Ai Mizuno

Ai Mizuno (水野 愛 Mizuno Ai) was a popular idol in the early 2000s from the idol group called Iron Frill who died in 2008 when she was struck by lightning during a concert and a member of the idol group Franchouchou.

She is titled as the Legendary Heisei Idol (伝説の平成アイドル, Densetsu no Heisei aidoru)

Appearance
Ai has short, dark, slate blue hair with two yellow flower clips that has bangs bunched together and light red eyes. Like the other zombies, her skin is a grayish-blue and red eyes, and most of her body is covered in bandages some what like a mummy.

Her casual outfit consists of an Idol-like school outfit: a navy-blue jacket over a pale yellow top with a blue plaid skirt and bow. She also wears dark grey socks and light brown school-shoes. As a Idol, Ai has a light sky-blue shirt with "3" written on it, wears a turquoise skirt, and has more flowers in her hair.

Personality
When alive, Ai demonstrated a cheerful and determined personality, but after becoming a Zombie she became rather skeptical and suspicious. As she gradually begins to warm up to her group, she begins to act like her old self again. She has shown a supportive side and great patience when aiding the other members with her idol experience. Because of how she died, she was afraid of lightning. When she got stuck by lighting again and comes out unharmed, along with a successful performance with Franchouchou at Saga Rock, she appears to have overcome her trauma.

Synopsis
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Episode 1
At the beginning of the episode, Ai appears on Sakura Minamoto's TV screen with her idol group, Iron Frill. She later appears as a zombie laying in the room that a now amnesiac Sakura escapes to while running away from Tae Yamada. Zombie Ai along with the other girls tries to attack Sakura, only for her to stab Ai in the head with a fire iron. The next day when Kōtarō Tatsumi formally introduces Sakura to the other zombies, Ai is faintly familiar to her even though she seems to remember nothing else from her old life; but she can't quite place why Ai feels that way to her. After their mostly successful performance in a death metal festival, all of the zombie girls regain their senses. She wakes up along with Junko Konno and Lily Hoshikawa but was frightened upon seeing Tae.

Episode 2
Finding Kōtarō Tatsumi's idea of a zombie idol group ridiculous; Ai, Sakura Minamoto and Junko Konno try to escape and head for Tokyo only to strike fear into hearts of 3 rappers and a Policeman, after which they run back to the mansion in low spirits. Later, Sakura and Saki Nikaidō get into a heated rap battle that eventually turns to Sakura deriding both Ai and Junko for their hesitation about the band in spite of being the "celebrity pair".

Episode 3
Ai remains in abysmal spirits through much of the episode, vehemently turning down Sakura Minamoto's recommendation that she become band leader and only begrudgingly participating in rehearsal for a brief time before Lily trips which convinces Ai again that the newly named "Franchouchou" is doomed to fail. She later replies to Junko Konno's belief that the band should give up by saying she, herself, believes the other girls' performance will still be appreciated if their efforts are sincere, but continues to be skeptical of that sincerity. Come time for the performance, she and Junko Konno sit the act out but are shown to be observing the others hopefully. The performance goes poorly but at the last moment when Sakura forgets her lyrics, Ai steps in to salvage the song with a bright, idol-like smile and together with Junko manages to get the show back on track to its finish. After the performance, Sakura is deeply grateful for the pairs' help and after everyone else leaves the room, Ai smiles to herself, seemingly at last ready to commit to her new band.

Episode 4
A month after the events of Episode 3, Franchouchou goes on a hopeful business venture into the city where they are left alone by Kōtarō Tatsumi for several hours. By majority vote, the band decides to use this first outdoor experience they've had in a month as a chance to have fun in the city rather than practice. Ai does not vocally offer her opinion on the rest of the group's decision but is shown following the band around at a distance sighing to herself at nearly every stop, indicating that although she didn't speak up to stop the girls from having some fun, she would personally much rather they be practicing. The group stops at a foot-bath where the conversation turns largely to her and her opinion on the chance of the band succeeding. She hesitates to reply but smiles multiple times at hearing Sakura Minamoto remind the others that they do need to practice and again when Sakura solemnly affirms her commitment to making the band a success. Afterward, she is shown enjoying a successful performance with the others on-stage. The final scene of the episode shows her even sharing a laugh with the band at Tae Yamada's accident with Saganship Z.

