Episode 11 - Kind Feelings

Kind Feelings (やさしい気持ち) is the eleventh episode of the Aikatsu Planet! TV series. It aired on March 21st, 2021.

Summary
The cunningly cute idol Ann is greatly heartbroken by a Dressia?! She tried to borrow the power of Sweet Whole Cake, but was rejected. The unrelenting Ann barges into Mao's agency and after learning a hint about the meaning of sweetness from Sala, she embroils Mao and the others into making a cake. Will Ann be able to receive a sweet answer?!

Plot
Mao and Shiori arrive at the agency, where they are met with a table of baked goods. They find that Ann is paying a visit, having wanted to ask them for advice after she got rejected. Though they initially assume she's talking about relationships, Ann recounts how she attempted to borrow Sweet Whole Cake's power. Her superficial compliments toward the Dressia fall flat and she is turned away.

As a result, Ann decided to bake and bring the food over in order to ask them for help. Shiori asks why she didn't go to Ayumi for help instead, since they're from the same agency. However, Ann replies she couldn't possibly do that when Ayumi is so busy. She persists, wanting to wear Sweet Whole Cake for her battle stage against Shiori later that day.

Mao and Shiori are still hesitant, as they don't know much about Dressia and debuted later than Ann. Then, Mao thinks to ask Sala for help. Sala says that being prideful like Sweet Whole Cake is not necessarily a bad thing, and it's important for even idols to have a sense of self-worth. She further explains that while Dressia have an inherent desire to feel useful, they choose who they want to help.

Sala reveals to Ann that Sweet Whole Cake proclaims itself to be the "sweetest" sweet in the world. Shiori informs the others that in English, the word sweet also serves as a synonym to kind. Though Ann is doubtful since she feels the Dressia wasn't kind to her, Sala suggests she try baking her own cake. Ann forces Mao and Shiori to help her, as payback for eating the cookies she made earlier.

While Mao and Shiori assist with making the cake, Ann forces Segawa to do the dishes after he also unwittingly eats one of Ann's cookies. The girls finish by decorating the cake and present it to Sala and Izumi, but Ann still doesn't understand the so-called kindness behind Sweet Whole Cake. When Sala asks Mao and Shiori if they learned anything, Shiori likens the cake to a top idol.

The group then starts discussing Q-pit, and how hard-working she is despite seeming innately talented on the surface. Sala reckons that people often get invested with appearance to the point they forget the effort that goes behind it. This makes Ann realize the truth behind Sweet Whole Cake's kindness, and hurries to enter Aikatsu Planet followed by Mao and Shiori.

Ann asks Hana and Shiori to accompany her to meet Sweet Whole Cake, where she presents the Dressia with a cake. Hana, Shiori and Sweet Whole Cake are surprised to discover the cake only has cream and no decoration. Ann explains that thanks to everyone at the agency, she's learned how much work goes behind making a single cake and that kindness is the Dressia's true sweetness.

Grateful that Ann finally understands, Sweet Whole Cake decorates the cake and shares it with the girls. The Dressia soon enters Ann's Swing as they remember they will be late for the battle stage. Shiori summons Wonderland Tale and Ivy Sleeping, with Ann also using Pop Melon Crepe. The pair perform a duet of "Lady・Lady・Lady", with Ann claiming the victory thanks to her realization.

Back at the agency, everyone celebrates by eating the cake that Ann baked with Mao and Shiori, but they soon notice a weird smell in the air. This reminds Sala that she had been trying to bake with the leftover cake ingredients, but they're now burnt. The others tell Sala that she should focus on making dresses as opposed to baking, while Ann promises to bring over more sweets in the future.

Characters

 * Mao Otoha/Hana
 * Shiori Motoya/Shiori
 * Ann Kurimu/Ann
 * Sala Itoi
 * Izumi Watanuki
 * Itsuki Segawa
 * Wonderland Tale
 * Ivy Sleeping
 * Sweet Whole Cake
 * Pop Melon Crepe

Trivia

 * Episode Title Reference: "Kind Feelings" (やさしい気持ち) by Chara
 * This episode premiered on the birthday of Ema Hinata from the Aikatsu Friends! series and STARRY PLANET☆ member Kāya Date.
 * Sweet Whole Cake and Pop Melon Crepe make their debut in this episode.
 * "Lady・Lady・Lady" makes its debut as an insert song in this episode.