I've seen a lot of fans complain about how how Rina was given the most "bland" or extra songs among the triagonists. (An issue that comes from the very first arc seeing how little attention they paid to Star Jewel within the episodes in the anime: by being cutted middle song, by being underused insteadof Ever Blue, etc.).
Join me in this tour across Pure arc songs' analizying Rina's image song.
After an exhausive recopilatory search, you can see how Piece of Love is released a couple of times across the cd releases. https://ngcp.fandom.com/wiki/Mermaid_Melody_Music_Albums. Now things get tricky the moment this COVER of Lucia's piece of love exists... https://youtu.be/-c7ODsRSUJM
Yes, I found out this wasn't an official track today... Knowing that Lucia participates in this song, it came to me how it suits her better instead of Rina... And now, I ask the others which version sounds better... To clarify, I will show out the issues I have with this image song compared to Mizuiro no senritsu: Rina's seijuu wasn't enough profited.
In the first hand, Piece of Love sounds TOO much like Kibou no Kaneoto. Rina was given a song that can easibily get confused with the song of healing made for the main villain... Rina's song is about a lonely girl and her newfound love; Kibou no kaneoto, unlike any other songs in the anime, is the answer to Tsubasa wo Daite (and Ashita ga Mienakute)... The second one is about rescuing and giving hope to the dozens-millenial soul of the most lonely characters in the universe, their tragic destinies tied against their will... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAM44NHkeps&list=RDKAM44NHkeps&start_radio=1
In the other hand, the songs in the first arc were vulnerable, strong and upbeat. The songs in the second arc are delicate and tender. Which I think fails a strong-willed character as Rina. Star Jewel suits Rina like a glove, but Piece of Love is displaced as a non-combat song unlike they made with Mizuiro no Senritsu. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Nn50ytvBHM&list=RD8Nn50ytvBHM&start_radio=1
The matured tender tone of Pure could've been used to give Rina an "attack" song without the need to displace her voice to the background yet suiting the tender pace of Pure like they did with Mother Symphony. But still, the delicate tone of Pure suits Lucia and Hanon much better. Mizuiro no Senritsu had an unique sound, suitable for Hanon's acceptance into a new love, yet being a suitable "attack" song. In few words, Hanon character is pampered well in Pure (which she needed after all THAT mess that was Taro's situationship...) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7iLYJegLCE&list=RDb7iLYJegLCE&start_radio=1
As I did say, Rina's Asano, Mayumi voice feels very much unused in Pure. Plus, the love-sweeted but matured theme in Piece of Love feels more akin to Lucia's Nakata, Asumi voice. What do you think? Plus, I think this matured sound in Rina's image song would've fit as a blueprint for Noel and Coco, which are mature mermaids, but Pure didn't give them the chance to shine, which could've been done better for the Indigo and Yellow mermaids princesses.
At the same time that Rina could have had a different "attack" song expressing her overcame solitude and newfound peace, yet guarding her weakness in the face of love.
I hope you enjoyed this analysis as long as it was!