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Aqours 5th LoveLive!! Revisits the Highs of the Love Live! Sunshine!! Film
posted on by Kim Morrissy
The “Love Live! Sunshine!! Aqours 5th LoveLive! ~Next SPARKLING!!~” event relives the biggest moments of Love Live! Sunshine!! The School Idol Movie Over the Rainbow with clips and musical numbers from the film. It also took place on June 8-9, which is close to Mari Ohara's birthday (June 13). The girls celebrated the birthday at the event. Happy birthday, Mari!
(c) 2019 PROJECT Lovelive! Sunshine!! Movie
(c) 2017 PROJECT Lovelive! Sunshine!!
This was my first time going to a Love Live! live performance, but I was impressed at how smoothly the girls transitioned between numbers despite the numerous costume changes that took place. There was never a down moment in the entire performance. Between songs, clips from the film would play on a large screen, and there were even some original animated sketches to show off the funny side of the characters as well. For example, one skit showed the girls in a Spaghetti Western setting fighting over who would get to marry Mari.
There were also some creative usage of props. For example, “Yosoku Fukanō Driving!” by Kanan Matsuura (played by Nanaka Suwa), Dia Kurosawa (played by Arisa Komiya), and Mari Ohara (played by Aina Suzuki) involved the girls circling the venue while riding a car-shaped trolley. Seeing this, I got the impression that everyone was going all out to give a memorable performance.
(c) 2019 PROJECT Lovelive! Sunshine!! Movie
(c) 2017 PROJECT Lovelive! Sunshine!!
Roughly half a dozen Love Live! Sunshine!! The School Idol Movie Over the Rainbow insert songs were peppered throughout the performance. The live show began with “Bokura no Hashittekita Michi wa…”, which is performed by the 1st and 2nd year students. Around the end of the song, the 3rd year students appeared, and from there the group launched into the fan-favorite songs “Thrilling・One Way” and “Aozora Jumping Heart.” After the self-introductions, the girls launched into “SKY JOURNEY” and “Daydream Warrior,” two more earlier songs.
From there, the live performance was almost entirely dedicated to new material. For “Tōsō Meisō Moebius Loop,” the 3rd year students took the spotlight performing the song they sing in the film when they're off on their own adventure in Italy. This was followed with three songs that came with the CD bundled with the pre-ordered tickets for the film: “Yosoku Fukanō Driving!”, “Marine Border Parasol”, and “Hajimari Road.” These songs were performed by the 3rd year, the 2nd year, and the 1st year students respectively.
(c) 2019 PROJECT Lovelive! Sunshine!! Movie
(c) 2017 PROJECT Lovelive! Sunshine!!
(c) 2019 PROJECT Lovelive! Sunshine!! Movie
(c) 2017 PROJECT Lovelive! Sunshine!!
After another interlude, the live show went back to some familiar material. “HAPPY PARTY TRAIN” is from Aqours' 3rd single. It was followed by two songs from the second season of the TV anime: “”MY LIST” to you!” and “Mirai no Bokura wa Shitteru yo.”
Then Aqours' rival group Saint Snow made an appearance, stealing the show with their iconic song “SELF CONTROL!!” from the TV anime's first season, and then following it up with their new song from the film “Believe again.” A film clip then showed the sister unit in Saint Snow having a heartfelt conversation, which then moves to the scene with Aqours on the rooftop, performing the impactful song “Brightest Melody”.
(c) 2019 PROJECT Lovelive! Sunshine!! Movie
(c) 2017 PROJECT Lovelive! Sunshine!!
Then came my favorite moment in the entire show: Aqours and Saint Snow teamed up to perform “Over The Next Rainbow,” the song that inspired the film. The song starts off as a slow-paced ballad, and gradually builds up to an uplifting climax. The “cool” appeal of Saint Snow also comes through in the song as well, making it a great blend of all the musical styles represented in Love Live! Sunshine!!.
The final number was “Jump up HIGH!!”, the theme song from Aqours Jumpin' up Project. Except it wasn't. The girls came back for an encore to perform four more songs: “Sotsugyō Desu ne,” “Guilty!? Farewell party,” “Sakura Bye Bye,” and “Next SPARKLING!!” The last song was the ending theme for the film, which made it a fitting note to go out on. The girls even replicate the scene where everyone places their hands over each other's to indicate that they will always be together, making it a very emotional experience.
(c) 2019 PROJECT Lovelive! Sunshine!! Movie
(c) 2017 PROJECT Lovelive! Sunshine!!
Aqours will continue to perform in the future. Fans in Los Angeles can look forward to seeing them at Anime Expo on July 5-6. They will also perform at the Love Live!Fes in January next year alongside Saint Snow, Nijigasaki Academy's Idol Appreciation Club, and μ's.
