THE IDOLM@STER 3rd Anniversary Live - the preivew
Track List (it was a hefty 3 hour concert):
1. shiny smile [Short Ver.] (Hasegawa Akiko, Wakabayashi Naomi, Kugimiya Rie)
2. Agent Yoru wo Yuku [Short Ver.] (Takahashi Chiaki, Imai Asami, Shimoda Asami)
3. GO MY WAY!! [Short Ver.] (Nakamura Eriko, Nigo Mayako, Hirata Hiromi -> All members)
<MC>
4. Do-Dai (Nigo Mayako, Imai Asami, Shimoda Asami)
5. Watashi wa Idol (Wakabayashi Naomi, Takahashi Chiaki)
6. Here we go!! [REM@STER-A] (Hasegawa Akiko)
7. My Best Friend [REM@STER-B] (Hirata Hiromi, Kugimiya Rie)
8. relations + [Normal->REM@STER-A] (Nakamura Eriko, Wakabayashi Naomi)
9. 9:02pm [REM@STER-B] (Hirata Hiromi, Hasegawa Akiko)
10. Taiyo no Jealousy [REM@STER-A] (Imai Asami, Shimoda Asami)
<Ochiai Yurika Video message>
<MC Drama>
11. Kiramekirari [Short Ver.] (Nigo Mayako)
12. Furu Furu Future [Short Ver.] (Hasegawa Akiko)
13. Futari no Kioku [Short Ver.] (Kugimiya Rie)
14. Start Star [Short Ver.] (Shimoda Asami)
15. I WANT [Short Ver.] (Nakamura Eriko)
<MC Drama>
16. Positive! [REM@STER-A] (Takahashi Chiaki, Nigo Mayako, Takita Juri)
17. Ohayou!! Asagohan [REM@STER-A] (Hirata Hiromi, Shimoda Asami, Kushida Akira as Yakiniku Man)
18. Ippai Ippai [Short Ver.] (Wakabayashi Naomi)
19. Me ga Au Toki [Short Ver.] (Imai Asami)
20. Meisou Mind [Short Ver.] (Hirata Hiromi)
21. Tonari ni… [Short Ver.] (Takahashi Chiaki)
22. Merry (Nigo Mayako, Kugimiya Rie, Nakamura Eriko)
23. ID：[OL] (Takita Juri)
24. THE IDOLM@STER [Short Ver.] (All members)
25. Mahou wo Kakete! (Imai Asami, Wakabayashi Naomi)
26. Valentine (Hasegawa Akiko, Shimoda Asami)
27. YES♪ (Hirata Hiromi, Nakamura Eriko)
28. inferno (Imai Asami, Takahashi Chiaki)
29. shiny smile (Kugimiya Rie, Wakabayashi Naomi, Hasegawa Akiko)
30. Omoide wo Arigatou (Nigo Mayako, Shimoda Asami)
31. Sora (Takita Juri)
32. my song (Takahashi Chiaki, Hirata Hiromi, Nakamura Eriko)
33. Aoi Tori (Imai Asami)
<PSP game announcement, new characters introduction>
34. Over Master (new song) (Hasegawa Akiko, Hara Yumi, Numakura Emi)
MC
35. Massugu (Nakamura Eriko, Kugimiya Rie, Nigo Mayako, Takahashi Chiaki, Wakabayashi Naomi)
<Encore>
36. THE IDOLM@STER (everyone)
Just a reminder of who plays who:
Nakamura Eriko - Amami Haruka
Imai Asami - Kisaragi Chihaya
Ochiai Yurika - Hagiwara Yukiho
Nigo Mayako - Takatsuki Yayoi
Wakabayashi Naomi - Akizuki Ritsuko
Takahashi Chiaki - Miura Azusa
Kugimiya Rie - Minase Iori
Hirata Hiromi - Kikuchi Makoto
Shimoda Asami - Futami Ami, Mami
Hasegawa Akiko - Hoshii Miki
Takita Juri - Otonashi Kotori
Hara Yumi - Shijyo Takane (new character for the upcoming PSP game)
Numakura Emi - Ganaha Hibiki (new character for the upcoming PSP game)
Some random thoughts and trivias:
* The character Takita Juri plays - Otonashi Kotori - is actually not an idol in the game but one of the workers of 765 Production (the name of the production house in the IDOLM@STER games, it’s a pun since 765 can be read as Namco). Kotori had become a really popular character ever since her appearance in CD dramas and such, as well as having her own songs.
* In the beginning, they used the newly released 3D model of Otonashi Kotori to tell people not to do otagei as Kotori was doing it on the screen. It was hilarious. For why the fuss and info on what otagei is, go here for j1m0ne’s coverage on the story [Sakakibara Yui Bans Otagei at Her Live Shows?].
* Leading on from above, the crowd was actually very withheld. Even the normal jumping and cheering was well beneath normal accepted levels. Maybe something to do with the gaming crowd being a little less scary?
