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Nico-nico-nii! The Fourth Smile!

You may be frowning right now, but this School Idol will surely never let you down. She will make you smile in this fourth episode of School Idol Festival Journal Log!

Before heading to the highlights on the JP and Global sides of the School Idol Festival game, let us celebrate the Universe’s No. 1 School Idol’s birthday! It is none other than Nico Yazawa! Happy Birthday!

Nico Yazawa’s birthday is celebrated every 22nd of July. Her known signatured pose is the Nico-nico-nii chant, in which it has become a trending pose not just only in Japan culture, but on different parts of the world (Even wrestlers used them)! Just remember that she doesn’t really like you if you are not smiling. In fact, you should smile and be happy because it’s her birthday, and don’t forget to write a birthday letter or greetings to her to celebrate! Nico-nico-nii!!

And to give some heads up, there will be Aqours livestream this week, on July 25, 2020! Announcements might include the release of the Aqours 6th Live Dome Tour theme song, as well as the recently previewed Chika Takami’s First Solo Concert album! The Solo Concert albums are a series of albums commemorating the birthdays of each Aqours members. Starting with Chika Takami, her solo album tracks were previewed on YouTube last week. The format might be the solo vocal versions of Aqours songs, plus one original song that was never heard before, which is not present on the current lineup of Aqours songs. That first solo album shall be released on August 1. And to spoil, the order of the releases shall be like this: Riko, Ruby, Dia, Kanan, Hanamaru, You, Mari, and Yoshiko (Yohane!).

That’s it for the pre-episode headlines! Let’s go to the highlights!

JP-Side Highlights

The Nico Yazawa Birthday Event Campaign has already ended without giving it a highlight during this episode. But then, at that time before this episode was made available, I was able to get the last embedded Tweet or screenshot showing her birthday banner. And that is, I managed to include it at this episode! Just remember to scout for her if you really love her! More details of her birthday campaign can be continued in the Global Side Highlights here later!

The Nico Yazawa Birthday 2020 Limited UR Scouting Box.

And so, another Event has started and it shall be a Token Collection Event. It has started on the 20th of July 2020, and will last until the end of July 2020, before maintenance time. It will feature another Event UR as Event Reward, as well as other Event URs that can be acquired by scouting. Other URs, like from those in the UNIT LIVE ADVENTURE 2020 Limited UR Scouting, can be also used as Yell Units to increase your Event Points accumulation, especially if playing on Master difficulties.

I can tell that this could be another bloodbath Event for me, in fact due to the EXP x 3 modifier event, and it shall sideline along with this Token Collection Event.

The featured Token Collection Event song shall be ‘Love Pulsar’, a second song from Guilty Kiss’ New Romantic Sailors album. Also, the song mentioned shall be of Cool attribute. The previous Token Event songs has already the Pure and Smile attributes in order. It seems that I have already heard the song, since it was already released as a playable song on the Hits Side. In fact, I should be ready to wreck my fingers and thumbs again on its Master difficulty part!

Info about the release of Chika Takami’s Birthday 2020 Limited UR Scouting. It shall be released in July 26, 2020, and it will last 7 days until her birthday!

Also, I shall encounter Chika Takami and Honoka Kosaka’s new Birthday Limited URs which will surface and sideline along during this Token Collection Event this coming week. It shall be available around 7 days until before their birthdays (August 1 and 3, respectively). I had already prepared my Love Gems and Scouting Tickets very well for this limited scouting. That’s why I didn’t decide to scout on CYaRon!’s limited box scouting that time on my last Tweet, which is embedded along in the last episode!

And also, don’t forget that limited song which is now existing in your B-Sides! It shall be available in a certain amount of days! That song is a theme song for their upcoming Aqours 6th Live Dome Tour which will happen only in Japan! But due to pandemic, it is very uncertain that we would have a delayed viewing screening events overseas in the future! Expect a campaign or event which will commemorate this 6th Live Dome Tour Event.

They are many things that shall happen soon, aside from those mentioned in the above paragraphs. Anything new which has happened after this episode shall be included in the next episode! Look forward to it!

Global Side Highlights

Also, it will wield the Nico Yazawa Birthday Event Campaign, like the mini-game and the Limited Birthday UR Scouting! Just remember to scout on her box if you really love her! If you have played the last mini-game featuring Yoshiko’s birthday (Yohane!), that could be the same as for Nico’s birthday mini-game.

What could be the secret in getting to the top of every single Rhythmic Carnival Pre-Event? I heard that using some of what I call the ‘forbidden’ members, irregardless of attribute, here are the key of getting to the top. And one of my fellows have already devised this new type of scoring technique!

As of this episode, there are no active Events going on in the Global Side. But then, I am playing in the Rhythmic Carnival Event just to get more points in order to exchange something from the Point Shop.

As mentioned in the previous Episode, LoveLive! SIF shall never be the same again, after the last Companion Match Event has ended. That’s the last Event in which they shall feature 2 Event SRs are rewards, and truly I will miss them forever.

