I was figured Episode 8 would have Yohane and co. practicing for the summer festival as…whatever group name they go (seriously, do they call themselves Aqours or not?). Turns out that Episode 8 is actually the summer festival itself. I suppose we’ve technically seen these characters train in the original anime canon so the staff probably wanted to speed things up.
There isn’t much to say about the first half of the episode. It’s obligatory summer festival episode content and there’s nothing wrong with that in this case. Save for Dia, everyone is running their own stand based around their profession. For me, the most touching are Mari’s and Riko’s. Mari educates the townsfolk on Wassimer Island while Riko presents some of Numazu’s animals. It’s just nice seeing those two stepping out of their shells some more. Having Shiitake make a cameo at Riko’s stand is also cute. Another detail I like is Ruby working with Hanamaru. That’s a cheeky callback to their friendship in Sunshine!!. It’s kind of a shame that Dia isn’t running a stand. As head of the administration, she instead peruses the streets with her assistant Kohaku (M.A.O). There’s some cut moments where she gawks at food made with her favorite tea but that’s about it. Coming off of Sunshine!!, I just know that Dia’s stand would be insane.
Since it’s technically her business, Yohane runs a fortune telling stand. It should come as no surprise then that it immediately gets shut down, presumably after one customer (I’m assuming one because that all we get to see). A couple running a takoyaki stand next door has to run off for some errands and since Yohane is the handyman, they ask her to run the stand in their stead. Poor girl can’t enjoy her fortune telling no matter what universe she’s in. Running the takoyaki stand starts off funny but it does get a bit nerve-wracking as the high demand overwhelms the anxious Yohane. Mari and Riko offer to help but in a runner-up for Top 10 Anime Betrayals, they return to their own stands due to the high turnout. Fortunately, some kids Yohane has been helping throughout the series lend her a hand.
Halfway through the episode and towards the end of festival, Yohane discovers her staff has gone missing. Everyone helps her in locating it. During the search, Lailaps tries to tell Yohane that she probably doesn’t need her staff to channel her powers. After all, it seems to be based within the bonds she shares with her friends. That’s a valid point and for a second, I figured that would be the takeaway Yohane would make. Surprisingly, Yohane insists that she find the staff. I guess she sees it as more of a symbol of her friendships than just a mere tool.
I’ll admit that the staff does end up in a pretty conspicuous place though I must say, the search gets really ridiculous. Kanan and You make flyers as if the staff is a missing pet. Chika parkours around in her vigilante getup. Dia has the administration check the security cameras. All of this just for a wooden stick. Next, this show will tell me one of these girls will take a bullet for Yohane.
With the search and rescue taken care of, the girls perform at the end of the summer festival. I don’t know if the song will go down as one of Aqours’ most memorable but it is nice hearing the whole gang sing together again. It’s recent for me but it has been four years since all nine characters performed in the Sunshine!! movie. I can see this reunion being a momentous occasion for longtime Love Live! fans.
It’s kind of weird having Yohane as the center. After watching Sunshine!!, I’m so used to seeing Chika in the role. I guess becoming the new main protagonist has it perks. There are also some neat callbacks in some of the group’s formations. As evidenced with the color of their colors, the girls are divided by their “team-ups” over the past seven episodes. Chika, Dia, and Ruby teamed up in Episode 3 and form the first group. The Guilty Kiss trio from Episode 6 form the second. Hanamaru, You, and Kanan form the third group. Later in the performance, the girls pay homage to the original canon by splitting off by their original counterparts’ school year. Technically, it doesn’t really make sense for these versions of the characters to do that. At least when they did that last episode, it was pure chance. I’ll give it a pass though since it’s for the audience’s own investment in Sunshine!!.
To recap, the whole purpose of this performance is to channel Yohane’s powers and to vanquish the Calamity. So does the performance work as intended? You tell me! The show cuts to the ED as soon as the MV is over. We probably won’t know until the next episode airs. I guess with five more episodes to go, the Calamity might still a thing and the show probably doesn’t want to spoil the fun with that revelation. Still, what a weird move to do.
Watch YOHANE THE PARHELION -SUNSHINE in the MIRROR on Crunchyroll
Xenodude Scribbles 