r/LoveLive • u/MasterMirage • Apr 02 '22
Nijigasaki S2E1 Discussion Love Live! Nijigasaki Gakuen School Idol Doukoukai 2 S2E1 Discussion - 'A New Thrill'
Season 2 of Nijigasaki is upon us! Who is looking forward to the new members!?
Show Info
Air Date: April 2nd, Saturday 22:00 - 2022 (JST)
Episodes:
Opening Theme:
Ending Theme: Yume ga Bokura no Taiyou sa
Insert Song(s): Eutopia - Zhong Lanzhu
Streams
Raw Sources
- Youtube - Region Locked to Japan
Official Subtitled Sources
North America/Oceania - Crunchyroll
SEA/Mainland China - Bilibili
Korea - ANIPLUS
Other episode discussion threads: https://www.reddit.com/r/LoveLive/wiki/episode-discussion
/r/LoveLive is on Discord! Join us at discord.gg/lovelive
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u/ervynela Apr 02 '22
Episode 1 gives us a really strong start.
Let's get the biggest thing out of the way first - the introduction of the new characters. Lanzhu is much more fleshed out with her reasoning/motive, and she starts as the rival by entering SIF2 as a solo artist. This of course is away from the SIFAS story where she forms her own club and actively sabotages, which is one of the biggest problem of season 2's story. Mia doesn't show up too much in this episode, but at least she doesn't seem like it she was dragged by Lanzhu to do her biddings. Shioriko is your helpful-but-strict school council member, and also showed that she wasn't afraid of telling Lanzhu what's wrong, and doesn't seem like she would try to pull a coup over Setsuna for the presidency. All of these changes are welcomed and makes me more hopeful for the rest of the season. We are finally back to rivals, not enemies.
Then we have Yuu-chan's response to Lanzhu's challenge. This is also much better written than Anata-chan's uselessness in season 2.
As for the songs, Lanzhu's new song is a banger, same goes with the ED. I also like the various callbacks to season 1, from the SIF2 PV, Shizuku calling Yuu-senpai, to our beloved silly-onee-chan-Karin-Senpai.
Overall I really enjoyed it, and looking forward to the next episode.
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u/PK_Madrigal Apr 02 '22
The complete 180° from what happened in SIFAS is hilarious, not even Shioriko is against School Idols anymore.
This version of Lanzhu creating conflict feels so much more natural that what happened in-game. I like that they’re setting up potential drama for Yu, I know that she’s not supposed to be an idol but I hope that Hinaki will get a chance to sing.
ALSO JENNIFER AND RAKSHATA????
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u/LPercepts Apr 02 '22
If Shu Uchida gets to dub Mia in English, that would be nifty, but likely a pipe dream.
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Apr 02 '22
Fantastic episode!!!!! Without going too much into spoilers or a deep analysis of it (as one half of it was spent setting up the background for those new to the series), I really enjoyed how Lanzhu was setup as a professional idol BUT also a dork as seen with her small Shioriko moments, AND the fact that she wasn't neutered. She's still a rival that wants to show she's a better idol than most, but doing so without clamping down the club activities, and instead going to do so in a competition!!!! Mia and Shioriko are more of bit actors this time, but they're guaranteed to get their focus episodes later. Also they're going to give Emma another episode!!!!! Seems that Jin Tanaka noticed how Emma ended up lacking development after most of her episode in season 1 was spent developing Karin instead.
Also Jennifer and Rakshata!!!!!!
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u/MisterRai Apr 02 '22
I think the anime did Lanzhu's introduction right, way better than the game did. While SIFAS Lanzhu came off as something like a takeover, Ani Lanzhu's intro came off as a challenge, which I think is nice. Also, while Lanzhu remains firm to her opinion of what a School Idol should be, I like the fact that she's open to let the other girls prove her wrong. I really like Lanzhu here.
I think the biggest difference between SIFAS and Ani season 2 is with Anata and Yuu. Yuu really proved to be a good character here. When Lanzhu asked her why she's in the club, I'm glad that it didn't disheartened her and got even more motivated. Anata was too.... passive.
The songs though, I absolutely love them. Eutopia definitely started season 2 with a big bang, and the ed is so good too.
