Next Step

Next Step (ネクストステップ) is the first episode and season premiere of ''Love Live! Sunshine!!'s'' second season. It aired on October 7, 2017.

Summary
Despite not making it to the nationals, the girls become eager to enter the next Love Live! event taking place next Spring. As the girls prepare to hold a concert at a school open house, Mari is perturbed by a phone call from her father, something Kanan and Dia are quick to pick up on.

Mari eventually reveals to the others that, despite her attempts to overturn her father's decision, the school open house will be canceled as it has been decided Uranohoshi High will officially stop accepting new students and be closed down.

As Chika is initially hit hard by this news, she remains determined not to give up and make a miracle happen, a sentiment that is quickly met by the rest of Aqours.

Cast

 * Anju Inami as Chika Takami
 * Rikako Aida as Riko Sakurauchi
 * Nanaka Suwa as Kanan Matsuura
 * Arisa Komiya as Dia Kurosawa
 * Shuka Saito as You Watanabe
 * Aika Kobayashi as Yoshiko Tsushima
 * Kanako Takatsuki as Hanamaru Kunikida
 * Aina Suzuki as Mari Ohara
 * Ai Furihata as Ruby Kurosawa
 * Kana Asumi as Shima Takami
 * Kanae Ito as Mito Takami
 * Risae Matsuda as Yoshimi
 * Hisako Kanemoto as Itsuki
 * Yuu Serizawa as Mutsu
 * Hekiru Shiina as Yoshiko's Mother
 * Anna Mugiho as Shiitake

Trivia

 * Ending Credits character appearance: Chika Takami
 * Yoko Sato is seen during Uranohoshi's student meeting.
 * The plush from the Numazu Gamers poster is seen as one of Yoshiko's collections in her room.
 * This episode marks the first appearance of Yoshiko's mother.
 * It is revealed that when Yoshiko was younger, her mother let Yoshiko use her feeding bottle until kindergarten.
 * Yoshiko also revealed that as "Yohane", her mother is a temporary housemate, despite the fact that her mother is not aware of her daughter's fallen angel persona.
 * Riko's '普通怪獣りこっぴー' (normal monster Riko-pi) is a reference to Chika's '普通怪獣ちかっちー' (normal monster Chika-chi) when the duo first met in the first episode of Season 1.
 * Riko's "Riko-chan Beam" is a nod to the Ultra Series' signature Spacium Beam finisher.
 * It's also noteworthy that Sunrise, the animation studio for the Love Live! series, also previously made The☆Ultraman in 1979.
 * Although not physically seen, Mari Ohara's father was mentioned by his daughter, until his physical appearance is briefly seen in Finding a Way to Shine.
 * Due to sharing similar release dates, this episode also inadvertently celebrated the 1st release anniversary of Kimi no Kokoro wa Kagayaiteru kai?.
 * Mari breaks the 4th wall by mentioning the Second Season of the series.

Continuity Notes

 * Chika wore her MIRAI TICKET outfit in the prologue's dream.
 * Riko saved Chika on the docks from jumping (and in a flash), as a return for stopping her from diving from I Want to Shine!!.

Errors & Goofs

 * In 11:50, Yoshiko's clip on her tie is incorrectly installed to the right.

Changes in the BD/DVD releases
Click "Expand" for a list of changes.
 * In 15:02:
 * The generic woman that stood next to the seats has been removed.
 * The hand rail's animation layer on the very front right has been repositioned to the front of the red seat's layer, which also reveals that the handrail is integrated with the blue seat.
 * The left section of the long seat (where Riko sat on) is correctly adjusted.
 * In 15:07 - 15:09, The woman facing on the rear window has been removed.
 * In 15:10, Kanan's animation layer is moved back to the third last seat.