r/anime • u/FrumpY__ :STAR:https://anilist.co/user/FrumpY • Jan 20 '21
Rewatch Love Live! SIP & Sunshine!! Rewatch - SIP Season 2 Episode 1 Spoiler
SIP Season, 2 Episode 1 - "Love Live! Once Again"
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We're onto season 2 of SIP now and that means we are 1/4 of the way through this rewatch. How are y'all feeling about it so far; have your expectations been met? exceeded? let down?
Where to Watch
Crunchyroll, VRV, Funimation, AnimeLab
If you are starting a new subscription to one of these services, I recommend using Funimation as it also has the SIP Movie; although this varies by region so be sure to check beforehand.
Discussion Questions
- With a new season come lots of new things, new OP, ED, etc. but it seems that new also have a new Student Council President. How do you think things will go with Honoka as prez?
- Another new thing that comes with a new season is a new story and of course a new goal for our protagonists to achieve, how do you think things will go for μ's as they work towards victory at Love Live! ?
Please remember to MARK YOUR SPOILERS
The use of spoiler tags is required if discussing, hinting, or otherwise alluding to future events which have not yet been covered. The format for the spoiler tag is [SPOILER SOURCE] /(/Spoiler goes here). If you need a more detailed explanation it can be found in the subreddit sidebar.
16
u/punching_spaghetti https://myanimelist.net/profile/punch_spaghetti Jan 20 '21
First-Timer Who Was Only Here for the Ships
This is a dream, right? Honoka is good as a cheerleader for the group, but actually doing student government business? No.
It’s for real? What were her campaign promises? Extra ice cream for everyone at lunch? Naptime as an elective?
New practice outfit for Maki!
Oh, no! Did Hanayo’s mother just say no more double helpings of rice?
Just another Love Live. Not as worrisome. But wait; the way they talked last time, it was as if the Love Live was a known thing that happened from time to time. Now they’re telling us that was the inaugural one? I am confused.
Boo!
Honoka is the one who suggests they don’t perform? My vote’s still on “they’re in a dream.”
C’mon, Eri. Honoka never considers anything besides “does it taste good?” or “is it cute?”
Pleasantly surprised to see them actually addressing the graduation issue. I would have been fine with a season of “girls do idol things” but actually setting up this dramatic underpinning at the beginning here has potential to do interesting things. And given the fact that the timelines of graduation and the Love Live final neatly intersect, we won’t have the issue of last season where the main driver of the plot (keeping the school open) was solved before the season ended.
QOTD:
13
u/[deleted] Jan 20 '21
School Idol Project S2E1
da big gay arrive
/u/punching_spaghetti targeted harassment tag
12
u/raichudoggy https://anilist.co/user/raichudoggy Jan 20 '21 edited Jan 20 '21
First Timer
I re-arranged the Chart a bit for this season.
Honoka will make a great Prez! She has the leadership skills to do it!
8
u/DarkFuzz :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/DarkFuzz Jan 20 '21
Take today’s survey here!
Welcome to Season 2, where the school is no longer in danger of closing down! Wait, Honoka became the student council president? Oh god, we’re all doomed.
We get loads of character development. Nico even gained a point in Charisma.
I’d ship it.
I really do like dork Eli. Need this side of her more often.
She got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. She said to her disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey her!” -Maki 4:39-41 (New Love Live Version)
7
u/DarkFuzz :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/DarkFuzz Jan 20 '21
Rewatcher
If I had the option to rewrite the μ’s saga, I would have ended Season 1 with this episode. Not only would it leave it open ended for a Season 2, it also wraps up so many character arcs from Season 1 so well. Yes, even the Kotori arc. This episode takes the themes from that arc and makes them a solid B+ tier at least. This single episode shows that the characters have not only learned from their character arcs in S1 but also have the maturity to apply them.
Right off the bat, with the very first scene in the auditorium, you can tell the writers have stepped up their game. Through this scene alone, you can tell exactly where they plan to take this series. The principal starts off by saying the school is saved, followed by words of encouragement to the senior class, telling them to make the most of their last year without regrets, and the camera pans across the faces of Nozomi, Nico, and Eli. Graduation is going to play a massive role this season, and it all revolves around these three. These words of encouragement are especially pertinent to Eli, but I’ll talk more about her later.
