Best of Stardust Planet 2019 - Part 2

In the first part of this list, I covered the newer groups of Stardust Planet. Now it's time for the Stardust Sisters: Momoiro Clover Z, Shiritsu Ebisu Chugaku, and Team Shachi.

*It's probably obvious, but the Stardust Sisters are named as such because the three of them are sister groups to each other.

☆ Best of Stardust Planet 2019 - Part 2 ☆

Team Shachi

"Rose Fighter" and "Rocket Queen"

This was the year Team Syachihoko carved out their own identity. The little sister group of Momoiro Clover Z and Shiritsu Ebisu Chugaku, they've pretty much been Mini Momoclo since their debut. After Ito Chiyuri graduated from the group in Oct. 2018, the remaining 4 members rebranded as Team Shachi. They began dressing in monochrome costumes with their member colors acting mainly as highlights. They also added a horn section, the Brass Min, which changed the group's sound.

This year, they acheived a career first. Their MV for "Rocket Queen" featuring gameplay of a video game collaboration with Mega Man surpassed 1M views. 2019 was definitely the year that Team Shachi stepped out of their older Sister's shadow. From this point on, they will be charting their own destiny.

Rose Fighter was a special release used as the re-debut of the group under the new name and formation. It's a great example of the new direction Team Shachi has taken.

A collaboration with Megaman, this is the official video featuring the group, guest rapper MCU, and the 87 member strong Chuetsu High School marching band!

Momoiro Clover Z

"The Diamond Four", "Road Show", and "Stay Gold"

In their 11th year, Momoiro Clover Z show no sign of slowing down. They released their self titled 5th studio album, their first since 2016, starred in their first stage play, and take the lead in a brand new Variety Show featuring various Stardust groups traveling all over Japan.

After the graduation of long time member Ariyasu Momoka in Jan. 2018, Momoclo started referring to themselves as the Diamond Four. This is the lead track for the 5th album and features a hefty amount of rapping. The lyrics refer to the members themselves and include allot of references to Momoclo's history, inside jokes, and other things that long time fans will be familiar with.

A stand out from the 5th album, Road Show is basically an EDM hype song and has been the new opening number for Momoclo concerts throughout 2019.

Momoclo finished off the year with this epic release on their 20th single. Stay Gold is arguably the strongest single release of all the Stardust Planet groups. It's another departure for Momoclo and has a wistful melody that leaves a lasting impression.

Shiritsu Ebisu Chugaku

"Trendy Girl", "Pandora", and "Jump"

While Momoclo may have had the strongest single release, 2019 was definitely Ebichu's year. They released the most material of any Stardust Planet group including two studio albums. They also celebrated their 10th Anniversary, so it was a big year all around for them. It's really hard to choose between releases, but I think these four do a good job of representing their range.

Trendy Girl is Ebichu's 13th Single. It's deceiving when you first listen to it. At first, it sounds like so many other song, but the melody and arrangement go a long way toward establishing it's own identity. It's great for repeated listens.

Pandora was a special pre-release for Ebichu's 6th studio album, "playlist". It's a return to the Heavy Metal side of the group.

Wrapping things up is Jump, the lead promotional track from "playlist". It's a bit of a departure from what Ebichu have done recently. It's a powerful song with an anthem like quality featuring a rather unconventional MV even by Ebichu's standards.

And that brings the Best of Stardust Planet 2019 list to a close. I hope this gives a good idea of what the division has to offer and helps as a starting point for anyone interested in exploring these groups further.Overall, 2019 was a very strong year for releases. Here's hoping 2020 is just as great!

Best of Stardust Planet 2019 - Part 1

Stardust Planet is the Idol Division of Stardust Entertainment. It's flagship group is Momoiro Clover Z. With a total of 12 groups, it can be challenging to keep up with all the releases throughout the year. With this in mind, I decided to take a look back and pick out what I thought best represented Stardust Planet in 2019. Because there were so many releases, I thought it would be best to split the list into two parts.

*Disclaimer: I excluded some groups either because they didn't release anything of note this year or they're too new and haven't released much yet. I also only included releases that have official MVs with the full version of the song. This means I excluded short versions and any releases without an MV.

