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sumoboy [userpic]

Notice: Going Semi-friends only

December 31st, 2009 (07:50 pm)

I have had several problems over the past month with my photobandwidth being exceeded, so I have decided to go semi-friends. From now on, all photos will be placed under Friends only posts.
Normal text only posts will remain as they are. If you want to remain in my friends list, please leave a message.

If you have never commented before and I have no idea who you are, sorry, thanks for lurking.
If I have sort of remembered that you have commented before, I'll add you to the list. 

sumoboy [userpic]

Uraarashi 12/4

December 6th, 2009 (03:19 am)
optimistic

current mood: optimistic

From Sakurai Sho

Hello.

This is me, Sakurai.

Day 1 of the Tokyo Dome concerts has just finished.

We were very well received by our fans and I am now in the best of spirits.

It was great fun.

So this happened after the party.

I was going for a shower and Nino, who was facing me, said this:

'Sho-san, Haven't you got your underpants the other around?'

Ah....

Ah-re-re-re-re-re?

When i looked down to check, the buttons on my underpants were facing my butt

That's right.

I had work before the concert and I was so sleepy that in my dimness, I must have put on my underwear backwards.

And I went on like that for over 10 hours.

..... I told myself I had to be more careful in the future.

But.

After my shower, I carefully checked that I had got the front and back sides on right, so things are back to being fine and dandy.
(Shouldn't that be the case, under normal circumstances?)

Well.

I will now go and grab something to eat.

2009/12/4
Sakurai Sho.


(erm, wouldn't the fit feel different or strange if you have got your underpants backwards??!! ) I would know immediately if I got my underpants the wrong way around.

sumoboy [userpic]

12/4 Tokyo Dome

December 5th, 2009 (01:09 pm)
restless

current mood: restless

So the tour makes it way back to Tokyo, after circling around Fukuoka, Osaka and Sapporo.

There really weren't any major surprises or announcements. To me, it was a very 'proper' concert, it felt more like the guys were 'working', and there was lesser goofing around, like they do outside Tokyo. Of course it was a great concert, they were idiots when expected and Kakkoi when expected. But as this is Tokyo, there were alot of J-Storm business associates and jimusho big guys around, so I guess they couldn't be too wacky.

The set list was the same as all the other domes, except that they carved out the last song, 'My Girl' and moved it to the third encore, but the number of songs sang was the same as all the other concerts.

Tokyo Dome, due to its size, has bad acoustics during MC. Esp if u sit in the front stands near the stage. I was at Gate 20 stands yesterday and as it was near front of the stage, sound bounces off the back of the dome and comes back, so we get an echo, esp during MC. So, this is not what they said word for word, but only the gist.
Only the first part.

