User blog:GalacticGrumple/Love Live Fest Day 2 ~ General Report

Penlights.png World!
So it's been a few weeks since Love Live! Fest and I'm still not recovered. I had the absolute honour and joy of attending Day 2 of the live as part of the International Fan Lottery and as my first live, it was an ethereal experience. I'll be doing a review of what I thought of the live, certain details that weren't covered in other posts and my overall viewing experience!

~Before the Live~

As expected, it was pretty manic. I showed up around 10am on the day and thousands of people were there, most of them in the line for merch or the official gacha. I was grateful international viewers had a reserve on merch and picked it up separetly with the ticket, I couldn't have handled the lines lol. And the free gift of some beautiful clear files, I was so surrpised at how nice they were! But anyway, other fans were talking with their friends and cosplayers in groups or trading gacha gifts, a whole economy of vendors and setups were spread across the outside of the arena. I had never seen anything like it before, but overall the air felt tense with anticipation. Some people had been the day before, or if they hadn't it was a question of if they'd kept themselves in the dark about Day 1 or if they'd spoiled it for themselves and looked up all the details on Twitter as it happened live. I had been one of those who knew as much about Day 1 before going into Day 2, I was too excited in my hotel room the previous night. The other international guests were sweet, and wished me a happy birthday (did I mention that the 19th of Jan was also my birthday? I knew it was destiny to go attend the 9th ani live on my 19th bday on the 19th of Jan omg it was meant to be) but everyone was chatting about μ’s especially. Peeps were wearing all their old merch, I even spotted shirts from their First live which is insane. Other than apprehension though everyone was very nice! 

Walking into Saitama Super Arena and seeing the stage was partially underwhelming, but it was mammoth seeing the amount of seats staring directly at the stage. I got a super good seat somehow and the minute I sat down I almost cried my view was so good. I was staring directly at centre stage and in prime cart position, where when they would come around I'd be two metres away from the seiyuu herself on the cart. I was also on the right side which meant the girls to cart would be the first years (foreshadowing) so I was hyped. I've circled in blue roughly where I was~ And then, after a day of waiting and apprehension, I replaced my lightstick batteries after the practice songs and the live started.

~Mitaiken HORIZON ~

I teared up immediately, as soon as the song started and the spotlight fell on all of Aqours. Hanamaru is one of my best girls and seeing her finally get a centre thrilled me when the song came out, and the fact that it was a bop was even better. To open with that song, as my first song seen live? I couldn't help but scream my heart out as a few tears spilled out. The energy in the crowd was crazy too, the amount of yellow was fantastic. The girls looked great on stage, most notable Kinchan and her shorter haircut (it really suits her in all her costumes, I think more than her long hair tbh) and Shuka, who's hair was dyed lighter for the live to look more like You's. Their opening MC was a really brief welcome, and then they introduced Nijigasaki girls and peaced out.

~TOKIMEKI Runners ~

I love the Nijigaku girls heaps, and I learnt the routine myself and seeing it live was wonderful, even with the absence of Akarin. The solo outfits were shining, and I love them. Their opening MC was very sweet, with their call and responses. Tomoriru ran backstage with Chiemii to help with the Rina-chan board, which looked as cute as ever. They also explained Akarin's absence by saying she was sleeping, either she had overslept or was too sleepy to perform (my Japanese isn't too great lol). The other third years waved in the space she would be in the line up, all of the girls were giggling a bit.

~Nijigaku Solos~

Very happy I lucked out and got the day with all my best girls performing. Three super notable things: during Diamond, Agupon, Miyutan and Chiemii came out in the school uniforms and yellow pom poms mid song, and cheered on Mayuchi. They all had heaps of fun with it, running around the top of stage hugging each other and waving their pom poms, following he routine quite well when they weren't goofing. Honestly best girl deserves the world I'm happy she got little cheerleaders. During Meccha Going!! a bunch of heart shaped balloons fell from he ceiling, emblazoned with the LLFest logo. And during CHASE! the pyrotechnics were wild, you could feel the heat across the arena. Of course Tomoriru killed it aswell, her voice just resonated and gave me goosebumps.

~Love U my friends ~

Of course the choreo I was most looking forward to gets turned into a cart song gah. But I love the song a lot and because I was on the first years cart side, I got to see best girl Mayuchi up close! Her dress looked wonderful, its so shiny and poofy and detailed, which matched her poofy cheeks and really cute smile~ I loved seeing her so close very blessed indeed.

