Your AKB48 Experiences

@gocchisama
Thanks for the tip. Hopefully, it's a bit easier to read now. I should say I've enjoyed your write-ups as well. Your experience with Takamina's birthday show was awesome. Well done.

 

@USA48 wow I always enjoy your write ups and this one was no exception! It was like reading a really good book except 10x better because it was about AKB!
I literally felt like I was at the concert from reading your write up, so thank you!
waiting for your part 2~

 

Yuko Oshima Stadium Graduation Report, Part 2

The Group comes back together for more great songs!
The full 48group is now back on stage. They do a song called “AKB festival”, also surprisingly appropriate for this context. Then they do Hikoukigumo!!!! Yes. Kamikyokutachi was the first AKB music I bought. I have listened to that whole album so many times. Hikoukigumo is kind of lesser known, but I love that song. I’m so glad they did it. Ooh, who is in my kami corner now? It’s Haruna Kojima! NyanNyan is doing so well. She’s so bubbly, so much movement, so exciting. She reminds me of a cheerleader at a football game, only without the high leg kicks. Someone teach her the high leg kicks.

An MC. “How many members are in junior high school?” Several raise their hands. “How many are in high school?” Others raise their hands. “How many are 19? 20? 21?” As the ages increment, hands go up and down. “Ok, how many are age 37?” Far at the back, one lone hand goes up. It’s Mariko Tsukamoto! They introduce her and chat.

Then her and the group from the commercial do Oshiete Mommy. You know, the stunt and song are quite gimmicky, but I really like Mariri. She’s pretty, and fresh. I even have created my own nickname for her: Milfy. Just to think, a few months ago she was just some housewife, doing everyday stuff and caring for her young children. Now, she’s dancing in huge stadiums in front of tens of thousands. How fun this must be for her!

A few more songs and an MC.

After Rain
Yuko appears in a video thanking those for their support and their teru teru bozus. One fan made particularly elaborate ones which all had different Yuko costumes on, and they get a shout out from Yuko herself. Extreme devotion has its rewards. The weather was actually quite bearable. It only rained for a little bit during the entire performance, and not even that hard. One good thing about being so far back is that I was protected by the roof type thing around the outside of the stadium, so I didn’t feel a drop . I guess my seats aren't that bad, at least I'm not in the upper bowl. Those guys are way far, must be rough...
For this song, those in the upper bowl get a treat as 5 popular members get in those AKBcarts that Not Yet was using and go all the way up there, circling the stadium in the central aisle. Some fans even get to do a high touch. My wota rage starts to boil. How come I didn't win a seat in the upper bowl!?!

After rain is followed by Kimi no koto ga sukidakara. Another kamikyokutachi winner!

Around this time. My kami korner is inhabited by the lovely Minami Minegishi, she has lost some popularity among fans, myself included, but she does great. I love how hard she works and how during a flurry of graduations, she stays committed to being a part of the group. Otsukara sama desu, Minegishi! Thank you for your hard work.

We’re heading towards the end now. Things are about to get really cool:

The Home Stretch

Seishun no Inadzuma
Hey, did you know that Yuko Oshima can tap dance? I didn’t. I had read somewhere that Sae Miyazawa could, but I didn’t know Yuko had that talent. So both Yuko and Sae-chan are in the front in tap shoes. Now, I’ve never really been a fan of tap dancing as an art form, I mean the skill is admirable and all, but most tap dance numbers seem to be the dancer going “Look at me! Look at me! I can move my feet really fast! LOOK AT ME!” This, however, is nothing like that. The tapping goes really well with and enhances the song. I can picture a producer’s meeting that went something like this:
“For the concert, I want to do a remix of Seishun no Inadzuma with more percussion.”
“Ok. So what do you want to use? Snare drum?”
“No”
“Cymbals?”
“No”
“How about Yuko and Sae-chan’s feet?
“Brilliant!”

The performance was really cool.
“marude seishun no inadzuma kokoro ni tsukisasaru”
Boom! Boom! ttippetty tippetty tappety tappety
“namida ga tomaranai boku wa ima ikiteiru”
Buh-boom! buh-boom! tap tap tap!

Awesome. After seeing it like that, I don’t want to see it done any other way. I watched a performance on youtube and I was like “hey, where’s the tappy thing?”

Kinjirareta Futari
After a few songs with various small groups, Yuko does a duet with Takamina, Kinjirareta Futari. It was good. Afterward they walked the half lap back to the front stage. Talking about how they’ve spent 8.5 years together and their friendship and I didn’t really understand much of what else.

Now it’s about to get really cool. I was so impressed by the following number, I will say it’s almost worth buying the DVD solely for this:

Spoiler: Prepare to have your mind blown! (or skip and wait for the DVD)

An explosion! A team of maybe 8 AKBs and some backup dancers wearing crimson dresses and shoes do a thrilling dance number as fast-paced hard rock guitar plays. Another firework off to the right, behind which another group of AKBs join in in the same attire. A third firework, and off to the left a third group joins the mix. The dancers move back towards the wall at the back of the stage, which lights up in a bright green. The dancers become black silhouettes against this backdrop; sensuous mystery figures moving and swaying. It looks totally awesome. Just as I start to think, “This is really cool, but what does that this have to do with any AKB songs?” I hear the familiar yell:

AKBeeeeeeeeeeee forty-eight!

The group performs RIVER. The familiar choreography is enhanced by pyrotechnics, as flumes of fire erupt in front of the dancers at key parts of the song. (As well as some flying around because apparently that’s the theme of this concert.) This is how RIVER is meant to be performed. River is supposed to be this tough, in-your-face song but the military themed music video never worked for me. Here, fierce femininity was achieved in a much smarter way: bold colors, sharp movements, daring visuals. Jaw dropping. This was my favorite performance of the night by far.

P.S. Though I was surprised that they went with pyrotechnics, I’d have thought water effects would have been more appropriate for a song. But they did water fountain effects for an earlier song.

Oogoe Diamond
I love this song, and it’s Natsumi’s favorite. The best part of the song is at the end when they say “suki tte kotoba wa saikou sa”, all of us fans yell “suki” real loud at the same time. A succinct way for us to say our mutual love for each other. Kind of touching in a fun sort of way.

Gingham Check
For the last set of songs, the girls have changed into Gingham dresses. What song could they be performing? Of course. I have mixed feelings about this song. On the one hand, it’s truly an awful song, perhaps AKB's worst single. But, at the same time, it showcases Oshima’s genius as a performer. The MV is an instant classic, and that has nothing to do with all the silly movie cliché stuff in it. It’s 100% Yuko Oshima owning that vid so hard: her bright eyes, her wide smile, her hip pops and shoulder isolations, the way she stands out among a dozen other beautiful girls doing the exact same dance. It truly showed why she belonged in the AKB center spot. And here she is, performing it for one last time....

Yakusoku yo
You just know that the concert is coming to an end. Normally, such times are a time full of tears, but Yuko is smiling 10-miles wide. She’s literally beaming. The emotion she is exuding is one of...relief; like she’s putting down a heavy burden. I can’t read minds, but I wouldn’t be surprised if she was thinking “This is the last time I’m doing this! Yes!”
I remember how in AKB 600 seconds she would literally fall asleep between takes and in the Mechaike sports special she was lying on the floor, exhausted from anchoring a sprint relay race, saying “I hope I have a day off tomorrow.” I love Yuko Oshima and never wanted her to graduate, but I can’t help but thinking how tiring this business must have been for her. I mean 8+ years, not just the physical toll, but the emotional toll and the stress of being the leader and then the runner up and having to keep up appearances. I guess she’s earned her retirement.

