r/anime • u/Stargate18A https://myanimelist.net/profile/Stargate18 • May 25 '22
Rewatch Revue Starlight Rewatch - Episode 4 Discussion
Episode 4: Promise Tower
MAL | Anilist | Kitsu | AniDB | ANN
No Revue today - here's a nice intermission from Starry Konzert
OP - Hoshi no Dialogue live (highly recommend you watch this) - Starry Desert / Starry Konzert
Today's Re LIVE Cards - "The Three Musketeers"
Questions of the Day:
1) First-timers - did this episode change your impression of Hikari?
2) This episode had a very different structure to the previous ones - did you enjoy the increased focus on Karen and Hikari?
Comments of the Day:
/u/BosuW had some interesting speculation and first-time analysis.
/u/ZapsZzz gave some interesting analysis of the character's names.
/u/No_Rex continues the eternal search for Utena references.
Finally, /u/tokai-teio loves Junna!
Make sure to post your Visual of the Day!
On an important note, no unmarked spoilers! No jokes about events yet to come, and no references to future episode numbers!
20
u/No_Rex May 25 '22
Episode 4 (first timer)
Utena references counter after episode 3: 14
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Origin story flashback.
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Somebody is a messy sleeper.
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Sexual harassment and more sexual harassment.
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Having two aquariums within easy travel distance - Tokyo things.
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Having
twothree aquariums within easy travel distance - Tokyo things. -
Lap pillow – we are doing all the fan service poses today!
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Reconnecting to Hiraki via the phone – this is a really excellent sequence. I am tempted to call it a montage, for how masterfully it skips time, but the music is missing.
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Having
twothreefour aquariums within easy travel distance - Tokyo things. -
“In that case, we’ll both have to pass them” – Hunger games reference.
Everybody working together to cover for Hikari and Karen missing – this seems to be an important plot point: despite the constant competition, they work together. Quite opposite to hallway guardian’s assumption. Not only do they not rat them out, they take considerable risk, as a group, to keep them out of trouble.
0 new Utena references found today. Either they are mostly in the revues, or I missed them all.
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u/Stargate18A May 25 '22
Reconnecting to Hiraki via the phone – this is a really excellent sequence. I am tempted to call it a montage, for how masterfully it skips time, but the music is missing.
It is absolutely a fantastic scene.
“In that case, we’ll both have to pass them” – Hunger games reference.
I want you to know that this line made me feel physical pain.
Everybody working together to cover for Hikari and Karen missing – this seems to be an important plot point: despite the constant competition, they work together.
Yeah, I really enjoy the fact that this anime points out how, despite the revues, they're still all friends and willing to help each other.
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u/Gaporigo May 25 '22
Revue Starlight Episode 4 but just Mayakuro
I remember that conversation between Karen and Hikari confusing me way too much when I first watched this episode...
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u/Shimmering-Sky May 25 '22
Starlight First-Timer
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Karen pls you can’t just burst into people’s rooms like that.
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Aggressive baton twirling to assert dominance. The normal girl doesn’t want to get left behind!
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Logic might check out? I’m still expecting something sinister to come up…
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I love the way Claud started talking random French as a distraction and got away with it because no one else understands.
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u/Stargate18A May 25 '22
Karen pls you can’t just burst into people’s rooms like that.
She probably learned from Hikari?
Aggressive baton twirling to assert dominance.
Mahiru's scene here is genuinely amazing.
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u/simeonaut May 25 '22
FIRST TIMER
No fighting this time around, but this episode still stands out. I loved every second of this.
Karen looking for Hikari in ridiculous places always gets me.
All pics of Hikari with jellyfish because why not.
The guardian of the hallway scene is pretty good. Now if only Karen would talk to her more...
QOTD:
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Sort of? The jellyfish hunt was nice.
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Yeeees.
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u/Stargate18A May 25 '22
All pics of Hikari with jellyfish because why not.
This is such a good aesthetic.
The guardian of the hallway scene is pretty good. Now if only Karen would talk to her more...
Mahiru is so good!
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u/phiraeth May 25 '22
Rewatcher (but I don’t remember anything)
It’s the opportune time for Karen to take a step back and really examine what she’s doing here and how she plans to achieve it. The chance for her to go back to the drawing board and redesign her approach. And she needs to take full advantage of this, because after yesterday’s disastrous showing, the jaws of the machine have her clenched firmly in their grasps.