Honorable Mentions

Amefurasshi is a newer group and haven't had any official releases yet, but they've put out a bunch of songs for sale at live events with accompanying live MVs. The members were originally part of 3BJunior, Stardust Planet's trainee group. When they disbanded, Amefurasshi was born. Their concept is supposed to be like an ameba, continually changing. It's anyone's guess what they'll evolve into, but the group has two of the best vocalists in the entire division, Aira and Moeka, so keep an eye on them in the future. The MV for "Rain Makers!!" was released on Jan. 1st 2019, so it seems fitting to include it here.

☆ Best of Stardust Planet 2019 - Part 1 ☆

Takoyaki Rainbow

"Digital Native Generation"

Takoyaki had a pretty quiet year. They released a full album and one single, but the lead track from the album isn't very memorable. The single makes up for their lack of output and the MV has a humorous yet poignant take on modern communication.

Hachimitsu Rocket

"Chuuken Hachiko"

Hachi were also pretty quiet this year. They only released two singles, their 4th being the standout between the two. The title of the song is taken after the famous dog who waited every day at Shibuya Station for his deceased master over a span of 10 yrs.

Iginari Tohoku-san

"Bubble Poppin"

After 4 yrs, Iginari finally released their first official MV. Bubble Poppin serves as the only real summer song released by a Stardust Planet group in 2019. At 9 members, they're the largest group in the division.

Sakura Ebis

"Kira Kira" and "214"

SakuEbi have set themselves apart from most other Stardist Planet groups. Their image and musical style is more artistic and experimental. They recently changed their name to Ukka in order to differentiate themselves from Shiritsu Ebisu Chugaku, the senior group that mentored them during their trainee days.

Tokimeki Sendenbu

"Victory Story" and "Shape Up"

This was a big year for TokiSen. They're the first of the newer Stardust Planet groups to break away from the pack. They made their major debut on Avex and their first and second singles on the label charted at #3 and #2 on Oricon respectively. Keep an eye on them in the future as they continue to rise.

And this concludes Part 1! Stay tuned for Part 2 with the Stardust Sisters!!!

Shiritsu Ebisu Chugaku - Alien Drama Interview - Part 1

"(Kobayashi) Kaho's answers are so creative,

she seems like an Alien with a mysterious point of view"

(From L to R: Rika, Hinata, Ayaka, Kaho, Mirei, Riko)

(*A quick note about the above picture. The drama is about the girls finding a flying saucer that crashed on the roof of their school. They discover that one of them is actually an alien, and the boy who arrived in the saucer is there to find out who it is. The fact that Kaho is dressed as an alien in no way spoils the big reveal. It's just a way to promote the show)

Based around the concept of "Eternal Junior High School Students", Ebichu are active in many fields including singing activities, Movies, Dramas, Varieties, and the stage. Starting in January 2018, the "new semester" with 6 members began, and distribution of their first drama in lead roles "You Fly in the Air After School" has started. In this interview, the members talk about the highlights of the drama which includes various elements such as youth, science fiction, love, friendship, and mystery.

--All of the you have have worked as actresses individually in addition to your activities in Ebichu.

What's your stance on acting?

Hinata: I've only worked as an Idol during my time in Ebichu, so in the beginning I wasn't interested in acting. However, as I gradually got jobs as an actress, I realized it was allot of fun playing someone who isn't like me. Recently, I've been working on the stage (In the production of "Taiyo no Uta"), and my desire to play different roles is increasing.

Ayaka: I also love acting. Right now I'm performing in a play with no dialogue called "Gear - Gear -". I'm studying a variety of theatrical styles, so it's a world I'm intersted in learning more about. You ride the melody with singing, but in terms of conveying the meaning through the lyrics, there are parts that are close to dialogue, so I think it's all connected.

Kaho: In Ebichu, expressive skills are important when singing and dancing during live performances,

so even if the way of expression is different in a play, it's importance remains the same. It's hard to remember lines, but the acting is really fun. I'm a bit greedy, but I wish I could be in a play while still performing with Ebichu.

