That small bud is carefully raised, and then passed on

I was not expecting both of the last episodes to be released on the same day, but I suppose that was likely due to earlier delays in the schedule. Essentially we got one full episode, but both halves were quite intensive to do, so it took a bit of extra time. But that’s exactly why we’re releasing them together, just as they aired.

What a fantastic addition to Aikatsu, adding this extra story about Noelle and inviting her to be the protagonist of her own mini-series. Truly, this used the experience of every series of Aikatsu to elevate an unmistakably OG-style story. But the strength of it lies not simply in calling back directly to one of the most emotional moments in Aikatsu’s history, but adding to it with new color and metaphor, and writing a song that both reinforced that theme and connected it with every single idol academy. You can see it directly in the title of the song as well.

I won’t go crazy like I usually do for finales, since everything I said at the end of Parade still stands. The new announcement date for information on the next Aikatsu project has been moved to August 10th. Usually we don’t put that information on the site directly, although that’s probably because I put it at the end of the normal weekly release… which there won’t be. We’ll see what happens then, I’m not sure what we’ll do for it.

Episode 05: Torrent | Magnet
Episode 06: Torrent | Magnet

She can’t hear you through the screen, you know

This was a story about the big picture, about each of the five idol schools, but it was also a story about the little picture, and how significant a relationship between two people can be. How one touching and meaningful realization can change how you think about the world. Even if you’re from different times and places, you can still join hands and make a change. The next episode will be airing July 11.

Episode 04: Torrent | Magnet

A new reporter out of nowhere?!

And with this, the Dream School Grand Prix begins! Even with the compressed time available, Noelle’s development is masterfully written with both overt and subtle references to past themes and episodes, all with great pacing. There was one interesting art error (a certain Neo of the Venus Ark was missing), but that was more than made up for with the reveal of some amazing designs. Next episode isn’t until May 30th, so try and hang in there until then.

Episode 03: Torrent | Magnet

Is it already hopeless?

And now for the second half of Noelle’s episode. Other than, you know, being called part 1 and 2, it’s clear that the plot of this follows the previous one directly. Is common sense finally coming to Aikatsu? Or is it about to be broken beyond repair in the face of a new star? Either way, never look down, and never stop moving.

The next episode will air on May 2nd.

Episode 02: Torrent | Magnet

Noelle’s passionate Idol Activities, Aikatsu, is about to start!

That’s right! We’re already back in business, with the incredibly exciting season that I know some people were dying to see, Noelle and Dream Academy as the protagonist! Immediately we get an extremely Aikatsu episode, showing that just because this is a web anime, the quality is exactly as high as it always has been. There is nothing about this that indicates it will be any less than before. However, there are a few key points to mention that you should be aware of going forward.

• The episodes are half length, clocking twelve and a half minutes with no OP or ED
• The naming scheme appears to indicate that every two episodes put together will comprise one “whole” episode, although that is yet to be proven
• The web series airs once every two weeks, which for this one means that the first one was on last Saturday March 28th, and the next is April 11th
• Even though it “airs” on Saturday (Japan time), the high quality raws we use do not come out until Monday, so don’t expect a weekend release. This is a good thing, because the original in 480p was extremely ugly

Now this is just my speculation, but I expect that given the plot of the season and the pacing of this episode, this will continue for a full six months, probably for a total of 12-14 episodes. But I could be wrong, so don’t take that at face value.

Oh, and about how we’re naming the releases. You may have heard this series called “Dream Story”, but in actuality, that’s only the name of the DCD release, not the anime. According to the official Aikatsu website, this is simply called “Aikatsu on Parade Web Series”, and the official numbering starts from episode 1. That’s why we’re using this.

Episode 01: Torrent | Magnet