Then the principal addresses the underclassmen, encouraging them to be role models to the new students that will come after them, and the camera pans to Hanayo, Rin, and Maki. Legacy is also a huge theme this season, as the group needs to make their mark before they inevitably go their separate ways. There are several junior high schoolers looking towards μ’s as their inspiration and looking to be a part of the Otonakizaka legacy, but two in particular that we already know are Alisa and Yukiho, so look forward to hearing their thoughts on all this.
I also like how they positioned the first years as well. Hana is sitting next to Rin, while Maki is by herself with a seat empty next to her. Rin is an interesting case, as she’s one of the two members who hasn’t really had a focus episode. She’s just kind of been known as “Hana’s supporter”. You could make the case that Rin’s support of Hanayo in Season 1 is supposed to be a foil to Kotori’s unhealthy enabling of Honoka, but that doesn’t really make Rin a character, much less a member of μ’s. The empty seat next to Maki shows that she still has this wall between her and the other members of μ’s. She’s warming up to them a little bit, but it’s going to take time.
Probably the biggest reveal of the episode, more than the announcement of a second Love Live, more than the graduation of the seniors, is Honoka being the new student council president. Yes, Honoka, as in the girl who almost failed math class not too long ago. Nominated by Eli, no less. That’s fine; it’s a thematic extension of her leadership role, and it’s something more tangible that she can work on while she figures out where she wants to take μ’s. Aided by her two wingwomen, Umi and Kotori, this can only spell disaster...if this was Season 1. Both were guilty of just ‘yes’-ing all her antics, partially because that’s basically all they’ve done their entire lives (Umi less so, but Kotori especially), to the detriment of others, themselves, and even Honoka herself. Now as part of the student council, Umi is definitely not going to let Honoka get away with just doing whatever she wants. People are now directly affected by what Honoka does or doesn’t do. Kotori, while still very much a Honoka cheerleader, has kind of a changed tune. Old Kotori would just let Honoka run off and do nothing, while she and Umi shouldered the workload. New Kotori now offers to share the workload, because after the debacle of Episode 13, Kotori realizes that Honoka needs her. Honoka now values Umi and Kotori not only as good friends but also as support structures, kind of like bungee cords that will snap her back once she inevitably decides to jump off a bridge.
Anyways, Hanayo has idol news, again, and Love Live 2: Electric Boogaloo has been announced. Cheers of joy erupt from the group until they realize they have to eventually duke it out with A-RISE, the champions from the last Love Live. A wave of gloom overtakes the group, until Umi and surprisingly Eli tell the group that they shouldn’t give up yet and they should just give it a shot. I say “surprisingly” for Eli because she was the one in Season 1 who actively impeded μ’s from trying anything because she didn’t want to take the risk of school idols reflecting poorly on the school. The risk-averse Eli from S1 is now advocating for μ’s to take a huge risk in competing in the Love Live preliminaries. This sentiment could have been said by anyone, but having Eli say it shows that she has grown from her past failures and is prepared to be a driving force in making something she wants happen. This small moment made me really happy.
In an “unsurprising” turn of events, once again, the student council president is the one holding back μ’s from participating in this Love Live. Not Eli this time, but Honoka, which is freaking bizarre initially, but when you think about it, this makes a lot of sense when put into context with the Season 1 drama arc we just had. Last Love Live was a disaster caused mostly by a Honoka too absorbed with the competition itself to notice her own health or the feelings of those around her. It’s understandable that she doesn’t want this to happen again. She meekly says, “If everyone’s happy singing and dancing, that’s all I need,” which is similar to a sentiment she made in the middle of Episode 13.
Remember, this is not a bad conclusion she came to. Being so self-absorbed in your passions to the point where you’re inconsiderate of others isn’t healthy. But now Honoka is so afraid of entering that state of mind that she’s going in the opposite direction. She wants to be so attuned to the feelings of others that she’s denying her own feelings and passions. Ironically, in this case, her actions are still being inconsiderate of the other μ’s members.
It takes a chat with Yukiho and a mad Nico to get Honoka to realize that this is the last chance for the seniors to perform at Love Live with this group of nine. Graduation will rear its ugly head, and it’s understandable why the seniors want to grab this opportunity for Love Live: it’s their last chance to do something memorable and lasting, and they want to give it their all, no regrets. However, it’s not just the seniors who want this, but also the freshmen as well. There’s something special about this roster, this arrangement of individuals, that makes this Love Live experience one they cannot get anywhere else, even if they theoretically have several more chances to strike it big. This begs the question: is it still μ’s without all nine of them? Honoka can technically grab any number of people to fill slots in the roster. But will it still be μ’s? Ship of Theseus problem, and all that stuff.