Riko: When I appeared in the stage play "Saki-Saki-", it was my first time working as an actress, so I spent allot of time studying facial expressions. Since the, even during my activites in Ebichu, I feel like I've been changing little by little. I think there's allot you can learn by studying acting.

Mirei: I like watching plays. It's really fun to play a role and become a different person. In an Ebichu Drama, there are many roles that are close to who we are, so if you see yourself acting in a way you've never seen before, it can be very exciting. I want to do something difficult, with action, and play a character who's completely different from my Idol self.

Rika: I only act in plays occasionally, so when I get the chance to do one, it becomes an event. I'm like "Yahoo!". Now that all of us are working together like this, we can see different sides of each other, and discover feelings we didn't know existed. There's also a sense of searching for yourself. I hope we can do this more often from now on.

--For the roles that you played in "You fly in the air after school", was there an element that was close to you?

Rika: It was close to all of us. In the beginning, I heard that the character Kaho-chan played was going to be a cool role. It was someone similar to me, so I was really excited to see a new Kaho-chan.

Mirei: It was a big change, wasn't it?

Rika: The best change was in her intelligence (laughs). There weren't many scenes likes that, but she felt smarter than the real Kaho-chan.

Kaho: The role was the top of the class in school rank, but I'm not like that at all (laughs). I had to use allot of difficult words like "Jaxa", so I was like "Eh?!" However, everyone thought I was well suited for it.

Mirei: Because the screenwriter already knew us, so he probably thought "this girl seems to do this" and included certain actions. The character I played has a USB that looks like it's connected to a UFO, so I'd use that when I was charging my phone, but I'd normally never charge it that way (laughs).

Kaho: But Mirei-chan has the image of charging her phone immediately.

Mirei: I often forgot to carry my cell phone while it was still charging, which was a big deal in the drama. Little behaviors like these are reflections of ourselves. Like the scene where we see Hinata playing Jenga which is very intense. She's a big time gamer so that fits her type, but the atmosphere is a bit different from how she normally is.

(*After watching the drama, I still couldn't understand what the deal was with Mirei charging her phone. There's definitely something dangling from her bag, but they don't draw much attention to it and there's no noticeable scene of her charging her phone. I'm guessing it must have been some kind of portable charger)

Ayaka: Hinata has played allot of shy characters in Ebichu stage productions, but this time she played a rather strong girl. She doesn't normally shout that much, so I think it's a bit different from her.

Hinata: There are allot of really intense roles, but I don't usually get that angry. When I'm shouting in a loud voice, it actually lets me release stressful feelings (laughs), so it's fun to play a character like that. Ayaka's facial expressions and reactions are really exaggerated, like when she's supposed to be surprised and say "Uwa!!". I thought my personality was similar to the way she played her character.

Rika: Four years ago, when we did the drama "Robo-san", my character went in a really interesting direction. In this drama, I play the most standard High School girl. I had to think allot about "What is normal?"

--"Normal" might be the most difficult part to play.

Rika: Personally, I was very compatible with the Idol lifestyle, which meant I couldn't commit to being a student, so it was hard to get a sense of what my character would do everyday. However, during the first day of shooting, I had to talk about something ridiculous or weird that I was reading in the news. Suddenly, it hit me like "Ah! That's it". It was impressive.

(*Compatible is the best word I could come up with. I take it that Rika means that being an Idol went so well for her that she gave up school and focused entirely on her career)

--Kaho and Riko are still in high school.

Riko: I'm above and beyond the normal high school student. I'm the last female high school student!

Kaho: She's the last 3rd year high school student of the Hesei Era (laughs).

(*When Riko refers to herself as the "last female high school student", she's using slang. It's used by girls who are in their final year of high school and about to graduate. Since they are about to go out into the world, they're in a unique position, so only 3rd year students will use this.)

Mirei: However, these two have stronger personalities that normal high school students don't have.

They have a different view of the world because of the field they work in. Because of that, they say the don't know much about current trends (laughs).

Kaho: I can't get into fashion. I'll say "Is this popular now?", and I'll get a response like "That ended quite a while ago". There's allot of things like that (laughs).

