Episode 37 - Heading for the Sun

Head for the Sun (太陽に向かって) is the 37th episode of Aikatsu! TV anime series and the 37th episode of its "1st Season". The episode aired on June 27, 2013.

Synopsis
''As Tristar takes off, Orihime decides to place Ichigo and Aoi into a unit of their own- but they are unsatisfied as they try to find a third member. Meanwhile, Ran is still missing her friends and Mizuki makes her an offer...''

Summary
Orihime has called a sudden meeting and everyone is excitedly chattering about it. They know it has to with Tristar and assume it is good news before being seated in the Auditorium. She begins by thanking everyone for coming at the last minute and shows them a Press Conference recently held, announcing that due to Tristar's popularity she plans to open another Idol Unit for the school. Everyone is surprised as she brings up that Ichigo and Aoi will be it's official members, ending the assembly.

Outside the girls are complimented by a bunch of classmates and friends before being ambushed by Interviewers. They question the girls by asking of their opinions and feelings- and initially, they are flustered until they focus enough to properly answer.

Meanwhile, on the bus, Mizuki shows Kaede and Ran the announcement. Ran is pleased with the news, causing her to express curiosity.

Orihime calls the girls for a pep talk and gives them their brand new schedules. She explains how busy they will become and gives them their first and most important assignment, deciding their unit name. By choosing their own goals and name, they will be able to decide which path they wish to lead and will be expected to follow it.

They leave afterward and begin going over the schedule while Ichigo expresses delight in being in a Unit with Aoi. However, neither of them has any ideas and while they lay around in bed that night, Ichigo deduces that Aoi should decide since she would like anything she could come up with. While they are both really happy- they are concerned over Ran and wonder if she's heard about the news yet. While they wish to send her a text message they figure she would be too busy to reply so there isn't a point. After that, they pray for her to be successful and go to sleep.

As it turns out, Ran is disappointed since neither girl sent her any messages. She was expecting it but assumes they are too busy at the time and she gives up, deciding to resume training. Upon finishing she checks again and finds that Ichigo left a message, informing her that they have come up with a name. She feels better in seeing this and responds to the message before she resumes work again.

When they finish, their manager informs them that they will be heading to TKY TV, then to Osaka right after. Kaede is very excited since she has always wanted to go to Osaka, but Ran feels less than thrilled. Mizuki seems to notice and when she brings it up Ran is quick to claim she is fine. Mizuki isn't convinced and takes off, with Kaede encouraging Ran to focus on having fun and enjoying the great food they will get to have later before running off to join her.

At Starlight Academy, Ichigo and Aoi go over their schedule again: first, they have a meeting regarding a commercial, then they go to TKY TV, then rehearse for a music show at one pm.

As they head into a hall, the girls discuss how they have been hearing people say "you two" a lot lately. While they are still happy, they find themselves saddened without Ran around.

At TKY TV, Ran and Kaede are in the waiting room when Mizuki informs her that Ichigo and Aoi are going to be there for rehearsal. She also mentions that if they finish work quickly enough they may be able to go and see them, and tomorrow they will be holding their first concert. Ran is very excited and she promises to give work their all so that she can go and visit them, and she sticks by her word, performing very well until she realizes she made a mistake. Mizuki brings it up again and takes off afterward, leaving Ran feeling bad until she remembers her friends are there. She runs off to locate them- but finds them preparing for their show and being seated. One of the workers comes by to give her a bag that the two of them left for her and she goes back to the waiting room to find that they left her some juice. She tries a sip before deeming it to be gross, then imagines what may have got put into it to make it taste so foul- such as garlic, spinach, and lemon while Aoi would agree that while smart, it was a bad combination. She is amused by such thoughts, but she begins to feel depressed, unaware that Mizuki is observing her from where she stands.

Ran catches up with them a few moments later and she pretends not to have noticed as she apologizes for being late. They get onto the bus and head to Osaka. While on it, Kaede happens to notice that Mizuki seems to be in a bad mood, but Ran believes it was probably because of her mistake earlier and attempts to apologize for it again. Mizuki claims that she didn't need to apologize since she was not just performing for her, causing words to ignite something within Ran. She remains quiet while trying to determine how long it has been that she's behaved this way.

Later, Kaede invites Mizuki to come out to eat with her. She tries to get Ran until Mizuki suggests they give her some time alone, and as they start walking away Mizuki begins to wonder if she made a mistake.

Ran continues to think about Aoi and Ichigo, and she tries to contact them until she recalls that they have their own preparation to do for their concert tomorrow, so she decides not to bother them. But her feelings of sadness are replaced by aggravation after she gets a strange message from Mizuki.

The next morning Aoi and Ichigo are congratulated for their success and are asked about their confidence about the upcoming performance. Ichigo isn't confident at all, but she is sure that with Aoi they will do fine. Aoi agrees and mentions that they know Ran will be supporting them even if she cannot be there, going on as they reveal their unit name: Soleil.

To everyone's surprise, Ran suddenly runs up to the girls. Johnny questions what is going on and Orihime responds by quoting his earlier words "things are starting to heat up". One of the crew recording Ichigo and Aoi happen to recognize Ran as being from Tristar and curiously the girls ask her why she's there. She informs them that she has left Tristar and asks to make an important announcement while there. After being given permission, she tells them that she dropped herself from Tristar and shocked by this, people begin to ask her if she is sure. Ran is very sure and explains why it had to be done.

At the concert location where Tristar was to be performing, Mizuki also gives an announcement to inform the audience members that Ran has left. She and Kaede will continue to support Ran and with that said, they put on a performance for everyone.

Johnny and Orihime keep discussing the turn of events and he asks her if she knew this would happen. She claims she didn't however, so Johnny accepts this and Soleil goes to change into their unit outfits, where they perform "Diamond Happy".

Once the performance ends, everyone comments on Soleil's performance. Mizuki and Kaede have also watched it and they are very happy by the turn of events knowing how much better Ran is with Ichigo and Aoi. Whom also feel very good to have their best friend back. While Ran is happy she thinks about the previous evening when she got her message from Mizuki, where it was revealed to have been involving removing Ran from the group. Initially, she thought it was because Mizuki gave up on her, but she soon realized that it was because she knew her true dream was to be with Ichigo and Aoi.

Ran is a little saddened by how things turned out, but the girls manage to perk her right up and they share a cheer of encouragement.

Character Appearances

 * Ichigo Hoshimiya
 * Aoi Kiriya
 * Ran Shibuki
 * Mizuki Kanzaki
 * Kaede Ichinose
 * Otome Arisugawa
 * Yurika Tōdō
 * Sakura Kitaōji
 * Orihime Mitsuishi
 * Johnny Bepp
 * Raichi Hoshimiya
 * Ringo Hoshimiya
 * Honoka Tsukikage

Trivia

 * Ran leaves Tristar to join Soleil.
 * This episode sees the first appearance and performance of Soleil, a unit consisting of Ichigo, Aoi, and Ran.
 * The song Diamond Happy appears for the first time as an insert song.