[Discuss] Idols you can meet ...?

[Anariel]

I think the main 'meet' is meeting them in the theatre.

Yeah, owing to the fact that tickets for guests from overseas appeared in akb/ske theaters, we can sit on 1st row and enjoy the show! 

[clockface]

I would definitely try to make them laugh by shooting some lame jokes. Enough with the praises and idol-groveling I tell ya! Make an impression!

This make take some time but I always wanted to come up to Sasshi and show her a handmade sign which has a big SASHIKO on it, but at the bottom corner have her correct name just pen in last minute. And the whole time I'll be pointing at that miserable correction going "See? See? You Like?".

[Datalanche]

Were I lucky enough to get that coveted three seconds, I would just keep it simple, something like "Ganbatte" or "Daisuki" or something fun and light-hearted. I'd try my best to just be kind about it and smile.

[SomethingWild]

^Yeah, that's probably the best and safest way to go.


Follow-up questions:
- Would you buy one CD or multiple CDs? It's 1000 yen a pop!
- If you'd buy multiple CDs, how many?
- How would you distribute your handshakes? Go see your oshimen 5 times, or see your top 5 all one time, etc?

So much planning involved. I'm not the type of guy who would show up at an event and just randomly pick someone. For example like "Ooh, Kobayashi Ami is here. I don't really know her, so let's go and meet her instead of seeing Rena again." Even though random encounters with members may be more fun and memorable than the top girls...

[Zorr]

^For me, the answer to those questions would be

-I'd buy as many CD's as I could possibly afford.  At least 10, but I'd probably try for more like 20-30.  However, this is only because it would probably be a once in a lifetime for me so for those who are likely to do that 2 or 3 times a year, I guess they'd maybe want to pace themselves.
-Kinda answered the second question already, but yeah, I'd go for about 20-30 CD's if possible.  I'm not sure if that's allowed though, but it's all hypothetical anyway.
-As for distribution, lets say I managed to get 30 tickets, I'd probably go for a maximum of 6 with my oshi and then either pick another 10 girls to see either 2-3 times each.  I'd want to see my oshi but I'd also want to at least get to meet some of the other girls I really like.  Especially since I've read fan reports that some girls just give awesome reactions even if the person isn't their fan.

I think that getting to meet idols is just such a big part of what makes groups like AKB become popular.  At the beginning, those dedicated fans will get awesome and memorable meetings with the girls.  They get a good bit of time with them, maybe even a photo too and they feel really close to the girls.  And because there aren't many fans in the early days, the girls may well remember certain people, even remember stuff about them.  And then of course this information spreads and more people become fans to get that same chance for a special meeting.

Of course, the inevitable downside is that once they have too many fans, as others have mentioned here, the meetings get smaller and less memorable.  But that's not anyone's fault since it's the only way to make sure that as many people as possible still get the chance to at least meet the girls.

I often wonder if there's a subset of idol fans who follow all the smaller, less popular groups just so that they can keep getting the most interaction time possible.  Like maybe the group they've been following gains in popularity so they move on and follow another new group who no-one has heard about.

[SomethingWild]

I often wonder if there's a subset of idol fans who follow all the smaller, less popular groups just so that they can keep getting the most interaction time possible.  Like maybe the group they've been following gains in popularity so they move on and follow another new group who no-one has heard about.

I think this is definitely true. In fact, I think it's even true for the kenkyuusei within AKB48 as well. Some fans may support an unknown KKS like crazy, and when she gets promoted or becomes popular they drop her and move to another newb. Can't think of any specific examples atm, but I'm sure this happens.

[MaxMcKay]

Why do they make CDs in the first place? Since what the fans will be buying is the handshake tix, which are cheaper to produce than CDs

Besides, they're AKB48 the idol group, the fans want to shake the members' hands, & won't give a fuck whether the music on the CD is good or rubbish
(they're idols, they're not in the business of selling music in the first place)

Why not just sell tix, & do away with costs of producing CDs? And effort into cranking songs
considering they're not what the fans want & are hence not worth any value

[Amplifier]

Not sure if trolling..

Idol music is serious business, man.

