User blog:InkParade/Interesting (this totally didn't start as a song analysis)

So this idea originated from me thinking about all of the opening and ending songs of AiStars anime and realizing that unlike the in original (and in Friends, from where I'm at) the opening and ending songs kind of progress. I don't think that's a good way to word it, so I'll just start explaining right now.

We start off with Start Line, which is a bold declaration of the series's (and by extension, the protagonist Yume's) ideals; "Dreams aren't meant to be dreamed, they're meant to be fulfilled." This song is very uplifting in tone and its message is reflected in the anime with Yume, with no prior formal training or experience, boldly thrusting herself into the world of Aikatsu because, well, she just wants to. In other words, Start Line conveys Yume's motivation in the very beginning of the series. It's also important to consider, though, that this song was first seen sung by Hime the top idol, so she's more often associated with it. This shows one of AiStars's anime's most prevalent plot themes, which is that there are constantly new challenges and goals arising and that there really is no limit to how far you can grow as a person, through the already very accomplished Hime singing that she is still crossing her start line. This OP is paired with Episode Solo as the ED, and it also fits pretty well. While Start Line is probably more of an anthem for the series than anything else, Episode Solo is the series telling us about Yume. It talks about a girl whose whole world is changed by standing on stage, and how she will perform the absolute best because she has friends by her side. This song is interesting in how it kind of foreshadows Yume's end goal of "shining with everyone." Because in the end, the good collaboration the Yume has with her friends, and her eagerness to make sure her feelings reach out to the world, is the reason that Yume gains the Sun Dress, surpasses both Elza Forte and her senpai Hime, and essentially puts on the greatest performance ever. The perspective of this song... it's hard to determine whether it's singing about a girl who comes along in the future or whether that girl already put on the greatest performance. This also contributes to the never-ending goal theme, since the song suggests that there are still "greatest performances" to be put on. Like the song says, "when the outro ends, the intro starts to play." This is further emphasized by the fact that this song is sung by every generation of S4, meaning that there will always be special girls, and new intros will always begin to play so long as S4 and idols in general exist.

By the way, there's generally a little bit less to say about the other songs now that the framework has been set.

The next opening is 1 2 Sing For You, which points to the fact that Yume has mostly gotten used to being an idol, with the central message not necessarily being about dreams, seeing as she's already accomplishing them. Instead, this song is about singing with all of the love and all of the might that one can offer, which Yume is certainly doing here. Like Start Line, this song doesn't point to a specific idol like Episode Solo but can apply to any idol trying their best. This makes sense because it supports Yume's very optimistic and inclusive ideals and that because this song isn't even a Yume song, it's a Laura song. It's also pertinent that this song mentions the tough times that the idols go through, but presents it in the perspective of someone who's already gone through those tough times, while the accompanying ending song is a bit different. So Beautiful Story is told from the perspective of someone who is in the depths of a dark time, just like Yume was in this part of the plot. Koharu had just moved away, and Yume had just begun to lose her voice because of that weird rainbow aura thing. Even though Hime is there to offer encouragement and act as a symbol of proficiency for Yume to strive for, Yume just can't seem to strive. She's devastated but still captivated by Aikatsu like she was in the beginning with Start Line. Individually, these two songs don't provide much in terms of the ever-present goal cycle theme. However, when they're put together, they do say something about a cycle, albeit not a goal cycle. The message sent by these two songs is that no matter how experienced you are in something, you can still have tough times, but that every tough time can be overcome. And when you bring Star Jet into the picture, the cycle turns into one of highs where you're soaring to meet your goal and lows where you can't find the motivation to go on.

Star Jet is about Yume looking back on what she's achieved her first short year of Aikatsu. She's more comfortable with herself and recognizes her growth over the course of the year, but there are still challenges ahead. To be specific, it's the S4 Selection, the ultimate hurdle to reaching her current goal of becoming an S4 idol. She has to push herself even farther, even higher and is all the happier for it. These high spirits, echoing those seen in Start Line, again bringing up the cycle theme. Even though Yume's got used to being an idol, even though she's through with her tough times, she's not done, and the challenges are even getting harder. This is her response. She's going to do her best, and to her, her best is the best.

