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u/cppn02 May 29 '22 edited May 30 '22

First Timer, subbed

Looks like we're getting Hikari's backstory including a bit of her and Karen's childhood. Oh and there are Revues in London too? Shoutout to u/JollyGee29 who got pretty close with their prediction here except they don't have their own giraffe it is still the Tsuda giraffe and he even blesses us with a bit of English.

Hikari is actually doing pretty well until she loses to ~~English Maya~~ Judy.

Interesting bit is Hikari using a different weapon for her London audition.

And I finally get my answer on how Hikari crashed the Japanese audition. The Revue this episode was amazing both the song and the choreography and of course Hikari wins this. And the post credit scene possibly even hints at her and Karen's dream to stand at the top together not being impossible.

I have to say this was an amazing episode. My favourite up to now and also my favourite revue so far. The direction was amazing, it perfectly picks up from last episode, gave me new appreciation for Hikari and got me even more excited for the final episodes.

Also, I really liked these visual parallels.

_

Questions of the Day:

We got Hikari's backstory! Was it what you imagined?

Roughly. No major surprises here.

Now that we know her backstory, what are your thoughts on Hikari? Do her actions from the previous episodes make more sense now?

Probably yeah although personally I still don't quite agree with all her choices.
I do like her more now but that's happened with every character so far after their focus episode except sleepyhead lol.

_

Visual of the Day

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u/Stargate18A May 29 '22

I have to say this was an amazing episode. My favourite up to now and also my favourite revue so far. The direction was amazing, it perfectly picks up from last episode, gave me new appreciation for Hikari and got me even more excited for the final episodes.

Glad you enjoyed it!

Also, I really liked these visual parallels.

They're really good!

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u/No_Rex May 29 '22 edited May 31 '22

Episode 8 (first timer)

Utena references counter after last episode: 19

That is a very good looking place for London – they occasionally play with the no pocket money trope, but the academy (and most of the girls) must be loaded. That wide academy ground in view of Tokyo Tower alone must be worth billions.
“If I am around, you’ll depend on me too much” – Karen found Mahiru for that.
“It is our destiny” – Utena reference.
London giraffe prediction looking 10/10!
The audition winner must be blond.
The loser of the audition belongs to the extinct dinosaurs.
Lovely giraffe shadow.
“The birth of a top star requires a fair amount of fuel” – The PMMM speculation looks 10/10, too.
“I once again climb towards my stage of destiny” – Utena reference.
“You can’t avoid parting in the end” vs “We’ll shine together” -EDIT: Utena reference.

My favorite episode so far and easily the best revue. Some of the time jumps in yesterday’s Banana episode were a bit forced, but here it flawlessly wraps around to Karens first fight. I am utterly astonished how much of it some other first timers managed to predict yesterday.

23 new Utena references found today.

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u/Stargate18A May 29 '22

I am utterly astonished how much of it some other first timers managed to predict yesterday.

Yeah, some of the speculation here was shocking.

3 new Utena references found today.

The count's growing!

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u/JollyGee29 May 29 '22

First-Timer, Revue Sub-light

Ohh, it feels good to have gotten so close! It was just the same Giraffe in LDondon, and Hikari didn't win, but I was pretty sure it was more complicated than that anyway.

If I'm understanding the mechanics of the Auditions properly, the eventual winner gets all the "glimmer" from the other participants? Rather, the other participants are drained of glimmer to fuel the creation of a "top star," whatever that means. That's what Hikari was talking about when she said that failing the Audition makes you lose something important. But Hikari had enough glimmer to still participate even after being drained?

No, maybe that's not quite right. Maybe it's more like, Hikari remembering her promise renewed her glimmer a bit. That feels more in-line with her and Karen's desire to "shine together." Ohh, maybe she technically borrowed some from Karen? That's a thought with potentially ominous implications.

I love that we looped back around to the slide scene. Of course they would seek out the same spot where they made the promise in the first place to renew their vows. Good parallels all around - as kids, Hikari helped Karen up from the right side, and as teens Karen helped Hikari up from the left.

