My Arashi hunt and AYH? Tokyo Part II

[leiva21]

Jun’s solo was next. I’ve been guilty of not watching Jun properly on the first day because my eyes kept transfixed onto the screen because there were so many wonderful, private pictures Jun let us see. It was there when I realized that he had become an uncle! Apparently, his sister already had a boy. No wonder Jun said he likes children! There was a picture where he was holding a newly born baby, then him feeding the baby (he’s grown this time) on his chair and there was another picture with his nephew too. He looked so happy! There was also a picture of him with his sister during their chibi days (but not like the picture we’ve seen before - they were nearly in their teenage days this time) with a very old man (whom I guess was their grandfather) Besides that there was his pictures with his friends -Shun etc (I think all of them were his male friends) and then his pictures with the recently deceased butai director (Ninagawa?) and few others I didn’t remember who. There were also a few Arashi pictures. When his picture with Muro Tsuyoshi came out some of us laugh because of course Muro-san is popular now among us because of This is MJ segment XD

This was one of the simplest solo Jun had ever did (after La Familia, or someone might remind me if there was another) Even the choreo was simple. Some might question him if he was satisfied with this performance but I think he chose the theme because of the sad lyrics and all those precious pictures his friends gave consent to he didn’t want to overdo it. But I think it was beautiful and sweet in its simplicity. The penlights were turned baby blue-ish from the beginning to end if I remembered it correctly.

I think it was widely known that the DVD recording was done on the 27th and 28th. I didn’t know if it ever happened before but I’ve a theory on why the second recording happened. I ‘think’ that Jun wasn’t satisfied with his solo on the first recording. There was a less than a second glitch on his solo, like he somehow messed up his lyrics for a bit (there was a tweet saying this) (That day was also when the ‘rumour’ came out, when I found out about it after the concert I feel like I wanted to hug him) Even when he continued smiling and singing like nothing happened, at that time a thought came to me, “Will he be satisfied that it will be in the recording?” And my question was answered the next day when the concert reports on the 28th came out saying that there was a recording for the DVD too. Ha! I knew it! Sasuga perfectionist Jun haha Although before I decided to watch the 26th and the 27th one, I was hoping that they recorded the final day since I couldn’t go on that day (otherwise I might go broke) but then when I think about it again, they were super hyper on the second day and we might miss out the Sho! Jun! calling each other without honorifics (and the subsequent funny Jun face) because they conveniently leaving that part out on the final day. And I have a great suspicion that they’ll use the final day recording just to starve us of that sakumoto goodness. Just great Jun. Why do you have to ruin it for us?  >.>  If they ended up using the second day footage, I’ll say thank you to Aiba because of his backflip failure on his final day made it possible that they use the previous day footage (Jun might still use his final day solo because according to someone watching on the final day his solo was perfect) lols.

The song transitioned beautifully to Miles Away. Oh my god I’ve so many things to say about Miles Away but every time I want to think about the performance I want to cry because it was just too beautiful to even describe it. They were all in white outfit (Jun managed to change because his part was like a quarter into the song) All of them were on the lifters, spread around the dome where Jun was the only one in the middle in front of the stage. The light bathed them one by one when they started singing their part where Jun was the last one being shown. The penlights were turned off, we were in complete darkness besides the lights on each member. There were some kind of white sheet flowing underneath them made them looked ethereal.

If anyone think Arashi couldn’t replicate the harmony in the recording, they definitely shut the critics up with the live performance because the harmony was perfection. I was in awe the entire time. I know nothing about the technicality in music but I appreciate how effortless they sang their parts. I feel like repeating the performance over and over again. Ahhhhhhhh~~~~~~ (cries a thousand tears)

From Baby Blue to Miles Away to Hatenai Sora. The sequence was awesome. This time during Hatenai Sora the whole dome turned into thousands of stars. It was so so beautiful.

Then Wonder Love happened. I’ve always liked this song (My favourite after Miles Away) The choreo was really good. There were some kind light poles that were dancing on top of them, changing shapes and colours (that later were also used in Nino’s solo- some of them were caught in the SCP clip) I kept watching the light sequence because it was awesome that I somehow think that the DVD might not capture it in full (Ah what a shame)

After that, with the same light poles dancing on top, Nino came out for his solo. One word to describe this solo was INTENSE. Our surrounding was in darkness, I didn’t remember seeing any penlights being used (or I just probably not notice it since my eyes was transfixed on Nino) The screen behind the stages showed Nino with the back dancers in close-up, some kind of special effect being used that making dark smoke? came out on screen with every dance movement (I don’t know how to describe this) It was perfection. Nino’s voice sounded very clear and never once a breath was heard.

Perhaps that solo always left everyone speechless or what but on both days we seemed not know how to react when the song ended with Nino leaving the stage. There were almost no clapping and the dome was too silent.

That was the aftereffect of Nino’s solo. XD

The mood inside the dome turned around completely when Aiba came out on stage with his pink Amore shirt and his juniors. The crowd erupted when they started the song flipping up their shirts up showing their abs. Lols, it really pumped the dome up. The penlights during this solo turned green.

Aiba’s solo was like a musical comedy, he did all the funny things on stage that I think had nothing to do with his lyrics lols. He was out of breath after the head spinning and he was put into a stretcher. And then doing the backflips. Please Aiba, you’re too cute. I think Aiba discovered how fun it was to play with our feelings since the Disco Star so he continued with nearly the same theme lols. Never change Aiba <3

The stage darkened for Seisun Bugi, it Japanese theme was clear in this. The screen showed Japanese poem or something with Aiba’s narration (pre-recorded I think) Aiba was gone for a quick change.