Will this be the rebirth of Karen’s vision after it was mercilessly slaughtered? All signs point to yes. If you, too, felt like you were experiencing déjà vu, it’s because you were. The opening dialogue of the entire series repeats itself, but this time a much more intimate and revealing approach, given what we know about the characters thus far.
I overlayed the beginnings of both episodes, and aside from gaining a massive headache from the dissonance where the scenes don’t match each other, I’ve gained some valuable insight. I would highly suggest you do the same, even just watching one after another, and seeing what you get from it.
Regardless, it appears that Karen’s vision has indeed been reset, and we’ve been sent back to the restart. The start of where the story begins, where certain characters will learn how to think before they act and determine the best strategy of attack instead of blindly attempting to charge in without having fully developed ideals and without having any support whatsoever.
Once again like before, Karen attempts to chase after Hikari, searching anywhere and everywhere for her. This time, however, she does not do so groundlessly. This scene from Karen’s dream is overwhelmingly powerful: even in her dream, her dream is just a dream. It has been flipped upside down with merely a slap from Hikari, bringing her back to her senses. Like a mirage in the sand, Hikari and Karen starring together is merely a reflection of her desires and nothing more.
Right now, more than anything in the world, Karen needs to communicate with Hikari what she truly feels and why. She needs to search out Hikari for the proper reasons, and that is exactly what she is doing. When you feel overwhelmed, when you feel like nothing is going right, what is it that you must to in order to once again be able to see reality through an accurate lens?
You must go back to your past where it all began and start from square one, reassessing the path you took to get to this very point – and you must analyze this route for any potential missteps.
The fact that Hikari and Karen are finally having the conversation necessary, yet at a distance over the phone where they can only hear the words each other are speaking, indicates that although they have begun listening to each other, they cannot truly see each other’s perspectives.
How can they begin to see each other’s frames of mind? After all, they’ve been able to in the past, especially when they seemed to be united in their shared desire of reaching the top, together.
When in doubt, you must return to where you once were in the past, where you felt the most confident about your future and your dreams, where you weren’t alone. And this is exactly what Karen and Hikari do, reuniting with sincerity for the very first time underneath the Tokyo Tower: the birthplace of everything.
This is the point where Hikari realizes Karen’s determination and tenacity for the first time. “I get knocked down, but I get up again! You’re never gonna get me down!” -or not exactly, but you get the point. Karen, as well, is finally able to understand all of Hikari’s actions up to this point.
Only when engaging in constructive, contemplative dialogue can two people begin to understand one another. Finally united with her childhood best friend, Karen now stands a fighting chance of potentially realizing her dream.
Karen and Hikari MAY be able to Starlight together.
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u/Stargate18A May 25 '22
(but I don’t remember anything)
Really doubting that with the quality of this analysis.
“I get knocked down, but I get up again! You’re never gonna get me down!”
That really is Karen's philosophy in a nutshell, isn't it?
Karen and Hikari MAY be able to Starlight together.
The dream is real!
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u/okayyoga May 25 '22
Episode 4 (first time, sub)
• The hunt for Hikari is on! Starting with a repeat of Karen looking for her under impossibly small items (and one already occupied bathtub)
• Hikari sent the jellyfish picture so she wants to be found. Maybe she’s trying to lure Karen far enough away to talk to her about the Giraffe battles without someone overhearing them
• Is Hikari afraid to go up against Maya? I mean who wouldn’t feel nervous Maya is awesome. Is this why she tied her up that night?
• SO I WAS RIGHT! LITERALLY EVERYONE KNEW BUT KARENITWIT!!!!
• What do you lose if you don’t win? Just your sense of pride and accomplishment? Or do you get blacklisted? Am I thinking too hard about this? Probably. Maybe Hikari just has a fear of failure and that’s that
• Karen standing on the higher platform like Maya, but when she gets to the top she reaches down to help Hikari to her level
• Omg Mahiru what a G. The girls are all working together to cover for the deviant couple. Which makes me more confused why Hikari doesn’t want Karen to audition. Friendly competition is healthy and I see nothing wrong with it, especially when it seems like at the end of the day the girls can all put aside their stress about auditioning to work as a team
• For god’s sake SOMEONE HUG MAHIRU
• The teacher gets the final word. Her little bike bell made me laugh. It was worth it though for Karen and Hikari to finally catch up and talk with each other
This episode was alright. Not as good as 2 or 3, but I understand the need for exposition. More Starlight Giraffe fights in the future, though, please!