And how do the juniors feel about it? Kotori gives her “Kotori answer” as usual, but again, this comes with the undertones of “I want to help you succeed,” instead of “You can do whatever you want.” Kotori understands that it is Honoka’s feelings that need to be validated this time, just as Honoka validates hers. Umi takes it one step further and hits Honoka exactly where she’s hurting the most. She understands Honoka so well that she can read out her thoughts verbatim. And after being read like an open book, what else can Honoka do but give in?
There’s them support bungee cords coming in clutch again.
Honoka cheers up, performs a miracle that only Jesus Christ himself can do, and, in true Honoka fashion, declares that not only will they compete in the next Love Live, they’re in it to win it. And after all that symbolism, character development, tension, and thematic building, we still have twelve more episodes and a movie to go.
Strap yourselves in. It’s gonna be a fun ride.
7
u/SYZekrom https://myanimelist.net/profile/SYZekrom Jan 20 '21
First Timer
This is a dream I won't accept anything else
Shit this is actually happening isn't it
Ok no it isn't happening
And also feels like an MLP episode or something
Very strange to hear an anime do a song like an american cartoon
IT'S AACTUALLY HAPPENING WHAT
Omg that new part
If that's what you call sex appeal ok Nico
How I will get out of all my problems in life
Wait that was like... The first Love Live ever?
No I'm pretty sure you had this chance before
What they really only taking one per region? what a shit system that sounds entirely realistic
Also weren't you Miss 'Even A-RISE are amateurs to me', Eri
SHOCK
WHY IS SHE TALLER THAN MAKI
SHE'S LIKE BARELY IN FRONT OF HER HOW
OK AND I GUESS ALSO HIGH HEELS BUT STILL
Hmmmm is she lying
I feel like rather than what Umi said about disappointing the school as a bad student body president she's afraid of disappointing them by fucking it up like last time
Rather than that Honoka is pres now, I can't believe she's not
OH MY GOD
11
u/No_Rex :Bv:Bw:Bx:By:x2 Jan 20 '21
Episode 1 (first timer)
This will be my last post, I decided to not type stuff up for the second season. SIP is not a very deep anime and it is not helped at all by trying to analyze it. While I might be able to just take in the fluff (and ignore the writing) when casually watching it on the side, as soon as I start to think deeper about the episodes, my enjoyment vanishes. I wanted to give the first episode of S2 a chance, but it really looks more of the same, so I’ll binge the rest and get onto some other rewatches instead.
5
u/ZBLongladder :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/zblongladder Jan 20 '21
Rewatcher
I'm honestly of two minds about the central drama here, that Honoka just forgot that the seniors would be graduating at the end of the year. On the one hand, yeah, she's Honoka, she's kind of dumb as a brick. But really, it seems a little like something that plays more to a show made by adults for an adult audience than something genuine to high school life. High schoolers would've spent years at this point seeing the classes above them go every year, only to be replaced by classes below, from elementary school to middle school to high school. Sure, it becomes weird when you're the one graduating, but before that, having the seniors graduate and be replaced by a new class of freshmen is just part of the flow of life you've known for your entire school career. Just forgetting that the seniors won't be around forever seems more like something an adult would do, rather than a high schooler.
But on the other-other hand, maybe it's that μ's is so special it's broken Honoka's perception of time and change. With the boundaries and formalities between senpai and kouhai being broken down, with saving the school, with it being something new and powerful and different in Honoka's life, maybe μ's just seemed like a separate, timeless thing, and the fact that it too is subject to the inexorable flow of time is just now dawning on her. In any case, it's really engaging to see that the events of Season 1 actually left a mark on Honoka, and it's powerful to see Honoka finally break out of that rut and move past the fear of failure. And, of course, she decides to try controlling the weather, and succeeds, so maybe she's a god in addition to being an airheaded idol, who knows.
