What an episode.
Episode 6 of BanG Dream! YUME∞MITA took the story in a direction I never saw coming. After last week’s episode, I was excited to see what would happen next and where the story would go as Arale and Ritsu had finally had the closure. And while I had a few theories of my own, none of them came close to where the story has now decided to go.
The first surprise was Ritsu officially joining Yumemita. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting it to happen this early, and in a way, it felt a little anticlimactic. I thought Episode 5 was only the beginning of her journey toward wanting to stand beside Arale again. Instead, Fairy Bouquet simply let her go.
Looking back, it makes sense why they allowed Ritsu to leave, and the explanation works within the story. Still, I couldn’t help but hope for something a little more dramatic. Episode 5 spent so much time repairing the relationship between Ritsu and Arale that I assumed there would be another hurdle before Ritsu officially became part of the band.
Instead, the “poaching a member” conflict ended up being the catalyst for Ritsu joining the group. MewType now has all of its members, and for a brief moment, it almost feels like the story has reached its destination. Except it hasn’t.
It isn’t necessarily a bad thing for Ritsu to be part of MewType this early; that just means the story would shift its focus into something else. And that’s when the real turning point of Episode 6 isn’t Ritsu joining the band. It’s Viola.
At this point, it’s impossible not to see Viola as the person quietly writing the script behind everything that’s happening. Ever since she was introduced, she’s been pulling strings from the shadows, carefully setting events into motion without ever getting her own hands dirty.
Letting Ritsu reunite with Arale was never an act of kindness but more like it was another move in a much bigger game. And now she’s chosen her next target—Miyako.
The more I thought about it, the more this choice made perfect sense. As much as I love Miyako (she’s my favorite after all), she’s probably the easiest person in MewType to manipulate. She’s constantly juggling responsibilities and pushing herself to the limit, leaving her emotionally exhausted and rarely giving herself the chance to stop and think. That makes her vulnerable in a way the others aren’t.
Arale already understands Viola’s true nature, so manipulating her again would be nearly impossible. Ritsu has finally found her footing after confronting her past. Nonoka’s unwavering optimism makes her difficult to poison with doubt, while Yuno continues to be the quiet dark horse who always seems to know what is up. So that leaves Miyako.
Episode 6 shines a spotlight on just how terrifying Viola can be as her manipulation isn’t loud or over-the-top. Instead, it’s subtle, calculated, and deeply personal. She knows exactly what words to use, exactly which insecurities to exploit, and exactly how to make someone fall in love with her without realizing they’re being manipulated.
Watching her slowly gaslight Miyako was genuinely uncomfortable and made me crash out multiple times. I don’t think I’ve hated a BanG Dream! character this much. However, at the same time, I absolutely love how she’s written.
For years, BanG Dream! has never really had a true antagonist like Viola. There have been difficult personalities and rival bands, but none of them embodied the role of a genuine villain in the way Viola does. Yet what’s fascinating is that her motivations are still perfectly aligned with one of the franchise’s biggest themes—kira kira doki doki.
Viola wants exactly the same thing that every girl in BanG Dream! has always wanted. She wants to reach the stage. She wants recognition. She wants to become a star. The difference is how she’s trying to get there.
Throughout the franchise, bands have grown stronger by supporting one another, working harder, and overcoming their own shortcomings. Even characters like Nyamu or CHU², who often came across as antagonistic weren’t this manipulative and certainly did not drag others down as much as Viola did. They challenged others because they wanted to surpass them through their own abilities, and ultimately, they had bandmates who helped them grow into better people.
Viola has no interest in that. Her group Fairy Bouquet just made her do whatever she wants. She doesn’t want to surpass her rivals instead she wants to tear them apart. Rather than chasing the stars alongside everyone else, she’s trying to extinguish everyone else’s light so hers becomes the brightest. It’s a complete inversion of what BanG Dream! has always has been, and that’s exactly what makes her such a compelling antagonist.
And right now, every move she’s making is working. MewType is beginning to play directly into her hands, and the cracks she’s creating are only getting bigger.
That’s what excites me most about where the story is heading because this is no longer a coming-of-age story about girls overcoming their personal struggles anymore. It feels like the series has evolved into something much larger, something more sinister. A battle between MewType and the person who’s been orchestrating chaos from behind the scenes all along. If this is the direction the second half of the series is taking, we’re in for one incredible ride.
Screenshots were taken from Muse Asia.
© BanG Dream! Project
Participate In Discussions