13 posts tagged “ohori megumi”
I have made it back to California, but not before my traditional last-minute dash into Shibuya to find the newest releases to take home with me. I had three items on my shopping list. Fortunately I found two of the three, the only elusive product being Kojima Haruna's new photobook. "Sold Outo" was the response I usually got. I guess that is good news for Kojiharu, but bad news for CK...
Yes, I added the new CD/DVDs from Berryz Kobo and Watarirouka Hashirtai. Each one had multiple versions to choose from. Since I am not a big believer in buying multiple versions of the same CD, I chose version A for Watarirouka because it had the girls on the cover as opposed to the associated anime. For Berryz I chose the Watashi no Mirai no Danna-sama cover since I prefer that song to Ryuusei Boy. I always like to see what the big push items are at the stores on Tuesday. In front of Tsutaya was a booth with a girl carnival-barking for the new Mr. Children.
In front of Tower Records was a display for the new Otsuka Ai. When I walked into the store a familiar song was playing. But I am embarrassed to say I didn't know who it was. I was wracking my brain and finally asked the clerk who pointed me to Ai's CD. That's it, it is Sakuranbo!!!
I was torn whether or not to invest another 4000 yen on her new CD, which was a "best of" Instead I decided to pick up the old cd/dvd single. I headed back to Shinagawa for one last meal in Japan and my shuttle to Narita Airport. I always get choked up when I leave Japan. I'm not exactly sure why at this point as I visit often enough. I'm sure I will be back in the next six months or so. I think it's just that I am so happy while I'm there. It's like "This is where I belong!" Going back to California is such a letdown.
At risk of sounding like a broken record, this is the best trip I have ever been on in my life. I know I have said that on every trip I have gone on. But if you read my day to day activities you would have to agree this one was pretty special. Per usual I squeezed a ton of fun into 11 days. Again I found new areas to visit and new activities to do...
I saw 9 concerts/events, which is one less than my last trip...
SDN48 was the greatest find I had while in Japan. I saw them three times, and watched a fourth show on the AKB48 Cafe Monitors.
AKB48 Team Kenkyuusei: I managed to win two AKB48 shows, although they were for the "research students" I was slightly disappointed I got shut out on Teams A and K (Team B never performed) But Team RS has lots of cool girls in it, and they performed B4, Idol no Yoake which is the current stage I have seen the least. I did watch one Team A show in the cafe.
AKB Infinity: I am so thankful that I got to see both versions of this super play. My seats were great, and it gave me a chance to explore the amazing Tokyo Dome complex, complete with it's stadiums, shops and amusement parks. My only regret is at the end of the day I should have gone to meet Tanabe Miku instead of Sayaka. Oh well, next time!
Berryz Kobo: This show was so much better to me than the Berikore show I saw last year. My seats had something to do with it. But give the girls credit, they were on fire that night and it was a super setlist. And Maasa, oh baby!
Morning Musume: All I can say is Reina's Birthday show...awesome! I have to be honest, I have been getting a little bored with MoMusu as of late. I'm not sure how that will manifest itself in the future. But I am glad I got to see my favorite wonky-girl celebrate her birthday, and it was one last chance to see Koharu perform. Plus I always have a great time when I am with Celestia!
In addition to concerts I got to visit some great places and eat some amazing food. My visit to Tokyo Tower was amazing. The view from up there is incredible, especially while listening to to soothing DJ stylings of AKB48's Umeda Ayaka. I loved having manja dinner with my new friends in Ueno. Odaiba was tons of fun, hopefully they will have more Yazawa collectibles at the Idoling!!! store when I return...
DVDs
AKB48 Budokan Box Set
AKB48 Team K 4th Stage
AKB48 Team K 3rd Stage
Ohori Megumi Pre-AKB Gravure DVD
Erika Yazawa "Yazapai School" DVD
CDs
AKB48 Team A 5th Stage
AKB48 Team K 5th Stage
AKB48 Team B 4th Stage
AKB48 Team A 2nd Stage
AKB48 Team A 3rd Stage
AKB48 "River" Reg. Version
AKB48 "River" Theater Version (x2)
AKB48 "Iiwake Maybe" Theater Version
AKB48 "Namida Surprise" Theater Version
AKB48 "Sakura no Hanabiratachi" Original Version
Watarirouka Hashirtai "Ganpeki Guu no ne" Ltd Version A
Berryz Kobo "Ryuusei Boy" Ltd. Danna Sama-Version
Morning Musume "Kimagure Princess" Ltd. Closeup Vers.