~Aqours Subunits~

First up was CYaRon whom I love, wearing their Kinmirai Happy End costumes and waving around their flags. Very cute, energetic performance which they completely switched up with Yozora wa Nandemo Shitteru no?, Shuka did an excellent job in the bridge as usual. AZALEA showed up with the full Torikoriko PLEASE!! costume and playlist, with a lot of the set done on carts. There was a surprise Torikoriko moment in the bridge and the stadium shone pink for the rest of the song, that was very sweet. Got a quick look at Arisha on carts but only briefly. Then came Guilty Kiss who looked sweet in their OG outfits performing some quality songs. Dance breaks in Guilty Eyes Fever were especially memorable, Aikyan 's kick was a big OOF moment. At that moment crowd reach its peak - I don't think there's much contest as to which group Japan loves seeing live most. Overall, a basic but still nice little subunit feature. Would've loved to heard one of the newer songs though.

~Saint Snow ~

Ooooooh Saint Snow I love them. I was hyped to see them and how lucky to see them in the Believe again costumes. Everyone went wild with me, because they killed it. Their vocals were on point, their moves smooth and they were in fishnets. Speechless. Hina also spoke English during the MC, directing it to the LV and DV, saying "Hello Everyone! Let's make the most of it!". As one of the maybe hundred people in the crowd from overseas, I much appreciated it lol. When they acually performed Believe again, it was insane. The crowd couldn't contian themselves, the chants were mammoth.

And then there was an introductory video to the ones everyone had been waiting for.

~Bokura no LIVE Kimi to no LIFE~

​​​​​​μ's had arrived on stage and there was a moment of incomprehendable joy. Why had they come out earlier than yesterday? I didn't really care, because everybody lost it. Penlights waved harder than ever before, screams echoed out before the first beats had even finished. The sillohuettes of the girls were tantilising, teasing us until the lights came up and we saw them, beaming smiles and jumping in perfect sync. Their outfits were absolutely beautiful, I had expected something like the Final Live BoRaRa outfits but these were completely refreshed designs that perfectly illustrated the girls maturity as graduated idols. They positively shone on stage, sparkling with the girls and flowing beautifully, the ruffles on every skirt moving as if they were sentient. And once they started signing you could tell that they had grown outside of Love Live!. They sounded as perfect as they did almsot 4 years ago, like they hadn't been stopped all that time. The three screens from left to right were playing the original MV, the live camera zooms of the grils on stage and the anime MV, which was super cute. It felt so natural and lovely and AHHH THAT'S μ's I JUST SAW LIVE WHAT IN THE WORLD THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE! It was a moment beyond tears, I couldn't express it any more than the proper chants and furious arm waving.

~μ's​​​​ MC~

They were all on the verge of tears, hugging each other and holding each other's hands. The "We are μ's!" bit had the crowd going crazy, and they kinda giggled at how insane it was. All of their call and responses were very sweet as per usual, everybody knew them like second nature despie it being so long since they had all done it. They were all up to something odd when another girl was doing her bit. I noticed for a while Rippi and Shikaco were ducking on the ground, dabbing each other's brows with their towels and taking sips of water. They looked like kids up to no good lol. And the third years just couldn't contain themselves, I think Kussun is the one to blame. They could not stop giggling and touching each other, in half hugs and hand squeezes, it was very cute seeing them all together again. During Mimorin's Love Arrow Shoot half of the girls just rolled onto the stage, completely overdoing it lol. It was really cute tbh. They all looked so happy up there, it was really pure.

~μ's Medley~

The medley was so full of energy and you could see how much fun they were having. They ran around the stage for a bit doing choreo, then jumped on carts for a while then came back to stage, and over the 15 minutes or so there wasn't a second the crowd was motionless or completely quiet. The girls themselves couldn't keep their hands off each other, hugging and hand holding up and down the stage, Emitsun notably grabbing any girl near hear and either hugging her tightly or running with them hand in hand (featured interactions include Kussun, Nanjolno, Soramaru and Pile). Hearing Bokura wa Ima no Naka de was so special to me, purely because it was one of the first songs I heard from all of Love Live!, but it was the first routine I learned in full. It meant the world doing the arm movements with my penlight, in time with the girls. When they started coming around on carts of course I was on the first year side and we waved to Shikaco and Pile, who were facing us. I shone Maki's red on both my penlights because she has always been and will be best girl. The medley continued and they cam back down our way, where Pile was facing us again. Then, seeing a small clump of international viewers (about 10 of us in the one spot) she made an effort to wave at us. And I, being the only one in the second row, closest to her and shining her colour, she gave me that famous Maki pouty smile and waved with both hands. Right at me. If we had both reached out our hands they would've been touching we were that close. I almost lost it. I couldn't believe I had just had a miniscule interaction with one of my favourite people ever. When I close my eyes I can still see it. The best birthday present I could've asked for. I'm geting flustered just thinking about it ahhh.