I love this part, it made me laugh. It was when they one by one came out on stage doing what being described by Aiba. It was Nino’s turn first I think. He was shown on stage holding his game then rolled around on stage lmao. Then it was Ohno’s turn. On the first day he couldn’t catch the fish cleanly on first try, it bounce on stage before he caught it (lols). Then Sho came out playing music using a shell, it looked like he really played it for real at first then he stopped blowing into that shell and looked up in wonder when the petals went down on him (done by juniors) while the music was still playing lols. Then it was Jun’s turn. He was doing some kind of arm training than he, with a junior  were doing tape stretching by mouth thing. It slapped him (it must hurt!) and then with both of his hands at the back of his head he turned toward us and gave the dorkiest smile ever lols. Then Aiba came out doing piece signs. The song was accompanied by drums underneath them (they used the same stage as with Up and Down).

The next part was the Happy medley started with Happiness and few other songs that were mostly happy and upbeat. We sang along throughout. It was great! The penlights on the stands showing ‘Happy’ and ‘Arashi’ (at intermission before the medley) before it changed to myriads of colours until the medley finished. In between, they introduced the juniors.

They were everywhere. On second day, Nino stopped in front of our section on his cart and we were screaming for his attention. I’d a good view of Nino for a full minute. He was so cute waving around in front of us.

The medley finished with Kansha Kangeki. It was Ai wo Sakebe turn. They were already on the moving stage. Can they sing this in every concert? This song was sang during Japonism too and it never fail to make me so upbeat I want to dance along (I did! Haha) How fun~

It felt like the end when they said their gratitude before going missing with the Ai wo Sakebe still playing. We were screaming “Arashi!” “Arashi!” even though we knew Arashi will come out again for the encore. The dome never went quiet. Within a minute (or two?) they came out in their white jacket singing A Day in Our Life. It was on the second day (or first?) that Juntoshi held each other’s hands but the screen was too late to show it so many of us not even notice it, but I did because it’s Juntoshi lols. A friend said that Juntoshi happened a lot during the third day though (of course to make up for the Sakumoto lost lols) We kept screaming the rap part when the words popped up on the screen. There was also a Juntoshi moment during the first half of the concert (they were on the moving stage) where Jun helpped Ohno fishing fans (so cute!)

There were Are You Happy balloons floating around the dome, showering them with flowers. This was when another infamous Matsumiya happened when Nino came timidly, presenting Jun with flower. Both days were the same, the only difference was how Jun’s reaction when he received it, and also the colours of the flowers they exchanged with each other <3

Then they sang Gorimuchuu and Energy Song. I didn’t remember which song but Jun and Nino were at the same cart and they stopped two section away from us (on second day). I was praying that they stopped in front of us again but no luck, they only get passed us, but at least I could see Jun closer three times (he went passed us before too on his cart with Ohno and Aiba? So I’d a chance to see all of them passed our section at least twice - with Nino four times) They turned and wave at us too when they passed *queue screams* (die for a moment)

They finished and said their quick gratitude one by one starting with Jun, Nino, Aiba, Ohno and Sho. The penlights turned to their respective colours when they talk. They were pretty brief (Sho was the longest especially on the second day when Sho revealed that they were recording the concert - the fans screaming during the reveal was unreal it could bring the dome down lols) and in a happy mode (well the concert theme was centred around happiness after all) Nino always cracking up joke during his part about the size of his shirt (he said before this it was always kids size) lols.

During this time, because I knew the concert was coming to the ending, I started to feel sad. I didn’t want the concert to end but every good thing must come to an end. Daylight ended the concert. I wished it was the full song though. But it was a great song to end it. Jun asked us what their name is and we screamed “ARASHI” as loud as we could before the streamers went off. Nearly three hours went by in a blink of an eye. I never regretted spending so much to come to Japan and paying the tickets because it was so worth it. And I caught one ribbon on the second day after fighting a lot with the other fangirls lols (even the guy behind me got their ribbons too) I’ve dreamed for so long to catch one and now it’s safely rolled inside my cabinet.



This year, I met a fellow fangirl I knew from LJ. She also introduced me to her fellow Arashian friends. We’d promised to meet at the dome because I want to exchange my Tokyo badge with her Osaka badge (Yellow). I’m so glad to have met her because our friendship is still continuing until now. She and her friends brought me to Fuji Terebi building in Odaiba to see Arashi’s Ara Tsubo replica and VSA poster.




I also managed to record the individual Arashi video clapping thing for Araome (I took a crappy video of them though, watched until the end to see Jun)

Click to view

Then she brought me to Shibuya (I got to experience the famous crossings!) We went to Mandarake (oh god Mandarake is too tempting for me, there are a lot of idols merch) and Tsutaya (a record store) and I took pictures of Arashi AYH section and SMAP’s clothes used at concert.

There were Arashi posters and Sho’s drama poster at Shibuya station.

That was the end of my Arashi journey in 2016 because the next day I spent my time with my parents around Ueno and the subsequent day was our flight back home so I missed Kouhaku and Johnny countdown. My luggage was full with Arashi stuff (the magazines are heavy!) that I’d to transfer some of my clothes to my parents’ luggage, thankfully they didn’t mind haha

It was sad to leave Japan. I feel like I want to stay forever but I couldn’t. I was nearly broke on the last day lols.
Thanks Arashi for everything; for making me fight my fear of travelling, for making me screamed with the others in concerts, for spending so much money for them, for making my parents happy and for sowing a new friendship! All in all it was a great memory that I don’t want to forget!

Ja, mata!