The wait is over fellow Nijigakuans! The biggest group in Love Live history have returned and soon it’ll grow even larger! Let’s not waste any more time and get to it!
We kicked things off with a badass PV promoting the 2nd School Idol Festival hosted by Nijigasaki High School. Like the 2022 April Fool’s “Yohane’s Epic Quest” trailer I’d happily watch the superheroine show in the PV.
So our heroines were pumped to be part of School Idol Festival 2 and hoped even more would participate this time.
Immediately after we got a quick glimpse of the three new faces. Note that I don’t play the mobile game, watch music videos or looked up anything on them so this is my first experience with all three. Lanzhu Zhong (Lahn-Juu Shon) and Mia Taylor arrived to Japan. They had something big planned that we’d see later. This isn’t much nowadays but I like that both switch to their native tongues during conversation, Mandarin and English respectively.
As for Shioriko I kinda expected her to have a more bratty tone in her speech (it’s her fang) but she has the “mature teen” voice. Maybe when she’s flustered. For now she’s chill and offered to help our heroines promote the festival.
The Open Campus was coming up and the girls were hard at work getting everything ready. The key component was the PV. Shizuku, Rina and Yu made it. S and R wanted to add some extra touches to make it even better for the big day. During the prep montage Kasumin came to check on the video progress and noticed a particular folder. It’s of unused footage/outtakes. Remember this.
Time for the first serious arc of the season. Yu was busy with piano studies, music class and helping the club. Her girlfriend was worried because Yu claimed to have everything under control but it’s clear she’s carrying too many responsibilities.
We’ll resume that story in another episode because it was Open Campus time and we got a surprise Lanzhu pounce on sweet Ayumu! She’s intrigued by the School Idol Club’s activities along with the festival so she transferred to the school to take part in SIF 2. As for Mia she wasn’t interested in school idols (yet) and was around.
The PV still wasn’t finished so Yu offered to check on Rina and Shizuku but Kasumin thought they’d waste even more time editing so she rushed to check on them herself. Once finished Kasumin quickly pulled the USB and rushed over to Yu.
Remember kids, haste makes waste.
The gang tried asking Shioriko to give them some time to get the right video for a do-over but couldn’t. No preferential treatment. And so Lanzhu was like “Guess it’s up to me to save the day. Mia. Get the stick”
Let’s just say she pulled the “Hold my beer” card on Sumire. Please no debates in the comments as I don’t care. Point being her performance was hot, really hot.
One loud applause and Shioriko scolding later and we’re back to reality. Time for the second serious plot of the show.
Before the video mix up thing Yu and Ayumu showed Lanzhu around the school. She asked Yu why she’s part of the club if she wasn’t an idol. Instead of saying she’s their manager Yu explained she found her life goal thanks to school idols so she wanted to repay them with her full support. After Lanzhu’s excellent performance the gang invited her to join the club but she declined. After seeing the club was all about supporting each other she’s like “Naw son. I’m here to become the Ultimate Solo School Idol. Someone that inspires people to be the best version of themselves. I’m not sharing the spotlight brah. Don’t need support. I can kick ass on stage all by myself and I’ll show the world. Hey Yu. I ask you again. Why are you here? Leave the club to focus on your own dream”. Yu politely stood her ground, determined to both follow her dream and support the club. Naturally her harem had her back.
It was time for the gang, who discussed and experimented with the concept of individualism last season to now contend with someone who fully embraced it. Should be interesting.
Glad to have Nijigaku back in action! Pumped for more.
PS: That ringtone yo.
PPS: Stay tuned after the ED for a bonus.
The Yuri Empire 
I find it pretty hypocritical of Lanzhu saying that idols shouldn’t receive support yet she received help from Mia. Kind of hypocritical there. Still, the PV is cool and Yuu is obviously not happy about Lanzhu hugging Ayumu. Still, I wonder how the new girls will fare, although I have a feeling that they will join, eventually.
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Hence why I said solo on stage but yeah, easy to point out the hypocrisy.
The three eventually joining is a given.
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Staff != fan support…is my guess on how that argument would go. She’s more referring to how they’re doing the more traditional view of an idol, that says things like “my fans give me strength” etc, versus a basically celebrity that runs off of “self” and riches and fame, etc. Not saying that she can do literally everything herself.
But I could be wrong, and she could have been really hypocritical
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In terms of performance, it was pretty good, though the song lyrics were a real turn off. Not really into that idea. When a dork does it, it comes off as pretty adorable (Hoshino Aru), but when someone does it who really and truly believes the world should be all about them….it’s not something I find enjoyable. I’m sure she’ll be more likable as it goes on, but yeah.