~Snow halation ~

The one we'd all been waiting for. Pure magic. The screens were set similarily to BoRaRa; from left to right, the classic MV, live zooms of the girls ons tage and the refreshed anime MV. The dance was perfect as always, but the crowd's glow. You wouldn't think they had officially banned UO's for the live, because that arena was all orange. The moment it switched was straight up magic, goosebumps, inexplainable. You see all the videos but being a part of it... I can't even explain it. And thus was the end of μ's performances for this live, and how blessed it was indeed. Throughout their whole set not one thing was out of place; their moves perfect, their voices like a studio recording's they were so crisp and clear and powerful. I had screamed myself hoarse at this point, and finished my water trying to recover in time for Aqours. I was exhausted but full of energy, elated beyond elation. I had been a part of Love Live! history, which was incomprehendable.

~Aqours~

BOAT! It straight up came out of nowhere suddenly there was just the boat. I had seen it in my DV of ~Sailing to the Sunshine~ but it was very weird seeing it in person. I was surprised that Todokanai Hoshi da to Shitemo was still on the setlist, since I had thought it would've been switched with a HAPPY PARTY TRAIN B-side. I still enjoyed it though, and only found out later that it serves as a tribute to μ's, which is super cute I'm really happy they performed it now. And when they played WATER BLUE NEW WORLD I choked on my hoarse throat, that being one of my top three Aqours songs. Seeing it live, I was just taken aback by how wonderful it all sounded and felt. I teared up a bit again lol. And finally their MC and call and responses, if memory serves Suwuwa hugged Rikyako? Either her or Shuka, there was so much to remember ah. I really liked the Day 2 setlist for Aqours, it had a good couple bops on there. Got a little bit of interaction with Kinchan and Furirin as they came around on carts, which I couldn't believe (Hanamaru being aforementioned one of the best girls and Ruby being highly ranked). During Kimi no Kokoro wa Kagayaiteru kai? I was highly satisified seeing them perform in the outfits, it looked absolutely perfect. And before I knew it, the final song had finished, and that was the end of the live. I couldn't believe it. My voice was almost gone, I had sat down once in the past three hours, and my arms were beginning to hurt. But it didn't matter, because I was still overwhelmed with joy.

~Concluding MC~

Aqours were panting but looked extremely happy when they came centre stage. Anchan was a bit teary as she proclaimed her love for Love Live!, the honour of performing with μ's and the joy it brought her being able to be a part of the Love Live! franchise. The Nijigaku girls were invited on stage and Agupon talked about how amazing it was to be here in the moment, and how crazy and privledged they were to be performing alongside their senpai's senpai. She was a bit teary too (pretty much everyone was). Saint Snow came on and Asamin mentioned A-RISE, much to everyone's surprise. She acknowledged them as the first rival group and contributors to Love Live! history, as she did with the other groups. When μ's reappeared (wearing the most beautiful custom desgins of the 9th ani shirts) they were all tearing up, it was adorable. They held each other tight and held their heads up, taking in the atmosphere. Emitsun screamed μ'sic Forever to close the show with the 29 girl bow, and everyone was screaming. I was screaming 'Arigatou μ's! Arigatou Maki-chan! Arigatou!!!!" And then my voice stopped working lol. But it was worth it of course. As the groups left the stage, waving generously and smiling wider than anything, I almost teared up again. It was almost over, that would be the whole experience. It felt like forever but also only like minutes. I couldn't believe it. We got teased with that announcement too but no-one seemed to care. No-one seemed to care about the lack of an encore either. Of course we all wanted 29 person SUNNY DAY SONG but it had already been the perfect ending, I wouldn't have it any other way.

~Final Thoughts~

On the hour it took me to get back to the hotel I was furiously writing everything down in my notebook, becuase my phone was dying. I had time to recover my voice before I called my dance group (@aurora.au_ on insta) and screamed at them, and they screamed back. Everything was closed by the time I got back tp the hotel so I had some weird cup o noodles but instead of noodles it was tomato pasta. And some Pino. Defs not what I thought I'd eat but it was perfect. I was still buzzing for a while before I fell asleep, but I did. Next mornign I woke up with very sore writsts, which continued hurting all day. And then I had 6 more days in Japan and then I came home. It was fun going to the SEGA arcades decked out in Love Live!, seeing other Japanese peeps and tourists combing Akhiabara in merch of their best girls and from the live, all talking and chatting and making friends. The elation of the live stayed with me the entire trip. In the moment I remember wishing once to have a break to sit down, but I look back and laugh. Seeing all the seiyuus upload pictures is adorable, and reminds me of how magical it was for them and the audience. Writing this in my room, glancing at my shrine and seeing the live merch and other figurines and garbage I own, I just smile. It was something I'll never forget, no matter what. If you ever get to go to a live, DO NOT PASS IT UP!!! It'll be the most amazing hing ever, trust me! If I ever get the chance I'll go again, no matter how much it costs (this cost a pretty penny ngl) or whatever type of live it is. It'll be worth it. It was truly one of the best days of my life, if not it was certainly one of the best birthdays I've ever had.

Thanks for listening world, I hope to write to you again,

GalacticGrumple xx