#Wakana Covers～Anime Classics～

[lunawings]

While I was in Japan during March 2024, I was able to visit the Pretty Rhythm Rainbow Live 10th Anniversary Exhibit. This is my favorite anime of all time, so it was an incredible honor.

Unfortunately, you could not take pictures in many areas and I always try my best to be respectful and follow the rules. So, I will describe it.

The walls of the first room were covered in several tapestries depicting each individual episode of the anime, so you could reminisce about everything that happened as you slowly walked through the room. In the middle of the room, there were several exhibits perfectly recreating every single paper, notebook, sketch...

Hokkaido itinerary? Wakana and Bell's test scores? Momo's Happy Rain costume sketches? Naru and Bell's manager applications? The score to pride? Any piece of paper you can think of that appeared in PRRL, it was all HERE! Recreated with meticulous accuracy...

The next room was the photo room where you could take pictures in Prism Stone or in front of Rinne's feathers.

Something else they had here which was really neat, was all of these mini photo ops of various scenes from the anime that you could put your plushies or figures into! As I rarely have someone with me to take photos of myself at events like this, and I rarely post them even when I do, NGL I loved it. I wish I had brought something! I did have a PAF Naru on my bag I could have used, but it would have taken time to unpin her so unfortunetly I did not.

The next room contained an exhibit of various merch from throughout the years.

Unfortunately, there wasn't really much merch to look at in the classic section. Just the guitars, some stones, and the Smart Pod Shot. But I definitely think there was more than that back in the day! There has to have been because I own at least one thing that was not in here (a pool bag) haha!

They also had a REAL prism guitar on display, which apparently they are actually going to sell at some point!?

The last part of the exhibit before going to the gift shop, was a hallway with messages from all the voice actresses and the director. This was also a zone where photos were banned, but I remember in the director's he acknowledged Rainbow Live as being the only Pretty Rhythm season to achieve a 10th anniversary celebration and ended his commentary with "Glorious Pretty Rhythm" hahaha. Next was the gift shop...

Which was honestly super disappointing... I was prepared to spend a lot of money here, but in the end, I barely bought anything. Everything, EVERYTHING good was blind and the stuff that wasn't was just so expensive.

Like, they had this set of Hiro cards with his magazine covers and debut poster and I really wanted them but when I actually saw them it was like... 2,000 yen? FOR THREE CARDS!? Those tiny little cards you can see up there below the keychains?

????????????

Am I missing something!?

In the end I bought two Wakana boards and two clear files. And the one blind thing I couldn't resist was the Prism Stone badges... which turned out to be Otoha x2 and one Ann. Gah.

I also might have bought a Wakana plush doll, but she was sold out. Out of all the Rainbow Live girls she was the only one sold out both here and at Tokyo Station Prism Stone.

And here were the bonuses I got. Including, yes, the AiPri card. So for people who saw me posting it over on @pretty-idol-hell, this was where it came from.

I also got a very special letter, which I am saving to translate at a later date...

Outside the event was an up and running Pretty Rhythm machine, or so I thought. Wow, no line! I said to myself as I happily bounced up to it only to find the coin slot taped over and a sign reading it could not be used. Darn. (I know there's no prism stones left in the wild, but come on, there's no free play mode...? Well, I guess even if there was they wouldn't want people loitering around the exhibition.)

Anyway, as you read I did have a few complaints, but it still makes my heart happy that this event existed at all. I loved all the time and effort that went into making all the recreations of things!

[putschki1969]

Kaji Fes.2023 Day 2 FULL Video

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Yes, finally we have a recording of Day 2. Even though I was there for Day 2 back in December, I was still excited to experience the whole thing again. Unfortunately, I never got to write my report so I guess I will use the opportunity to share some of my memories and current thoughts.

Here goes nothing┗(•ˇ_ˇ•)―→

street corner: Looks like they cut this. I am surprised because they had a much longer slot for Day 2 (3 hours instead of just 2) so I was sure they would be able to squeeze all of it into the broadcast but apparently not. Oh well, can't say I am said about that because being confronted with the accordion right from the get-go at the live really didn't leave a good impression on me. I had pretty high expectations for the whole thing and this intro left me more than underwhelmed. Thank God we transitioned right to "希望の光".

希望の光: Now THIS is the intro I was hoping for. What a gorgeous melody! I wasn't familiar with the track but my God, I got goosebumps all over. I literally felt this in my entire body. The gradual build-up to a more grand-scale symphonic arrangement towards the end really impressed me. I am just obsessed with the uilleann pipes and the Celtic sound. I honestly struggle to get beyond this because I keep rewinding the video.

prelude to Act 1: The look on my face when I heard those first few notes. I was shooketh to say the least. I most definitely did not expect them to do the Kalafina block this early in the live but I knew that if they were doing the Madoka instrumentals, the most logical thing would be to transition straight into a Kalafina track. While I have never watched the anime, these are melodies I hold very dear to my heart so I loved this. It was also a great pleasure to hear Eri Ito live for the first time. I will never get enough of Yuki's more classically trained vocalists. it's such a pleasure to listen to them.

Numquam vincar: After "prelude to Act 1" this was no surprise at all but damn, I am so glad they played this. I've never actually had the chance to experience this track live even though they obviously performed it numerous times during Kalafina live intermissions. What a pleasure to be there and truly feel the epicness of that intro. Once more I was covered in goosebumps.

