Blossoming Feelings

Blossoming Feelings (花ひらく思い) is the twelfth episode of the ''Love Live! Nijigasaki High School Idol Club'' anime series. It was aired on December 19, 2020.

Summary
Preparations continue for the school idol festival, but Yu Takasaki remains preoccupied with what Ayumu Uehara told her the previous night. The girls start having individual brainstorming meetings with their supporters at school to work out the details for each of their performances and venues. Yu again tries to tell Ayumu that she has found something she wants to do, but Ayumu gets distraught over the thought of Yu spending less time with her as a result. Two days before the festival, the girls go to check out each of their venues. Ayumu reveals to Setsuna Yuki that she became a school idol because she wanted Yu to watch her perform, but now she feels like she is distancing herself from Yu due to the support she is receiving from others. However, Setsuna encourages her to see things through to the end. Yu and three of Ayumu's supporters show her the stage they have prepared for her, and Yu reassures her that her feelings for her will not change. Yu later tells her that she wants to play music and plans to transfer to the music course in the next school term.

Cast

 * Hinaki Yano as Yu Takasaki
 * Aguri Onishi as Ayumu Uehara
 * Mayu Sagara as Kasumi Nakasu
 * Kaori Maeda as Shizuku Osaka
 * Miyu Kubota as Karin Asaka
 * Natsumi Murakami as Ai Miyashita
 * Akari Kito as Kanata Konoe
 * Tomori Kusunoki as Setsuna Yuki
 * Maria Sashide as Emma Verde
 * Chiemi Tanaka as Rina Tennoji

Trivia

 * International streaming version End Card: Yu Takasaki and Ayumu Uehara
 * The scene in 15:44 where Ayumu and Yu stood on a two-way path shares a similar symbolism with the 2-way sign in Everyone's Dream, My Dream, though the inclusion of Iroha, Kyoko, and Asaki also serves as a metaphor of Ayumu's supporters while she looks back to them.
 * The flower that Yu gave to Ayumu is a Rhodanthe, also known as an "everlasting flower."
 * The flower also symbolizes unchanged feelings, endless friendship, love that begins with sympathy, brightness, and flying/soaring.
 * Though seen from afar, a photo of Yu and Ayumu's childhood has been fully revealed before Yu plays the keyboard.
 * In Yu's piano sequence, Most of the visuals of other girls including a bridge is a reference to the Mirai Harmony PV.
 * It was "6:37" on Ayumu's phone when she received a text message from Yu. "637" in cyber terms means "Always and Forever".
 * Ayumu's last lines before the credits roll is a reference to her song Kaika Sengen.

Differences from the ALL-STARS game story

 * This episode loosely took inspiration from SIFAS Chapter 16:
 * In SIFAS, Ayumu left the school idol club because of her differences with the player. While in the anime, Ayumu and Yu just distance themselves from each other, with Ayumu still being a part of the club.
 * In SIFAS, Ayumu's reason for leaving the club was because the player was spending more time managing the School Idol Festival instead of spending time with her and the club. While in the anime, Ayumu's conflict was a combination of her fear of losing Yu, self-confidence issues about being a school idol, and not knowing how to socialize with people without Yu being there with her.
 * In SIFAS, Shioriko Mifune helps restore Ayumu and the player's friendship. While in the anime that role is taken by Setsuna.
 * Yu's confession of her wanting to learn music is a reference to SIFAS Chapter 18, when the player goes overseas for several months to learn music.

Continuity Notes

 * Both Ayumu and Yu once again have a heart to heart in same area like they did back in The First Thrill.
 * Ayumu finally gains confidence as well, as she is shown to be warmly smiling in sharp contrast to her anxious expression.
 * The Drama Club president returns since her last appearance in Shizuku, Monochrome.

Errors & Goofs

 * 03:04 Haruka's hairpin is missing.
 * 04:40 Wristband colors switched.
 * 05:04 Part of Kasumi's hair lighning was left unfinished.
 * 06:00 Upon Kyoko taking Ayumu outside, they're seen coming from far side of the corridor.
 * 06:34 Kyoko's shirt strangely overlapped the top of table but not on the side table.
 * 10:51 Kasumi's chair is filled up without a hole.
 * 11:11 Blur artifacts seen around Ayumu.
 * 11:29 Ayumu's phone case is entirely black, then it was instantly changed to pink upon grabbing her phone.
 * 11:36 Shades obstructs the screen.

Changes in the BD/DVD release

 * 00:13 Yu's eyes were lightened.
 * 00:48 Background and sprites were resized.
 * 03:48 Changes Setsuna to her proper looks.
 * 04:24 Shadings around her eyes and hair were soften.
 * 04:49 Kanata smiled a bit.
 * 05:30 Fixes around their eyes; Ai's outline were lighten.
 * 05:37; 05:42 Kasumi's eyes were lightened.
 * 05:57 Widen around doorframe.
 * 07:02 Realigned her face.
 * 07:34 Guardrails was replaced.
 * 08:19; 08:49 Ayumu's low details shows her emotional face.
 * 08:22 Their interactions was reanimated, allowing Ayumu to show her emotional state.
 * 09:11 Ayumu's reactions is dramatically impacted; dynamic camera motions were added.
 * 10:11 Slight changes around Ayumu's case, drama club leader's note, member's hands, and the whiteboard.
 * 11:12 Lightnings were toned down.
 * 11:29 Stuffs changed from background items into hand drawn; Sasuke plush was added; shadings applied around her bed.