The episode itself was enjoyable, but felt more like a mobage ad than I recall the first season ever being. I was not looking forward to the cast increase, as they were already on a tightrope (albeit a well navigated tightrope) with season 1. But now we have 5 maybe 6 new important characters. 3 was already alarming enough!
We shall see where this goes then….and glad the cat is still a thing! Hoping for more screentime this season~
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Both sides have something to prove. Looking forward to the challenge.
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Don`t matter from when they come, Yuu will probably seduce Lazhu soon
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She got a harem of 9. There’s room for 3 more.
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A Fantastic Season Premiere!
The 3 new girls are all sexy and Mia is still my most looked forward to new member.
Lanzhu’s song was indeed hot! The series song are still Fire!
Looking forward to more!
Man, can’t wait for next week! Sonic 2, Spy x Family, and Demon Girl Next Door S2! So Many great things this Month!
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That they are.
Murican school idol is intriguing.
So good!
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I enjoyed the first ep of season 2, loved seeing Shioriko, Mia and Lanzhu!
Really glad they are here! I definitely do like Lanzhu’s goal more here than in SIFAS as she isn’t trying to destroy the group but instead be the best school idol there is, though she ofc is being partially hypocritical but either way thankfully they changed this for Lanzhu. She ofc will eventually join the Yu harem like everybody else did lol!
Also her new song is great! Can’t wait to hear Mia and Shioriko’s new solos!
Next week seems like it will be Emma centered so I can’t wait!
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I don’t play the games anymore so I don’t know what happens and don’t need to.
So happy to have them back! Excited for more.
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Holis
Y aquí tenemos a Love Live, es bueno tenerlas de vuelta. No conozco a grandes rasgos como va el juego, pero si he escuchado las canciones y las de Lanzhu son muy buenas Ye Mingzhu es mi favorita pero Queendom es la que mejor describe a esta chica con el ego del tamaño de China. No sé si la van a suavizar, pero si algo necesita Love Live es una buena antagonista, esa ha sido una de mis quejas, de hecho las rivales de Liella no me convencieron. Veamos como se va a desarrollar la historia y que no le tiren mucho hate a Lanzhu
Se me hizo tierno cuando Karin gritó como doncella al ser expuesta su vida marital con Emma. Por cierto Kasumin no tuvo la culpa por el video.
Cyao
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Hook, line and sinker. Sin fallar.
Si. Karin fue linda en ese momento.
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i only half paid attention to the glimpses of the game plot that i come across on FB groups so most of this is gonna be real new to me!
Lanzhu opens up with a real banger of a performance with a song that basically proclaims how badass she is.
Pink, thinks she’s badass. Kinda reminds of Elza Forte from Aikatsu stars (anyone remember that?)
Super excited for the next episodes and the end credits scene was really cool!
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I only watched Aikatsu Friends myself.
Oh yes. Lanzhu kicking off the performances with a bang.
Very interested to see what “they” will do.
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Elza’s probably a good comparison. Hopefully Lanzhu has a better mom though…
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That PV was an absolute banger! If an actual movie was made from it, I’d watch.
Kasumi’s hastiness was almost their downfall. Good Lanzhu (and Mia) was there to save the day. Needless to say, her performance was very captivating. As expected of the arc rival.
Yeah, Shioriko’s personality was a bit surprising because girls with fangs tend to be more on the genki side of things in my opinion. It’ll be interesting to see what makes her, and Mia by extension, take the plunge.
A fantastic return, all things considered.
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A glorious return of a glorious group and Lanzhu made her raivaru status felt in grand fashion. Looking forward to seeing what Shioriko and Mia can do.
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Love Live is back!!
Fantastic opening ep, I really enjoyed it!
Their PV needs to be a full on spinoff. I’d totally watch that.
So great to see al the girls again, I know it hasn’t even been that long, but still I’m so happy to see their smiles once again.
Excited for all the new girls too. Lanzhu brought the heat! She’s going to be fun to watch. Not a whole lot of Mia in this opening ep, but she’s looking pretty cool too. And lastly Shioriko is so calm and cool, but I’m sure in time she’ll come to love school idols just as much.
Ah I can’t wait for more!
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Same here. Looks sexy, badass and fluffy, just like our favorite school idols.
As someone who loves Nijigasaki the most I can relate.
Lanzhu brought the heat and most of us weren’t ready for her incredible power. Looking forward to seeing what Mia and Shioriko can do when it’s their time.
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Love Kasumin and her buns!
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I was like “She has buns?” but you meant the food. Oh. Okay.
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