Magia [quattro]: At this point I knew it was coming but it was still a shock to my system. Like I said earlier, I was sure that they would wait until the very end to do the Kalafina block (that's what they had done for earlier lives) so I thought I had some time to prepare myself and get into the groove so to speak. My body certainly wasn't ready so maybe that's why my brain couldn't properly compute the whole thing. I remember not being as hyped as I expected to be and that made me kinda sad. I am so grateful that we are getting this recording and a blu-ray release because I feel like I couldn't fully appreciate the performance while I was there. Getting to see it again is a real treat and I must say, I like this much more than the previous FJ "covers" we have gotten of this song. Hikaru and Keiko sound so perfectly in tune and I just love their powerful delivery. For the most part, I don't mind the higher harmonies provided by Yuriko and Joelle. Although during some parts (e.g. mayowazu ni yukeru nara), I feel like Joelle and Keiko don't harmonise very well together but whatever, it doesn't bother me too much. On a random side note, I wasted way too much time wondering about why I thought that Keiko's arms looked kinda naked until I finally realised that the puffy sleeve pieces of her outfit were missing.

storia: I did not expect this to make it onto the setlist but I am a big fan of the song so I was happy when I heard the first notes. Overall, I think I like this version well enough although I will admit that my favourite part has always been the chorus with Keiko and Wakana so it is a bit jarring to hear Joelle for these parts. Don't get me wrong, Joelle sounds great and I feel like the harmony between her and Keiko works better here than during "Magia" but still, it can't quite touch my heart. I mean, just thinking of all the Kalafina performances where Wakana and Keiko gaze lovingly into each other's eyes while they sing the "yasashii uta..." line makes me tear up. Nothing will ever be able to replace that for me. A few days later I attended Wakana's concert where she also performed "storia". This may sound ridiculous but hearing those performances more or less back to back almost felt as if the three of them had been reunited. Even though this might have been a coincidence, just the idea of this little connection had me in tears.

君の銀の庭: Oh, another cut song. Thank God we are getting the Blu-Ray. I will be honest with you though, I am quite sad that they chose two Kalafina songs that I don't particularly like. I couldn't get as excited as I wanted to be. I think I had no complaints about this performance, enjoyed everyone's vocals and didn't really notice Wakana's absence. But I guess that's because I wasn't a big fan of the song to begin with :P

to the beginning: It will forever be a mystery to me why this is such a fan favourite but oh well, let's not linger on that. In some way, it's almost a blessing in disguise for me to not have such a strong emotional connection to these songs because it helps me appreciate the new versions a lot more. No matter how skilled of a singer Joelle might be, if I am invested in a performance with a prominent Wakana part, there is no way anyone will ever live up to that. It's 100% a me problem, I realise that but I doubt I will ever be able change that way of thinking. Anyways, this was a perfectly fine rendition.

海と真珠: Don't think I've ever heard a JUNNA song. Not a huge fan of her voice, it's just too generic for me. But there's something about this song that I like, especially that those hey-hey woah parts. The chorus is decent too. It's not a track I would skip but also not something I would actively seek out.

太陽の航路: Not my cup of tea. I can tell that there is a nice melody hidden in the chorus but it's a bit too fast-paced for me.

time to sail!: Yet another cut. I loved this. Was already familiar with it from a previous recording so I really appreciated getting to hear t live. It's somewhat of a very epic and grand-scale version of "Umi to Shinju" which I am only realising now XD

The main theme of “L.O.R.D”: Can't tell you how very much I am in love with this song. The first time I got to experience this live was in Taiwan back in 2019. The song is so fucking good, I will never get tired of it. I was utterly blown away by Joelle's vocal prowess. I know it always sounds like I am low-key bullying her but that's really not my attention. I am just forever too hung-up on Wakana to ever be able to accept anyone else taking up my favourite parts of her.

I talk to the rain: Can't wait to hear this again on the Blu-ray.

a song of storm and fire: In my report for Day 1 I did talk about tis and "salva nos" being my first introduction to Yuki Kajiura's music. I feel so privileged to have finally been there for a live performance. Needless to say, it was everything that I could have asked for. Watching the recording now doesn't even do it justice. It was so much more powerful at the venue.

ring your song: This always brings tears to my eyes. The melody is just so beautiful and when they all join in, it's literal perfection.

ことのほかやわらかい: God dammit, I really want to like this song because in theory it should be right up my alley. I mean, the instrumental intro is to die for, it's so promising but then it's just all over the place and I can't get into it T_T

夜光塗料: Not a huge fan of ASCA unfortunately and I do not care for the song either.

雲雀: Surprisingly fond of this. Very nice melody. Can see myself listening to it on a regular basis.

君が見た夢の物語: Not much to say about this except that I enjoyed Keiko's lower harmonies. It's not a bad song per se so I probably would have liked it more if it didn't have ASCA on main.

everlasting song: This is always fun although I do enjoy the version without FJ ASUKA more. I know that sounds horrible considering it's literally her song but I will never be a fan of Yuki's vocalists with a more generic voices. Wakana's "kimi no me ni..." will forever be my favourite!!

世界の果て: No thoughts really.

優しい夜明け: Joelle is a much better fit for this See-Saw song than Yuuka. Very enjoyable.

君がいた物語: A favourite of mine. Do I prefer the version with Wakana? Of course! Do I have fun with this version too? Mostly yeah! Kaori's always work for me here but I can tolerate it.

Rainbow~Main Theme~: This was a nice treat. Very fond of KOKIA as a vocalist and this is just a super beautiful song. Have always liked it.

風よ、吹け: Not as smitten with this new KOKIA song but it's nice enough. I certainly wouldn't skip it

lotus: Wow, two Hanae cuts! How rude!!

inverse operation:

目覚め: I do love the Wakana versions but I also enjoy versions with other main vocalists. And of course, Hanae does an amazing job.

夕闇のうた: I know this didn't leave a good impression on me when I first heard it and I can't say I feel much different about it now.

荒野流転: This upcoming FJ Yuuka corner didn't do anything for me, it was the point where I started to get really tired and distracted. It was a struggle to still pay attention even though these were all more up-beat songs.

Silly-Go-Round: Nope.

cazador del amor: Meh.

nowhere: The only song I actually enjoyed from this corner. ASCA thankfully used a voice that I didn't find too grating (which can't be said about rito, JUNNA and Lino). Almost wish I had stood up for this performance and the next because Keiko was spending a lot of time on the left side of the stage (I had an arena seat pretty close to the stage on the left) but I probably wouldn't have had a good view of Keiko anyway so I preferred to just watch the screen. And to be honest, I am not the type of person to stand up and do some weird moves anyway so it was probably for the best. No need to embarrass myself in front of people who actually know how to move their body.

zodiacal sign: I mean, when is this ever not an absolute pleasure?

into the world: I was hoping to see Hikaru again since almost all the other guest vocalists had had a second appearance and yay, she came back on stage for the final song before the encore! "into the world" was such a perfect ending. I definitely got choked up, especially towards the climax of the song when Keiko was really putting all of herself into it.

red rose: Not my favourite but a good track for all the musicians to shine again.

