I consider this episode to be Love Live! Sunshine‘s obligatory culture festival episode though the event in question is technically not a culture festival. Rather, it is the “school closing festival”, an event pitched by the auxiliary girls in Uranohoshi to end the school’s existence on a more positive note. Naturally, everyone in Aqours contributes in various ways. Mari cooks her infamous(?) stew. Chika’s class runs a café. You and Kanan dress up as walruses to entertain the little kids visiting the school. Dia and Ruby run a quiz show (and for once, Dia’s catchphrase is 100% applicable). Yoshiko hosts a fortune telling booth with Hanamaru’s assistance. Riko initially helps Chika with the café though she later gets dragged into helping Yoshiko. In her free time, Chika serves as our viewpoint character checking out the festival’s attractions.
There’s not much to dissect with the school closing festival though there are a few jokes that I want to mention. I think my favorite bit is Best Girl Dia rigging the quiz show entirely in her favor, filling the questions with trivia regarding school idols and Love Live. She’s the goddamn co-host and somehow, she’s the one who ends up with the trophy and everyone is seemingly okay with it. Knowing Dia, I’m willing to believe that she intended for all of this to happen. Another bit I particularly enjoyed is You and Kanan’s walrus costumes. They look creepy before you learn of the context and the show seems aware of that as the girls are freaked out when they first see You and Kanan running around in them. The squeaky sound effect that plays whenever they walk makes the joke funnier. Last but not least, there’s Yoshiko having the short end of the stick…again. Barely anyone visits her booth. Chika visits on Hanamaru’s request though Chika is probably the last person who needs a fortune telling. The only thing on her mind is the Love Live finals and obviously, Yoshiko can’t predict something bad to that. Yoshiko is a good sport about it but I can’t help but pity the poor girl. It’s okay, Yohane. At least you got your own show.
The episode ends with everyone, students and visitors alike, holding a bonfire in honor of Uranohoshi. Mari gets overwhelmed with guilt and apologizes to everyone failing to save the school. Even though the pressure was on every member of Aqours to save the school, Mari might’ve felt it more since she doubles as the school director. She’s second to her father in calling the shots and in the end, she wasn’t able to keep the school alive. In this scene, she isn’t just surrounded by the current student body. Some of the grown-ups are probably alumni and there’s also kids who were probably set to Uranohoshi down the line. Mari is pretty much surrounded by the school’s past, present, and future. All things considered, it’s only natural that Mari would break down in this moment.
Fortunately, no one is upset with Mari. Everyone understands that she loves the school just as much as they do and that she tried her darndest to save it. All the extras cheering support for Aqours is a nice touch but what really gets me is seeing everyone sing this season’s ED together in front of the bonfire. I do mean everyone. Almost the entire additional voice cast, including Chika’s sisters (Kana Asumi and Kanae Ito) and even nameless extras, join Aqours for the last verse. I appreciate that the show goes the extra mile here and not just have Aqours sing as per usual. It’s really conveys a sense of solidarity, showing that it’s not just Aqours but rather the entire town. Everyone shares the sentiment regarding Uranohoshi’s closure, that this is an end of an era and that everyone must make their peace with it.
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