Riko: I don't feel like trying to keep up with trends. I notice things at my own pace, so I'm usually like "Oh, it's over now" (laughs).

Kaho: After the trend went away, I'd start thinking "Was that good?"

Riko: The group members who've graduated from high school are more likely to be in fashion than the ones who are active students.

Ayaka: I think that Mirei's feeling of being trendy and up to date is close to the character she plays.

Rika: It's really exciting.

(*Something that might be interesting to know about this conversation is that they are using the slang "JK". It refers to "Joshi Kousei (High School Girl)". They just use the first letter of each word as it's written in English. When I wrote earlier about Riko using the slang "last female high school student", she actually used "LJK", which again uses the first letter of each word written in English "Rasuto Joshi Kousei". Of course, there is no "R" sound in Japanese, so you'd pronounce is as an "L".

What can be confusing is that this also refers to high school girls who go on paid dates. They pass out leaflets advertising "JK Walk" or "Walking Date". Just some extra context to be aware of so you don't say the wrong thing or get into a misunderstanding, lol)

https://deview.co.jp/Interview?am_interview_id=699&set_cookie=2

This New Idol Unit is Helping to Revitalize the Nuclear Ghost Town of Namie.

When the Tohoku Earthquake shook northeastern Japan on March 11th, 2011, it generated a Tsunami which devastated the coastal area of Fukushima. This triggered the meltdown of two Power Plants, one in Daiichi and the other in Daini. As radiation levels rose, a state of emergency was declared and nearby residents were evacuated. In the years that followed the aftermath of the disaster, many towns have been rebuilt and life has returned to normal. However, the town of Namie has never been the same.

After the meltdown of the Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, all 100,000 of Namie's residents were evacuated. When radiation levels had fallen to a safe level in September 2015, the government allowed the people to return on a permanent basis. Despite reconstruction efforts, very few have made the decision to return. The public lost trust in government officials over the benefits of nuclear power. Their fears of radiation have become too deeply rooted and many have already built new lives elsewhere since the evacuation. As of June 1, 2019, Namie had a population of zero, making it a true ghost town.

Enter the "Namie Women's Association" (JA Namie for short), the new Idol Unit from Stardust Planet, the Idol Division of Stardust Entertainment. The abbreviation takes the first letter of "Joshi-hatsu (from Girls)" and the English word for "Kumiai (Association)".

(L to R - Hana, Moeka, Chiho, Arin, Aira, Luna, and Yuduki)

Produced and led by Momoiro Clover Z's Sasaki Ayaka (nickname: Arin), the group was formed in an attempt to encourage people to return to Namie. Joining Arin in the 7 member Unit are all four members from Amefurasshi and two members from B.O.L.T, both new groups in Stardust Planet.

Their image color is taken from the town's flower "Cosmos". The group aims to convey the current situation in Namie through the unique stance of girls. Their motto is "I hope it reaches you with the wind from Namie". JA Namie made their debut on November 24th at the Tokaichi Festival, an annual event held in the town which was dedicated to it's reconstruction this year. Momoiro Clover Z also performed to help bring in fans from all over Japan.

They performed an originally song titled "Namie no wa". The song starts around 3:15.

From this point forward, the Unit will perform once a month exclusively in the town of Namie. After performing with Momoclo at the Festival, Arin said that they had consulted with the people of the town on what kind of Unit to make. She went on to say that she wanted to work so that she can feel closer to Namie. We'll have to wait and see if the group has any impact on the situation or if Namie is destined to remain a ghost town.

Debut at the Tokaichi Festival

JA Namie Official Site

Momoiro Clover Z's Epic Stage Sets

Momoiro Clover Z is known for putting on great live shows. After seeing what their management company, Stardust Promotion, came up for their Summer concert this year, I thought I'd take a look back at some of the epic sets that have graced Momoclo's stages the years.

Tohjin-sai

Starting in 2014, they raised the bar for their annual summer concerts by adding themes. They incorporated elements from traditional Japanese culture and mythology and were subtitled "Tohjin-sai (桃神祭)". This is a stage mix from all 3 concerts.