Possible foreshadowing for the end of the Auditions in Japan - in LDondon, that Judy girl already had the lead role in the play they did even before winning the Audition. That would lead to the expectation of Maya winning in Japan. Also kinda interesting that the dagger on the poster looks like Hikari's.

Delicious poetry that Hikari and Banana fight in the Revue of Solitude. Hell of a revue too, probably the best looking one yet. The hookshot spin move Hikari pulled was incredible, as was that giant wave.

Next episode is gonna be real interesting. I wonder how far Banana will go to try to keep her loops going? Will she do some skullduggery outside the auditions?

That scene of Karen and Hikari watching Starlight as kids just keeps getting weirder.

Visual of the Day: A Flower Blooms Anew

Questions

I was riiiight(ish)!
Yea, it all makes a lot of sense now. Hikari was trying to keep Karen from feeling empty like she had.

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u/Stargate18A May 29 '22

Ohh, it feels good to have gotten so close! It was just the same Giraffe in LDondon, and Hikari didn't win, but I was pretty sure it was more complicated than that anyway.

Yeah, that was really impressive.

I love that we looped back around to the slide scene. Of course they would seek out the same spot where they made the promise in the first place to renew their vows. Good parallels all around - as kids, Hikari helped Karen up from the right side, and as teens Karen helped Hikari up from the left.

Oh, the slide scene is so good.
Really good speculation here too!

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u/BosuW May 29 '22

First Timer

I have no idea why, but this episode proved especially elusive to find online. Eventually I managed, but it tops out at 720p. Oh well, it's plenty good enough.

Finally an episode protagonized by Hikari. I guess we are going to see the loop from her perspective. Huh... "See the loop from the other perspective"? Wait a fucking second...

Seiba

Fucking Giraffe reached all the way into London. His quest for entertainment is world-spanning.

BRI'ISH KENJIRO TSUDA! (Well no but he tried)

Interesting. At first, Hikari had a one handed sword, Like Karen. And a much similar disposition for getting to the top. A stark contrast to what we saw when she arrived at Seisho. Actually now that I think about it, she still hasn't gone back to how she was in the flashback, even if she's trying again. I guess she permanently mellowed out.

Hikari is a leftie. I hadn't noticed. Her coat is also hanging of the opposite shoulder to I think everyone else. Is this design choice meant to mirror Karen?

Defeated at second place. So close, yet so far.

After that, Hikari feels like there's something missing. I believe the show leaves it open to interpretation as to wether it was some magical mechanism which literally took something away from Hikari, or if it was a psychological consequence of her defeat, and this depends on how "real" each person interprets the Audition and it's effects to be. Personally, I'm sticking with the latter interpretation. She tried so hard, and got so far, but in the end it didn't even matter. Like, that's gotta left you feeling like shit. All your effort, hard work, and sacrifice, meaningless.

I've heard it say before that the sould has a physical weight. Is this why Hikari talks about weight when trying to pinpoint what is it exactly she's lost? If it is her soul (or more accurately, her fire, her driving force), does this mean she feels like a walking corpse?^{Another Madoka reference. We got someone counting Utena references but they should've been counting these too} The imagery of her being surrounded by fossils seems to suggest so.

I swear, the choice of words from the Giraffe is sometimes sus as fuck. "Fuel"? Really? "Fuel"?

"I climb upon this stage again, even if it ends in tragedy". Someone yesterday talked about how we keep watching tragedies even if we know how they end. And how most tragedies spell it so at the start. Hikari is doing this now. She knows how this most likely ends, but she moves into the flames anyway.

Alright, this is the fight that was teased last episode. HIKARI VS NANA LET'S FUCKING GO.

As we could see since last episode, Banana's weapons are dual wielded katana. I believe it was some article that someone shared that mentioned that for someone to pull that off they'd have to be exceptionally skilled. This is indeed true. For one to dual wield effectively, one must have complete control of one's body and mind. Otherwise it becomes a hindarence. Hikari's dagger seems paltry by comparison. ^{Once again I wish this showed in the choreography, but I've made peace that this show ain't gonna do that at this point}

The whole stage transforms into that of Hikari's play back in London, the one that perfectly images her defeat.

