43 posts tagged “akb48”
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!
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. 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 catholic 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...
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!
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
Yes, I am back in Japan, but it was "touch and go" for a while...
I am sure this is going to be another awesome trip. But the way it started made me a little unsure. So if you will indulge me for a moment, I need to lament. Beginning with Friday morning when I slept through my alarm, and woke up when I should have already been en-route to the airport!!! That was an even bigger issue considering the major bridge between my house and SFO has been closed for the last 5 days. Getting a taxi was just as hard, as the entire transportation system is in total breakdown. But I made it to the train, and made it to the airport on time. However, in my haste a forgot to pack a few important items...oh well!
My flight left on-time, which was important since I had a show to go to my first night in town. It was a nice flight up until about 1500 miles outside of Tokyo, where we hit MAJOR turbulence. It was the roughest flight I have ever been on. they even had to suspend the meal service because it was too dangerous for the crew to stand up. Then the plane was late because we had to sit in a holding pattern for 30 minutes due to Narita Traffic. Then the luggage was late for some unknown reason. And then...traffic into Tokyo was horrible, it took almost two hours to get to my hotel. All in all it took almost 3 1/2 hours from landing to hotel check-in, sheesh! The good news was that I still had time to make the show! But I digress...
This is my fourth trip to Japan in less than two years. People always find it remarkable how many shows and events I am able to see. There is a bit of a strategy to it, although it doesn't leave me a lot of time to explore the many other wonderful things about this country. That's okay, one day I will have time to do all of that stuff. But I come here with a specific purpose. So since AKB48's schedule is usually a last minute thing, I try to come when there are multiple Hello! Project events going on, and schedule my trip around that. As a result this trip is shaping up to be just as hectic as the last one, concert-wise!
Morning Musume: Going to the evening show on 11/8. According to Celestia, we have 5th row seats. Awesome!!!!!
Berryz Kobo: Planning on going to the 11/3 evening show in Shinjuku, but I don't have a ticket yet. That is my quest for today and tomorrow. Find a berryz ticket!
AKB Infinity: AKB48's new play!!! I have 7th row for both performances on Saturday the 7th. That means I will get to see both casts, Sayaka/Takamina and Sae/Yukirin.
SKE48; I have one last chance to win tickets for Wednesday 11/4. If i win it will be my first visit to Nagoya!
AKB48: So far i have won three shows, today for Team Kenkyuusei, Tuesday Team A matinee and Wednesday Team Kenkyuusei again. I will need to cancel that win if I win for SKE48.
SDN48: This is what I wanted to see more than anything else while I am visiting. The new "adults only" team from the world of AKB. I have won twice so far. Once for tonight...and once for last night. Yes, THAT was the show I was in such a hurry to see, and i made it. SDN48 on Halloween night!!!!
After the show, the girls all went into the lobby each with a basket of candy. As you left you got to pick a member and go up to her station for Trick-or-Treat, she then gave you candy and you could talk to her for a few moments. Since Meetan wasn't there I had to pick someone else. I thought about going to Chisaki because she is sooo adorable, but I ultimately went with Sayaka Kondo since she speaks English. She was excited that I came all the way from the US to see them, and then just as we started to talk about NYAF the theater manager ushered me away, My time was up!!! But the entire experience was great, and I can't wait for tonight's show!!!
Meetan Ameba Pigg fans!!!!! If you are familiar with Ameba Pigg, that is the little virtual world where all of the Ameba bloggers hang out and chat. And they get to create little characters that walk around in the rooms. I love Ohori Megumi's Ameba Pigg character...kawaii!!!!
Alright, so there is lots to do today, Hopefully this trip will have enough new and unique adventures, so it's not like i am just re-hashing my last trip. Until tomorrow...
CK in California
Heading back to my buddy Moze's house on Saturday night, I was floating on the memories of an awesome day. The adrenaline kept me up far too late considering how little sleep I had for the last 60+ hours. But that night I could sleep in. The Webster Hall show didn't start until 5pm. I had the whole day to be lazy and maybe take in a few NYC sights...
Or so I thought...
I awoke to a text from Flagator saying he was heading to Javitz to drop off his gift to Miichan, and then he was off to Webster Hall. Okay, I had a couple hours to wake up and maybe grab some breakfast. I could hit the theater sometime after lunch. But to my horror I immediately got another text saying that people were already lining up. Uh oh...I better get my butt in gear!!!
I rushed to the train station in the rain. It would probably take at least 30 minutes to get to Union Square. I swear the train was going in slow motion the whole way. At least I had a pretty Japanese woman sitting across from me to gawk at while I silently beckoned the train to hurry up! I eventually made my stop. First order of business, find an umbrella!
That wasn't too hard as three guys immediately offered to sell me one the moment I came up the station stairs. With that I was off to Webster Hall. With the benefit of my little GPS application on my iphone I had no trouble finding the place. Great, not too many people there. After Makistar and friends showed up there were just about a dozen Stage 48ers and a half dozen Japanese fans! My prospects for being in the front row were pretty good. Now all was left the was 4 1/2 hour wait until the doors opened.