Episode 5
The band undertakes a self-advertising campaign by participating in a commercial for Drive-In Tori, a famous restaurant, as well as the Gatalympics, a popular series of mud-sporting activities. Junko Konno expresses misgivings about the way they are being dressed for the commercial but Ai points out that as ridiculous as they look, there is merit to doing it as it will help them to dress properly in the future, perhaps marking the first time Ai agrees with anything Kōtarō Tatsumi has planned. The commercial requires several takes as Tae Yamada continuously acts out and ruins the performance, but Ai is able to pinpoint a change that can be made to the harmony of the song to get Tae to perform correctly, indicating advanced skill at musical arrangement. Later at the Gatalympics, the group collectively performs poorly on the bicycle track and only a few perform well at the Tarzan swing, Ai not being one of them due to slipping from the rope almost immediately in spite of Sakura Minamoto's confidence in her.

Episode 6
Ai is shown to have become the lead dancing and choreography instructor for the entire group, owing to dancing being her strongest suit and the best among the band. The group, particularly Junko Konno, has trouble matching pace with her in the new song, one they share lead on, but she replies patiently and cooperatively. As Sakura Minamoto watches Ai review the dance on her own, another memory focusing more directly on Ai flashes through her mind. Ai later invites the group to snoop around online using Kōtarō Tatsumi's computer while she has Tae Yamada keep him busy, an activity she claims to have engaged in several times. The band discusses the currently diminished state of the idol business, a talk that worries Sakura to which Ai offers encouragement. The group stumbles upon "Saga Rock" a large outdoor festival that turns the conversation into the prospects of themselves getting to perform there. A brief debate between Junko and Ai ensues; Junko indicates a preference for starting smaller and taking the time to get their performance perfect before taking stage, Ai sides with the enthusiasm of the others to get on stage as soon as possible, citing the methods used by her old band, Iron Frill, to rapidly explode in popularity and fan preference for watching bands improve as they go over sheer perfectionism. She then learns that Iron Frill themselves will, in fact, be playing at Saga Rock. The next day, Kotaro announces that the band is beginning to gain a following online after their advertising campaign, a fact Ai likely missed due to finding their website too "lame" to revisit. A small performance is organized followed by photo-op sessions with each band member during which Ai finds herself reflexively recoiling from camera flashes, something that takes her by surprise. Afterward, Junko flees the op, not wanting to participate in such familial activities with fans from off-stage. Ai and Junko get into a heated argument over the ordeal, with Ai stressing disagreement with Junko's Showa-period "above it all" way of thinking who, in turn, storms out of the building leaving the band in disarray. Ai is next shown on the outside balcony reflecting on her online readings about her death and the lasting impact it had on the idols of her time, especially the people close to her; readings she rejects as not the end to her legend. After a brief confrontation with several band members, she too, leaves the building but ends up caught in a sudden thunderstorm, causing her to seize in panic. Saki finds her and the two take refuge from the rain inside a small playground. Ai then relates to Saki the details of her death, that she died on-stage in front of tens of thousands and possibly on live television to a freak lightning bolt that incinerated her almost completely; a death that, much to her chagrin, appears to now be the most prominent piece of her legend. The episode ends with the news that Kotaro managed to get them onto the newcomer's roster at Saga Rock just around the corner, and that they will be performing outdoors; news that both excites the band and visibly elicits worry from them given the uncertain state of Junko's continued involvement and Ai's PTSD-like reactions to the memory of her outdoor demise.

Episode 7
Junko Konno has locked herself away for two weeks and the remainder of the band hesitates to continue without her leaving Ai to rehearse largely on her own and to plan to cover the duet she was supposed to sing with Junko by herself. The group grows concerned about her new-found drive as it grows from simply drive into an unhealthy zeal to overcome both her past and her fear of what may come at Saga Rock. She is shown absent from her bed at night and is indicated to have rehearsed almost non-stop during the two weeks since Episode 6, causing her body to literally fall apart at one point while giving her hallucinations of thunderstorms at another. Junko eventually rejoins for the performance and the two are shown on speaking terms once again as the band watches the new incarnation of Iron Frill perform from a distance. Ai does her best to bury her fear as storm clouds begin to gather just as Franchouchou is about to take stage while the rest look on in obvious worry. The song "Atsuku Nare" begins and Ai fights her hardest to sing both her part and Junko's but the repeated thunderclaps prove too much; causing her voice to crack throughout the entire intro. At last, she collapses, but Junko rushes to her aid and picks up where Ai left off, extending a hand to help her back to her feet with words of comfort. Ai regains both her feet and her voice but remains unable to smile like the others for the remainder of the song. As it ends, a massive lightning bolts crashes down upon the band, seemingly affirming Ai's fear, but due to their strange zombie physiology, the lightning is not only harmless to them. but auto-tunes their voices, gives them a radiating outline and allows them to direct currents of light out of their fingertips. The crowd is initially stunned but eventually goes wild at the spectacle before them as the group performs "Mezame Returner" with Ai smiling from ear to ear the entire time. The performance a huge success, Ai and Junko comfort Sakura who is overcome with tears of joy at their breakthrough and the group goes on to become the highlight of the event.

