#i tried really hard to make this kiis centered

[kruinka]

young master! isagi and escort guard! kurona but the setting is chinese historical drama

[akanemachurida-blog]

18/01/10 - Muishiki no Iro Release Day Noon Live Report

I went to the Muishiki no Iro release live on January 10 at Zepp Nagoya. There were two lives that day, one in the afternoon starting at 4pm and the other at night starting at 7:30pm. The doors opened an hour before then.

I actually failed my applications for both of those times online and I really felt bad since those lives were on Maya’s birthday. You could apply to both and up to two tickets, but I only applied for one ticket. What most people did was pair up with a friend and apply for two tickets each. That way if one got in they could give it to the other. Unfortunately this created a surplus of tickets for people who already had some, and I got none. I bought my ticket on Yahoo Auctions but I initially was really skeptical about it since the ticket said you needed to provide three pieces of ID and all the sellers crossed off a part on the ticket. I thought they crossed out names but they were crossing out the specific number as well as the place they printed the ticket from. After verifying with a friend I bought my ticket and the buyer mailed it to me.

Unfortunately that ticket’s number was in the 1700s, which meant I was one of the last to get in. I think there were 2000 tickets given out in total for each live. This ticket was for the afternoon live and I didn’t get one for the evening live since all the other sellers looked suspicious and didn’t offer a rapid means of sending the ticket.

You needed to buy a Muishiki no Iro limited edition single for the ticket inside for the event, since it was free (for those who got their tickets legitimately). I went to HMV to buy the single since you get a guaranteed picture of Churi there. Of course I got Maya as the random member inside! 3600 people went to the two lives, meaning there were 400 tickets unused.

I got lost and arrived at Zepp about thirty minutes before it started, which was much later than I wanted. It turns out that they were still letting people in the 1200s in at that point, so it really didn’t matter. I met some people in the line who I met two years ago during my first handshakes in Osaka. I hadn’t talked to them much but they remembered I was Canadian and was a Churi oshi. As usual I was called a DD when I told them I like Maya too. It’s funny how easily people remember me since I look different. I know some Japanese fans who go to countless events and yet their fellow fans don’t even recognize them lol.

I actually thought that my ticket number was an assigned spot/seat, however it was a first come first served basis. Zepp’s ground floor is all standing, but there is a small seated section on the second floor. When I got in I entered one of the doors in the back of the venue and I couldn’t see anything at all since I was among the last to enter. I asked some staff if I could go up but the seats were totally filled so I couldn’t go there. They don’t let anyone stand up there.

This was my original view:

Not a lot of fun right? I left and entered the next door. There are several doors that give access to the hall on both sides, so I sort of tried them out to see where there were less people. Surprisingly the one second from the last had the best view for me.

Here is a picture taken during the first MC. I circled myself. You can draw a straight line from me to Maya on this picture I guess. Isn’t that cool?

By the way, there was a reserved section for women near the front on the right side. I knew a few people who stood there and they said they had an amazing view. I think I had a good view where I was since I was behind them, and as women tend to be shorter than men I had a good view of half of the stage. I really couldn’t see the right side though.

This live had a much different atmosphere to it than the Laguna one I went to. Given the fact that we were in a room with closed doors and a roof rather than outdoors the calls were much louder, as was the recorded music. The Laguna live felt like they were singing live for certain songs but here the sound quality was pretty poor, as was expected. Women were much more visible at the Laguna live since there wasn’t a designated section for them there. It felt like the crowd was even more overwhelmingly male (which it always is) due to this.  

Nakki and Maya were the shadow announcers for the beginning, so I got to wish her a happy birthday when she asked us to wish her one. I was happy I got to do that at least.

M01 - Muishiki no Iro / Senbatsu

No surprise here for the first song. I actually hadn’t planned it out, but I was perfectly situated to see Maya on the stage, since I was right in front of her position for this song. Unfortunately I couldn’t see Churi since she was on the other side of the stage. I had come to support them both but since it was Maya’s birthday I just had my green penlight, and Churi couldn’t see me anyway.

M02 - SKE48 / All

This song is a lot of fun in a group. The part where everyone says S-K-E / 4-8 is great. I could see Maya perfectly for this song too, and it may have been my imagination but I think she saw me during this song.

MC1

The senbatsu members left for this. I think I have a big problem paying attention to MCs during these bigger events. I’ll just go ahead and admit it, whenever I can’t see the member who is talking I zone out and just think about Maya and the previous songs. Actually during this MC Yukichan/Chikako/Juna/Yumana were ahead of me so I just looked at them while daydreaming. Chikako is pretty interesting to look at during lives, since she tries to find as many of her fans as possible. She was also constantly talking with Juna and Yukichan and Yumana was making confused expressions and trying to follow along. I think Chikako found about twenty of her fans during this MC, and that group was just constantly chatting since they weren’t part of the talking group. It was pretty entertaining, like watching some students talk during class when they’ve finished their homework and have nothing to do.

This was also the first live I went to where I was near one of those screamers you hear. The ones who yell in a really shrill voice at all times. They look and act just as you’d expect. This guy was shouting Jurina’s name every single time she was there and he left in a rush after it ended.

M03 - Tsuyokimonoyo / Senbatsu

No guesses for what happened during this song. Again, Maya was in my view so I just stuck to her the entire time.

M04 - Aozora Kataomoi / Jurina, Minarun, Sarina, Churi, Nao, Kaotan, Akarin

Alright, so they got rid of Maya so I can focus on Churi for this song, except she was still on the other side of the stage. I kept angling my neck around for this song to try and look at her but no luck. I sort of looked at the screen for this song since it was hard to look at the middle of the stage. Anyway, great song live.