I passed the time talking to Flagator, Sorceress, Gideon, and Hahaxwill. They showed me a video of the girls arriving by bus that morning. Wow, I figured they wouldn't get to the venue until later! They must've had a dress rehearsal. All the while I was being pelted by rain. I then noticed the Japanese Wota were in a much better spot to stay dry. So I excused myself to join them instead.
We passed the time watching the NHK 2009 DVD, which one of Japanese fans brought to the show. I decided to show them pictures of my car back in California with it's AKB48 license plates, which ended up being quite the olive branch. With the help of Kiki, the cute fangirl who had relocated from Japan to New York, we had a fun conversation. I thought it helped create a connection for all of us. So that was pretty cool! They were really nice guys! Lamenth and Caine then showed up, as did my weekend roomie Mozenator. Moze went off to grab some food and returned with a much needed cup of coffee and a sandwich (Thanks Buddy!) And then a mysterious Mercedes Benz pulled up....
OH, OH OOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! The next thing I know the Japanese guys are screaming. ZOMG, it's Akimoto-sama!!!! The enigmatic AKB producer was here. He gave us an obligatory wave as he scurried into the Hall.
After that the theater security began organizing the line. And of course the people who had just arrived rushed to the front of it. Thankfully security was on it and they did a pretty good job of arranging us in the order we arrived at the theater. There were a few hitches along the way, including them giving priority to the VIPs, then taking it away. And then who could forget the guy with his two young kids. This was an 18 and over theater. And there was no way they were letting a 5 and 3 year old go to the show. He created a bit of a scene, flipping the bird to everyone as he left. Finally the doors opened, albeit a half hour late!
I rushed upstairs into the ballroom. They handed you a red flag as you walked into the theater. Red flag, eh? I immediately knew they would be performing Hikoukigumo. Most of the front was already taken, except for about 8 feet of space on the right. I quickly claimed it! Not even the full bar would keep me from losing this spot! I had a full arsenal of glowsticks provided by a few generous fans. It wouldn't be long until showtime. I then noticed that I could see the girls walking around back stage. Someone left the curtain open. When I caught Amina walking back there and then looking stunned when she noticed the audience could see her. I mentioned to security that they should close that curtain. Which someone eventually did.
After the obligatory announcements about photography and fan courtesy, they announced the show would soon start. Everyone started to get psyched up. Then the lights dimmed...
AKB.......FORTY EEEEIIIIIIIIIIIGHT!!!!
It was finally showtime. Now to be honest I am not very good with the hand gestures during the songs, but I am reasonably good with the chants. Especially when to yell the members names.
Sore Sore Sore Sore...ARE....YOU...READYYYYY???????????
This is by far the best seat I have ever had for an AKB48 show. As many times as I have been in the theater the best seat I have ever been in was an Enpou seat, which is 7th row center. It didn't take long to see how different this would be. As the girls rushed to my side of the stage during Aitakatta! I immediately had waves and eye contact. This show was already awesome! The next funny moment came when the music started skipping at the beginning of Namida Surprise. It was just like Shibuya AX during 10nen Zakura. The girls looked puzzled for a moment, then they all started laughing.
MC's in English!!! This was so cute? It was interesting to see which girls had the best English skills. Sayaka is obviously the best. And I was surprised by Suuchan and Miichan. Kojiharu was clueless, of course. As was Amina. "Doki Doki!, Doki Doki?" Then Sayaka came up with the brilliant save..."She is really excited!" I had decided before I ever got to New York that I was going to be a Wasamin fan this weekend. Iwasa Misaki is one of the newest members, and I was really impressed with her when I was in Japan last May. I made a point to scream her name whenever I had the opportunity. It was a strategy that would later pay off, big time!
Awwwwww, where was my lovely lovely Meetan? This is her song! I wished she was there too. I reminisced about the first AKB48 concert I ever saw in person, and watching Ohori rip off her jacket to reveal her infamous gold bikini. I must have channeled that thought directly at Sayaka, as she ripped her jacket off at the end of the song. Awesome!!!
By the way, the girls definitely earned two new fans that night. And that was the security staff. One of them was busy fanboying throughout the show, and the other started recording the show with his little camera. At one point he asked me to film it for him. But I refused, all the while thinking "Theater ban, Theater ban" I wasn't having any of that!
After a short MC the full team came out to perform Boku no Taiyou. Then came the English versions of Bingo! and Oogoe Diamond. I think it's a really sweet gesture that they perform these songs in English. That said, I love the original versions. Then finally came Hikoukigumo. Yayyy!!! Flag waving time! It is one of their best audience participation songs. Sakura no Hanabiratachi ended the main set.
There was obviously going to be an encore. They still hadn't performed their current single. But I almost lost hope when the initial encore call petered out. I screamed "Come on!!!!!" The next moment Caine and Lamenth commenced their little plan...The infamous Tatami Mats Gaijin Encore Chant...
"Encore...Encore...AKB...Forty Eight!" Now we were going full force. It wasn't long before the lights dimmed and the girls came back out in their uber-sexy I <3 NY T-shirts. Awesome!!!
After the three songs the girls waved goodbye to the audience. Sayaka was totally fierce as usual. Jumping all over the stage and waving to everyone. Since I was in the front row I got eye contact with a few members, including Acchan and Miichan. That was it...show over. Hopefully I will see them in a month or so.