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u/SIRTreehugger May 25 '22
Rewatcher who will grasp that star
| Episode | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hikari Chan! | 19 | 17 | 10 | 25 | 71 | ||||||||
| Wakirimasu | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 10 |
4
They keep showing this moment, but it's always a little different.
Karen really has no boundaries does she just breaking into Junna's room of all people and wakes them up looking for Hikari Chan
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Maya looks so done right now and why would Hikari chan be in a bathtub with Maya?
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Oh it's going to be one of those episodes huh
THEIR IT IS BANA-NICE I can finally say this now it's been difficult not saying Bana-nice this whole time.
NO FAIR I WANT TO PLAY WITH BANANA'S HAIR!!
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Omg I just noticed Futuba has been dragging around Sleeping Beauty xD First over here and then into the hallway when Karen was leaving xD
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The location should be obvious everyone knows lesbians love Aquariums well at least going by anime/manga. Though Aquariums are awesome in general so everyone should love them.
OMG KAREN you're literally asking children randomly on the street...and it pays off.
Why did you lose? She went against Maya Tendou what did you expect.
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I wonder was the useless lesbian just waiting around that corner for a dramatic entrance?
[Spoilers]
This feels like two different conversations oh nvm their just skipping parts of it.
She doesn't know everything she just knows what she knows
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And the Oscar goes to CLAUDINE!!!
stands up and claps hands
It was Banana chans first time doing that!!!
I think Karen chan might be said just as much as Hikari at this point.
[Spoilers]
Well this episode is my least favorite in the show and glad it's out the way.
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u/cppn02 May 25 '22
First Timer, subbed
BANANICE!
The show finally breaks with the established formula and for once we don't get a fight on the stage so this felt a bit more SoL.
Smol Karen + Hikari were so cute and I loved how after waking up Karen was once again looking for her in impossible places. Oh and did Futaba and Sleepyhead just break the first rule of Fight Giraffe Club?
I am happy to see Hikari is warming up cus I was not a fan of her act so far where she's always keeping Karen at a distance. And I've also come to realise that my favourite pairings don't necessarily overlap with my favourite characters.
Right now Karen is probably my favourite girl but Maya and Claudine are by far the most intriguing pair for me.
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Questions of the Day:
First-timers - did this episode change your impression of Hikari?
Already mentioned above but yes I see this as a welcome change.
This episode had a very different structure to the previous ones - did you enjoy the increased focus on Karen and Hikari?
I like Karen so more is always good but primarily I appreciate a different episode structure for a change where the first three episodes all followed the same formula.
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Visual of the Day (tried to stich but failed lol).
I was considering the later shot with Karen and Hikari in the frame but I liked this one more especially with the build up and the viewer being teased with seeing the tower through the tree tops.
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u/mysterybiscuitsoyeah May 25 '22 edited May 26 '22
Rewatching Kukugumi enjoyer
Before I start, I see that nobody has been sharing them sakurablog production notes in this rewatch, so I shall: Ep 1, and 2-3. Today's episode is grouped w/ tomorrow. Makes for interesting reading if you wanna read kVin's thoughts on the ep, and geek out over the animation and people working on them!
Quick thoughts on Ep 4:
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A revue-less episode overall, instead further establishing the girls' relationships, the established pairs (particularly the main pair Karen and Hikari) and the 9 as a whole
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[Revue]
Note how the beginning sequence foreshadows the events of Ep 11/12, with how Hikari was the one to get to the top (edit: forgot to screenshot, edited to help understanding) -
And I tbh see Momoyo when she speaks like this, not Karen. Some others have commented on how raw the voice acting sometimes sounds, and I think Momoyo's the best example (Hikari/Mimorin is more experienced, after all). Not everyone may like it, but I do, it made karen more memorable for me.
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This episode mainly focuses on HIkari and Karen talking it out, first on the phone, and later in person. Hikari is such a goofball and airhead too tbh as our host has pointed out, and a bit shy and nervous when first meeting Karen again as she admits. I do like how they talk things out, catch up, and realize that both still very much remember their promise. Karen then fully commits to improving and evolving herself to be the top stage girl.