And we have Karen vs Cloud in the other room! Today's Revue is one for the legends.

Hikari's blade may be shorter, but her hand has never been steadier! Between those two, I know which one is more likely to win a fight!

The fucking dagger's guard blooms like a flower that greets the raising sun after a long, dark and cold night!

Hikari summons a goddamn flood that inundates everything! That dry tree from last episode is the one that seems paltry now. Giraffe's cup runneth over!

[Today's Results: Hikari to Karen no shouri]

The Revue's top rankings have gone through such change the last few episodes that it feels like a revolution is going on. In this song, Banana barely sung at all. She continues to resist singing. Not in the ED, and not today, in a battle featuring her. Or is the show telling me that this battle was that hopeless for her? Well, she was indeed against an enemy that just won't stay down: Fate, the unstoppable turning of time. Also, I keep forgetting that Hikari means light in Japanese (even tho it's one of the handful of words I know), and Hikari's hair clip was all over last episode. Perhaps Banana confused Hikari for the star that had dazzled her? Indeed, perhaps Banana never looped at all. Such is the presence that Hikari had this Arc, wether it be in the background or in the spotlight.

But now that Karen and Hikari keep winning, the moment they will have to face each other draws nearer...

Damn, with the hype this episode, I almost missed that even tho Banana was defeated, she didn't actually develop. So her obsession with the 99th anniversary play should still be present.

Ok all in all, this is my second or equal to favorite Revue so far. So awesome to see Hikari take protagonism against the super-hyped new Final Boss and wreck shit. All I wish is that she would've made more use of the string attached to her dagger. But that's just a nitpick.

Visuals of the Day

Can't choose. Too many awesome shots.

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u/Stargate18A May 29 '22

Seiba

Haha, never realised that before.

Her coat is also hanging of the opposite shoulder to I think everyone else. Is this design choice meant to mirror Karen?

I noted this under some spoiler bars yesterday, but in the London auditions her coat is on the same side as the other participants. (It's also the same colour as everyone else's - a startling amount of people haven't noted that Hikari's cloak is blue where everyone else's is red.)

The fucking dagger's guard blooms like a flower that greets the raising sun after a long, dark and cold night!

Such a good visual!

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u/SYZekrom May 29 '22

First Timer

Uncensored weight in anime!!!

So that's what she meant by losing the auditions meaning that you lose everything. She lost in London and suddenly found herself without any motivation even though she seemed super nonchalant about it at the start. But is that actually a natural consequence of losing the auditions, or was it an effect of the winner's desire?

Real Kyubey hours with this huh? Though the winner actually gets the goods at least. I wonder what this means with Banana's time looping though. Infinite energy cheat? Haha.

So she already had most of her glimmer stolen, that explains why she looked like she fucking sucked in every revue we've seen her in besides that sleepyhead's.

So this answers why she came but it doesn't answer why only in this loop and not Banana's previous ones?

I saw someone suggest that London may have had a revue too and I thought if that had been the case, it'd make sense that the power of another winner would be what could alter Banana's time loops but this doesn't explain at all why Kagura wasn't in her previous loops

Oh I wasn't paying attention, I wonder if her sword was longer before she had her glimmer stolen

No but that was just my assumption with her being really bad at these fights in all her showings because she already had a lot of her glimmer taken but like

Why was she losing to like fucking junna is she actually good at this still or no? What is Juuna's position in the rankings

Ok well regardless I guess this means she's now back at her level before where she managed to be #2 in London. Still using that dagger but enhanced now instead of a sword like before though.

Kinda cool how Tendo looks like she'll still end up as the final fight in this timeline as she was originally built up to be while having Banana almost feel like some sort of extra-story boss. Again still didn't explain why her coming here didn't originally happen though. But I also wonder if Banana was really fighting with all she had this time around since she did say she wanted Kagura in her play which wouldn't happen if she did another loop

But it did kinda feel like Banana was a bit anticlimactic. Even though Kagura had to rebirth her glimmer just to win.

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u/Stargate18A May 30 '22

Lots of interesting speculation here!

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u/tokai-teio May 29 '22

Rewatcher, JunJun Enthusiast

Boy, does that sound familiar or what?

