Eyy time for another challenge, it’s been a while and this sounds like fun

Original post by Kurogaya

Day 1: BanG Dream! 1st Season

I’ve said this before but S1 to me ages like a fine wine even if I wasn't blown away by it on the first watch, especially after playing the game and getting to know the girls. Sure their characterisations don’t 100% line up but eh that’s the nature of a franchise with various stories told through various media and by different people. I think PoPiPa’s origin story is just as worth knowing as the rest and it’s cool that it got put into the game too.

Chances are we’ve all heard things about PoPiPa being basic and happy and feel-good, and oh boy does S1 turn that on its head. Though they’re not exactly the most unique, building on tropes is one of Bandori’s strengths and it shows. I love love love the game of course but it doesn’t really give Kasumi or Saaya their due and S1 is where they really shine.

So without further ado here are some moments in S1 that stood out to me (probably out of order and missing stuff, I’m kinda rusty):

• Kasumi skipping breakfast on her first day of school. It’s so trivial but sorta says a lot about her and also subverts the toast-hanging-out-of-mouth oh-no-I’m-gonna-be-late! trope
• Arisa’s “I’m gonna prune you!” Legendary
• Kasumi apologising to Rimi profusely after she realises she pushed her over the edge. Kasumi may be a scatterbrained genki protag but when she makes a mistake it devastates her and she tries her very hardest to fix things
• Do we talk about kira kira hikaru? Do we? It’s certainly iconic . . . honestly I don’t think I cringed as hard as is generally expected though. Also Rimi. Rimi saved the day and I am proud and that’s all that matters
• Breaking the Random Star. Not only does it break Kasumi too, Arisa doesn’t unleash a single sharp remark, revealing just how much of a facade her tsunness, though still a very real part of her, is. She and Kasumi are more similar than they appear to be
• Tae’s intro oh my God. The way she and Kasumi both just descend into chaos is gold
• The sheer contrast when Tae looks her in the eye and tells her they’re (she’s? idk) not good enough to play at SPACE. That’s the unfiltered honesty I love from Tae
• The whole thing with Kasumi abandoning Arisa and Arisa feeling jealous and betrayed is great but also the fact that Rimi faithfully keeps Arisa company at practice during that time makes me soft
• The flashback to the day Saaya’s world fell apart. Gave me chills hearing Jun and Sana crying over the phone
• Saaya yelling, “Is it fun?” at Kasumi in tears. Stop this suffering isn’t allowed
• STAR BEAT STAR BEAT STAR BEAT I fell in love the very first time I heard it and to this day there isn’t another song I love more. Saaya reading the lyrics. Saaya dashing to school. CHiSPA’s new drummer handing over her sticks
• Kasumi losing her voice is heckin awful to watch. And when she hugs Asuka and says, “You’re cold”? Ouch my heart
• Mae e Susume also became an instant fav, I love Star Beat more but my list of PoPiPa faves is . . . long. The scene where they all sing acapella is chef’s kiss
• Tae falling sound asleep like a baby
• Arisa bursting into tears after the audition. Rimi being the first to reach out. Stan the AriRimi friendship

I only remember this stuff because I was planning to make a post like this an eon ago . . . S2 is a fog in my brain that’ll be fun. Apologies for neglecting GuriGuri but hh I’m a PoPiPa appreciator first and foremost