Board Thread:Fun and Games/@comment-24187738-20180225155956/@comment-34824390-20180226051000

My best girl is Tsushima Yohane. My discord is Aririnin#2834.

Sunshine changed my life by giving me the motivation to keep moving despite failure or undesired results. I was taught to lead and go on with confidence when I was in AFJROTC in high school and when I was promoted to commander I did just that, but my biggest weakness was failure or results that did not meet my expectations. I was diligent and always put my best everyday and usually met with results I expected or better, but when I reach undesired results, I would lose my confidence. As a commander, I had learned how to cope with my weaknesses a little better by the time of promotion, but I was still held down when it happened. Fast forward a few years and I came around to watching Sunshine after SIP, the movie, and some “reminders” from my friend. I really loved Aqours after the two seasons, especially Yoshiko, Chika, and Dia.

Yoshiko taught me that despite the misfortunes that will befall you in life you have to keep moving forward with a smile on your face and to also like what you like. She has the worst luck, but instead of treating it like a weight she steps forward and keeps going and treats her bad luck as something that makes her special. She inspired me to move forward as well whenever I fail. I did not get an A or B in my anatomy class in college so I was not able to get into the competitive nursing program I wanted to get into. I was heartbroken and had little motivation to get much done, but I decided I would enlist in the Air Force and forge my own path and learn more about myself while also working towards getting into a nursing program and rank up to be an Officer in the Air Force. Yoshiko also likes her fallen angel persona, Yohane, and buys items related to her hobbies. She tried to forcefully get rid of her fallen angel self, but it was a part of her and she was able to accept it as she found a group of friends that would accept her no matter what. I used to be a little timid when admitting I liked anime and collected merchandise, but now I can say it casually and find a surprising amount of people that also like anime. My favorite girl is Yoshiko because she does things I wish I was able to do back in high school, especially as a commander.

Chika taught me to be more honest with myself and with others. Her struggle in the first season really resonated with me as someone who was also a leader and had people who relied on me. “What should I do? What should I say to them? How should I respond to this?” were the questions I also asked myself when my Flight suffered a huge loss to our rankings in our monthly competitions. We knew we did not do as well as the other Flights and when we got the results I was frustrated and wanted to cry. I blamed myself for not doing better and carried the weight of the loss all pent up inside me. When Chika admitted her frustration and cried with her friends around her I also felt a tear run down my cheek. I related to her personally under slightly different circumstances and really felt sad when she felt sad. Chika is the leader I strived to be back in high school: someone who looks after their friends without being told to, someone who pays attention to the group and does something, someone who has the resolve to accomplish what needs to be done, and to turn a loss to a win in the long run together as a group.

Dia is someone I saw a bit of myself in. She comes off as a very serious and no nonsense person, but she can be goofy, awkward, and can act like a dork. My time in AFJROTC and high school in general was filled with many confessions of first impressions. Most people tell me they were afraid of me, I was very intimidating and serious, a diligent and no nonsense guy, but after some time they tell me that I can be awkward, shy, and goofy. Watching Dia has always been a joy after seeing the other side of her. Dia’s episode in the second season was also a relatable episode for me. As a commander, I was treated a little differently compared to my second and third in command and of course my cadets. When Chika told Dia the reason she is called “Dia-san” is because she is loved and respected by her underclassmen, I had the biggest smile on my face and remembered when my Flight told me the same thing as they presented to me a signed frameable print. Seeing all their gratitude made me feel blessed to have a wonderful group of cadets before my graduation. Knowing that I had touched their hearts and helped mold them into future leaders made me feel good and satisfied with the work I had put in.

All of Aqours as a group taught me that the individuals are just as important as the group as a whole. Sunshine had a focus on the individuals rather than the group and it made me feel closer to the girls compared to Muse. Everyone is their own person and they have their own struggles in life, they think differently, and they have their own goals in life. Ruby showed me that she is strong even without her sister and Hanamaru taught me to try things out if you want to do them even if you think you would not be good at it. You showed me that bonds are strong if you keep them up and they will not be forgotten by real friends and Riko taught me that friends are important but you do not need to conform to the whole group’s activities all the time. Mari taught me that it’s fine to show your real emotions and Kanan showed me that caring for your friends is important but you should also not be afraid to be a little tough.

My life and perspective on life has changed ever since I started Love Live! Sunshine!! And I hope to keep learning about them when I go through the anime again.