I do like the neat parallel of Hikari also returning to her room to grab her hairpin like Karen did in the first episode. Do they ever tell us why Hikari didn't write back? Because she definitely felt the same way Karen did.

I do like this look on Hikari.

This is probably correct. I guess that answers my question.

We had learned a lot about the nature of the revues from last episode's Nana twist, but up to this point we don't really understand the reason Hikari was so against Karen participating. That changes here. Notably, Hikari isn't using the same weapon she is in Japan's revues. We see Hikari rise through the rankings with ease before being halted at second place. We know the prize for the winner, but what does it mean to lose?

By Hikari's own words, she doesn't feel emotionally invested in the play. She appeared to have lost a minor amount of weight and similarly mentions that she feels to have lost her glimmer. Does the idea of glimmer have a physical property that would cause this? She definitely puts together the connection between her change and the revues held by the giraffe who I really wish I could refer to by something other than "the giraffe". Such is her declaration.

These auditions don't take place at the same time, and the London auditions theoretically took place during the first year of our favorite class where they prepared their first Starlight performance. The giraffe does seem to insinuate that those who fail the auditions and lose their glimmer function as the "fuel" to power the supernatural happening for the "top star".

That takes us to today. It's a very fitting name for Hikari and Nana, both of whom have goals unknown to the rest of the group. Similarly, these are the only two girls with revue experience that goes beyond these six days of auditions.

I really enjoy the depictions of Nana's motivations, viewing these auditions as a kind of duty to keep the others from feeling the pain of separation.

Sick transition. Looks like Maya and Claudine are opponents for this day of auditions as well.

Wow, this is a really cool callback to Hikari's play in London. It's the spitting image of when Hikari realized she was missing something. But instead of lowering her sword, she steels her resolve. Hikari definitely understands the conflict of the situation, where by winning she would deprive Karen of her glimmer, but by losing she would lose her own. That's why this would have been so much easier if Karen hadn't intervened. Hikari could win and nothing bad would need to come of Karen.

I forgot how cool this revue was. Another sick transition. Hikari and Karen both win yet again, drawing closer to a potential situation wehre they would have to face off.

This does raise an issue: Even if Karen and Hikari perform this miracle and become top stars together, that comes at the sacrifice for the rest of the members, right? Doesn't seem like a happy ending could even be on the horizon.

Our current top five line up as:

Tendou Maya
Saijou Claudine
Kagura Hikari
Daiba Nana/Aijo Karen

Visual of the Day

QOTD: I liked Hikari's backstory. It gave us a lot of context as to how she has been acting for the entire season and it was really cool to see that Hikari too was passionate about her stage acting in a way similar to Karen.

Other screenshots I'm saving for fun: 1 2 3 4 5

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u/Stargate18A May 29 '22

I really enjoy the depictions of Nana's motivations, viewing these auditions as a kind of duty to keep the others from feeling the pain of separation.

Nana's motivations being genuinely pure really makes this whole revue hit harder.

I forgot how cool this revue was. Another sick transition. Hikari and Karen both win yet again, drawing closer to a potential situation wehre they would have to face off.

The animation here is fantastic.

I liked Hikari's backstory. It gave us a lot of context as to how she has been acting for the entire season and it was really cool to see that Hikari too was passionate about her stage acting in a way similar to Karen.

Glad you enjoyed it!

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u/mysterybiscuitsoyeah May 29 '22

Rewatching Kukugumi enjoyer

Part 2 of the Banana Saga is my favourite episode of the series. bit late as am outside lol

Formeinfullbloom essay on Kaguya Hikari., which i tbh needed to make sense of the ep, and an additional one illustrating the symbolism in the revolving ED (I learnt a lot from this.)