The Encore
It’s Fake Encore time. The encore was so surprising, our handout given before the concert contained instructions on what to do during the encore. I wonder why they even bother to have an encore at all, just keep playing. (Actually, probably because if they didn’t we’d all stay and scream for an encore non-stop.) We are to break the white light sticks and shout “Yuko” over and over. We do. Thankfully, management was nice and didn’t make us yell for too long before she comes out.
Yuko is wearing a multicolored, flowery, evening gown and a tiara on the side of her head, she sings her graduation song (Kyou Made no Melody).
Towards the end of the song, 10 women, each wearing a different outfit enter the stage. A cheer erupts as the jumbotron displays their names in Kanji. The kanji is unfamiliar to me. Who are these.......OMG!!! SAYAKA AKIMOTO!!!!
I always liked Sayaka Akimoto, but with her being long-graduated, I had given up all hope of ever being able to see her, but here she is, wearing a...well fashion never was her strong point, never mind... along with other former Team K members singing and performing for me (and thousands of others). Awesome!
The chemoluminescent white glow sticks they gave us were very weak compared to our electric ones that we’ve bought. The crowd decides to give up on those, and the stadium is lit up solely in green Oshima Team K glowsticks.
Sayaka and Yuko share some looks and emotional moments and the groups sings some slow emotional songs.
The concert must surely be ending now. All and all, it’s been a great concert, and I’m pleased with the setlist. I am though, quite surprised, that they didn’t do one I was sure they would do. You know, that one single that also kind of counted as Yuko’s graduation song. Then I hear it...

Mae Shika Mukanee
Again, Yuko’s evening gown is ripped to reveal a short dress. And off she goes on another lap, followed by the other members. I get one great last look at that angel face through binoculars as she looks my way while running through the kami corner. Running and singing is tiring, so she only finishes half of the lap before retreating to a walk.

The High Touch Event
I didn’t think there would be any sort of event like this at a stadium show, but 263 people get to shake hands with Yuko Oshima at the end of the show. Unfortunately for us fans, all of those people are 48group members. They form the largest bridal line ever around the track and they each shake hands and say a little something to her. While there were a few funny moments, like when Yuko tried to kiss NyanNyan and was rejected, and when she did shadow boxing with Sayaka Akimoto, but mostly I was bored to death with it. We couldn’t hear anything they were saying, and Yuko seemed to be making the same 3 expressions over and over again on the jumbotron. Maybe the DVD will show more. Gosh, it took like half an hour.

Yuko’s Exit
The goodbyes having been said, Yuko is loaded on a contraption which looks like what would happen if the carriage from Cinderella and a ski lift had a baby. I’m ready for a another slow, sentimental something but then Yuko shouts 1! 2! 3! 4!
Heavy Rotation (the full version) is sung by the rest of the members as Yuko begins her ascent. Her cinderlift takes her across the stadium, high above the seats.
I feel bad, one of the younger members in the corner is jumping and clapping and really doing her best to make an appeal to the audience on her side. Sorry, pretty girl, everyone’s eyes are glued on Yuko as she is floating away, doing nothing but waving. I see her floating away and I get lost in thought.

Spoiler: Personal Thoughts and Everyday Kachuusaa explanation

Even though Heavy Rotation (a great song) is playing. My mind starts thinking about Everyday, Kachuusaa from earlier. I’ll explain...
Everyday Kachuusaa was the first MV I saw from AKB48. The song and video always kind of struck a chord somewhere inside me. I’ve watched the video and overanalyzed the lyrics maybe a dozen times. A song about a girl who didn’t get all the love she wanted from a certain special person, who couldn’t act to change the situation, and who just wants everything to be the same next year. I find the song rather sad, as we all know next year isn’t going to be the same; that’s not how the world works.
I also found the story told in the music video to be quite interesting. Acchan is biking and running as hard as she can to see her friends before they sail away on a boat. Due to delays and her physical limitations, she gets there as the boat is already pulling away and can just wave from afar. Other girls on the dock acknowledge her presence, but you don’t know whether the girls on the boat noticed her. I always wondered how her character felt about it: Is she angry for not being able to get there earlier? Or is she happy that she got there when she did and got to share a nice moment with some friends?

On this night, I am Everyday Kachuusaa’s Acchan. I learned the name AKB48 in January 2013 after being dragged by happenstance to a Disney movie. By March, this slight curiosity and morphed into a full-blown fandom. I would spend the weekends in my LA apartment, watching AKB shows and concert videos on youtube, dreaming of how awesome it would be to someday watch an AKB concert in Japan. The dreaming turned into determination, and six months later I was on a plane to Tokyo with a work visa in hand. My first thought was to attend an AKB48 event, but due to language barriers, unfamiliarity with how things work, work conflicts, busy schedules, and frequently my own stupidity, my first AKB experience was a long time coming.

I wanted to meet Yuko Oshima so badly, to see her perform up close, to shake her hand. I never got to. I probably never will. Now all I can do is watch and wave from afar, as she floats farther and farther away.

So how do I feel about it? You know, I don’t know how to feel about it. AKB experiences are often a glass empty/glass full situation. Part of me feels so hurt that it’s all coming to an end. That I was too late. Why do AKB members have to graduate? Why can’t you stay for just one more year, Yuko? The other part of me realizes how lucky I am to be in this seat, that there are hundreds, perhaps thousands of fans who would trade places with me in a heartbeat. That part of me feels great to be here, to have seen what I saw and heard what I heard, to be living the dream. Yet another part of me wonders how “the dream” became following some pop band in a foreign country far away from my home, longtime friends, and family. Anyway...

So Yuko arrives safely at the upper bowl across the stadium at a facade of a house thing that has been built. The song ends, and Yuko voices the last “Heaavvyyy rootaaaation.” She says in Japanese: “I love AKB48 group! Ittekimasu!” The stadium, along with Mayuyu, shout “Iterrashai.” Large doors close. And that’s the last we see of Yuko.

Ittekimasu? Why did she say that? “Ittekimasu” is a form of good-bye you say when you are leaving for a short while, and will return the same day. It literally means something like “I will go and return.” My Japanese isn’t great, but to me tonight seems like it’s definitely a “Sayonara” moment. That leaves me perplexed. Is she talking about the next day’s theatre graduation? Will she, in fact, come back after a short break, at a later time? Is she just being polite? Or am I totally misunderstanding the whole thing? [Sigh]

The Last Song and Mayuyu
So Yuko has gone, but AKB is still here, they remind us, and the senbatsu performs Labrador Retriever. They do a great job. Previous graduations had left me worrying “What will happen to AKB now?” I don’t feel that way this time. The senbatsu is packed with beautiful stars. And Yuko’s 3 months of laying low has got me sort of used to AKB without her. AKB won’t be the same without Yuko, but what’s left is still good, very good.

The song ends, and the girls start to exit the stage for the night...
I have been trying to get a good view of Mayuyu all night through binoculars, but she never was in the kami corner, and I haven’t had any luck. I finally get what I’m looking for at the last moment possible, when Mayuyu exits towards my side. What a beautiful face! At least one comment was made on this forum that questioned the wisdom of having a big concert the day after the sousenkyo. How will the girls perform after such an emotionally-draining day? The answer is quite well. I noticed no ill-effects whatsoever (though Sashihara did seem a bit miffed at a time or two). The big difference I notice is in Mayuyu. Our emotionless, cyborg idol is beaming with joy and pride. She’s been all smiles the whole day. It’s like she’s walking and dancing on air. She doesn’t seem to want to leave the stage. So bubbly and she does her last waves, a final jump and a bow. What a beauty!

