Board Thread:Fun and Games/@comment-24187738-20180225155956/@comment-34948946-20180309183145

Favorite girl:  Watanabe You

Contact Info:  @JonathanHoang01, [mailto:jonathan.b.hoang@gmail.com jonathan.b.hoang@gmail.com]

'''My love for LLS is really just a case of perfect timing. Back in the summer of 2016 having just completed my undergraduate at university I was very much in a slump. From applying to job opportunities daily and the occasional interview, anxiety was always present, much like Chika I too was looking to the horizon searching for my own ‘radiance’. At the same time i was using my seemingly unlimited free time to really dig-in into my backlog of anime series. Being a long time lurker of the r/anime subreddit, I always remembered LL having a diehard fanbase, while simultaneously being seen as something of a cancer the animated medium. I ultimately gave the series a chance as it was often cited as a recommendation for those liked K-On (another beloved series of mine), I completed all of the animated content that was available and loved every minute of it. I came into LLS with much hesitation, having just gotten off the µ’s train and transferred onto the Aqours, how would this group play out? Unbeknownst to me, I found LLS and Aqours really resonated much better with my own heart.''' '''Epsiode 7 from season 2 “The Time Left” in particular holds a lot of sentiment for myself. Aqours having just passed the regional prelims have the eyes set of winning Love Live, while also hoping all there efforts thus far were enough have saved their school. The episode draws out the silent anxiety as all the girls are quietly supporting each out. Ultimately, the the number of applicants are short the minimum requirement and the school will be closed. The episode continues with shots of all the girls as there individually coping with the news of their efforts still resulting in failure, with “Sora mo kokoro mo Hareru Kara” in the backdrop, a perfect music pairing to the mood of the group. This reaches a climax just when Chika is on the brink of giving up on everything to do with school idols, but is re-inspired by her school friends to immortalize there school as winners of Love Live.''' '''I still remember watching the aforementioned episode as it just aired, and honestly kind of hoping that the episode would commit to Uranohoshi Girls’ High closing. In part due to myself wanting LLS to set itself apart from LLSIP, but also I wanted to see how the show would portray the girls and they would cope with the situation. Thankfully, you see a bit of everything, Riko solemnly playing the piano, You with a sad smile at the bus stop, and Mari in tears. Nothing is held back, which is why it feels so genuine, I myself couldn’t help but think back on my own failures and get teary eyed. I’ve always been drawn to the underdog story, for Aqours getting a horrible initial reception as people weren’t ready to give up µ’s, the song Step Zero to One and the episode, finally with this how season 2 portrays them still not being able to save their school. But, through true grit the animated girls and there seiyuus worked tooth and nail to find their ‘radiance’ as Chika herself put it. I can’t help but feel encouraged by such determination, even when I’m listening to Sora mo kokoro mo Hareru Kara whenever I’m at real low in life, I too will look to work towards a better tomorrow.''' '''Whenever I reflect on the past couple of years, I can’t deny that Love Live Sunshine and Aqours has occupied a large portion of my free time. From joining and struggling to navigate the Aqours Club website, to setting Awaken the Power on repeat on my commute to work, grinding through LLSIF and still not getting any You URs..., or just getting comfy and rewatching the LLS anime. All of these activities and following Aqours has brought me immeasurable joy, and I hope to continue supporting them for as long as possible.'''​​​​