It was the security guy who said. Wait everyone! The lights aren't on yet. I think they want to do another encore! See what I mean? Total fanboy! But he was right. The girls came back out for one more song. An encore version of Hikoukigumo. They really went all out for this show. 16 songs, 2 encores. And all of the girls did an exceptional job. Especially Sayaka, she was amazing! And my next awesome moment came as the girls left the stage for the last time...
I said earlier that I made a point to cheer loudly for Wasamin every chance I got. Here it was the end of the show and she finally came over to my side to wave goodbye to everyone. I yelled her name again and waved. As she walked away she glanced over her shoulder and looked back at me. She came back, kneeled down, waved to me and said Arigatou! I just melted. That was as awesome a moment as any I had all weekend. I know she is just 14, but I really adore her!
After watching the girls take a group pic in front of the venue marquee the security asked everyone to leave. Not wanting to be a nuisance I left with Moze and his friend Joe to have some dinner. That was the end of my AKB48 in New York experience. The next morning I would be on a plane back to the West Coast.
It was an awesome weekend. I'm so glad I went. And it had been too long since I was last in New York. I need to do that again soon! In the meantime.....
Four Weeks to Tokyo...I can't wait!!!!!!!
CK in California
Warning, this is going to be a long-ass post. But it is filled with awesomeness!!!
What an incredible weekend!!!
I look back at how I came very close to not going to New York this past weekend. Whew, that was a close one! I am so glad I went. This weekend was beyond cool for so many reasons...
I arrived in New York at dawn after taking the Thursday night red-eye from the Bay Area. I was so tired, yet exhilarated because not only was I getting to see AKB48, but this was my first time in NY since 2000. As I rode the 7-train I got my first glimpse of the Manhattan skyline...
But the first day was just a warmup. I headed to the Javitz center after a nice nap, taking in the excitement of Midtown. I picked up my NYAF pass and checked out the booths. I was looking mainly for the AKB48 booth although I was sure the girls wouldn't be there. After having a 5 minute conversation about the schedule with Sayaka Kondo from SDN48 (oh, and not recognizing it was Sayamin I was talking to, ugghhh!), I left for Times Square. After an awesome Sky-High Corned Beef on Rye at the Stage Deli I was feeling tired. In any case tomorrow was the big day. I headed back to Moze's apartment in Queens to rest up...
I remember how amazing it was to meet the girls of Morning Musume this past Summer. This day was just as incredible for so many reasons...
The autograph ticket lineup was one of the big question marks of the weekend. How many tickets would there be? Will people be lining up all night? I remembered the MoMusu autograph ticket fiasco at AX and decided to wake up early and see what happens. I set my alarm for 5:15am...
After a train ride and a cab from the Port Authority terminal, I arrived at the Javitz Center at 6:20am and was immediately escorted to a little room in the basement, where there were about 35 people waiting in a line. Okay, this is cool! There must be at least 35 autograph tickets, right? After about a half hour we were taken back upstairs to the real line only to be confronted with about 20 people standing there...
No Friggin' Way!!! Happily they put us all in front and put the other 20 people behind us. I passed the time talking with a bunch of Stage48 regulars. Of course we all became fast friends. At 8:30 they started giving the tickets away, and about a minute after I got mine they announced the AKB48 autograph tickets were all gone! I had just turned the corner so I didn't see the reaction of the 400 or so people in line, but it couldn't have been cool.
Flagator, his sister, Sorceress, Ohno and I roamed the Festival waiting for the Q&A. We had our tickets so all was good. For no reason whatsoever we decided to hang out near the autograph room. Since we were all wearing AKB shirts we were immediately approached by all of the camera crews and asked for interviews, cool! Of course they were filming for the DVD, but there was also a camera crew from NHK and a crew from Nemousu TV. They asked us the standard questions...
How did you learn about AKB48?
What do you find appealing about them?
Do you think their concept would work in the U.S.
Who is your favorite member?
What song would you like to hear them perform?
I sort of felt bad about answering the AKB-USA question. The truth is I feel their concept is uniquely Japanese and should remain that way. Then out of nowhere, ZOMG!!!
Out walked about half of the members to take a stroll around the Festival. We fumbled for our cameras as our jaws hit the floor. Then as Aki Takajo passed me she pointed to my shirt and gestured to me "AKB48...Sugoi!!!" she gestured to Amina Sato and they both smiled at me as they passed. Also along on the walk were Kitahara Rie, Ono Erena, Sato Sumire, Miyazaki Miho, Iwasa Misaki and Fujie Reina. As they walked around the booths we trailed in their wake and took photos...
The Q&A was cool. I didn't have a good seat because I was busy with the camera crews by the autograph room. To be honest I was too excited in anticipation for the autograph event. Yuko and Takamina stole the show during the questions. Minami's reactions to the audience response to her answers was priceless. And Yuko was so authentic, and had a great time up there. It's interesting to hear the moderators explaining the group to us. I really believe that they thought there wouldn't be any fans in New York, which sort of explains the reaction I got from Akicha.
As I waited for my turn in the autograph line I remembered my experience with Morning Musume and how I tried to make them all laugh. I struggled to come up with a plan for the six members who would be signing. They brought us into the room in three groups. I was in Group #2. They announced before the event that there would be no handshakes, and the girls would only be signing a prepared souvenir...