I’m really glad Mayuyu won, not just because I like her, but as a Yuko fan, it felt right. Something would have been not right about having the girl responsible for Yuko’s bitter senbatsu defeat last year running the show as she retires. I just feel a lot better knowing that the new AKB will be led by Yuko’s friend and fellow Oshiri sister. And honestly, no disrespect to anyone else, but I feel Mayuyu really earned it. So there you go, Miss Watanabe, AKB is yours now, take good care of it. I’ll be here.

...for now. The future is very uncertain, I don’t know what will happen to AKB, how long they’ll stay in the limelight, or how the group will change, neither do I know how long I’ll end up staying in Japan.
But I do know that today was an awesome concert, that whatever frustration I had about today will be forgotten, and years later, I will be watching the DVD, seeing the beautiful visuals, reminiscing about the great music and moments I had, and be able to say 私はそこにいた

I was there.

 

Upper Bowl were the worst seats? nahhhh! we got roof coverage, a good view of the whole stage/stadium, and 5 members (Yuko, Sae, Sayanee, Yukirin, and M. Rena) passed by us just a couple of feet away.

And the song they played while they were up there was After Rain as it was after Yuko thanked fans for the teru teru bozus the fans made.

 

@memorybreak
Thanks for your reply. I actually don't disagree with you at all on the seat thing. I meant "worst seats" solely in the sense that they were farthest from the stadium floor and you would normally pay less for such seats at soccer games or other events. I would have traded seats with you in a heartbeat. I had this bullcrap:


Never was "a few feet away" from anything good. I'll edit the post to make my meaning clearer. Also thanks for the info. I didn't remember that part of the concert well, but I felt the events were important enough to not be skipped.

 

Team K Theater Show Report
Seeing them Again for the First Time

On July 7, 2014, I saw Team K perform in the AKB48 Theatre in Akihabara. They performed a revival of their 6th stage, [RESET]. It was an interesting experience. Sorry if it's a bit long. Feel free to skim.

Winning the Tickets
I won a general/ippan ticket. (very similar to the first Team K show I won; my winning number was even similar to the old one. crazy)

Before the Show: Everything is New
So I have won my ticket. I’m excited. Even though I had some great AKB/Tomochin experiences in June, I haven’t been to the theatre in almost 3 months! I miss it. I have seen Team K before, but this will still be fresh and exciting. First of all, they’re doing a new stage. Second of all, it’s not the same Team K: Last time, I saw Oshima Team K (or Kuramochi Team K, Yuko was largely out of the picture at that point), and this time will be my first viewing of Yokoyama Team K. “How will it be different?”, I wonder. I approve of the new shuffle. I love Team K, but honestly they were a little lacking in star power before Oshima left, and since she was graduating, something needed to be done. So with tonight’s show, we have lost Hillary, but we have gained Makochan and a girl named Yui Yokoyama. I’ll miss Hillary, but all things considered, it’s a fair trade. I like Makochan, and with her and Moe Aigasa it’ll be like seeing Team K and Team 4 combined! A Team K4, if you will, oh wait, there’s already a Team KIV. Anyways..so I’m actually not super familiar with Yui Yokoyama, but I’ve read good things about her on this forum, and she is a senbatsu member, so she must be good. I’m sure I’ll get to know her much better tonight.

Eerily similar to my last Team K performance, we have a member bow out the day before the show. No Makochan. I’m a bit disappointed, but I’ve seen her already, and who knows, maybe her replacement will be a revelation like last time. And a least it’s not Myao who’s gone. I’m so excited to see her. Last Team K show, Myao heroically sacrificed herself by getting flu so I could attend. I am ever thankful for that, but was still sad I didn’t get to see her. Tonight, I get my redemption.

My mood heading toward the AKB48 theater has always been a cheerful one, nothing but sunshine and happiness. Tons of people taking part in the beauty that is Akiba and AKB48. I love how accessible AKB48 is. These are famous girls who you see on TV, in magazines, everywhere, and you can just walk up to their theatre like it’s no big deal. After the show, you get to meet them, and touch them! Today, things are different. I’m feeling kind of a gloomy vibe as I make my trip. It’s a Monday and I’ve had a super busy day. It’s raining, so there’s nobody outside of AKB Cafe, hardly anyone out and about. When I get to the 7th floor and am about to ascend to the theater, I meet a bouncer-type guy at the escalator. He stops me and points to a sign which says something like “Specially for today, only those who have a ticket to the show will be allowed to enter the theater floor. We apologize to those who have a come a long way.”

This worries me. What is so special about today? It’s Monday, it’s not anyone’s birthday, it’s not a shonichi or senshuuraku, it’s not the most popular team, and not even all of the most popular members are performing. I fear that “specially for today” means everyday.

Anyway, no problem. I have a ticket. “Hai, Arimasu.” I say. He asks me to show him the winning e-mail.

Pro-tip #1: Be prepared to show the mail that shows your winning number. An electronic version is fine. If not, it’s a good idea to bring a printout.

I make a habit of having the winning number on my phone, just in case. And I’m glad I did, I can’t imagine what hassle I’d have been in for if I didn’t have it. I go up the escalator and they ask me to show the e-mail again, and they give me a ticket. I’m very hungry and I have some time to kill, so I head back down and get some food before coming back up.

The theatre lobby has changed a lot since I was there last time.

First of all, all the portraits of the members in white have been replaced with new colorful portraits as you can find on the AKB48 website. I liked them. Yuko’s photo is strikingly absent (sob). I found Mariko Tsukamoto’s photo humorous, the board is organized by team, but she’s not a member of any team, so she just has a spot on the board by herself. It’s like Team A, Team K, Team B, Team 4, Kenkyuusei, ..um...Mariko Tsukamoto!

The Hall of Fame board has been taken down (or perhaps moved into an obscure place I didn’t see)! It has been replaced with photos of Team 8 members. I understand this move, the Hall of Fame board has become a bit obsolete; AKB has grown too popular. There hasn’t been a new hall-of-famer since 2010. Still, I kind of miss it. I found it rather inspiring, only 97 more theater shows, and I can be up there! At the rate I’m going, I could be on that board in 2025! But now it’s gone. I still think it’s crazy that it only took the first hall-of-famers less than two years to get on the board. That’s more than one show a week.

As I arrive in the main lobby, I see the biggest change: The metal detectors. There is also railing preventing access near the doors. While there used to be just one, maybe two, guys in plain clothes standing before the door, there are 6-8 guards in uniform standing in formation by the door and there is some scary signage. It’s kind of sad, the AKB lobby used to be such a fun, happy place. Now, the mood is dark and somber. I feel like I’m about to meet a diplomat or some other official person. .

It’s time to line up. The ticketing procedure has changed a little bit. They used to give you your ticket with your number and name on it right when you bought it, and that was all you needed. Now, they give you this intermediate ticket with your number at the ticket booth. While you’re queueing for the entrance lottery, a guy comes and checks your ID again and then you exchange that ticket for one with your name on it, which you will use to enter the theater.

So I’m in line. They have new videos on the TV screens that show the members. A lot of the video clips have been taken from recent stadium shows and video shoots. Minami Minegishi looks smoking in her new vid, wearing a tiny bikini on a tropical beach somewhere, probably Guam.

