A slow start recap by Mikan. I didn’t like it, but maybe I just don’t like hearing Mikan’s narrative voice. haha. And I do wish for an episode with more stories of the festival preparations, but we jumped straight into the festival itself.

With Takako assisting, and after changes to the initial proposal, preparations for the school festival is underway!

Finally, it’s the night before the actual festival, and even as they stand at the school gate, Mikan mentions that she just doesn’t feel like going home. Staying overnight, visiting all the different stalls and crashing out on the roof.

Mikan questions about how Manabi sees the world - a roof top containing a school council room, where all 5 girls went through all kinds of emotions. It’s something manabi will never forget, and Mikan simply just loves everyone.

It’s the school festival! The council members are left to man the HQ though, unable to participate at all.

Except for Mutsuki, who does the job of security, even as some punks seem to be visiting the festival. Manabi’s bro arrives to save the day though. :D  At the council room, Kyouko arrives, only to have Manabi kick up a fuss. But even as they walk around the festival, the brother points out that Kyouko in reality did come as the principal. But Kyouko mentions that she has realised why the school should actually hold a school festival, that there’s actually meaning. She has been looking too far ahead into the future, thinking there’s no meaning at all.

Takano joins the school council members, even as they are forced to manned the HQ. But she tells them to close their eyes to visualize the school festival, something that she had learnt from manabi earlier.

All is not lost however, as close to the end, Shimoji and the school principal take over the HQ duties.

Momo forces Manabi on stage, where she has the final song.  She decides to sing the Seiou school anthem, before repeating a rock version of it. At the end, Momo lights up a bunch of fireworks.

In the end, the principal tells Shimoji that though the school festival is basically the same as last years, it’s still a very special one. Everything ends with Manabi telling everyone that she loves them all!

Thoughts

One thing I’m glad. They didn’t make a mess of animating the rock band. *good job!*

Overall a very nice finale to the whole theme of friendship. Though a bit boring this episode was, it did have it’s fun side. I thought having Kyouko really perks things up a little.