Otsuka Ai "Sakuranbo" Ltd. Version
Idoling!!! "Kokuhaku" Ltd. Version
PBs
SKE48 Complete Book
Erika Yazawa "7ban Second Yazawa" (autographed)
Idol T-shirts
AKB48 NHK 2008 AKB-SKE
Idoling Yazawa #7
Berryz Kobo Fall 09 Tour "Maasa" (w/ Bandana)
Tanaka Reina 20th Birthday T-shirt (w/ wristband)
Misc.
AKB Infinity Playbill (x2)
AKB48 2010 Calendar (x2)
Ohori Megumi Biographical Book (Autographed w/ 2 personal pics)
Nissin Soup Mugs w/ AKB Autographs (x3, Tomochin, Tomo-mi, and Myao)
Ohori Megumi Ameba Pigg Uchiwa (2 versions)
Hatakeyama Chisaki Futsal Uchiwa (autographed)
Assorted Magazines and Newspapers Featuring AKB48
Then you have the pics. This is dangerous territory for me. I have never been much of a pic collector. But I have found people have given me so many that I have started to develop a collection anyway. Most of these were given to me as gifts, and many of them come with the DVDs and Calendars. But I also found myself purchasing a few on my own...Oh no!!!
Pics
Iwasa Misaki x2
Tanabe Miku x2
Komori Mika x1
Ishida Haruka x1
Ohori Megumi x12 (1 autographed)
Infinity Cast A (2 pics)
Infinity Cast B (2 pics)
Akimoto Sayaka "Infinity"
Iwasa Misaki "Infinity"
Tanaka Reina (3 sets of 2)
Sudo Maasa (2 sets of 2)
Takahashi Ai (1 set of 2)
AKB October Team A (1 set of 5)
AKB October Team K (2 sets of 5)
AKB48 Budokan Set (5 pics)
AKB48 Calendar Set (6 pics)
Errr, that makes 62 pics in total. No, I'm not a collector of pics. Really I'm not. You believe me, don't you?
Most of the AKB48 fans have always said to me that the handshake events are the best thing about AKB. And now I think I see why. What made this trip so extra-special was that I got closer to some of my favorite idols than ever before. Most of you know my favorite idol in the world is AKB48's Ohori Megumi. And to be able to "high-five" her three times. And each time it was a warmer experience because she then knew who I was. Seeing some of the AKB girls reaction to my being a fan, like Urano Kazumi, Iwasa Misaki and Nakaya Sayaka was awesome! And the fact that Hatakeyama Chisaki was wondering why I wasn't at her promotional futsal event just made me even sorrier I couldn't attend. I had never seen Chisaki before, and in just a few days she rocketed to the top of my idol pecking order. That's how incredible she is!
At the end of the day I am just a happier person when I am in Japan. I keep hearing the echoes of my friends "You are here often enough, why don't you just move here", "You should have an easy time finding work here". Obviously it would be different if I lived there. Life can't just be about seeing concerts and buying stuff. But the fact is that I have been home for slightly more than 24 hours, and I am already counting the days until my return....Sigh
Pardon me while I go check the flight prices
CK in California
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, 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...
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
It is already Christmas in Akihabara! Actually I don't have much to report for day 5, although I did see AKB48 Team Kenkyuusei on Wednesday night. But I will report on that in another post. Hey, I didn't promise this stuff would all be in chronological order! So I am going to work backwards a bit. Beginning with today, which isn't over.
I didn't have anything planned that was J-pop related today. So I deferred to my AKB brethren for advice on what to do with the day. It didn't necessarily need to be associated with AKB, or Idols at all for that matter. I was merely looking for something fun to do. And they had recommended Odaiba.
Odaiba? Oh yeah, that's supposed to be a fun place. I had never been there before. And how could i forget it? After all, it is the mystical land of...
Wow, that is such a cool structure! But first I wanted to go check out that miniature Statue of Liberty they have. This is also where that giant Gundam used to be. But it is gone now. The general area around the Fuji television building is filled with shopping malls, restaurants and amusement attractions. I had lunch in this cute little tex-mex restaurant that was supposed to be like a silver mine. 500 yen for the Japanese version of Jambalaya and all the soda you can drink.
