Hiya of us, and welcome again to Improper Each Time. Right now we’re returning to the splendid nightmare that’s Ave Mujica, as Sakiko and her companions search love and validation in all of the worst doable locations. When final we’d left off, a reunion efficiency by CRYCHIC had threatened to really enhance our characters’ psychological well being, permitting them to venerate and say goodbye to their previous passions whereas charting a brand new method ahead. Properly, we clearly couldn’t have that, so Umiri swiftly instructed a reunion for Ave Mujica as properly, having not too long ago developed a style for significant, mutually fulfilling group efficiency.
Umiri picked a heck of a time to suggest this plan, and maybe the least possible group to suggest it for; even together with her alleged thirty bands, I think about the least wholesome amongst them continues to be in higher form than Ave Mujica. Her phrases sparked a hope of survival in Mortis, who frankly additionally deserves higher than all of this nonsense, and thus we’re once more off to the races, with Umiri promising to show Mortis the guitar and make her “actual” within the course of. And whereas Umiri’s “darkish facet” turned out to be not more than the craving for connection that defines all of those women, we’ve nonetheless received an Uika-shaped time bomb ticking away, undoubtedly prepped to blow up right into a recent area of psychological shrapnel. Let’s see who snaps first as we return to Ave Mujica!
Episode 9
Our episode title is “Ne vivam si abis,” which interprets to “I’ll die if you happen to depart.” A line that applies most on to Mortis, who truly appeared on the verge of self-destruction final episode, however which frankly applies to a large number of different bonds on this deeply unhealthy, wildly codependent band polycule
We begin with Uika and Mana, the persevering with dissolution of their bond portrayed by the tough distinction between Mana’s carefree description of her current skilled actions and Uika bitterly scrolling on her cellphone, searching for extra info concerning the villains which have apparently stolen Sakiko away from her
Oh my god, Anon’s social media account truly advertises her as ANON TOKYO, her preliminary proposed identify for MyGO. Love how even when she’s not right here, Anon’s character provides some levity to this grim procession
“On the stage the place the curtain has fallen, the puppets proceed to bounce.” Intelligent use of this transition from the exterior freeway to the tunnel – the scene goes red-tinted and virtually sepia as they enter, the surroundings echoing Uika’s preoccupation
Mortis holds the reins in Mutsumi’s thoughts, replaying her doppelganger’s guitar elements many times. A wild transition – whereas Mortis and Mutsumi-chan have been as soon as collaborators, two masks with which Mutsumi confronted the world, they’re now squabbling over who will get to sit down within the final chair, Mortis coaching herself to be a convincing Mutsumi-chan substitute
“If Mutsumi-chan goes to play Ave Mujica, she will have it again.” And naturally, the guitar is the totem, the tangible icon of the id they’re combating to assert
“I need to carry again CRYCHIC.” “So, do you imply I ought to disappear?” That’s certainly the implication. Mutsumi-chan’s motivations are so distant from Mortis’ that neither of them can at this level think about synthesis – they see one another not as complementary, however as competing visions of who Mutsumi must be, exemplified by their pursuit of Ave Mujica versus CRYCHIC
In the meantime, Sakiko sits in silence earlier than her moonlit piano, as you do
“The times Mutsumi has suffered as a damaged self will keep it up.” Persevering with Ave Mujica would possibly please Mortis, nevertheless it received’t carry Mutsumi again collectively. Is there any resolution that will truly combine her identities?