Parade: It's my favourite song from the album and a fitting ending for this behemoth of a concert. At this point, everyone was close to tears after Yuki's little speech so that made it so much more moving. Love, love, love!! Right after they all take a bow and everyone is leaving the stage, I am glad they zoomed in a bit on Keiko who was wiping away some tears and leaning on Hikaru. That moment killed me at the live.

[you-turn-it-into-light]

Wakana - Toki ni wa Mukashi no Hanashi wo (時には昔の話を) 

Part 1 | Part 2

[a-chan-no-baka]

My winter holidays gift has finally reached me~ I’m so happy!

[takahiro-okubo]

Wakana

Wakana Covers ~Anime Classics~

Album

Rec&Mix(M1,M2,M7,M8,M9) Rec(M3,M4,M5,M6,M10)

[putschki1969]

2023/11/10 Blog post by Wakana おしゃべりガーデン第３回目‼︎〜記憶喪失者続出の七五三〜

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Talk Garden #3!! ~Lost Memories of Shichi-Go-Sen~

The November podcast has been uploaded 😃♡ This time's talk topic is "Anecdotes of Shichi-Go-San"!! ️ Funnily enough, almost all the messages I received from everyone were full of "I don't remember". That made laugh🤣🤣I'm sorry, who am I to judge? I honestly don't remember a lot either, I guess we were all too young when we celebrated Shichi-Go-San 😂 I wonder if we should increase the age of celebration from 7(Shichi), 5(Go) and 3(San) to 12 and 15. *laughs* This way, it would be much more memorable 😂 Of course there were also some people who said that they remembered everything perfectly. Some of you mentioned that you remember crying a lot. Very relatable to be honest~ *laughs*

As a small gift to everyone whose message I read in the podcast, I made a handmade glass deco sticker of Shark-chan!\\٩( 'ω' )و // I had a vague idea that a sticker would be a good gift to give as a thank you, so after doing some research, I finally decided on these glass deco stickers! This is the completed set of my Shark-chan glass deco sticker🦈🦈🦈🦈💕A small gift! You can draw whatever picture you like on the film sheet by using the paint, then let it dry and it's done. It takes about 8 hours to dry the whole thing, but I let it dry for about two days just to be sure. Shark-chan is being mass-produced... (I also made one with some odd colouring.) When I tried sticking it on my Mac, the shark looked a bit wrinkled. But these are so much fun to make! 😳✨The glass deco paint is released by the same company that makes the popular Arabic Yamato glue. According to the official description, magical paint is a mixture of paint and glue that turns into colourful and shining stickers and looks like stained glass after drying😊 I didn't know about the existence of these stickers at all until I researched it but they seem to be quite popular😳When I went to Daiso, they also sold paint for this 😳From now on, I want to try more different kinds of drawings! ! \\٩( 'ω' )و // So, everyone whose message I read, please wait patiently for your Shark-chan sticker to arrive!

And I have some news! For the fan club event that will be held after the "Wakana Classics 2023 ~Winter Party~" on December 15th, we have decided to do a poll for the song that I will be singing during that particular section! I started my classical concerts back in 2020 with the "Wakana Covers ~Anime Classics~" album. I thought I would let everyone choose from a selection of songs from this album😉Click here for the poll! ・Yasashisa ni tsutsumareta nara ・Inochi no Namae ・Kimi no Todoke ・Get Wild ・Yume no Yukue

Please let me know which song you would like to hear! ! ! ♪♪♪＼(^o^)／♪♪♪ Lastly, here's a picture of my Gazania which bloomed again due to the abnormally warm temperatures(?)🌼It's blooming so beautifully 😳💕I'm so happy ♡

Well, I hope you enjoy the new episode! This time it's about 40 minutes long *laughs*Please relax and listen 😊

＊＊＊Wakana＊＊＊

Wakana’s Talk Garden#3 「Anecdotes of Shichi-Go-San」

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For this month, the topic is as follows =>

“Anecdotes of Shichi-Go-San”

For next month’s episode which is scheduled to air in December, the topic is "Things I should do before the end of they year but somehow, I turn a blind eye to it." The submission deadline is 11/30.

Wakana Winter Shark Festival Vol.#3 ~ Birthday Cross Talk Event ~

This year, there will once again be a fan club exclusive online streaming event to celebrate Wakana's birthday. This year, “Wakana Winter Shark Festival Vol.3 ~Birthday Crosstalk Event~” will be held on December 10th, the day of Wakana's birthday! Wakana will be joined by Yuuka Nanri, they will get together for the first time since spring. Everyone, let's celebrate Wakana's birthday together!! ‖Event details Wakana Winter Shark Festival Vol.3 ~Birthday Crosstalk Event~ Date: December 10, 2023 Time: 14:00~ Starring: Wakana& Yuuka Nanri(Guest) ‖Ticket details Ticket sales: Bitfan tickets Live streaming: Bitfan Live [Order period] November 11th 18:00 to December 16th 23:59 Event viewing ticket: ¥2,000 (tax included) *Ticket are limited to FC members *The archived video will be available for viewing December 18th.

[putschki1969]

Hello dear Sarah, I hope you are feeling very well ☺️ I was wondering if by any chance you will have on audio all the covers that Wakana has done in her concerts, such as the covers that she sings at the live music party? Thanks in advance

Hello there! Sorry for the late reply. It took me a while to muster up the necessary motivation to collect all of Wakana's covers and put them into a single folder. Wakana has done quite a lot of covers throughout the years and while I do have audios for all of them, they are scattered across several folders and two different Google Drives. I didn't wanna forget about anything so I carefully worked my way through my Wakana content. Hopefully the list is complete now. If anyone notices that something is missing, please let me know! Also, please be aware that I am only including full covers here. Wakana has done various short covers on Instagram and her fan club videos but I wouldn't add them to this collection.