Maeda Atsuko: What would I talk to Acchan about? I loved her recent photobook, and then I remembered we were both left handed! I quickly asked Sorceress how to say left-handed in Japanese. But of course I quickly blanked as Acchan gave me an adorable smile and signed her cute little bunny autograph. I barely got out a garbled Hajimemashite! As she finished a came up with a plan for the next girl...
Kojima Haruna: "Hi, Riku!" "Ehhhhhhhhhh?" I repeated "Hi Riku!...Mendoru Riku!" She responded with something like "Wow, you've seen the show". As she was about to hand the autograph sheet back to me she said "Chotto" and took it back. She then signed it again "<3 Riku <3". That was awesome!
Miyazawa Sae: "Hi Genking" I said to Sae as she smiled and signed my paper. I was getting totally frustrated with myself. I am a lot more clever than this. I was choking!!!
Akimoto Sayaka: As Sayaka grabbed my paper she quickly noticed my AKB/NHK shirt. She pointed at it and looked at me like "What's the explanation of this?" She gestured "You have seen us?" I responded I have seen you ten times! After the translator explained to her what "ten times" meant she replied Sugoi!, as did Yuko who was next to her. I then told her that Mushi no BALLAD was great. She gave me a surprised smile and said "Thank You!" That was awesome, Sayaka is awesome!!!
Oshima Yuko: Yuko was still gesturing at my shirt as I approached her. I told her I love Team K, and I am coming next month for "River" (their upcoming single). She thanked me as she returned the sheet. Finally...
Takahashi Minami: It was then Takamina's turn to marvel at my shirt. I remember saying "Hi Takamina" and I know we had an exchange about my shirt. But I forget the details. It was over as quickly as it started. I had my autographs. But no time to breathe, it was time for...
Our little group headed back outside. As we marveled over our autographs (Flagator's sister was crying over meeting Takamina) we were quickly joined by Yumestarlet and Umi who were looking at our autographs. Yume then asked my if I thought Wasamin was here as she hadn't seen her. I told her about the little AKB parade earlier. At that moment an amazing sight was before me...
"In fact turn around, she is right behind you!!!"
Before we could react we were joined in our little circle by Erepyon, Akicha, Myao, Kitarie, Amina and Wasamin who wanted to see our autographs as well as Yume and Umi's cosplay (They were wearing Team K seifuku) This was beyond incredible!!! They just joined our little group like they were our buddies. I immediately gestured to Iwasa Misaki and said "Hi Wasamin" But I was quickly scolded by Miho who pointed her finger at me and said "Myao!!!" She is such an adorable little diva, demanding I root for her. Hahahaha!
They said there goodbyes and walked back into the private area. We floated on air back to the Festival stage. The mini-live was starting pretty soon.
With the benefit of hindsight the Saturday mini-live was just a little nibble before the real thing on Sunday. One of the biggest problems was that they had to keep the music low so they didn't disturb the rest of the venue. It made it obvious that they were lip-synching to a recording. The second problem was that they were allowing photographs for the event, so everyone had their cameras in the air. That said, the girls did a great job with the 5 song set.
After the show I headed for dinner with a bunch of Stage48ers, including Hahaxwill, Gideon, Lord Kyrie, Sorceress and three fangirls from the Bronx who were also big Perfume and H!P fans. Everyone had a great time as we munched on our New York pizza and reminisced about the awesome day we had. I left with the three girls from the Bronx as we walked around Times Square until we eventually left for our respective trains.
So is that awesome or what? This is getting long so I will stop here. Sunday's concert at Webster Hall was awesome. Stay tuned for that post!!!
CK in California
So the next couple of months are shaping up to be filled with exciting J-music adventures for me. In some ways I am completely overwhelmed, but it should be a total blast anyway. Leading off with...
This will be the easiest one for me to handle, as I just have to drive across the bay bridge for it. Actually...jeez! That's the day after the planned completion of the Oakland/SF Bay Bridge construction. I hope they finish on time, or else I am going to be in big trouble. I am actually covering this for International Wota. I have never seen Glay. And to be honest they aren't the type of band I am usually into. But I do get their history, and for that reason alone I am excited. It should be a great show, and you can count on a report!
Hehehe, did you think I would be missing this one? Actually, I originally wasn't planning on making the trip. But people kept asking me "Are you going? Are you going?" It finally inspired me to at least check the flight schedule. And when I saw how inexpensive the flights were it was a "no-brainer". $260 round trip from San Francisco to New York? The hotel cost does take a bite. Then again, this is New York City we're talking about. I love that town, and I haven't been there in ages. The thought of a combination of AKB, Broadway, Carnegie Deli and the New York Yankees? Pinch me, that is too awesome. I only wish I was getting there a little sooner. Just like LA's Anime Expo, I am showing up a day late. Hopefully I won't miss much.
And finally..........
So yeah, I should be pretty tired come Thanksgiving. Tired...but happy!
CK in California
I am guessing Sigmund Freud might have something to say about this too...
