Everyone, Kaleido Star is about to start!
When watching Kaleido Star, please keep the room brightly lit,
and sit as far from the TV as you can.
Well, well, well, you get nervous when you have to do something
for the first time too, don't you?
Thinking you have to do it right.
I've just landed my first leading role.
I practiced lots and did my best,
but I still got scolded for some reason.
Oh, I just don't get it at all. I don't. I don't.
Yaritai koto wa nani
Sou kikareru tabi
Aoi sora miageta
Kotae wa only my heart
Honto ni daiji na kotoba wa kantan ni wa iwanai
Hikari ga yubisasu basho e to hashiridasu yo
Dakishimetai mono nara nakitai hodo mune ni aru
Egakitsuzukete yuku kitto take it someday
Shiroi kumo ga nagareru chiheisen no mukou ni
Naranderu mirai wa itsumo soba ni aru kara
This is Sora Naegino, who is playing the role of the Little Mermaid,
and Anna Heart.
This Kenneth Presentation is a special two week performance,
but I hope you will enjoy the fresh new cast.
Are you excited to play the lead role?
Please say something to Miss Layla who is shooting a movie right now.
Tomorrow, there's a photo shoot for posters and a newspaper interview.
And the day after tomorrow, a photo shoot for pamphlets.
Also, an appearance on cable TV has been set.
What?!
Oh, nothing!
I don't know, it just doesn't feel real.
Pull yourself together!
Remember, you're the leading lady.
The leading lady...
Facing an Amazing Wall
Sora!
When are you going to snap out of it?!
I'm sorry!
The photo shoot for the poster has already started.
We have to pose.
Little Mermaid, let's look a little more vibrant!
Oh. Yes, sir!
Prince, get a little closer to the Little Mermaid.
Can you set a more romantic mood?
Like this?
Wow...
Okay!
Anna really looked handsome.
It made me feel really shy.
I know, I know. You guys look very good.
You think so?
What? You don't like it?
Personally, how I should say this?
I wanted it to be more like a jellyfish waiting for his lover...
I'm sure it'll be a success! I wanted it to be more like a jellyfish waiting for his lover...
You think so?
I'd hope so, for their sake.
If I were in it, it would, like, be an absolute success.
Don't let them get to you, Sora!
You won the part through pure talent.
Don't worry, it doesn't bother me.
Miss Layla used to play the Little Mermaid.
I have to do my best!
Sora!
You got a phone call!
A phone call?
Hello? What? Mom?
Yeah, that's right.
It's a special presentation,
but I've been given the leading role for the first time.
Yeah, I'll be all right.
Don't worry about me.
Then, talk to you later.
Thank you, Ken.
Was your mom happy?
Yeah, but she was worried about me.
I can understand.
This is your first leading role,
so I can easily see you pushing too hard.
Of course I'm going to be.
I get to play the same role that Miss Layla played,
so I have no choice but to do my best.
Oh, Ken, did you bring that for me?
Oh, yes. Here it is.
All right! Miss Layla's Little Mermaid!
I wanted to see this one more time!
With this, my performance will just be perfect!
Oh, I'm so happy!
I'm also looking forward Oh, I'm so happy!
to seeing your Little Mermaid.
Thank you!
Miss Layla's Little Mermaid is as wonderful as I remember it.
She's so gorgeous and graceful.
It's amazing.
The audience is so moved and crying so much.
After all, it's famous for being a show that makes people cry.
Kaleido Stage's Little Mermaid...
I wish I could perform like that too.
Smooch!
What are you doing, Fool?!
You seem awfully giddy,
but can you afford such an attitude?
The reverse Magician.
The card means that if you keep being indecisive,
you will lose everything...
Please get out of the way.
I would like it if you would look at me just as passionately once in a while.
Sora! Break a leg!
Finally, it's time.
They said opening day is sold out!
Really?!
I'm so glad.
I was worried nobody would show up because it's not Miss Layla.
Sora.
I'm counting on you.
Oh, yes, sir!
Wow, Sora looks wonderful!
It's incredibly graceful.
I can't believe it.
She's just like Miss Layla.
Sora...
Sora, you're the best! The best!
What?
Cheers!
Wasn't Sora really great?
Yeah, it was a perfect performance!
Isn't Sora coming?
Oh, I wonder what happened?
And Miss Sarah went through all this trouble
to celebrate her hugely successful opening day.
Oh, well.
Let's celebrate Sora's share too!
You're always in the mood to celebrate anyway.
Tomorrow, I want to touch the audience's hearts and make them cry.
Just as I expected...
I wonder why?
The audience is getting smaller compared to opening day, isn't it?
We haven't made any particularly big mistakes
and I think the show itself has been perfected to a high degree.
By the way, where's Sora?
It's me, Sora.
Come in.
Pardon me.
Mr. Kenneth!
I'm disappointed in you.
At this rate, it would have been better to reopen the show with Layla.