Sho: YAY!!! Good Evening, We are Arashi!!
Fans: YEAH!!!
Jun: Its been some time, since Kokuritsu.
S: Aiba-san, you are sweating so much, it seems like there is steam coming out from you.
N: Yes, you look like a humidifier.
J: (Changing T-shirts at the corner of the stage)
Fans: KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
S: Aiba-san they are not paying attention to you anymore, everyone is looking at Matsumoto-san!
A: We were talking about humidifiers right?
S: That talk is already over!
S: Its already Dec.
N: Time really flies.
S (to fans): You guys, your DVD HDDs are all full right? Aiba-san, how's your drama going?
A: Today is episode 9. Altogether there were 10 episodes
N: You are done? You cranked up?
A: I am done.
N; I heard you cried.
A: OI! Don't say it!!!
N: you cried.
A: Don't say it!!
M: I understand if you were crying when it is your turn to crank up, but you were crying at someone else's crank up!!
A: Oi!!! If you guys don't say it, no one will know!
O to A: (spacing out until now and only realising what they were talking about) Oh you cried?
Fans: XD XD
A: Yes I cried.
N: Well, its ok if you cried. Will we be able to see it? like in some DVD making of or something ?
A: Well my face was away from the cameras
N: hey why dont you show us your crying?
A: these pple don't want to see me crying!
Fans: WE WANT TO SEE!!!!!!!
S: So what did you feel when you cranked up? Tell us your feelings etc.
A: It was Nov 30th and that evening, each member of the cast, one by one, they cranked up.
M: So u were last.
A: yeah, around evening, Koharu-chan cranked up. So I cried when I thought of the fact that I had been her dad for the past 4 months.
Fans: AHHHHHH....
A: And then at my own crank up that night, i was so happy when i finished I went 'Owatta!! I am done!!') (jumps and punches fist in the air) The feeling was different.
S: Ah something like 'yay! I did it!'
N: Well, they should show scenes of you when you had your all up.
A: yes i should ne? Ok, I will ring them and tell them.
A: Sho chan you are appearing in Episode 10 too right.
M: what are u acting as?
N: The steel grip from My Girl and Gantz are the same. We were shooting my movie in the middle of the night and the guy he came to me with a photograph and showed it to me 'Hey look at this'. It was a picture of Shochan and Aibachan going like this --> Does a guts pose, like the one in VS arashi.
Fans: HAHAHA
S: Yes we always have this pose whenever we have to pose for pictures for magazines.
M: Fighting pose right, so what is the meaning behind this fighting pose.
A: we have been doing this for 10 years. Sho-chan, only he will do this : --> Put two hands up
N: yes in the VS arashi promo clips.
M (to sho): So what kind of role did you play in Aiba-kun's dorama
A: (tries to explain): Well, erm, you see, I, in the studio where i work . well.. I am doing....
N (cutting in): OH MY GOD, YOU SUCK SO BAD AT EXPLANATIONS!!!!!
A: .......I was trying to explain that it took place at where I work in the drama..
N: You were trying to say that the setting is that of the photography studio where you work , right?
A: YES YES, I was trying to say that.. its at the photography studio where I work.
S: Well i don't really appear all that much, I went in for the shoot at 11pm and they introduced me:
'This is Sakurai Sho, who is acting the role of Satoya-kun'
Staff: Yeah!!
One hour later.......
'Satoya-kun, Crank up!!!!!'
The music came on (when people crank up) and I got a bouquet of flowers.....
N: YOU GOT A BOUQUET OF FLOWERS !?!!!?!! just for one hour's work!!!!?!!
S: Yes and in my closing speech I was saying 'well it really feels really short....' and at the end I was taking a photograph with the staff..
N: For memories sake.
S: yes. And I was there for just one hour, and they made me stand in front!! I should be standing at the side or something.
N: Shochan also appeared in Ri-da-'s drama right?
S: Well that I appeared as myself.
N: why didnt ri-da- appear in Aiba's drama?
O: well i thought they would ask me to do it and i was a bit on the edge about that.
A: Sorry I didnt know about that!
End of 1st part of MC.

They then went on to talk about the projects that they were working on, like Saigo no Yakusoku and all their other movies and Dramas. Each of them introduced his own project and ri-da-, since he is relatively open at the moment, he went 'Right now, i am working on Shukudaikun, VS Arashi and Himitsu no Arashichan!!'
( XD XD Oh-chan, better lie low otherwise someone in the jimusho will realise you are free and give you work to do!)

The song I really had fun with yesterday was A.Ra.Shi. : They will stand S-> O -> M, in this formation on frotn stage at the end of the song. In the transparent costumes. The song following A.RA.SHi in sequence is 'Kimi no tameni bokugairu' and that song starts with 'CHECK IT OUT', right?

Sho, pointed to his right nipple and went 'Check it out!!' XD XD

Yesterday was the first time i actually paid attention to Jun during A.RA.SHI. during this tour, (I am usually looking at the chipmunk covering his nipples and bowing on the center hanamichi) but since Jun was right in front of me yesterday, I had a good look at him. His hand action for 'You are my soul soul' was so exaggerated it was so funny. Its was exactly like in Utaban, when Nakai makes them do the Arashi. You gotta slam your feet with gusto!! Well hime was doing that last night. I dont know if it is normally what he does, but yesterday he was hilarious.

After listening to theclosing speeches over and over again, yesterday I thought to myself as they were closing up: Their closing speeches are getting better as they get more practise.

Sho's closing speech was an example. He should be a politician, it was a very well thought-out, calculated speech, he chose his words carefully, an ounce of humility injected in, a dash of humour and a wham! you get the response you were aiming to get.

Nino's speeches since Sapporo, has been marketing campaigns. 'BUY NINTENDO!! EAT TONGARI CORN!' XD I wonder if they get a cut of the revenues they generate.

Ri-da-'s speeches are simple, down to earth, not eloquent, but you feel that it has the most sincerity shinning through.

Jun's speech is mostly 'i love you guys' 'Thanks for coming' 'Please support us going forward' or some other similar content. And the audience usually laps it up.

Aiba chan's speeches, most of the time I look at him and see his clothes all wet with perspiration and stuck to his body and think , wow this guy really sweats!! But they are usually about how his tension is so high that night, they crowd was the best and how he likes doing concerts.

