AKB0048 Ep 13

I have finally made it to the last episode of the first season! 

The episode starts with Tsubasa informing the understudies that they will not be able to continue the concert on Lancastar because DES is coming after them. Everyone is upset, and Yuuka is the one that brings up the possibility that Lancastar will be completely under the Entertainment Ban if they do not finish the concert. This means that they will never be able to come back to Lancastar. 

After the understudies have successfully come back to the Katyusha, Tsubasa is not sure what to do and remembers what Acchan said about performing at a concert where no one is waiting for them:

After taking their showers, Sonata tells Suzuko and Mimori how scared she was when faced with someone from DES who said they hated them: 

Sonata thought that being part of AKB0048 would be part of a world full of smiles, happiness, and love. Suzuko speaks up and says that AKB0048 is exactly what Sonata thought it would be. It is DES that are in the wrong for hating them, and Sonata needs to hold her head high. Chieri says that she has always wanted to go back to Lancastar as she could never forget the summer she spent with Nagisa, Orine, and Yuuka. For herself more than anything else, she wants to hold a concert on Lancastar. 

In another part of the ship, Yuuko spots Takamina struggling to get somewhere and asks:

Yuuko tells Takamina that the understudies need to pull through this themselves or it will be meaningless. However, Yuuko decides to go with Takamina to see Tsubasa because Yuuko knows what Takamina is planning on doing after this concert. 

Yuuko wants to make sure that if this is Takamina's last concert, then Takamina should go out with a bang.

Tsubasa reminisces Acchan's words that was mentioned earlier. The Kirara start to glow around Tsubasa, and Tsubasa hears Acchan say the words "that is why I will open the door." 

(This is referring to the line in "Sakura no Hanabiratachi" that are along the lines of "I will open the door to a new world with my own hands.")

Just as Tsubasa hears that, a transmission from Kanata comes through on the monitor:

Tsubasa says that it is too dangerous as they will be captured by DES, but Chieri says the magic words: "we want to see them." Takamina and Yuuko also contact Tsubasa to tell her to let them go. Other successors also patch through and concur with Takamina and Yuuko. All the monitors start to glow and Acchan's voice echoes throughout the ship.

All the understudies feel the same, they want to go and see the people of Lancastar so that their feelings will reach them. As they all feel the same, the Katyusha's Kirara Drive descends upon Lancastar.

(During this scene, a quiet orchestra version of Team A's "Pioneer" plays in the background. It is then followed by Team K's "Korogaru Ishi ni Nare" when the scene changes to Mii-chan noticing the light on Lancastar. Both these songs are team songs with the message: "do not give up no matter what people say.") 

Mii-chan understands what this light means and tells everyone to run towards it.

Everyone runs towards the light and DES is unable to keep them in check. 

Tsubasa realizes just how much of an impact Acchan still has on AKB0048 

(*coughaswellasAKB48*) even though she is no longer there. 

Just as everyone is wondering whether that was Acchan's voice, Tsubasa says that they are going in.

"Party ga hajimaru yo" is the name of AKB48's very first song, as well as 
the name of Team A's first stage performance at the AKB48 Theatre. 

(This stage was the start of everything for AKB48, so it fits well with the idea of going back to where everything began, which parallels Nagisa, Orine, Yuuka, and Chieri's desire to perform on Lancastar.)  

The overture is in full swing. Just as Mii-chan makes her way there, she says some very familiar lines...

Miichan: "zenryoku de hashiru"

Miichan: "koe no kagiri sakebu no"

Ah ha! Those are lyrics from Oogoe Diamond. 

The understudies are back starting with "Nagisa no Cherry" with Chieri as center. 

Just a reminder that Chieri is voiced by Watanabe Mayu (nickname: Mayuyu) from Team B (now in Team A, but this anime aired before the 2012 shuffle). Anyway, Team B did not have any original stages until their 3rd Stage, and their 2nd Stage was the same as Team A's 2nd Stage, which was "Aitakatta" which featured "Nagisa no Cherry." In Team B's version of "Nagisa no Cherry," the one singing all the solo lines is Mayuyu. Coincidence much?

(Wow. That place got packed pretty quickly.) 

The WOTA infiltrate the detainment facility, and Mamoru successfully rescues Nagisa's father, convincing him that he has to be there to see Nagisa's first ever performance. After Chieri finishes singing the first half of "Nagisa no Cherry," she decides to let Nagisa sing because being rivals will not let their feelings reach their audience. Nagisa hesitates as she still does not have her voice back, but Chieri shows Nagisa all the people watching her, especially her mother and father. Nagisa takes the mic, magically has her outfit changed to the right colour, and gets in tune with the song by thinking about being on the beach. 