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20190203 BAYFM78 Ashita no Ongaku

01.Ito

20190228 Bokura no Ongaku

03.Winter Dust

20190925 Wakana Live Tour 2019 ~VOICE~

07.Kaze ni Naritai 08.Hotaru 09.Jidai 12.Musunde Hiraku※ 13.Hanamizuki 14.oblivious※ 17.Hikari Furu※

20201222 Wakana Anime Classic 2020

01.Toki ni wa Mukashi no Hanashi wo 02.Yasashisa ni Tsutsumareta Nara 03.Kaze no Tani no Nausicaä 04.Rain 05.When She Loved Me 06.Mononoke Hime 07.Kimi wo Nosete 08.Kizuato※ 09.Mirai※ 10.Utautai no Ballad 11.Get Wild 12.Ai Ni Dekiru Koto Wa Mada Aru Kai 13.Yume no Yukue

20210529 Wakana Music Party Vol.2

06.Umi wo miteita gogo 07.Ai no Katachi 08.I have a dream※

20210811 Wakana Spring Live ~magic moment~ 2021

09.Melody 10.Genki wo Dashite 16.Haru wo Matsu※

20210904 Wakana Anime Classic 2021 Day/Night

01.Yasashisa ni Tsutsumareta Nara 02.Kaze no Tani no Nausicaa (Day ) / Kimi wo Nosete (Night) 03.Inochi no Namae 04.Kaze no Tōrimichi 05.Kimi wo Nosete (Day) / Mononoke Hime (Night) 06.Toki ni wa Mukashi no Hanashi wo 07.Rain 08.When She Loved Me (Day) / Utautai no Ballad (Night) 09.Bokura no Natsu no Yume 10.Get Wild 11.Kimi Wa Taiyō 12.Ai ni Dekiru Koto wa Mada Aru kai 13.Yatsura no Ashioto no Ballad 14.Country Road (Day) / Yume no Yukue (Night)

20220806 Wakana Botanical Land ~Summer Party~

04.Odoriko (Day) / Hikōki-gumo (Night) 05.Aitakute Ima 06.Inochi no Namae

20221225 Wakana Classics 2022 ~Christmas Special~

06.Toki ni wa Mukashi no Hanashi wo 07.Ai ni Dekiru Koto wa Mada Aru kai 08.Kimi no Gin no Niwa※

20230325 Wakana Spring Shark Festival Vol.2

05.Yasashisa ni Tsutsumareta Nara

※Kalafina Self-Cover

[putschki1969]

4/16 Wakana 3rd Album『Sono Saki e』Online Sign Event

DOWNLOAD the FULL VIDEO

If you’ve got time, don’t forget to tune in to today’s live broadcast. Two online sign events are being held to celebrate the release of Wakana’s 3rd original album and those who purchase the album in the Victor Online Store will receive a personalised autopgraph from Wakana. ◆【1st】 4/16 13h～　BUY HERE　(Pre-order deadline: 4/15)　 ◆【2nd】5/13 17h～　BUY HERE   (Pre-order deadline: 5/12)

As a purchase privilege, you will receive an alternate version of the “Sono Saki e” cover with a different visual depending on the day. This cover image will be signed by Wakana and include a personal reference with your chosen nickname. Both events will be broadcast on YouTube and archived until April 23, May 20 respectively. ※The store specific tokuten postcard will NOT be included with your order

Tweet by Wakana | Tweet 2 by Wakana | Instagram post by Wakana

Random comments:

They have instrumental versions of Wakana’s work as BGM. A big portion was instrumentals of Wakana’s Anime Classics. Wish they would release that on CD. Unfortunately nothing from the new album. I was hoping for some sneak peeks of the new songs but I guess it’s a bit too early for that T_T

Oh no, seems like she is often adding a さん to names that already have a ちゃん. For the second sign event I actually put “Sarahちゃん” as nickname because I was hoping she would just leave it like that (in previous events she did that) but I guess she is not always thinking about that so occasionally she will add a  さん.Oh well. I had to try :P Let’s hope for the best!

Wakana talks about the upcoming MV for her album track “Butterfly Dream”. She already spoiled this announcement in one of her reply tweets a few ago but it’s nice to get an official announcement XD Seems like they once again hired the director who already did the MV for “Toki ni wa Mukashi no Hanashi wo” so I am sure it’s gonna be gorgeous. They shot it in Utsunomiya and Wakana already got to watch a first version of it. Her main takeaway was that her forehead looked huge in a lot of shots LOL. She felt quite self-conscious and wished she had bangs

Interesting, didn’t expect them to include a proper intermission with video promos, nice addition.

Wakana is really hyping up KEMONO. She is not allowed to reveal anything specific but according to her, it’s pretty much the most amazing thing ever. And it was the song she mentioned previously in an Instagram post, the one she had a very hard time with.

[putschki1969]

2022/12/30 Blog post by Wakana クリスマススペシャルのすべて☆〜2022年もたくさんありがとう！〜 

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All About the Christmas Special☆〜Thank you for 2022！〜

Thank you very much to everyone who came to see my "Wakana Classics 2022 ~Christmas Special~" held at Kioi Hall on Christmas Day! ･:*+.\((°ω°))/.:+ I had a blast＼＼\\٩ (=´∀｀)人(´∀｀=)و //// To be able to share music with all of you at Kioi Hall on such a special day as December 25th...this is truly what happiness means!! ️✨(T-T)✨

Here are some pictures of the stage from the side. When everyone was in their Santa set-up after the main performance, it was an exclusive part of the event for those who bought a special ticket.