So they explain the new security procedures, which of course I don’t understand. I do understand now that they make you unscrew your official AKB glowstick before you go in. That sounded utterly ridiculous to me, but on further reflection I guess you could hide a small knife in there and it wouldn’t be seen. I would have never thought to do that, but then again, I’m not a psychopath who attacks teenagers for no specific reason.

So at length, they start the lottery. My luck gets worse and worse, my group is near the end. So, the new procedures are basically like going through the airport. You get a plastic box to put all your things in and go through a metal detector, and you’re supposed to take off your belt. I really don’t want to be the jack*ss holding up the line again, so I try and make sure I get everything out of my pockets.

Pro-tip #2: I think it’s worthwhile to take everything out of your pockets and rent one of the lockers for ¥300. If you’re a cheapskate like me, take nothing with you. It will save you some hassle.

I take everything out and [booooop], the scanner goes red. They make me go back out and try again. I remove my watch and ring. [booop]. “Take out everything.” They say, I do, and of course, I left my keys in my pocket like an idiot. While this is taking so long, 12 people from behind me pass me in the other metal detector and get better spots in the theater. Grrr.

Despite all my frustration, I actually get pretty much exactly the same spot as I did at the senshuuraku show: 2nd row of standers in the middle. All of the seats had been taken by the time I got in, so it was an easy decision. I am pleased. Standing gets a little uncomfortable, but the view is great.

The new procedures make entering the theater take very long. It’s already like 6:40 now (10 minutes after the show was supposed to start). They’re still getting the last of the people in when the Kage Anna starts. I didn’t hear who it was, but I’m guessing it was Yuki Yokoyama that gave it.

A few minutes until show time. I survey the theater. We have 4 security men in the front now who are keeping an eye on the audience. One each behind the pillars of death, and one each on the sides of the stage. They’re easy enough to ignore during the show, especially because the girls never went out onto the sides for this stage (Did they before?)

I’m beginning to think this is all completely unnecessary as no AKB member was ever attacked in the theater. Did they really close off the front row? I stand on tiptoes. They sure did. I find that response completely unacceptable. The odds of that move actually helping an AKB member are infinitesimally small; it in no ways justify the negative impact such a move has on the fans. I don’t see how you can just casually remove the best 10% of the venue’s seating like that. That needs to change. I have an idea: They could put in a seatbelt or a roller-coaster type lap bar on the front row seats. That way fans could sit and we’re completely sure nobody tries anything. I’d go for that.

Anyway, enough of my b*tching, let’s enjoy the show.

The Show
The curtains come up, and our girls appear wearing pinstriped dresses. The first three songs are standard garden-variety AKB faire. I liked the songs, but nothing to take home. The girls however of course, are anything but garden variety...

At earlier theater shows, my eyes zipped around looking for the small number of members I knew and liked. This show is different. I am much more relaxed. I’ve seen 10 of the members perform on this very stage already, and the novelty of the new members seems just as exciting as seeing my favorites again. I do keep a look out for Myao though. It doesn’t take me long to find her.

And Ohhhh. Myao. Meow. Wow.

I said in my last post that AKB members often look different in person than on TV. I think a significant portion of that is due to the old saying “The camera adds 10 pounds.” I’ve found that to be true. Riechan looks way skinnier in person than she does on screen. And Miho Miyazaki, well...before tonight’s show, if you asked me to describe Myao in a sentence, I would have said “She’s the cute chubby one.” I always thought it was adorable how she hung in there with the cover girl idols, doing her best and in her own way. It was quite endearing. Seeing her in person, Myao is NOT chubby at all. Yeah, her face is a little rounder than most, but her body is something to behold, I want to compare it to an exotic sportscar: a well-oiled machine of muscle and curves, and she moves it so smoothly and seductively. I had no idea she was capable of exuding such underlying sexuality. Whoever ends up marrying her is going to be super lucky. She definitely has that ‘lady in the street, but [something else at home]’ vibe going on.

It takes me a while to find Moe Aigasa, she has dyed her hair a new color. I’ve seen her at every single theater show I’ve been to. And that girl is really coming up in the world. They gave her a central role. Her and another girl are front and center for most of the show. This must have been due to audience support. She is the fan favorite of this show, and her nickname is being chanted more loudly and more often than anyone else tonight. Personally, I think she deserves it.

The other co-center for tonight is a girl named Yuka Tano. This girl is a revelation. She is petite, and has the face of that normal asian girl you went to high school with. But she is an athlete on the stage, she moves that small body with such power and speed. It’s very impressive, and I’m glad we get the eyeful we did for this show.

The draft members are full-on members now, and join in the same songs and costumes as the other members. I like the draft members, but I don’t really see why they couldn’t just do the kenkyusei process like everyone else. They were cute on stage by themselves, but next to the big girls, frankly, they look like they need to finish puberty. So lanky. I would have had no problem with giving them some more training time.

I scan to my other favorites. There’s my lovely KitaRie. Last time, from my seat near the front, we had a really fun eye-flirting thing going on. I wanted to show her even more love this time, I was sad to learn of her lukewarm senbatsu and handshake results. But I’m too far in the back, there’s no way she can notice me, and now she’s busy fishing other fans. Whore! Lol, I am totally kidding. I have a firm grip on reality. Besides, I am being equally unfaithful, it seems one girl keeps stealing my attention away from the others. I try to look at Riechan, but then Moechan does something interesting, then I catch Myao in the corner of my eye, as I look to focus on her, Mayumi Uchida pulls my eyes the other way. AKB shows are truly a buffet feast for the senses, and I want to try everything.

Speaking of Mayumi Uchida, she is looking great. I love her figure, I love her belly-button ring, I love her personality.

Makochan got replaced by Mariya Suzuki. Not an improvement in my book, but Mariya has a bubbly face and nice legs. Glad to have you with us.

Yui Yokoyama is, well where is she? She’s been hanging out in the back for a lot of it. Hmm. I’m not getting what all the fuss is about.

So as the end of the second song nears, they sneakily start doing a little striptease. The girls are wearing a secondary outer-skirt thing attached to their dress with a belt. They undo the belts and start whipping their skirt things around. I get super excited, as for a split-second I was sure they were going to throw them into the crowd. What a souvenir that would be! But it’s just a tease. They continue whipping them around and dancing with them. The song ends. The girls turn their backs to us, and undo the front of their dresses, spreading them out wide, as one does when putting on/removing a towel. Before letting the whole dress drop to reveal....

A complete sailor uniform they’ve been wearing underneath the whole time. LOL. I am ever the sucker for AKB, they totally had me. Though that, along with Yuko’s show, solves the mystery of the quick changing AKBs. I wondered how they changed so quickly. Now, the answer is clear. They’re already wearing at least part of the next outfit. The girls do the third song in lovely checkered seifukus. Some red, some blue.

I really enjoyed the fourth song (uhho uhhoho). A very upbeat song, and the AKB girls are acting like gorillas, with chest thumping and silly things likes that. Sexy is not the first thing that comes to my mind when I picture gorillas, but AKB is magic, they can make anything attractive. What a fun song!

An MC, my Japanese is slowly getting better. I understand a little, but not much. It seems like the girls are telling stories of things they’ve done recently. A few girls went to Sapporo, a few girls went to a barbeque. Moe Aigasa talks about how she had yakiniku with a teammate, and then I think she made a fart joke. I hope she made a fart joke. The image of such a perfect beauty queen letting one rip makes me laugh to no end. Anyway, there was a lot I didn’t understand. But Team K is still the funny team, most of the crowd is laughing and chuckling, just like last time.

