Connecting Feelings

Connecting Feelings (結ばれる想い) is the eighth episode of the ''Love Live! Superstar!!'' anime series. It aired on September 19, 2021.

Summary
Ren explained everything about her mother's dream, her father's opposition, and that her mother passed away, leaving her alone and Chibi. She's determined to fulfill her mother's dream by ensuring more students come to Yuigaoka. As the girls try working out to resolve Ren's circumstances for the school festival, they discover there is now a student divide due to Ren's decision. Then Ren comes up to the girls asking for help. She decided to explain why she is against school idols: Ren's mother used to be a school idol. Ren thought of becoming a school idol herself, but she was unable to find any traces of her mother's school idol career, leaving Ren under the impression that her mother failed to save the school and regretted her school idol life.

Thinking back how Ren's mother was happy in the photos, Kanon asks for clarity. Ren recalls something her mother said to her, the words mentioning of "feelings connecting in the same place." Realizing something, Kanon searches the clubroom and discovers a locked box. The girls return to Ren in time for the assembly to show her the item in the box: The diary of the Jingu Music School School Idol Club. In summary: The girls of the Jingu School Idol Club -- including Ren's mother -- built happy memories together with one goal in mind: To 'connect' and bring everyone together in the school. By then, Ren remembered her mother's words, and tearfully becomes relieved to hear she lived happy memories.

With the divide resolved, the students around the school work together as one to prepare for the school festival. Ren joins the girls in the club onto the stage and sang their hearts in the school festival live show.

Cast

 * Japanese
 * Sayuri Date as Kanon Shibuya
 * Liyuu as Keke Tang
 * Nako Misaki as Chisato Arashi
 * Naomi Payton as Sumire Heanna
 * Nagisa Aoyama as Ren Hazuki
 * Aya Endo as Hana Hazuki
 * English
 * Kristi Rothrock as Kanon Shibuya
 * Julia Gu as Keke Tang
 * Maddie Matsumoto as Chisato Arashi
 * Lizzie Freeman as Sumire Heanna
 * Natalie Van Sistine as Ren Hazuki

Notes & Trivia



 * NHK-E broadcast exclusive End Card: Liella!
 * Yui-gao makes an appearance in this episode as a soft plushie.

Callbacks to previous Love Live! Series

 * To "What I Want To Do Is...":
 * Ren eventually softens up and joins Liella!, much like Eli reconciling with Muse.
 * Both Kanon and Ren does a handshake similar to Honoka Kosaka and Eli Ayase.
 * To “Love Live! The School Idol Movie”
 * The backstage scene before Liella! performs Wish Song is very similar to the backstage scene before Muse performs Bokutachi wa Hitotsu no Hikari.

Continuity Notes

 * One of the keys given by Ren in the 4th episode is for one of the boxes that contain Hana's book.

Errors & Goofs

 * 01:02 The shades in Ren's hair were darker earlier then suddenly brighten.
 * 04:07 Keke's eyes shut instantly.
 * 07:26 Chisato and Sumire appears parted too far.
 * 10:40 Room keys pops out of nowhere from Kanon.
 * 10:49 Keys disappeared suddenly from her hand.
 * 10:50 Kanon's running animation had her running too fast then quickly decelerate due to camera panning.

Continuity Errors

 * Kanon mentioned what she saw when she first came to the club room. However, in episode 4, she first saw Sumire standing across the room instead of other things.

Changes in the BD/DVD Release
TBA