* Special guest Kushida Akira for number 16 is a veteran anime/tokusatsu song singer. You can find his English homepage here. As for why he’s there as Yakiniku Man, well, you’ll just have to listen to the song which can be found on one of the CDs.
* Takita Juri is a great performer - both for her singing and her narration during the MC dramas. Even though her character Kotori is not officially an idol in the game her singing is very high quality. A quick look at her profile reveals that she used to be a member of the Minami Aoyama Shoujo Geikidan. If that doesn’t ring a bell, Chiba Saeko and Nanri Yuuka (AKA Fiction Juction YUUKA) are both graduates of this musical group.
* There were a few instances where Kugimiya Rie slipped out of her high pitch voice when singing, it sounds surprisingly pleasant.
* Shimoda Asami is really really crazy. I still can’t believe she actually did the stupid hand-poking-into-the-air dance move from Do-Dai and her mic didn’t flew out from her hands.
* Hirata Hiromi sounds much better live than on the CD. I think it has something to do with her deep voice which seems to fill a concert hall better than being delivered via recording.
* Imai Asami finally managed to sing Aoi Tori when she is in her best shape - and boy it was awesome. Last time she sang that she was not well so much so that she collapsed backstage after the performance.
* Chiaking + Asamingosu’s version of “inferno” was great. Too bad for Ochiai Yurika (the original song was a duet by Imai Asami and Ochiai Yurika)
* Nakamura Eriko’s performance is still abit shaky if she moves too much, otherwise she’s definitely getting better. Hopefully she can improve more before Animelo since she’s by far the weakest link out of the 4 iM@S seiyuu that are attending. It’s not really her being terrible though, it’s just that the other 3 being Takahashi Chiaki, Imai Asami and Shimoda Asami are just more skillful.
* The owner of the rival production house of the PSP game - 961 Production (read Kuroi Production, again a pun on the number reading, also “kuroi” means black) seems to be voiced by Koyasu Takehito.
* Just for the record, there were a few girls there. We were particularly traumatized by two really dedicated stealth fangirls in front of us. “Stealth” as in you can’t tell they were the crazy type since they look absolutely normal (they were pretty too) until they decide to whip out 10 different glow sticks each and wave and cheer like what normal teenage girls would for their favourite boy band, except of course in this case, the performers are all female….
EDIT: Nearly everyone’s blog has some photos of sorts, but the blog for Chiaking (Takahashi Chiaki) and Asapon (Shimoda Asami) has the most photo spam, so much so that I’d rather not try to steal them. Go visit Chiaking’s blog here and Asapon’s blog here for photo goodness.
July 29th, 2008 at 07:34
Wow, sounds like it was an amazing concert. Can’t wait to get my hands on this video.
July 29th, 2008 at 14:12
I’m not sure they will actually release this concert on video as we didn’t see any proper camera equipment…..
July 29th, 2008 at 20:15
They might have a special on Inside Xbox or something but you might need to get Japanese Xbox Live for that.
July 31st, 2008 at 01:41
Wow, saw the photos at the artist blog site. Light up costumes O_O
Hope/PRAY!! there is a DVD or blueray on this. Seems really good from the songs lineup.
August 4th, 2008 at 15:21
they will probably come out with its dvd at the 4th live anniversary, like how they are coming out the 2nd live dvd that comes in limited edition of Im@s Master Box IV.Which is pricing at over 9000 yen :X
And Yes, Asapon(Shimoda Asami) is really hyper, and her vocal range is well… amazing… a sample of her voical range is here at http://idolmaster.eu/asapon.mp3 (yes, i took the domain name :x)
Kushida sings with Asapon in the song Ohayou! Asagohan! (Rem@ster-A) which is in the CD “Idolm@ster Live For You! Master Live 01″
And I do feel the same about Kotori being able to sing well, Master Artist Finale(Im@s Character CD) from it we can glimpse how well she can sing.
And how was Nigo Mayako? I became a Im@s fan because of her. And the radio show she hosts with Nakamura Eriko and Asami Imai is really wacky at times.
Other tibbits,
4 days after the concert , Hiromi announced she was married last year, she is sorry that she couldnt tell her fans, link is here at http://blog.livedoor.jp/hira__hiro/archives/50610991.html
I wished I was there at the concert but I live too far away, Dodgethis will go to Animelo and cheer the Im@s members in my place then.
August 5th, 2008 at 00:47
> Shia
Nigo Mayako’s performance of “Kiramekirari” was quite something. I’m quite familiar with all the Master Artists series songs so I was impressed that she totally sang in character for the song and hitting the notes. Also her role as Yayoi is really a true definition of the classic moe voice.
August 11th, 2008 at 04:15
How dare you can go to the live concert ._.
And you’d never even said a word in the newsgroup =3=
Recently I was charmed by Akiko =w=
Did she really gave a good show with Here we go remaster-a?
Though I think you can’t stand for the pronounciation of “here we go” :P
BTW, I’ve just found that she’d released one personal single in the past O_o
Titled “白い坂道”, which all 3 songs’ lyrics are written by her also. @_@
Hope I could find this in Japan…