Everyone has their favorite idols. I certainly do. And I adore the girls I choose to fanboy over. Whenever I see a J-pop concert live, be it Morning Musume, AKB48 or any of my other fave acts, there is always one particular girl that I seem to fixate on. And that's the way it should be. At least that is what the Japanese fans tell me. You need to pick an idol and support her 100%.
There is a little joke that has gone around the idol chatrooms regarding my idols of choice. Believe me, it has never been lost on me that my girls all seem to share a similar persona. I have even hinted about it on my many blogs. But the way I see it, all idols need love. And that can especially be said about my little "Dream Team". Apparently I have an "eye" for a certain kind of personality. It is probably the same quality I subliminally look for in my girlfriends. That is the little joke going around wotachat. It makes me wonder...
What would a group comprised of all of my favorite idols be like? With that spirit in mind here is my dream lineup, comprised of my #1 favorite member from each of my favorite idol groups, and probably a good look into my own psyche.
In fact, that is a great idea! Since my good friend Ray Mescallado, founder of Cult of Pop, American Wota and International Wota has tirelessly poked fun at me for my choice of idol, why not have him analyze me? Let's see what he really thinks about my idol fandom. This should be right up his alley. That is coming up at the end of the post. But first I present...
BTW, I am not joking. If you have read this blog for the past 2 years you'll know that those ARE really my favorite idols. Oh, and the Dream Team is looking for a good group name. Some suggested names include "JAV48", "ATM48", "The Reverse Cowgirls"...Any other suggestions?
The AKB48 Theater will soon be presenting a new show called SDN48, which is being touted as an adult-oriented idol show. Needless to say I am looking forward to the debut, as the dream team would fit that bill perfectly. When I look at my favorite idol collective I have to laugh, but I am proud that these are my favorite girls. And I will unconditionally support them despite whatever scandal might befall them in the future.
The "real point of this article is what does this say about me as an idol fan? As I said earlier I have asked Ray for his "expert" opinion.
Oh Ray...
For CK...
CK thinks I've been teasing him for his ability to single out - and champion - the most emotionally vulnerable member of an idol group. In actuality, I am in awe of this incredible gift he possesses.
Spider-Man has his spider-senses which tingle when trouble is imminent. In Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita, Humbert Humbert writes of how the true nymphophile is able to pick out the true nymphette in a group of girls, and not just the one adults find the prettiest. There is gaydar, which is when one is able to tell who is homosexual and who is not.
CK's gift falls along these lines, and should have a name of its own. I'm going to go with "preydar". (As opposed to praydar, which is in the urban dictionary as the ability to detect Bible thumpers.)
What does it say about CK that he possesses such gifts? Should we chase after him with pitchforks and rakes and declare him a foul creature of the night? Should we tie CK to a stake and beat him mercilessly in the groinal area until he moans for mercy, sweet sweet mercy, while we all stand and laugh and pass around the tire irons and lead pipes and vibrating plastic phallic toys?
Well, sure. For sport. But before we do that, we should also praise him for his unique generosity of spirit.
Look at it this way: when you boil her down to her core - metaphorically, that is, as opposed to disposing of a body with industrial-strength acid - a pop idol is nothing more than a young person wanting to be loved by as many strangers as possible. An idol wants to be worshiped, and on the flimsiest basis possible: the ability to look cute, the ability to sing half-decently, the ability to dance with a modicum of skill. In short, the pop idol wants to be loved for being charming, really, and little else.
But what if you're part of a pack of idols? And what if there are more charming girls in the pack, leaving you the runt of the litter? Or what if you're doing well enough as an idol but really really want more attention because you're a filthy attention whore who can't stop winking at the audience? Or what if you started at the top of the idol heap, only to plummet to the very dregs for placing certain objects in one's mouth and being caught by the tabloids for doing so?
Is it fair, then, to go ignored by the general wota crowd, who pine for the Nacchis and Acchans and Yuris of the idol world? Is it fair to be deemed "damaged goods" or lacking in idol skillz because you're at the bottom of the totem pole of idol hawtness and desirability?
Of course not! When placed in that position, a true idol - in spirit, if not in popularity - will over-extend herself in order to get noticed. She can allow herself to get slapped around (or at least pummeled by a dodgeball) and treated like a worthless bitch by the hosts of Utaban. She can die her hair a frightening blonde and cut it fugly short. She can offer to hug people who'll buy her solo recording - and in doing so, distill the whole idol-wota relationship to its purest, most creepy form yet. She can keep winking at the audience until people start wondering if she's a neurologically damaged cousin of Frankenhooker. She can get breast implants that make each boob the same size as her head. She can pose as a worthless whore in a poorly-lit poorly-shot poorly-posed photobook and hope nobody mistakes her as a real whore in the process.
What CK does is respect the effort of these poor, misbegotten creatures, these idols seeking attention and feeling they haven't gotten their fair share yet. CK is motivated, not just by a willingness to root for these girls, but to encourage these girls to continue doing what they do to try to earn extra attention. The triumph of the idol will in his selected dream team is stirring in that it crosses all hurdles of common sense and self-awareness in favor of blind adulation and the encouragement of predatory impulses.
One could even say that CK is willing to over-extend himself - or at least a part of his anatomy - for the sake of such idols, knowing full well that these idols would probably be more willing to accept this over-extensions than somebody with, you know, dignity and a conscience.
