AKB0048 Ep 14

So sorry for the wait. >.< Let's move on to the 2nd season of AKB0048!

It starts off with a brief explanation of the current situation of the galaxy in the Stellar Calendar Year 0048.

(This line is particularly important, as it is the reason why the 75th and 77th generation members perform.)

Nagisa then talks about how she felt performing during the first understudies concert. 

(This line is also extremely important. 

It is actually part of an explanation to a certain phenomenon mentioned in the series.) 

In this moment of pure bliss, Nagisa is suddenly swept into a place full of winding staircases. 

(This is metaphoric for something that will happen throughout this season.)

Nagisa notices other girls going up these stairs (looks like the successors/senbatsu members based on their outfits). She does her best to catch up to them, but some of the girls end up falling as their staircase gives way underneath them. Nagisa desperately calls out to everyone, and then asks Kirara to light the way for her. Acchan appears and says that Kiraras are not the only things that shine. 

 Acchan then tells Nagisa to sing at the top of her lungs so that her presence may be known. 

(That's cryptic... ^_^")

We then find out that this was all a dream as Nagisa was found sleeping on the stairs.

The rest of the members are getting ready for their concert in one way or another. Suzuko and Makoto are practicing chest exercises, Kanata is stretching, Orine is putting on her concert outfit, Sonata is looking for her bunny ears, and Mimori is putting on makeup. 

The understudies perform several songs for their concert starting with "Shonichi".

(Shonichi is the Team B 3rd Stage song that was alluded to at the very beginning of the series.)

During the performance, we see that Sayaka, Yuuko and Sae are spying on the understudies' concert. Yuuko shouts at the top of her lungs, and Sayaka covers her mouth or else Yuuko will blow their cover. 

(Original Team K members! :D)

As Tsubasa watches the performance from the command station, she reminisces how these once normal girls have gone through so much and are able to deliver happiness with their amazing smiles. She then remembers how the Center Nova phenomenon occurred at the understudies' first concert, where each of them gave birth to their own Kirara and created a flood of light that has not been seen since Acchan's disappearance, which is a surprise since none of them have succeeded a name yet, so she wonders how they can be shining so brightly.

The last song in the understudies' set list is "Niji no Ressha" ("The Rainbow Train"), which was the ending song of the last episode of the first season. As Yuuko watches the performance, she cannot shake the feeling that Nagisa and Chieri might have Center Nova potential and hence be her rival.

After their performance, a surprising message appears:

Tsubasa announces that in response to the anti-entertainment movement and the DES attacks growing fiercer, AKB0048 will go in a new direction by bringing back the General Elections (Senbatsu Sousenkyou).

The understudies, as well as Sayaka and Sae, are surprised by the announcement, but Yuuko is all fired up about it. She jumps for joy and the crowd notices her. Sayaka grabs Yuuko and makes a run for it while saying "Uhho ho". (I mentioned this in my review of episode 2 that it is the title of a song inspired by Akimoto Sayaka's "gorilla-ness". Surprisingly, this song will make a big appearance later on this season.)

Suzuko explains how the elections work:

This is a simplified explanation. In reality, the top 64 girls out of 250+ of the entire AKB Group will be in the election single. Senbatsu members (girls ranked 1 to 16) will be in the A-side of the single, while Undergirls (rank 17-32), Next Girls (rank 33-48) and Future Girls (rank 49-64) will each have their own song as the B-sides. If it was not obvious, girls ranked 1, 17, 33 and 49 will take the center position.

The Elections have not occurred since Acchan's disappearance and the abolition of the Center Nova position. Kanata wonders why they are suddenly bringing both of these back. Because of Acchan's disappearance, they had deemed that the Center Nova position was too dangerous. Yuuka says how it does not matter much to them anyways, especially since their chance of getting elected is low.

However, there is something else they need to worry about: the rankings, quantifying the popularity of the members. Kanata tells them to stop worrying about it and to head to dinner.

(Mmm... Looks good.)

Nyan-nyan notices that there is a karaoke machine and will probably sing later. Suddenly, Yuuko takes the microphone and announces that she will give everything she has to become Center Nova, and she will be viewing everyone as her rivals, even the understudies who know that they are nowhere near Yuuko's level. Yuuko admits that she may no longer be a good mentor (most likely because she will be focusing on herself to obtain the title and not bother helping out anyone else).

Takamina consults with Tsubasa about Kanata's future.

Tsubasa says of course, especially since

Tsubasa tells Takamina to be there for Kanata and wishes her good luck for the Elections as the captain of AKB0048.

In the recreation room, the understudies all have different reactions to Yuuko considering them as rivals. Yuuka lost her appetite, Mimori was shocked, while Nagisa was flattered. However, Nagisa really does not like this whole "ranking" business.