Time for Unit Songs!

The first song is Seifuku Restistance. Watching Seifuku resistance is like having Christmas come early. The best number of the unit songs by far, if not of the whole show. It was like Moe Aigasa, Miho Miyazaki, and Hinani Shomoguchi were in a contest to see who could shake their hips and butt the best (Winner: Myao). Fantastic!

A tough act to follow, and the next song doesn’t even come close. Three girls dancing in some Micheal Jackson-esque? uniforms. Skip.

The rest of the unit songs were a lot better. Cute girls, pretty costumes, cute songs. I’m really enjoying this stage. It’s nice to really know the group as a team, as opposed to my first show, where I really only knew KitaRie & Hillary. There is someone I like in every unit song for this stage. Yes!

The full team is back in formation now. They are wearing...I actually don’t really know to describe what they’re wearing, they’re kind of like Native American disco outfits. Well Native American isn’t quite right, but they have a lot of fringes on them, that’s what I’m saying. Macklemore would be jealous. So they open with a pretty good song, then follow it with a song called Okera.

I really like this one. The kind of retro-lounge electronica really went well with the outfits, and the singing and dancing is fresh and exciting. At this point, I am under full AKB hypnosis. I love this feeling. At some point during a theatre show, the music, the motion, the mixing, they put me into a unique mental state. I don’t care about past of future and am just in the moment, enjoying everything I sense. It’s what keeps me coming back.

The girls are moving and switching places a lot on the stage. During this section of songs, I finally get a good look at Yui Yokoyama. I gain an appreciation of her appeal. She has amazing legs, her dancing is crisp and polished, and she is skilled at flashing you this “come hither” look, like there is some strong unsaid yearning behind those eyes.

My focus on her is snatched away by Yuka Tano. Gosh, that girl has rock hard abs. Seriously, she has a six-pack. It’s incredible. I don’t normally like six packs on girls, but Yuka is selling it. She belongs on a gym ad. I also should mention that she has been wearing a flesh-colored knee brace this whole time. If she can dance this well injured, I can’t imagine what she’s like at 100%. AKB has so much talent. And this is like their least popular team. Go figure.

They do another song in those outfits before changing into white silky/lacy ones and sing Jigsaw Puzzle 48. In the beginning of this song, they turn the wall panels behind the stage around, revealing mirrors that reflect on the audience. Oh my gosh, that’s us. I narcissistically look for myself, there I am! I really enjoyed that gimmick. I felt like I was on stage with them. And it was interesting to see what they see, what we looked like to them. Wow, I am far in the back and not noticeable in the crowd. Often my height makes me easy to notice, but I happen to be standing next to some Japanese guys who are taller than me.

The song ends. It’s fake encore time already? It seemed quick, probably because compared to my last couple AKB experiences it was. So the encore starts, the songs are pretty garden variety stuff. Honestly, I’m having a hard time focusing. I’m looking forward to the high touch event. There’s so many people I’m excited to see, thinking about what I might say perhaps. I almost want the encore to get over with.

It’s customary for AKB to end with their latest single. The group finishes with Labrador Retriever. It was really cool to see it in the theater. The girls look so cute making little puppy dog poses, and I really appreciated the choreography. There was a lot of cute/cool synchronized stuff going on in the background to complement the singers in the foreground. You can tell Kitarie has been in the music video, she’s doing the moves with just a little more zest and finesse than some of the others who haven’t. It's a great performance. I buy the CD the next day.

So that’s the last song, and they do some talking. Wasamin makes an important announcement. Don’t ask me what it was. I couldn’t understand a word. After the girls exit the stage, a voiceover happens, where an AKB member says something important. She ends with a question, and the audience answers with a lot of “Yes, I want.” kind of reactions. Still wonder what that was about. I wish you could get an English earpiece like you can at kabuki theatre. That would be great.

So the stage ends. I know there’ll be a bit of a wait while they prep for the high touch event. I’m so excited. Wait, why are the doors open already? People are just leaving!?

The High Touch Event
There was no high touch event. WOTA RAGE!!!

Spoiler: I'm upset about it.

Why did we go through all that security bullsh*t if we weren’t even going to get close to the girls. I’m upset. I don’t want to act like an entitled jerkwad, but I’m not exaggerating when I say that the High Touch Event after my first theater show was one of the most pleasant surprises of my life. Expecting one and not getting it was that feeling in reverse and it wasn’t a good one. And also why? Did the girls say they are uncomfortable doing it now? I don’t think security is a concern. It’s just us on the floor, and not only have we been thoroughly screened, we’ve demonstrated good behavior for 2 hours.

I hope they bring the high touch event back, and soon. I’d hate to have to say to a fellow fan later “I remember my first theater show, that was back when they still did high touch events. Did you ever get to take part in one? No, I’m sorry.” That just sounds sad. Don’t get me wrong. I am concerned for the girls’ safety just as much as anyone else, but AKB48 are the idols you can meet. Seeing the show without meeting them seemed like a big part of what makes AKB special was missing. The fact is, the world is a dangerous place. No amount of vigilance can prevent 100% of violence or injuries from happening, that’s beyond anyone’s control. Management can control, however, whether or not they shoot themselves in the foot.

I hang around, hoping something exciting might happen if I do. Nothing does. . As I’m about to leave, a Japanese fan comes up to me. He wants me to take a picture of him while he points to the sign. I gladly agree. That guy is so excited to be here. I think it was his first theater show. The thought enters my mind that had this been my first theater show, I would have left thinking nothing but how great it was and how lucky I am to have attended. It really was a great show. Every theater show has been special and memorable in its own way.

After the Show
Something interesting happened which didn’t before. When I arrived home, I had an e-mail in my inbox from AKB48 ticket group. It linked to a questionnaire. I had some translation issues, but it seemed like they were asking to vote for the best dancer, MVP of singing, stuff like that. That sounded fun and cool, but you only have a limited time to do it. I was unable to vote, due to translation and internet connectivity issues. But look out for that if you ever go.

 

I was surprised by this as well. I was there from July 1-6 and I just wanted to go to the lobby and drop off some gifts/look-around since I didn't win any tickets. Every time I was there, they'd just point to the sign and give me the X signal, even if I just wanted to drop off some gifts. There were a few others that were turned back as well.

I consoled myself with the UFO Catchers and got a pretty decent haul of AKB cards and keychain/cellphone thingies, plus a Hatsune Miku plushie (all for only 1000 yen!).

 

I'm surprised that you didn't know about Yokoyama Yui, i mean she got a huge history in team K after all.

Things are getting smoothier day by day. Recently, first row of HKT theater opened again. I think waiting for high touch will be possible.

 

Since I know not everyone here visits the NMB48 Experiences thread, I decided to cross post here as well. This is especially for people who has never been to any 48events (be it handshakes or 2shots etc). I wrote based on my experiences with my oshi, Yamamoto Sayaka and my reflections from meeting her at events, but the heart of this is more on my thoughts on these fan events and the whole complicated idol-fan relationship.

I don't really know if it would help anyone, but here is really my insight after reflecting and thinking really deeply about it as a semi-graduated wota (I have decided to completely stop going for events.)
It's really long so it's up to you if you want to read it. But do enjoy if you do.

Reflections of Being an Idol/48 Fan of Yamamoto Sayaka
If you were to meet your favourite idol at a handshake event for example, what would you say? What would you talk about? It’s actually tougher than a lot of people think. In 2014 itself, I have went to two handshake events and one 2-shot event just to meet my favourite idol, Yamamoto Sayaka of NMB48.

