Cutest♡Girl

Cutest♡Girl (Cutest♡ガール) is the second episode of the ''Love Live! Nijigasaki High School Idol Club'' anime series. It was aired on October 10, 2020.

Summary
With the Nijigasaki School Idol Club now shut down, Kasumi being furious, decides to revive the club with herself as president. She turns to an eager Ayumu and Yu as the next members of the club, and explains to them why the club went on hiatus and ultimately shut down. They then proceed to film PVs; she films one with Ayumu while strictly directing her. This leaves Ayumu wanting to do her best acting like the 'cute' persona Kasumi told her to.

Kasumi later realized that she's been forcing Ayumu to become something she wasn't, not unlike what Setsuna did to her back then. She then learns her lesson and films Ayumu's PV without forcefully directing her. Yu also tells Kasumi that she thinks individuality within the group is fine, that it's ok if idols would all have different goals as long as they do their best.

The episode ends with Karin, Emma, Kanata and Shizuku confronting the student council president, with Karin figuring out Nana's identity as Setsuna.

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

 * This episode marks the first animated appearance of Hanpen, Rina's cat, who appeared in her illustrated still in All Stars.
 * The original "7-11" logo from the opening intro, as well as the scene where Kasumi greets Yu and Ayumu, has been edited to be "9 Shop." This is likely due to the lack of rights for the trademark in countries outside of Japan.
 * Kasumi, Nana, and Karin being in the same council president room together is a nod to the Dengeki App team in the earlier 4komas.
 * During the construction sequence where Yu's voice being hindered by the noise, the official English subs ommited the subtitle, while in the Muse Asia HK streaming it translates as "(吵成這樣什麼都聽不到 (We can't hear anything with all this noise!", or specifically: "Can you hear me?")" and in English dub, Yu's voice is more audible with her saying "We're gonna meet here every day?".

Callbacks to previous Love Live! series

 * Continuing the tradition, Kasumi wears both sunglasses and a mask while she tries to sneak it and get her room sign back. This happens again in Season 2 Episode 2, except this time with Emma, Kanata, and Rina, when following Lanzhu while she is shopping and doing activities. It would also make those 4 girls be with their respresentive sub-unit (QU4RTZ).

Continuity Notes

 * The School Idol Club Kasumi attempts to sabotage have been changed into Wandervogel Club.
 * Ayumu does the "Ayu-bun" pose for the first time since her childhood flashback in The First Thrill.

Differences from the All Stars game

 * Nana's identity as Setsuna Yuki is revealed early in the story by Karin, instead of Nana herself revealing it to the club after its reformation.
 * In the game, Yu and Ayumu's first meeting with Kasumi was actually in the School Idol club room, which was on the verge of being replaced by the Wandervogel Club.

Errors & Goofs

 * 00:30 Kasumi's hairpin is missing.
 * 00:37 Setsuna isn't wearing her short.
 * 00:53, 01:33 Nijigasaki banner is not displayed.
 * 00:57 Vest appears overdesigned.
 * 01:10, 01:46 Lamp is missing a power cord. Pens are assorted instead of single colored.
 * 01:23 Bookshelves appears assorted.
 * 06:32 Yu socks is missing.
 * 07:00 In a brief frame, Kasumi is pointing her index finger rather than thumb from previous scene.
 * 07:24 Ayumu's ribbon is partly colored on her school uniform in two frames.
 * 07:47 Ayumu's lower vest is miscolored; handling on a left bag is missing.
 * 07:54 Bread appears not consumed.
 * 08:47 Barricades weren't placed then suddenly showed.
 * 08:56 Blue shoes disappered in scene transition.
 * 09:00 Yu's right hair is showed in front instead of behind.
 * 14:55 Ai's neck is not properly edited resulting her neck appears too large.

Changes in the BD/DVD release

 * 00:20 Kasumi is feeling more stressful with dark shades around her eyes.
 * 02:36 Details around her vest is thinner.
 * 05:06 Changes around Kasumi's hands fitting to her
 * 05:15 Kasumi's plate is given some details.
 * 07:14 Yu's bread has given some details.
 * 07:15 Switched Kasumi's interlocked hands for the next scene.
 * 07:17 Fixes around their vests; shadings applied on Yu's eyes.
 * 07:37 Changes around Ayumu's eyes and Yu's bread.
 * 08:21 Kasumi's arms are properly drawn.
 * 08:26 Crowds are given proper faces from cartoony looks; shorten Kasumi's height and Yu's bag is switched properly.
 * 08:42 Characters behind are given proper faces.
 * 09:05 Kasumi's chests were reduced.
 * 10:46 Kasumi's smile is more expressive.
 * 10:54 Fixes around her left hand.
 * 12:43 Bags have proper handlings.
 * 11:48 Yu's arms changed from enclosed into spread.
 * 15:46 Ayumu is facing directly at the mirror.
 * 16:29 Ayumu looks more emotional.
 * 16:53 Changes the looks on Emma and Shizuku.
 * 17:29 Fixed on Kasumi's face from distorted looks as she turns her head.
 * 17:37 Ayumu's face has given some details as she arrives.
 * 17:58 Changes around her looks to give more expressions.
 * 19:29 Slowed down camera pacing.
 * 19:32 Kasumi is looking more determined than smiling; removed vignette effects.
 * 19:42 Recentered camera to show where she points at.
 * 20:47 Transitioning scene was smoothen.
 * 23:17 Fixes around their looks.
 * 23:20 Added sunrays.