I chose a bright red dress this year (*'▽'*) The skirt was super long ＼(^o^)／And my hair was arranged in a gorgeous manner! \(^o^)/ My Santa costume looked like this (*'▽'*) I put on a cape and a mini Santa hat hairpin 🧑‍🎄🎄✨

Starting with this concert, we decided to change the title to "Wakana Classics" (^-^) Up until now, this was a concert focusing on covering songs based on my album "Wakana Covers ~Anime Classics~" but from now on, I want to sing more of my original songs in a classical arrangement so a title change seemed fitting. I want everyone to experience the fun and new arrangements that are only possible in such a classical setting, even if it's just my own songs (^-^)

Once again, I was moved by the beauty of Kioi Hall's acoustics, the profound feeling felt throughout the mysterious atmosphere of the venue, through the seats, the doors, the ceiling and the stage. The sounds we created with our voices and instruments were enveloped in the warmth of the wood throughout the venue and carried across the air, turning the music both delicate and powerful. I dream of being able to meet everyone again at that venue (*^^*) Thank you for everything ! *･ﾟﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*･ '(*ﾟ▽ﾟ*)'･*:.｡. .｡.:*･ﾟﾟ･*

Only a few more days left of 2022. I am full of gratitude to all of you. This year I started working on a new album and I shall head towards next year with a bunch of new feelings that will be incorporated in the making of said album (^-^) I want next year to be a lot of fun and I want to share my music with everyone!

Everyone, please take care of your health and have a Happy New Year ＼(^-^)／ See you next year~☆( *'▽'*)/

＊＊＊Wakana＊＊＊

[putschki1969]

『Wakana Anime Classic 2021』 Tokyo ~ Live Commentary

9/4(Sat)@Kioi Hall <Day> Open14:00/Start15:00   ¥3,500 <Night> Open17:30/Start18:30 ¥3,500 Archive: ~September 11 e+「Streaming＋」：https://eplus.jp/wakana/st/ If you have the means, please be sure to buy tickets (available for purchase until September 11)! It is important that we support Wakana.

I have tickets for both the day as well as the evening performance and am planning to watch them live so as always, I will be posting my initial thoughts and impressions. I wonder if she will have any cool announcements for us today? Maybe a new release? It’s been a while T_T I wish she would land an anime tie-in gig! It would do wonders for her popularity [This post will be updated throughout the day]

•————— ♬ —————• 

1. Yasashisa ni Tsutsumareta Nara: Edit: Oh no, I actually missed this. THANK GOD I have a ticket for the evening performance as well (and there is an archive). Ughhh, why did I mess up the time?! I am stupid. 2. Kaze no Tani no Nausicaa (Day )/Kimi wo Nosete (Night): Phew, I almost missed the start.  Anyways, Wakana looks GORGEOUS. So far I am really liking the piano-violin-cello arrangement, thought it would feel a bit lacking compared to last year’s live but it really doesn’t. Great start!!! I don’t think she sang this in Osaka. MC: Introduction of musicians. 3. Inochi no Namae: *sobs* Was dying to hear this live, it’s so much better than expected. I am blown away. This hits me right in the feels. How is her voice always going straight to my heart??! Goosebumps every single time! 4. Kaze no Toorimichi: Her voice is a bit breathy here, I think she is choosing this style on purpose but I am not a particularly big fan of it. Ahhhh, Loving her “ooooh”s! For the evening portion she changed her singing style a bit so she sounds less breathy. I like it much more this way. 5. Kimi wo Nosete (Day) / Mononoke Hime (Night): I think her performance of Kimi wo Nosete is much better than back in December. Maybe it’s the arrangement which is a tad slower so Wakana isn’t as rushed, not sure. Either way, her vocals are so much stronger here, at least imo. Ah, I see, her night performance setlist seems to be pretty much identical to her Osaka setlist. Makes sense to have Kaze no Toorimichi and Mononoke Hime back to back. perfect combo. Also, so happy I get to hear it again. This is one of the very few old-school anisongs I actually know. And Wakana’s version is to die for!! The arrangement was also breathtaking. MC The first half of her concert is dedicated to Ghibli pieces. The next piece concludes this section. 6. Toki ni wa Mukashi no Hanashi wo: The high parts are flawless here, love them so much. Her “dokoka de” at the end was a bit sudden tho XD INTERMISSION (20 min): She wore the lacey white dress we have already seen in pictures for the first half with her hair down and wavy. For the second half her hair is in an elaborate ponytail and she has changed into a gorgeous blue gown with a sparkling waist belt. So pretty!

7. Rain: Not my favourite cover song of hers but a lovely performance nonetheless 8. When She Loved Me (Day) / Utautai no Ballad (Night): Ahhh, so happy to have this back again. Unfortunately though, this was a bit shaky at times. Liked her version in December better. Will have to rewatch later. Rewatching it right now, my initial reaction was a bit off, Wakana’s performance was actually really good, not sure why I didn’t like it in the beginning. During the evening performance she sang Utautai no Ballad which was beautiful. The arrangement isn’t as epic as the one with 1966 QUARTET but Wakana’s vocals are TOP NOTCH, much better than last year (she ran a bit out of breath back then). 9. Bokura no Natsu no Yume: I suspected she would sing this because it was also part of her Osaka setlist. I listened to the original which didn’t impress me much. Wakana’s version on the other hand is absolutely beautiful, perfect for her voice. Her” whoooo”s towards the end KILLED me! SP FREAKING GOOD!! MC: Talk about the rainy weather. After all, she is the bringer of rain XD 10. Get Wild: Will never get tired of this. Such a perfect song for Wakana, who would’ve thought? Poor baby, I think she stumbled over her lyrics a bit in the beginning. But she recovered quickly. 11. Kimi Wa Taiyo: Another cover I was expecting since it was also part of the Osaka setlist. Everyone is clapping along and having fun. Not a huge fan of the original song or Wakanas version...Wakana is obviously having a blast but meh, she doesn’t sound too good singing this. Already liking this a bit more now that I am listening to it a second time during the evening performance. It will not become my favourite Wakana-cover but it’s actually a lot of fun (similar to Country Road actually). MC: She wants to hold many more lives like this in the future. It’s already time for the final song before the encore. 12. Ai ni Dekiru Koto wa Mada Aru kai: Nailed it. Perfection. EN. 13. Yatsura no Ashioto no Ballad: Wakana is back on stage with Sin. Initially I didn’t really like this song but by now I am honestly in love with it. MC: She wants to think of us all while singing this and brings back all musicians for this final song. EN. 14. Country Road (Day) / Yume no Yukue (Night): Ohhhh, I didn’t expect  Country Road. Thought she would be singing “Yume no Yukue” from her album. Was so sad when last year the live stream didn’t include the encore so we weren’t able to hear Country Road and Magic Moment. So cute!!! I have never actually heard the Japanese version, so far I have only known the original English version but Wakana’s cover was so freaking adorable! Admittedly not her best vocal performance but she more than made up for it with cuteness. Such a feel-good song! During the night performance she did sing Yume no Yukue though (as expected). Always a pleasure to listen to this. MC: Wakana says she didn’t expect so many people to come to her live. Awww, I am so glad lots of fans showed up to support her even during these tough times. She briefly talked about her upcoming Billboard Lives but no new announcements :-(.

