Just got back! Wow! This really is the best Morning Musume concert I’ve been to! The setlist is the best, the goods are the best, the staging is the best, the costumes…. oh. Well, not the costumes, but everything else is awesome!
After a long trip via like 5 trains, I finally arrived at the concert. At the goods table I bought a Gaki-san T-shirt (the kind with all the smileys) and YES! they still had size small. I also got a couple boxes of gummies just for fun. I ended up getting an Eri picture in one and a Mittsi picture in the other. The cutest mini-wota award for the day goes to the little girl in a Koharu T-shirt that was so big on her it reached her knees. The concert venue was interesting. There was the floor section and then 5 narrow balconies directly on top of each other and they kind of wrapped around the stage.
The stage setup was really cool. There’s a central stairway leading to the back raised area, and there are also two small revolving stages on either side with their own stairways.
I had a female Niigaki fan of the “knows the dance moves to every last song” variety on my right, and strangely, a guy in a suit on my left. He must have come straight from work because his briefcase was on the floor in front of him. I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone wear a suit to a concert before. He didn’t even take off his jacket until about halfway through. He spent most of the concert awkwardly nodding his head to the music with his arms behind his back. Eventually he got a little more into it, risking a little clapping and bouncing on his heels. I was dying to ask what was going on with him, but I figured that might be kind of rude.
And now to track-by-track mode.
3,2,1 Breakin Out- Cow costumes? Really? I mean, the leopard costumes were kind of cool, but cow costumes?! Ah well. This is a nice song, but I don’t feel like it has quite enough oomph to be the opening number for a concert. I think it would have been better if they’d switched positions with…
How do you like Japan?- Breakin’ Out got us smiling, but this song got us jumping and screaming. Love it. One thing that bothers me about this song though. The title is “How do you like Japan?” but the lyrics go “How do you like this Japan?”. So, are they asking us how we feel about Japan, or are the asking Japan how they feel about Morning Musume/that song? Hmmm?
Kimagure Princess- The dance is sure aggressive and athletic! There seem to be Russian cossack inspired moves in there. It’s really funny to watch the girls open their mouths to sing and hear this chipmunkified version come out. Only complaint is, once again, the costumes. Unless you are working at a ranch, chaps are never ever a good idea. They make their thighs look twice their size, and when they turn around it looks like they’ve ripped their pants.
Nanchatte Renai- Was good, but I don’t remember anything specific.
Genki+- That intro music was kind of creepy, but in a good way. Much better than the Sexy 8 Beat version, I think. They changed the dance. Oh, and if you were wondering, LinLin and Eri shared Miki’s big solo line at the bridge.
Ame no Furanai- I love this song, but not so much the way it was done here. First, I don’t know the Chinese lyrics. Second, it was so short, just verse chorus chorus, that by the time you start to get into it, it’s already over.
Sukiyaki- Oh. my. God. The costumes make last concert’s Guru Guru Jump costumes look subdued and tasteful. There were two hyper rainbow fluffballs with Gaki and Koharu’s heads sticking out of them running around the stage.
Haru Beautiful Everyday- Eri and Aika are so perfect for this song. Eri’s voice is very pure and sweet, and Aika is a lot more confident than she was back during the Sexy 8 Beat show.
Kioku no Meiro- Was cool, but again, nothing specific to share
Aruiteru- So… Sayumi sure is cute, isn’t she? Well, let’s just say I was glad when everybody else came out.
Aki Urara- I don’t like this song even a little bit. I wish they would have replaced it with just about anything else. Still, one boring song out of an entire concert isn’t too bad.
Shouganai Yumeoibito- And a good song swoops in to save the day!
Sakura Mankai- This song sort of puts me in a trance. It’s so peaceful and calming. LinLin’s solo lines are amazing here, not that her solo lines aren’t all amazing. And looking at the crowd, she clearly has the fewest fans out there. Maybe if Risa graduates *knock on wood* I will become a LinLin supporter. It must be discouraging for her to look out there and see hardly anyone wearing her color.
Yuujou~ ect.- Any song that involves jumping around like crazy and lots of general flailing is a winner in my book.
Dekai Ucchu ni Ai ga Aru- Cutest performance of the night! The girls were all peaking out from behind their big smileys and playing around with each other. I liked it when they formed the 9 smile logo at the end. It doesn’t hurt that I like the song a lot too.
Coupling Medley- They did a really great job making the songs flow into each other. During some of the medley, they were showing photos of concert rehearsal on the screen. The best part was when Handmade City started, and they striped the music down to just a “we will rock you”- like beat. Then Ai and Eri came in with the “I love you” “wow wow city” parts, with everyone in the audience screaming the echo. Gradually they added more of the background music until we were back to the normal version of the song again. It was kick-ass! The medley in general was probably the highlight of the concert for me.
Joshi Kashi Mashi- Hilarious! Lots of playing around on stage. It makes me sad that this lineup is going to end soon though. They lit up the stage in each member’s color during her verse.
Naichau Kamo- Okay, but I’m getting a little tired of it.
Resonant Blue- Look, the song still rocks, but PLEASE give it a rest! It’s been in every concert since it came out, including the all h!p concerts. I must, however, note how fierce Gaki-san is in this.
Encore- So, the wota started chanting “Gaki-san!” during the encore chant. Huh? This is Risa’s “hometown” concert?! I guess there did seem to be an unusually large number of Gaki fans in the audience.
Songs- Must be easier to perform without four separate layers of costumes on. Well, except that Koharu’s hat kept almost falling off.
Love Machine- Much more spirited than the version in lasts year’s medley. The members were really having fun with it, playing around and teasing each other all over the place. At the very beginning, when they all freeze in a pose, Ai-chan’s pose involved her grabbing the top of Risa’s head. LoL.
So, clearly, I had a great time! I can’t wait to go again! For now though, I must be off to bed. Hope you enjoyed.
Smile!
~Celestia~