After lunch I did a little exploring and found the store that sells Idoling!!! goods. The only problem was that the selection for my favorite member, Erika Yazawa was kinda "picked over". So I ended up with a T-shirt. They had another T-shirt design that was much cooler, but there were none in my size for Erika. I checked Asahi Nao too, but no luck. Oh well. It was still a cool little excursion.
It is still mid-afternoon at the time of this writing, so I may end up doing something tonight. The tentative plan is to head to Tokyo Tower, as the Tokyo Tower girl makes regular Friday night appearances. And of course the Tokyo Tower girl is none other than AKB48's Umeda Ayaka!
Warning #1) Long post is long! Warning #2) Hide your eyes kiddies, this is an SDN review! I will do my best to keep it as clean as possible.
Okay, I think it's time I do an experience post since I have seen five shows over the past week. And for this entry I'll focus on my new favorite Team...SDN!!!!! But first a couple of observations...
The theater is a lot more crowded lately, and the demographic is indeed getting younger. At first this didn't bother me although I have been hearing a few curmudgeonly comments from some of the older fans. On the surface having a younger fanbase will ensure long-term success. But one big problem is that most of them can't afford the higher ticket items AKB is selling. So on Sunday when they released the monthly (former gaccha) photos and the Budokan box, the line for the pics was 3-4 blocks long, but you could walk right in and buy a dvd set with no wait whatsoever! the second thing is they have turned the cafe/lobby into a pic-trading heaven. It was like that before, but never on the level I am seeing now. It's like the new fans have replaced Pokemon with AKB. It was funny, when i bought my calendar they all swooped down on me to see what "extra" BLT I got, and they all scoffed when I pulled out Amina! Oh, and with the heavier pic-trading comes a lot more female fans. But back on topic...
At this point I have seen five shows, yet none of them have been for Teams A, K or B. in fact, B isn't performing for my entire trip. And you know what? I'm not disappointed. Because I have a new favorite team, which would make sense since Meetan is my Oshimen. So three wins for SDN is a total victory, as far as I'm concerned.
I won all three shows via renban with my buddy Hiro. we sat in Enpou for two of those shows, and the one show we were in the lottery our group got called 2nd to last...Ugghhh. I never have good lottery karma! In fifteen theater shows i have never been closer than 4th row far left.
BTW, if you want to follow along you can find previews of all of the songs here on their official site
Gotta love the sexy overture, fits the team well. The pre-show welcome was done last night by Chen Qu. I love listening to her talk, as she has the same intonations and "spacey' personality as JunJun for Morning Musume. Saturday Night Party: Team White appears looking exactly like Wonder Girls' "Nobody" MV, complete with the antique mic stands. They are all gorgeous, especially Misa Okochi and Chen. But after a while I am captivated by Chisaki Hatakeyama. There is just something about this girl that makes her really special. Since last night was Chaki's birthday show, the audience went nuts when she started singing.
Never begins with Team Red, but White joins in on the first chorus. Chaki just flies across the stage! At that point my adulation for her rose to the next level! The moment I saw Megu I was pissed at whoever the photographer was who took the official site pics. A lot of these girls are much much cuter than those pics indicate. They do a little "rap" as part of the verse which is really cute. And watching Nonti do her solo line just confirmed that SDN is where she belongs!
Black Boy is just plain awesome. Now all three colors are onstage, and that means Meetan!!!! This is the song I voted for in the Setlist 2010 elections. Although now i would consider it my 3rd fave. But it just filled with energy and attitude. Those of you who have seen the Budokan version got a hint of it. You have to see it in the theater...intense! BTW, I spent most of my energy cheering for Meetan, Chaki, Chen-chuu and Sayanee.
Last night's opening MC was the first chapter in the Chisaki cry-fest. And as I was noticing Meetan she had a strange look on her face. I wasn't sure what it was about and wondered if she might not be feeling well. Then again, she is always an emotional rollercoaster (hehe). But I would find out what was up a little later (I think). The cheers for Chisaki were intense, and she was unsuccessfully fighting back the tears,
Yuuwaku no Garter: Damn these costumes are sexy. They are the ones represented in their logo. But what you don't see is how skimpy the undershorts are. there is a point in the song where they bend over and sort of lift up their skirts, and Yukarin...wow!!! I think you know what I am getting at. Last night Chisaki subbed for Yukarin, and I has in heaven yet again! But the song is typical "sexy J-pop" The song ends with the line "I wanna be your pleasure toy!" That is so sexy. Speaking of sexy...
