User blog:Staraptor Kwan/Aikatsu Stars! Episode 8 Review: Grab Bags, Death Glares and Sister Complexs

Over the past week, there have been plenty of fans getting hyped over this episode, namely for 2 reasons: (i) that Koharu gets the spotlight and (ii) Ms Mysterious Mikuru-clone/ Ms Death Glare (see right) finally appears. So, how did it turn out?

The episode begins with a Moon Beauty Class session, and this time around we're finally seeing things from Koharu's perspective. It seems that there's going to be a Romance Kiss event, and with it a first-year model contest. Naturally, everyone's excited, with the exception of Koharu, whose low self-esteem causes her to have doubts, and Ms Death Glare finally makes her real debut doing what she does best; starring daggers at Yozora as usual.

Later on, it appears that Koharu has trouble even in balancing a small water bottle on her head. Miwa-sensei then calls out Ms Death Glare, and at long last we finally know her real name: Mahiru-san, thus keeping with the Mikuru-clone motif. It appears that out of all the other first-years, she's the only one able to actually keep up with Yozora's skills by balancing a two-liter bottle; she even does the exact same pose that Yozora did sometime back in Episode 2.

Once the session ends, Mahiru is seen to have some coughing problems. Cue Koharu's ever infinte supply of candy (and throat lozenges) to the rescue. Now, if you were expecting Mahiru to be cold and simply brush off Koharu's offer as per traditional haughty ojou-sama stereotype style, well that's not the case. She gracefully if awkwardly accepts the mint, and notes that Koharu has plenty in her pockets, with the latter replying that her pockets are like a grab bag (which explains the large amount of the stuff that's she's been carrying).  

To be honest, it's pretty disappointing considering how easily and smooth-sailing Koharu's and Mahiru's first ever interaction went. Just like how Koharu's first meeting with Laura turned out to be anti-climactic, the same thing basically happens again. While the writers might intended to have for the fanbase to have a different interpretation of Mahiru, it's still pretty underwhelming, especially after all the hype and build-up to her character.



Later on, Koharu is in a daze when she spots her two BFF's undergoing some training...in the form of hauling/carrying some heavy speakers. Predictably, Yume's doing the hauling with a ox cart, while Laura...just carries one small box while letting Yume do all the heavy work (Dang, how is it that Laura can be so evil and awesome at the same time, I do not know). Koharu offers to help Yume out, and off they go.

Along the way, Laura states that the foundation of a idol is her stamina, which Koharu takes note of. Later on in their room, when Koharu tries to ask Yume for advice, she finds out that the latter is fast asleep (again). That's when she reminisces about the time when Yume asked her to join the S4 along with her. This flashback gives Koharu another burst of inspiration and increases her determination as well.



Koharu then decides to construct some poses to boost her self-confidence (and in the process reveals her rather large collection of accessories). Said poses range from Yozora's elegant style to intellectual,cute,nekocchi and even Sherlock Holmes. While this sequence can be passed off as comedic fanservice, it's basically just a rehash of Laura's own indecisiveness in the previous episode. Zero points for originality, but ten points for the laughs.

Around this point, Yume wakes up and sees Sherlock Koharu staring directly at her. Cue Yume shouting due to shock before Koharu calms her down. The latter then explains that she's getting ready for the first-year modelling contest, to which Yume congratulates her after hearing of Koharu's participation, not noticing that her friend looks slightly crestfallen.



The next morning, both Yume and Laura are taking a morning jog when they notice Koharu entering the Moon Beauty Class building. Their curiosity is aroused and so both of them decide to follow Koharu in.

The following scene reveals that Koharu's meeting up with Tamagoro-sensei to tell him about her decision to not join the audition. Her reasoning is that due to a lack of self-confidence and below-par skills, her chances of succeeding are poor.

The time spent on the interaction between the two is brief, but Miwa manages to tell her that courage trumps skill. Before Koharu can respond, he points out that Yume and Laura have come to see her (those eyes sure are sharp).

Afterwards, Yume asks Koharu why she didn't tell them about her worries. The latter replies that she couldn't find the right time, and lets her greatest weakness aka her lack of self-confidence show up again. Cue Yume to play the role of advice-giver again, and she does so by initiating a neat flashback that reveals more of their childhood memories to the viewers.

It turns out that, when those two were still kids, Koharu appeared to be more skilled than Yume at learning new dance skills (older fans will recognize that this scenario also takes place between Aoi and Ichigo). Also, seems that Koharu already had those grab bags way back in her younger days.