The theme of 2014's concert was a "Japanese Festival". A 20 meter (65 foot) Shinto Shrine was erected in the center of the stage. It was estimated to have cost 500 Million Yen (about 4.5 Million dollars). 630 people from festival organizations all over the country gathered to help create the best Summer Festival in Japan.

They also included a bridge on both sides.

The stage lit up at night.

Tojinsai 2016 ~ Onigashima ~

Onigashima is the mythical land of Ogres that was visited by the folk character Momotaro. The real life location is the island of Megijima. Here's some background from Wikipeidia:

"Momotarō was born from a giant peach, which was found floating down a river by an old, childless woman who was washing clothes there. The woman and her husband discovered the child when they tried to open the peach to eat it. The child explained that he had been bestowed by the Gods to be their son. The couple named him Momotarō, from momo (peach) and tarō (eldest son in the family).

When he matured into adolescence, Momotarō left his parents to fight a band of Oni (demons or ogres) who marauded over their land, by seeking them out in the distant island where they dwelled (a place called Onigashima or "Demon Island"). En route, Momotarō met and befriended a talking dog, monkey and pheasant, who agreed to help him in his quest in exchange for a portion of his rations (kibi dango or "millet dumplings"). At the island, Momotarō and his animal friends penetrated the demons' fort and beat the band of demons into surrendering. Momotarō and his new friends returned home with the demons' plundered treasure and the demon chief as a captive. "

You can just make out some Oni drummers in the background.

The members entered the stage through the door underneath the giant Oni.

There was also a water show using fountains.

And they rode a Dragon.

Performance of "We Are Born"

MomocloMania

Starting in 2018, MomocloMania took over as the title for their summer concerts. The inspiration for the name came from the WWE's annual WrestleMania event that started back in 1985. Officially titled "MomocloMania 2018 - Road to 2020-", they based the theme for the concert around Extreme Sports and featured events like Skateboarding, BMX, and 3x3 Basketball.

(*The theme of Momoclomania is specifically "the integration of Idol and Sports")

(**In 2017, Momoiro Clover Z started adding "Road to 2020" to their concerts in anticipation of the 2020 Olympics and began incorporated athletic themes into their live shows and MVs)

The centerpiece of the stage set was a replica of Mount Rushmore featuring the heads of the 4 members.

In addition to the athletic events, Momoiro Clover Z also collaborated with Samurai Rock Orchestra. Tamai Shiori starred in Samurai Rock Orchestra's "Muscle Musical" which was an acrobatic stage production of the Wizard of Oz that actually wasn't a musical. Because of her experience with the troupe, she stepped in to participate.

This is a digest video from the concert.

For the second year under the MomocloMania banner, MCZ raised the bar yet again. Titled "MomocloMania 2019 - ROAD TO 2020 - Shijou Saidai Pure Kaikai Shiki (The biggest pre-opening ceremony ever)", the stage set resembled a Roman Colosseum, complete with 4 giant Gladiator Helmets at the top.

The helmets were designed with a unique lighting rig so the eyes flicker in time to the music. They opened up to reveal each member as they were introduced, and they road down to the stage from inside them.

The concert also featured 217 cheerleaders, a 38 member marching band, and 47 Japanese dancers. Special guests included Former Takarazuka Revue performer Hinami Fu and Pro Wrestler the Great Muta.

Hinami played the Goddess of Victory in the story that unfolds during the concert.

Unfortunately, only one official video has been uploaded from the concert so far and it doesn't showcase the stage very well, so I'll end the retrospective with this.

JPop Videos to Enjoy on Halloween

I didn't do this last year, so I thought it would be fun to put together a list of Halloween themed JPop MVs. I added some additional clips for flavor.

