My 2019 Tokyo Trip - Top 5 Moments

Last August, I spent a week and half in Tokyo with my boyfriend. I documented some of the trip in my Twitter account, but it was all so eventful and emotional that it is impossible to convey all of it. I decided to pick 5 highlights, roughly in chronological order.

Keep in mind that the artists documented fall in the "Plus" section of the blog and they are exclusively aidoru. I didn't really explore the "Kayo Kyoku" side, but I plan on doing so in a next opportunity.

1. First live show impressions

Our first and foremost priority in this trip was to see live idols. We thoroughly decided which lives to see (I spent some months beforehand compiling all the options for our dates), and the rest of the schedule would be winged out as the days went by. We had some destinations in mind, but it would depend on the live shows we had for each day.

In the first day, still not fully rested from the plane trip, we mustered energy to go to our first live show. It was a two-man show by EMPiRE and BILLIE IDLE, two groups linked by the history of the WACK agency, as three of BILLIE IDLE's members were part of the the first iteration of BiS.

My first cheki, with MiDORiKO EMPiRE

These days, almost all medium-sized idol groups do a photo session sometime during the live event. If you buy records, a piece of merchandise or simply a ticket, you can take a polaroid picture (cheki) with your idol of choice. This is easily the selling point for most live performances, as many fans attend them to have a little chat and collect pictures from their favorite idols, rather than exclusively to enjoy some music.

The system that leads to purchasing these cheki is sometimes a bit tricky and we were fortunate to meet some online friends in our first live shows, who helped us with that process. A big thanks to them! Honestly, once you get the hang of it, it's not very hard.

My first cheki with Rio Hidaka from Benjamin Jasmine

In our second day, I discovered my new favorite idol, a girl called Rio Hidaka from the group Benjamin Jasmine. Though the group debuted last year, it borrows some fame and songs from other groups from the same agency. Since "Benjas"' cheki session was simultaneous with other live shows (most times, several groups perform in the same event - this is called taiban), I sprinted away and figured out another cheki purchasing system.

I wonder if all this talk sounds too confusing for someone who isn't aware of this, but I swear that once you do it a couple of times, it gets a lot easier, and it's very nice to talk to idols. The girls are very kind (it's their job, after all), it's a very good Japanese practice and you get to take a little souvenir home.

2. Shibuya

Shibuya is the idol hub of the 2010 decade and we managed to spend a lot of time there, starting with Hachiko Square, where we often went to eat some breakfast. It's bad manners to eat while walking in Japan, so we would go sit there for a while and watch all the tourists take pictures with the famous dog statue. Since it was Obon season, there would be both national and foreign tourists lining for a shot.

The tilted Hachiko statue in front of Tower Records Shibuya

Early in our trip, we paid a visit to the local Tower Records store, which is very big (6 floors, if I'm not wrong). It was amusing and somewhat time-consuming (but well spent time!) to explore the whole store, seeing all the exclusive goodies all kinds of groups had left (autographs, pictures and whatnot).

Former BiS members left a picture and some Ultraman figures in Tower Records Shibuya

Even at night, it's a place bustling with activity. We managed to visit more pop culture stores and even spotted some idols handing flyers on the street. My recommendation for someone who likes music and unique products, besides Tower Records, is Village Vanguard. Though a really cramped store, it has a bit of everything you can't really find anywhere else.

3. August 11th

The special thing about this day is that it is my birthday and it was also the most eventful day of the trip. We basically watched live shows from morning to evening.

By morning, we travelled to Shimokitazawa to attend "the propagation", a show featuring several groups me and my boyfriend love very much. The one that led to us going was Wyenra. My boyfriend is really fond of this group and insisted on seeing them live at least once, hence why we attended two live shows instead of the usual one per day. After seeing them live, I also became a really big fan.

Wyenra is a self-produced group inspired in Japanese folklore, with visual themes such as smoke, forests, youkai and ghosts. The leader Misato Miira is also an illustrator and produces many of the group's visuals, while the other two girls, Hikari Takiguchi and Kirara Takiguchi, are sisters. I might expand on them in another post, but I really recommend their mini-album KEMURI.

The second show we attended was the one we had tickets for longest. It was the anniversary live of RYUTist, a local idol group from Niigata. I usually call them Negicco's successors, and it seems like they have been gaining more fame outside of their home prefecture, which is great. I love their soothing songs and cheering atmosphere and it was totally worth it to run from one show to another.

The finale of RYUTist's concert. Can you see me doing a heart with my hands? Hint: I'm really at the back

I honestly couldn't have asked for a better way to spend my birthday.

4. Meeting Michelle and Haru Hinata

When meeting idols, I usually went for my number one from each group and only after that, if I had time and funds, I would go for my second favorite. This was what happened in the two cases I will elaborate upon, and it proved to be very fulfilling.

Michelle is a member of Necronomidol, a metal-inspired idol group that has gained considerable fame outside Japan, even managing to perform an European tour earlier this year. Michelle is a girl who loves fashion and adopts an "idol AI" character, which makes her a distinct presence in the group. It was very fun to talk to her, as Necroma's staff provides plenty of time (more than the usual for other idol groups). She complimented my clothes and encouraged me to pay a visit to Harajuku, Tokyo's fashion hub, which I ended up doing a few days later.

I have previously written about Dance for philosophy and I was more than happy to be able to see them live. It was a really good show and they are one of my favorite idol groups of all time. After taking a picture with Mariri Okutsu, I went for Haru Hinata, the red-haired member with a very powerful voice. Her impactful stage presence contrasts with her fun and cheerful personality, always speaking in a exciting tone and smiling a lot. I was really happy to see my Japanese being complimented and acknowledged, since this trip was my first chance to have conversations in Japanese with locals.

5. Meeting Pour Lui

Closer to the end of the trip, we ended up seeing BILLIE IDLE again. This is a group I really enjoyed seeing live. I love their music since they have a very vintage rock style. All members have good, distinctive voices and confident stage presence.

My gratitude: Go Zeela (gifted by a friend), Chibi Godzilla and Pour Lui

I went to take a cheki with Pour Lui, the former leader of BiS. She is an idol I love very much and also the one person that allowed me, through her social network accounts and YouTube vlogs, to see my beloved Go Zeela after she left BiS and retired from the entertainment world. I have a lot of respect and gratitude for her, thus, I was quite nervous upon meeting her. But you can tell how experienced she is, as she looked me in the eyes and stroked my hand the whole time we were talking. I had bought a Godzilla T-shirt earlier in the day and she noticed it, but it was nice to focus the conversation on Pour Lui herself.

In the end, I took two pictures with her. I had time to tell her I watched her YouTube channel and left feeling quite confident and happy with the interaction. It is, without a doubt, one of my best memories.

Akihabara's Kanda Shrine at night: the end roll of our trip

I returned home with a bunch of cheki, merchandise, and character goods - but especially with irreplaceable memories. I finally accomplished my dream trip and I can't wait to go back and add more experiences. I hope you enjoyed reading this post!

Modern Idol Classics - My Selection

A few days ago, I was rewatching some music videos and it crossed me that one particular song would be one of my picks when it comes to the most representative songs of the late Heisei era in terms of idol music - it's catchy and prone to be liked by the general public. So, I decided to brainstorm a few others I would consider worthy of entering that category and joined them in one post. It is a top 6 of my Modern Idol Classics (from 2010 to 2019).

1. BiS - nerve

This one takes first place for me because it is personally one of my favorite idol songs ever, and I feel like it embodies what was the late Heisei for idol music. The traditional idol trope started to be defied by some groups such as BiS and now we have a pot-pourri of genres being presented by the kind of performer one would consider an idol. I also feel like, even though there is still one or two major groups ruling the idol scene, there is a larger number of "tiers" when it comes to popularity. No longer do we have the popular idols and the underground ones, there is more to that, and the idol scene in this moment is very diverse.

2. AKB48 - Koisuru Fortune Cookie (恋するフォーチュンクッキー)

To me, this was the absolute peak of AKB48, since which they have started losing momentum as the "national idol group" of Japan. So, it seemed like an obvious pick for this selection. To this day, this is the go-to song to present in all kinds of TV specials, and had a small revival when it propelled the Thai sister group BNK48 to national stardom. I like this song very much! It's catchy and retro sounding and I don't really get tired of listening to it. I think it is the true classic of AKB48 and showcases the very best this group has to offer.

3. Keyakizaka46 (欅46) - Silent Majority (サイレントマジョリティー)

I feel like it had been a long time since any group had such a strong debut single as Keyakizaka46 did. This song was the absolute hit of 2016 and made me hooked into the group for quite some time. Besides this A-side, "Saimajo" is a very solid single with really good songs (I feel like I still want to write about it someday). I haven't been following Keyaki closely, but it seems to me that the popularity they achieved at the time of their debut has vanished a bit. Still, Silent Majority is unforgettable.

4. Maneki Kecak (まねきケチャ) - Kimi Wazurai (きみわずらい)

This is actually the song I mentioned at the beginning of the article. I don't know if it is surprising, since this group is, let's say, at a different level of popularity as the other groups I mention in this article, at least in the West. But to me, this song is an absolute classic. I think it's the whole progression, starting slow and then building up to a quick succession of emotional lyrics. At first, I had to get used to the difference in sound and skill in the members' voices, but it definitely grew on me.

5. BiSH - Orchestra (オーケストラ)

Well, Orchestra comes in the same category as Kimi Wazurai - a slow progression that builds up quickly. I find it better executed technically in Orchestra, but there is something about the rawness of vocals and emotions in Kimi Wazurai that also pulls me into that song. But when it comes to whether they are classics, they both are. And Orchestra is one of the songs that brought BiSH into national fame, and they keep rising by the day, which has been amusing to see! Let's hope Reiwa brings a lot of success for these girls.