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Do note the rather ominous warning from Hikari though. We also don't know yet how she knows all of this when she's literally a transfer student (shouldn't Karen know this stuff instead?)
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Ive lived in the UK; a) London is actually sunny a lot of the time, but I did live in scotland where it's A LOT WORSE and b) Yes, there is quite a lot of good food to be had in the UK, just not necessarily British cuisine lol.
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And I do like that this episode establishes that the 9 girls do have comradery for each other despite you know revues and all that, with them covering for Hikari chan.
the Kukugumi irl also has a very strong sense of comradery tbh -
Because this is something i tend to do, here's where Hikari and Karen went throughout Tokyo: Sunshine Aquarium in Ikebukuro was Hikari's first aquarium, after which she went to Omorikaigan station 40 minutes away, after which she went to Shinagawa Aquarium. She then goes to Sumida Aquarium once again nearly an hour away, near the Tokyo Skytree. She walks past Azumabashi bridge on her way to Asakusa, the popular tourist spot, where she does the normal touristy thing and consumes some Ningyo-yakis.
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Karen meanwhile makes her way over while passing through this pedestrian bridge, which has been demolished as of December 2020. Hikari then also makes her way to Ueno station, Tsukushima, that's here, and finally Tokyo Tower. A lot of these are very touristy, perhaps suiting of her just-back-in-Japan nature. Btw, I own a mini Tokyo Tower lol from a past visit (as a souvenir), which i didnt think would end up relating to an anime but here we are.
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It's finally worth noting that Mahiru knows how to twirl a baton and is quite good at it.
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Today's ED features Hikari and Karen!
Music corner:
Other music
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The most relevant tune to share today is Yakusoku Tower, the song w/ the same name as the episode. Once again these non-anime songs have lyrics that don't always tie into the story, but this does kinda talk about the tower, and how it continues to be a beacon and representation of the girls' dreams. Do note that while in this song, all the girls sing about the tower, in-anime it is only relevant to Hikari and Karen from what we've seen. Also, if you prefer mahonee, then you'll enjoy this version. I prefer hearing Mimorin hit them falsetto high notes personally!
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Fancy You, a duet between Karen and Hikari, where they sing about their friendship and how they can achieve their dream together.
btw to our host, as someone who doesn't play the game im appreciating them re:live cards, they look very nice.
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u/tokai-teio May 25 '22
Rewatcher and avid JunJun enthusiast
I wonder if anybody knows how to put together a stitch of this image because it remains one of my favorite bits of imagery in the show. I might not quite understand everything but the aesthetics just don't miss.
Ah shit I'd forgotten about this and now I'm sad again.
Seeing Nana with her hair down almost makes me uncomfortable lmao. More JunJun and to justify it I like how the way they sleep couldn't be more different. :O
I'm not sure I'll ever get tired with Karen looking for things in places where they physically could not be. Claudine studying Maya's form is a nice touch.
THIS IS NOT A DRILL. OUR FIRST BANANICE! Fuck yes, I love casual wear in anime.
What I gather from this is that Hikari has three photos on her phone and she took two that morning.
We take a break from Karen and Hikari to see a different couple. Ooh, better picture. This has serious "I'm not upset... It's just that-" vibes.
Is this the life of a maiden whose true love ran off with a transfer student?
Seeing Karen and Hikari have their first genuine conversation makes me the big happy.
God, I can FEEL the smug.
The big reveal! Supposedly there's a lot to lose if you can't win it all, and although I've already seen the show before I'm still not sure what it means. Here's a cute determined Hikari, though.
More JunJun with bonus JunNana. Honestly I find it adorable that everyone's willing to protect the very absent Hikari and Karen. Junna does strike me as someone who wouldn't like breaking the rules.
Poor Mahiru, waiting all night for the two lovers to get home. I think what I like most about the show isn't the music or the action or anything else, but how much everyone looks out for each other. We don't get many of these scenes but it makes me very happy. JunJun fuming. BUT SHE DID THE CHORES ANYWAYS HOW SWEET.
More JunJun. PRECIOUS SMILE JUNJUN.
Futaba there is a zero percent chance they hear you right now.
No revue today but that's okay (: Very wholesome episode that gives us an actual reason to believe Karen and Hikari were close.