Episode 8
The Saga Rock performance has become essentially the group's true debut and is now receiving quite a bit of press, a fact Ai mentions will come with both good reviews and bad. After Lily Hoshikawa has an encounter with Takeo Gō (Lily's biological father), Ai mentions that being recognized out in the open like that could possibly happen to any of the band, especially herself and Junko Konno. As Sakura Minamoto ponders on this thought, another flashback appears in her mind causing her to stare briefly at Ai, who notices but doesn't pursue the subject. Lily comes out to the band as a trans girl later that night and Ai sighs at Saki's fit of laughter over the ironically masculine names that run in Lily's family. Further, she then is the first to question the implications that this transgender revelation might have in terms of whether or not Kōtarō Tatsumi (The girls' manager) knew about this and what it could mean if he didn't. The worry is fast laid to rest, however, as Kotaro both knew and is highly supportive. As the group gathers around Lily in adoration, Ai muses on how it is that they never noticed in spite of how close they all were, but along with everyone, agrees with Saki's statement of acceptance. When the band grows displeased over simply allowing Lily's situation with her father to go unresolved, Ai states that the answer to what they can do for her should be pretty clear, and along with Junko, suggests writing a new song from Lily to Takeo and advises conscripting Kotaro for the project. Ai is shown training Lily directly for her lead role in "To My Dearest" before the show, which ultimately goes off without a hitch.

Episode 9
Ai does not feature prominently in this episode. Franchouchou begins taking steps to improve their image to the considerably large elderly populace of Saga, to which Ai admits having never heard of an idol group with a significant elderly fan-base but appears happy to get involved with them, especially after one particular group's dancing proves unexpectedly refined. During the trip back, she appears somewhat annoyed by Lily and Tae Yamada's roughhousing in the van and reacts in shock to Saki jumping out of the moving vehicle. During Saki's solo song at the end of the episode, Ai is shown sporting an extremely bright smile.

Episode 10
Ai continues to be in charge of the band's rehearsal and after finishing a number, proudly exclaims that the group performed well. She, Saki Nikaidō and Lily Hoshikawa share a short conversation where Saki indicates that Lily gives Ai the most trouble (likely true given that she was shown to struggle with footwork in earlier episodes), but the conversation stays friendly and lighthearted. In Sakura Minamoto's inner monologue, she says that Ai (as well as Junko Konno) has tensed down greatly since Saga Rock and goes on to reminisce about her lost memories which pulls up yet another brief flashback to Ai and Iron Frill. The group then learns that the will be putting on their first solo show with roughly 500 in attendance, something which surprises the others but Ai says she thinks the band is ready and on time for. The location of their performance is revealed to be Arpino, the location at which Ai performed in Saga for the first time as well as a location that feels familiar to Sakura. The two don't discuss it, but their recollections overlap, indicating that Arpino is the setting Sakura's faint memory of Ai is from. The connection to her memories as well as the hope for a successful show gets Sakura too worked up which concerns both Ai and Kōtarō Tatsumi, who watches their conversation. Kotaro sends the group into the mountains, hoping to teach Sakura a lesson about teamwork. While on the mountain, Ai proves to have significantly sharper eyes and ears than the other zombies as well as being unexpectedly resourceful and skilled at hunting. She manages to craft a fully-functioning bow and arrow without any tools and proves a nearly pin-point shot with it, though partly on account of Sakura's interruption, never succeeds in shooting the baby boar she set her sights on. After the group returns to the mansion, Ai again has to stop the rehearsal when Sakura is still mismatching her timing leading to Sakura getting upset with the band, incorrectly perceiving that it was the rest of the band who was sloppy. Ai leads the girls in reviewing their choreography for the upcoming show at Arpino and appears quite happy that the others are now contributing good ideas of their own, as opposed to when she was doing it all by herself in Episode 6. After Sakura witnesses the bands teamwork, she at last synchs up with them. Thrilled by the progress, she wakes for an early morning run the next day, to which Ai warns her to be careful for traffic. Sakura ends up hit by a truck again anyway and regains all her memories from life, including several of admiringly watching Ai perform, but at the cost of all her memories as a zombie.

