When you watch everything like a Shonen/Seinen series, everything becomes a parody.
"ARRRGH!"
Kanan heaves a heavy sigh as she watches Chika flop face-first into the sand again.
Five days have passed, and Chika is showing so, so much promise, and yet still cannot master the technique. And, if she continues to rely on simple repetition, she will never master it.
"I do understand how she feels, but I'm still worried," says a voice from Kanan's right. It belongs to the second year, Sakurauchi Riko, the composer of Aquors.
"Yeah," agrees the third person watching Chika, her childhood friend, Watanabe You. In the light of the dying sun, the shadows of their eye sockets obscure their eyes from view as they observe the ginger training. Onomatopoeia fills the air around them in a cloud of ドs and ゴs.
"Then why don't you two stop her," Kanan challenges. "She's at her limit, and she's more likely to listen to you two than to me."
"Not yet," responds You. "Chika is not yet at her limit."
"Ho?"
"That's right," Riko interjects. "Chika is the normal monster. The truth is she's got incredible power, and yet she says she's just normal and is always on the sidelines."
You continues. "And so, whether intentionally or unintentionally, she restricts her own power under the guise of normalcy. But we know it's there. Indeed, is it not that very power which drew all of us to her, to this group?"
Kanan watches in silent contemplation. Chika, sitting in the sand after another failed attempt, looks in frustration at the westering sun and reaches out towards it as if to grab it. The third year rises to her feet. Riko and You are right, and she knows what she has to do to help Chika reach fruition.
"Chika." At the sound of her name, the ginger turns around and faces Kanan.
"Kanan?"
"You cannot master this technique as you are now."
"What?"
"I'll give you one night. Search carefully within your soul and find the thing you are missing. If you can't, not only will you never master this final technique, but you'll fall by my blade."
With that, the blue haired diver turns and walks off the beach.
Chika's only response is to clench her fists tighter.
"Almost!"
Night has fallen. Chika continues to try to master Kanan's secret technique to no avail.
"Ahh, come on!" she groans as she falls into the sand once more. "What am I doing wrong?"
"Chika!" choruses two separate voices. It's Riko and You. They are still here?
"Don't get frustrated," Riko soothes as he takes hold of Chika's right hand. "Relax and just practice like usual."
"You can do it!" On the left, You mirrors Riko's movement with a big smile. "I know you can do it!"
The two second years assist Chika to her feet. "And it's not just us who believe in you Chika..."
"Chika! ༼ つ ◕_◕ ༽つ TAKE MY ENERGY ༼ つ ◕_◕ ༽つ!" cheers the first year trio, who has just arrived on the beach out of nowhere in the middle of the night.
The citrus loving idol takes a deep breath. This time, she will succeed. She can feel it! With her friends cheering her on, there is no way she can fail!
Plop.
"ARGH! THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE SCENE WHERE I DO IT!" Chika screams in frustration. "Why? Why can't I do it? Even though Riko and You and everyone else is rooting for me so much, and yet..."
"Chika!" A flurry of onomatopoeia so visible that Chika can hear it streams from behind her. The ginger turns around and surveys the scene before her.
To the left, Riko stands with her back facing the tired orange-head. Her right hand rests on her hip while her left hand is placed on her shoulder. On the right, You squats as if leaning against an invisible pillar. In her left hand is a stone mask, and her right hand grips her left bicep. In the illumination of the new moon and sparse streetlights, the shadows cast by the contours of their bodies block most of their face from discernment.
"Do you still think that you're a normal person?" asks You.
"What?"
"You're the leader, but you've come this far because of everyone's help," Riko continues. "Yet you haven't done anything at all. You're thinking that, aren't you?"
"Yes, because that's true."
"Chika, surely you've realized we're not unique. When it comes to singing and dancing, when it comes to costumes and choreography, when it comes to our songs and music, we don't stand above the rest."
"What we have that no other idol group has, Chika, is you. Beyond your natural charisma and brilliance, you have the ability to draw power from our hopes and dreams. You can literally take our energy. The eight of us were drawn to you because we intuitively sensed this ability within you. Because of you, we're here now. Do not forget that."
The first years join Riko and You on the beach and together offer their encouragement:
"So, once again, ༼ つ ◕_◕ ༽つ TAKE OUR ENERGY ༼ つ ◕_◕ ༽つ!"
"Everyone!" This time, Chika feels it. The energy of the rest of Aquors is coursing through her. Their chi strengthens her limbs. The sun crests the eastern mountains. This is it. She can do it!
"Your next line is: 'Kanan! I'm ready!'"
"Kanan! I'm ready!"
ゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴ
The third years are here. Mari (the person who predicted Chika's next line) flanks Kanan on the right while Dia takes position on the left. As for the ultramarine haired third year, she stands tall and proud with a tachi dangling from her obi.
"So, were you able to find what you were missing?" asks Kanan as she unsheathes her sword.
"Yes," answers Chika. "Let me show you the ultimate technique. Together, with all of your hearts!"
The ginger sprints full-tilt at Kanan. She blows past Riko and Chika. She speeds past Hanamaru, Ruby and Yoshiko. She zooms past Mari and Dia. She closes in on Kanan. Chika can feel the energy of all eight of them carrying her weary feet like petals in a spring breeze. She glides forth as if weightless.
Kanan thrusts at her, utilizing her god-like speed to assail all nine points. There's only one way to avoid this nine-headed dragon flash: the ultimate technique. Chika pushes off with her right foot and...!
*fade to white*
Quite frankly, it's pretty apparent that the writers had a good time with episode 6. The first years start playing shiritori in the middle of an important scene, "Chika's got incredible power" and "do you still think you're a normal person" are ACTUAL LINES from the show, and they even made fun of themselves with "This is supposed to be the scene where I do it." When the writers approach the audience with this whimsical nature, I cannot help but answer in kind.
The dreams of those who have fallen! The hopes of those who will follow! Those two sets of dreams weave together into a double helix, drilling a path towards tomorrow! And THAT'S Tengen Toppa! That's Gurren-Lagann! My drill is the drill that creates the HEAVENS!
