This is the episode where both Mei and Shiki join Liella!. At long last, Kinako isn’t alone anymore! The next episode preview teases a Natsumi centric episode so she’ll most likely join there or in the episode after that. It looks like Season 2 is aiming to get the whole gang together by the halfway point. That feels a little fast to me but I imagine the second half of this season will be dedicated to Love Live so the first years all have to be recruited by then.
So at long last, this episode sheds some light on Mei’s character. This girl has been an odd one these past couple of episodes. She declines Kinako’s invitation to join Liella! and in class, she looks annoyed whenever school idols are brought up but there are other scenes where she clearly is a fangirl of school idols, certainly Liella! in particular. If that somehow wasn’t obvious to you, this episode has a scene showcasing all the merchandise she has in her bedroom, including a giant Liella! poster. To say she’s obsessed would be an understatement. As it turns out, Mei is just a very shy tsundere. She struggles with making friends so she lacks the confidence to join a group that she idolizes (pun not intended). As for her scary looks, Shiki reveals that Mei just has horrible eyesight and she refuses to wear her glasses so she often squints as a result. That latter detail is a bit dumb but I guess it checks out. As an aside, I’m extremely curious as to what Shiki’s glasses look like. Are they super nerdy or something? Show me Mei’s glasses, Superstar! You have no excuse when Kanon wears her own specs in a couple of scenes.
In an attempt to get Mei to open up about her school idol obsession and join Liella!, Shiki decides to temporarily join the idol group herself and make that known to Mei. While this plan does result in Mei formally meeting her idols (pun not intended) for the first time, she still refuses to join the idol club. Mei and Shiki then begin to argue over the matter. Shiki tells Mei that she’s fine being alone but Mei doesn’t buy it and she doesn’t want to ditch her in favor of Liella! anyway. Mei insists that she doesn’t want to be a school idol but Shiki argues that if disinterest is really the issue then Mei shouldn’t hang out with her in Yuigaoka’s science club. The funny thing about all this is that both girls are actually looking for each other. Mei wants to make sure Shiki isn’t lonely. Shiki wants Mei to pursue her passion. They’re trying to help each other help but it’s coming at their own expense and it risks creating a rift between them.
I figured Kanon would help the two understand each other. She is the main protagonist of the show and I quite like this character so I have no problem with her always giving the pep talk. Kanon makes a really great and perceptive point here. Mei may be abrasive and Shiki may be taciturn but they’re otherwise alike in that they’re both lonely girls who are trying to cherish the one friend they do have. One thing I don’t get however is how Kanon figures out that Shiki is actually interested in school idols and would probably stick around in the club if Mei joins. It’s good on the show to establish this so that Shiki’s membership makes sense but what kind of Sherlockian deduction did Kanon make to figure this out?
Having seen a lot of Love Live! at this point, almost all of it in fact, it does not surprise me that Shiki and Mei’s friendship is borderline yuri. It especially feels romantic at the end where Mei invites Shiki to join Liella! with her and the two hold hands, complete with some sentimental music and a sunset lit room (that I will admit works to great effect). I doubt this ship will actually go anywhere, that’s just how it goes in Love Live!. To be fair, I’m fine if it doesn’t as I find Shiki and Mei’s friendship to be pretty charming so far. I will however bet that this ship will be more stable than Keke and Sumire’s. No way these two will bicker like their senpais does on a daily basis.
Aside from Mei and Shiki’s recruitment, there’s a side plot where Ren asks her friends to elect someone as the idol club’s president. And yes, that is something the girls never actually did in the one year they’ve been operating. As expected, Kanon is the default choice for the role and Kanon herself doesn’t want to do it. I would love it if Kanon actually takes on an additional responsibility for a change but I guess she’s already the de facto face of the club and her back hurts enough from all the pep talks she has to give.
Ultimately, Chisato becomes the club president. That’s a surprising development to me, if only because Chisato has never really led the club before. I figured if not Kanon or Ren, Keke would take the role since she’s one of Liella’s co-founders besides Kanon. To this episode’s credit, Chisato does come to this decision very organically. When Mei insists she’s not cut out to be a school idol, Chisato remembers a time when Kanon told her that she can do anything so long as she puts her mind into it. In realizing this, Chisato volunteers to be the club president to challenge herself. I hope this doesn’t fade into the background and the show revisits this in a meaningful way. This has potential to explore Chisato’s arc of self-sufficiency and personal growth again.
Watch Love Live! Superstar!! on Crunchyroll and Funimation.
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