Time for another double dose of BanG Dream!. The competition for the BanG Dream! Girls Band Challenge is fierce, so certain groups decide that they should create music videos to try and fight back.
CHU2 gives Rokka a new guitar
Kicking things off is episode 4, in which CHU2 decides that RAISE A SUILEN will film a music video. As things stand in the BanG Dream! Girls Band Challenge rankings, Roselia are firmly holding onto first place, but CHU2 believes an MV will give them the boost they need.
PAREO applies Rokka’s makeup
CHU2 has connections, so the music video that RAS shoots is done professionally at a studio – though apparently PAREO is the makeup artist. I guess if she has the skill…
In addition to filming the music video, this episode also puts a focus on how Rokka fits into RAISE A SUILEN.
Rokka takes aim
Before we get to that, though, there’s a music video to be filmed. There are some fun moments with that, particularly with Rokka and her finger gun.
PAREO reveals that both she and CHU2 are 13
This episode has made me curious about CHU2 and PAREO’s first meeting, as well as how RAISE A SUILEN came to exist in the first place. From the sounds of it, it seems like something CHU2 came up with on her own, and then PAREO joined her afterwards. Rei and Masuki were scouted following that, and now Rokka has joined.
Masuki has some words of encouragement for Rokka
Rokka learning a little more about her fellow bandmates leads to her doubting herself, but Masuki picks up on that. She pretty much says what Rokka needs to hear, and that convinces Rokka to give it her all.
Lots of great shots in RAS’ MV
The events of episode 4 culminate in the music video for “EXPOSE ‘Burn out!!!’, which looks fantastic.
Also, apparently Rokka’s nickname up to this point was actually “Rock”, and it is only with the end of this episode that she starts going by “LOCK”, as declared by CHU2.
Overall, I’d say a great episode – I’m really appreciating RAISE A SUILEN more and more with each episode of BanG Dream! 3rd Season. However, I’m also aware that RAS getting more screentime means less chances for bands like Afterglow, Pastel * Palettes and Hello, Happy World! to shine. I don’t particularly mind about the last two, but you’d think that Afterglow would be more involved as they are Roselia’s rivals. Oh well.
Seems like Rokka neglected to mention something important to Asuka
Moving on to episode 5, the plot of this one is simply Poppin’ Party decide to make an MV of their own. I’m going to take this opportunity to state just how much I love hearing the Japanese pronounce “V”.
Chisato and Aya share some tips about filming a music video
Episode 5 may be a Poppin’ Party at its core, but all the other bands get involved in some way – even if only just a little. Aya and Chisato from Pastel * Palettes are available to give some advice to Arisa and Rimi about filming a music video, for example.
Seems like there was quite a lot of fun stuff going in in PasuPare’s MV for “Luminous Once More” – a shame we only experience it secondhand.
Not sure having Kasumi and Tae research making MVs will yield any useful results…
Part of this episode focuses on the research for creating an MV, and I suspect Arisa and Rimi turn up much better results than Kasumi and Tae. I don’t doubt Rokka’s advice, it is just that they are Kasumi and Tae…
Director Arisa
After putting together some ideas – and perhaps missing the point of Rokka’s advice a little – PoPiPa are prepared to start filming. Everyone is given their role to play, and it is quite amusing how much more Arisa gets into it after she has been assigned her role.
When Rokka mentioned something about boxes, this is probably not what she meant
Poppin’ Party’s first attempt at an MV is… well, spectacular in perhaps all the wrong ways. It creeps Arisa out, if nothing else. Still, Kasumi and the others have no intention of throwing in the towel.
If you ever want to summon Kokoro, just say “smile”.
Time for something of an aside, featuring the girls from Hello, Happy World!. Kokoro manages to drag Poppin’ Party into an event that they are doing. That actually moves Poppin’ Party closer to the idea of the MV that they want, and Rimi is hit with a spark of inspiration.
Rimi takes the lead in making the MV
This part of the episode is where the other bands have a part to play. Kasumi and the others all start gathering photos and footage. Arisa and Rimi work hard to edit everything together, and the end result is a new MV for Poppin’ Party.
The “Poppin’ Shuffle” MV is a lot of fun
There’s lots of fun stuff in the MV for “Poppin’ Shuffle”. Something I didn’t catch first time around was Aya biting her tongue, for example. Members from the other bands make appearances. There’s quite a lot in there, but it goes by so quickly.
Kasumi is very happy with the end result
With the MV complete, all that’s left is to upload. There’s some doubt about whether anyone will see it, but naturally that is unfounded. My first reaction was that Rokka would definitely watch, and she was the first one to be shown doing just that.
CHU2 challenges Roselia
This episode ends with CHU2 proposing a battle of the bands between RAISE A SUILEN and Roselia. Yukina accepts.
Episode 5 of BanG Dream! 3rd Season is a whole lot of fun. Both of these episodes were about making MVs, though with different approaches. RAS were more serious and professional, whereas PoPiPa were simply having fun with it. The sense of fun in the “Poppin’ Shuffle” MV just about edges out the “EXPOSE! ‘Burn out!!!'” MV for me. Both were fantastic, though.
The next episode of BanG Dream! 3rd Season airs on February 27th – we got episodes 1 through 5 early, as they were released alongside singles. So that means we have a five week wait until the next new episode of BanG Dream! 3rd Season, and the show will be airing on Thursdays from that point. At least, if my understanding the release schedule is correct.
Still, I have no complaints about getting lots of BanG Dream! 3rd Season so early. It has been excellent, and I have enjoyed it a lot.
Rory Muses 