[adsad]

Why do they make CDs in the first place? Since what the fans will be buying is the handshake tix, which are cheaper to produce than CDs

Besides, they're AKB48 the idol group, the fans want to shake the members' hands, & won't give a fuck whether the music on the CD is good or rubbish
(they're idols, they're not in the business of selling music in the first place)

Why not just sell tix, & do away with costs of producing CDs? And effort into cranking songs
considering they're not what the fans want & are hence not worth any value

Becuz HS ticket sales cannot make news articles. CD sales can.

It seems you guys talked about "national" HS event which required ticket from CD limited edition, this kind of event (of AKB) has only a bunch of top members and some KKS presented, not everyone entered. As I recall, some like Chiichan, Tanamin didn't present in "national" HS event for some times.

In fact they did sell HS ticket to every 48members girl with longer time and guarantee schedule with Theatre edition(via Chara-ani), they send CD just to make them counted by Oricon.
I means if you can get Acchan's ticket, you can meet and shake hand with her at determined time for 6-10 seconds without taking 4-500m long line.

[SomethingWild]

Follow-up questions:
- Would you buy one CD or multiple CDs? It's 1000 yen a pop!
- If you'd buy multiple CDs, how many?
- How would you distribute your handshakes? Go see your oshimen 5 times, or see your top 5 all one time, etc?

I'd probably buy 5 CDs, since 1000 yen a pop adds up quite quickly.

Assuming all the members will be there I'd use two for Rena. However, I'm not entirely sure seeing the girl twice is something I'd be good at. It just seems awkward somehow. What could you say the second time... Or maybe she'll be like "Hey, you came again, thank you!" or something. Must be weird. lol.

I'd use one for Kasai and one for Yuki... Seeing them up close, and just being able to say something to them would be priceless.

Last ticket, hmm... Acchan will be gone by then, Mayu's line will be packed, Akicha will probably be spaced out, Sasshi's fun but she's a different category idol, Shihori may be fun to see how her length compares and I think she's appreciate the support... Rena for the third time it is! 

In the end, it'll be great, but I'll regret not having bought five more copies. 

[SomethingWild]

Meeting your fav performers is always great, but I'm beginning to think AKB48 has outgrown itself.

With literally thousands (!!!) of people coming to shake hands with a girl, I can't imagine being it a special and heartfelt moment. At least, not in the same it used to be.

When you go to a concert and the bands comes out afterwards to talk to fans and take pics etc, that's the kind of meet and greet you want. Seeing people pay over 500 euro to shake hands with the girls I can't help but feel we lost our sense of realism somewhere along the way.

[Datalanche]

^ Yeah there's that, and also after hearing the bro's from Selective Hearing and New School Kaidan talk about their Japan trip planning, the insanity that is getting into these events sounds like too much trouble now. You have to be very profecient in Japanese, get into all these sites, trick it into taking your gaijin credit card and address... I'd honestly rather see a bunch of indie idols than go through that.

[chewybacca]

Interesting viewpoints you two both raised here, but let me add a counterpoint, based on recent personal experience.

You have to be very profecient in Japanese, get into all these sites, trick it into taking your gaijin credit card and address... I'd honestly rather see a bunch of indie idols than go through that.

It's very true that meticulous planning and, dare I say it, strategy is involved when planning such events. But that's with any travel preparation, idols involved or not. I spent at least 6+ months preparing for that particular Japan trip, including planning for 48 Group events. That's well in advance, sure, but better to be safe than sorry.
Yes, you should know some basic Japanese, but it's not absolutely mandatory - ration doesn't hurt anyway and can go a long way. Heck, I managed to survive with my barely-close-to-JLPT N5 Japanese and still got a whole lot out of it. And if you do have trouble navigating your way through it all, there are plenty of overseas people who've been through these processes (numerous of times for some) and I'm certain they're willing to help out.
Yes, there's always the issue of gaijin credit cards, but for me at least, living in the Asia Pacific region has its benefits in that regard (Although I'm sure a lot of North Americans and Europeans have gone through this process before with no problems)
Yes, finding a person living in Japan is the next most burdensome stumbling block, but networking and building a trust relationship does help. Otherwise, why are we even here on these forums and Twitter or elsewhere?
And yes, I don't disagree that it's expensive. Any sane man would gawk at you splurging $10 AUD for 10 seconds shaking hands with a teenage girl. But looking at it purely from a cost perspective ignores a whole lot of qualitative aspects. And either way, we're in the idol fandom after all - we should be used to these sorts of price gouging.