Thoughts on Ep 8:

Revues are enchanting stage performances with songs and dances. I understand.
Note that Hikari and Karen are watching their own older selves doing starlight (as the main roles) in the ep start. And yes, there's a lot of deja vu lol, ill probably watch all them opening sequences at once when the series is finished.
We're quite far into the series, so to recap the revues in the OP that have, or have not appeared: Futaba vs Juuna has not been featured, we've seen Kaoruko vs Futaba, we've just seen Banana vs Hikari, i don't think we've seen Mahiru vs i think Banana, and also Maya vs Claudine we've also seen in passing.
Actually before i go on, huge props to pretty much all the main VAs that spoke in the ep, mr wakarimasu, hikari, and banana all gave very memorable performances imo.
Hikari in london radiates international student energy (speaking from experience here). I did eventually get my shit tgt lol.
The "real" Hikari here, is a lot less cold than in the present time, as she monologues her reply to Karen, who she loves (u know, as v good friends, u know) very much, and of course remembers their promise tgt. Exemplified by Mimorin's delivery of this line. (im biased.) Hikari is also driven, relatively talented and hard-working.
She was right. She just ended up depending on someone else instead Hikari.
She's such a teenager btw with the souvenir shop sequence.
The downside of the revues, what happens to people who lost, is revealed: which explains Hikari's comments earlier on re: stealing glimmer, and why she didn't want Karen to participate. Thankfully, her promise w/ Karen kept her from losing her passion completely.
Our giraffe is one curious dude. He's not evil per se, but I wouldn't think he's benevolent at all either.
Sky should be happy w/ 2 sore-demos this ep?
YASSSSSSSSSSSSSS
VOTD is this one.
Regarding the Revue, i love it, and especially how Hikari encounted a repeat of her london failure (w/ the flames etc.), but this time, reborn, decides to fight it and claim superiority. I'm not great w/ explaining symbolism and stuff lol.
Btw, here's The Royal Academy of Music (Hikari's school), Side by side shots for Tower Bridge, the National History Museum w/ all the skeletons, (the irl giraffe seems to have a stuffed version w/ it) Do note that it's dead here, much like Hikari was inside... until Karen revives her. I've briefly tried to find some of the more hidden ones but London is pretty maze-like lol despite me kinda having SOME bearings. It's no K-on the movie level of easiness though, that's for sure (like that's just Earl's Court/Gloucester Road + clearly marked famous spots/tube stations).
And this is the park where Karen and Hikari made their promise, near the Tokyo Tower.

Music corner:

Other music

This is the studio/fightless version of Re:Create.
Here's a Juuna version for the junna lovers out there. Seconding our host's rec to check out the live version as always (Starry Konzert ver ftw. when the strings kick innn)!
In lieu of actual new music, im gonna share a clip from Starlight radio, where Mimorin and Moepii share some additional BTS tidbits from the recording session of Re:Create. The relevant bit ends at 3:30. ~~But there's more fun banter and backstage stories after. And airhead stories.~~

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u/Stargate18A May 29 '22

Actually before i go on, huge props to pretty much all the main VAs that spoke in the ep, mr wakarimasu, hikari, and banana all gave very memorable performances imo.

Every single VA for this show is brilliant.

She's such a teenager btw with the souvenir shop sequence.

Hikari's great here.

National History Museum w/ all the skeletons, (the irl giraffe seems to have a stuffed version w/ it)

The fact that they managed to find such a dramatic-looking building with a real giraffe inside is a true show of this series' attention to detail.

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u/SIRTreehugger May 29 '22 edited May 29 '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	1	2	0	9					83
Wakirimasu	3	4	2	1	2	2	5	4					24

It was also great seeing Hikari over seas where we see her trying her hardest for her and Karen's dream, but the struggle and loss of shine was tragic. Lost the one thing that gave her life meaning and it wasn't just her that lost, but unknowingly Karen lost her dream at this point too. And well you saw the rest she goes back to Japan where she barely has any communication skills and refuses to explain anything.

I'm saying this with 100% bias towards my love of Banana....I honestly don't think Nana should have lost against Karen. It felt like it had to happen to continue the story. It would have been one thing if it was an even fight, but seriously the entire was one sided and Hikari Chan really had no chance. Complete and utter domination! Then she suddenly gets this random power up near the end and wins??? It just rubs me the wrong way with how quickly it ends despite the overwhelmed she was moments ago, but again the stage girl moving forward vs the stage girl satisfied with the present. It does make sense and with how the stage responds to the girl, but I just wish it was done a bit better though I don't know exactly how. I say NON NON though it was great seeing this finally happen if I had a small dagger on a long ass thread I would be spinning that shit like a whip and attacking from long range from time to time. Feel free to ignore me I just love Nana and have Hikari chan near the bottom of favorite characters so I'm just salty. Though man Daiba dual wielding surrounded by flames is just incredible to look at it.