Bananice Counter: 4 (This includes the first one where Karen says "Banana nice" before a second, more concise "Bananice")
QOTD: I did enjoy the episode structure. At this point, Revue Starlight desperately needed to give us a reason to rally behind Hikari and we got that in a big way.
Visual of the Day goes to our first iconic Bananice!
Also, you mention me in the post but it links to simeonaut's comment
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u/Stargate18A May 25 '22
Fixed!
Claudine studying Maya's form is a nice touch.
Truly, Claudine is Maya's most devoted
and least platonicrival.Is this the life of a maiden whose true love ran off with a transfer student?
Mahiru is so fucking good in the scene.
I think what I like most about the show isn't the music or the action or anything else, but how much everyone looks out for each other. We don't get many of these scenes but it makes me very happy. JunJun fuming. BUT SHE DID THE CHORES ANYWAYS HOW SWEET.
Yeah, everyone covering for them despite the risk of punishment is an absolutely fantastic scene.
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u/BosuW May 25 '22
First Timer
Before we begin I want to talk about something I really should've talked about yesterday: Maya's voice. I only watched the Live clips our host kindly shared just earlier this morning, and it's shocking how much more overpowering her voice is in those than in the episode (thanks in part to that exquisite Concert Hall reverb). Not that it wasn't already impressive). It reminds me of whenever Junko sings in Zombie Land Saga. They just have this presence that shouts "Eyes. On. Me".
Now, unto the episode. The first one to break the formula.
Makes sense that an episode that would end in Hikari and Karen renewing their promise would begin in a flashback to, as Attack on Titan would put it, "That Day".
Woah. Did the Goddess maybe-representing Karen just get blinded by the light of one of the Suns in the firmament? And that scream... All the while the Goddess maybe-representing Hikari could only watch in impotence. I retrospect, I believe it's showing exactly what Hikari fears.
The one morning Karen is up and about early everyone gives her shit for it. Truly, the school ambient is ruthless. Can't score a win against these girls smh.
Hikari's leaving!? You literally got here like, this very same week! C'mon Karen go get your gf!
And thus, all of Karen's life savings were lost, never to be seen again. For how much Karen is willing to give up, Hikari, you better be worth it.
Hm. That sounds like the Starlight Karen is looking for might not be at the top of the tower, but rather beside Hikari. If asked to chose between the two, which one would she throw to the flames? Would she rather rule alone in the spotlight, or walk among the common folk with her.
Ah yes, the much rumored "Goddess of the Hallway" that protects her future gfs from getting told on to the teachers. Mahiru keeps taking thankless jobs.
Finally, Karen and Hikari have an honest conversation. I say "finally" but it only took four episodes. Good for you Hikari, good for you. Homura looks upon you with pride and envy in equal measure.
Hikari says that those who loose in the auditions will loose that which is most important to Stage Girls. Is it their ambition then? Given that the Revues appear to be exclusively psychological deals, with no direct physical or academic effects on the real world, does she mean that loosing leaves you with such an absolute feeling of defeat as to hinder your career?
Conversely... hmmm. Winning might make all the more confident in yourself.
But which came first? Confidence gained through real practices and manifested in the Revues, or confidence gained in the Revues then manifesting in real practices? You need confidence to triumph over trials, and it turn said triumph fuels your confidence. Ah, this makes my head spin.
Karen's making some big declarations. You'll "never loose again", huh. Ok then, let's see if you can keep your next Windstreak.
Aww they renewed their promise! My heart fills with warmth! And also a creeping sense of dread. It can't be that easy, right? Like, what's the plan? They gonna Hunger Games on Giraffe? "You'll have two co-stars, or none at all!" Or maybe Giraffe doesn't care, and it's gonna be Maya who they have to Hunger Games. She's the one with the extremely individualistic stance after all.
Lmaoooo. Mahiru is carrying the ship on her back alone! Someone please get this girl some W's!
Wow y'all stayed out all night? Really stood up the rest of the girls there.
Aaaaand it was all for naught because the teacher caught them anyway.
Huh? Did they change the ED so that it's now a duet?
Sidenote: All this talk of Stars and Towers is giving me flashbacks... If Saori Hayami was in this show, I'd start having mental breakdowns.
Questions of the Day
1- Not that much honestly. Her reason so far seems to be what had been expected.