The theme here is : Feed the audience what they want to hear, you get the response you want to get, and everyone goes home happy. All in a day's work for a top idol. :)

I am being cynical just for the heck of it, i do enjoy listening to their closing speeches. And I do kyaaaaa with they say something that is designed to make me go 'KYAAAAA', but sometimes, I like to take a step back, not be so heady and think about the dynamics behind their speeches.

I have no ticket for today's show, so I have to sit on the sidelines. T_T
But I will be there in spirit.
For all those going, enjoy!!

sumoboy [userpic]

ドS番長

December 1st, 2009 (12:44 am)
numb

current mood: numb

........ strikes again. ( ^ ^ ;)

During the last concert in Sapporo, Jun mentioned that they went to a sushi joint recommended by Ooizumi You, the guy who is acting together with him in his drama, Wagaya no Rekishi.

We heard the Arashi version, well, apparently there is a Ooizumi version to that too. XD Ooizumi-san talked about it on his radio show 'Sansansandei' on Nov 15th.

Only the main points:

1) radio show starts with Ooizumi-san telling his other co-hosts that Susukino restaurants were overflowing with Arashi fans. the dome sat 50,000 people and say even when a fraction go for dinner, that is a lot of pple!

2) Arashi also had a big impact on the local economy because the fans from out of town will eat, drink, shop and sightsee.

3) Ooizumi san said he was acting with Matsumoto-kun in Wagaya no rekishi. And when they were on location in Shanghai, they became good friends. 'I am going to have a concert in Sapporo, please introduce a good restaurant to me' said Jun.

'OK, Leave it to me!' replied Ooizumi-san, and promptly introduced a restaurant to him. 'What shall I say about him (ie JUN)? He is an S.'' he continued.

Other host: 'Yeah he has that aura about him'

'Since I am going all the way to Sapporo, Ooizumi-san, I want you to buy me dinner.'
said Jun to Ooizumi-san.
'Ah I see, I see' replied Ooizumi-san. 'So I introduced a sushi restaurant to him, and told him, its a bit pricey, you think you'll be fine with it?'

Jun's answer : ' NO PROBLEM. This is ARASHI.'

Hosts: Breaking down into fits of laughter. 'HAHAHAHAHAHA'

Ooizumi: 'Isn't that Kakkoi?! He said, 'No problem with the price, because I am Arashi!' and continued, 'Well I think what he meant that as he was going to the restaurant while doing work as part of Arashi, the tab would be picked up by the company.' And since he was going all the way to Sapporo (Ooizumi-san is based in Sapporo, his home town), he just wanted Ooizumi-san to pay for his dinner.

4) Ooizumi spluttered :'They want me to pay for them! They have five of them!! Plus me, that is 6 pple!' ' If they are arashi then what am I? A slight breeze?! In terms of the impact I have.' ' That's expensive!!'
'Well, why dont you come join us?'
'I couldn't go to Sapporo that night'

5) Two weeks after the location shoot in Shanghai, they met again.
Jun to Ooizumi-san :' Well I have discussed with my members.'
Ooizumi-san: 'ooh so what's up?'
Jun: ' Well, we all think that you should be giving us a treat. '
Hosts: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
Ooizumi: What on earth were they talking about?! What is all this nonsense about 'Yes we think we want Ooizumi-san to buy us dinner?!'
' Isn't it strange for me to buy u guys dinner!'
But Jun was very persistent. ' Please treat us yo. Please buy us dinner' he kept on pleading Ooizumi-san. XD XD
'No way, No way I am not buying dinner for you guys.' was Ooizumi's reply.


6) So in the middle of the night, there was this message left on Ooizumi-san's voice mail.

'Hi, This is Matsumoto. Now, we are at the Sushi restaurant. (to the other members:) Everyone, this is Ooizumi-san. Please show your appreciation!!!'

All five members: (Yelling into the phone): 'GOJISOSAMADE~SU!!!!'
(Thank you for the meal!!!!)

Host: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

7) Ooizumi-san: ' But I think they are adults and I think they didnt put it on my tab'. 'If they did, I would go to Tokyo and bash Jun up!!' (Oi!! Matsumoto!!!! Wtf are u doing!!!) 'But i wanted to confirm just in case. So i emailed him : 'How was the sushi? How was my treat?'
But he didn't reply to my mail..........'

XD XD

8) Ooizumi-san telephoned the sushi shop and made the booking for Jun. He spoke to the owner.
'Hi Its been a while. I would like to make a booking but its not me.'
Owner: 'Oh its not you? '
Ooizumi-san : 'No, its not me, its a group, you probably might know them.They appear on TV'
Owner: ' Eh who is it I wonder?!! '
Ooizumi-san: 'Well....... Its Arashi.....'
Owner (shocked): 'ARASHI?!!!?!?!!?!?!!!?!! ALL of them are coming!!!???!!
Well obviously she would have been happy.

