Love Live! Superstar!! Season 2

Episode 6

Going into this episode, I don't think there was a soul watching who didn't expect Natsumi to join Liella! by the end of it. She's in the OP and ED with everyone else, and that's if you somehow ignored the promotional material announcing four new members and her gradient-haired mug grinning back at you. But an outcome being predictable doesn't mean getting there can't be fun, and Superstar!! has a pretty damn good batting average on recruitment episodes. And overall, Natsumi's initiation is a solid episode, but I can't help feeling a bit underwhelmed after last week's stellar setup.

Mostly it's just because this episode lacks most of the friction that episode five had established. Natsumi was actively working to cause division inside the idol club for clicks, and at least some of the members were rightfully suspicious of her. That seemed like an interesting conflict to explore, but it's basically resolved without anyone ever figuring out her plan or calling her out on it. Sure, it makes emotional sense that after connecting with Kinako and the other first years, she'd have second thoughts about stirring shit around them with clickbait video thumbnails, but it's still a let down to see Natsumi's pricklier personality traits get massaged out before there's any real confrontation from either side. I understand it's in the interest of keeping her character sympathetic to an audience that already likes the other characters, but it leaves this storyline feeling half-baked in-the-moment, and I'm always going to prefer stronger storytelling over keeping a character as marketable as possible.

For that matter, it's a bit depressing that Sumire doesn't really factor into it at all. And I'm not just saying that because I stan the Galaxy Girl and want her to get more screentime besides playing tsundere footsie with Keke. There seemed like room for some solid character work with her here! She and Natsumi have remarkably similar motivations for ultimately joining Liella!, as well as a shared level of cynicism when it comes to show business. You're already attracting some criticism by having two characters with similar backstories (and hair color) so why not lean into it and make that a purposeful character parallel instead? I feel like there's a lot that you could work with, exploring how they're alike, and in doing so show Sumire taking a first year under her wing. Sumire also has a past of repeated failure that she ultimately overcame through the support of her friends, wouldn't it be nice to see her pass on that lesson to Natsumi?

But hey, maybe I'm just a little gun shy after Nijigasaki's latest season did so much to defang its antagonist characters in the name of keeping things chill. I only criticize this stuff because I really do love Love Live!, and Superstar!!'s characters are so well-realized I can't help but spin alternate ideas around in my brain. Because what we do get here is still pretty good. I like that Natsumi's motivation for money is borne out of desperation for something to cling to as a goal rather than the more typical answer of her being from a poor background or something. I also like how casual and gradual her coming out of her shell is, once she recognizes in the other first years the same yearning for a far-off dream. You get the sense that, while Kanon's invitation is what tips her over the edge, she was well on her way to earnestly joining, no matter how much she insisted otherwise to Kinako.

Speaking of, Kanon's impromptu speech and dance lesson is some pure Love Live! schmaltz. Much as I think having Sumire here would have been more resonant, it's still sweet to see how Kanon's internalized the support from the other girls, and helps somebody else move past repeated failures. And there's an important lesson in there for Natsumi – just because she's failed before, and convinced herself she's not capable of achieving any of her far-flung dreams, doesn't mean she should give up. Anything worth doing takes work and dedication, and having others to help you keep moving forward is just as valid as being an incomparable genius who does it all easy as breathing. Plus, I mean, it ends with the two of them staring out over a rolling hill of hallucinogenic rainbows, which I think means Kanon is unlocking her School Idol Demigoddess powers now. Good for her.

Then there's Natsumi's inaugural musical number, which is...interesting? The song mostly works for me thanks to the production – good use of the digital percussion to keep the energy up and all – but I was definitely thrown by the chorus yelling “FUNKY COCONUTS” followed by a line about how all the girls are “juicy” y'know? Maybe it's just that I've been listening to the most recent single and was kind of disappointed this song doesn't slap as hard as“Yuragu wa”. I also can't decide how I feel about the outfits, but I guess it makes sense to welcome the youtuber idol with everyone looking as garishly overdesigned as actual Vtubers. My favorite detail is actually that goofy looking OniNattsu mascot flying into the great beyond on a stream of rainbow farts at the end. Godspeed, you weird little peanut creature.

Overall, while I have my druthers about the execution, this is still an effective way to welcome Natsumi into the fold. Now that Liella! is fully formed and ready to kick ass as a nine-piece, I'm excited to see where the back half of the season will go. I'm gunning for some quality down time now that our whole team is assembled – something to let all our new and old personalities mesh together in one room and see how they all clash, then maybe let the second years who aren't Kanon or Chisato get some screentime.

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Love Live! Superstar!! is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.