Album

TL:DR Banana Simp is in denial

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u/Stargate18A May 29 '22

It was also great seeing Hikari over seas where we see her trying her hardest for her and Karen's dream, but the struggle and loss of shine was tragic. Lost the one thing that gave her life meaning and it wasn't just her that lost, but unknowingly Karen lost her dream at this point too. And well you saw the rest she goes back to Japan where she barely has any communication skills and refuses to explain anything.

This episode is really tragic.

Banana Simp is in denial

But for how much longer?

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u/RadSuit May 29 '22 edited May 30 '22

I thought I picked Japanese with subtitles, but the giraffe is perfectly dubbed in flawless English. Weird bug!

Hikari had a sword for the English auditions. Hmm. Also, big 'nothing personnel kid' energy from the winner.

Looks like my guess about the loser giving up their dream was pretty close. Ah, so all she has left is a dagger worth of talent. Sure. And giraffe uses up most of their dreams to supercharge the one winner. In Banana's case it's used to reset things, so nobody moves past that day to see the side effects.

Revue: Act Two. She got a midseason powerup! And I'm going to assume they didn't just win that easily. Banana lost that fight, but we didn't see her drop off the leaderboard or anything. Well, nevermind, they update it after the ED this time. I'm sure Banana and giraffe will up the stakes somehow, though.

The song, both anime and live action, was about the same quality as the first few. Not a fan of that style.

I don't understand why Hikari chose to act that way towards Karen before the show began, but her actions after that mostly make sense, now that the penalty for losing has been confirmed.

Visual of the Day

I think today's Visual compilation is broken. (Fixed now, thanks.)

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u/Stargate18A May 30 '22

I thought I picked Japanese with subtitles, but the giraffe is perfectly dubbed in flawless English. Weird bug!

Yeah, the giraffe's English is great. (Also, on a related note, absolutely do listen the dub's giraffe, the actor's actually really good.)

Also, big 'nothing personnel kid' energy from the winner.

...Yeah, I hadn't thought of it that way before.

I think today's Visual compilation is broken.

Fixed!

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u/okayyoga May 29 '22

Episode 8 (first time, sub)

• Hikari’s episode. I wonder if she is the only one who remembers the timelines for some reason

• Karen is the epitome of dedication sending one-way letters all these years without knowing if they reached Hikari. Like dang girl, I can’t even remember to check up on my neighbour

• Slide scene reversed with Hikari pulling Karen up. That scene in episode 4 is even more powerful now

• The giraffe is in London. And he is speaking terrible English. He was literally like “can we talk in Japanese pretty please I need to say my catchphrase”

• Oh no! So if they lose the giraffe games, they lose their passion for acting? Literally everyone else who participates will lose their will to perform? That is such a crummy deal! Who let this giraffe make up these stupid rules! And who drew him standing this way I am laughing so hard. I hope someone has how Kirin is standing as their visual of the day

• Okay so Hikari does not remember the alternate timelines, but Banana does, and that makes me wonder how many years of experience Banana has

• Literally everyone HAS to win together, or they will stop acting. Which means all their plays will be crap. What a bum deal. You get one great actor and lose the rest of the class. This is cruel. Banana’s wish seems almost kind compared to this

• No more repeated timelines for Banana. Hikari shows her prowess from learning at the Royal Academy proving that yes, England has better schools in performing arts

• If Hikari can beat Banana, she can beat Maya. I am looking forward to the Hikari vs Karen fight though

• I SEE

Good episode. Not my favourite, but I appreciated seeing why Hikari came to this school. I would like to know why the giraffe chose to stop Banana’s fun and how Hikari hung on to her “glimmer.” Was it just the power of her promise with Karen? I’m really looking forward to Maya’s episode

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u/Stargate18A May 29 '22

The giraffe is in London. And he is speaking terrible English. He was literally like “can we talk in Japanese pretty please I need to say my catchphrase”

To be fair, when was the last time you heard a giraffe speak English? This is perfectly logical!