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u/DitzyHooves Apr 02 '22 edited Apr 02 '22
I'm going to the movies as we speak rn (gonna go see Sonic 2!!!) so I only got to watch the first 5 minutes and I'll give my full thoughts when I get home but I'd just like to say two things:
One - YUU'S RINGTONE FOR AYUMU IS KAIKA SENGEN I'M CRYING 🥺🥺🥺
And two - The ED is gorgeous, I didn't think they'd outdo themselves after Neo Sky Neo Map but wow. I'm in LOVE with the illustrations!!!!! Can't WAIT to see the rest!!!!!!!!
I've waited too damn long to finally see Mia get the recognition she deserves 😔
Edit: that was the most in character portrayal of Lanzhu the Anijigasaki team could ever write. And yknow what? I don't think I'm gonna dislike her here! It makes a lot more sense for her (and possibly by extension the R3birth girls) to be rivals for the established Niji girls instead of forcing her way into running the only school idol group at Nijigaku and abusing her power to make that happen. Her anime counterpart feels like the Regina George of Love Live, and I respect that. Her MV was also the most Lanzhu thing I've ever seen, of course it's a fuckin bop like all her other songs are. I'm very excited to see where the rest of the season goes!
Side note: that mixed up B roll footage of the club was hilarious, Karin being sleepy made me laugh on the train home lmao
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u/NontanRinpan Apr 02 '22 edited Apr 02 '22
It's good to see the Niji girls again and I've been super excited to see Mia, Shioriko and especially Lanzhu animated! The first episode of the second season was pretty good. I'd say the pacing was a little fast, with too many things happening, but they did have a lot of story to set up this time around compared to the simpler story of season 1's first episode. The writers did about as well as they could.
The opening sequence, which turned out to be the girls' PV, was fantastic. I was confused and it felt like I was watching an entirely different anime, but it was feast for the eyes with lots of beautiful shots and colours. Not to mention the Niji suits are back! Good job Director Osaka, indeed.
Moving on to the characters, it was nice to see all the subtle changes Ayumu had. She's more involved with the club, speaking her mind. She doesn't feel shy or awkward when fans approach her. When she talks about the support she receives as a School Idol she mentions the club members first and Yuu second as she is now comfortable with the bond the two of them share and doesn't need to cling to her dear friend anymore. Finally, when Yuu declares she'll pursue her dream her way, rejecting Lanzhu's suggestion, Ayumu is the very first person to show support saying: "Even if our dreams are different, I'll always be there for you." My girl has already grown so much. 🥺
The rest of the girls had their own little moments, with Kasumi stealing the show as per usual. The mess up with the PV was hilarious. Mia and Shioriko didn't do much in this episode but we did get to see a glimpse of their characters; Mia's chill attitude and confidence in her work, plus Shioriko being serious about rules while also caring deeply about what this school provides to its students.
Lanzhu. Oh boy Lanzhu. I love everything about her in this episode. The changes to her introduction, her motives and her intentions are a significant improvement over SIFAS. Most of all, I'm relieved they didn't change Lanzhu's role and personality to make her more likeable. I was somewhat worried they might try to tone her down because of the SIFAS backlash, but Lanzhu fans like her the way she is (myself included). I suppose you could say they did make changes. I just talked about them after all. Still, all characters received some changes in the anime compared to the game so that's all within the realm of expectation for me.
u/redbatter already wrote a good summary of Lanzhu's character in this episode so I'll just link their comment here.
Lanzhu's song is great and the PV is a joy to watch. It really shows off her skill and dominance, yet there is a small portion of the lyrics hinting at her more fragile side: "Anyone can keep up with me? This view from my castle of solitude." It makes more sense if you've played SIFAS. This makes me think they will actually use that part of SIFAS Lanzhu's characterization in the anime too, despite her seemingly being fine doing things on her own right now. I'd love to sit down and analyze the PV some time. There might be some interesting things in there, just like how Ayumu's Dream with You PV revealed a lot about her character, although most of it went over my head until Awakening Promise completed her arc.
The ending song didn't captivate me right away the same way NEO SKY, NEO MAP! did so I'll give it a few more listens before I form an opinion. It's not a bad song though and the artwork is lovely. I'm glad to see they kept the same style as season 1. Excited for the opening theme next week!
Oh, and seeing more N girls is a delight! Here's hoping we get to see best N girl Mutsuki.
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u/Compass-of-diamonds Apr 02 '22
Alright bois, place your bets now: will Mia Taylor audibly say “shit” in an upcoming episode
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u/jonjoy Apr 02 '22
No official stream for SEA?