It seems I misjudged you.
I'm very sorry.
I know I may not be as good as Miss Layla,
but I'm working hard to reach her level of...
You don't seem to understand why I'm disappointed.
What?
Kalos, summon Layla back here.
But she is still in the middle of shooting the movie.
Then, have her replace Sora as the lead as soon as she's done!
Please wait, Mr. Kenneth!
So, that's the way it'll be.
Do you understand, Sora?
Sora.
Ken, are those the questionnaires up to yesterday?
Yeah.
Let me see them!
"lt was a new cast, but it was wonderful, just like watching Miss Layla."
"The stage was very nice.
It seems this is the birth of the next generation's Miss Layla.
But I would like to see
Miss Layla's Little Mermaid with the new set."
Nobody's written anything negative,
but it's all about Miss Layla.
I don't think your Little Mermaid is bad,
but it doesn't move people either.
Is that because I'm imitating Miss Layla's performance?
I played the Little Mermaid that Miss Layla created perfectly...
But you are not Miss Layla. I played the Little Mermaid that Miss Layla created perfectly...
But you are not Miss Layla.
If you keep being indecisive, you will lose everything.
Is this what he meant when he said that?
There's no need for two Miss Laylas...
Sora, the show's starting.
Hurry!
I can't do it.
What?
Because I can't appear on stage feeling like this.
I don't know how I should perform.
Even so, the show can't start without you.
GO! You're the leading lady, Sora!
That was unusually harsh, coming from you.
It's a wall every new leading cast comes up against.
She'll have to really agonize over it and I'm sure it'll be hard,
but if she can't overcome that wall,
she won't ever be able to make a role her own.
What...
What should I do?
I...
don't know.
Sora, let's go home.
Let's go.
I'm sorry.
I was such a mess today.
The audience will not buy that kind of excuse.
Anna!
The audience didn't come all this way to see a half-baked performance.
As the person playing opposite you, I will say this.
I want you to perform seriously tomorrow!
I...
So, let's think about it together.
About YOUR Little Mermaid.
My little mermaid?
You don't seem to understand why I'm disappointed.
That's right!
Let's make it a performance they've never seen before!
they've never seen...
Thank you, Anna, Mia.
I'll give it a try.
You're right.
Everyone watches the show as if they were the main character.
If I can't understand the character,
there's no way the character's feelings will get across.
But I wonder what Sora's Little Mermaid would be like?
First, you'll have to get a grasp on the Little Mermaid's feelings.
A mermaid's feelings...
Oh!
Do you have an idea?
Oh, Sora!
Sora!
I'll think about it in the water.
After all, I'm supposed to be a mermaid!
I wonder if Sora is working at it?
Even though this is about the only thing I can do for her...
Sora?!
There!
What?
There!
Oh, Ken.
Don't "Oh" me!
What are you doing, Sora?!
You don't have time to be so laid back and goofing off!
But being a mermaid is so much fun!
It's very beautiful in the ocean
and you get to swim around it all day long.
And there's no intensive training either.
She's got a point.
And there's nobody who's mean to you or yells at you.
That's not the issue here!
I think a girl who grew up like that
would probably be a cheerful, spirited, and genuine girl.
But the Little Mermaid is supposed to be a tragic heroine.
Are you sure she should be a girl like that?
Thinking isn't going to get me anywhere,
so I'm just going to give it a try.
Oh, really.
This is the first time I've seen the Little Mermaid make people laugh.
Maybe she finally lost her mind from the pressure of being the lead.
It's way weird.
Thank you very much.
Please be careful on your way home.
Thank you very much.
What? Sora!
Excuse me, what did you think of today's Little Mermaid?
What?
Well, I'd like to get your honest opinion.
Wait, Sora!
I thought she was a kind of energetic and cute Little Mermaid, but...
It didn't tie in with the part when she turned into bubbles at the end,
so I guess it felt a little incoherent.
I agree.
I think if it were Miss Layla,
I'm sure she would have been a more graceful and refined Little Mermaid.
Please excuse us. Thank you very much.
Hey, what are you thinking, asking the audience questions?!
Because I won't know unless I ask them
and I'll only get more confused if I just think on my own.
That doesn't mean you should...
But it was a bit of an improvement, right?
My Little Mermaid was different from Miss Layla's.
Well, I suppose your personality is showing through more...
Right?!
I also prefer the way you are now...
Excuse me!
What was with your performance today?!
Whoever heard of a Little Mermaid like that?!
It becomes a problem for us
when you suddenly decide to change your performance!
Besides, you never got permission from the production department!
I'm sorry.
But I wanted to play a different Little Mermaid than Miss Layla's.
You don't have to do something like that!
This show is only two weeks long!
Anyway, please don't confuse us!
Sora...
I'm sorry, we got carried away too.
We ended up throwing the production into confusion...
No, it's not your fault. I'm the one...