9) Ooizumi-san on Matsumoto-san's standing posture:

' He just has to stand and he looks kakkoi. Its laughable. what kind of pose is he trying to do?!! On location shoots, there are some times where we have to stand around and wait right? Maybe you would just fold you arms right, but MatsuJun, he will stand like he is leaning on something. He will become slanted 30 degrees to the perpendicular, and stand, with his legs closed together and look like he is just using his arms . He looks like he is training some muscles or something..'

HOSTS: HAHAHAHAHAHHAHA


10) On Junjun's cheeks:
Ooizumi: 'He is kakkoi, but he is also cute. There is this once, he looked like he didnt get enough sleep so he closed his eyes and was leaning against something. He has cute cheeks and i have a fetish for cheeks. So i went up to him and went 'Uwi-Uwi-Uwi-Uwi~~~~~♪’ ( I imagine he was rubbing Jun's cheeks like you would do on a dog)
and Jun, he flung my hand away with great force. 'Grrrrrr' 'Wtf are you doing!!!??'
Masami-chan who was sitting next to him was so shocked because she had never seen Jun do that before.

11) Ooizumi on Jun during filming : He was very polite and considerate during filming, he would ask Ooizumi-san if he was ok with a scene or anything. But he's very kakkoi. Its been sometime since i saw sometime who looks kakkoi in everything he does.

ROFL....

Ooizumi-san, you are hilarious........ XD XD

sumoboy [userpic]

Kakkoi........

November 23rd, 2009 (08:40 pm)
jubilant

current mood: jubilant

Went to watch the Chipmunk at work today. The weather was great, it was a perfect day to shoot his drama. So, I had one and a half hours of chipmunk kakkoi-ness. The chipmunk was dressed in a black jacket and scarf. He was working 3 jobs really, at the same time. In between shoots, while the crew was preparing the set, he was giving interviews as well as posing for magazine shots. This was the first time I have ever stood around and watched a drama filming, and watching him, I realised something : it must really hard to be in the limelight all the time, with so many pairs of eyes on you. There were only about 60 pple today, just bystanders. How much harder it must be to concentrate if there were hundreds or thousands more. You put on eyedrops, pple stare, you get your nose powdered, people stare, you do a monitor check, people stare, you pose for the cameras, pple stare somemore. Of course, concerts are different, the work there is getting starred at, but for other normal day-to-day work, I can imagine it takes great powers of concentration just to shut everything that is irrelevant out.

He would run to the monitors to check everytime a shoot finished and he was able to concentrate on his work even though he knew there were all these pairs of eyes on him. In between takes, he would pose for the cameraman for his magazine shoots. With him like within 20m from me looking so cute and kakkoi, I was dying to go kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa there and then, but under the circumstances, it would have been insane for me to do that, so I had to contend with silent kyaaaaaaaas in my heart and mumble to myself every few secs.....'kakkoi!!!!' CHO Kakkoiiiiiiiii') ^ ^ ;

You could tell the fan girls there the moment you saw them. There was this girl who went there to watch him and she brought his mini uchiwa. O_o I didn't think that was very appropriate, There was another girl who brought binos!!!! It's a dorama shooting for heavens sake, not an Arashi con!! There is an appropriate time and place for everything, sister.

When it was over, he took off his jacket and scarf and gave it to his assistant, revealing a suit underneath (OMG...... I nearly died again there - kakkoiiiiiii) . Then he strode off, with his entourage, followed by the horde of groupie fangirls trailing after him. All the while, he ignored them, and walk away like nothing was happening, despite the fact that there was mad scrambling going on behind him. XD
( What perfect timing, he wrapped up as I had to run to my next appointment. How considerate! :p)

As i watched him disappear out of sight, I couldn't help but think that fame is really a double edged sword.

sumoboy [userpic]

Pi Con!

November 23rd, 2009 (07:27 pm)
indifferent

current mood: indifferent

I went to Pi's solo con yesterday.
It turned out better than I expected, but there were some parts of the concert where I was laughing so hard at the senseless english lyrics tears came out of my eyes.

sumoboy [userpic]

Premium Night Event @ Disneysea

November 21st, 2009 (01:28 am)
productive

current mood: productive

OMG! that event was the epitome of cuteness. Put 5 cute guys together with Mickey and gang, and u can get diabetes from all the cuteness and sweetness going on there.

No, I didn't win a ticket and I didn't buy one, but I managed to see them all the same. ^^ I couldn't hear them very well but I could see them very well from where I was.