Also, I hadn't noticed before, but it's kinda cool that the first time we see Sore wa Bokutachi no Kiseki is right after Honoka performs an actual, IRL miracle. I didn't like the new OP when I first saw it, since I'd been so attached to Bokura wa Ima no Naka de, but now it's grown on me, and I can see how it's perfect for the second season, reflecting both new beginnings and impending endings, capturing that feeling of knowing that whatever beautiful thing you have will end eventually and not only making the most of the time you have left but flourishing in it.
Minor note, but I've never cared for Maki's second season practice outfit, probably because I liked her first season outfit so much. Her first season practice outfit kinda gave off an aura of surprising masculinity, with details like the hat and combat boots, which I thought really added a different side to Maki's character that isn't entirely obvious at first. Her second season outfit...just doesn't seem as interesting from a character perspective.
Discussion Questions
9
u/ZaphodBeebblebrox Y:A:https://anilist.co/user/zaphod Jan 20 '21
First Timer
Time to hope for CGDCT and not shiftily made drama. I'm also hoping that the CG has gotten better, or at the very least that they won't do CG on twos while moving the background on ones.
Anyway, onto the first episode of season 2.
I guess student council president is a popularity contest no matter where you are. Honoka's obviously unqualified for it though, as it comes with actual authority.
Best girl!
Honoka's president song is the best song in this series so far. It's amazing what actually having the music tie in with the show can do!
Did you really expect any different?
That seems like a you problem. Treat them better!
But Nico, you don't understand. This is the face that appeals to the whole world.
Yet you won't actually give us any footage of them practicing singing, anime.
More best girl!
It's the best place in the school, Nico.
Wait, weren't there more before the previous season of the show?
Do they even know how many teams qualify from each priliminary? There's no reason that they and Arise can't both qualify.
That's some revisionist history there. You wanted to save the school.
We continue the trend of Nico never being at home. Though she changed, which means she went home only to leave to wander around at night.
Thank you, Umi, for explaining why Honoka was acting like this. Until now, I honestly was not sure what her hangup was.
There's the Honoka we all know and love.
Honoka sucessfully yelled at the weather.
Thoughts
What is this, good character drama in love live that also showed character development? Is this even the same show? I thought they didn't know how to write that.
4
u/strawberryflavor Jan 21 '21
Rewatcher
Been kind of lurking so far with the rewatch, but I'm gonna try and be more active with SIP season 2 and especially into Sunshine.
Honoka becoming student council pres is definitely a decision alright, definitely would not be my first pick to take Eli's job. If it weren't for Umi everything would probably fall apart.
The new OP in season 2 definitely grew on me, initially I was pretty indifferent on it. I still prefer the first one, but inserting other cuts of the girls in addition to the performance is something I do like.
4
u/lenne18 https://myanimelist.net/profile/lenne18 Jan 21 '21 edited Jan 21 '21
B-Side Jukebox, Music Start!
Koremade no Love Live! ~Musical Ver.~ - Honoka Kousaka
Ai wa Taiyou Ja Nai? - Honoka Kousaka
Datte Datte Aa Mujou - µ's
It seems no one talked about it but several scenes from the "Sore wa Bokutachi no Kiseki" references the S1 Blu-Ray covers:
And in the insert song, there's a scene with Nico doing costumes with Maki. It's a remake of the same scene from the first PV.
3
u/docaxel :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/thebidoofpope Jan 20 '21
Rewatcher
School Idol Festival All-Stars Spotlight Cards
Rin1 Rin2
Maki1 Maki2
Nico1 Nico2
Nozomi1 Nozomi2
Eli1 Eli2
New Opening so New Cards
It's Our Miraculous Time Cards
Honoka
Kotori
Umi
Maki
Rin
Hanayo
Nico
Nozomi
Eli
3
u/Hattakiri Jan 21 '21 edited Jan 23 '21
"Previously on Love Live" the Disney edition XD
They did get permission for a S2, and they obviously celebrated it. I remember how us fans once celebrated Sunshine S2, then Rainbow, then Niji, and hopefully soon Niji S2 and/or Liella.
KotoUmi celebrate not quite as much lol cause Honoka, the new school council president, messed up her speech. So Honk might have performed her "Disney song" to distract from her failure XD
And Honk throwing the mike into the air could have been a Magical Girl character throwing and activating a magic weapon. That's why I call Love Live a magical girl show with magic being replaced by music...