I'm Sure is where this Stage gets even more R-rated. Is just great, a totally seductive verse into an intense rocking chorus. And the girls dance is like a dirtier version of Oshi/Meshi, if you can imagine that. And then ZOMG!!! On the last verse Kana lies down on the stage and Misa mounts her as they sing the end of the song. It is incredible!
All In wasn't one of my favorite songs, but it was fun rooting for Chen and Sayanee. The audience goes crazy for Nonti. One other thing, Reiko is a great singer! And once again, she looks much hawter than her site pic suggests.
Finally Meetan's unit! Jajauma Lady: Although the first show I saw had Nachu leading the unit. The dance on the chorus, the way they sort of "paw" at the audience is sooo cute! Are they suppose to be horses or something? Meetan gets a lot of solo time here, so I got to do plenty of screaming! The end of the song features Meetan chasing Chisaki around the stage with the whip. (hehe) And during last night's show the birthday committee passed out glowsticks for Chaki's birthday to be used for this song.
Nachu/Meetan MC is awesome!!!! BTW, I love Nachu, she is so great! She is all about comedy! She has a different dialect, and she also speaks with a lisp. I love that! Last night i think she was saying something about her pants running up her butt. But the funniest was on Sunday when she was asking Meetan how her legs felt, and when Meetan would give this sexy answer Nachu would smack her in the quad! Don't hurt Meetan! I also think it is hysterical that the audience likes to call her "Natsuko", and she always reacts to it. They end with an "audience participation" chant for...
Ganbarina is full of energy. And it is one of those "hand gesture" songs the audience has a lot of fun with. Some of the girls do acrobatics during the musical portion, and the crowd "whoops and wows"
Futsuu no Anata is also one of my favorite songs. Hiro mentioned to me that the lyrics are particularly suggestive. That's hawt! If you listen to the preview on the official site you will get an idea of how sexy this song is. At one point toward the end of the song where the music slows down half the team closes their eyes and leans forward like they are waiting for a kiss. It is soooooo adorable. I wanted to just run up there and oblige them, especially since Meetan and Chaki were among that group.
Best by: Sexy costumes, I never noticed before what a tiny waist Meetan has. By the time this song came around the first time I watched this stage, I was sold. This is the best Stage I have ever seen!
They do a VTR while the girls get ready for the last song of the main set. One member gets 3 minutes to entertain you. It was usually something sexy or funny. Like the first show i saw had Nachu in the hallway with a rubber hammer, banging on the girls' pics and saying funny things about them...NATSUKO!!!!
Aisareru Tame ni, the "glowstick" song! Kinda like AKB Sanjou, the girls all have green glowsticks (as well as the audience) and they spell out love during the chorus with us following along. this is the one SDN ballad, and it is pretty. Even if it reminds me of Procol Harum's Whiter Shade of Pale
Last night's encore chant was simply "Chaki, Chaki, Chaki, Chaki" it was intense, and it never let up!
Kodoka na Runner is as fast paced as the title suggests. It has a long musical interlude in the middle where the "fire, cyber, diver" chant goes, followed by the Japanese version, followed by a third version of the chant which I had never heard before. But it was great!
Touhikou is most memorable to me for Chen singing her solo lines in Chinese. Actually they are more like spoken word. The short kimono's they wear are the same one's they wear during the post show "high touch" It's a pretty song.
In the final MC last night Chaki got a tremendous ovation, which caused her to cry harder and harder the longer it went. She is beyond adorable, and I am now declaring her my 2nd favorite member besides Meetan. In fact I was compelled to write her a fan letter for her birthday. But then i started to feel like I was betraying Ohori a little bit so I wrote her one too, and delivered them both last night. Speaking of Ohori, she was the next MC after Chaki. When she stepped forward she had a strange look on her face which caused everyone to laugh. But then she started crying too! I think at first everyone thought she was playacting, including the other girls. But then she kept apologizing and something about being affected by Chisaki's reaction to the ovation. So it was totally real. Meetan is so great!!! In fact i noticed in all three shows the girls make constant references to her in MC's. She is definitely one that the other members look up to. It speaks volumes to what a great idol she actually is. And what was this about Meetan treating Serina like a servant??? After the MC the girls rip off the Kimonos into a really sexy costume for...