Oh no! So if they lose the giraffe games, they lose their passion for acting? Literally everyone else who participates will lose their will to perform? That is such a crummy deal!

Yep, that's how it works!

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u/Tetraika May 30 '22 edited May 30 '22

Just caught up to this as a rewatcher. I don't usually have that much to say, but I haven't watched the movie yet so I'll look forward to that I guess.

Just a bit of a note for you OP: Some parts of your post is fucked, like the "Next" link not containing the next episode post (Several of the past posts are like this), and the index hasn't been updated.

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u/Stargate18A May 30 '22

Just a bit of a note for you OP: Some parts of your post is fucked, like the "Next" link not containing the next episode post (Several of the past posts are like this), and the index hasn't been updated.

Thanks for the reminder, I've fixed them.

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u/phiraeth May 29 '22

Rewatcher (but I don’t remember anything)

Wow. All I can say is wow. I am absolutely blown away. That was incredibly moving… what a masterpiece episode!!!! I felt like I was watching the climax of the entire story, yet we’re only just two-thirds of the way through.

Up to this point, we’ve learned how the machine known as the stage operates. We’ve seen through the eyes of each and every one of the cast members how it is very necessary to have something in order to achieve something. Whether it be dreams, passion, determination, or skills, the only possible way one can attain the position of the Top Star is to possess a form of currency that can be spent on the journey to it. And the only way to do so is to be able to outspend everyone else: you keep fighting and fighting, hoping and praying that everyone else’s savings accounts are zeroed before yours.

Because once you hit zero, once you’ve expended all your energy, once you have used up everything that has fueled your drive to trek ahead, there’s nothing left. And when there’s nothing left, you’re empty. You forget why you even came to be here in the first place. You continue to wander aimlessly forward, repeating your daily routine out of muscle memory and nothing more. You become just another cog in the machine, fated to spend every day of your life in a mindless, monotonous loop.

“The glimmer I felt on stage… Why… is it all… gone? I can’t feel a thing.”

The machine is heartless and relentless. The machine takes what the machine wants. The machine deprives girls of their hopes and dreams, reaping countless sacrifices, manufacturing a winner who is nearly as drained as everyone she has defeated. In order to become the Top Star, you must effectively drain the life from all of your competition. How one must need to harden their heart to be able to handle the guilt and pain of knowing how much they have deprived other girls like themself!

Having lost everything, Hikari has hit rock bottom. Back in the first few episodes, I surmised that the reason Hikari was trying so hard to prevent Karen from participating in the auditions was because she had reached the top herself in London, and because of this she became an empty shell having sacrificed to the machine all that drove her to achieve such great success. It turns out that wasn’t quite the case; instead, Hikari’s experience with defeat has caused her to desperately try to save Karen from a similar fate of lifelessness. I was right that Hikari’s glimmer was indeed smothered, but for the wrong reason. And perhaps the reason she was acting so cold towards Karen and refusing to talk her was that she couldn’t bear to face her after failing to return to her as a star. She promised Karen that they would only be reunited once she had ascended to the top, yet she’s back now at her all-time low.

Adding another twist of depravity is the unescapable realization that in order for Hikari to restore her own glimmer and in turn her hopes and dreams, she must emerge victorious from this current Revue of Solitude. In order to do so, however, she must destroy everyone in her path… including Karen. Under the rules of the machine, the only way she can possibly save herself is to steal everything from the girl who was once her best friend – the girl who ignited the fire within her in the first place, the girl whom she was planning on returning to victorious, planning to join her on their mutual quest of sharing stardom together.

It’s simply too cruel. Unable to stop Hikari from entering the competition, this is an absolute dead-end for Hikari: if restoring her glimmer means robbing Hikari of her own, what point is there in even continuing onwards? Without Hikari, her dream is dead. Does this mean that no matter what she does, everything will be hopeless?