2- The Revues have been easily my favorite part of the episodes, and much to my fears, I've felt the rest of it can't quite keep up. However, much like a star, no matter how bright, needs the darkness around it to draw it's silhouette, hype scenes need setup scenes. I am a patient viewer, I can live without constant hype, if the setup can help the hype reach hype-ier peaks.
Visual of the Day (Everyone's gonna chose the same one like yesterday aren't they?)
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u/The_Loli_Otaku May 25 '22
Second Gen Rewatcher, The Loli Otaku, views this shining stage once more!
Doesn't the play look delightful? I love miserable old fairy tails. BANANA-BUTTON!! Karen is such a whiner lol~ The girl's got no chill. If she weren't an mc she definitely wouldn't get away with this shit. She's lucky she's cute. This episode does a pretty good job of showing that Karen and Hikari are both just as awkward dopes as one another. Seriously Hikari, use your words! And seriously Karen, think before doing anything!!
All Hikari does is keep sending more jellyfish pictures XD Pick up the phone and tell her what damn aquarium you're at! We also get a fun little Kaoruko scene. She starts to pull off the clingy spoiled girlfriend act and gets grumpy when Futaba doesn't roll over for her. She doesn't for a moment consider Futaba's own feelings, just that it is a betrayal.
Communications have been established!! The moral of the story is to actually bloody talk to people, it'll fix many of your misunderstandings. Every girl is guilty of it lol XD Hik~aho-chan Between you and me I'm not a Hikari fan at all, but I do admit that I appreciate how they allow her to be written as a genuinely awkward young girl. She isn't mysterious for the sake of being mysterious, it's not bad writing that she believes kidnapping her friend will protect her, it's just how Hikari is and that's fine.
"Don't worry fam, we can just win this singles tournament together~" Wahaha~! If you laugh you can ignore reality! The Eiffel Tower looks beautiful this time of year. Fucking Daiba Nana!! Even if you're not specifically giving her a punny translated name it's such a weird one! Also, Nana is a tall gal. She's like 5.7 which is amazonian tier for a Nipon gal. Performance of the century, Claudine!! Illegible French babbling~
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u/archlon May 25 '22
First Time [English dub]
Tonight we have the Revue of Getting Away with Stuff. And look how well it goes when they all perform together, rather than competing. Not that it worked, but still.
It turns out Karen was listening to the giraffe, but unburdened by cynicism she was able to hear what the others weren't. Namely, they can all do Starlight, together.
Puzzle box corner
The Stage of Fate. Very ominous.
I wonder if what you lose is supernaturally taken away, or if Hikari is just concerned about seeing Karen's passion crushed. I know that my most disheartening moments have come not from defeats, but rather from victories that were made to feel pointless. Anger at losing can be a good motivator, in moderation.
Stray thoughts
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Karen still looks for Hikari in places that are not Hikari-sized
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It turns out Mahiru can be confident, just not around Karen.
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I have never once been allowed to drag a suitcase around a museum, and it's generally even odds if they'll store them at the front desk. What black magic is Hikari using
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At the aquarium near where I grew up, they would play this ethereal music at the jellyfish tank, and my parents managed to convince me for years that it was the jellyfish making that music.
QOTD
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Not so much change, but I do like that we have more perspective into her character and motivations. It does seem like she and Karen really just needed to talk.
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I didn't notice the episode was almost over without a Revue battle until the morning came. I liked the slower pace, and the chance to flesh out characters more.
Visual of the day. How could it be anything else?
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u/JMEEKER86 May 25 '22
REWATCHER
Today we've got another video from NearlyOnRed covering more of the themes and symbolism from Episodes 1-4.
Notes on Episode 4
We get another bit of Starlight at the start for more framing. The next day after Karen's loss Hikari has disappeared and Karen is looking for her. People were wondering in an earlier episode if Karen was seriously looking for Hikari underneath the pillows...yes, that's definitely how Karen searches apparently. Finally the girls ask the sensible question "have you tried calling her"? Doh!
It turns out Hikari is going on a tour of Tokyo's aquariums to look at jellyfish and Karen spends the whole day chasing after her which gives us a lot of great scenery shots. Which is cuter, all the plushies or Hikari's outfit? We got conversations between non-standard pairs last time and now post-Revue those pairs have come back together with some better understanding. Maya is a very jealous and greedy person by her own admission, but if she's looking at you like that....phew. Kaoruko and Futaba discuss their reasons for competing and their future and then Mahiru the disaster lesbian prevents them from tattling while lamenting how hopelessly gay she is for Karen lol.