Vampire Keikaku: here it is. this is my favorite SDN song for so many reasons. The girls all get a moment up front, so you get one last chance to scream for your favorite. But it is the dance routine that makes it so special. On each chorus half the Team lies down on the stage as it rises in the air and they do hip thrusts. Wow, blatant sexual suggestion!!! Another awesome R-rated moment. And toward the end they all pair off for a "bite" (Vampire song, remember?) Meetan was so cute when she bit Kohara. But when she paired off with Yukarin on Sunday she actually kissed her...AWESOME!!! A heartwarming song to end the show.
It was a birthday show. And what would a birthday be without cake? As Nachu rolled out the cake the Chisaki faucet re-commenced. And after a chorus of "Happy Birthday" the streamers and confetti flew out. It was too much for Chaki, she just lost it. So cute!!!
The first show i saw was on Halloween, so instead of "High-Touch" they had "Trick-or-Treat", which meant you could go up to the girl of your choice and get Halloween candy. I hadn't totally fallen for Chisaki yet, so I chose Sayanee since I saw her in New York, and she speaks English. She tried to talk to me about NYAF, but then the security guys pushed me away. Hehe
For those who don't know, at the end of each show the girls line up in the hallway. As you leave they all give you a "high-five" and Arigatou. I believe they do this for every show. On Sunday for "high touch" Hiro and I planned to get me stuck in front of Meetan. As I went down the line of girls giving high-fives the first girl to "sugoi" at my gaijin-ness was CinDy who grabbed my hand with both of hers. Chisaki did the same. But then our plan began to unravel when I got to Nachu, who was committed to having me learn her hand gesture. It caused me to back up the line. When the staff pushed me it made me fly right past Nonti and Yukarin. but I stopped myself at Meetan long enough to make eye contact. And Hiro had told her i was her California fan with the AKB car plates. So she grabbed my hand and gave me a big "Arigatou". Last night went a lot smoother, and Nachu got a kick out of the fact that I knew her hand gesture this time. After ogling Meetan I made sure to give Chaki a big "Otanjoubi Omedettou!" I'll never wash my hand again!
Yes, now I have another autographed Meetan B.L.T. I can't say enough about how much I love this stage! The songs are great, and the dancing is on an entirely different level of anything I have ever seen an idol group do. The entire concept is ingenious! And the "high touch" at the end is just flat out great. Getting to meet all of the members at the end of the show? How amazing! And since i stand out a bit it makes it even more special.
I had to check myself last night to make sure I wasn't falling for Chisaki at the expense of Meetan. But when they were both on stage together my focus remained with Ohori. There really isn't a bad song in the setlist, but my top 5 are...
1. Vampire Keikaku
2. Futsuu no Anata
3. Black Boy
4. I'm Sure
5. Jajauma Lady (had to include Meetan/Chisaki unit!)
So there ya go. Chen's birthday show is on Saturday night. The Chen birthday committee let me write a message on their birthday card! I am not going as I am seeing Infinity that night. but I plan to go to the theater after to watch the show on the monitors. And that means one more "high touch". Yayyy!
Okay, I still have tons going on this weekend, including AKB Infinity on Saturday and Morning Musume on Sunday. So this trip is far from over. Until then...
CK in Tokyo
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
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 am preparing the post for days 8-9, but it has been a little slow going. But I have also been posting a few updates on my other two blogs...
Chuo Dori - From Akihabara Station to the AKB48 Theater...A Walking Tour
The title says it all, walking from the station to the theater in pictures. And there was an unexpected special event going on outside to enjoy as well. Now hopefully no one will get lost finding the place!
Chuo Dori - Chuo Dori in Japan...Hangin' Out at the DQ
A brief review of Team A's performance and my initial thoughts about the crowds in Akihabara during "Golden Week"
I notice something was a little "off" with the lovely Meetan during Saturday's Team K shows.
So please enjoy those in the meantime. I will have an update on my exhausting weekend shortly!
CK in Tokyo
It has been raining pretty hard here the last couple of days. So traveling around the city for various shopping and concert experiences has been a drenching experience! Wednesday was going to be a big day for me. Two concerts, C-ute's matinee performance in Nakano followed by Ketchup Mania's Tokyo farewell in Shimokitazawa, which I already wrote about in the previous post. To be honest I was dreading the day as much as anticipating it because I knew I would be completely exhausted at the end!
