BanG Dream! It’s MyGO!!!!! – Episode 12

And so the perilous journey of MyGO’s musicians continues. Having weathered CRYCHIC’s calamitous breakup, Tomori, Taki, and Soyo have reunited in a group defined by genuine emotional sincerity, with even Soyo admitting to the desire for community that has long guided her awkward, earnest compatriots. And they’ve gained new companions along the way, friends who may lack the paralyzing magnetism of Sakiko or Ophelia-tier melancholy of Mutsumi, but who nonetheless contribute crucial dosages of stability and chill to their anxious collective.

Anon in particular has proven herself a crucial binding agent, in spite of both Soyo and Taki’s initial indifference to her presence. In a story brimming with rich characters haunted by the scars of the past, Anon’s “I am feel uncomfortable when we are not about me” ego and simultaneous sensitivity to the feelings of others made her an unexpectedly ideal mediator, her brash pursuit of self-centered ends almost immediately giving way to genuine concern for her would-be bandmates. The duality of Anon reflects the thoughtfulness of MyGO’s characterization more generally; none of these characters are a stable set of behaviors and desires, they are forever suspended between their best and worst instincts, their past hopes and present ambitions. Let’s see how they weather their second performance, as we return to the outstanding BanG Dream! It’s MyGO!!!!!

Episode 12

Our band has settled on “Lost Girls,” but has yet to romanize it into the incomprehensible “MyGO.” You’re not a professional band until you’ve decided on a name that’s utterly indecipherable to anyone outside of the band, and in fact somewhat embarrassing even to the band itself. I recall Wolf Parade have always been kinda embarrassed that their name is just nonsense following that 00s indie convention of animal names like Fleet Foxes, Grizzly Bear, Frightened Rabbit, and Animal Collective

We drop in on their preparations for their next performance, where the nerves preceding their first show have been replaced by the general bickering that characterizes their relationship. Taki is frustrated, Anon is anxious, Raana wants a snack – once you get past your first show, it’s remarkable how quickly those jitters are replaced by a comfortable routine

For my own band, we tried to make sure every show was unique and a reason for excitement by playing a different cover for every performance. Along with our originals and staple covers (Nothin’ to You, Kiss the Bottle, Just Like Heaven), we ran through a bunch of other fun tracks – Boomboxes and Dictionaries by The Gaslight Anthem, Slow Show by The National, Here’s Your Future by The Thermals

For our lost girls, their new original is plenty excitement enough. As an irrepressible album enthusiast, I never really wrote a “new single” between shows – I’d write songs in batches that were generally connected by some sort of theme. Still kinda disappointed we never put together professional recordings of my last set of Katawa Shoujo-themed songs, I was really cooking back then

“I don’t know if it’s good as-is. With stuff like this, you play it together a bunch of times, and that’s how you tell.” Taki’s entirely right. Nothing improves a song like actually playing it repeatedly with the group, and intermingling session takes with actual live runs. Bands don’t just test new material on tour as a method of hyping their next album; seeing how both the band members play off each other in a given song, as well as how the crowd responds to presumed impact moments, is really the only way to polish a song that’s theoretically finished on paper into its best possible form. I actually sorta regret recording our EP too early into some of its songs’ lifecycles, as repeated live performances substantially improved the interplay of my drums and our lead guitarist’s parts through several of the bridges. I recall White Rabbits (there’s another ‘00s animal indie group name) similarly regretted recording their first album before testing the songs on tour, and feel privileged I got to see them actually burn through the more developed versions of the tracks when they passed through my college

“They call it ‘Maigo’. They’re already shortening it.” “That’s because you put ‘band’ in the name of a band.” Rooky mistake, Anon

“Its My Go! Wow, this is a huge discovery!” Oh my god Anon. Of course she’d be the one to discover their preposterous current name, and be exceedingly proud of herself for the accomplishment

Soyo is insecure about her seemingly half-complete costume, but smiles when it’s admired by the preceding band. In spite of her machinations and aggressive pursuit of her desires, Soyo doesn’t really have much confidence in her own opinions. She is very good at conveying a mask that mirrors the behavior of everyone around her, but that proficiency itself is something she’s cultivated to make up for her fundamental lack of drive and self-confidence, as we’ve seen clearly in her interactions with her mother and Sakiko. Part of why she was so desperate to reform CRYCHIC is because CRYCHIC and Sakiko made it easy for her – they were guiding stars, a replacement for the certainty her mother’s directives once offered (itself presumably a post-divorce coping mechanism). But Soyo’s lack of certainty also means she is fluid, capable of reinventing herself within new circumstances, and easily comforted by the validation of those she considers worthy of respect

Her insecurity is also likely a big part of why she finds Tomori and Anon off putting; they both remind her of the things she dislikes about herself

Taki approaches a moment of actually thanking and commiserating with the band, but thinks better of it and swiftly flees. They’re all sort of cats in their own ways

