The Shape of Smiles (〃＞▽＜〃)

The Shape of Smiles (〃＞▽＜〃) (笑顔のカタチ(〃＞▽＜〃)) is the sixth episode of the ''Love Live! Nijigasaki High School Idol Club'' anime series. It was aired on November 7, 2020.

Summary
Rina Tennoji reminisces about when she met Ai Miyashita while thinking about wanting to connect with more people. When Rina is at the game arcade with Ai, Ayumu Uehara and Yu Takasaki, three of Rina's classmates run into them, and they mention how this venue is often used for school idol concerts, prompting Rina to say she will do a concert here. Encouraged by the other members of the School Idol Club, Rina asks them to help her prepare, and she makes a PV to advertise her upcoming concert. However, Rina is still concerned that she cannot express herself that well when talking to others, believing that she cannot change. When Rina does not show up for practice, the other girls go to her apartment, and Rina opens up to them about her insecurities under a cardboard box, prompting them to cheer her up. This gives Rina the idea to make an electronic monitor that hides her face during the concert. The next morning, her classmates invite her to lunch, and Rina accepts with the use of her "Rina board" notebook.

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

 * Chiemi Tanaka recorded her lines for scenes of Rina hiding underneath the cardboard box while wearing the said box on.

Continuity Notes

 * Karin stated that Rina's flexibility has been improved since Ai trained her from Episode 4.

Errors & Goofs

 * 05:46 Rina's chair is black.
 * 06:06 Karin's training outfit is missing some details.
 * 08:25 Ayumu's right face lining is clipping to her right ear.
 * 11:23 Tile patterns are perfectly align when prior scene had tile patterns differs
 * 11:46 Setsuna's left wristband is missing
 * In BD, Kasumi's face towel appear to be plain.
 * 15:25 Rina's hood is miscolored.
 * 19:10 Mistimed voice on the animation.
 * 20:14 Rina suddenly enters the scene at Decks.

Changes in the BD/DVD release

 * In the prologue, Rina in TV broadcast appears to have thinner eyes and flat shape face, while in BD release had her entire face is rounded.
 * 00:09 The camera is simulating the walking rather than zooming in.
 * 07:47 Detailed grasses were added.
 * 08:18 Ayumu and Setsuna moved a little closer to them.
 * 08:51 Setsuna now facing their audience from looking aside.
 * 10:11-10:20 Faces are given more details and Yu's printed shirt is restored
 * 10:26 A scene ends with her smiling where Ai Hugs Rina and tell her Live performance successful is changed to a more common neutral expression.
 * 11:02 Kasumi leaning against the glass is redrawn.
 * 11:33-11:37 Restores Rina's looks similar in prologue.
 * 11:39 Slight changes in camera angle.
 * 11:55 Camera panning no longer focus on Rina's pants.
 * 13:26 Rina's hand and phone removes illumination.