Watching Sunshine!! and Superstar!! and coming back to School Idol Project, I realize now that it’s pretty much tradition to have the main characters perform their first concert at the third episode. Obviously, this episode of School Idol Project is the first one to do it. It’s a bit of a slow burn but I can’t deny that the third episode is a good point in time for such a watershed moment to happen. I do think Superstar!! did this trend the best, especially with how the concert ties directly into the main protagonist’s arc, but that doesn’t surprise me. Superstar!! Season 1 is the most tightly written of the bunch and it has the benefit of having a very refined franchise handbook at its disposal. That said, I can see someone arguing that School Idol Project did this tradition the best.
The first half of this episode is Umi-centric. As the concert approaches, Umi gets nervous when she realizes she might have to perform in front of an audience. To boost her confidence, Honoka and Kotori have her hand out fliers with them to promote the concert. I really like how Honoka uses Umi’s own words against her. Honoka previously said she couldn’t run five laps up a flight of stairs and Umi more or less told her she can if she tries. With that mind, Umi realizes that she has to overcome this fear of hers.
Later, Kotori shows off her finalized costumes for the concert. Umi previously showed reservations about the skirt being short and we see in a flashback that she bullied poor Kotori into making the skirt reach her knees. Evidently, Honoka exerted her orange haired center powers and vetoed that request so there’s a brief argument between her and Umi over the final design. I frankly find this conflict pretty silly. On one hand, Umi is the most mature and reserved of the three so her complaint is in character. The back and forth between Umi and Honoka is pretty good too. That said, I have a hard time buying Umi preferring to wear her school uniform over the costume when that outfit also has a short skirt.
Aside from having the first concert occur at the third episode, School Idol Project also starts the tradition of something going horribly wrong during the concert. In this case, no one shows up for the event. All the first years are busy checking out the other clubs as part of the Welcome Party event and all the second and third years are busy advertising their clubs to the first years. It is over the top but I really do feel for Honoka during this moment. She’s been passionate about being a school idol and saving the school and her dreams get dashed in the worst way possible. At the same time however, this is the kind of moment Honoka needs. By putting her at such a low point, the show has Honoka think more earnestly about her goals and it hardens her for any other obstacle and she and the rest of µ’s may face in the future.
Definitely the MVP of this episode is Hanayo, who manages shows up for concert after Rin dragged her into checking a school club. I don’t remember liking Hanayo all that much from what I’ve seen of this show and what I’ve played of School Idol Project but this scene has always been one of my favorite moments in the franchise. Just by visiting the auditorium, Hanayo inadvertently convinces Honoka to go through with the concert and by extension, her school idol career. It is just one person but so long as there is someone cheering them on, all the hard work Honoka and the rest of μ’s has done won’t go to waste.
I’m very fond of the insert song. It’s certainly elevated by nostalgia now but I’ve always found this catchier than μ’s first song and the persevering and confident energy this song exudes is perfect for the climax of the episode. For me and as far as the TV series are concerned, this is the first memorable number in Love Live!. If I have any issue with the MV, it’s the CGI. I like the choreography but from a technical standpoint, the CGI isn’t the best. It was distracting even when I first tried the show years ago and it obviously hasn’t stood the test of time when you compare it to the CGI is in the more recent iterations.
The concert does manage to attract some more people. It’s pretty much all the other main characters in the cast but that is fitting in and of itself given what will obviously happen later down the line. Rin’s attendance is maybe the funniest because out of anyone in the cast, she’s the least aware about school idols and what μ’s has been up to. Also, when you think about it, Rin almost caused Honoka to quit by unintentionally wasting Hanayo’s time. Naturally, Eli is the least impressed with the concert. In the last episode, she warns μ’s that they could drag Otonokizaka’s reputation down if they fail and the low attendance in this concert pretty much proves her point. When Eli asks μ’s what they’ll do, however, Honoka declares the group will continue on until they can fill up the school’s auditorium. The first concert may not have gone as planned but μ’s journey is far from over. If anything, it’s only just begun.
Watch Love Live! School Idol Project on Crunchyroll
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