I'll try to keep it "short" because I tend to ellaborate a lot (and will ultimately fail at keeping it short)
anyway, here's my report of Idoling!!! at Japan Expo 2012.
The day started rainy, but that didn't matter as it was all inside anyway. Arrived early around 9:15am and were inside by 10am. We immediately went to the booth where the handshake would be to check the details (the official site mentioned one had to by something official). You needed to buy one of two photo books (the Motto or Working one, already had both but that didn't matter), so I bought one and my mom as well (she's also an Idoling!!! fan
).
Next up was to check out the stage where the event was going to be, it was the Scene Japan stage at the other side of the hall. Rurika9 was already inside at the front row with other Idolingers from Japan. Me and my parents still wanted to check out the rest of the expo and eat lunch so we went back outside. When we were still wandering around outside the entrance of the event stage, who do we see coming down from the stairs on the side? Mori-D & Uematsu-AD ! I had already talked with Mori-D on twitter and he had asked to talk to him if we would see him there. So we immediately walked towards them and started talking. When I said Twitter he knew right away who I was. We started talking a bit and Uematsu saw my Ruka t-shirt and my mom starting naming her favorite members
(she only knows a few words in japanese). The Mori-D gave us some of the lottery tickets for the lottery that was going to be held at the event, and Uematsu told us there were some signed t-shirts to be won. That was the end and they went off, Mori-D saying: see you later
.
After that, went to grab some lunch, looked around a bit more and came back to the event stage by 1pm so we could slowly move to the front rows inbetween the conferences that were being held at this event stage. Eventually, by the start of the last event before the Japan In Motion event, we had reached the 2nd row in the middle. Rurika9 was in the seat in front of me and the rest of the first row were japanese Idolingers and the one sitting next to me as well. He saw my numbering t-shirt and my mom's Okawa muffler right away and started asking where I got them. I told them I bought them at the Zepp Tour concert itself in Tokyo and he immediately informed the other fans that I actually went to Japan to see the concert, and they were impressed. We kept talking a bit more and I showed my chekis with Yazawa & Sakacchi that I had on my phone, and again he told the others about it and they got even more impressed
(and that was not the end of it
). I showed them the pics I took of meeting Mori-D earlier, and then it started to get through to him that I was the foreigner who had talked with Mori-D on twitter (even though they were just 2 very short conversations). I (on twitter) was apparently getting well known among japanese Idolingers, but now they realized that it was me sitting there
. Then I told him I went to the studio recording the month before, which got him even more exciting since he went to the same recording. He had front row, while I had third row. (I checked the audience in one of the episodes, and indeed, he was there in front row first seat with slightly different hair
). He then showed me his schedule on his ipad, and he had gone to the Zepp Tour in Tokyo, Fukuoka and Nagoya, the Yubi Matsuri, the Jukuhachis and studio recordings. Then he showed me pics of his box of 150 Mamore!!! singles that he bought with the stack of voting tickets and toreka on top of it. He then told me that Tonooka's Top Ota (is that correct? don't remember exactly) was there a few seats further and that he had bought 400 copies... Makes you wonder what all of their jobs are to have all that money and time on their hands. The guy actually asked me if I could take pictures with his camera because it is allowed at Japan Expo, but he is japanese and it's not allowed in Japan he asked me to do it for him. But eventually they said no photos and videos were allowed so that didn't happen.
The rather boring conference that was going on was starting to come to an end and we started seeing glimpses through a side entrance of people in colorful outfits that matched Idoling!!! outfits. One of the japanese fans went to have a look right away, but they were already gone. Everyone kept nervously looking at that entrance. (yes, even the japanese wota still get nervous when they're about to see them). The conference had finally ended and staff and photographers started coming in, saw Mori-D and Kado-P coming in as well. Cameramen started getting everything ready for the event to begin, also the japanese fans started their transformation as usual. At that time, Rurika9 had switched seats with a japanese fan so that Rurika9 could sit in the center, and then the one next to him (with a Kaede t-shirt) pointed out to me to switch seats as well since I was in second row. So now, me and Rurika9 were right in front of the center 0 in the first row! So nice of them to do that, again thank you! Then just before the event started, one cameraman (with a YGA t-shirt
) started to film some shots of the crowd, with some close shots of the front row (so if some of this footage gets used, we will likely both be very visible on screen).
Then the event started with presenters from Japan In Motion coming on stage, the first part being an introduction of 4 models from Japan who each had a different Harajuku style. They were going to restyle one of the presenters with a brand new Harajuku look at the event. Then they showed some videos shot of them in Japan with Kyary Pamyu Pamyu. Kyary would come by later as she was apparently delayed somewhere. So then they announced Idoling!!! to come on stage, and first row went wild (but the rest of the audience as well
). Then showed another video clip with the Idoling!!! members in a Harajuku shop to also transform 2 of the 5 members into a brand new Harajuku style. After this video the live part started, and the first row of japanese fans (and us) started to stand up immediately, while the rest of the audience was still seated but was also slowly starting to stand up (they were obviously not used to this
). They started with S.O.W.Sense of Wonder and then Don't Think. Feel!!!. All the japanese fans were going wild as always and so did we
. (I think the sound editing people are going to have a hard time
) After a short break, they sang a short version of Cruel Angel's Thesis from Evangelion, and then ended with MAMORE!!!. (These were the three songs that I thought they would sing and I was right! The 2 anime songs and one recent song). They were singing live with head mics, but some of the mics had volume problems, especially Maipuru's
. During the live part, I sometimes looked around a bit to see if there were other fans and indeed there were. There was a group of about 5 foreign fans on the left side that were jumping and waving light sticks as well, so there
are other Idoling!!! fans in France. (I'm just presuming they were french but I cannot be sure). After the live part, they got a very warm applause from the crowd.