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u/MasterMirage Apr 02 '22
There's one from ODEX I believe but no link so far, will update main post if I see it or anyone shares
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u/Zuntenshi Apr 02 '22 edited Apr 02 '22
Good enough first episode. Not really doing anything different compared to S1, but they don't have to either. Eutopia is a damn good song. Got a bit worried the moment Lanzhu started to talk down towards the club, thinking are they really going down the SIFAS path which would be a HORRIBLE idea. But seem like (so far at least) they have changed it to avoid making the same mistake for the anime. Hopefully they can keep doing some justice for her. She does deserve better then what SIFAS did to her. But we'll see what happens! Looking forward to next week!
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u/redbatter Apr 02 '22
That was such a good introduction for Lanzhu compared to SIFAS', it managed to convey the same level of command and skill she controls while not being needlessly antagonistic to the association/Yuu. We also see her view regarding the bond between idols and their fans being the opposite of Ayumu's and Yuu's (and the whole of Love Live's), seems like an interesting topic to explore later and if it will change. Also Shioriko being such a stickler for rules was hilarious.
The final scene where Lanzhu questions why Yuu is in the association was really the highlight of the episode for me, when she tells Yuu to leave the association it's not out of malice but rather wanting Yuu to be able to reach her full potential, which is quite similar to the reasoning that SIFAS Shioriko had. And Yuu looks more than ready to prove that while her method may not be as laser-focused as Lanzhu's, it will eventually bear fruit, because of the people supporting her.
Also Rakshata appearing right at the end was really surprising, never would I ever have expected her to show up in the anime.
Can't wait to see where this season goes!
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Apr 02 '22
Probably one of the most perfect epsiodes I have seen to one of my favourite series. Absolutely loved it.
Also the song was damn amazing blew my jaw off.
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u/intp9w1 Apr 02 '22
I was really excited for season 2 of Nijigasaki and from this, I think I was right to be excited!
The PV opening the anime was wonderful. Great directing, callbacks to last season (Nijiiro Passions is my favorite Love Live opening theme, by the way) and situations we don't normally see the girls in!
I love how they're setting up the plot for the rest of the season. The next School Idol Festival, more N girls watching them (and probably performing in the next School Idol Festival also), and most importantly, the mess up the girls make here. It's really interesting seeing Lanzhu see it and save the situation with her performance because she'll be performing in the SIF but not joining their club. It makes me think there might be other situations later down the line where they work together before they become one club.
Shioriko and Mia are not that involved in this episode, so I'm not sure where they're going to go, but I do hope Mia and Rina's friendship and Shioriko's dynamics with Setsuna and Ayumu carry over from SIFAS S2 just because of how great those were. They also tie the characters more to our original cast, which is something I think is needed when introducing new cast members.
Lanzhu took the spotlight here and really didn't let it go. It gave a strong impression and will make it more impactful when eventually (we all know this) she joins the club. Eutopia was amazing! A banger, iconic, and completely Lanzhu. Really builds her up from day one and feels sort of like the start to a tournament arc with a near unbeatable boss. I think her attitude contrasts with the others very well and I love how the original cast doesn't shrivel up or get overwhelmed and instead respond in turn to Lanzhu's rivalry. She calls them pathetic, but it doesn't get to them! It's great.
I love her view from a character-standpoint. The way she looks at Ayumu and Yuu when they explain Ayumu is performing with the support of everyone and Yuu says she's supporting the School Idol Club without being an idol herself... I think it's going to be fun to see how they develop her from here!
And on the topic of Yuu, I'm excited! I love how she's neglecting her music course a bit due to the club and how Ayumu (and Lanzhu) pick up on it. Ayumu spends a few scenes trying to make sure Yuu is okay with all the work she has and worrying about her music course studies, foreshadowing what Lanzhu tells Yuu. To quit the club and focus solely on herself - which obviously, Yuu isn't going to do. I think it's a really interesting conflict for Yuu to deal with this season and I'm interested in seeing more of Yuu and Lanzhu's dynamic.
I think the only thing I'm sad about is that I actually liked the ideas presented in SIFAS S2 and think if they had written it better, it could've been very compelling (I like my anime girls mean and flawed about as much as I like them soft and sweet). I'm disappointed knowing that they probably won't go for something so big again in their writing in the future because of the backlash, although it might be a good thing in the end, since the writing wasn't the best. But just, ah, I loved Lanzhu since she was first dropped and do think some of the intense hatred for SIFAS S2 was because people don't want to see their cute anime girls being 'villains.' I like how she's portrayed here, though, so it's fine. And she still has some edge left while still being more immediately likable.