Oh, if only more of us were as strongly gifted with preydar as CK is. In such a world, the relationship between idol and wota would deepen - by inches upon inches - as the most desperate of idols will at least feel loved in the Sally Fields-ian sense of wonderment. They would show their appreciation with an intimacy and flagrancy that the current top idols would never dare attempt, and wota-dom would be richer for it.
CK in California
I know I have been slowing down a little bit on this site. To be honest I just haven't been overly excited about the latest H!P goings-on lately. I really liked the Guardians 4 single, and I am sure I will have plenty to talk about after heading down to Anime Expo in Los Angeles with the IW gang. But for now I have been doing a lot more work on my two AKB48 sites, My Sweet Meetan and Chuo Dori. So please click on over to those sites to check out what's up with the lovely girls from Akihabara. Oh, and my Meetan site is getting tons of hits every day! So if you are already visiting it, arigatou gozaimasu!
Now with that out of the way...
Buy Site price check time, Yayyyyyy! It was time for me to make another J-music purchase. And like last time I set up the same three CDs on the three buy sites I usually use to see who was giving me the best deal. I have always been partial to HMV since they usually have the best overall price, and I like that my merchandise is coming directly from Tokyo. And you can't really say this is a "GETS" post, since I don't have any of the CDs yet...
I usually never buy the AKB48 singles. The truth is that I usually wait until I get to Japan, and then ask all of my AKB48 fan buddies if they have any extra copies of the "theater version" since everyone usually has 5-10 copies from all of the handshake events. Hell, I'll probably do that this time around too. But this is the version that comes with the Senbatsu election ballot. And I am going to do my damndest to get my vote for Meetan in before the deadline. As far as the CD itself? I love the song, and Ono Erena's solo b-side "First Love" is really pretty!
I really love SCANDAL, although I didn't buy their last single because I just didn't care for it. But this song is a lot more fun, and the PV is cute. I have no idea what the different versions have other than the covers being different. I chose this version for the full-body poses as opposed to the upper-body pose on the other LE version.
I actually bought this before I ever heard the song. Believe it or not, I still adore Kago. I realize she has done much to alienate her fans. But personally I would rather feel badly for her than condemn her. She has been in the idol world for so long, and I think sometimes we forget that she is still very young. I have the feeling she didn't have the easiest upbringing, and is still a bit "lost" in life. And I can never forget that Kago was the one who brought me to Hello! Project. If it wasn't for that fateful day that I stumbled upon that video of her, I may never have become the fan that I am today. I would never have gone to Japan...Etcetera etcetera. I owe a lot to Kago, and I still support her 100%. And I did catch her PV today and really enjoyed the song. So I am doubly glad I bought it.
Oh yeah, this is supposed to be about price comparing, right? Let's see...
HMV: 4,842 Yen, including EMS express shipping. Not bad considering the shipping cost. I also had a 200 Yen coupon to drop the price to 4,642 Yen.
YesAsia: 4,549 Yen, including their free shipping. The slower shipping takes about a week longer, sometimes more. YesAsia also offers express shipping for an idditional 1,600 Yen.
CD Japan: 6,045 Yen, including EMS express shipping. CD Japan does offer a slower shipping option which would have dropped around 1,000 Yen off of the price. Throw in a 500 Yen coupon and it is about the same as Yes Asia.
So once again I think HMV is the best deal when you consider that you are getting the merchandise much faster. CD Japan does seem a lot more expensive at first. But it is just that they charge so much for shipping. If it weren't for that, they would be a lot more competitive. And just to be fair, I did the test again with Morning Musume's upcoming concert DVD for their Spring "Platinum 9 Disco" Tour. That is obviously on my "must buy" list since I was in the audience. Keep in mind that I used the same shipping methods. Express for HMV and CD Japan, and "Free Regular" for Yes Asia...
HMV: 4,202 Yen
Yes Asia: 4,275 Yen
CD Japan: 5,300 Yen.
Once again HMV comes out the best. This J-pop collecting can be an expensive hobby, so it is always good to see where you can get the best bang for your buck. And for my next purchase you can be sure I will do the same exercise again. A good shopper is a smart shopper...
At least that's what my Mom used to tell me!
CK in California
As you walk down the main drag of Akihabara, there are endless sights/sounds/activities to get your attention. Most of them revolve around Otaku entertainment. Namely electronic gadgets, idol music and of course, Anime.
I have never really gotten into Anime personally. It's not that I dislike it, it just wasn't really around when I was growing up. I grew up on cartoons like Bugs Bunny, The Jetsons, The Flintstones. I think the closest I came to Anime were Speed Racer cartoons. Oh jeez, did I just give my age away? But back to Akihabara...
While walking down the street and taking in the culture, I often found myself taken by the sounds of music coming out of various stores. And most of the time as I peered inside, it turned out to be the soundtrack of an Anime show. Wow! This happened to me time and time again...
So maybe I am not so much into the cartoons, but I love the music they produce for it! Delving into this a little further. I thought about the groups that I like, and their association with Anime. Lets begin with Buono!
To me they are the best group presently in Hello! Project if for no other reason than the songs are great! Buono! is one group that has completely transcended the Anime they were originally associated with. They have put out two awesome albums in about a years' time. But the fact remains, their roots are their roots.