The next Event will take place on July 27th, which is fairly far from the time when the last Companion Match Event has ended. Meaning to say, we got enough time to rest and to do something, as well as making a training or practice if you are taking on with the songs on Master difficulty! In fact, that’s a preparation or training week, in which we are about to enter the School Idol Festival’s newest and darkest chapter.

So what is this new chapter that I am talking about, in which I mentioned that LLSIF shall never be the same again? If you are talking about the one, major incoming update, then you should be prepared. And if you are playing on the JP-Side, then you should have an idea of what is going to happen in the Global Side soon. But for those who are not, I am going to give you some spoilers! Here it goes!

Here are some of the upcoming features in which you are about to expect to encounter in the new LLSIF soon:

1. UR Max Level Limit Break

You can now increase the limit or the max level cap of your URs in stable! To do this, you shall need an item called the MAX Up Jewel! MAX Up Jewels are special items that can be used to increase your URs max level cap. You can raise their max level cap up to Level 150, which means you can strengthen them up further by practicing! You can only use these MAX Up Jewels exclusively for UR rarity members. And also, in order to use them, that UR member should be idolized first, or it has a max Level 100 cap. To acquire these MAX Up Jewels, you will have to do Scouting. You must do 11x Scouting (50 Love Gem Scouting) in order to guarantee a MAX Up Jewel. Use this opportunity to increase your UR’s max level cap in order to maximize her true power!

2. Stamp Scouting System

This new additional Scouting system allows you to get a stamp mark when you do at least 50 Love Gem Scouting. Getting a stamp mark will reward you an SR or an SSR exchange ticket, in which you can use them to exchange with the previous standard SR and SSRs in the game! UR exchange ticket is also possible to acquire if you do 11x (50 Love Gems) scouting certain times (reaching the fifth or the tenth stamp mark will give you one).

Also, if you Scout with 50 Love Gems, you are rewarded with one MAX Up Jewel, an item that can be used to increase your UR member’s max level cap!

They had just added many ways on how to get your favorite URs that you are looking for in order to complete your dream team. And that is, to improve the gaming experience for players, including me, so that we are no longer relying on the UR appearance rates, which is somehow very low.

3. Live Show Experience!

Since they had already made improvements and changes in the UIs of the game, players like me can handle the game in a whole new dimension. Some settings, such as changing the Live Show wallpaper (when you play), are the things to experience!

Also, they have changed the way on how to get your Goal Rewards when you finish a Goal or Mission. They might also add additional Goals or Missions, in which you will have to collect a certain number of members in order to get a Love Gem as reward!

4. Yell Units Event Points Boost

This new function allows you to use your existing members, whether it is an SR, SSR, or UR rarities, to be used as Yell Units! Yell Units are members that can be used to boost up your Event Points accumulation. Event Point boost rates will vary per member in the faction. For example, if the on-going Event is an Aqours Event, the members available to be set as Yell Units will be Aqours, also. In the future Events, you are indeed required, but not really required, to scout some members in order to get Event Points accumulation boost. And that is, in order for you to stay on the top of the Event Point Rankings, if you have to!

5. Master Challenge

Starting right after this major update, ALL future Events will now have MASTER difficulty! It will start on the upcoming Token Collection Event, “I’ll save you!”, featuring Dance with Minotaurus (MITAIKEN HORIZON B-Side) as the featured Token Event song. High Score of this Token Event song in Master difficulty shall be counted in the Score Rankings. So if you haven’t played Master difficulty that much, you may do so now, especially if you are aiming for Tier 1 Score and you will defend that position!

Also, Event Point rewards in the upcoming future Events will now be changed due to the Yell Units Event Points boost. Let’s say if you want to get all of the rewards by getting 160,000 Event Points. In the new event update, you will need to get at least 280,000 Event Points to get all rewards! So then, it shall begin with the next Event, which will occur on the 27th of July! That’s right! The prelude to the newest and the darkest chapter of LoveLive! SIF in Global Side shall begin.

And so, my dear fans! Get ready for the Ultimate Live Stage!

Episode 4 End!

Whew, that was long! I hope you have read the highlights this week! Well, that is the end of Episode 4 of School Idol Festival Journal Log!

This is it. The moment that we are waiting for. But then, don’t forget to tune in every week so that you can have an idea what’s going on in the School Idol Universe. See you next week! Cheers~


Inori Donz

Inori Donz is a blogger, video gamer, Anime enthusiast, bicycle rider, and Anime figure photographer. His favorite area of concentration is 'LoveLive! Series', where he plays its featured smartphone video games, as well as watching its Anime series counterparts. "I like Anime, toys and figures, and mostly, I like playing free-to-play video games. Definitely not your usual commoner you see everyday in the streets." He started his blogging journey since December 2013, with a free WordPress blog, named 'IemDonz Blog'. That free blog contains most of his Anime figure photography works, as well as some of his opinions and experiences in the Anime world.