Episode 11
Sakura Minamoto wakes inside the mansion with no memories of Franchouchou and panics at the sight of each of the girls in the bedroom. Thunder can be heard in the background which seems to indicate that Ai's fear of lightning has been put to rest, but as Sakura picks up the same iron poker that she throw into Ai's head in the first episode, Ai reflexively recoils in trauma, indicating that she somehow remembers the event. The girls struggle to comprehend Sakura's frightful reaction to them, but just before Yūgiri slaps her, Ai works out what could have happened to her. Sakura drops the poker and utters words of defeat before passing out, waking up later to find Ai sitting next to her in full make up. Sakura finds a moment of joy amid her despair at waking up next to the idol she admired so immensely but the moment is cut short as Ai urgently explains everything she can about their situation to her. Ai returns along with Sakura to the others and explains to the rest what has happened but a rift forms within the band as Sakura, who turns out to have been severely depressed before she died, says the band should continue without her. Ai is visibly troubled by Sakura's defeatism but continues to assure the others that she believes Sakura will come around on her own and is the only member of the band to not attempt to force a one-on-one conversation with her. The other's repeated efforts cause Sakura to flee the mansion where she thinks back on her memories from life. It is revealed that Sakura struggled with unfortunate coincidences that robbed her of success repeatedly throughout her entire life which eventually left her in a state of pure hopelessness. One day however, by chance, she happened to see a televised interview with Ai whose attitude and raw determination re-lit the spark inside her. She became an enormous admirer of Ai and used her message as inspiration to recollect herself and try once more to find success as an idol; unfortunately only to die in an accident on her way to audition. She repeats Ai's message to herself in the present, but finds herself simply too defeated to care, even if continuing would mean getting to be in a band with her personal hero.

Episode 12
Sakura Minamoto's despair continues, as does Ai's passive treatment of her; merely asking at one point what she thought of watching the group dance, to which Sakura had several flashbacks but did not verbally reply. The others, especially Tae continue trying to rouse Sakura's spirits or to comfort her but largely succeed only in annoying her, with Ai at one point claiming she knew their efforts to get Sakura to sleep in the middle of all of them was going too far. After Tae and Yugiri begin getting forceful in their efforts to reach Sakura, Ai finally steps forward with a lecture of her own. She points out the mutual nature of their collectively unfortunate lives and caps it off by reaffirming the same words of determination that Sakura valued so much when she was alive. Finally realizing how those words still applied even in this situation, Sakura's fist finally unclenches and her guard drops; replying hesitantly but cooperatively for the first time. All seven of the band rehearse together for the first time since Sakura's memory swap and it goes perfectly, to which Ai attributes muscle memory from extensive training. The mirror cracks, which Sakura, takes as a bad omen, but the others continue to provide support, culminating with a look of determination after Ai reassures her again. A heavy snowfall besets the venue and shortly after the performance starts, the stage begins breaking down. A violent tremor shakes the arena and together with Junko Konno, Ai catches Lily who is about to fall and offers the small girl a reassuring smile as they make toward the front of the stage together. During a part when she is holding an extended high note, Ai seems to already know the stage is in imminent danger of collapsing and appears to signal to a group of girls in the front row to step back from the stage in case of emergency. The girls step back and immediately thereafter, the stage collapses. The audience looks on at the scene frozen in worry, while in the background, a slow clapping begins from Kōtarō Tatsumi in an effort to continue the show. Before long, Ai resumes singing and powers herself back to her feet; and one by one, the rest of the band follows suit, stopping at Sakura's part while waiting for her to also get back up. Sakura reflects on the words offered to her by Ai, Yugiri and Kotaro before finally picking herself up and resuming the show in full. Backstage before the encore, Sakura makes up her mind that she truly does want to continue performing with Franchouchou if the others are alright with having her and as she asks, she looks directly at Ai, her hero, who happily accepts. Sakura and Ai share a particularly large number of choreographed segments in both songs of the Arpino performance, giving a meaningful highlight to Sakura's success on her path to becoming an idol. At one point while Ai is singing, the current members of Iron Frill are shown to be watching the performance live on the internet with jaws agape. In the final scene, Okoba quizzically compares photographs of Ai, Junko and Lily as members of Franchouchou to photos of themselves from when they were alive. -->

Etymology

 * The name Ai (愛) means "love, affection".
 * Unlike the purely romantic "koi", "ai" means love in a broad sense, so this kanji is widely used as a traditional female name.
 * Ai's surname Mizuno means "water" (水) (mizu) and "field, wilderness" (野) (no).
 * Mizuno is a habitational name meaning 'water field', from a village so named in Owari (now part of Aichi prefecture). The surname is found mostly along the eastern seaboard and on the island of Okinawa.
 * It is also the name of a Japanese sports equipment and sportswear company, founded in Osaka in 1906 by Rihachi Mizuno.

Trivia

 * Ai was only 16 years old at the time of her death.
 * Ai died in 2008, only 4 months after Sakura Minamoto was struck and killed by a truck.
 * Ai has better kinetic vision and hearing than the other girls in the group.
 * Ai has same cup size and body type as Junko Konno, together having one of most slimmest figures in group.