Sakiko is advised that Mutsumi is just too busy enjoying guitar to see her, and assumes this implies Mutsumi-chan is practising for CRYCHIC. It appears Mortis has a brand new plan: moderately than merely deny entry to Mutsumi-chan, she’ll faux that she is Mutsumi-chan, and that nothing is improper
Sakiko asks Tomori to reunite CRYCHIC as soon as once more. Blunt as at all times, Anon can’t assist however level out that it’s already the afternoon, how did you simply get to highschool
“I didn’t attain out to Mutsumi, and took benefit of her with Ave Mujica.” Very a lot suits the torment nexus that’s Ave Mujica that even when Sakiko is acknowledging her errors and trying to make good, it’s in service of a doomed quest primarily based on a complete misunderstanding. And naturally, we within the viewers don’t even get to take pleasure in that very same hope, conscious as we’re of the state of affairs’s dramatic irony
“How’s everybody leaving me on learn!?” A quintessential Anon expertise. I used to be curious how this season would exchange Anon’s essential tonal balancing in MyGO, and it seems the reply is “Anon simply does it once more”
Uika texts Anon out of the blue, who goes to satisfy her in her Clark Kent glasses disguise
Anon is simply delighted to be attempting a brand new espresso place and hanging out with the well-known Uika. An unbelievable ray of sunshine on this musical mausoleum
Hoo boy. Uika learns in regards to the CRYCHIC reunion plans and makes The Worst Face in response. They really have to maneuver past this present’s regular CG fashions, including a bunch of particular person fatigue traces beneath her eyes to emphasise how hollowed she feels by this info
In the meantime, Nyamu is freezing up and failing auditions, nonetheless haunted by Mutsumi’s performances. Woman, you’ve received a loving household, you actually don’t need to be Mutsumi
After which we’ve received Umiri blowing up Nyamu’s cellphone with calls for to come back follow. Every thing’s going so properly!
“How are you doing nowadays?” “I’m doing my greatest, as you instructed.” As together with her binge purchasing, Umiri’s emotions are by no means expressed by her face or phrases, solely by her actions. It’s changing into simpler to see why Ave Mujica truly meant one thing to her – this mission of masks and private revelation truly did converse to her emotions, even when she’d by no means admit it
Uika’s supervisor refuses to greenlight Ave Mujica’s return, saying its decommissioning got here “from the highest.” Given the one determine with that stage of energy we all know is Sakiko’s grandfather, I assume that explains each how Ave Mujica initially earned its huge public rollout and likewise why it can’t be reformed
Regardless, Uika refuses to just accept this, and scavenges throughout the places of work for the band’s previous costumes. They could not be the closely publicized headliners of a whole media operation, however they will nonetheless play as a band
“I preferred it yesterday, however received bored of it as we speak.” So Nyamu turns into painfully acquainted with the fickle nature of social media fame. Audiences crave each novelty and reliability, infinite diversion but additionally perpetual availability, an inherent contradiction which implies those that rise to the highest are usually those that are able to being something to anybody, however most significantly those that are continually producing new content material. The web doesn’t care that Nyamu is unsure of her skilled path, and too dispirited to evoke the carefree Nyamu-chan persona that she used to construct her viewers. That persona is Nyamu to them, and if they will’t have it, they’ll swiftly develop disinterested within the face backstage
Umiri stops by, noting “it’s clear solely right here.” Nyamu solely cares to tidy the portion of her room that’s revealed in her streams – that too is a part of her facade, a efficiency she carries on even inside her own residence
“I nonetheless can’t belief you in any case, Umiko.” Which after all prompts a glance of horror from Umiri. Whereas most have interpreted her straight-faced professionalism as “dependable” or “comforting,” Nyamu pokes her best insecurity, implying anybody so well-defended can’t really be trusted. It will get to Umiri as a result of it’s true; she stays skilled to keep away from being damage, floating above band disagreements by by no means caring if one or one other band truly survives. However now she needs the actual factor, and after years of concealing her emotions, being earnest with Nyamu is inflicting some rising pains
“I’m not masochistic such as you!” After all, Nyamu is mainly the worst particular person to be sharing this emotional journey with. She is completely content material together with her personal emotional life, and truly craves professionalism; plus, Ave Mujica is mainly now her albatross, the purpose the place she noticed her limits and stumbled off the trail she’d been so doggedly pursuing
On prime of that, Nyamu is definitely proper to mistrust Umiri – it’s not like “I’m coaching Mortis to faux being Mutsumi-chan properly sufficient to trick Sakiko again into the band” is the type of clarification that will encourage confidence on this mission
Mutsumi wanders over to Tomori’s place. “Do you need to see the celebrities collectively?”