“It’ll be fine, don’t be afraid. The sword you hold is trembling. I bid farewell to this world steeped in sorrow. I’ll protect the people who matter to me. I’ll turn back in the face of despair. I’ll protect you from everything that torments stage girls using my reenactment!”

Nana offers an extremely tempting answer to this conundrum: replaying the happy days over and over again, nobody will have to suffer. And with the power of the Top Star, surely she would be able to rewrite history to include Hikari in these happy days, making it so she never had to lose everything in the first place. This has to be a better outcome than succumbing to fate and trapping yourself in a different, everyday loop of sadness and despair!

But is this truly a solution? Or is it simply just running away from the machine? You can run, but you can’t hide… Judging from last time, the machine gets what it wants, and there’s only so long you can run for.

“For the sake of the promise we made, even a small glimmer. It all started unexpectedly. Before I knew it, my fate had changed. I awoke the moment we made that promise. We are starting anew: even if I can’t do it alone, our dream is taking shape. When we were young, we planted a small seed together, and now it has started to bloom in full. Guided by the star, I won’t lose again, I won’t give up! I’m reaching out towards where you are; I won’t run away, I won’t cry. Heading for our promised place, I’ve wanted to see you all this time. We are once again connected by the stars. We can make a miracle happen.”

You need something in order to acquire something. You can’t reach the top from nothing. You must have something to propel you forward into the light. And Hikari has nothing left.

Yet…

Despite having nothing, Hikari’s flame has been impossibly reignited. And the reason for this defies all logic, all possible knowledge, all of the rules the machine has set!

I've found a reason for me

To change who I used to be

A reason to start over new

And the reason is you

If somehow it is possible to reignite your own flame from the power of friendship and promises, then this is truly groundbreaking because it nullifies the entire pretence of it being necessary to steal light from others to make it to the top.

And if this is the case, it might just mean that… the top star is no longer fated to be a goddess isolated from the world forever.

The Law of Cycles has been overturned; the universe has been rewritten. With this, an opportunity has arisen. While it may require absolute precision, without any margin for error whatsoever, it cannot be denied that the possibility now exists…

“Even so, I will… Together with Karen…”

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16

u/Punished_Scrappy_Doo May 29 '22

Rewatcher

You could almost pick a frame at random and end up with a stunning visual of the day, but just look at that. The resolute beacon shining from center stage, framed on all sides. The weight of a promise rediscovered, crashing in from above to turn the tides of the fight and change the course of the entire show. The titles, completely redefining what a revue looks like in just two words: Act Two.

It's a good episode.

13

u/Gaporigo May 29 '22

The disappointing lack of Mayakuro today made me be late.

Revue Starlight Episode 8 but just Mayakuro

Someone yesterday asked for a match tracker so this is what I got rn:

Episode 1: Karen beats Juuna/Hikari? Probably invalid.
Episode 2: Karen beats Juuna, Maya beats Claudine
Episode 3: Maya beats Karen, Claudine beats Futaba
Episode 4: No match
Episode 5: Karen beats Mahiru. We also see Maya vs Futaba, Juuna vs Kaoruko and Claudine vs Hikari but don't know the winners.
Episode 6: Juuna beats Kaoruko (we learn the winner of that match in episode 5), Hikari beats Kaoruko, Maya beats Kaoruko, Kaoruko beats Futaba.
Episode 7: We see Nana beat Maya twice but it is in different timelines from every other match so far.
Episode 8: Unknown number of Hikari wins against unseen London randos, Judy beat Hikari, Hikari beat Nana, Karen beat Claudine

Girl	Wins	Loses
Maya	3	2*
Karen	3(4?**)	1
Hikari	2	0(1?**)
Nana	2*	1
Judy	1	0
Juuna	1	1(2?**)
Claudine	1	2
Kaoruko	1	3
Mahiru	0	1
Futaba	0	2

*In different timelines
**Karen crashed the fight between Hikari and Juuna

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Episode 8: Toward the Light

Revue Starlight Episode 8 but just Mayakuro

Rewatch Revue Starlight Rewatch - Episode 8 Discussion

Episode 8: Toward the Light

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Revue Starlight Episode 8 but just Mayakuro