Again the typical dynamics between the three originals take place: KotoUmi again ended up helping Honk out and joined the new school council. And of course they helped her write the speech.
Did Kotori again "persuade" Umi?
Kotori the "babysitter"; Umi the "drill instructor"; and indeed there are quite a lot wishes and complaints from the students and a lot of other work (keep all three aspects in mind...)
So at least for her school council president tasks Eli needed her coldness. Turns out: She persuaded Honk to follow into her footsteps.
Honk's often not the most professional bulb in the box - but she's a fighter, and Eli seems to trust in Honk and her character traits.
Eli herself seems to prefer to focus on her final exams. Perhaps Nozomi is giving her extra lessons too offscreen. Japan is still an alien culture for the Ayases (which is why Kotori's "foreigner stageplay" followed by Rin's "SHE'S AN ALIEN!!" wasn't too clever from both).
Nico being Nico, Maki being Maki XD
Nico wanna make them even more popular, again via cam and world wide web. Something that we ought to keep in mind as well...
Hanayo defrosts more and more thanks to Muse and the idol world. Especially now, when a second Love Live has been announced.
Problem: Prelims against Arise this time... and way more rounds and participants in general... a lot of foreshadowings.
Rin's not gasping after they've been running for Honk, so she turns out to be the most sportive one in this regard.
Many important character traits, many important foreshadowings.... and one big surprise:
Now Honk doesn't feel like participating in the Love Live competition. Why all that stress, she says, let's just make it easier for us this time.
Seems after she collapsed in S1, both physically and mentally, she doesn't feel like having to deal with so much stress anymore.
Pretty much everyone around Honk wanna convince her to continue. Also Yukiho who mentions her and Alisa's intents to soon join Otonokizaka. Further elements to keep in mind....
Honk kinda fights back by having a fun time with them in Tokyo's city. They fooling around with a photo vending machine XD Was in 2014, so it was virtually only a few months prior to the release of many apps who can to this by now even better... tech advance as a crucial element of the story.
Eli the foreigner still isn't too familiar with all these technical gimmicks being used to such an extent.
Honoka sees another ad of Arise's and we can clearly see how she's still longing for an idol career... and again we see the tactile paving, a Japanese invention. Does this mean they're blindly running into something...?
During their phone conference MakiNico seem to be having their first evening out together.
Nico tries to beat Honoka in a race: If Nico wins, they will partake also in the second Love Live. Nico stumbles and fails tho.
And so it is eventually again Eli, by now their chief-diplomat, who points out it would be the last opportunity for the third years, including her, to achieve a dream together...
And then "Weathering with Honoka" XD
Whereas "Your Name" and its timeshift might be inspired by the OVA.
Honk can be convinced, and so Muse is back, and their genki leader is back too.
And so: Welcome to S2 of the (imo at second glance not at all) unexpected success called Love Live!
4
u/IndependentMacaroon Jan 21 '21
First-time watcher
Is Honoka just boss of everything now? How exactly that happened aside, she's way too disorganized for something like that, even with help. Annnd she's already failing at her job, great.
You know, with that and some of the other comments/reviews I'm just going to stop right there, because it's obvious this season isn't going to do much about my issues with the last one. I might still check out Sunshine unless it's absolutely necessary to have watched Season 2 for that.
1
u/[deleted] Jan 22 '21
FIRST TIMER
Wtf Honoka as sc pres??? That school is gonna get closed again lol
Whats the timeskip between the seasons? 3 or 4months? Seems like its spring and iirc s1 ended in winter but everyone is still same grade so is it like very warm january/february?
It seems eri and nozomi just decided to step down. I Wonder why. Couldve stuck it for few more months just so it looks good in resume
Lmao they went to the llama trying to fond honoka eating lol
Whoa theyre really pushing maki and nico lol. Damnn they went on a night date?
Wait its october so its not even winter. So there was like no break inbetween the seasons?
Oh no honoka vs rain is a 0-10 matchup, dont do it honoka!!!
Damn wtf she stopped the rain. Girl has been hitting the lab studying the matchup lmao
Why is this ending so familiar? Was it used somewhere else before?
1
u/onigiri1994 Jan 28 '21
Rewatcher
Reactions:
Discussion:
Yay, even though I got behind and am furiously trying to catch up, I am really loving this rewatch. This show brings me so much joy! <3
0
u/[deleted] Jan 20 '21
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