I have been attempting to squeeze in shopping around all of the events I have planned. But I haven't done too much aside from the concert goods. Just across the street from Nakano Sunplaza is an awesome little mall called Nakano Broadway. In it there are tons of stores and restaurants selling everything imaginable. It is also home to one of the best J-pop shops I know of...Trio2
Trio2 is filled with J-pop memorabilia. And they primarily focus on Hello! project and AKB48. There are literally thousands of pictures to choose from. Some as little as 100 yen, and some worth hundreds of dollars! They also have scores of used DVD's, posters, photobooks and just about anything else you can think of. It is an awesome store! I need to head back there when there isn't a J-pop concert happening right across the street as the shop was literally packed! I couldn't get near half of the merchandise, but I did get a good look at the premium photo case. This is where they keep pics that are rare or have been personally autographed. And what did I find staring at me in the case, just begging me to buy it???
I have always said I prefer Morning Musume and Berryz Kobo over C-ute. I think for me personally it is because I like the members of Berryz and MoMusu a lot more. The exception being Maimi. She is absolutely gorgeous. However, I wanted to see what they were like in their own solo tour. The only other time I have seen them was for H!P Winter 2008. And they did an amazing job!!! I will say without hesitation that I enjoyed this concert more than Berryz' Berikore Tour last fall!
After purchasing a few concert goods I went into the theater early, if for no other reason than to get out of the downpour that was occurring outside! This was the first time I have really taken the time to survey the crowd to see how many supporters each girl had. To no surprise the theater was a sea of green (Airi) and Pink (Maimi). There was quite a bit of orange (Saki) too. But surprisingly I hardly saw any MaiMai or Erika supporters. In fact at one point I didn't see any yellow (Erika) at all! The show started early because there was an opening act. Manoeri time!!! I love the way she just pops up at these shows. She did her new single with The H!P Eggs as backup dancers. I am not a big fan of her music, but I do enjoy watching her perform. This time she was dancing instead of hiding behind her piano. I think that's a better idea!
C-ute opened with Akogare My Star, which isn't one of my favorites. But it was exciting to see them live again from my 20th row seat. The stage setup had this "hot air balloon" and "baby alphabet blocks" setup which was really cute. Some of my favorite moments...
-This was another amazing VTR, done to Saikokyuu no Enjoy Girls It was a live action video with the girls dancing and posing with a backdrop of cartoons, very cute!
-Airi and Maimi's solos were both great! Airi performed the first half of Yes! All My Family in the balloon basket, and came out to dance the second verse. Maimi's Seishun Song might be the best C-ute song I have ever heard! It actually reminded me of The Ramones, if you can believe that! What a sensational performance!
-The "Tap Dance School" MC was really funny, especially when Airi beat up Maimi (LOLOL). And I loved the way they worked the tap dance into Sakura Chirari. What a great way to freshen up that song!
-The main set ended with the powerhouse trio of Tokkaiko Junjou/Massara Blue Jeans/Jump! It really whipped the wota into a frenzy. Especially Jump! The crowd went wild for that!
My pink Maimi shirt! Actually it looked pretty good under my black button up shirt I had on over it. And that Maimi picset was a Nakano exclusive. it was the date on it too! Overall it was a top notch show. there were only a couple of songs I didn't care for. I also enjoyed the performances of Forever Love, Seventeens Vow and Bokura no Kagayaki. I can't wait for this to come out on DVD!
I stumbled upon this at The Ultimate Idol as I was checking my Googlereader today. And there is no way I am leaving Japan without this DVD...
CK in Tokyo
(Edit: I found that Yazawa DVD. I didn't notice that it is from 2007. So it was cheap...FTW!)
I think I might be overdoing it...
Keeping track of two blogs is a lot to handle, especially when you add in my IW duties. But when CJ invited me to collaborate with him on another site. Well, it was too sweet to pass up. So here it is, my first worship site...
Please check it out...www.megumiohori.com
CK in California
Actually this has been in the works for a while...
As some of you know, I was made a contributor and later an editor at International Wota. It was a goal of mine ever since I started this blog. I was so ecstatic to be invited, and I have loved every minute of it. Recently Ray, the creator of the site, offered to host a blog for me at intlwota.com. And I gladly accepted. So I present...
http://www.intlwota.com/chuodori/
Chuo Dori
Yayyyyy!!!!
I also just completed a post over there about the most recent episode of AKBingo featuring Ohori Megumi! Please check it out, it was an amazing program!