They run into Uika as she’s leaving the planetarium. Like within the first season, it appears to be one in every of her sanctuaries, a spot she goes to when she’s on the verge of an enormous resolution
Simply as Umiri’s need to revive Ave Mujica pulled Mortis again, so does Uika revealing Sakiko’s intentions to revive CRYCHIC restore Mutsumi-chan’s hope
And although she doesn’t imply to be so harsh, Mutsumi finally ends up validating Uika’s worst fears – that CRYCHIC was the group Sakiko really cared about, and Ave Mujica basically only a misguided rebound. Uika can by no means imply as a lot to Sakiko because the members of her first group
“Don’t take Saki-chan away from me!” Uika imagines herself flinging Mutsumi down the steps. Like lots of them, she’s set a excessive fence round what she sees because the undesirable elements of herself, however the partitions are crumbling as her religion within the general persona diminishes
Mutsumi-chan and Mortis squabble over the guitar in Mutsumi’s Thoughts Palace. Simply one other day on the unwellness manufacturing facility
Mutsumi-chan plummets into the sunken place as an viewers of Mutsumis clap and cheer. What’s Mortis with out Mutsumi-chan? What if Sakiko finds out?
Sakiko frames Mortis’ actions within the worst doable gentle, saying that she needs to maintain Mutsumi-chan struggling to delay her personal existence. Not technically true, however given Mortis simply unintentionally shoved Mutsumi-chan off a psychological balcony, I can’t think about she’s as much as defending herself proper now
“If Mutsumi-chan isn’t right here, I’ll play her position.” In completely agonizing Ave Mujica vogue, it’s Sakiko’s declaring that she’s going to solely act for Mutsumi-chan’s sake that convinces Mortis to take over the efficiency of Mutsumi-chan. The sport of musical chairs continues
“I’ve give up all of the bands I used to be performing in. Am I nonetheless not reliable?” I can see how Umiri would possess real sympathy for Mortis; they each use agreeable however distancing masks to interface with society at massive, they usually’re each determined to be understood as delicate, reliable folks regardless of that. Is extravagant, confessional theater within the type of Sakiko or Tomori the one acceptable solution to really feel and specific your feelings?
Mortis then makes her play, pretending to be Mutsumi-chan as she graciously speaks in favor of Ave Mujica
Hah, I used to be simply pondering “I ponder what Raana would make of this play” when she truly pops into view, apparently having been having fun with a parfait this complete time. “Immediately Raana was there” is a wonderful recurring gag
Then Nyamu pops in to conclude the episode with an Asuka “disgusting” face. I don’t know why they’ve chosen to affiliate Nyamu with numerous iconic Evangelion expressions, however I’m all for it
Additionally serves as one other dramatic contrasting of present analogues – Raana finds all these developments fascinating, whereas neo-Raana Nyamu can’t assist however mock them
And Achieved
HahaHA, what a unbelievable mess! It appears we’ve dragged ourselves past the solitary moping stage of the drama, and now our women are again at one another’s throats, decided to both kill each other or maybe make a band or one thing. Principally everyone seems to be now on this for the improper causes – Sakiko to guard a Mutsumi-chan who’s already disappeared, Mortis to remain alive by pretending to be Mutsumi-chan, Uika to stake an unreciprocated declare on Sakiko, Umiri to foster a real emotional reference to the least emotionally obtainable bandmates ever, and Nyamu to cling to the final embers of her fame, all whereas taking notes on appearing from a woman present process an energetic psychological break. It’s an absolute catastrophe for all concerned, and I wouldn’t have it every other method; whereas MyGO raised into embodying a shared second of solidarity and confession, Ave Mujica has splintered right into a half-dozen incomparable facades, every participant determined for one thing wholly incompatible with the goals of their bandmates. It will both end in a massacre or the second coming of Rumours; both method, we should always get the tour van working!
This article was made doable by reader help. Thanks all for all that you just do.