As Nagisa sings, Chieri's Kirara splits in two and forms Nagisa's Kirara. 

(It looks like the performance of "Nagisa no Cherry" was a success.)

For the understudies encore, they perform the new song by Sensei-sensei.

Everyone is surprised at how brilliant the understudies are shining, as well as they all have Kiraras.

A DES attack hits the Katyusha in the middle of the understudies' song. Just as Chieri is about to fight with her mic saber, Kanata stops her and says that the song they are singing means a lot more than they think, and instead they should focusing on singing the song and they will distract DES by performing on floating platforms, while the successors handle the defense. Nagisa and Sonata both call Kanata "Captain" and follow through with the plan. (This "captain" could refer to Shii-chan as captain of the kenkyuusei, but more likely that Kanata has the mindset of a captain, which is why she would be succeeding Takamina's name.)

Tsubasa sees the Holy Grounds appearing on one of the monitors showing that...

Sensei-sensei continually says "Center Nova" and the picture of all the understudies appear before Tsubasa.

The understudies proceed to sing their last song: "Kibou ni Tsuite"

(Why so gloomy? Your daughter is singing to you!)

(Aww.. The factory ladies are cheering on Orine.) 

The successors protecting the understudies.

Yukirin: "Muchuu ni sasechau zo"

Nagisa sees her mother getting attacked and tries to help, but ends up getting pushed away.

Chieri comes in and helps Nagisa. With their hearts as one, their Kiraras appear
and create a shield to protect them from DES' attacks. 

Yuuko comes in and slices off the arms of the DES machine, and notices how strong the micsabers are.

(Well, that is an interesting tidbit: micsabers are powered by the Kirara.)

(Oh Mayuyu, your arm is a cannon and you disguise your ammo as skirt ruffles.)

 Once the successors have taken care of the situation, the understudies are free to focus on the last part of the song. They feel that their feelings are reaching the audience, and resonating as one. 

(Finally, Nagisa's father is not frowning.)

Mii-chan freaks out that the understudies might disappear if they glow any brighter...

...but they are still there in one piece, and successfully completed their first concert. 

Mii-chan wonders where the past center novas are after seeing such radiance from the understudies.

Tsubasa says that they just barely made it through, but if one of the understudies do become the next Center Nova, she will make sure to find out the truth. Back on Lancastar, Mii-chan notices that the sparkles in the sand are Dualium, and might be the reason why a Center Nova phenomenon occurred there. (Not sure whether they are referring Acchan's disappearance or the understudies just shining so bright.)

Nagisa reunites with her mother. 

Nagisa: "Aitakatta yo, Mama"

Nagisa's mother is proud of Nagisa, but when Nagisa sees her father approaching she hides behind her mom. Nagisa says that she is sorry, but Nagisa's tough-love father says the following:

Just as Nagisa is about to answer, she notices portals in the sky.

Yukirin, as acting captain, calls everyone concerning the following:

She tells everyone to retreat to avoid putting the fans in anymore danger. 

Nagisa is in shock because she just got to meet her parents after so long, but tough-love strikes again:

(I guess that is one way to tell your daughter to keep following her dream. @.@)

Nagisa thanks her parents and says farewell, but she hesitates and is practically in tears. 

Tough love from her father strikes again!

Nagisa runs towards the ship with tears in her eyes. 

The other members are also saying their farewells. 

In the case of Yuuka, she high-fives Mamoru and quickly leaves without making eye contact.

(These Yuuka-Mamoru moments make me so upset. You can tell they have feelings for each other, but love is forbidden in the idol world, although it is not explicitly talked about in this series though.) 

Orine says goodbye to a pretty-damaged Sakura, while all the other members, successors and understudies, high five, sign shirts, and wave goodbye to the fans as they sing their last song, "Yakusoku yo." Tsubasa comes to tell Takamina personally that she is still Takamina.

The episode ends with everyone waving goodbye as the Katyusha leaves Lancastar.

The credits show clips of each of the understudies throughout the entire season to the song "Niji no Ressha." After the credits, a special report announces that the elections are back. And which of the understudies will become Maeda Atsuko the 14th!? You will just have to wait until the next season!

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So, I really really liked this anime. I loved all the AKB48 references, whether obvious or not. I cannot wait to review the next season. Thank you to everyone who has been reading by AKB0048 reviews and I will see you in the Next Stage. ;D