Spoiler

Prior to this, I have technically met Sayaka once. This was a long time ago in December 2011 when I went to a live in Singapore, and there was a brief handshake will all the 16 members present then after the live. That time the encounter was really really brief, just like a hi-bye type of scenario.
During the live, I had a pretty good position in the venue, so I remember somehow managing eye contact with her several times. That was precious to me because being able to engage with a performer on stage while performing is, in my opinion, the most fulfilling concert experience you could ever get. That experience is something I have not forgotten until now, but of course I knew even back then that it was not something Sayaka herself would remember.
Somewhere in my heart, I was completely aware of that harsh reality. However, then, a feeling within me couldn’t be contained, and that was the point my unrequited love for Yamamoto Sayaka truly began.
For those who know of my background, I had started to become a fan of NMB and Yamamoto Sayaka around mid-2011. However, my attachment to her didn’t get serious until I went to that Singapore live.
By unrequited love, I do not really mean of how you fall in love with someone but you are not returned back with that mutual love. It wasn’t the kind of love where I wanted her to be my lover. I was not to that point of delusion, thankfully, but that being said, the nature of my unrequited love for her was the same as any other.
Why is this so? I mean think about it. I loved and cared about her so much that all I wanted was to see her succeed and be happy. I thought of her welfare a lot, and wished the best for her. I found out a lot about her whether it was through shows or what she herself has shared through her blog or Google Plus all because I wanted to know her more. I was so drawn by everything about her especially her passion for performance and really admired her. I ended up knowing so much about her and yet, she probably knew nothing of me and thought nothing of me. To put it harshly, my existence was nothing to her. That was my unrequited love as a fan towards an idol.
So then, I go back to one of my earlier questions. What would you talk about if you went to a handshake event to meet your favourite idol? Idols aren’t like your friends. They’re also not like the people you first meet who later become your friends. I’m not saying they are people who will never be your friends because you never know what may happen in the future. But the truth is not only is such a thing rare, it is also very difficult.
When I meet a person for the first time, to gauge whether we get along, I normally try to engage in the conversation as much as possible. While doing this, the basic rule is, you want to make it a 2-way conversation where you don’t just go on talking about yourself but you show interest in the other person, and eagerness to get to know them too.
Applying this when you meet your favourite idol properly for the first time especially may be challenging. For one thing, you may be meeting them for the first time but unlike the friend scenario, they’re not a complete stranger to you. For an example, you can’t go “what is your name, how old are you” because you already know. The situation is that you already know some things about the idol but they know nothing about you.
So how do you get about it? Truth is, I don’t know. At the first handshake event I went, I perhaps made a mistake when all I did was go on about how much love and admiration I had for her and support for her singer-songwriter dream. It was barely a conversation. Rather, it was just me spazzing to her in person. I guess at that point, as I’ve kept my feelings for her within me for so long, all I was focused on was for overflowing feelings to get across to her.
That isn’t a bad thing but what I realised now is that with the limited meetings I had with her, then if I had wanted her to remember me, I was playing my game completely wrong. I mean from the end of that day, she hadn’t found out anything about me other than my name and what country I came from (Malaysia).
Then, the next event where I went to meet her was for the 2-shot event where I went to her three times. For this event, the talking time was really limited as the main focus was on the photo-taking after all. Despite the limited time I had, I was glad with the outcome because I had managed lots of small talk with her. Somehow, it was very relaxed and fun. I approached her and talked to her like how I would with a friend, and the conversation, despite it being brief, just flowed naturally.
I also told her many things about myself other than my name such as my favourite number, favourite colour, and my birthday. We talked about my bracelet, and upon my request, even did hengao ( a funny face) together for one of the photos, and until today, I can still remember how she excitedly came up to me after the photo was taken and beamed as she told me she made a reaaaally strange face. That day, I was able to get along with Sayaka the way friends would, and it made me really happy.
All of these things may be small talk and petty things that Sayaka herself probably would not remember, but it was really enjoyable. Even if it was just for a day, that was the one day Sayaka actually felt like a real person to me instead of a faraway surreal presence. Those simple moments also had a price though. Small talk may have been all good and fun, but unfortunately, it is also not memorable. Even I would not have remembered the details if I had not jotted it down. So what more about Sayaka?
The final event I went to see her was for another handshake event. Since it was possibly my last time meeting her, naturally, I guess I wanted to leave a mark. But again, I honestly didn’t know how. All I knew was that I wanted to say “Happy Birthday” to her because that was a day before her birthday, and goodbye since I may not see her again.
So, I went to see her three times that day, and thinking back, I feel like I did the right thing. I asked her if she remembered where (which country) I was from, not really because I was banking on her to know but rather it was a good way to engage her in conversation. You may consider it sneaky but by doing so, even if it was for a short while, I made her think about me and try to figure out or guess where I was from.
Even though her guesses were wrong and I told her the answer, that possibly made her all the more determined to remember it. I have no proof for that, but she did after all tell me she would keep that in mind. She even said a landmark, “Merlion” to add on to that, so while I was happy at first, my facial expression probably changed the moment she said that. I can imagine my face cringing as I then told her that was in Singapore.
Having many Japanese friends make that same mistake, I did feel a bit bad letting it out on her (from my facial expression) but strangely, that might had played in my favour in wanting to be remembered. Since she made a mistake out of her own ignorance, she was probably determined not to repeat it.
Then the second time I met her in that event, I had wished her “Happy Birthday” and told her I had given her a present this year. Near the end of it, she actually said “Ven, Malaysia!” to me. Not much time had passed at all, but the impression she gave me was that she did have an intention of remembering me by the means of the country I came from. Of course I don’t know how long something like that would stick in her memory but at that time, that was reassuring.
The last time I went to see her I told her about how it may be my last time seeing her because I was leaving Japan, how I wanted to return to Japan someday to work as an interpreter at the Tokyo Olympics and also said my final goodbye to her. Something like that may have been really solemn, but that being my farewell to her probably caught her attention. If I wanted to be memorable or be remembered by her, I may have achieved it that day? There is no guarantee for how long though.
Anyway, after all that, I questioned myself. What was my end goal? Was it for Yamamoto Sayaka to remember who I was? And I realised, no that wasn’t it. Naturally, I do not want to be forgotten but more importantly, how did I make her feel each time? Was she happy? Did she have fun? If it was possible, would she have wanted to see/meet me again? I don’t have the answer to that, but all I knew was she had made me feel really happy and thankful to have met her.
Everyone is probably right to say that I may have been too obsessed with her. It was dangerous after all for her to mean the world to me, but for me to mean nothing to her. The time may have been short, and it’s not just wishful thinking, but I know I have made her think a little about me, and as little as it is, she now knows something about me. Whether or not she remembers me in the future is a different story, but she went from knowing and thinking nothing about me to knowing and thinking something.
And I guess with that, I found my will to move on to next stage in my life. Eventually, I found my resolve. Anyway, I’m not discouraging people or other international fans in going for handshakes or any other idol events, but my first question would be, what do you hope to achieve? This is because you have to realise these events were made to be an endless cycle where you are not easily satisfied. If you’re more obviously foreign, perhaps you’ll be more easily remembered unlike me that is an Asian of Chinese roots. If you are like me in terms of looking like an Oriental Asian, then you have to realise that just meeting your favourite idol a few times may not get you anywhere.
Then, if you are very rich and have a lot of money, meeting numerous times may help you to be remembered, but honestly, it may not give you a favourable impression with your favourite idol. Of course, your favourite idol may grow to somehow like and acknowledge you of a big fan of theirs. However, in the end, it is still an idol-fan relationship.
That’s why I had said it’s important to know what it is you are trying to achieve. If all you want to do is to meet your favourite idol in the flesh for one or a few events, and have them smile at you and look you in the eye, then by all means go for it. If you were like me and just wanted to resolve all your feelings, then go with that intention and make sure you are able to use your limited time without having any regrets. When it comes to idols (especially the 48), you have to be very careful or you’ll end up in a never ending cycle. Perhaps some people are okay because they don’t get as emotionally attached. Too bad for me, but I was not that fortunate.

