CK in Japan, Fall 2009 Day 8...AKB ∞・Infinity

Today was all about connecting with the idols...

After an amazing Friday I had a HUGE Saturday planned.  I had a ticket to each of the performances of AKB48's Infinity at Theater G-Rosso.  After that I planned on heading to Akihabara to see SDN48's show one last time on the theater monitors.  Given the time parameters, there wouldn't be any time to rest.  So I would be spending over 8 hours at the Tokyo Dome complex, then straight to the Don Quijote.  I swear this trip is going to do me in!!!

I love that you can still watch the AKB48 show even if you haven't won a ticket.  Probably the biggest thing i will miss when I head back to the states is the awesome girls from SDN48 and their terrific stage.  So even if I didn't have a ticket to last night's show, I had to watch it one last time.  BTW, I love the theater-style screen and improved sound system in the cafe.  It enhances the experience outside a great deal.  I couldn't wait to see all of my favorite songs one last time, although by the time I made it there it was past the opening MCs and on to the unit songs.  So I missed Black Boy.  Good thing I have the Budokan box version to make me feel better.

I waited for the end of the show, standing with members of the Chen Qu birthday committee.  They asked if I could help by watching their stuff while they collected all of the glowsticks from the show.  Finally Hiro and most of the other guys I have been hanging out with came out of the theater, and it was time for "High Touch"  Just to note, I was fully aware this may be the last time I see Meetan on this trip...

As I made my way through the line CinDy stopped me again and grabbed my hand.  I thought I heard her say this on Sunday, but now I am sure.  As she took my hand she said "I love you".  WHAT!!!!!!!   CinDy loves me?  WOW!!!  Actually I imagine she is saying that she loves that I am a fan.  But OMG, that was shocking.  Hmmm, maybe she does really love me?  Sorry Meetan, you weren't quick enough.  Meetan was two girls after CinDy.  Remember I wrote fan letters to Meetan and Chisaki on Thursday.  Whenever I send Meetan a letter i always sign it with a drawing of my license plate.  That paid off in spades because when I got to Ohori instead of "high-fiving" me she grabbed my hand and held it tightly.  Then she shook it back and forth while smiling and thanking me!!!  That was soooooooooo great!!!  A few girls later came Chisaki, and she grabbed my hand with both of hers and gave me a huge smile. I could tell she was reacting to my birthday card/fan letter. 

So the fan letters were one of the best ideas i have had on this trip.  Both of my favorite girls were totally appreciative.  I am so happy!  Nonti was at the end of the line, and I paused in front of her to say "Arigatou Nonti"  Since I sort of skipped past her on the previous events, I was glad to finally give her good focus as I really like her!

I headed over to Tokyo Dome a bit early because I had never been there before and wanted to get a lay of the land.  The housekeeper was also clamoring to get into my hotel room and clean it.  When I arrived at Suidōbashi Station I was immediately bombarded with requests for donations by various organizations.  They must see American's as a bunch of "bleeding hearts" because they were literally running at me from every direction!  But I managed to escape into the complex.  So i walk in and it dawned on me...This is the home of the Yomiuri Giants, wow!!!  I am a big baseball fan, so this was a tremendous bonus.  The stadium is gorgeous, filled with restaurants, shops and attractions.  Many of them baseball themed.  The second this I noticed...

Why the hell are there hundreds of cosplayers hanging around?  Is this the Giants/Cosplay HQ?  They were everywhere!  Just standing around and taking pictures of one another.  I took refuge in the Baseball cafe for an overpriced sandwich and beer.

Theater G-Rosso is pretty neat!  They were playing the PV for "River" and the CM for Infinity on the wall.  i went in early because i saw they were selling the program with bonus pics outside.  I figured I would buy two programs so I could get pics for each cast.  There were 6 sets available, and only one of the Sayaka/Takamina sets were sold out.  So I picked the ones I wanted and went on my merry way.

Thirty minutes before showtime the doors opened, so I headed in to find my seat.  I was eighth row just right of center.  It was perfect because the stage is two-tiered and this had me at perfect eye level for the upper part of the set.  Finally it was showtime!

I am not going to do a full review of the story, but focus more on the girls performances.  You have to remember my Japanese comprehension is not very good.  So it was nice to read a full review and synopsis on Stage48 by Rui before I went.  It's actually a simple story...

It opens hundreds of years ago, on Maria's dying day, leaving Ruka the vampire to an eternity of loneliness.  Flash forward to present day, and Ruka the vampire has been living in eternal heartache because he misses Maria.  But she has been reborn as a young schoolgirl.  Maria hangs out with her friends who are on the high school dance team.  Until one day she is attacked by street toughs.  But as they threaten her with a knife out comes Ruka to save her by casting an evil spell over the guys.  And the courtship begins.  At first maria doesn't understand what is going on, but she is mesmerized by the "Blue Rose" (hehe) given to her by Ruka.  Her friends are concerned, especially Ai (Iwasa Misaki) and Eri (Nakatsuka Tomomi) and after meeting the vampire hunters they follow Maria into the forest to Ruka's castle.  Meanwhile Maria's love for Ruka grows.

After an intermission the four girls with smaller parts, along with Tanamin and Nakayan who play Ruka's maids sing Honehone Waltz, and then the maids do a few quick jokes before Act II begins. The rest of the play is mainly about Maria's struggle to choose what's more important to her, the acceptance of her friends or her love for Ruka.  It is also Ruka's struggle to come to terms with what it means to truly love someone.  (anyone hear a Sting song in the background as I type that?)  Not to mention the vampire hunters are hot on Ruka's trail...