The show took place in the Central harbour of Disney sea and started at 8.45pm and lasted for 40 minutes. There was a conical structure that was lighted up like a Christmas Tree in the middle of the harbour and the show started with tiny boats as well as big boats coming out and circling around the struture in the harbour. It was very dark at first, then the lights came on and we could see the members, each on a boat.
(of course, then came the kyaaaas too!) There was a giant screen at the end of the habour so we could see that clearly.

They were each on 5 different boats, each with a different Disney characters on each boat. (Erm, I wonder if nino felt seasick at all :P)

Jun was with Mickey and Minnie
Sho was with Donald and Daisy
Aiba was with Snow White (not too sure if the dwarfs were on the boat. :P,) (well, they were dwarfs, right, so that was why I prob couldn't see them)
Edit: After reviewing the footage on brunch, it seems it was Pinnochio, not Snow white. No wonder there were no dwarfs XD XD
Nino was with Aladdin
Ohchan was with Chip and Dale

Formation of the boats in the harbour from left to right (if my memory serves me right)

JUn -> Ohchan -> Sho -> Nino -> Aiba

There were also 3 different stages on land, in front of the fans, at three different points. They came on stage a few times during the concert and ran from stage to stage. Sho was center stage.^^ at first, then it was Jun/Nino.

They started with 'Jingle Bells' (as its almost Christmas) , followed by 'We wish you a Merry Christmas' as the boats went around the harbour, with the Disney character and all the arashi members waving to the fans.

After that the Disney characters disappeared and the concert proper started. From what I could make out from the muffled sounds I could hear, the set list was :

BEAUTIFUL DAYS
LOVE SO SWEET
HAPPINESS (The volcano was spewing fire, fireworks in the background, )

BELIEVE (5 of them were each on 5 dfferent smaller speed boats and were racing around the harbour, with fireworks in the background, Sho was rapping from the boat in the middle of the harbour, that was a sight you dont see often)

ONE LOVE (they did this from a barge in the middle of the harbour. The barge is a 'boat version' of the carts u see in their concerts, they are on top of it, and giant monitor screens are right below it. This time, the screens were 360 degrees and very clear, so although it was slightly far away, we could see them clearly. They did the full furitsuke for this song)

A.RA.SHI - they were all on the same barge and sailed from the stage on the left side to the right side of the harbour. In the middle of the harbour, around the conical structure, were blazing concentric rings of fire.

KITTO DAIJYOBU - They again moved to the middle of the harbour, the lights went off, and then Mickey burst out of nowhere, onto the stage!!! So Mickey was in the middle surrounded by the 5 of them, and they were all doing the furitsuke for Kitto Daijyobu. My god, Mickey can really move!! and the choreography was perfect! It was sooo cute to see Mickey do the 'Lucky lucky baby' moves with the 5 of them around him.
Edit: Again, after looking at the footage, it seems that it was not Kitto Daijyobu, it was that mickey mouse song: M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E. As I said, I couldnt hear them very well, so what I made out was Kitto Daijyobu beacause of the hand movements, but I was wrong. Sorry for the misrepresentation.

They finally ended with 'Wish you a merry christmas' and sailed out of the harbour, with Mickey and gang, waving all the time to fans..

The 5 of them looked like they were really enjoying themselves, despite the cold, and if they were happy, we were happy too. It is really a rare event to see them and it was a nice touch to combine some christmasy stuff / songs.

I couldnt really make out the the costumes they were wearing, but they did look like they were wearing some christmasy santa hoods. ^ ^ (yes and no double parkas anywhere. XD)
All in all, it was a really great show; it was a nice combination of Disney style pyrotechnics plus Johnny style razzle dazzle. ^^v

Thumbs up!

sumoboy [userpic]

Ura-Arashi in Sapporo

November 19th, 2009 (04:58 pm)
cold

current mood: cold


Nov 15th
Ohno Satoshi

Hello, This is Ohno.

You guys must be tired from the Sapporo concerts.

It was really fantastic! Everyone was in high spirits!

Its been about 1.5 months since we had the last round of concerts and I was wondering if I could move my body at all. But, it turned out fine.

But well, I am now 29 years old and I had aching muscles for three days after the concerts. (laughs)

However, I cannot forget the faces of everyone who came to see us.

Everyone was so happy.

There were alot of males in the audience, so didn't it feel a bit like it was as if we were having one big family gathering?!

There was really a feeling of togetherness in the dome.

Everyone was great.

I said that in the last greeting too, let's do this again soon ne.