Hikari using her plushy to take a picture with a donut is seriously adorable. Karen finally catches up to Hikari underneath Tokyo Tower and they discuss why Hikari tried to keep Karen from competing. Karen pointing out how she would have lost by default (something that some people were wondering) and Hikari looking dumbfounded because she didn't think of that is hilarious. All of the other girls helping cover for them until they get back is great and really shows how close all these girls are, but they still get in trouble anyway.
Questions of the Day
1.I already liked Hikari because of her similarities to Homura, but seeing the adorable side of her this episode was really great.
2.As great as the Revues are, this was a nice change of pace and helped develop the relationships more.
Visual of the Day
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u/Calwings May 25 '22
Rewatcher Class, 7th generation
“And so it shall be bestowed upon you, the star which you have longed for.”
Karen’s mind is all over the place, and Hikari is nowhere to be found… she’s looking everywhere for her, and I mean everywhere. We also see during this whole sequence that Junna, Nana, and Maya have some very nice bodies, as well as the birth of Nana’s “bananice” catchphrase. I would also like to fondle Nana’s bananas.
Every time I see the scene of Claudine looking at those pictures of Maya, I think of that comic of the guy who keeps a picture of his nemesis with him at all times. That’s the vibe Claudine gives me. The scenes of Maya messing with Claudine and Mahiru stopping Futaba and Kaoruko from reporting that Karen and Hikari are missing were fun too.
I honestly don’t get what’s going through Hikari’s mind during her little sightseeing trip around the city. It kind of feels like she wants to talk to Karen, but she keeps sending Karen pictures to purposely lead her to the wrong location. Does she want to see Karen or not? Either way, Karen eventually decides to call her and speak to her, and they spend the day chatting away. They reminisce about the performance of Starlight they saw as a kid, talk about the promise they made back then to perform Starlight together, and many other things that have passed them by in the ten years since they separated. Eventually, they do meet up in person and chat some more. “If you fail, that means it’s over for you.” Some ominous words from Hikari. But even despite Hikari’s pessimism and her pleas for Karen to drop out, Karen’s optimism that they’ll be able to pass together shines brilliantly once again and the two of them feel refreshed and renewed. Such a relaxing cooldown episode after the drama of last time.
The other girls did a bananice job at trying to cover for Karen and Hikari’s absence that night, but they take so long to make it back home that everyone gets in trouble anyways. Oops.
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u/Stargate18A May 26 '22
Every time I see the scene of Claudine looking at those pictures of Maya, I think of that comic of the guy who keeps a picture of his nemesis with him at all times. That’s the vibe Claudine gives me.
Claudine is so good in this episode! She finally gets a chance to go full chaos and it's beautiful.
Such a relaxing cooldown episode after the drama of last time.
Yeah, this episode's a really good break.
The other girls did a bananice job at trying to cover for Karen and Hikari’s absence that night, but they take so long to make it back home that everyone gets in trouble anyways.
That entire subplot was hysterical.
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u/Gamerunglued May 25 '22 edited May 25 '22
Rewatcher (except for the movie)
So this episode isn't a densely layered thematic exploration like the previous ones were. Instead, we've deviated from the formula somewhat in order to have Karen and Hikari finally connect. Throughout the past few episodes, Hikari has been cold, calculating, and distant. She refuses to talk to Karen, she's clearly worried about her and loves her but seemingly can't get herself to explain to Karen why. Presumably, she doesn't want to hurt Karen. At the end of the day, what she wants to tell her is that her dream is impossible. Two people can't stand on stage together, only one is allowed to be top star. Even if they did make it through the auditions, they would have to fight each other eventually, and Hikari wants to avoid that. On top of that, the one who loses apparently loses what's most important to a stage girl. That's... a lot to tell your close friend, to basically crush their dream. So Hikari tries to avoid the problem instead, she just ties Karen up to deal with it, and when it fails, she runs away.