Summary: So for the day portion she sang ALL songs of her cover album with the exception of Yume no Yukue. In addition, she performed  Kaze no Tani no Nausicaa, Bokura no Natsu no Yume (Summer Wars), Kimi wa Taiyo (Oblivion Island: Haruka and the Magic Mirror), When She Loved Me (Toy Story 2) and Country Road (Whisper of the Heart). For the evening performance she dropped Kaze no Tani no Nausicaa and sang Mononoke Hime instead. When She Loved Me got replaced with Utautai no Ballad. Just like in Osaka, she finished he concert with Yume no Yukue.

[putschki1969]

Wakana Tower Records Release Event

Source  1 | Source 2 | Source 3 | Source 4 | Source 5 | Source 6 | Source 7 | Source 8 | Source 9

Will try to do some live commenting on this post. Unfortunately the video will not be archived so I have no way of saving the footage T_T Need to do my best to treasure this! It’s like a throwback to last year when I got to celebrate Wakana’s  birthday with her at the Winter Live. Now I get to celebrate her birthday with her again. SO HAPPY!!

A little introduction and we are already starting with the mini live

時には昔の話を (Toki ni wa Mukashi no Hanashi wo)

She read a few messages in the chat

君をのせて (Kimi wo Nosete)

Wakana is shocked to find out that the masks she designed as live goods are already pretty much sold out. She will try to figure something out to offer more. She drew the hippos which are her live motif.

BANZAI!!!! She read my comment!! I said I was watching from Vienna. She was super surprised and almost shocked to hear that. She waved enthusiastically at the screen and was like, “eh??! The place of Sachertorte and Vienna Boys Choir??!!” Ahhhhhhh! I am deceased.

やつらの足音のバラード (Yatsura No Ashioto No Ballade)

She will post another picture of her Queen of Night tonight because it BLOOMED again (maybe in celebration of her birthday? XD EDIT: Turns out it was another one of her flowers that bloomed :P). She apologised multiple times that the video would not be archived. Then she got to the floor on all fours. I think it was to demonstrate how she prevents static electricity but I am not sure.

Get Wild [Awwww, she forgot her lines in the beginning  Poor baby was so embarrassed, took her a while to digest this. Sin -who was on the piano- tried to motivate her by playing a few notes but she was too distraught. She hid her face and turned her back to us for a few seconds in order to compose herself. But then she was back to her old self and SLAYED!]

If someone (followers, lurkers, anyone?) was taking part in the event and able to record it (unlike me), PLEASE send me the video! I will be forever grateful!

Tweet by Wakana staff

Instagram post by Wakana

Today we did an online release event for『Wakana Covers～Anime ‼️ Accompanying me on keyboard was Hashimoto Shin (Sin)-san who did  the arrangments and vocals direction for my album. ✴️ Thanks to Tower Records we were able to stream live🤗✨ Thank you to everyone who has sent me messages congratulating me for my album release and wishing me a happy birthday✴️ When I got up this morning my dendrobium was surprisingly in full bloom even though it typically only bloom in spring🙌✨ It feels like even my plants wanted to congratulate me so that made me super happy🥰

[you-turn-it-into-light]

Wakana - Toki ni wa Mukashi no Hanashi wo (時には昔の話を)

Part 1 | Part 2

[putschki1969]

Album Release 『Wakana Covers ～Anime Classics～』

The release of an anime song cover album has just been announced!

"Wakana’s Cover Project" has started in earnest! As the first step, a cover album with classical arrangements will be released on December 9. The album 『Wakana Covers ～Anime Classics～』will be available for download/streaming and two physical versions will also be released. There will be 10 songs in total (all song titles will be revealed on October 23). The tracklist will include 「君をのせて(Kimi wo Nosete)」, 「愛にできることはまだあるかい(Ai ni Dekiru Koto wa Mada Aru Kai)���and 「時には昔の話を(Toki Ni Wa Mukashi No Hanashi Wo)」. 【Wakana Official YouTube Channel】http://youtube.com/c/Wakana_official 【「時には昔の話を」Cover Video】 https://youtu.be/LWBkAGv2cXw

There will be two types of CDs, the regular edition (yellow cover) and the first press limited edition (blue cover). The first press limited edition comes with a DVD containing the music video and making video of 「時には昔の話を」 ,  a full-size version of "Kimi wo Nosete" with piano accompaniment and a luxurious 40-page photo book.

◆ First Press Limited Edition: VIZL-1830, 4,500 yen + tax, DVD (”時には昔の話を" Music Video & Making, "君をのせて" Studio Acoustic Live), photo book (40 pages), three-sided sleeve case ◆ Regular Edition: VICL-65447, 3,000 yen + tax, 1CD ◆ Download&Streaming: iTunes, Apple Music, Amazon Music, AWA, KKBOX, LINE MUSIC, mora, mora qualitas, Rakuten Music, RecoChoku, RecMusic, Spotify, YouTube Music, dHits, Uta Pass, SMART USEN

[putschki1969]

Wakana Fan Club Event Report/Summary

As I already mentioned the other day, this was SUCH AN AMAZING event. More than an hour filled with quality content. I was starting to sweat when the event took longer than expected and Keiko’s event was already starting. For about 10 minutes I had to try and watch both simultaneously which was super hard since Wa’s audio was pretty low whereas Keiko’s audio was super loud.