6. Nogizaka46 (乃木坂46) - Kimi no Na wa Kibou (君の名は希望)

I wanted to include a Nogizaka46 song because they are the current top idol group in Japan, and whenever I think about Kimi no Na wa Kibou being used as a jingle in the Nogizaka Station, the song stands out to me as a classic. The thing about this group is that they have several songs that stand out to the general public, but not one that one can pin-point as their true number one hit. When it comes to sales, I think Influencer takes the cake, but Kimi no Na wa Kibou is, in my opinion, the one tune that better appeals to the general public. It's a pop song without a doubt, but it sounds so warm and with lyrics so encouraging that I would recommend it to anyone.

BiS - twisted grunge & The Idol (Formerly) Known as Go Zeela

@BiS_GZL on Twitter

I had a dream a few days ago.
I was talking to this girl. In that dream, she was speaking Portuguese. I thought she could only speak Japanese, so when I asked her about it, she just said, "everyone can speak Portuguese, some people just practice it more."
She just kept on talking about some deep matters I can't really remember, all with a smile and a blush in her face, occasionally looking at me.
There was some kind of gentleness all around that dream. It's really something I won't forget.
It's probably the kind of feeling I had for this idol called Go Zeela (ゴ・ジーラ).

About twisted grunge, I probably listened to this song - I mean, I surely listened to it over 100 times. Not sure how many more over that number. It's one of my favorite songs ever. It has lyrics from Go Zeela, which is a real plus for me, of course; but it has such a nostalgic, hopeful sound to it. I can recognize it from the simple piano melody to the guitar part, all along, all its sounds. It will always fill me with that kind of gentle sadness, melancholic kindness.

@na0i0i on Twitter

This was a journey that started in June 2018 when BiS released a new music video and I was immediately hooked on the image of the girl called Go Zeela. Not that I didn't know her before, she just didn't strike me as much as in that time. I really can't explain.

From then, I just started following her. I liked her fashion style so I started buying stuff that I both liked and reminded me of her - it helped me express myself better. Trying to read her words helped me learn a bit more Japanese even if it sometimes didn't make sense. I think it sometimes only made sense to her, lol. I expanded my plushie collection. My friends noticed it and started offering me stuff related to Go Zeela and Godzilla the monster. And I made new friends because of it! I inadvertently introduced new people to BiS and alternative idols and I met new people. I never really imagined this would happen.

In today's meditation session, I was asked to, a few times a day, look around and ask myself "could this be a dream?" This is meant in a way that life can be unique and fleeting and unexpected as a dream. I mean, I was able to videochat with Go Zeela! At some point I really wondered if that was just one of my wildest dreams, but it was pure reality.

BiS (the second iteration) has disbanded as of May 11th, 2019.
This Go Zeela "is dead", she said. I don't know what will happen, but I'm starting to get the impression of "lonely days when I want to meet you but I can't" - it's a sentence from the lyrics of twisted grunge. It's called saudade in Portuguese.
I'm joined by several Japanese fans in this communal sort of mourning, lol, they definitely have interacted more with her than me, but there's something in common.

@kazuhawks03 on Twitter

I think it's just that feeling that showed up in my dream. That kind of love and gentleness which I will forever associate to the concept of idol.

BiS - nerve

Anyone who follows my Twitter is aware that I've been, let's say... fangirling about a new genre of idol groups, the alternative ones, especially BiS.

While some may know BiS as the rock/punk group who coined the term "alternative idol" (after its first use referring to Togawa Jun in the 80's), the current identity of the group is a bit different. While they're still not traditional idols, they're milder, less reactive than the original girls. Back in the day, BiS released music vídeos mocking AKB48 "scandals"; now they even use similar gimmicks for promotion, splitting the group in two teams with line-ups chosen by fan election.

Still, the group freely plays all their repertoire, and one song that can't miss any decently-sized setlist is nerve. Released in 2011 (and re-released many times over the years), it is BiS' signature song. And yet, it's just about your quintessential idol song; which is interesting for a group who took so much pride in their anti-idol stance.

The song was composed by miifu and originally arranged by Schtein & Longer. The team did a good job making a catchy tune while still incorporing some rock and electronic beats that make the song more modern and unique-sounding. The lyrics by Kubota Yoji (久保田洋司) tell the feelings of a girl whose boyfriend can't seem to have the nerve to take their relationship to the next step. Yeah, about as stereotypical as you could think.

When BiS disbanded, people around the Internet made a tribute by covering the song (specially the choreography). Above is Oomori Seiko's version (with a cameo by former BiS member Koshouji Megumi, now part of Maison book girl).

As BiS continues to exist with different members, and is now part of an agency/supergroup called WACK, we can expect the song to be played for years to come. By the way, my favorite member is the short-haired, cute-and-tomboyish Gozeela.

I'm more about the current line-up but I can't hide how much I love the old BiS, especially right before disbandment. You can still follow the antics of those members as they all have their personal projects (BILLIE IDLE, Maison book girl, Tentenko), as well as a YouTube channel created by founder Pour Lui. It's cleverly called BYS (Brand-new Youtuber Society).

I'm excited to dig more into the idol hole but I like to remember that what got me into it in the first place were Showa idols. I love having this broad view - it definitely puts several things into perspective, and it's nice to see the evolution of this unique field of entertainment.