Kinda funny seeing the gear-eye designs of the original series next to MyGO’s more standard character designs

And of course, Anon is immediately overwhelmed by her big fancy pedal board. God damnit Anon

“You used your foot! I haven’t used my foot on it yet!” Oh my god Anon. Also like Soyo bickering but nonetheless showing her the solution

Raana’s mother also shows up, the former owner of the club

Damn, Anon’s gotten a lot better! She seems totally confident with this hand-picked lead part, a far cry from “hey look, I can do a chord”

Hah, I appreciate this detail of her furrowed brows as she stares down at the guitar, confirming her left hand placement. She’s still struggling with it, but doing her best

Tomori’s lyrics are essentially an apology, saying these songs were for her alone, but that she nonetheless hopes they will help the audience in some way. A refrain I recall from Ryo in Bocchi, and one that strongly resonates with my own music experience – I’m writing the music that’s meaningful to me, not music to appeal to as many people as possible, but I still hope it can reach the people who need it

“A song of lost stars.” There’s something truly special about a band that sings to the unheard and unusual, that wears its oddity on its sleeve and hopes to find community in the strange. Music can be enjoyed in any number of ways, but I dearly love bands of the unheard and the lost

“Don’t ignore this heart that doesn’t feel comfortable being cheery. Please don’t recommend a brilliant tomorrow to me.” Tomori has learned to be proud of who she is, and is now ready to serve as a beacon for other lost, proudly awkward and unhappy souls. There’s a reason people who love The Mountain Goats really, really love The Mountain Goats

“These days hurt so much, so why do we gloss over it by saying they’re boring?” Oh, Tomori

Anon’s expression as Tomori describes her as “really lost” is fantastic. And “I’m not that lost, I can read maps” as a counter is just incredible. God this show is generous

We actually get a rare look of embarrassment from Raana as Tomori remarks on how she “stays with her.” Like most cats, she dislikes being directly observed

“We should actually get off at different stations, but she walks me all the way to my house.” How could you do Taki like this, Tomori

And we launch into another song! At this point, I fully appreciate how MyGO’s CG aesthetic allows it to pull off so many full musical numbers. The power of a musical drama is its ability to express drama through music, the evolving feelings of the characters conveyed through a medium more primal and universal than speech. MyGO seizes that opportunity for all it’s worth, casting its exploration of intimate emotions outwards through these heartfelt song sequences

“The fever writhing within me is unleashed as sound.” And it’s been wonderful literally watching Tomori find her voice through song – beyond that one glorious performance of Haru Hikage, she’s now voicing all these variable thoughts and feelings, articulating herself as clearly as anyone in the cast. Not bad for the girl who could once only communicate through penguin band-aids

Now that Tomori has affirmed Anon’s band name, the rest of the group agree they like it. Anon in shambles

And of course, not to be outdone, she’s also the one to now add five exclamation points. So it’s your fault I’ve had to type those goddamn exclamation points every time! Of course it is

Their green room now contains a gift of cucumbers. Soyo immediately recognizes this as Mutsumi’s calling card

Soyo, of course, is incapable of receiving Mutsumi’s blessing with grace. She might have found happiness in MyGO, but she’s still bitter over what she sees as Mutsumi’s “culpability” in her failure to recreate CRYCHIC. Once again, MyGO demonstrates how positive growth doesn’t necessarily mean we abandon all our old, negative tendencies

And as MyGO celebrate their victory, Sakiko’s nega-band gather in the shadows!

Sakiko politely referring to Nyamu as “Nyamu-san” is too much. Also fun to see Nyamu’s real voice is entirely unlike her squeaky online affectation

The two immediately start throwing barbs at each other – Nyamu digging into Sakiko’s apparent inability to afford a high-class cafe, Sakiko noting that Nyamu’s current gimmick is going to run its course soon. Sounds like a healthy foundation for a band!

“So, why me?” “Your face and the numbers.” Only Sakiko could say that with a bright smile on her face. And yet, this is the first thing about her that Nyamu actually respects. God, this band is going to be savage

And Done

What the goddamn hell is this show!? After all of its heartrending climactic peaks, we get yet another standout performance episode, with Tomori’s new song effortlessly driving me to tears. Having risen above pure diary confession, Tomori has embraced her role as a guide of the lonely and the lost, belting out songs that speak to both a pride of individuality and a yearning for acknowledgment and connection. And the overall group have arrived at such a clear point of mutual respect and fondness, with even their bickering revealing the closeness of their unit. They’re not a great band because the story has told me so – they’re a great band because they’ve proven it to me and their in-show audience alike, roaring through one poignant, anthemic track after another, growing more attuned to each other all the while. I’d happily pay for tickets to a MyGO performance, and am now boiling over with curiosity regarding Sakiko’s sinister counterplay. After spending so long as the dark angel haunting our girls, what is the sound hidden in her heart?

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