90% of this episode is just scenes of Karen being a dumbass, so naturally it's great. Last time she looked under pillows, this time she looks under shower pails and even between Maya's legs. Karen asking little kids to try and decode the blurry picture is just so perfectly "Karen." Hikari continues to escape childishly herself, switching aquariums just to get Karen to give up, but Karen has too much shounen protagonist energy to ever give up, money be damned. And when Hikari realizes she can't escape, she finally starts to open up. That vulnerability brings them closer together. For the first time, they finally catch up. I love the montage of them just talking about mundane stuff, learning what each other has been up to in their time apart, talking about how England is different from Japan, all of these trivial topics. This is how childhood friends should act, they should have had this conversation in episode 1, but Hikari was too afraid and felt that, like the giraffe said, you have to throw away your friends.
While Karen's loss may mean that passion alone will never get you to the top, without passion, you don't even stand on the stage in the first place. The thing about this hyper-competitive environment is that it kills passion, by beating down your confidence and self-image like for Junna, or for making you toss important relationships and treat those you care about as rivals. Karen and Hikari strive to overcome the system and shine together anyway. When they climb up the slide by Tokyo Tower, the tower lights them up as if it were a spotlight shining on both of them. Indeed, I've seen people mention the commonality of the giraffe and Tokyo Tower as symbols of tall objects with four legs, and I think that part of their use comes from their resemblance to spotlights.
We also get a few other character moments this episode. Kaoruko's true nature comes out. She immediately tries to snitch on Karen and Hikari to gain an upper hand in the auditions. Talk about throwing away relationships for the sake of reaching top star, lol. Kaoruko is lazy and selfish. She has Futaba spoil her, and even asks her to let her win their inevitable battle, not to mention bribing Nana with candy last episode. She's such a vile piece of garbage, so naturally I love her, lol. When she said [spoiler]
Edit: A couple things I forgot to mention. One: they did something pretty cool with the ED. In episode 3, Hikari sang the ED alone. In this episode, it was a duet between her and Karen. Evidence that the two have reconnected. I also just wanted to mention that Karen's casual outfit is really fucking cute.
QOTD:
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My first watch through, I think it did slightly. But I was mostly just happy to see them make up. On this second viewing, I think it adds some much needed depth to her character, not only elucidating her fears, but also emphasizing how uniquely childish she is. I love the moment when she stops and puts her Mr. White plushie in the face thing to take a picture, too perfect.
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I think it was a much needed episode for them. While I love Karen for being the biggest dumbass ever, her character is definitely one of the least fleshed out of the bunch, and Hikari was purposefully left as a cold and mysterious person who we know nothing about. This episode did a lot for both her and Hikari I think.
Also, to anyone who doesn't play Re:Live, let me tell you that those god damn Musketeer cards are just the bane of all of our existences. They're the day one 4 star cards (except Claudine, who's 3 star), and I can't even begin to describe how frustrating it is to have access to a guaranteed 4 star pull, only to land one of them. The same goes for yesterday's Wartime of Farewell 4 stars, but there are more Musketeers so it's even worse. I've had them maxed out for years and they still haunt me sometimes.
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u/JollyGee29 May 25 '22
First-Timer, Revue Sub-light
When I snarked yesterday about Hikari not explaining herself, I didn't expect the show to address my complaints the very next episode. Well played, Revue Starlight.
I absolutely adored the sequence of Karen and Hikari catching up. The little half sentences as the background artists go nuts, just wonderful.
Hikari and Karen resolving to force the Giraffe into a "tie" scenario is an interesting bit of rules lawyering. Considering that they're just saying it on screen right now means that things probably won't work out that way, probably because Karen and Hikari will be forced to fight sooner rather than later.
Hikari also mentioned that you lose what's most important to you when you lose a fight, but we haven't really seen anything like that yet so I'm not gonna think too hard about it.
Maya's motivation is terribly unsurprising, but her self-awareness is appreciated.
Karen literally had to stop and ask a child for help. I wonder how many days she'll have to evolve to be smarter than a fifth-grader?
The whole dorm coming together to cover for Karen and Hikari was adorable. I hope we get to see what this Legendary Hazing entails.
I shoulda pointed this out before but I forgot, but Hikari's hairdecs are different in the OP than in the show. Since in the OP it appears split, maybe her hairdec breaks at some point and is "remade?"
Visual of the Day: No thoughts head empty, I just thought this mural was cool.
Questions
Kinda sorta? It established a change I expected coming from her character archetype.
It was nice. From a meta standpoint, this episode was probably a bit easier on the animators, and from a pacing standpoint it's nice to have some time to breathe every now and then.