30 Days of Love Live! Challenge
Day 10: Favorite Season 2 Episode
Ok so this was actually super difficult to narrow down. Season 2 is amazing and has a lot of really good episodes to offer. I wanted to avoid a tie if I could, but alas, it just wasn't doable. With that being said, the two episodes are...
Episode 8: My Wish
As a Nozomi fan, I wouldn't be doing her justice if I neglected this episode. Throughout the anime, Nozomi is always there to give a lending hand (or a washi-washi), but for what purpose? Why did she want to cultivate this group so badly? Simply, to create a miracle. A miracle that would bring together people much like herself, people that were awkward and struggled with themselves to fit or to reach out. Seeing Nozomi grow up with out so much as anyone to call a friend, while I won't say hits close to home, I can sympathize with the pain the she must have felt. Luckily, she then finds Eli and realizes that they both share the same issue, and is able to reach out to her because of it, leading to a long (and maybe gay?), friendship.
At the end of the day, all Nozomi really wanted was people to call friends, and with those friends, create something meaningful and unforgettable. That might sound selfish, but being selfish isn't always a negative thing. Nozomi wanted to belong, and to have people that she could laugh and have fun with. And by being selfish, Nozomi was able to create the miracle that is µ's.
...and Episode 11: That Which We Decided
I'm not saying that making me cry automatically makes an episode or a show good, but from what I've learned, it almost does? What I love about this episode is that everyone's feelings are made clear. As much as everyone loves µ's, the remaining members know in their hearts that µ's is not µ's without nine. In order for µ's to be what they created, all nine members must be present. So while the 1st and 2nd years may want to continue being idols, µ's is not the platform to continue doing so. µ's wanted to hold that light the made them one, only when they were completely one, together. That's one of the reasons that I love µ's so much: they push aside their desire to continue in order to preserve "what was", and what they all shared.
As the runner-up, we have Episode 4: No. 1 Idol in the Universe
If you missed my post from yesterday, I had quite a bit to talk about in regards to Nico, and I suppose that my love from this episode sort of stems from that. This may not be a super impactful episode, but it's difficult (for me at least), to not sympathize with Nico. To attain the light that she so desperately wanted to achieve, she herself ended up in darkness. But, a new glimmer of light appeared when µ's reached their hands out to Nico for guidance. While Nico took advantage of this opportunity in order to achieve her original goal, she comes to realize that without µ's, she would never have been gotten the chance. So, I suppose that this episode is about casting aside your old self and embracing who you are, and the people around you, or something like that?