If we all wish for it, it might soon happen.

I am thankful to all those who came to see us and to all those who have supported us.

Thank you very much!


Nov 14th
Ninomiya Kazunari


Sapporo!!

I feel that its really been a long time.

It was enjoyable.

Really enjoyable.

It was great.

Really great.

When we reached the dome, we wasted no time and wolfed down on miso ramen!

It was very delicious!!

The Shio Ramen was also delicious.


..........Hey?!


I have only been eating nothing but ramen!!!

Well, well...


That is not true really,

after the concert , didn't we all go out for a meal?

But, whatever we eat, its delicious.

In Hokkaido, that is.


Well.

Today we will have one more concert, so yoroshiku!

sumoboy [userpic]

Hokkaido

November 16th, 2009 (07:03 pm)

So, I am back, after spending 2 great days in Hokkaido, eating yummy seafood, soaking in the hot springs and watching 5 cute guys romping around the stage.
People who have not been initiated into the world of Johnny madness might disagree, but this is my idea of a of a great holiday.

The Sapporo concerts started cold enough, after we spent 3 hours in the freezing rain queuing for goods on Day 1, the 14th. The goods line looked shorter than it looked, but looks were deceiving. It might seem like pure coincidence, but it seems that it has been raining alot during Arashi concerts this year. First, it was Kokuritsu, then it was the Arashi challenge week live and then now Sapporo. It rained the whole day and as a result, people were still streaming in even after 6pm, the stipulated start time. The thing about Sapporo Dome is that the Arena does not have an exit, like Tokyo and Osaka Domes, which means that to get out of the arena, one would have to tromp thru the stands. That made the time taken to get in and out of the dome even longer than normal.

There is really nothing much to report of the concert setlist and what they did, really, because I think the only thing that they changed in the setlist was the final song, from 'Seasons' to 'My Girl'. Everything was the same as Osaka.

I think they changed the set slightly, the alignment of side hanamichis - as they released more tickets at the last minute. There were extra seats added were really at the side - corners which were really you couldnt totally really see everything. So they changed the angle of the Hanamichis to cater to the people who were really at the sides. And they would spend more time at the corners, waving at the fans there, who, from their angle, probably couldn't see alot of things.
The areas right at the top of the Dome, areas which i didnt even know there were seats, every seat in the Dome was filled.

This was dramatic difference from just a year ago, where despite the fact that it was the last venue of the Dream-A live tour, all the seats at the back of the dome were empty. There were even 当日券 - you could just roll up and get a ticket for the day, they weren't sold out and fans were selling tickets at below cost price and fans giving up tickets in pairs and fours were a common sight on the ticket exchange boards. Fast forward a year, and even the most awkard corners of the dome, the seats that were almost touching the ceiling of the dome (天井席) were filled up, and the tickets generally didn't go below cost and fans letting go of tickets at cost price to another fan were not really a common sight on the boards.

Back in 2005, when SMAP was very much THE idol group in Japan, I still managed to get a stand ticket at Sapporo Dome, 12 rows from the front, at cost price from the auctions. The same seat this year, for the Arashi concert, would have gone for at least three times the cost price. Its really a testimony that they have come a long way to where they are today, but they are still pretty much the same bunch of silly guys that debuted in the transparent costumes 10 years ago. I liked what Ohchan said at the final greeting during the concert on the 14th. He said about their rise in popularity - 'If we ever look like we are getting too big for our heads due to the fame, please bring us back to the ground.'

I saw more guys and foreign fans at this concert, Korean, Chinese, English and dads with kids and even a guy cosplaying Yattaman (in full attire). They guys also noticed the pattern of the crowd and made all the guys yell out 'arashi daisuki!' during the MC. Jun, in his closing speech, thanked all the fans in Japan as well as all of their supporters in the world, for their support all these 10 years.

I bring you the MC on the 15th:

S: YAY!!! YAY!!!
Fans: 'YAY!!
S: We are Arashi!
O,N, A: (bowing) Yoroshiku!
J: You guys enjoying yourself!
Fan: YAY!!!!
S: Well you guys are very enthusiastic today. We are glad that you are enjoying yourselves. Could you please sit down for a while because we would like to chat with you.
J: Yeah, there is still a long way to the end of the concert.
Jun goes to the side of the stage to change his shirt. Capt stares at him.
Fans: 'KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA~~'
S: Thank you for coming to our concert today. You know, I noticed it yesterday too, don't you think that there are alot of males in the audience?
N: Ohhh.
J: Let's listen to the voices of the guys.
S: Ok all the men out there, including the boys in the audience, could you raise your voice?
J: What do u want them to say?
N: 'Arashi Dai-suki!!!'
Fans: 'HAHAHAHA'
S: There are quite alot of them in the audience, so please yell in unison!
J: Let's hear the manly voices.
S: Ok, let's go!
Men in audience: 'ARASHI DAI-SUKI!!!!!'
(Female fans and Arashi were very surprised!! It was pretty loud! I was really surprised too!)