M05 - Gomen ne, Summer / Rara, Ryoha, Ego, Yunana, Sakipon, Kumachan, Maya

We’re back baby … we’re back. No need to try and angle my neck around for this song because once again she stood in the perfect place for me. Nothing to add that hasn’t been said before… just perfect.

M06 - 1!2!3!4! Yoroshiku! / Minarun, Akarin, Wanchan, Piyosu, Suzuran, Oshirin, Yumana, Nao, Reona, Nakki, Rara, Makiko, Ouchan, Donchan, Nonochan, Morihei Riko

I think this is my favourite live song out of the better known single songs they perform, it’s got a lot of energy. I didn’t even really pay attention to who was there, I was just calling out everyone’s name and enjoying myself.

M07 - Banzai Venus / Sakipon, Yuzuki, Renahyuu, Piyosu, Kocchan, Sarina, Yumana, Nacchi, Kaotan, Airi, Yukatan, Naruchan, Satokaho, Maya, Hatagon, Tani

I spent the first thirty seconds of the song trying to see if Maya was in it. When I found her I was on lock-on mode and she thankfully stayed near my side for this song. She was really funny during this song, making a lot of faces and laughing.

MC2 - Kamimura Ayuka, Aiai, Kano, Oshirin, Mikotti, Yuzuki, Kaotan, Nakki, Makiko, Tani

The matome site tells me that they were talking about bonus scenes for the MVs. I remember Makiko saying something funny but let’s be real, I was daydreaming again.

M08 - Handshaeteki Suru / Love Crescendo

Unfortunately Maya was on the opposite side for most of this song, but I mustered my energy, craned my head, used my toes, and made every possible effort to look at her for this song. It sort of worked.

M09 - Because Docchitsukazu / Kosanga 7 (Tani center)

This unit doesn’t have an MV but they’re great. I like how they gave Suzuran an outfit to show off her shoulders. This was great to watch since they won’t get much exposure.

M10 - Furanu Romance / Sakura Love Letter 32 (Ouchan center)

First time I heard the 32 person song. It is a lot to take in live due to the amount of members but it’s fun. Honestly it was a bit of a sensory overload since I was trying to keep track of as many members as I could.

MC3 - Ryoha, Ego, Yunana, Ruka, Sarina, Nao, Kumachan

Same old story.

M11 - Pareo wa Emerald / Kenkyuusei (Inoue Ruka center)

A real treat to see the kenkyuusei do this song. It just felt like the perfect performance for them, even if this song has been done a million times and will be done a million more. It fit the moment and all the members looked great from where I was standing.

M12 - Okidoki / Kamimura Ayuka, Aiai, Piyosu, Suzuran, Mikotti, Narupi, Honono, Reona, Narucham, Makiko, Ouchan, Maya, Akarin, Saanan, Tani, Donchan

Just like 1234 Yoroshiku this song also pumps me up a lot, regardless of the timing. It was nice that Maya was there, and in a place I could see her well too. She was really lively during this song and kept looking around my area during the parts where they pump their fists.

M13 - Kataomoi Finally / KII

Wow! Was this the first time I saw Churi in Katafai? I actually had a lot of trouble seeing her since she was in the center, but I didn’t want to miss her so I kept looking at the screen for this song. It took something away from my viewing experience but I wanted to view the performance in its entirety. It was everything I expected.

M14 - Aishiteraburu! / Yokonyan, Chikako, Juna, Oshirin, Yukichan, Ayamelo, Kitano Ruka, Sarina, Sakipon, Yuzuki, Reona, Nakki, Kumachan, Saanan, Tani, Donchan

I don’t really like this song but I had a ton of fun with the calls! I was zoning out a bit in terms of the members and just looked ahead of me at whoever happened to be there.

M15 - Kiss datte Hidarikiki / Yokonyan, Makiko, Ego, Yunana, Renahyuu, Inoue Ruka, Kano, Miyo, Machi, Chikako, Kitano Ruka, Sakipon, Airi, Yukatan, Maya, Saanan

I was pretty tired at this point. It took me a while to locate Maya I think. This song is pretty boring live, but again, I just looked at Maya.

MC4 / Everyone

They handed out some signed posters during this MC. They designated members for each of the teams to reach into a box and pull out ticket numbers. I didn’t know where my ticket was so I was searching for it the whole time. Turns out it was in my pocket. My number wasn’t called anyway. The posters were signed by the team which drew the number.

M16 - Muishiki no Iro / All

I was a bit surprised. I was expecting Igai ni Mango but whatever. I didn’t mind hearing it again, given that the event was for this song’s release. Everyone was there this time so it was a bit harder to see Maya but she was in my field of vision still. I had no view of Churi as usual.

Maya stayed near our area for the end. Just like last time she tried to find her fans. She started with the people on the right/middle of the audience, but there seemed to be fewer there. Most of the fans were around the left side it seems. There were a lot of people, but she waved at me, pointing out my lightstick and smiling. I don’t know if she saw who I was but she noticed the lightstick for sure. I think that the benefit of being on the ground floor over the second floor is that the members wave to you first. It is rather hard to see the top seats I suppose.

This live was a complete change from Laguna in that this live only had group songs and no small units. I’m glad I got to experience these two different kind of lives. I also technically saw Churi at a SKE concert/live so I can cross that off my list, although I’d much prefer being somewhere where I could see her properly.

Afterwards I met people who were going to the evening live. From their accounts it seemed like a lot of fun, especially since they addressed Maya’s birthday a lot more. I also saw people on Twitter write accounts of them seeing members leave afterwards. Churi had to leave immediately afterwards with Ryoha and Akarin for ANN. As a side note, my green lightstick is bent now. I don’t know the reason but maybe it is a sign that I am excited by Maya’s presence lol.