But in the end, I think the nearly $300 (AUD) I spent on these events more than justifies the intangible benefits that I gained, and memories that to me cannot really be quantified by outright monetary terms. Just like the classic MasterCard ad line: "Priceless". It's opened my eyes to a lot of things as an overseas fan. Of course, much of it depends on opportune timing, careful planning and a bit of luck but if all three of those pieces fall into place, you won't forget it. Go to one handshake event, and you feel like a little kid in a candy or toy shop all over again. And absolutely, they really do live up to the name "Idols you can meet".

As for "special and heartfelt moments"? It's only as "special and heartfelt" as you want it to be. Why not write them personal fan mail (or similar) and tell them you're coming? Chances are they might actually remember you once you do come. Nothing comes close to the pivotal moment when your oshi personally tells you to your face that she remembers you from some letter you wrote, or some fan gift you sent her a while ago. 

Because that's exactly what happened to me. And as like-minded fans in the same fandom, I hope that you, and everyone else that hasn't been to one, can have similar experiences. You try this with other K-Pop or Western celebs - fat chance you'll ever get the same level of accessibility as the 48 Group.

[AshuraX]

Follow-up questions:
- Would you buy one CD or multiple CDs? It's 1000 yen a pop!
- If you'd buy multiple CDs, how many?
- How would you distribute your handshakes? Go see your oshimen 5 times, or see your top 5 all one time, etc?

-Well, it depends on my budget. I'd probably buy some old singles. Mainly the singles I loved the most and the latest one at that moment.
-I'd say around 10. And adding if there's any growing albums, B-sides that I've never heard but got hooked on, I'd estimate a around 15 CD's.
-If I have 5? Well, since Acchan's gone, the 'Go see your oshimen 5 times' is definitely a no-go. I'd die from a heart-attack if I saw Rena that much. Considering if this was a national handshake, meaning all of the OOO48 groups in Japan would be in one event, if possible, I'd probably go for Rena first, since she's my kami-oshi. Then I'd go see my ni-oshi, Yuihan. I'd waste the other three by tasting Yukirin's hook, line and sinker once, tease Takamina on her height, and finally go back to Rena. What? I love Rena too much. Anywho, Go to the top 4 once, then adding another one for my number 1.

Nice advice there, bacca.
I kinda agree. The memories and experience you gained just by seeing your idol RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU or IN THE VERY ROOM WITH YOU is priceless. Just think about it. Say that your idol was, well, Justin Bieber (lower your weapons, friends) and let's say you got a chance to go to his concert once. Will he look you in the eyes? Will he try to remember your face? Will he undoubtedly say hi to you? NO. I'm not trying to be a hater but that's a fact. He'd smile and wave but hey, that's it.

Now say that your idol is... well, I dunno. Mayuyu? Well, seeing her in a theater performance is gonna be hard, since she's got a lot of work, but hey, the handshake event is there if you planned it well. Going up to Mayuyu's lane is gonna be a LOT harder, with the length of the friggin line and all. Line up, wait, and in just a few minutes, hours or so, you'll see Mayuyu right in front of you, offering her hand towards you with that heartwarming smile of hers. You'll even get the chance to initiate contact with her, thus shaking her hand!!! It'd be over in a few seconds, but like they all say, that few seconds of seeing her smile will be your most valuable memory at that moment.

B- But Justin also has a signing event!
- Well good for you. AKB has nationwide events, PLUS the theater performance almost every friggin week, if not day. Does Justin have the time for that? NO~ He's too busy with talkshows and dates.

BUT AKB48 MEMBERS ALSO GO ON DATES! LOOK, SCANDALS!
- Wow I'm getting personal. That's their own preferences. Nobody's perfect. They'd be punished severely if they are caught. I.E, Sasshi getting transferred and Miichan getting demoted to KKS. That SHOULD teach them a lesson. Just follow in Acchan's step if the members want to fool around so much. Would Justin get any sort of punishment if he gets into a scandal? HELL NO. In fact, it became worse.

   Okay, I'm getting off-topic, but hey, AKB's a lot more better in some aspects. I'd go fool around in SNSD's concerts but that's probably coz I want to look at their sexy movements on stage but I'd go see AKB's concert, because I want to relive what every one of our fellow wota felt. The sensation of seeing your idol dance clumsily on stage but still give off that 'I'm in AKB48!' feel. And also coz I want to shout out "AKB48!' in the OVERTURE

   Ah... How I miss Acchan...

