Episode 86 - My Dear Idol!

My Dear Idol! (マイ ディア アイドル!) is the 86th episode of Aikatsu! TV anime series and the 36th episode of its "2nd Season". The episode aired on June 12, 2014.

Story
''After it's announced that a unit will be made consisting of the top eight idols on the popularity charts, Raichi attempts to do everything in his power to make sure Aoi is one of them. ''

Summary
Everyone awaits the arrival of Orihime and Tiara in the meeting room. They have something big to announce and they're highly anticipating it. Upon arrival the conference begins, and the Headmistresses bring up with that their previous event going so well, they have decided to hold the Aikatsu8 Election.

Johnny takes his turn to talk and explains that this is a special event where fans will vote on their favorite Idols; only the top eight on the popularity charts will be accepted into the new unit. Once it's been decided, a special concert will be held, but until then it's up to each idol to run her own PR to win support. They will also be accepting fan ideas and suggestions as well during this period.

As this is going on, Raichi excitedly watches the announcement while cooking with Ringo. Due to the fans being allowed to help out, he is very happy that he can help his most favorite idol.

Later, the girls get together and chat about possible PR ideas, with Ichigo deciding to go rock climbing with other people, Ran deciding to hold modeling lessons, Seira teaching everyone to play the guitar, and Ki wants to hold a quiz event.

It's then Noel and Raichi join them, bringing up that they had just come from an Aikatsu meeting. Raichi was very excited to have some imput but he expresses disappointment in hearing that they have already began to get their own ideas, then Noel goes on to bring up her plans of supporting both her sister and Ichigo. Aoi admits that even if she is one of the possible entrants, she would support Ichigo and Ran anyway. The girls agree that they would also choose their closest friends.

That evening everyone at the Hoshimiya household begins to eat dinner. Ichigo is happy to be home since it's been a while, but Raichi quickly finishes and leaves for his room, leaving her and their mother confused. After she finishes eating Ichigo joins him to see what he was in such a hurry to do, but as Ringo wonders if Ichigo will have a place to sleep, she is surprised to see that Raichi has overtaken their bedroom with many idol magazines. He apologizes and quickly begins to clean it up while she looks at them, along with some cookies and soccer books. She asks Raichi about them, but he doesn't answer. It's then she brings up how much he likes Aoi, but he quickly claims that he just happens to admire her a lot because she's such an idol expert. Everytime he sees Aoi work hard it inspires him to work twice as hard too, but he still supports Ichigo too. She then goes to sleep while he continues on working.

The next morning Ichigo greets her brother, but to her surprise she finds him missing. She comes into the kitchen to help Ringo prepare the foods for the day, but she finds it has already been done. Ringo explains that Raichi did it earlier, but Ichigo recalls that the last time they spoke he wasn't at all confident in his cooking abilities; although Ringo points out that since then he's been practicing every day. He even helps her think up new menu items, along with writing the Aikatsu newspaper, and playing soccer and making team schedules.

Later that day, Ichigo returns to school to find several idol magazines on Aoi's bed. Aoi reveals that this is because she suddenly got the perfect idea for her PR, from someone with the pen name Doremifaso Lychee Star-san. She shows Ichigo the message and she agrees with the suggestion, but she questions why this name sounds so familiar as they take off to meet up with the person.

At the meeting location, Ichigo, Aoi, Ran, Yurika, and Otome wait for the person to arrive- but when Raichi shows up they quickly put two and two together. As Ichigo realizes that this was what Raichi was doing the night before, Ran is able to determine what inspired his pen name. He then goes on to reveal his idea of making Aoi run from the school to the performance hall. This would be a good way for the fans to see her in action and her appeal in person, and Aoi really likes the simplicity of the idea and brings up how important fans are to idols. Raichi also wants Ichigo and Ran to run with her for support, along with him and his soccer team. He invited Yurika and Otome to come to handle the MCing from the concert hall.

The following evening, Ringo sees that Raichi is still awake and she expresses surprise when he mentions being anxious about the upcoming day. He was hoping some "image training" would help him prepare a little, and while Ringo understands, she is worried that he might get too tired. On top of helping at the shop he also had soccer practice today. He agrees and she wishes him a good evening and takes off.

The following day Yurika and Otome begin their MCing. They announce what is going on and how the PR event will begin soon before the camera switches to Ichigo, Aoi, and Ran at the school entrance preparing to go. They announce they are ready and Johnny fires a shot in the air to signal the beginning. The trio take off and are followed by the others as Yurika and Otome narrate. They also take the time to bring up interesting trivia and facts about Aoi since this is mainly about her, and eventually they come to a steep hill. Disappointedly, Raichi notices he is starting to get tired and he scolds himself for staing up so late. He feels bad that Aoi is doing well and he's unable to keep up, and when Ichigo sees this she suggests he rests.

He refuses, but he feels he has no choice until his teammates suddenly pick him up. They know how important this event was to him and they want him to finish with the girls.

Eventually they reach the end and Aoi crosses the goal line. She thanks everyone for cheering her on and Raichi thanks his team for his help. He still feels bad for having slowed her down, but she tells him that he did a lot to help her out, and she's very happy to have seen her fans come out to show support. It's because of Raichi she got to have such an experience, and she teasingly tells him to make sure he watches them perform. With the other girls they all run backstage and change, then reappear on stage to perform "Fashion Check!".

After, Ichigo and Raichi meet up and make conversation. He brings up that supporting Aoi encourages him to keep going with all of the things he does, and he tells Ichigo to keep doing her best too, and to keep supporting her friend. She agrees, but he also tells him of her plans to support him too. Aoi joins them and agrees, and she starts speaking with Raichi while Ichigo and Ran watch.

Characters

 * Raichi Hoshimiya
 * Ichigo Hoshimiya
 * Aoi Kiriya
 * Ran Shibuki
 * Otome Arisugawa
 * Yurika Tōdō
 * Seira Otoshiro
 * Kī Saegusa
 * Ringo Hoshimiya
 * Orihime Mitsuishi
 * Tiara Yumesaki
 * Johnny Bepp

Trivia

 * This epsiode marks the debut of the Viridian Torte Coord.