Prettycatchy's blog!: AKB0048 Ep 7

This episode starts out with Nagisa waking up, and looking at her wall full of Yuuko pictures.

Linda notices that Nagisa's oshimen is Yuuko, and takes a picture. Nagisa asks Linda who her oshimen is, and Linda says Sonata, as she is placing her bets early. Nagisa is amazed. Sonata comes in hopping like a frog, saying that Tsubasa is calling for them. However, Chieri is still asleep with Kirara.

What does "oshimen" mean? Oshimen is the merging of the words "oshi" and "member". Oshi comes from the verb "osu" which means "to support". Nagisa's oshimen is Yuuko = Nagisa is a Yuuko supporter/fan.

Tsubasa informs the understudies about a few of the successors being invited to a peace ceremony, but there is a concert that is happening at the same time, and they cannot cancel it. Therefore, some of the understudies will be replacing the spots of the successors, which is the original meaning of the understudies. (I briefly talked about this in my blog post of AKB0048 Ep 1.) Tsubasa explains that for AKB0048, only those who have completed their combat training can be on stage. However, since the tide is turning in favour of entertainment, this allows the understudies to become stand-ins at concerts if ever a successor is unavailable.

Tsubasa announces the replacements as follows:

Waniguchi Megumi, from the 76th generation, will be Yukirin's stand-in, and Chieri will be Yuuko's stand-in.

The 77th generation is happy for Chieri, but Megumi speaks up for the 76th generation asking why a 77th generation member gets picked.

Tsubasa explains that seniority has nothing to do with who becomes a successor, as well as who becomes a stand-in. Although the selection for succession is based on the essence of your soul, the selection for stand-in is based on skill alone. Tsubasa tells the 76th generation to practice more.

I mentioned this in my blog post on episode 4 where in AKB48, someone from a later generation (Takajo Aki, 6th gen) can be promoted before someone from an earlier generation (Oya Shizuka, 4th gen).

Tsubasa talks to Ushiyama-sensei about bringing back the understudy system, and he is not surprised that the girls would object to it. However, Tsubasa says that Sensei-sensei kept asking for the understudies. Tsubasa is concerned with how much Sensei-sensei is expressing his will lately, especially with the new lyrics he is writing.

The rest of the 77th generation (which means everyone except Chieri) get the day off. Yuka finds it unfair, and wants to at least practice, even if it is in a small corner. Yuka and Makoto wanted to stuff themselves silly in the lounge, but they see the 76th generation, and they change their mind. The 77th generation decide to go outside to avoid the awkward situation with the 76th generation. Yuka then suggests the idea of karaoke. Everyone agrees, except for Nagisa who decides to stay behind. Linda thinks it is because Nagisa's oshimen is Yuuko, and Chieri is the one replacing her.

The successors and the 4 understudies practice the dance to "RIVER". Kanata, Megumi, and Chieri can feel that these practices are at a much higher level than they are used to.

Megumi and Mimori practice in front of the mirror, while Ushiyama-sensei claps the beats.

Chieri practices in front of Yuuko, but feels that Chieri is not showing enough emotion.

Kanata is practicing in front of Takamina, and executes the moves perfectly. Takamina is proud that Kanata is her stand-in. Takamina says how the original Takamina had more passion and leadership than anyone else, and the current Takamina can feel that from Kanata, the captain of the understudies.

I mentioned Oya Shizuka in episode 4, and she was considered the captain of the understudies because of how long she had been one, and her seniority as a 4th generation member.

Even though practice for that morning was over, Chieri tried to stay behind and practice some more, but Yuuko catches her and tells her that if Chieri does not eat well, then she will not last the entire set list. You got to eat, and build muscles! (Sounds like something Sayaka would say. ^_^")

All the successors are eating at the cafeteria, as well as Nagisa. As Nagisa returns her plate, she glances at Yuuko, realizing that she is far from being up to par with the successors. The 4 stand-ins walk in, and Nagisa greets them and asks how practices were. Kanata says how the practice was intense.

You can see how Megumi is watching the practice video to make sure she has memorized all the moves. In AKB48, they have DVD players with the performances, so that the members can check the moves before going on stage, especially when it is a song they have never done before.

Chef Papa gives Chieri her meal with very few peppers, since she does not like them. However, Yuuko tells Chef Papa how the food was so good, and the peppers were delicious. Chieri ends up asking for extra peppers. (It must be because she wants to be like Yuuko, and even challenge herself by eating things she does not like, but that Yuuko loves.)

Yuuko is eating popcorn, and at the same time humming "Heavy Rotation" where the first verse talks about popcorn.

Yuuko almost caught Chieri following her. It looks like Chieri is doing her best to be as much like Yuuko as possible.

Nagisa ends up catching Chieri doing a sexy pose similar to what Yuuko did. Of course, Chieri is extremely embarrassed, as well as Kirara.

Nagisa is happy to know how hard Chieri is working to become like Yuuko. She even says "congratulations" to Chieri for becoming a stand-in.

Nagisa and Chieri get back to the dorms. Chieri is confronted by the 76th generation.

They found out that Chieri's father's company makes DES' weapons, and accuse Chieri of being a DES spy. The 76th generation even show Kanata the article. Kanata is speechless. Chieri runs to her room in silence.

Nagisa goes to see Chieri, and Chieri tells her everything from how she wanted to join AKB0048 after watching that concert together to asking her father to let her audition to her secretly attending another AKB0048 concert and noticing that the DES machines were from her father's company.

Chieri is well aware that she does not belong because she is the daughter of the person who makes machines for AKB0048's sworn enemy, DES. Nagisa does not feel the same way, and wants to become a successor with Chieri and stand on the same stage. Chieri tells Nagisa to give her some time alone.

The rest of the 77th generation are at karaoke, and end up having a playlist full of AKB48 songs.

1. Ougon Center ("Golden Center")

2. Manatsu no Sounds Good ("Midsummer Sounds Good')

3. RIVER

4. Flying Get

5. Everyday, Katyusha

6. Shoujotachi yo ("Girls")

7. Beginner

Orine mentions that it is not bad to be practicing like this. Yuka says that this is just karaoke, not practice. Linda points out that practice would be best for them if they want to become stand-ins. Orine, Yuka, and Makoto end up singing "Mezase Under!" when it was suppose to be "Mezase Center!" ("Aim to be center").

Back to the practice for the concert, it seems that Chieri never came. Kanata is worried, and tells Ushiyama-sensei that she is going to go get her, but Ushiyama-sensei stops her saying that he understands that she is worried about Cheiri, but Kanata cannot abandon her duty as a stand-in just like Chieri did. He even adds in that Kanata is close to being promoted. However, Kanata says that her duty as the captain of the understudies comes first, and she goes off to find Chieri. Mimori and Megumi are left to continue practicing.

Takamina says to Yuuko, Yukirin, and Mayuyu that Kanata's skills are already at the successor level. However, they do not really know how succession is decided, and so Takamina wants to discuss it with Tsubasa to make Kanata a successor. Yuuko is so moved that she tries to give Takamina a kiss. Yukirin and Mayuyu decide to join in on the kissing too.

The four of them follow Tsubasa into a forbidden area. While Takamina is thinking whether they should continue following Tsubasa, Mayuyu simply walks in without a word, and the rest of them follow. They end up getting lost in a large space they did not even know existed under the concert hall.

They see Kiraras of all different shapes and sizes. They even merge together to show reflections of the original Oshima Yuko, Kashiwagi Yuki, and Watanabe Mayu to Yuuko, Yukirin, and Mayuyu, respectively. It seems like the Kiraras are mirrors of the soul.

Takamina finds this pretty interesting until she sees only her face reflected in the mirror. Then, all 4 of the mirrors join together to reflect the original Takamina, which then switches into Kanata. Takamina is in shock.

It switches to Chieri packing, and Kanata asking her what she is planning on doing. Chieri plans to leave because she never mentioned what her father does, and she feels that she does not belong. Kanata tells Chieri how this has nothing to do with her father. Kanata's father was killed by DES, and she joined AKB0048 in order to avenge him. However, Chieri's remark about learning from the more experienced members knocked some sense into Kanata, making her realize that being in AKB0048 is not all about revenge, and she is now aiming to become a successor. Chieri should feel the same way, since it is the reason why she did not mention about her father to anyone. This is her dream, and her father, even if he supplies weapons to DES, should have nothing to do with it.

Chieri cries her heart out, and Kanata tells her that:

Back to Takamina in shock, Tsubasa catches them and tells them that they should not be on the sacred grounds. However, Takamina wants to know why the original Takamina turned into Kanata.

However, as Kanata's "power" increased, Kanata's image began to show as her soul is the closest to the original Takamina.

This means that when the current Takamina graduates, Kanata will become the next Takamina. In other words, Kanata will not be promoted until Takamina graduates. Of course, no one wishes for the current Takamina to graduate.

Takamina says that Tsubasa is always pushing the fact that succession is because of the essence of the soul. But Tsubasa says that:

The current Takamina was once chosen to by the Kirara of Succession. No matter what, Takamina must keep her chin up for the sake of AKB0048. Takamina slaps Tsubasa away, and runs away from the sacred grounds.