Con Report: Kanjanism, Tokyo Last 12/14/2014

Tokyo was the second stop on this tour and compared to the Sapporo reports seem to have been a lot bigger and better… which seems to be unfair to those who went to the Sapporo shows. But, oh well. I took a night bus (for the first time) to Tokyo, since I wanted to travel cheap (I usually just fly in) and arrived on the 13th. I hung out with mizukiipanda (which was a lot of fun) and bought goods (which I couldn’t have done without her help!). We also got to hear the con from outside the dome while we were looking at the illuminations which was pretty fun. It got us pumped for what was going to come the next day on the 14th, the Tokyo final.

Speaking of which, I stood at a hotel behind TBS studios and exiting the subway station was like walking into Clover hell with Gomen ne Seishun sprinkled around. Truly, if you were a Ohkura or Ryo fan you’d probably would have loved this stuff. Speaking of which, Clover has premiered over a month ago and yet they are still pushing this movie as if its about to come out within the week. Even at Tokyo dome there was Clover pamphlets everywhere. Is this movie really that popular? (and why for that matter).

I got in to the stadium around 4pm and found my seat and sat down. The great part about Tokyo Dome is that the bottom stands have a lot of open space in the back to unload heavy shit at. I had a lot of goods I needed to haul all the way back to Tokyo Station and it couldn’t fit at my seat. But luckily I was able to throw it in the back and thank god no one touched it either.

The show started at exactly 5pm. The first song played was Oekaki. Just the audio, nothing else. The lights were still on and everyone was singing along. Except me cause at first I was like “Wtf is going on” until I remember that Oekaki was an actual song off of Kanjanism. Once the song ended the lights went off and a video played of an old white guy reading a popup book to his granddaughter, talking about if you believe and all this other shit. We get transported inside the book which happens to be a fantasy theme park where Kanjani are the creators who are going to take us on this fantastical ride.

The member introductions was pretty short. Compared to 8EST and Jukebox, there wasn’t really much build up in their on screen introductions. They were all standing next to each other and the camera just panned towards them while also highlighting each letter in KanjaniLand. Unfortunately, no one screamed really screamed for Hina which was really awkward. Out of all the cons I’ve been too, that was the least reaction I heard for Hina in a while. Ohkura, Yasu, and Ryo got the most screams though Maru got a considerable amount, probably because of his Nube stunt. Yoko and Subaru were about the same.

Once the video ended, EJ Coaster was the first song for the night. K8 appeared on stage and made their way down the steps. I can’t remember if they were doing the complicated dance or not. Then again I was watching the monitors more than the stage because I couldn’t see shit from where I was at to be quiet honest.

When it came to Yoko’s little solo in EJ Coaster, he sung it live with no lip synch and of course everyone chuckled cause Yoko can’t sing and yet he tries so hard.

After EJ Coaster, they quickly transition into Musekinin Hero which honestly for me was like… really? Musekinin Hero was really included in the main set list and not in the encore? I completely understand that Musekinin Hero is like their representative song and break out hit but for it to be the second song of the night was like… Dumb. They could have used any of the singles off of Kanjanism than Musekinin Hero.

After that, they went straight into Gamushara Koushinkyoku where Maru yelled for all of us to join in the fun. That was fun even though there was absolutely no room to actually do that dance in the stands. We all tried though. From the center stage, they made their way to the backstage.

Next up was RAGE, Hina’s more or less center song that got completely shoved aside for Omoidama. Everyone decided to jump on carts at this point and make their way back to the main stage throughout this song. Honestly, I felt they could have turned RAGE into a band song or something other than running around on stage but whatever.

Hina does the usual introduction. Male eighters, female eighters, the little eighters… There was a lot of guys in the audience. K8’s male fanbase is definitely growing.

On the main stage again, FUNx8 was next. