0048 Next Stage: Stage 14 Review

Regarding my last post, I mentioned that AKB0048 Next Stage will be aired around this month or so. Turned out, it was already aired! By the time I posted that last post Next Stage was already on it's 4th episode -_- Well, it's hard to really keep up with everything but I'm trying my hardest to balance college and entertainment at the same time. Yes I'm a college student. I'm on my last foundation semester. Just finished my midterms today. So now that it's already aired, I think I will write a detailed episode by episode review for it. Now ahemmm! Moving on to Episode 1 AKB0048 Next Stage.

Episode 1 - The Young Girls' Trial

Picking up where we left off, the understudies are training for a concert. Nagisa suddenly fell asleep at the most weirdest place to fall asleep; the stairs. She had a dream where she meet Acchan the 13th and saw Idols (presumably 0048 members climbing the stairs and fell down.

Last time, Acchan was considered God. Looks like she still is. 

Fan Service right from the start. Great way to start a new season.

Another Fan Service.  Courtesy of Amina and Nakayan.

First, we are treated to an energetic 3D animated Shonichi performance by our favourite 77th and 75th generation of 0048 research students. Opening day song for the opening of a new season. Could not have been any better!

Ahh this song reminds me of how awesome Team B was.
Don't get me wrong.  The new Team B featuring Nyan Nyan and Paruru
is awesomer!

My favourite NO NAME song. The other two were too serious.

Nothing is ever  wrong with rainbows!

I think everyone pretty much already knew that. Slowpokes.

Is it me or does this old Team K trio always look awesome when they're together?

You're lying. You said that just because Acchan isn't around anymore.

I thought Mayuyu doesn't eat veges. Hell, I thought robots can't eat!
MIND=BLOWN

Yukirin and her ridiculously large robes

Mayu Radar is tingling

MK3 Combat Mode is the cutest

I would love to see that expression on Mariko-sama

Well said. For a cyborg.

How in the world can three cute girls be terrorists?

Chillax Tsubasa. You already broke that stick once.

Apparently this DES soldier is an Acchan fan

Now where have I seen this before...

Correction: Your song!

Be prepared for a Yuko-special spirit bomb

Chieri's dad is a total creep.

My thoughts exactly!

Kawamori, you are a pure genius. Instead of making a plain idol anime about the daily life of idols (specifically mentioning Idolm@ster), you make something so small become so monstrously huge! I did not know that I was gonna be so into AKB48 if I started watching 0048 but just because of 0048, I started to follow AKB48 in and out. This series was so underestimated last year that it took me by surprise when I started watching it and fell in love with it ever since! Enough praising. More reviewing.

Okay, the first episode of the new season is all in all great. Since this is the second season, I'm not going to comment much on the AKB-seiyuu voices. I mean, they already have a year of experience. I guess it's fair to say that they're doing really well. For this review, I'm gonna comment mostly on the plot.

As expected, the new general elections are coming as previewed in the last episode of last season. All the current successors and KKS are going to participate in it. The KKS especially the 77th gen are all nervous and scared of it since this is their first time participating. Yuko was so overjoyed when it was announced presumably because she has no real competition for top spot since there's no Acchan, yet. The fact that Acchan the 13th appeared in Nagisa's dream might just be the hint of who's going to become the next Acchan. Then, some of the girls were kidnapped by DES soldiers and a force trial were handed to them. As expected, 0048 members are not going to sit down quiet and let that happen. Tsubasa became so cranky that she broke her stick, twice. All the successors and KKS went into battle to save their comrades while singing Pioneer. Pioneer is a cliche Team A song but it's catchy though. After they succeeded on saving the girls so easily even though the planet is known to be one of the stronghold of DES, we get to see Chieri's creepy dad. That's it. The end.

So, did I like the episode? Of course. Fanservice galore along with a battle scene and insert songs. Oh the new ending theme was nice. I like the new ending theme more compared to last season's. Last season was too serious but it's not bad. I give the first episode a 10 out of 10. Great way to kick off the new season. Drama right off the bat!