Kaoruko Mifune, elder sister to Shioriko Mifune and a former school idol, occupies distinct yet impactful roles across official media timelines. In *Love Live! School Idol Festival ALL STARS*, she once led the School Idol Festival Committee, entrusting its duties to the Nijigasaki High School Idol Club after her committee’s graduation. The anime continuity positions her as a member of a disbanded Shion Girls’ Academy idol group, which fell short of qualifying for the Love Live competition during her third year. Though this outcome initially fueled Shioriko’s reluctance to engage with school idols, Kaoruko herself held no regrets, cherishing the bonds and experiences forged through her idol pursuits.

Playful and cheerful by nature, Kaoruko contrasts Shioriko’s reserved pragmatism, yet her past profoundly shapes her sister’s journey. A second-season anime flashback depicts Kaoruko embracing a young Shioriko in a photo, encapsulating their enduring connection. While Kaoruko’s failed Love Live bid initially drove Shioriko to avoid idol activities, her unwavering optimism later inspires Shioriko to join the Nijigasaki club.

The game’s narrative introduces familial tension when Kaoruko prioritizes her idol aspirations over assuming leadership of the Mifune family, sparking Shioriko’s temporary resentment. Despite this, her advocacy for school idols proves pivotal, enabling the Nijigasaki club to secure institutional recognition by hosting the School Idol Festival.

Both timelines frame Kaoruko as a mentor figure whose legacy reverberates through the Nijigasaki group. The anime emphasizes her role in reconciling Shioriko’s past hesitations with her present ambitions, while the game underscores her foundational influence on the club’s official standing. Though absent from their daily endeavors, her dual portrayals collectively highlight her indirect guidance, reinforcing themes of perseverance and intergenerational inspiration within the school idol world.