You're not wrong, Sora.
It's just that no one understands your Little Mermaid yet.
Ken...
The run of the show has just started.
Once you perfect a performance that can convince everyone...
You're right.
It's not "only two weeks".
We have two "whole" weeks.
Rather than doing it halfway,
I'll take the plunge and create my very own Little Mermaid!
Sora...
Hey, what is this?
Oh, I'm going to live like the Little Mermaid during the production.
What?
I'm not Miss Layla,
so I can't produce a calculated performance like she does.
That's why I've decided to find my role with my own mind and body.
Sora!
Sora, are you okay?!
Sora, don't you think you're going too far?
Your feet are probably numb from wearing fins all the time.
That's right!
She's been swimming all her life!
If she suddenly grew legs,
even the Little Mermaid might have tripped!
I thought a lot about the Little Mermaid's feelings,
but I still don't get it.
Like what, for example?
Well, the Little Mermaid loves the prince and that's why
she went so far as to exchange her voice to become a human, right?
But even though the prince thinks the wrong person saved him,
she doesn't say anything.
But she can't talk.
She can't help it.
Is it really something she can't help?
Don't you think there might be other ways?
If I were her, I couldn't give up someone I seriously love that easily.
But how could she...
Hey, let's get everyone else's opinions too.
Why does the Little Mermaid have to give up her love?
Yes.
Being unable to express herself through words
is something we have to deal with on stage as well.
Yet, we can still express ourselves by using our bodies.
Now that you mention it,
I'd never thought about anything outside of the script.
Certainly, for a modern-day audience,
a Little Mermaid who quietly withdraws herself might not be satisfying.
Then what if she tries really hard
to tell him that she was the one who saved him?
Maybe she'll even duel the princess from the neighboring kingdom.
That might be a good idea!
But even then, the prince still doesn't remember her.
Then, what would the Little Mermaid do?
Take the prince's hand and jump into the water together!
You mean, the prince will also jump into the waterfall?!
I'll do it!
Anna, that's wonderful!
The two of them will fall down the waterfall, holding each other.
During that fall, the prince will remember the Little Mermaid and...
A happy ending!
The Little Mermaid has a strong tragic image, but...
In the end, I like happy endings better than tragedies!
It sounds like this might turn into an interesting show.
Then why don't we get Kalos' permission,
and take the plunge to change the play?
It's me.
Come in.
I finished the film shoot early.
Since Mr. Kenneth contacted me.
First, she completely imitates my performance,
and now she's come up with an outrageous Little Mermaid?
I guess playing the lead role was still too much for her.
Well, have a look at it for me.
What?
With this kind of attendance,
no wonder Mr. Kenneth is complaining.
Kalos?
What is this?
The Little Mermaid is testing the sea witch
to see if the sea witch can really use magic.
Why?
Because the sea witch could be a liar.
That's just absurd...
Never mind, just watch it through to the end.
The blue ribbon represents waves?
She's trying to make the prince remember her?
A Little Mermaid like that is...
This is it! This is it!
What I wanted was a new kind of Kaleido Star
that we'd never seen before!
Wasn't that Little Mermaid cute?
Yeah, it was so much fun!
I never realized the Little Mermaid was such a fun story.
Good work!
It was so fun!
Somehow, I was able to really enjoy performing.
Me too.
Sora...
Good work!
Sora, I've got a little idea for the ballroom scene.
Okay!
I wonder what I should transform the starfish into tomorrow?
That Little Mermaid is definitely Sora's own creation.
Somewhere along the way,
she's become the leading performer and the troupe leader.
She's an amazing girl.
In Sora's Little Mermaid,
even the supporting cast were lively.
Because they were given unconventional new characters to play.
It looks like we have a new title added to Kaleido Stage.
The Little Mermaid that paves her own way.
When you sabishii toki doushitemasuka
Never say sonna no wakannai
Nemuru asobu magazine mekuru
Sabishii toki wa sabishii yo
Mienai denpa ga kyou mo tulututu machi ni tobikau
Anyway kokoro no bekutoru so many reason hanashiteru
Jiyuu ni sora o tobitai keredo
Hane o hirogeru basho ga nai
Demo shinjiteru
Katachi no nai mirai ga aru yo
Katachi ni shitai watashi ga iru
Kanashikutemo machigai demo
Omou mama fly to the free
Next Kaleido Star
Junk Baron, huh?
That's a perfect stage name for me.
And so, it turns out Anna's father is a comedian.
So, we all went to see his show, but...
That person is not my dad!
Meeting her father for the first time in 1 0 years,
he'd completely changed.
I don't want their precious memories ruined!
I don't! I don't!
Next time on Kaleido Star, "Anna's
Not So Amazing
Anna's Not So Amazing Father Not So Amazing
Anna's Not So Amazing Father Father"
Anna's Not So Amazing Father My wings are my dream and on towards the sky...
Anna's Not So Amazing Father