To end it all, Yamamoto Sayaka was/is my main bias at this time, and I realised after all these experiences, I no longer have the desire to meet the celebrities I like or admire. I decided that while I will still keep Sayaka in my prayers, I will no longer chase after her or any other celebrities, but instead go after my own dreams. If fate wills it, I may meet Sayaka again. Who knows? The next time I meet her (if I do), it probably won’t be as a fan.

 

It's just a way of saying "See you later!" in a familiar way.
Saying "sayonara" is hard and very dramatic, and Yuko wanted to leave in a ligh-hearted way, hence the use of that word. She's leaving the home she's created with her fellow AKB members and the fans to go out and do other things. Hence why everyone shouted the "itterasshai!". It was a very warm farewell.

It's like when Ricchan appeared in the election, she said "tadaima!" (I'm home) to the other members after her speech. She wasn't at a physical home, where you'd normally use that word, but she was back in AKB, her/their home when it comes to showbiz.

I liked your description of the Katyusha moment and I totally understand how you feel.
I never got to see Acchan in AKB and it's something I'll never see. But I hope to get to see her someday, even if it's on her own.

 

It's an old photo - but here you go. I think this taken in early 2008.
Enjoy!

 

what the hell? How did you got a solo shot with all the group????

 

I saw 100 shows at the AKB theater in Akihabara from 2007 - 2008 (and then many many more since then).

 

Wow ! That's truly impressive Great job !!!

My turn now, for this first AKB48 experience,
AKB48 Tokyo Dome Concert, August 18th, 2014

Prologue

Spoiler: Prologue

I'm a student in engineering school. The administration asks us to work during the summer holidays for two months, by any means, and as my japanese teacher offers us a way of finding a job there, well, I took my chance. The first month was in Tokyo, I did so studying but mostly sightseeing. After this, I have to work in a Hotel in Hakuba, Nagano Prefecture.

The thing is, my plan was to go to a theater performance when still in Tokyo, and give up the Tokyo Dome concert, but unfortunately, although I tried more than twenty times, I didn't get any ticket. With grief, I 've started to want to go to Tokyo Dome concert. Thus I phoned in late July the Hotel where I would be working in one week, to explain that I wanted to go to Tokyo for one day. I even offered to stay 2 more days in order to show my good will. The answer was no.

And so, I start to try to forgot about Tokyo Dome concerts, I canceled my application, and went to Hakuba. After two weeks (10th of August), I asked for the time arrivals of the guests ; it was like a last, desperate, try. No guests would be in the Hotel from 18 to 20. It was my chance. Taking my will to give me courage, I asked my manager again, with the arguement of the guests, and I waited. The next day, finally, the answer was yes.

And then, I thought I would get depressed, the application was closed the day I learned I could possibly go to an AKB Concert.
Oh my ... It can be seen in the Tokyo Dome thread :

Fortunately, it wasn't sold out yet, and I've been able to get a ticket on the 4th Round. I must say my manager really helped me with the procedure, so I can't blame him for anything. He is just worried about his hotel, but when he has time, he is a cheerful character and really helpful. On the 17th, I bought my bus ticket for Tokyo, and the bus night return ticket, and my manager helped with getting the AKB ticket I had succesfuly applied the day before in a Seven Eleven. Ready.

Transportation & Tokyo Dome City

Spoiler: Transportation

I took the bus at 9, and arrived in Shinjuku Station at 13:40. During the transportation, I listened to songs I haven't been listening for a long time, in order not to be rusty ! I was also a bit dissapointed by the fact I still didn't know the "Cyber, Diver" thing. And as an idiot, I didn't write it anywhere so couldn't learn it in the bus. Arriving in Tokyo, as the entrance was not allowed until 15:00, I thought I had time to go to the Tsutaya in Shibuya, to get the last NMB album ! Which I did, I chose the B Type because their faces are funnier than the N & M Type. Plus, there was also the thing that the DVD contains Request Hour PARTS, and the B Type counts for the 15 to 1 ranks. A good way to promote BII I guess.

Just after, I went to Tokyo Dome City, and stopped at Denny's to eat some pancakes (it was 15:00 but wasn't so hungry). Two boys at my right were talking about AKB, and one of them wore a NMB Shirt. At my left, a 10 year's old girl and her mother arrived after me. They were holding an AKB pink bag - which i found stylish - with Mayuyu goodies, towels, light sticks, and stuff inside. This is when I realized : well, this is it. I was smiling just with the though of being circled by AKB fans, just as I am. It was heartwarming. First time I ever experienced this !

Finishing my dessert, I went straight to Tokyo Dome, and discovered a huge line that, at first, I didn't understand the meaning of. It was in fact the AKB goods that were being sold. It was 15:30 and the concert was starting at 18:00, and people seemed not to wait any time to enter the dome, so I decided to queue up too. It was sunny & hot, and it took me one hour and a half to finally reach the shops. I bought the Watanabe Mayu fan, the fancy pink bag, the Team B light stick, and a beautiful t-shirt of these Tokyo Dome concert (the one with lots of colors ).

Placement in Tokyo Dome (+ friendly encouter)

Spoiler: Placement

It was now 17:30, time for me to enter the Dome ! I was a bit tensed, because my application name was a raw transcription of my real name in hiragana & katakana, but with the help of my passport, everything went well. I got to the 40th Gate, and found my seat with the help of a young lady dedicated to this task

I was afraid befor entering the Dome to have a poor placement, but I found it ok ! The girls would not seem to far away, and three big screens was there anyway. Just sad for the pillar blocking the view for center girls when near backstage (and it is troublesome for me since my oshimen is Mayuyu).

Spoiler: View from my seat

The placement was a bit messy I think, because three people changed their seats because of some mistakes. At the end, a japanese young man went at my left, saying "sorry" when passing by. I don't know why, but this simple word made me happy. He surely recognized I was not a fluently japanese speaker ^^; but he said this word with warmness in his voice. 5 minutes laters, I confessed him that it was my first AKB Concert, and as expected, he answered me back gently and simply enough to make sure I understood. I said to him that I didn't know the Cyber Diver thing, and he said that it was'nt a big deal, the more important was to have fun. He told me after that the thing he prefered was the "Haaaaaaaa, Yoshai Ikuzo !", so we did a bit of rehearsal, and continue chatting.

I explained that I didn't manage to get to the theater, and he proposed me to help me when I would go back to Tokyo on the 28th, as he is a member of the fanclub (and i'm not.). Who knows, maybe I will finally make it thanks to him ? His story was really interesting, he worked in Jakarta, and discovered JKT48 before AKB (still being japanese). When returning home, he then became a huge fan. His oshimen was Nishino Miki, and he was surprisedly happy I knowed her ! Thus, anytime there would be Mayu or Miki on screens or on the nearest stage during the show, we were screaming their names and laughing toghether, really funny ~

We also discussed about our favorite songs ; he liked B3 and B4, especially Idol no Yoake. I told him it was for me the best Stages too, but my preffered song was Iiwake Maybe. Shortly after, Takamina shouted on the mic, and the concert began.