Idoling!!! stayed on stage and the presenter came back to show us the other fashion-transformed presenter and the 4 models commented on some of her new clothes. Then Kyary Pamyu Pamyu arrived on stage and they did a little interview (I had never heard her talk before and found that she had a very cute voice
. After that they started to lottery, three Idoling!!! members held the cards with numbers and they picked random numbers for the lottery. There were several signed prizes (each accompanied with a video of the artist), stuff from Kyary, PASSPO☆, TOKYO GIRLS' STYLE, some others that I can't remember and the big prize, a trip to Fukuoka with a 2-night stay at the Hilton. As several of the random numbers that were picked, were not in the audience, you really noticed that the presenter started going faster and faster to go the next number when they were not in the audience. The lottery ended and I noticed that there was no Idoling!!! prize... Uematsu had said earlier that there were signed Idoling!!! t-shirts to be won. They had obviously run out of time and had to go on with the event which was almost nearing the end of its allocated time slot. They thanked Idoling!!! and they went away with a very warm applause again. I don't remember much what happened after that, but I think the event didn't last much longer and ended.
When it ended, the whole front row rushed outside to go to the handshake event which was to start 15 minutes later at a booth almost at the other end of the hall. Me and my parents arrived pretty late due to some bad choice of route to take, but we were still in time. They checked our purchases and had to form a line around the side of the booth, some people didn't know you had to purchase something and either dropped off or went to buy it. I'm not sure about just how many people were in line for the handshake, but I think the 50-people limit was not reached. I'm guessing there were about 40 people waiting in line, but I really cannot be sure. The line was going around the corner so we couldn't see the front from where we were standing, but when the Idoling!!! members arrived they came by us to enter the booth from the back. Since me and my mom were standing in line, we sent my dad to the front to take picture and film everything
Then the handshake started, the members were lined up in order so Maipuru was first. She saw my Ruka t-shirt right away and Ton-chan next to her as well, and I told them I went to the Zepp tour, moved to Ton-chan and then Rurika. For some reason I cannot remember what I said to Rurika, but I was taking a long time, as the staff started pushing me along
. Shook hands with Asahi and I said "POP!" and then Yurippe and said "Yurikaru Yurikaru" with the hand movement, they were very happy to see that I knew about their catch phrases. Asahi started talking in french: J'aime la France (I love France)
. Most of them noticed my Ruka t-shirt and pointed at it. (sorry girls, but none of you are in my top 5 list... although Maipuru might have re-entered the top 5 charts after today
. Right after the handshake I bumped into Mori-D again and held a bag with t-shirts and asked me which member I would like to have a signed t-shirt from, but he said Yokoyama's t-shirt was already taken (by Rurika9
). I was still a little perplexed from the handshakes and his question that I said Yokoyama
, but then said Endou and he gave me a signed Maipuru t-shirt! Glad I got the Maipuru t-shirt, cause I like her a lot more, I was totally confused at that moment
. My mom's handshake also went very well, she talked a little bit in english, said the names of her favorite members and asked Yurippe to say hello to Ruka (since they're in the same agency. yes, my mom knows that. she might not know the name of the agency, but she knows it's the same one
). After that it was time for me to take some pictures myself of the remaining handshakes and the rest of what they were doing. There was one other female fan at the handshake and I think I saw Mori-D giving her a signed t-shirt as well, don't know which one though. After having posed with some signed Evangelion cards, the members said goodbye and went away. You could see that they were really happy to have done all this. All those people taking pictures must be very different for them compared to Japan. When they had left, suddenly Mori-D appeared again and he gave the last signed t-shirt (Ton-chan's) to my mom! We thanked him again and he went off. Man, I was ecstatic at what was happening and had happened!
I wanted to stay a little longer with the japanese wota and the one I talked to a lot started talking again. They seemed to be about to leave, so I thought I should not hesitate and just ask to take a group pic, and the guy talked to the rest right away and they were totally up for it, they even seemed very happy about it, and went on to find a good spot to take a picture. There were some Idoling!!! posters hanging around, but not in good spots, but then one of them said there was a good one at the back and we all went to the other side of the booth and there were two posters and a lot of room in front of it as well so it was the perfect spot. Quickly gave my camera to my dad and had him take some pictures. Then they noticed Rurika9 wasn't there and they asked him to come and sit with us as well and took a few more shots. Then finally, one of the japanese fans gave his camera to my dad and we took some more pics. We said goodbye to everyone and we went off. This marked the end of an awesome day with many things happening and it was all still seeping through
I had a blast today and I'm sure Rurika9 was very happy as well! Now let's just hope that next time more members will, gets announced earlier and actually announce them as a proper guest and not just some appearing at a side event. But considering the popularity of Idoling!!!, this might have been a very good and successful start.
Sorry for the very long report (and sometimes lack of word variation), but too many things happened. Thank you for reading
See previous post for the photos and videos that go with this report.
Topic: The Idoling!!! Discussion Thread (Read 866358 times)