The title of the 4th opening, Stardom, I find a bit funny. It makes sense to do so since at this point Yume has reached stardom as a member of S4. Yet this song contains no mention of looking back on your achievements or the high that comes with being at the top. This song is another Start Line, it's another Star Jet, but it's even more earnest. Yume hasn't even paused since the S4 Selection to look back at what she's done, because there are new challenges to overcome, including acquiring Sun Dresses and contending with their rivals in Venus Ark, specifically Elza Forte. And I mean specifically, with lines like "Don't look at only what's beautiful, embrace everything" and "I don't need forever, I can surpass the present now." These both counteract Elza's incredibly high standards of perfection and her belief that there is such a thing as forever being a certain way, which is a sentiment subtly expressed by her song, Forever Dream. Even though Forever Dream is about the same things as Stardom and songs like it, it uses more absolute terms when referring to the goals needed to be accomplished. The words "forever" and "eternal" describing Elza's dreams make it seem like once Elza has accomplished those dreams, she will be that way forever. That or those words refer to Elza chasing those dreams forever. If that's the case, then Elza's a hypocrite if she thinks that the Sun Dress is the ultimate apex of idol perfection. Elza rambling aside, the ending pair for this song, Bon Bon Voyage, fits well with the themes expressed by Stardom as well. It's about discovering new things to experience, to achieve. This song actually affirms Yume's inclusivity by it being her Venus Ark rivals singing this song. The lyrics apply to Yume, yes, but to Elza and Kirara just as much. It echoes how she wants to shine with everyone. In turn, she wants to learn and grow with everyone. And everyone includes her rivals.

Music of Dream has a lot to unpack, lyrically. It expresses all of the things AiStars songs have before. The importance of enjoying what you do, of believing in yourself, of believing that every tough time can be overcome, of constantly reaching out for new apexes to chase after. Additionally, it states something new in the lines "The moment you reach perfection/ Seeing the same scenery with the same friends/ Would surely be the best, don't you think?" This statement seems to be meant for Elza specifically, who all along has been pushing her loved ones away from her in order to search for perfection. Yume is here to remind her that no matter how good she thinks she is, she'll be unfulfilled without friends by her side. This is an important part of the goal cycle theme that is, I think, only expressed in this song and in Episode Solo. Yume is also being a bit special here in that she's a lot more triumphant in tone, reminding everyone that it's okay to recognize your achievements. It's just that she thinks it's unfulfilling to just do that without trying something new after, like what Elza was doing after she got the Sun Dress. Since it's the song that contains the most emotion and sentiment on Yume, the singer and writer's part-- it's fitting that Music of Dream is the song she performs as her greatest performance. I'd love to say that the final ending has as much oomph and thematic power as Music of Dream, but it kind of doesn't. The one message sent by Pirouette of the Forest Light that relates to the overall themes of Aikatsu Stars is the line "Because I will never have the same day twice/ I want to lie down on the golden fluffy sofa." That relates to the neverending goal motif, but nothing else in the song does. I think what's important in this song is that it's a hallmark of Yume's experience. She sings this song in the ending with Aria Futaba, who looks up to Yume and an idol of S4 just like her childhood friend Hime. This song marks the moment that Yume became a figure with enough experience and professionalism to be put in the mentor position.

And that's it. Like I've said many many times, the OP/ED songs of Aikatsu Stars seem to follow a progressing narrative in their lyrics, and the most important theme expressed by these songs is that for everything you achieve, there is another, thougher goal ahead that you can charge full speed ahead at. This was really long, but what can I say, I like the message, and I find it really interesting how everything builds on itself. I'm sorry if it seemed like I was overexplaining because it probably was. I do that naturally, with basically everything I'm well-versed in.