Keeping with H!P, last year saw Milky Way, Athena & Robbikerrotsu and Shugo Chara Egg! supporting anime programming. I really liked all three groups. The common theme in their music is quick paced and upbeat tunes. I love the integration of the cartoon characters into the PV. It almost makes me want to watch the shows...almost. Unfortunately I have tried watching them on numerous occasion. And it just isn't my thing.
This brings me to a couple of new songs set for release in the next few weeks. The first I mentioned in my last post, "First Love" by Ono Erena from AKB48.
Now my first question is why in the hell is Louis Vuitton doing Anime cartoons? It just seems kinda random to me. Can the Giorgio Armani Anime be far behind? That said, this song is just great. It doesn't really follow the pattern of the previous songs mentioned as it is more of a ballad. But it is a beautiful ballad. And it reminds me of another great anime-associated song done by AKB48, "Aisareru to iu Koto". I got to see Erepyon perform the new song twice last week. The second performance was recorded for AKB48's television show, AKBingo! My head would be just below the center camera!!!
The other song set for release is from Hello! Project sub-unit Guardians 4, "Omakase! Guardian". You can say what you want about the PV. Yes it does seem like a low-rent version of W's "Southpaw" video. But the song follows the same theme so many of the other songs I love in this genre. It is fun, upbeat and the churus is totally catchy!
So I guess I am going "the long route" in simply saying that I like Anime songs! And since the new single by Guardians 4 hasn't been getting the best feedback, I thought I would defend it a little. It's a cool song, I like it...
So sue me!
CK in California
As my plane taxied down the runway, the sounds of Pachelbel's Canon filled my headphones. I was overcome with emotion. I often feel this way the moment I leave Narita. A feeling of sentimentality. Suddenly my head filled with visions of wonderful memories...
I had committed myself to "taking it easy" for my last two days in Japan. Heck, I had been running around like a madman for the past week and a half. And that final weekend left me drained and exhausted. So physical rest was what I needed. But mental rest? Well, that was going to need to wait a couple more days...
You see, one little "event" I had planned before this trip had finally come to fruition, just when I thought there was no hope. I had arranged to meet Ohori Megumi. It was to take place Monday evening after AKB48 Team K's performance. This would be the "icing on the cake" of an already wonderful trip. Meeting Meetan, Jeez! Yes I was excited, but I was nervous as hell. What the heck was I going to say to her? I was absolutely sure I would make an unbelievable fool of myself.
I spent the day preparing phrases I could say in Japanese. I had written a letter and had that translated. I thought I had the perfect gift for her. All I needed to do was get through it. I spent the day psyching myself up for this monumental moment. At 4:40pm it was time to go. I was to meet my friend in Akihabara and have a couple of drinks before showtime to calm me down. I arrived at the AKB48 Theater filled with anticipation...
"Ohhhhhh, Christopher-san. No Meetan!" The theater manager and my friend greeted me with this news. No Meetan? I had that feeling while watching her perform on Saturday. I knew she was hurt. I knew she wasn't feeling her best. It was obvious she was in pain. And when I found out the news that Ohori had cancelled her performance that night, I knew it was because of her legs. Normally she is such a "trooper". But she had been diagnosed with a thigh muscle sprain. And at this point she is going to be out at least a week or two.
They offered to let me take a photo with any other Team K member. But I had written the letter to Meetan. I wanted to give that gift to Meetan. As much as I like so many members of Team K, no other member would do that day. So I ended up selling my "photo-op" to someone else. And wrapped up the letter and gift for Ohori to receive later.
At least the pressure was off. I loved getting the chance to see Team K one last time. K5 is such a great show. The skit they did in the beginning of this show was awesome. Asuka kissing Sae!!! I finally saw Akimoto Sayaka perform Mushi no BALLAD, and I think Saka Agari is one of my favorite songs to see in person. And the biggest bonus was the chance to see Ono Erena perform First Love again. It is such a beautiful song, and will be one of the c/w tracks on AKB48's next single.
I will miss the AKB48 Theater. I can't wait to return.
The final day...an accounting of sorts
I must say if I re-planned this trip I don't think I would have made it this hectic. But I don't know what I would have taken out of the itinerary. I saw a total of 10 concert performances. On three different days I saw two performances on the same day. I was at at least one show on 7 of the 11 days I was in Tokyo. I saw...
-AKB48 - 6 times, Team K four times and Teams A and B once each.
-Morning Musume - 2 times, the second time with Manoeri and the DVD recording
-C-ute w/ Manoeri - 1 time, and that makes two times Manoeri
-Ketchup Mania - 1 time, their final Tokyo appearance.
I had two days of shopping and sightseeing (in the rain I might add). I only spent two days, the first and the last relaxing and visiting friends. That didn't leave much time for sleep! As far as the cost of the trip was concerned, it came in at just about the same price as my last trip. I saved money on transportation, and my hotel was about the same. But the extra concerts brought the cost back up. As much as I love the Shinagawa Prince, for my next trip I may look for a slightly lesser priced accommodation.
