Episode 14 - Go Go Friends!

Go Go Friends! (ゴーゴーフレンズ！) is the fourteenth episode of the Aikatsu Friends! anime series. It aired on July 5th, 2018.

Summary
Ema is to design Honey Cat's Best Friends Rare Dresses. When attempting to bring together both their dress designs, as Ema and Maika's tastes are polar opposites in the first place, they can't come up with a design that makes use of each other's personalities. What is the answer that these two will arrive to――?

Plot
One day outside of her families home, Aine and Mio observe the view count of a recent video for Honey Cat. Mio isn't surprised they would be trending since they're both really popular, and she is disappointed by the view count for her and Aine's channel- which is severely lacking. However, Aine is happy for them as their friend.

As this is going on, a similar discussion is being held with Maika and Ema to Tamaki, Chiharu, and Ken, bringing up their plans on debuting a unit brand. They agree with their plans and Tamaki tells them to make sure they complete their Best Friends Rare Dress, as it would be the main event. Ema eagerly announces how she would be working on this and has anticipated it for some time now, but they worry she isn't treating it seriously enough and remind her of how important it is as the face of their unit. Best Friends Rare Dresses even play a large role during the Diamond Friends Cup. They also need to perform a Friends Appeal in them. Seeing how inspired Ema is, Chiharu voices confidence in them. She is delighted by this as Maika decides to trust her and let her handle the design process.

The next day, Ema asks Chiharu and Mio for a lesson in design. They explain the basics as Aine stops by to observe everyone from where she enters, and Chiharu using the board nearby to explain some basic details. Mio then takes over and shows Ema how she draws a design on her tablet, then in the program, she can alter patterns and colors easily until they meet her liking. While inspired, Ema soon finds herself overwhelmed until Chiharu suggests she tries to practice drawing on paper. Ema cheers right up as she also grants her access to her large, colored pencil collection.

She quickly gets to work and draws several pictures, scribbling color on them for reference as Mio and Chiharu delightfully observe her. Aine is also amazed by her progress, and she is sure they will manage to find a good dress design in no time.

Unfortunately, when Ema reveals her work to Maika later, she doesn't share the sentiment. While she tells Ema how wonderful the design is, and how it suits her great- it just doesn't suit her very well. Ema apologizes, and promises to think up another design for them; until Maika reminds her that they also need to focus on perfecting a Friends Appeal too. She agrees and they change, heading into the gym to practice their jumps. But each time they go to meet at the center, they keep falling short.

Later, Ema returns with a brand new design; and this time Maika is thrilled with it. But she focused so much on her that she doesn't think it suits her very well; with Ema agreeing that she forgot. Seeing the distress this causes Ema, Maika agrees to help her out as Mio and Aine walk into the room to find them observing their two designs, along with Chiharu. With that, Ema brings up that they need an earring design, suggesting a lightning bolt as Maika suggests lips. They also disagree on the type of shoes and attempt to keep peace by recommending each others preference- nearly causing a dispute until Chiharu intervenes to point out how natural it would be for them to clash due to different preferences. She reminds them on how important it is that they match, so Ema suggests that she focuses on an outfit that will make her match Maika's.

Concerned, Maika asks if this is really okay before angrily telling Ema that this outfit is "her", but not "both of them" like it should be, and she can't accept her decision. Angrily, Ema claims that Maika doesn't understand. With that, both girls huff and turn their backs to each other. As this is going on, Chiharu anxious frets over the display while Aine remarks upon this to Mio.

Their fight is shown effecting the girls performance as they practice and collide into each other, then bicker over whose fault it is. Despite that they continue to train- only to get competitive over who is umping higher until they both smash their heads into the ceiling.

Aine and Mio can only helplessly watch as this is going on, worried over the girls. It's been a few days and their brand reveal is approaching soon, they'll never manage if they don't get back on the same wavelength. With that they decide to separate and speak to the girls, with Mio paying Maika a visit in the waiting room. She wishes to talk about Ema, earning a silent reaction from Maika until she explains understanding her feelings. Dress design isn't very easy, and she did a great job despite it being her first time. Maika claims to know this, and she explains how angry it made her that Ema was willing to settle for the design she made for Maika in order to match, rather than try to make something befitting of them both. She would be losing what made her special, and if she does that then there wouldn't be a point in being a Friends Unit. So she has every right to be angry, although she still cares about her.