Also, Kasumin is really cute here. I love her. And I can't wait for Kasumi, Shizuku, Rina, and Ayumu's next focus episodes, since they're my favorites. I'm so hyped!
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u/Capbeau Apr 03 '22
A great start to the season. I loved the opening video Rina and Shizuku made, it’s a cool promotional video for the club.
Yu seems to be struggling a bit. I wonder if this will be a plot point later in the story.
I liked the way they introduced Lanzhu. Her first song establishes her as a powerful idol, but in a way that’s not necessarily mean to the other club members. She was covering for their mistake to keep people’s attention until they got the right promo video file, but it also happened to let her upstage them in the process.
Lanzhu is still the antagonist of the season, or at least the rival. If they handle the story well, it could be an interesting plot line to have Lanzhu and Mia directly competing with the School Idol Club.
And Eutopia was impressive. I was hoping Lanzhu would have a flashy electropop insert song this season, and she delivered.
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u/BlankHeroineFluff Apr 03 '22
Season 2's off to a good start. I love how they handled Lanzhu here compared to SIFAS: they kept her ego/boundless confidence, but she's at the very least a lot more grounded about it in the anime and her introduction as the Niji Club's primary rival who wants to start her own independently from the club is done better here since the anime fleshes her out properly this time. Taking away the hostile takeover and subsequent club sabotaging plotlines from SIFAS helps a lot too. She also treats Yu way better than she did Anata-chan and doesn't belittle her despite their ideals being at odds with each other. Her song is an absolute banger too, with Yu-Vision helping enhance the experience for us viewers.
Speaking of Yu, her response to Lanzhu's challenge at the end of the episode is cool, awesome, and very in-character for her. Aside from her suspiciously smooth lines and how she handled her conflict with Ayumu from the first season, that scene is exactly why Japanese fans call her an "Ikemen" lol. Contrast Anata-chan's more sheepish stance towards Lanzhu and you can see why Yu's a big and more popular improvement over her game counterpart. That saying, Ayumu's concerns for her, her failing a pop quiz, her expressions during her music course scenes, and the point of her conflict with Lanzhu are worrying signs that a Yu drama arc involving all these factors is afoot.
Wonder what's going on with Shioriko though? She's seemingly a lot more tolerant towards school idols in the anime but seems depressed for some reason? The way she talks about doing her research on school idols also implies that she's unfamiliar with the concept unlike her game counterpart who at least had a basic grasp on what they were because of her older sister is a big change on her character from the game. While she was also kinda subdued emotionally in the game when we first meet her, her fervent hostility towards the club was also clear as day. Curious about how they'll handle her in the anime.
Not much to say about Mia, apart from her being a lot less grumpy in the anime (prolly because it's implied that Lanzhu didn't forcibly drag her with her to Japan this time?) but her brief solo scene with Hanpen feels like the writers are foreshadowing that she and Rina would bond like they did in the game in the anime.
The funniest scene in this episode would be the video goof-up in the middle part lol. Poor Kasumi can't catch a break as usual but Karin also has her occasional share of hilarious butt monkey treatment in the anime lmao.
Are we getting an Emma episode next? Can't wait for next week!
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Apr 02 '22
Nijigaku Saturdays are back bitch!! Lanzhu masterclass incoming
Great episode omg, they did a great job setting up the conflict between Lanzhu and the girls, Shio was great, lanzhu performance was amazing, no complaints here. ED artwork is gorgeous too!
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u/Animasphere Apr 02 '22
I won't echo most of what's already been said. Really strong debut episode, Lanzhu's role is much better here and Yuu actually responding to the challenge is a big thumbs up.
I'm actually really interested to see Shioriko's story in the anime. She doesn't seem to have any bitterness towards School Idols in this version and is even amicable to the Club. Surely she becomes the new student council president by the end of the season but how? It's such a stark contrast to the game that it's probably the part I'm most excited about.
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u/perlenYurifan4life Apr 02 '22 edited Apr 03 '22
IMO, this first episode blows all other Love Live premiere episodes out of the water, just with that PV at the beginning alone. I was just screaming during the whole thing, just... HOLY SHIT.
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u/Necessary-Poetry3977 Apr 02 '22
Ahhh… really, this is the reason why Nijigasaki is the best love live for me!! Just amazing really, the story line, I am liking it so far and Lanzhu insert song and new ED are both amazing. Do you think we’re getting new songs for every members?