I spent the final day in the company of the beautiful young lady I met the very first time a came to Japan a year and a half ago. We didn't really "party" like we did on previous trips. It was merely a quiet lunch and nice conversation. The lunch date ended with the two of us waving to each other as I descended down the escalator into Ginza Station. I found myself feeling really emotional in that moment. She is very sweet...
Visions danced in my head as my plane made it's preparations for takeoff. So many wonderful visions set to the beautiful music of Johanne Pachelbel. Watching Murr enjoy her very first Morning Musume concert. Being mesmerized by Tanaka Reina from my 8th row seat. Meeting my new friend Hiro at the AKB48 Theater and celebrating the greatness of AKB48 over many many mugs of Asahi. Enjoying a show in the rafters of Tokyo Koseinenkin Keikan with my Momusu buddy Celestia. The emotional final concert by Ketchup Mania. Ohori Megumi waving and winking at me during her performance. And Naomi waving goodbye to me at Ginza Station...
It was an unforgettable trip. See you soon Japan!
CK in Tokyo California
I think it is fair to say this trip has kicked my a$$!!! Twelve days are a long time to be living out of a hotel room, and attending one event after another. The last two days have been especially active as I won tickets to not one....not two...but THREE AKB48 shows! Gee, I thought the tickets were hard to win these days? Well, maybe not as my win percentage of shows won vs. shows applied for was just under 50%. And I still have one more to go, which will mean I saw AKB48 six times this trip. Here is a breakdown for those of you who are interested in AKB48's ticket lottery process...
1) There are a bunch of different lotteries you can enter for each show. As a foreign visitor who happens to be a member of the fan club I can enter three. Enpou (for long distance attendees), Fan Club (no explanation necessary) and in my case, Ippan (the regular lottery). I applied for thirteen shows. And of the six I won, three were via Enpou, and three were via Ippan. I won't go into the cancel machi factor. But I got skunked as a fan club member. Makes me wonder why I paid to join?
2) Of the six shows I won, four were for Team K...FOUR! Good thing they are my favorite team, eh? I also won one each for Teams A and B. Which means I hit the trifeccta...again! All three teams seen!
3) This also means I have hit double figures in AKB shows attended all-time with ten. I know I am still a long ways away from MVP status (100 shows). But I think ten shows is pretty good for someone who doesn't live on the continent!
BTW, the Team B show I saw today was special because it was Haachan's birthday! Look at the pretty flowers! And the Team K show I am attending tomorrow is also special for reasons that will have to wait for a future post! Suffice it to say AKB48 is one of the biggest reasons I love coming to Japan. Even with all of the changes going on around the theater, the entire experience is a total blast!
And if you are asking which team I liked the best on this trip? I fully expected to enjoy B4 the most. But surprisingly I fell in love with Team K's new stage after seeing it in person. Sadly I didn't enjoy Team B as much as I would have liked, but that was mainly because I probably had the worst vantage point ever in my theater going experience. I could hardly see 3/4 of the stage!
Yes, that makes four concerts attended in a 32 hour period. Now do you wonder why I am exhausted? This was the Morning Musume show that was being recorded for the DVD release. That is always fun. I like the idea that I am in the audience of the DVD show, although in this particular show Celestia and I were pretty high up in the balcony. So I doubt you will be seeing me on the DVD, unless at some point they turn the cameras skyward! And it is as hot as hell when you sit up that high. The show has been over for almost three hours and I am still pouring liquids into my body! I should learn from all of the local wota who bring a change of clothes, a towel and plenty to drink! Oh, and Celestia is getting really good at her wotagei. She knows just about all of the dance moves. I was really impressed.
But despite my fatigue it was a really good show! I think this is one of the better tours Morning Musume has done lately. I mean LinLin...wow! I actually felt myself getting teary during her solo again. And everyone does a tremendous job with their solos. I particularly loved Eri's solo, especially when she draws the word "Be" in the air. It was neat to see them talking about the end of the tour, and all of the fond memories it held. It was very sentimental...but it wasn't the only sentimental moment in the show.
I have always thought most of the wota craziness happens closest to the stage. But that is nothing campared to what is going on up in the rafters. The wota at the top of the venue are just as crazy, if not crazier! In fact this is the most rabid I have ever seen the crowd. Tokyo Koseinenkin Keikan in Shinjuku is a decent sized venue, and there multiple times where the fans were cheering and singing so loudly that it drowned out the group! And the ovation after the show, WOAH! I don't know if this is a regular thing. In fact I have never seen it before. But the girls came out a second time after the encore. Not to sing, but to say thank you again to the fans! And of course to invite everyone to come back and "play" with them again. Oh, you better believe I will!
I mentioned on my Chuo Dori blog how there was a big festival happening in Akihabara this past weekend. Kanda Matsuri is an one of the Shinto festivals held every two years. It is a big parade filled with musicians, dancers and floats. And the shrines they carried were beautiful!
I am so glad I had the opportunity to witness such a neat traditional event! By the way we are coming towards the end of my trip. Today (Monday) I am taking a little rest, then it is off to Akihabara for one last AKB48 show. Tomorrow I am meeting a friend who I haven't seen this entire trip. Then it's off to Narita and my flight back to California. I will summarize the vacation and any last minute coolness when I get home!
CK in Tokyo
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