Arashi: 'WOW!! wee!! Sugoi!!!'
S: iiya iiya,iiya!!
A: This is great! We are happy!
S: I want to hear it one more time!
J: OK this time just 'DAI SUKI ' will do.
S: Sorry, but ladies in the audience, could you please keep quiet.
Se~no~
Males: 'DAI-SUKI!!!!!!'
Everyone: 'HAHAHAHAHAHA'
N: This was louder than last time!
S: Sugoi
A: Suge~ I wonder how many are out there.
S: the guys who have come to see us in Sapporo, your voice really stands out. And they really try to catch our attention. During 'Hadashi no mirai', there was this guy that did this: 'sticks two fingers out and winks. trying to look cool'. How should I react?!!
N: aren't u happy?
Fans: HAHAHAH
A: And there were some people with short sleeves.
S: OK shall we listen to the female voices too!!?
Fans: YAY!!!!
S: So what shall we say? Sugoi, we heard the guys say 'DAI SUKI' to us.
'Aishite ru?!'
Fans: KYAAAAAA~~
A: It's not something u yell out. (yells out AISHITE~~RUUU~~'
N: OK in that case, don't say it too enthusiatically. I'm not one who says it often though.
N,J: OK let's go with 'Aishite ru'
S: People who don't love us, please also say it. se-no!!!!
Fans: AISHITE RU!!!!!!!!
J: I love you guys too!!!!!
Fans: 'KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA~~~'
O: What happens if you say it in a low voice?
A: you want the guys to yell it out?
N: what kind of segment is this!?
S, J, A, N: we are very happy. thank you very much.

J: Today, it seems we have the most number of people ever, in the Sapporo Dome. Even more than the Japan series baseball matches.
Fans: HAHAHAHA
N: Sugoi, we appreciate your coming.
S: Yesterday we all went for a meal.
J: That was really delicious. We went to a shop recommended to us by Ooizumi You-san, whom I am acting with. Since he is from Hokkaido, I asked him introduce a place to us.
fans: Eh.....
J, A,N: it was very delicious.
S: we felt that we had become adults.
N: yes, I agree.
S: We went to eat sushi. It was a small place, and we sat around the counter. The shop was so small, only 5 of us could go in
A: Yes not those sushi places with the conveyor belt.
S: yes if it were the conveyor belt , then the converyor belt would just be rotating around us!
S,N: We felt that we had become adults.
A: Yes, the sushi was in small bite sized pieces.
S: Yes, it looked like someone shrunk it.
N: that is very adult, don't you think?
S: and then when the maguro (tuna) came out, for a moment, I though that Ohno Satoshi, who was sitting next to me, had become a foreigner. When he was eating the Tuna, he went 'OH MY GOD!!' (Sho screws up his face, closes his eyes and goes OH MY GOD!' XDX D)
Fans: HAHAHAHAHHAHA
O: that maguro was delicious!
S: When I was wondering what he said, I realised he said 'Ooma- no - Maguro' (ie, The maguro that was from Ooma, in Aomori prefecture, which is supposed to be premium stuff) XD
N: (to capt) you couldnt remember, could you?! (I wonder how drunk capt must have been) XD
S: When you got back what did you guys do?
A: When I got back, I turned on the TV to watch a soccer match. It was Jpn vs South Africa. The I opened the script for 'My Girl' and tried to memorize it for my shooting the following day.
N: Hang on, you mean that u have shooting today?
A: No its tomorrow.
J: Well, it was past midnight, so technically is the next day.
N: Ohhh
A: And when I opened the book at looked at the script, I fell asleep and when I woke up the next morning, the book was over my face. Like in the manga.
N: Aiba-san, i think you didnt even read a word of the script and fell asleep.
A: hehehehe. Shochan how about u?
S: I didnt do anything and went to sleep immediately.
A: well we ate a ton and drunk alot. we were very full and satisfied.
J: Well, its been some time since we had a concert, hasn't it? And the oldest of us, is now 29.
S: Your birthday is next week right?
Fans: YAY!!!
N: What do u want?
A: From the 4 of us.
O: U guys giving me something? no, no, its fine, really.
J: Look, he is looking very happy!!
O: But I am not asking you guys to give me anything.
N: But we are asking you what you want! What do you want most now?!
A: If its expensive, we'll share the cost.
N: Don't worry about the price.
O: OK, I want a BOAT!!
Fans: HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
J, S, A, N: HEY...........well.... that...hmmmm.....(looking very doubtful that they can buy him a boat)
O: But you guys just said not to worry about the price!!!!!
N,A: Sorry, but we can't buy you a boat!
J: hey, how about a boat made of salt bricks!!!
S: As boat captain, I can give u a boat made of blocks.
O: Hey that is embarrassing!
S: Embarrassing!!? We really put all our effort into building that boat!!
N: what shall we buy you?
A: we always cant decide what to buy for another members birthday
N: What does a 29-year old want?
O: Well I want to buy the fishing rod myself.
N: Well, that is personal, I understand.
S: Didn't you say you wanted one of those industrial freezers?
J: what do u want to do with an industrial sized freezer in your home? are you going to use it?
O: Well, I need it to put all the fish I caught....
N: can one of those industrial sized freezers fit through your door?
J:My image of those freezers is that it is made of concrete. Can the floor take it?
O: Well I did some checking. There are various types......
S: Hahaha you really checked!!!
O: There are small ones.
A: you want that?
O: yes I want that?
N: You want a freezer, right?
N: Ok we can think about that.
O: Thank you.
J: Its 11 more days to go right?
S: Next Sunday?
O: hmm I think...so