It then cuts to Yukirin, Sonata, Mayuyu and Chieri getting dressed from soaking in the hot springs. However, DES forces come out of nowhere, and kidnap them all, except for Mayuyu as well as Suzuko who was still in the hot springs.

In Japanese: "Zannen shoujo kanarazu tasuke Mayuyu."

"Zannen Shoujo" is a unit song from Team B's 4th Stage with Watanabe Mayu as center. Also, Watanabe Mayu characteristically ends her sentences with "Mayuyu", which is her nickname.

We see Yukirin, Sonata and Chieri handcuffed. Chieri kicks Soldier #1 as he touched Yukirin. However, Yukirin gets up and says the following: 

That is one way to inform them about the rules that Japanese idols follow.

Soldier #2 stops Soldier #1 as he mentions that one of the girls they have kidnapped is Sono Chieri and she is Zodiac's... They do not say the rest, but hearing "Zodiac" makes Chieri worried.

Tsubasa knows that obviously AKB0048 will be charged as guilty for encouraging entertainment when it is currently banned. DGTO is trying to make a show out of this trial. 

It then cuts to Nagisa's father working for the Entertainment Department of Lancastar.

However, his co-worker and him turn on the television to see that AKB0048 is being put on trial. 

(Oh, so Yukirin's real name is Kuroki Ayako. I find it interesting that she has the kanji for black ("kuro") in her family name, as many members think that Kashiwagi Yuki is black-hearted.)

(Woah. DES is serious. It looks like they do not want anyone to interfere with the trial.)

Chieri is getting pissed and wants to say something, but Yukirin advises her to stay quiet. 

(Look at that face. So much evil!)

(This particularly line is extremely important for what happens at the end of this season.)

Chieri has had enough and decides to speak up:

Chieri announces that she is proud to be an AKB0048 member, taking the judge and Yukirin by surprise. 

Tsubasa knows that it will be difficult to breach the security on Kasumigastar, but WOTA reserve forces are helping out by creating a diversion near spaceroutes.

This will give them to chance to launch in with LAS and enter into Kasumigastar's atmosphere.

Back to the trial:

Tsubasa is pissed when she finds out that the trial is being broadcast live and throughout the entire galaxy. Yuuko does not like how they are making a show out of this trial.

Since Chieri is just an understudy, the attorney says that if she admits that she was deceived by AKB0048, then her sentence may be reduced. Chieri says that AKB0048 is her "field of dreams" ("yume no field"). She has learned so much from AKB0048, especially having faith and trusting her teammates in order to survive. Everyone needs to work together to reach the hearts of their fans. She aims to become a successor and get elected, so that she can create a "precedent of success" ("seikou no zenrei") for those who will follow after her. Yuuko notices that Chieri is drawing on the lyrics of "Pioneer", and that this broadcast most likely secured Chieri a spot in the elections. Nagisa is slightly pissed that Yuuko could be talking about elections at a time when Chieri and the others' lives are in danger. However, Yuuko says there is no danger, since she is definitely going to rescue them. 

Since these three show no signs of remorse for the "horrible" things they have done, they are sentenced to 48 years in prison. Suddenly, "Pioneer" starts playing and AKB0048 members are on their way to rescuing Chieri, Yukirin and Sonata. 

"Pioneer" is the song that describes the early days of AKB48 where the 22 girls who made it through the auditions were eventually called Team A. In their first theater performance, only 7 people showed up. It would take 4 years for them to get the #1 spot on the Oricon charts and become popular.

While the members evade DES' attacks, Yuuko is targeted by missiles and uses that chance to have the missiles blow up an entrance into the courtroom. Yuka and Orine tell the camera that DES is the one causing all the damage and that AKB0048 is only here to sing and show their love to everyone. 

(This is just a detail, but as Nagisa's father is watching Nagisa on television, you see that he is holding a book about "Entertainment's Role in Labor Efficiency". He is working hard to show that entertainment is beneficial to the workforce and he will appear again concerning this topic later on in the season.)

(I wonder what this computer is measuring...)

Nagisa realizes that...

But more than that...

(Left: Sonata is so cute holding on to Kanata. Right: Mayuyu saving Yukirin is priceless.)

As AKB0048 successfully complete their rescue mission, we see Mii-chan with her camera as usual.

However, she seems to have an evil face going on. 

(This line is quite literal and we have seen it already.)

(That must have been the computer we saw earlier with the rainbow-coloured waves.)

What does this mean? Chieri's father's company, Zodiac Corporation, is the one providing weaponry for DES, which would mean Chieri's father is against entertainment. However, he makes it sound like he is glad that Chieri is in AKB0048. I am guessing this has something to do with the Kirara Effect, but I am not sure what that means other than the Kirara glowing super bright, and maybe those waves being measured.

This first episode of the second season of AKB0048 has started up quite a few things: elections, Center Nova position, succession and Chieri's father, if not Zodiac, planning something. 

I'm curious as to how all this will play out.