IDOLiSH7: Second Beat! Episode 6

EVERYTHING HURTS. EVERYONE HAS THEIR PROBLEMS RIGHT NOW. GOD DAMN IT. PAIN PAIN AND MORE PAIN. WE CAN ONLY TAKE SO MANY HITS, STOP IT. YOU’RE KILLING US. WE’RE ALREADY DEAD. I guess it’s a good thing that this series went on a several months break, because week after week of emotional beatings is pretty exhausting… There is no such things as “soft punches” in this series.

With the rise of popularity, self-confidence is a big issue this season. Riku already has been knocked down a peg when Tenn told him to quit, now when he already down in the dumps all while trying to convince himself and others that he is feeling great, he reads on social media how “replaceable” he is with Iori is better off being given the permanent center position, and how it was because of this change Idolish7’s newest song has been their most successful one since debut. Ugh… I knew this was probably going to  happen. Man the writers refuse to let this guy catch his breath.

It really does suck how Social Media is like a dagger to self-esteem. On one hand, it can be a wonderful way to connect with fans, but on the other, it also exposes creators and artists to the inevitable unsavory opinions that would otherwise be unheard unless they were present (as Mitsuki had been today). Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but have some tact and don’t @them about how “replaceable” they are and other bullshit. That’s just plain obnoxious and uncalled for. But it’s something everyone has to be prepared for, especially when they take the spotlight.

And perhaps the worst of it is when one hears such thing in person. Unfortunately Mitsuki was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and his fragile confidence shattering into a bazillion pieces was the most gut-wrenching part of the episode. When he and Nagi spoken about how things are finally looking up for him, I knew there was trouble coming because I could see the foundation of his confidence was still incredibly unsteady. But it didn’t make it any less brutal to see Mitsuki overhear the girls shit-talking him. It was even sadder when the manager of the store actually recognized him, and he pretended he wasn’t. It hard watching him run away to cry alone, and I worry very much how this will affect him in his jobs going forward. [SOBS] I wish he could take his own advice, “Don’t push yourself too hard, instead of seven perfect guys, be perfect altogether as seven.”

But as Yuki himself said in the beginning of the episode, “You will never get anything done if you fear backlash.” Although we can all agree it’s easier said than done, but it’s still rings true. RE:VALE are planning to perform a cover on Zero’s “Dis One” (one of his biggest hits). It is a daunting idea in face of potential backlash from Zero’s fans, but they have the courage to do so because they want to bring his song back to the stage he had last performed.

If you stuck around past the preview, there was post-credit content (it was a super weird placement), where we witnessed Momo is experiencing confidence issues of his own- in this case, of being “replaceable” due to believing he has an “expiration date”. He was reminded this when he overheard Yuki on the phone desperately talking about finding someone. Although I can’t say it yet, I already have an inkling of who Yuki is looking for. I may have mentioned it a bit earlier, but there is one thing I have accidentally spoiled myself back in mid-2019. It is a really funny story because it is an unusual way to be spoiled nowadays, so I am saving that for when they finally reveal it.

If you thought that was it for the drama, well unfortunately there is still more to talk about. Tamaki’s sister Aya made an appearance today. Sogo being the smart cookie he is was able to connect the dots and confirm her identity, but he wasn’t expecting her to freak out and threaten to jump if he tells Tamaki or anyone about her. (GOODNESS CHILD. CALM DOWN!) No wonder Sogo was alarmed. She ended up running off because Sogo could get any real explanation for why she was reacting that way, but she dropped her key chain, so now it’s in his possession.

Man, I am worried for Sogo because this puts him in a real pickle. I would like to think Sogo would probably try to use the key chain as an excuse to meet Aya so he can try and not only get the story behind her actions, and get proper confirmation she is in fact Tamaki’s sister. I know he would do everything in his power to ensure Tamaki doesn’t have to go through that emotional ringer of grief and disappointment ever again. The only way to prevent Tamaki from flipping out and get him to actually listen to him, is if Aya were to be present when he breaks the news to him. Otherwise, one way or another, it’s not going to be pretty– and if there’s anything this series love doing, it making a hot mess of emotions.

Last but not least, this was probably the only uplifting part of the episode because it gives us something to look forward to– so as long as it’s actually carried out. But man they plan to torture us all until we get there, but at least it would be nice if we can reap such rewards at the end of all of this.

As part of RE:VALE 5th Anniversary concert, they have an ambitious and fun secret plan to create special units involving a collab with none other than TRIGGER and Idolish7. This is everything we can hope for, and I have been hungry for it since the first season, but watch it dash our dreams of not putting Riku and Tenn together in a unit. God damn it. But even if they are put together, they aren’t going to magically make amends, but while it will certainly add the tension between them, it will also give the opportunity to straighten things out, even just a little bit. COMMUNICATE PROPERLY WITH EACH OTHER YOU BLOODY IDIOTS. STOP HURTING EACH OTHER! MAKE UP AND HUG IT OUT.

Currently the plans for the special units involve three groups: Pop, R&B and Rock. All sounds super fun and I’m here for it. Thank you RE:VALE for even setting up this opportunity and cleverly winning over Sousuke. We also got the full story why Momo was working so hard to get Nagi’s exclusive autographs! But it was interesting to hear his thoughts about Kujo’s involvement in the concert, considering he is very interested in the one he is personally training. Truth to be told, I wasn’t really sure if he was referring to Tenn or maybe someone else entirely we have yet to meet. Needless to say, Tenn isn’t eager to have anyone meet his “dad” and is determined to keep his private life a secret.

Overall this season seems to be determined to throw in problems after problems for everyone. Life isn’t easy, much less for an Idol, but even as someone who loves angsty stories, even I am am starting to feel like it is getting to the point where there are already almost too many crises happening all at once. Although they have managed to strike the fine balance of orderly chaos, I am a bit concerned by the trend of more conflicts arising than of them being resolved. As result I find myself wondering how many of these problems are going to be resolved by the end of the season, and how many more are waiting to be launched at us…