Anyways, Wakana and Nacchan are so freaking cute together. 💗 And Wakana is making the funniest faces, I think I can make a ton of reaction gifs just from this event. Thankfully, the archived video was only edited slightly, they cut out the “Toki ni wa Mukashi no Hanashi wo” PV and the “Kimi wo Nosete” studio live footage which is included as bonus content on the LE of Wakana’s album. Other than that, I am pretty sure we got the whole thing. Fan club members who purchased the album set can watch the video until December 20 using their serial code so everyone, be sure to check it out!  (Tweet 1 | Tweet 2)

Summary/Report 〈(•ˇ‿ˇ•)-→ 

It’s been a year since Wakana and Nacchan saw each other. It’s already December, time went by so fast. Someone is commenting on Nacchan’s hair since it has grown quite a bit. Wakana loves the cute hairsytle on Nacchan.

They talk about the MV shoot and how it was raining heavily. It was also cold and they had to track for about 20 minutes in the forest to reach their location. It was tough. At one point they decided that Wakana wouldn’t need her umbrella (the one that’s featured in the teaser video) because it would look better that way. 

Nacchan wishes Wakana a belated happy birthday. Wakana gets super excited and talks about her Tower Records release event.

Wakana talks about her time at home during this year. She used the time to challenge herself, took lots of voice training lessons and bought a ton of equipment to record at home (microphone, audio interface, etc). She has become a lot more skilled and independent, she can now record everything at home so she doesn’t need to go to the studio. And her voice training lessons can be held without any time-lag. 

She also used her stayhome period to make about 180 gyoza which she would have almost every day. She likes to eat them together with a bunch of other stuff like miso soup and such. Like a proper Japanese meal. Nacchan says that apparently the secret ingredient to making gyoza is to use lard for the filling, it makes the gyoza super juicy. Wakana has not heard of that, typically she would use lard for tonkotsu ramen or something but not for gyoza. But she is definitely gonna try it next time. Nacchan likes to have her gyoza together because she can add literally anything. Wakana says she likes to add eggs to her nabe. She also mentions in a very serious manner that she doesn’t eat rice in the evening so adding a lot of eggs is important to get a substantial meal.

Nacchan sees my comment and is surprised that someone from Vienna is watching. Wakana is like, “ohh! The other day during the release event, there was also a comment by someone saying they are watching from Vienna. Are you this person? It’s you, right?!! Thank you!!”  [Awwwwwww!!!! BANZAIIIII!!! Of course it’s me XD I doubt there are many other people watching from Vienna :P]

Of course they have to talk about sharks and dinosaurs too. This year has been really sad since they couldn’t really watch any movies at the cinema T_T But Wakana tries to watch as many films as she can at home. There is some Shark movie that Nacchan watched a while back but Wakana hasn’t seen that one yet (3-Headed Shark Attack). They wanna make an event where they watch this film together and wonder if anyone would show up for it [I would definitely watch it!!]. 

Nacchan was super amazed by Wakana’s album, it was like listening to completely new songs. She felt at peace while listening, she was able to do her eyeliner better than ever before. Wakana wanted to do her own interpretation of each song, that was very important to her. If it had been up to her, the album would probably have had a second disc with ten more songs.

Everyone is amazed by her rendition of Get Wild. Someone shortens the title in the comment section (gewi) and the girls are quite amused by that. Wakana struggled most with Yasashisa ni Tsutsumareta Nara because the movie is so important to her.

They then show a ton of awesome bts pictures from the production process. We get a close-up of her MV hairstyle which is gorgeous. One of the highlights is seeing Wakana being reunited with Konno Strings who recorded a couple of songs for the album. Wakana is happy to work together with them again, it’s been so long since their last collaboration back in the Kalafina days.

They talk a bit about anime, how Wakana was totally into Sailor Moon. They also mention the bonus track which comes with the fan club set, Ai wa Boomerang - the ending of the second film in the Urusei Yatsura movie franchise. Truth is, when Wakana recorded the song, she hadn’t even watched the film yet so she borrowed it from a staff member. And she really loved it, the song fits the movie perfectly. She is getting a little carried away fangirling about the film so Nacchan has to remind her that they still have an event to finish XD

Wakana holds a little fan club lottery where she gives away three prices (a wooden spatula, her handy fan and a miniature version of her shark plushie - unfortunately I wasn’t one of the lucky winners T_T).

They are amazed that an hour has already passed. They promote Wakana’s upcoming live and mention that there is also gonna be a live stream which CAN EVEN BE WATCHED FROM VIENNA XD [AHHHHHH, YESSS, you bet I am gonna watch XD]

Time to introduce the live goods (Wakana almost forgot about that). She drew the hippos which are the main motif of her live. “hippo” in Japanese is read just like “cover”. They are called Cover-mi, Cover-yo, Cover-ta and Cover-o. Their group name is The Covers.

Wakana is super excited to finally be able to see her fans again and to get the chance to offer a live stream option for everyone who cannot attend. Everyone, be sure to BUY a ticket for the live stream. It’s very affordable, the registration is super easy (even fore foreigners) and the live will be archived.

❗Please support Wakana❗ ❗Join her Fan Club❗ ❗Read my TUTORIAL here❗

All you need is a proxy service like TENSO and a credit card. PLEASE consider joining! Wakana is providing so much awesome content. It’s totally worth the annual membership fee of 4.000 yen! Download Video HERE 👉LIKE and REBLOG my posts about Wakana’s fan club content 👉DO NOT SHARE the link or its content anywhere 👉 For PERSONAL USE ONLY

[putschki1969]

Kimi wo Nosete Radio Version FULL SIZE

『Wakana Covers ～Anime Classics～』Track 8

TWILIGHT MAGIC 2020.12.07 / 17:00～19:00 18h~. Remote appearance FM GIFU

For PERSONAL USE ONLY. Don’t forget to SUPPORT Wakana and BUY her album. It’s being released on Dec 9!!

[putschki1969]

Wakana Covers ~ Anime Classics ~ Release

It’s officially the 9th of December in Japan which means it’s the release day of 『Wakana Covers ～Anime Classics～』! BANZAI! The album is now available for purchase in digital format in Japanese stores. 