Playlist

*Halloween Horror Nights CM (Universal Studios Japan)

1. AKB48 - Halloween Night

2. Kyary Pamyu Pamyu - Fashion Monster

3. SEKAI NO OWARI - ANTI - HERO

4. Reol - Yu-rezumi-/Phanto(me)

5. Wenra - Yokai Disco

6. TOKYO GEGEGAY - Gegegay no Kitaro

*Zombie de Dance

(J Soul Brothers collaboration with Universal Studio Japan Horror Night)

7. Momoiro Clover Z - Saraba, Itoshiki Kanashimitachi yo (Farewell, My Dear Sorrows)

8. Shiritsu Ebisu Chugaku - Kindan no Karuma (Forbidden Karma)

9. Black Gene for the Next Scene - ~ This is monster world ~

10. MAX - Dracula

11. BiSH - Tsuini Shi (Finally Death)

12. GACKT - GHOST

I didn't include this in the playlist because it's not an MV, but I thought I'd post it as a bonus. It's some background mood music used for Universal Studios Horror Night along with J Soul Brothers "Rat-tat-tat" which is the theme for the event. It's the perfect thing to kick off your Halloween dance party.

Understanding Stardust Planet's New Variety Show

Stardust Planet started a new Variety Show this month. Titled "Momokuro to Iku! (Go With Momoclo!)", the show is being advertised as an "emotionally connecting road movie". Every week, 1 member from Momoclo and 1-3 other Stardust Idols will travel to a specific region of Japan and showcase things unique to the area. Sounds like they'll be visiting all 47 prefectures.

In addition to discovering new things, I think it's also meant to bring the Stardust groups closer together. In an article I read, Honoka (Team Shachi) says how all the groups only get together about once or twice a year, so it's great to travel in a random combination like this and talk about various things. Shiori (Momoclo) also mentions it's a rare opportunity for the three of them to get together like this and share their interests. I believe there is an additional purpose to the show. Stardust is holding another huge concert next year similar to Summer S with all the Stardust Planet groups. Momoiku is probably intended to bring attention to all the newer groups that fans aren't that familiar with in anticipation of the event. Something like this is a long time coming, so I'm glad they're finally giving more exposure to the division.

I originally intended to just give a brief summary of the 1st episode to help people understand the show better, but once I started translating, I couldn't resist digging deeper and I decided to make a full blog post on it. I won't be able to do something like this for every episode, but I'll probably pick one from each team up and do a write up for it. Without further ado, on with the show!

All 4 members of Momoclo are gathered around a table with a giant map of Japan. The Cheif Producer of BS Nippon Television (BS日テレ) enters the room. He thanks them for coming. Reni asks if the map has any significance, and the producer proceeds to tell them why they're here. Led by Momoiro Clover Z, this new program travels all over Japan with Stardust Idols! He also explains the "Road Movie" concept for the show. They will share with viewers notable products from the places they visit throughout Japan!

The members think about where they want to go. I don't know how it was decided, but they end up going to Kanagawa. Kanagawa is a coastal prefecture just south of Tokyo, and part of the Greater Tokyo Area. Yokohama is the capitol of the prefecture.

Shiori arrives at Koshigoe Station (腰越駅前) at 7:30 am. Even though map later points to the coast line of Kanagawa, the sign at the station indicates she's on Enoshima Island (江ノ島方面) which is off the Shonan coast. After introductions to the crew, Shiori comments: "Is is starting today? I'm a bit nervous. I don't know what to do."

Shiori is joined by Team Shachi's Akimoto Honoka and Batten Showjo Tai's Kiyama Ai. She comments on how they traveled from Nagoya and Fukuoka respectively. Shiori asks if Honoka or Ai have been to Kanagawa before. It's the first time for both of them.

A staff member gives them their mission:

"Report on the best items you found at the place you went to.

You can't return until you clear everything!"

The penalty comes as a shock to the members.

They're then given a card with a clue about what they need to find:

"Give a good reporting on a Koshigoe Specialty

Get that small thing!"

This will be the first of 5 episodes reporting from Kanagawa.

We then see the Momoiku! Rule Table, reiterating what's already been said:

1. To clear the theme, you must GET the product.

2. You can't go home until you clear all the themes.

3. The members must personally investigate.

4. ????????

The theme must be the item they have to get each episode which is hinted at with wording like "small thing".

