Episode 148 - Raise the Curtain, the Great Starlight School Festival☆

Raise the Curtain, the Great Starlight School Festival☆ (開幕, 大スターライト学園祭☆) is the 148th episode of Aikatsu! TV anime series and the 47th episode of its "3rd Season". The episode aired on August 27, 2015.

Story
''Powapowa-Puririn is participating in the Great Starlight School Festival, however filming for Shion's movie begins the day of festival! Sakura and Otome are worried they might not get to perform but Shion says she'll stand on the stage with them...''

Summary
One morning, PowaPowa Puririn is watching an idol news announcement. Akari reveals through her weather program that round 1 of the Great Starlight School Festival will be beginning shortly, and the team starting it up will be Soleil. Joining them will be PowaPowa Puririn, along with Luminas too. Akari claims they will do really good, with Hinaki and Sumire joining her to wish everyone for support.

After the program finishes, Otome claims PowaPowa Puririn will also do their best as well and decides that to start, they need to go over themselves to see what they have as a unit. She asks Sakura where their specialties lie, and she explains that they have on-the-scene productions and variety shows, they also have their concerts. She asks Shion what their biggest appeal is, but all Shion can think of is how each member has a high prestige, considering they have two starlight queens in their group. They also point out how Shion is playing the lead role in a new project - which she admits to being a little nervous about. However, she takes things easy while still being serious.

It's then Shion gets a an alert to inform her that someone has just sent her the schedule for filming. She reveals that the concert conflicts with one of the filming days, which disappoints Otome considering they rarely ever get to perform in huge venues like this. She claims she will be able to handle it and promises to stand on stage with them come that day.

Outside, Otome is finishing her walk along another slope for the day on her program. She is joined by Hinaki and they end the program, thanking everyone for their help before going to sit down for a break. Hinaki is shocked to learn that Shion has other plans that day of the festival when they need to perform. She recalls their discussion from earlier on - but believes that Shion will be able to make it work in the end anyway. It's then Otome gets a call and begins chatting with the person on the other end as Hinaki silently observes her, surprised to know how hard her upper class-man works.

That evening she joins Sumire and Hinaki in their room to reveal a plan that occurred to her. She thinks that in order to make the Festival even more wonderful, they should try to support and back up their upper class-man in anyway they can. The other two agree before asking her what she has in mind. So far Hinaki has only thought of one thing, and shows the items in her backpack before revealing to them that Shion is scheduled to go up into the mountains for filming. She feels that she could really use some provisions during this time, and plans to go as a representative of Luminas.

When that day comes, Hinaki tiredly climbs the mountain. She follows the map but finds herself too exhausted to continue until she spots a huge cliff above her. She continues to climb, and hurried to cross a bridge before falling down a small dirt hill. She hears noise surrounding her before spotting a strange girl, realizing it to be Shion before hurriedly running to her. She is delighted to have found Shion and they go to a nearby building to take a break.

As Shion asks why Hinaki came all the way there, she refuses the gift from Hinaki before revealing what she has to live off of during this time. Hinaki is surprised, but Shion explains that it is a valuable part of her method acting while in seclusion. Hinaki is very inspired, but asks if she will be able to make it back to perform in time. Shion is not sure, but she continues to push herself for the sake of not living in the shadows of her unit mates. Feeling more inspired, Hinaki decides to take off and heads back to home.

The next day, Shion arrives - dressed and ready to start filming.

Meanwhile, the announcer reveals that the Great Starlight School Festival is starting. He reminds everyone how it works before revealing that PowaPowa Puririn will be going first. Everyone in the audience patiently waits. In the waiting rooms, Akari, Hinaki, and Sumire voice concern over Shion before deciding to pay Otome and Sakura a visit. Otome is on he phone chatting with Shion and wishes her luck before Sakura notices them. The girls say good morning before voicing their excitement to watch them perform. Sakura points out that Shion hasn't arrived yet, but Otome is sure they will be fine since she believes in Shion; as does Sakura.

On stage, the announcer reveals that it is the unit's time to go on. Sakura and Otome come out and reveal to everyone that Shion hasn't arrived yet, as she is busy filming for her movie. This concerns and disappoints everyone, but Sakura asks that they be patient until Shion arrives, because they know she will. Worriedly, Akari, Sumire, and Hinaki watch from the side as Otome and Sakura asks that everyone prays with them in wishing that Shion will show up. The fans agree to this and pray alongside them, Akari, Sumire, and Hinaki.

Suddenly, Shion arrives out of nowhere, still in her ninja attire. Everyone cheers at Shion's appearance as she joins her friends on stage and she apologizes for being late. She thanks the audience and apologizes for keeping them waiting, then together the six run backstage again. Akari, Sumire, and Hinaki chat with them before heading back to watch their performance as the girls change into their unit outfits and appear on stage, performing to "Angel Snow".

After their performance everyone cheers as the girls thank them for coming to see them. They share a few words with the audience, but to their surprise the lights suddenly go out. The monitor turns on behind them to reveal the four Dream Academy students, causing everyone to cheer again. One by one the girls introduce themselves to the audience and reveal that they are currently in Okinawa for a Dream Academy Fan Meeting. They are having a lot of fun, but Akari, Hinaki, and Sumire realize that this must have been the vague thing Otome spoke of earlier. With that, the four ask that everyone watches their performance and they appear on stage to perform "Happy Crescendo".

Afterwards, PowaPowa Puririn thank Dream Academy for their special guest appearance and they go on to perform another song.

Later on, Akari asks how Shion's filming went off. Shion explains that due to her method acting, she was able to nail all of her action scenes in a single take, so it sped up the process. Sakura compliments Shion for her hard work, but Shion admits that there was a few times when she felt as though it was too hard - but with the reminder of her dear friends and unit mates, she was able to keep going. To celebrate they do their group cheer.

Characters

 * Shion Kamiya
 * Otome Arisugawa
 * Sakura Kitaōji
 * Hinaki Shinjō
 * Akari Ōzora
 * Sumire Hikami
 * Seira Otoshiro
 * Kī Saegusa
 * Sora Kazesawa
 * Maria Himesato
 * Ichigo Hoshimiya (cameo)
 * Aoi Kiriya (cameo)
 * Ran Shibuki (cameo)

Trivia

 * Shion makes her first performance and CG debut.
 * This is the first Season 3 episode in which idols from Dream Academy perform.
 * Unlike Starlight School who replaced the Torte Coords with the Parade Coords, DreAca never issued new school dresses for the new term.