Episode 27 - It's the Ultimate Dream, Don't you Think?!

is the first episode of the 3rd season and the 27th overall episode for the anime BanG Dream!

It was aired on January 23rd, 2020, though it was shown on HIDIVE on January 7, 2020.

Plot
At the livehouses' meeting committee, Marina and the other employees are talking about hosting a tournament of the battle of the bands called "Girls' Band Challenge". The Owner asks if they've already given it their everything, before Marina suggests they host the finals at the Nippon Budokan Stadium.

Fall has arrived at the Asahi Bathhouse. Rokka wakes up and does some chores while she recounts her band friends' summer memories in her mind. Then she imagines CHU² and PAREO "crushing" the Poppin'Party and Roselia members by making dangos out of their heads, before calming down.

At Hanasakigawa, Poppin'Party are sitting in the student council room. Arisa serves all of them as well as Rinko some dangos which they then proceed to eat. Time then skips and as they're walking towards their classrooms, Tae almost follows the other four before being reminded by Arisa that hers is on the other side. Tae, Kasumi and Saaya pretend to be melodramatic before being interrupted by Kokoro jumping around and doing flips and Misaki running after her.

At CHU²'s penthouse's entrance, PAREO sees off a girl who had come to audition but did not reach CHU²'s standards. LAYER asks whether they're really going to keep using a pre-recorded guitar track, which CHU² denies, but also says that she needs someone skilled enough to beat Roselia. LAYER asks what CHU² exactly means by "crushing" them, before PAREO returns and CHU² reminds they just need to focus on their own practice. She orders PAREO to bring out the next person, but is dumbfounded after PAREO says that was the last person.

After school, Poppin'Party quickly visit the Yamabuki Bakery as they're on their way to Arisa's basement. They stop by Galaxy and Kasumi wonders if Rokka is working at the time. Kasumi and Tae head inside, but the other three follow them as Kasumi screams in excitement after seeing the poster for BanG Dream! Girls' Band Challenge. The scene quickly jumps to Afterglow and Ako reacting to the poster at CiRCLE and then asking Marina about it. Afterglow thinks of participating in it, while Yukina and Sayo turn down the offer due to being busy with the preparations for Future World FES. Poppin'Party is then shown sitting in Galaxy's backroom with Rokka, talking about the event. They decide to participate in it and Kasumi suggests Rokka should join them so she could perform as well. She turns down Kasumi's offer, reasoning that she is still searching for her "fated band members".

After Poppin'Party leaves, MASKING comes inside Galaxy in her school uniform. Rokka gets flustered over her mannerisms before Yoshiko steps in and asks if they're fighting. She then tells Rokka that MASKING attends a rich all-girls' school known as Shirayuki Academy. She then asks MASKING if her band practice is going well while she plays the drums for a bit.

A very excited CHU² and PAREO watch a recording of Roselia's Determination Symphony from the school festival. PAREO asks if CHU² actually loves them, but the latter denies and says she's just "studying her enemies". She then thinks back to her meeting with Yukina from the 2nd Season, where the latter turned her offer down. Next up she sees a recording of Rokka's guitar performance from the school festival and exclaims she's found her guitarist. The scene then jumps to Poppin'Party members enjoying pastries in Arisa's basement before being interrupted by PAREO who comes in. Although initially cautious, Poppin'Party accept her invitation to RAISE A SUILEN's next performance at dub. PAREO then pays a visit to Rokka at the Asahi Bathhouse, introduces herself as CHU²'s Keyboard Maid and then proceeds to list down everything she's researched about the latter. She then hands out an invite to Rokka as well before telling her that she'll be "taken to a new stage".

On the day of the performance, Poppin'Party run into Roselia and Rokka. Upon hearing that Rokka was also invited to watch the live, Yukina wonders what CHU² is planning. RAISE A SUILEN perform R.I.O.T, and before the encore, CHU² announces that RAISE A SUILEN will crush both Poppin'Party and Roselia by participating in the Girls' Band Challenge, and that she is now going to scout Rokka as her band's guitarist.

Video
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