I'd Like To Say Yatta! But I'm Still in Shock
I'm not sure what the future of CK's H!P Blog will be. One thought was to post H!P related stuff here, and AKB48 stuff on the new site. I am honestly not sure. I want the ne blog to be a success. But this is where it all began for me. Only time will tell. In the meantime please check out my new blog. It is still a work in progress, with many formatting tweaks still in the works. But hopefully I will have that stuff knocked out pretty soon.
Anyhow, see you there!!!
CK in California
To say I was shocked when I awoke Sunday morning to the news of five members of AKB48's Team A graduating is an understatement. I kept checking the posts over at Stage 48 hoping that the news would somehow be proven false. But the report I was hoping for would never come to pass. So now 2 of my favorite 3 members are graduating, and the third one (Ohori Megumi) has her head on the proverbial chopping block as we speak.
Nakanishi Rina was my original favorite member. It seemed as if she was one of the main girls in AKB, until recently. I have noticed that the producers have begun to favor other girls over Rinatin (and Narita Risa for that matter). Rina has such an angelically beautiful face, it is hard to believe she is 20 years old. The first time I noticed her was in the PV for Aitakatta! And I thought she was amazing in Chocolove's Ashita wa Ashita no Kimi ga Umareru.
I highly doubt this is the last we will hear of Rinatin. She is signed with another agency, and is too pretty and talented to simply disappear!
Ohe Tomomi: Oh, crazy Oh-yay! I wonder why she never got a chance to be in the forefront of any PV's. Was she not popular enough? I know that some fans didn't find her good looking, but I thought she was adorable. And that crazy personality! But I never really saw her show it off on any TV show. Instead she always seemed awkward among the group. But alone in her room with her dog Joy and her "cat" Nyanta, she was all laughs. I fell in love with her after seeing her private video. I will miss her the most.
As for the other three, they may not have been among my favorites. But they were all recognizable girls in the unit. I've always thought Komatani Hitomi was cute, especially after Cat posted that amazing picture of her on a recent Aitakatta! post. Along with Narita Risa and Tojima Hana, I will miss them all...Ganbare!
So it's a new era, and I've just realized I need to find some new favorite members, stat!!!! So I have quickly run over to Ray's American Wota "distractions" Of course Meetan is still my favorite for the time being, but now I have six new girls to drool over, two from each team...
6. Maeda Atsuko (Team A) I know she is an obvious pick, and I know she is the girl everyone loves to hate. But much of that is merely backlash because she is so popular. She is amazingly cute. And as popular as she is, she still has an innocent vulnerability to her. When I show non-fans AKB48 PV's, she is usually the girl my friends select as their favorite.
5. Sato Yukari (Team A) I needed to pick a second person from team A (I omitted Team K's Noro Kayo for her) What got me was the commentary between songs on the Shibuya-AX DVD. She is always giggling, and the other girls all try to make her laugh. She is one of the underdog girls in Team A, so I'll route for her to take a bigger role now that so many other members are leaving.
4. Oshima Yuko (Team K) I love Yuko for two reasons. 1) She has the most gravelly voice in AKB48. The first time I heard her talk I thought "This girl can sing?" and 2) She was a U-15 idol before she ever joined AKB48. Now that's hot! She is extremely outgoing, the type of personality that could make a weekly television show entertaining.
3. Hirajima Natsumi (Team B) I've fallen under Julia's spell for this selection. I don't know much about Natsumi except that she is very cute and a member of Team B, which I always think of as the "little team that could". they were so energetic at Shibuya-AX, and Julia has given Team B's 2nd and 3rd stages a ringing endorsement. I can't wait to hear them!
2. Noguchi Reina (Team B) Cuteness is the biggest factor when I pick idols to like, and Reina has it in spades. I recently purchased an AKB48 photobook that came with three random pull-out 5x8's. And Reina was my "B" photo. I have nothing else to go on, so I'll route for her as my favorite member of team B.
1. Sato Natsuki (Team K) She always stands out when she is on stage. Why? That adorably goofy smile of hers, and she is always smiling! I am such a sucker for bucktoothed girls. The girl simply catches my attention, and her bubbly personality is infectuous.
It's another day, and life goes on. AKB48 will live on and hopefully be a bigger success than ever. And to the girls that are leaving, I sincerely hope that they realize all of their dreams. I am sure they know they are still loved by their fans and will be sorely missed.
CK in California
(thanks to the various pic sources, including Cat's Aitakatta Blog)
My Groups
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Hello! Project Updated: Sep 22, 2009
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Hello Project! Updated: Sep 22, 2009
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