END OF MAIN MC.

After that, they each introduce their individual projects, as well as the dorama where the 5 of them are acting. Jun makes a mistake and introduces his dorama as 'Boku no Rekishi' instead of 'wagaya no rekishi'


As usual, the MC nvr fails to entertain. : )


PS. Jun's 'HYAKU~NEN~~♪' was perfect on the last day, after he had a disastrous attempt at croaking the day before. I was so amazed that he sang in tune, I inadvertently clapped when he didn't go out. :P
In fact everyone in the dome clapped, it was like everyone was dreading hearing the croaky 'Hyaa-ku nen!!' again for the 2nd time. (I believe Nakai fans have the same reaction when he sings in tune. XD)

sumoboy [userpic]

Vol. 44. Mago Mago (SHO)

November 10th, 2009 (11:57 pm)
recumbent

current mood: recumbent

Hello,

Its me.

The other day, I had an off-day.

That would probably have been my last off day for this year.

I wonder what I should do....

So, I did some careful deliberation the day before.

Should I go shopping?...

Or watch a movie?

What should... I do......

Haっ!!  (;ロ;)!!

Right!!!

Let's go to Kyoto!





............... or maybe not.

I shall go home to the countryside!!

So I made up my mind.

I have not been able to visit my grandparents at all this year.

The way things are, I might not be able to go and say Hi to them at all this year.

So I made up my mind, and decided to hurry up to go and see them.

The next day, I rang them up.


Grandson:

'OK, I am going to see you guys now.'


Grandmother:
'... Eh?'


Grandson:
'I am leaving for your place now.'

Grandmother:

'Eh!? Be careful on your way here.'


So with the conversation left hanging there, i got into the car and rushed off.

After a few hours, I reached my grandparents' home.

Grandmother:
'Eh..? You are alone?'

Grandson:
' Yes, I am alone.'

Ah.  right/.

This is the first time I have gone to my grandparents by myself.

So we sat in the living room, drinking tea, talking about things that were happening recently. It's been some time since I spoke to my grandparents

But it was the first time, I was alone like that.

Somehow, it felt very strange.

Whilst i was there, a door-to-door salesperson called on my grandmother.

I could hear the conversation going on at the hallway whilst I was sitting in the living room.

Salesperson:

'Did you say that your grandson is an entertainer?'


Grandmother:

'Yes'


Salesperson:
' Did you say he is a singer?'


Grandmother:
'Yes'


Salesperson
' Drama? Hmm? Drums??Ah, did u say he does dramas?'

Grandmother:
'Yes... well...'

' I do all types of drama'

I almost wanted to retort from the living room.

How should I convey such information?

Apart from this incident, the rest of the time spent with them went by leisurely.

In the afternoon, whilst drinking tea, I talked with my grandparents.

In the evening, I had dinner with my relatives. Its been too long since I last met them, so we had alot of catching up to do. It was really an enjoyable time. 

'this was my 'big purchase' (ie gain) on my off day' 

Of course, i didnt buy anything. 

I felt that I spent that day in a rich and fulfilling way.


2009/11/10
the grandson of the Sakurai Family


Nice entry.  ^ ^ ;

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