I’m a couple of episodes behind on Superstar!! at the moment. Apologies for that. I suppose I could go “screw it” and use the quickie format but you know, I have been blogging about Love Live! the normal way for 123 posts and counting so I almost feel compelled to keep the streak going.
As established in the previous episode, Mengmeng asks Liella! to “save” Keke. The show is more explicit this time around as to what Mengmeng means by that. Basically, she wants Keke and her friends to perform at the school idol festival to convince her and Keke’s parents to approve of Keke pursuing music after her high school graduation. Liella! of course accepts the request and they unanimously make Keke the center, seeing as it’s her time to shine. This plot does remind me of the one Mari had in the Sunshine!! movie though I’m inclined to call this version the better one since it’s a lot more expanded upon.
Technically, Mengmeng wanted Liella! to appear at the festival and she apparently invited TomaKanoTe by accident, having been unaware that Kanon left Liella! at the start of the school year. That seems like a dumb oversight on Mengmeng’s part. I mean, even if she didn’t check the internet, surely Keke would’ve told her about Kanon’s departure from Liella!. But whatever, TomaKanoTe is under no obligation to participate in the festival. I kind of love the hilarious gall Wien and Tomari have here, where they decline the request and instead indulge in the free trip to Shanghai that Mengmeng presumably paid for.
Throughout the episode, we see flashbacks detailing Keke’s past. These detail Keke’s case of ennui at school and the exact moment she discovered school idols. That big moment where someone sees a school idol performance and realized that’s the dream they want to pursue has been done before. Usually however, this tends to kick off a character’s arc. To see this type of moment after spending so much time with Keke and getting to know her, I must admit that it hits pretty hard for me. My only nitpick here is that the school idols that inspired Keke is Sunny Passion of all people. They’re the right choice in terms of continuity but come on, they’ve been such an afterthought in this show. In fact, I think these flashbacks is the first time they appear in this season. Anyone else could’ve sufficed and it would’ve enhanced the scene.
Back in the present, Keke remains indecisive on what she should do after graduation. Even as she commits to the school idol festival and even with the support of Mengmeng and all her friends, Keke can’t help but think that she should still consider attending college to appease her parents and because it’d be the safer path for her to take. Given how optimistic and excited Keke usually acts, it’s a little sad to see her discard those qualities for a change and instead think more realistically about things. Since this is Love Live!, it is admittedly obvious that Keke would eventually change her mind. Still, I’d rather have her go back and forth on the matter than pursue her dream from the get go. It’s more believable and more relatable this way. Plus, it’s a very interesting contrast to the current discourse of the season.
Right before the concert, Keke chooses the safer choice. Mengmeng confirms this to Kanon, prompting the latter to run off to Keke before Liella’s performance. I really appreciate the renewed attention given to Kanon and Keke’s relationship. I never minded it but there’s no denying that this bond fell deep into the wayside as the story expanded and added more members to Liella!. Seeing this particular connection reexplored after all of this time, and before the show presumably ends, is very satisfying. I’d also argue that the one to change Keke’s mind has to be Kanon. Keke reignited Kanon’s passion for music; it’s only natural that Kanon do the same for her.
Conversely, I’m surprised at the small role Sumire is given this episode. Even though a revisit of Kanon and Keke’s friendship is more overdue, it’s a definitely a strange choice not to expand on what is arguably Keke’s other significant relationship in the story. I nevertheless like Sumire’s one little contribution in the episode, in which she tells Keke that she would like to see her friend onstage after they graduate. It’s the right words from the right person to get Keke to second guess herself again.
At Chisato’s suggestion, all eleven Yuigaoka idols decide to perform together during the concert. They might as well since they’re all at the venue and there’s no denying that it’d make for a hyped event. I would question how TomaKanoTe can very seamlessly integrate themselves into Liella’s musical number with zero preparation but I would also argue that it’d be complete bullcrap not to include Kanon in the scene. This is Keke’s big moment, her one chance to show her parents how much being a school idol means to her. Even though she and Kanon don’t share a lot of shots together, not having Liella’s other co-founder in this one particular concert would be incredibly disappointing. There’s also the fact that we’re halfway through Season 3 so Superstar!! needs to get the ball rolling with Wien and Tomari’s inevitable recruitment into Liella!. I can see this concert serving as a catalyst for that.
This is a super random and minor aside but I can’t believe Keke and Mengmeng’s father has an actual character design. Poor guy is sometimes obscured a bit in the frame but you can in fact make out his face. If memory serves me right, I believe this is the first male family member with an actual face since Cotaro in School Idol Project! (and that was a decade ago). It’s just a funny observation I want to note since men in Love Live! are pretty much unicorns in this franchise.
I’m going to go on a whim and assume this is the last Keke-centric episode in Superstar!!. If so, it’s a been long time coming. The show brought up Keke’s family troubles since the first season and at long last, it’s been given a resolution. It’s crazy to think that it’s over but at least it was worth the wait. I’m quite satisfied with how Keke’s arc ultimately turned out and I can see it going down as one of the best character arcs in the show.
Watch Love Live! Superstar!! on Crunchyroll.
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