Episode 46 - Respect J☆

Respect J☆ (リスペクトJ☆) is the 46th episode of Aikatsu! TV anime series and the 46th episode of its "1st Season". The episode aired on August 29, 2013.

Synopsis
''The Starlight Queen Cup is being held once again, and the girls are curious as to how Mizuki obtained the title of Starlight Queen after vanishing for a year. To learn more they confront Johnny-Sensei in hopes of getting him to train them. ''

Summary
Early one morning, everyone is waiting around in Orihime's office when Johnny suddenly bursts in. The girls are unable to understand what he's trying to tell them, but to their surprise Mizuki is able to translate it. It's then Orihime goes on to explain why she wanted them all there. They will be holding the Starlight Queen cup to determine the new top idol of the school. This is a special event only available for the top eight students of the school- which happened to be the members of STAR☆ANIS. Mizuki has been the Starlight Queen for the past two years- and now this is their chance to challenge her.

As Ichigo, Aoi, and Ran sit down for lunch they begin to discuss Mizuki. They are excited, but express concern over being unable to catch up to her. Aoi points out that while their top idol has never slowed down, there was one year when she completely stopped idol activity. Nobody knows what happened during this time frame though. Ichigo recalls that Aoi mentioned this before, and they ask Ran if she knows any more, as a longer time student. She brings up Mizuki entered the academy and stopped during her final year of elementary school. Since she was able to take the idol world by storm since her comeback, they have deduced she used this time to power up. Ran goes on to bring up how bright and shiny her aura had been during her comeback performance. Her skills of singing and performance; and everything was enough to surpass the past top idol by miles.

With this known Aoi claims that she had to have been doing some intense idol training, so if they can figure out who her trainer was they might just find the key in beating her. They start their investigation by asking Orhime, and mention being unable to ask Mizuki since she was busy with work. Seeing their passion she agrees to introduce them to the man who trained her and they take off.

In the dance room the girls express confusion upon spotting Johnny waiting for them. Initially they assume that they missed the coach until he informs them that it was him they are looking for. They doubt him though, until Mizuki comes in and informs them it isn't a joke. Offended, Johnny calls the girls rude- although they ignore him for a chance to speak to Mizuki. After they are given video proof that he really is a talented coach and dancer, the trio asks Johnny to coach them and he is quick to accept.

That evening, Mizuki accepts tea from Honoka and explains that even if she has to split her training time with them she doesn't really mind. It wouldn't be the worst thing if someone was to surpass her;  since it just means she will have to get back to the top again.

The next day, Ichigo, Aoi, and Ran arrive bright and early for their first lesson. They are surprised to find that Johnny is acting like his normal, casual self and he admits he may be a little nervous regarding these special lessons. He goes on to warn them that these will be very intensive and hard, since they're making an attempt to catch up to Mizuki's level and it took her a year to reach mastery of it. When they agree and claim they will handle it, he starts their lessons by telling them to always smile, no matter how much pain they are in or what the pose. While focusing on that he teaches the girls how to turn and jump, but they struggle to properly keep face until they get too tired and need to take a break. Johnny encourages them to keep training.

Meanwhile, the other four are outside training. They have been working for a while, but they are momentarily concerned since the other three are getting special lessons. But they are able to encourage each other and decide that with just one month until the Starlight Queen Cup, they need to give it there all no matter how their training regimen is handled.

Johnny stops Ichigo, Aoi, and Ran to tell them that they aren't doing good enough and he explains how important expressions and conveying the feelings are to the audience and eventually the training comes to an end, where the tired girls retreat to the Cafeteria. They can't understand what he means by using the entire body to show an emotion, and wonder if maybe Mizuki would know. But this brings up something else and they wonder how Mizuki met Johnny-sensei before entering the school. Mizuki happens to have overhear this however, and she tells them that if they wish to know then they should come to her place that night.

After their arrival, Mizuki gives them all a not-so-great drink. She explains how this is good practice for teaching someone how to keep smiling, due to how bitter it is. She goes on to mention that Johnny once told her that no matter what, to always keep smiling because as an idol it's important to keep the audience happy. Which is why he kept trying to make them smile in strange situations. She also mentions that she was inspired to become an Idol after watching the legendary duo Masquerade, and hands them a magazine. They express confusion, as Masquerade was long before any of them were born, and Aoi asks her how she became one of their fans.

She sits down with the girls and begins to explain, saying that during elementary school she had been a fashion model. She was always overly concerned regarding her performance capabilities and would worry about them. So much that she considered quitting the entertainment world all together. But when someone from her agency showed her footage of their first concert, she was immediately hooked by their beautiful smiles and passion. However she wondered why she had been so moved by their performance, even days after seeing this. She then learned about Johnny, who had done Masquerades choreography. Since then, she followed him everywhere to ask for lessons. Day after day she kept begging, until he eventually gave in.

That was how her secret sessions begun and she used the entire year training for the idol world. At first she was very serious, but he also taught her about smiling at all times and expressing herself with her entire body, not just her face. The way to make an impact on someone is to turn your feelings into an expression of your entire being.

While standing up Mizuki mentions how she feels envious of the girls because they have each other. She doesn't have this, nor did she seem too when she was younger. But she reveals no more and claims to be excited for the Starlight Queen Cup.

The day before their final training session, Johnny walks into the room to find the trio busily cleaning the dance studio. He is touched by their kindness and they quickly finish in order to let the girls show him how much they have improved since they began, going on to do a quick performance for Soleil. They perform "Diamond Happy".

After the performance, Johnny comes in to congratulate the girls. As he speaks English, they do their best to translate it and he confirms they were right, which leaves everyone feeling pleased.

Character Appearances

 * Ichigo Hoshimiya
 * Aoi Kiriya
 * Ran Shibuki
 * Otome Arisugawa
 * Yurika Tōdō
 * Sakura Kitaōji
 * Kaede Ichinose
 * Mizuki Kanzaki
 * Johnny Bepp
 * Orihime Mitsuishi
 * Honoka Tsukikage
 * Masquerade (flashback)

Trivia

 * In this episode, some of the choreography for Diamond Happy was changed or modified.
 * The Starlight School students change back to their winter uniforms for the remainder of Season 1 starting with this episode.