls be in the right head space? Chika makes it clear that she isn’t. The finals might be one more opportunity for her to shine but Chika is too dejected to care about that.
What motivates Aqours back on their feet is the encouragement of their classmates. As the extras point out, the school might close down but its name will go down in history if Aqours wins Love Live. In a symbolic sense, the school will be saved and that’s more than enough to convince Aqours to perform one last time. Even Chika is reinvigorated enough that she reverts back to her normal self.
Having Uranohoshi close down is a bold move. With how much Sunshine!! has followed the story beats of School Idol Project, it seemed like a given that the second generation of school idols would save their school. It’s surprising then that this isn’t looking to be the case and the girls now have to strive for a different sort of victory. At the same time, this is perhaps the best direction for the show to take. By denying Aqours the same exact victory μ’s achieved, Sunshine!! has more of a chance to be its own thing and step out of its predecessor’s shadow. I just hope that Sunshine!! doesn’t pull a 180 and have the school be saved somehow. Keep that fate sealed and let these girls finish their journey in their own way.
Watch Love Live! Sunshine!! on Crunchyroll, Funimation, and Tubi
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