It's then Mio spots something on the table nearby, a wildflower called "Flash-of-herbspiration", said to clear the mind and fill it up with brand new ideas. She recognizes it from a book she saw, but she is surprised to see it there since she heard it was an elusively rare herb only found deep within the mountains. She confesses to having went and picked it for Ema, feeling badly for making so many complaints. So she spent this time studying, trying to find the thing they needed to help her; but in the end she still gave up. She believes entirely in Ema, not only as her unit mate, but because she is her friend and she will do what she can to support her. She gets up and runs off to change and put on her performance, feeling encouraged again.

Afterwards, Aine happens to catch Ema hurriedly running from the performance hall. She tried disguising herself but she isn't surprise her cover was blown. She asks Aine if she was worred about them, touched by Aine's kindness before embracing her. The girls head off to another location, with Ema revealing the designs she was trying to work on during the performance. Aine can tell that she loves Maika very much, and Ema agrees, saying that she doesn't want Maika to lose the passionate fire that makes her who she is by settling for what she likes. She also acknowledges that this is probably why Maika got mad as well.

Later, Ema thanks Aine for talking with her and takes off. She is met up with Mio, and the duo confide in each other about what happened, and they realize the problem is that they want each other to be themselves with this design; but they still need to match so it's impossible. However, Mio also points out that it isn't up to them to solve their problem; this is a hurdle they will need to overcome together. Aine is sure they will be fine in this case, pointing out that as best friends they will surely manage.

Ema sits on her own and overlooks her drawings. While one design doesn't fit Maika, if they go with the one she made for Maika then she would be left out. She is surprised as Maika joins her to observe the lack of progress she made before scolding Ema for giving up so soon. Ema is shocked by her words as Maika goes on to remind Ema of her past words- that she would improve as both an Idol and a Lacrosse player. She knows Ema can do this, and she voices entire confidence and belief in her. Ema realizes Maika has a point and agrees to focus not just one or the other, but on ALL three things.

Suddenly inspired, Ema begins to cut apart her drawings. Maika is alarmed by this until Ema explains her desire to improve on both designs so that they will both be happy. She puts together the pieces of both drawings and manages to come up with a design they both love; one piled high with both sexy and pop inspiration. Maika then goes on to suggest they had a flower hairband for additional touches, which she likes- although she believes something more befitting of their name would be great, like a pair of cat ears. They go on to add more cat touches to the coord late into the evening.

With the time remaining until their big reveal, Ema and Maika eagerly return to training. To their delight they find out that they can do the Friends Appeal now and share a laugh after colliding again.

Upon the day of the reveal, the girls introduce Honey Cat to a large audience. They go on to say that it will share the same name as their unit, showing off a drawn image of their friends coord. Mio and Aine are amazed as they explain various details they put into the coords, including their flowery cat ears and different shaped earrings. They share a few final words with the audience before running off to change, saying that as they clash they are at their best when they are their true selves. They change into their brand new Friends Dresses and appear on stage to perform "You × I".

After the performance ends, Aine and Mio are amazed by their coords and the performance. Mio is especially awestruck and inspired to create an even more amazing Friends Dress for Pure Palette. Aine admires the girls as they stand on stage and embrace, commenting that in their case, clashing can be a good thing sometimes.

Characters

 * Ema Hinata
 * Maika Chōno
 * Aine Yūki
 * Mio Minato
 * Tamaki Enjōji
 * Chiharu Hachiya
 * Ken Mayuzumi

Trivia

 * The Pretty Kitty Coord and the Spicy Kitty Coord make their debut in this episode.
 * The song You × I debuts as an insert song.
 * The Star Harmony Academy Idol Division Summer Uniform Coord makes its debut in this episode.