[Jul3]

I'm with SomethingWild and Datalanche on this, rather than Chewybacca.

However, I don't think you need any Japanese at all... and yes, all the tickets are very convoluted but the main problem is for some things - like handshake tickets, you need a contact in Japan willing to be a middleman for you.

It's very true that meticulous planning and, dare I say it, strategy is involved when planning such events. But that's with any travel preparation, idols involved or not. I spent at least 6+ months preparing for that particular Japan trip, including planning for 48 Group events. That's well in advance, sure, but better to be safe than sorry.

Here's the thing - you can't. AKB theatre/concert tickets are very last minute, so you can't plan that far in advance - particularly if you want to go to the theatre to see the real core of the group - and if you want to see a particular Team or member, it's pretty hard. From what I've heard from people who apply twice to every single show in the month (fanclub and ippan), the odds on AKB tickets are about once per month.  If you're into HKT, theatre tickets there are still a lot easier to win - but still very last minute, so you can't plan anything with certainty.

Now say that your idol is... well, I dunno. Mayuyu? Well, seeing her in a theater performance is gonna be hard, since she's got a lot of work, but hey, the handshake event is there if you planned it well. Going up to Mayuyu's lane is gonna be a LOT harder, with the length of the friggin line and all. Line up, wait, and in just a few minutes, hours or so, you'll see Mayuyu right in front of you, offering her hand towards you with that heartwarming smile of hers. You'll even get the chance to initiate contact with her, thus shaking her hand!!! It'd be over in a few seconds, but like they all say, that few seconds of seeing her smile will be your most valuable memory at that moment.

However,  getting a Mayuyu handshake ticket still isn't easy... she's one of the fastest to sell out, same with any of the big name members.


As mentioned by SomethingWild and Datalanche, if you want the personal experience, it's going to be a hell of a lot easier to get it out of an indie/smaller idol group, than out of AKB. Less fans means they are more likely to remember you. Tickets for live events are easier to come by. And they have lots more other types of personal events like 2-shots etc.

[chewybacca]

Jul3rd makes some fair points but I must respectfully challenge a few of his main assertions given others and my experience in the past.

Here's the thing - you can't. AKB theatre/concert tickets are very last minute, so you can't plan that far in advance - particularly if you want to go to the theatre to see the real core of the group - and if you want to see a particular Team or member, it's pretty hard. From what I've heard from people who apply twice to every single show in the month (fanclub and ippan), the odds on AKB tickets are about once per month.  If you're into HKT, theatre tickets there are still a lot easier to win - but still very last minute, so you can't plan anything with certainty.

When I mean "to plan" for these events, my original intention was more in terms of picking your place of abode in Japan, transportation options, being constantly updated on fixed-date events like handshake events, making sure you've registered for as many 48 Group accounts as you possibly can... the list goes on. If you put yourself in a good position, then you can effectively maximise your chances at applying and perhaps winning events or shows. Too often I hear of fans complaining of missed opportunities in Japan simply "because they haven't heard about it" or "I didn't plan for it". And here I will answer that adequate preparation beforehand is key. Not only planning for fixed events, but also planning for flexibility. Even if you may not have the luxury of schedule flexibility, that doesn't necessarily excuse you from researching, keeping up to date and maximising your opportunities while you're there. It's basic travel planning 101.

Now I most certainly did not imply that you can "plan for 48 Group theatre shows". I'm very well aware and have had first-hand experience that most of it comes down to luck. In fact, might I add that HKT48 shows are a lot harder to win these days. But you can certainly plan to maximise your chances of winning shows by registering as many accounts as possible beforehand and being in a good, strategic location - there's a reason why I picked Nagoya for my first week when I was in Japan, for example - amongst other factors. Also, be open and have an open mind about things. I'm not a Kenkyuusei fan (or at least I wasn't before April of this year), but believe me, you'd be happy to win any show.

And about concerts/handshake events: they are never last-minute. The earliest dates are at least a month or two in advance of announcement. And it's not like you're booking your flights just because of that handshake event, right? (Unless you've got time and airline miles to burn, but that's another story  ).