❗Please SUPPORT Wakana and BUY her album❗ ❗BUY a PHYSICAL COPY on CDJapan❗ ❗BUY it digitally on MORA JAPAN ~ TUTORIAL (no OTOTOY this time)❗ ❗Check your local iTunes store and Spotify after midnight❗

Here’s a quick REVIEW

THIS IS A GREAT ALBUM. I LOVE IT!! The tracklist is not what I would have hoped for but then again, I only know a handful of old anime songs so it’s really no surprise that none of them made it onto the album. I wasn’t really familiar with any of Wakana’s chosen songs but to her credit, she made me fall in love with almost all of them. The only tracks I do not like are “Yatsura No Ashioto No Ballade” and “Rain” but that’s not Wakana’s fault, it’s just that I do not care for those types of songs. Wakana’s vocals are really solid throughout the album, her voice was made for classical arrangements like this and I am forever grateful we are getting a full album and a concert on top of that. There are just a few sections here and there where I am not too happy with her choice of singing style but it doesn’t take away from my enjoyment. Question: Is it just me or are the instruments (strings in particular) overly loud sometimes? Occasionally they seem to almost drown out Wakana.

Detailed review below the cut〈(•ˇ‿ˇ•)-→

1. 時には昔の話を (Toki ni wa Mukashi no Hanashi wo) Arranger: Sin; I understand why they chose this as the leading track to promote the album. Everything about it is absolutely beautiful, Wakana’s vocals, the arrangement, the lyrics, the PV (from what we have seen so far). I have mentioned it before but her “hashitta” in the second chorus(?) kills me every time. And the way the strings build up in the first and last chorus. Ahhh, be still my heart I cannot take it. Btw, I am still not sure if you consider those two last lines in each of the three verses a proper chorus or if the song just consists of three elaborate verses..? But for the sake of this review, I will call them choruses XD 2. やさしさに包まれたなら (Yasashisa ni Tsutsumareta Nara) Arranger: Miki Sakurai; Gorgeous arrangement (especially with the added tin whistle). Kinda reminds me of the Concerning Hobbits theme from LotR. I am a big fan of Celtic and folk-ish elements. Miki Sakurai apparently is a big fan too. After all, her “Yakusoku no Yoake” which she wrote for Wakana’s first album also had strong Celtic vibes. My favourite part of the song is when Wakana sings that final “meseeji” in the last chorus, the arrangement here is beautiful. Still think Wakana’s vocals are a bit too cutesy but hell, it’s a cute song so I guess it seems fitting.  3. Rain Arranger: Shu Kanematsu; Wakana sounds great but the song doesn’t do anything for me. T_T 4. いのちの名前 (Inochi no Namae) Arranger: Shu Kanematsu; OMG, this brought tears to my eyes. SO SO BEAUTIFUL. The way her voice just blends with the strings. Her vocals are a tad quiet though compared to the instruments. Or is it just me?  5. やつらの足音のバラード (Yatsura No Ashioto No Ballade) Arranger: Sin; I can’t put my finger on what exactly I don’t like about this but I can’t seem to get into it. I guess it sounds a little too jazz-y for me...or is it blues? Either way, not my cup of tea but I can see why Wakana would like it this way. And hey, she does pull it off perfectly so who am I to complain? On a side note, those lyrics are just so perfect for Wakana, she doesn’t often get the chance to sing about dinosaurs :P EDIT: Future!Sarah is coming back to revise her opinion. After listening to the album on repeat for hours on end, I now LOVE this song. It’s charming. 6. Get Wild Arranger: Sin; One of the coolest arrangements on this album!! The strings are just PERFECTION. And Wakana SLAYS!! Who would have thought she can pull off a song like that. I mean, we already knew from gettign that teaser video but this is on a whole other level. Too much awesomeness.  7. 風のとおり道 (Kaze no Toorimichi) Arranger: Miki Sakurai; Ahhhhh, so precious and mystical, such a gorgeous arrangement!! I love how we start with just Wakana’s vocals. And then Miki Sakurai adds her magical touch again by inserting all those Celtic elements. The tin whistle fits perfectly. A couple of Wakana’s high notes no longer sound good to my ears here but overall I enjoy her singing. 8. 君をのせて (Kimi wo Nosete) Arranger: Sin; The arrangement is utterly charming, both the piano as well as the strings are perfect here, Wakana’s vocals in the verses are literally flawless. I kinda find myself wishing she had sung the chorus with a different voice though. Mind you, I don’t hate the one she is using here but it’s bordering on being a teeny-tiny bit too shrill and thin for my taste. It’s still solid (and nothing at all like her strained “ring your bell” voice let’s say) but it’s not what I personally enjoy most from her. Either way, I think she is hitting her notes just fine (as far as I can tell at least) and the style fits the overall sound of the song. Pus, they made up for the slightly thin vocals by adding a little harmony layer which I appreciate.  9. 愛にできることはまだあるかい (Ai ni dekiru koto wa mada aru kai) Arranger: Sin; Most of you may know this already but I am a HUGE fan of the cello so I am happy we have such a strong cello presence here. Those cello parts are so cool. Anyways, this turned out to be one of my favourite tracks even though I didn’t think I would ever like this song based on the YouTube teaser we got a while back. There is just so much raw emotion and fierceness in Wakana’s voice, towards the end she is hitting me right in the feels. I just can’t help but be drawn to the song. I am surprised by how well she handles songs that are originally sung by males. Her covers of this and “Get Wild” are just exceptional imo. They bring out a new side of Wakana which I really love. 10. 夢のゆくえ (Yume no Yukue) Arranger: Shu Kanematsu; While I didn’t know this song before listening to Wakana’s cover version, the melody reminded me a LOT of the old anime songs I used to like back in the day. The feeling of nostalgia is super strong in this one so naturally I enjoy it quite a bit. It’s not an outstandingly beautiful song or anything but the arrangement is lovely and Wakana’s vocals are on point. 

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FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, if you have the means, support Wakana in any way you can. Order a physical copy of her album, purchase it in digital format. Stream it legally on various streaming services. au