The Concert

Spoiler: Concert

And out of nowhere, Iiwake Maybe. I mean, seriously. The song I listenned to more than four hundred times placed first. I couldn't stop my face smiling. It was a sign that this concert would be perfect. They burst into the dome on bikes, Mayuyu in the lead. Really fun to watch because they really did a the full semi-circle before going onto the stage. The next songs was Oogoe Diamond, and Give me Five. I love both and the chants gone well, I couldn't contain my excitement. With my new friend aside me, I manage to do this Diver thing well, and I must say it is perfect, and fits the songs really well. I love the way fans expressed themselves by this way, and make the songs even more beautiful than they were.

The school theme was announced by teachers dancing and the girls being on chairs. Then they performed Dreaming Girls and Dear My Teacher, a really great song that fits live really well. They continued on the school thing with diverse songs that were all great.

And then, Heart no Dasshutsu Game. It was PERFECT. I bought the Type 4 of Labrador Retriever and did the crossword of the MV related. It took me hours so I know the song really well now And in live, WOW. The question & answer with the audience are so powerful it made me goosebumps everytime. Thinking that everyone is enjoying the show, and nobody thinks to bad thing but simply repeat "NAZOTOKI !" and all ... well, it made my day. It even made my year, or more

At that time went Ruby. I loved the mv when it went out, it was the beginning of Mayuyu in Team A and the change of playstyle was drastic. It suits her really well I think. Here, it was a duet with Takamina & Kojiharu, but it was simply HUGE. I saw Tokyo Dome 2012 Concert on DVD, and loved the Kurumi to Dialogue performance, or New Ship, because they use plenty of elements to make the show more enjoyable. I think it is the best during these lives. Now, Ruby was cool, and powerful. The hologrames-types screen were really fun to watch, and both performed a great dance. Surely my favourite performance of the night.

MaYuki entered the stage, and I must say I alway love their duet. I thought they were going to sing alone but then they called "Team B!" and thought it was going to be the Shonichi thing, but instead, it was Team B Oshi ! The fan chants here are so strong, this song is so important for the group now, like Kimi ni koto ga Sukidakara. Both are great. I was a bit sad that Team B didn't sing B Garden, because there is room for a huge Mayu speech in it, but it's okay, I will just watch it on the dvd when it goes out ! (B Garden will surely be performed during one of the last two days right ?!)

I didn't know well the two songs of Team A, but they had great members in it (Takamina is surely the best performer of the night to my opinion) so it went great. I was worried about Team K because I think now they lack some great motors for the team, and when I heard the Scrap & Build intro I was a bit disapointed, because it's not a song I like too much. Why did they choose it ? Did it ranked well last Request Hour ? I forgot.

Anyway, the MaYuki duet finaly arrived, and it was great. I think Mayuyu did a mistake at the end, because she didn't get to the central platform When she realized it, she jumped back a little by surprise, but then, she just made a full circle of the platform (that went up by that time) where Yukirin was standing alone This was really funny. Both are so great together. Plus, the song was not lypsinced !

I love Sakura no ki ni Narou (I listened to the instrumental ver. like fifty times ), so when I heard the piano intro, I was so happy. It's rare that they perform it so I thought I was really lucky. Team 4 was near crying, and, I couldn't stop myself getting emotional too. It was amazing. So much feelings ! Kimotchi like they say !

I didn't know Team 8 but they did great ! They were perfectly in sync, and I was amazed, they were so young ! Their song was great too, I must look closer to this team now. The Band Medley was perfect, it's exactly what I expect from AKB shows, entertainement and new stuff. Kokoro no Placard was even slower than the original but it was still fun to watch. When AKB Festival was sung, I was so afraid that the show was about to end. But fortunately, we were only at 2/3.

Ue Kara Mariko was fun to watch, but Party is Over was a bit unexpected ( in the same way of Scrap & Build in a way). Still, the outfits was great, as light effects. Beginner was just perfect, as always, plus Takamina Center. She really did really a huge job tonight ! Then, all the famous songs came by. During Everyday Kachuusha, Takamina, Kojiharu, Yukirin and Mayu was in balloon to go closer to back seats. It was my chance, and hopefully, when she passed by, she did her fishing trick when she point her finger at you with surprised and then sent you a kiss. I don't care if it wasn't me that was looking at, it was near me So I consider that I received one of her kiss Best day ever. The "wooh wooh" during Kimi ni koto ga was a bit surprising but so funny to do as well ! Annin arrived for Arigatou and balloons fell down on the arena people, it was so touching, and i was so happy that she could join the group, even for one song.

The annoucement may have been cool for japanese, but I will already be back home when those dates could interest me so, meh.
The encore was cool, and I didn't expect Mayu on HebiRote but it went really well. It was a bit awkward because they didn't have usueal mics so there has been a small issue when MaYuki shared one, but it was still fun and cool to watch !

Mayuyu asked everyone to enjoy the last song with her, and I really think everyone did. I think Kokoro no Placard is digging into the heads of everyone now, it's a light and colourful song !

End and Photos

Spoiler: End

Then my new friend wanted to leave quickly to avoid to be caught with too many people on the trains, so I went with him to the doors, and thanked him for these great discussions and moments shared. I then go back to the Dome to see the last members leaving the stage. Mayuyu was last, and I think she really performed well, her small mistakes was cute anyway.

Exiting the Dome, I took the must-take photo of me with the lightstick and Mayuyu Fan in front of the stadium, and then went back to Hakuba, where i'm now writting this ! I pythink it was one of the best moment of my life, I've never been so happy and thinking of nothing else. It was pure happinness. The girls on stage where trying their best, and audience was enjoying the show, chanting together, screaming together. It was my first time to an AKB Concert, but surely not my last. I didn't intend to go to Japan next year, but now I do, and I will find a part time job if I have to. The Dome concert are perfect.

I still hope I will attend a theater performance as my friend contacted me this morning!

Hope you enjoy as much as me !

 

Thanks for the detailed write up. Sounds like it was a blast! *jealous*

 

Yeah, that part was quite funny!
But hmm, wasn't Mayuyu the one on the platform?
If I recall correctly, Yukirin walked around the platform, and she was on the right side of it when it went down, then she quickly joined Mayuyu while laughing. ^^

This picture seems to back this up (Mayuyu is standing still in the center while Yukirin is kind of leaning towards her, coming from the right side of the platform.
I might be wrong, especially since you had a better view than me. x)



Anyway, that's a great write-up! I hope you'll be able to see a theater performance when you come back to Tokyo!

 

Well it may be correct, I must admit I didn't watch the screen during that time to just watch the larger picture of this funny scene
But in my opinion it was Mayuyu mistaking buy you make me have doubts about this

I think we need a third spectator here

 

Thanks for the write-up! It seems like a really great experience and it's so nice to read a report that's so enthusiastically happy about the whole thing. It sounds like it was a great concert, I can't wait to see it.

 

I was there, and I remember it being Mayuyu on the platform and Yukirin walking around the side, too.

 

@yukizuri thanks for your write up! I'm glad you had a friendly encounter with a japanese! It remind me of my own experience in handshake where i met a lot of friendly fans as well!