(*Edit: After receiving some feedback, I thought I should clarify what it means to "GET" something. In Japanese culture "GET" simply means acquiring an item, but it also has a great feeling of success)

After exploring the area for a bit, the group finds a bakery. Ai goes inside to ask if they can enter. Once they receive permission, Shiori reads the card to the employee who informs them that a small specialty is "Shirasu (しらす)" which translates to Whitebait. Shiori is shook.

(*Whitebait is a collective term for the immature fry of fish, typically between 1 and 2 inches long. Such young fish often travel together in schools along the coast, and move into estuaries and sometimes up rivers where they can be easily caught with fine meshed fishing nets. Some countries use up to 23 species of immature fish, including the fry of eel, plaice, whiting, herring sprat and bass, along with shrimp, crab, octopus and even jellyfish)

They've received a heavy hint!! After getting the hint, there is a short profile on the bakery. They seem to use allot of lemon in their baking. After receiving a money purse, the 4th rule is revealed. This free pocket money is 5000 yen. It will most likely have to last them over the course of their stay in Kanagawa.

They present a program sticker present for the store before going outside. After enjoying their purchases, the team is still on stage 1.

After following the instructions of the bakery employee, they turn the corner and get a surprise when they see how close the ocean is.

Honoka: "Is that the sea already?"
Shiori: "I can see the sea!"

They approach an older man and look for more info on the item then need to get:

Shiori: "Do you know where we can get Shirasu around here?"
Older Man: "It's probably still too early."

After coming up short at an empty store front, Honoka spies a sign for the fishing port, so they decide to go straight to the source. They approach a fisherman and ask about Shirasu. This part is a little confusing. He says they fish for Octopus, but I think I'm still missing something. Judging by their reactions, it seems like they weren't expecting him to say that.

I think the members aren't entirely sure what's considered Shirasu, so they don't know if this will count. It's a small item, so the group decides to ask the staff if this is considered Shirasu.

The staff member asks: "Are you sure you want this as your final answer?"

Shiori responds: "But our final answer is our first answer", lol.

It's acceptable! Octopus is one of many creatures that are served as whitebait, but doesn't seem particularly common in Japan, so I'm still a little confused. I may have to translate this section again.

Fisherman: "The boat is leaving to fish the Shirasu right now"
Honoka speaks up: "Why don't we ride on it!"

This triggers the following title:

"A bold request from Honoka!!"

The fisherman approves their request. But before we get to the boat trip, random product placement time! Kanako, Arin, and Reni ate too much gyoza and are lamenting that they have stomach aches. Shiori doesn't seem to be feeling well either and reaches inside her backpack. She has something that will do the trick, "Ohta Isan" Ohta brand stomach medicine. It must be expensive because she doesn't seem to want to share, lol.

Back in Kanagawa, Shiori, Honoka, and Ai have suited up for their fishing expedition. 

The boat goes to check some traps that they already set. The girls help pull up the traps and Honoka is a natural. Ai takes her turn and pulls up a big octopus in her trap. The Fisherman comments that it's #1 for the day.

The girls comment that they've caught some Gonzui (ゴンズイ), which is "Striped Eel Catfish". The title card comments that Honoka must only be able to speak to Gonzui since that's mostly what they

find in the traps she pulls up. Honoka is the only left who hasn't gotten an octopus. She tries yet again, but instead gets a "Gomodoki (ゴモドキ)" which is an armored catfish. In total, they caught 20 octopus.

(*Edit: Going back to the "GET" criteria, I don't know if the team achieved a goal or not in this episode. Their answer was acceptable, but it's not clear if they advanced to the next stage. As the above picture shows, they "GET" octopus, but I don't know if this really counts towards obtaining Shirasu. Since octopus is only an ingredient in Shirasu, I suspect they won't achieve their goal until they have the final product in their hands. I'm sure everything will become clear over the following episodes)

And that concludes this episode. The adventure continues in episode 2:

"The long cherished fishing of Shirasu.

The girls finally get to taste the item of their quest."

The first episode can be watched in it's entirety here:

I hope this helps anyone interested in watching the show to understand it a little better. I haven't settled on a format for these write ups yet, so it's a bit rough. The next one should be a little more polished. Until next time!