It was a wonderful play, and everyone in it was excellent.  I want to begin by giving monstrous kudos to Akimoto Sayaka, who seemed like she was born to play this role!  her performance bordered on mystical, and they way she belted out the solos on Blue Rose, Kimi wa Pegasus, MARIA and the Infinity theme (which was beautiful)...WOW, just amazing!  Her performance in the final scene is incredible!  I felt bad for Sae because she has to compete with Sayaka.  And Sae chose to play Ruka in a totally different style.  While Sayaka was "grand and powerful", Sae was more "brooding and fatal".  I actually liked the way Sae did it, and she looked great in the silver wig.

As far as the character of Maria is concerned, I struggled to decide who I liked better in the role.  But after thinking about it for a long time I would have to give Yukirin the slight edge.  It wasn't that Takamina didn't do a great job.  She was wonderful.  And she pulled off the femininity and fragility of Maria very well.  It's just that Yuki is more of what I imagined the character of Maria to be like.

And then there was Iwasa Misaki...ZOMG!  She is absolutely incredible in this!!!  Wasamin was really the third star of this behind the main characters, and she played her intense senpai character perfectly!  She was also up front in most of the songs, and sang beautifully.  Oh, and there is one scene that is supposed to take place in Shibuya where they sing "109".  Wasamin comes out in a short black skirt, with a fedora and red wig and looked soooooo cute!  This girl is going to be a star once we get the shuffles.

*And it has been decided...  After the shuffles, I have two favorite members, both in SDN.  So I will need an AKB Oshimen.  And after much contemplation, Wasamin wins!!!

Nakatsuka Tomomi was also very good playing the "sweet and caring" friend of Maria.  it was nice to see some of these girls get a moment to shine.  And they were both excellent actresses.  Same with Nacchi, who played Maria's more "flirty" friend"

Tanamin and Nakayan as the maids were so adorable!!!  Those blonde wigs they were wearing with the maid cosplay was great!  I don't know where the following pic came from (it was given to me by Hina from no akb no life) but it is so cute!

The biggest WTF moment came in the evening show after Honehone Waltz.  Actually, Katayama Haruka had trouble in this scene for both shows.  In the matinee I noticed that the bone was falling out of her hair during the song.  The problem was that she needed it as a prop a little later.  And when she jerked her head forward to grab it the bone flew across the stage.  Oops!  But I didn't notice how big an issue it was until the evening show.  there was Haachan, bone firmly in place.  Good!  She grabs it out of her hair.  Ooohhh, it is suppose to be a phone?  But when the four "undergirls" run off stage she slipped and fell hard onto the floor!  everyone froze for a second.  i was looking toward the right of the stage and saw Uchida Mayumi freeze in a state of panic.  But then Haachan got up, dusted herself off.  And with her trademark smirk said something that got the audience rolling!  then Nakayan said something back to her that also got a laugh.  Good save girls!

After the show everyone gets one picture of a cast member.  And the coolest part is the girls actually hand you the photo.  So you get a little face time with the idols.  There were three lines, the first was for the Maria character, second for Ruka and third for everyone else.  My plan was to go for Wasamin in the matinee and Sayaka at night.  The thing is if you pick the third line you pass all of the girls who want to give you their photo.  So it is tough to pass them over.  For me it was especially tough to pass up Tanamin and Haachan, who are among my favorite members.  but I made it to Wasamin.  She looked as if she fully expected me to pass her up, and she was startled when i turned to her and growled "Wasamin".  She said "Oh!?  Arigatou Gozaimashita!"  I then said to her "New Yorku, Webster Hall."  She said "Ohh?" looking confused for a second, but then she lit up like a pinball machine just as I stepped left from her....'OOOOHHHHH!!!!!  Arigatou Gozaimashita!!!"  She remembered me, score!  as i left I passed Nakaya Sayaka, and she gave me one of those great "ZOMG a gaijin!" looks and reached out at me like she wanted me to come over.  But security wouldn't let me go back.  She gave me an English "Thank You"!

I was conflicted for the second show.  I wanted to see Sayaka to see if she would remember me from New York.  But again, I had so many favorite members in supporting parts.  Would I choose Tanamin?  Haachan?  and now Nakayan was a dark horse!  but alas i stuck with the original plan.  When i got up to her she gave me her patented "surprised" look.  "Konba....oh, hello!"  the way she looked at me I was sure she remembered me.  So I said "New Yorku" to her as well.  She replied in English "You are from New York?"  Oops, I switched gears and told her she was wonderful in the show and it was great to see her again.  As I left she glanced back at me with a quizzical look as I walked to the exit.  So maybe she remembered our convo at NYAF when I told her I would be coming to see Infinity.  In any case, Sayaka was totally gracious as always!

By the way, the Sae/Yuki performances was their last of the run.  Sae got a little sentimental during the closing "thank you's'.  So if there is a DVD (why wouldn't there be?) I am guessing that was the taping.  There were quite a few cameras in the place.

So there ya go.  An exhausting day.  But one filled with idol love!  But as tiring as the day sounds (it was) I had an awesome time every step of the way.  I am taking a little rest this morning.  but in just a few hours I am off to Nakano to see Morning Musume.  I'm sure it will be great!

CK in Tokyo