Koharu tries to deny that she's way better than Yume, but the latter counters by saying that she's always looked up to her in more ways than one, and also lists out all her good points one by one. Laura chimes in, stating that being different is also a good thing as well. This prompts Koharu to regain some of her self-confidence and decide to practice again, along with both of their help.

During the practice session, Koharu attempts to stablize her posture by balancing a water bottle once again. Unfortunately, she still hasn't gotten the hang of it, prompting Yume to inquire if she could try. Her attempt at doing so, however is even worse due to her balancing a two-liter bottle not meant for training. This, combined with her non-existent modelling skills, causes her to fall down. But Yume's faliure has sparked something deep within Koharu; buoyed by her friend's willingness to help, she decides to use the same bottle to train. Even with her determination, she predictably still repeatedly fails each and every time. However, perseverance is the key, and Koharu's efforts finally pay off; during her last attempt, she nearly makes it all the way before almost slipping. Fortunately, due to some quick thinking, Koharu manages to twirl and spin her way to safety.

It's worth noting that this episode has actually done a great job in giving Koharu some much needed character development along with a much broader hindsight of her own skills and personality. Koharu might not be as passionate like Yume nor super talented like Laura, but she makes up for her shortcomings by having her own set of skills and perks which helps her keep up with the others. It also helps that all the subtle hints about Koharu's true potential given in previous episodes have been revealed and ultilized to great effect in this episode, which gives her character even more depth and makes her more likeable.

On the day of the modelling contest, all the contestants turn out in full force while being judged by Yozora, Miwa and the other teachers. Pretty soon, it's Mahiru's turn, and as she shows off her superior modelling skills in full force, Yozora announces to the entire audience her full name: Kasumi Mahiru.

It goes without saying that the reveal of Mahiru's surname, and her actual relationship with Yozora is probably the most shocking twist to have happened since Episode 2's cliffhanger. This fact alone is enough to confirm that Aikatsu Stars! is moving away further and further from the original series. In the past, such drama and suspense would have been settled in just one or two episodes. Not this time. though. It appears that the established sibling rivalry (or inferiority complex on Mahiru's side) will play out for a couple of more episodes, which ought to provide some suspenseful drama for the viewers as well as provide some much-needed character development to both sisters.

When Koharu's turn comes, she manages to put quite a great show despite not being on the same level as Mahiru. However, what's actually important about this sequence is that it shows that Koharu is actually enjoying herself; the moral is that it's not always enough to have just superior talent and ability, you also need to enjoy yourself to bring out the best in you, and it's evident that from Miwa's smile that he approves of Koharu's newfound passion as well. Even when Koharu nearly trips, she once again manages to spin and twirl to safety, prompting cheers and applause from the crowd. After the participant's turns have finished, Yozora finally takes the stage for her solo performance of Future Transit. To say that it's a dreamy song is putting it mildly, for the soft and gentle lyrics combine nicely with the Yozora's romantic aura to induce a dream-like state where it seems like you can hear nothing else but the song itself and also causes your body to move and sway along to the tune of the song. Nice!

In the end, Mahiru is announced as the winner of the contest, but in a suprise move, Koharu is bestowed with the Judge's Choice Award, in acknowledgement of her resourcefulness shown during her turn. Nevertheless, it's pretty much a good way to end a quite satisfying episode.

Verdict:

The Good: ​The Bad: ​Score: 7.5/10
 * Koharu's character is deservingly given more depth and insight.
 * Mahiru's shocking reveal as Yozora's younger sister is a very interesting twist that potentially sets up a future plotline.
 * Future Transit is a moderately good song which also improves on the song selection of previous episodes.
 * Mahiru's first appearance is quite underwhelming; her character is probably the least expressive out of all the cast so far.
 * Miwa doesn't make much of a impact unlike other teachers like Anna and Momoko.
 * No Koharu solo performance. Granted, it's acceptable given the current lack of a singing voice, but she still hasn't performed yet.

Conclusion

'''Episode 8: A Small Radiance manages to flesh out Koharu's character development and makes her even more likeable to the fanbase. The series debut of Kasumi Mahiru also stands out; the shocking yet interesting twist about her relationship with Yozora also clears the mysteries surrounding her character and sets up an potential sibling rivalry to be explored in later episodes. Overall, Epsiode 8 is a solid episode that manages to combine splendid character development with well-written plot twists into a satisfying experience.'''

Afterword:

It's still fair to say that I was totally blown away by the relevation that Mahiru was actually Yozora's sister. I also really loved how this episode made us view things from Koharu's perspective like they did with Laura in the previous epsiode; there are so just so many hidden depths of Koharu that enable her to keep up with the other main characters. Let's hope that in the future, her popularity among the fanbase will grow even further. Well then, see you until the next episode airs! Adios!