As mentioned by SomethingWild and Datalanche, if you want the personal experience, it's going to be a hell of a lot easier to get it out of an indie/smaller idol group, than out of AKB. Less fans means they are more likely to remember you. Tickets for live events are easier to come by. And they have lots more other types of personal events like 2-shots etc.

That's a given. By nature, any small organisation would instantly be more accessible than big ones, whether it be in the corporate world with its complex and multi-layered organisational environment, or in this case with idol groups. And that would also be the same with popularity too, by logic. But we're talking about whether the 48 Group still satisfies its creed "Idols you can meet". Sure, they may be a tad more difficult to get to given its popularity these days, especially for some of the more popular members I admit. However, just because they're popular doesn't mean they've suddenly become inaccessible either. Because, well, by its very definition prima facie, they're still very much idols that you can meet in person. And many of us in Japan and here overseas have. This is why handshake events have become so important in that regard.

I don't doubt it's going to be easier to meet, say, Denpagumi.inc and take 2-shots with them compared to getting even a handshake with Mayuyu. But it doesn't mean you can't try to put some effort in maximising your chances to get to do the latter either. Although I believe one should always set appropriate levels of expectations, don't let one's popularity put you off. Because as seemingly difficult as it may be, it's very much doable and not as "uncommon" as it may first suggest.

[tsutomo]

just saw this topic now and... I would talk some more about the slogan "Idols you can meet" but I'm afraid it's a well dated topic by now. 

so I'll bring to the table a little about my experiences, that may illustrate some points raised by the pals above. the first idol group that got me really hooked was AKB (I liked a little of Momusu and Berryz Koubou back then but never even tried to see them live) and it presented me this whole new world of consumerism called 'handshaking events'. I started low, getting a 'zenkoku akushukai' ticket. after three events, it was not satisfying anymore. too rushed, couldn't have a proper encounter with the girl and had to wait for hours in horrendous lanes. I wanted more fun. so I started going to the 'daiakushukai', the biggest one with all the girls involved. one ticket. better than before, with smaller lanes but still... too rushed. so I started buying three (the limit of tickets you could group together back then). way better but still... at some point I started wanting to have proper conversations and more fanservice.   

and so I slowly entered the underground world of the "unknown idol groups". it was a shock. thanks to a lot of factors, the shows are funnier, tickets are cheaper and easier to get, girls get naturally more involved with you and... shitloads of fanservice. name what you want. long handshakes, autographs, 2 shots, group shots, hugs, presents given and received personally... what more and idol fan could want? even the music is better. (ok, some people can argue the opposite. personal opinion here) it was like... an illness, I couldn't help but start following one group after another, always heading into the direction of the more amateur and obscure idol groups available. (ps: I still haven't reached the bottom of this hole) each time facing higher levels of fanservice and being presented the chance of becoming really friends with the girl, that goes even to call me by name, give me some slaps (yeah I'm a masochist)...

but it isn't science and after all I couldn't help but continue going to the AKB handshaking events, even if I don't follow the group or barely listen to their music. dunno why. (I lie. in fact I know why: because Nonaka has 87-64-91. =P ) recently they opened this option of using till 30 tickets once. fuck, I couldn't resist. man, that was fun. (and expensive  ) yesterday I saw they are now selling tickets with no name in it, that allow you to pick the girl you want just by the time of the event (obviously famous girls are out of question since they sell out the time sections). another element to make it a little closer to the small groups. maybe as time passes by and AKB loses popularity, they go back to the old days and promote events like the other groups... if my oshimen continue till then, I pray for it.

indirectly, I can say that I 'dropped' AKB (and recently BiS) because of the popularity level they reached. I moved towards lesser know groups since they offer me more fun. popularity is not bad per se, but it brings longer lanes, more artificial (and limited) contact with the girls, inconvenient people to the shows, higher prices... looks kinda natural, imo, that you move from this towards something that offers you more for less. but once again, it's not science and so, it has exceptions. one is called SKE. despite being a sister group with huge fanbase and all, I find it quite astonishing how the SKE girls are generally way more sympathetic (or tsurishi, if you wanna address this way) than their AKB counterparts. talking with SKE flopped girls is almost like talking to the Afilia girls, for example (the main difference being the price for it). this led me to buy 24 tickets to meet Takama-san yesterday...

conclusion: my wallet is ripped apart.  (ps: and that damned girl is so talkative that I couldn't ask all the things I had prepared beforehand, even with this amount of time. SOS!!)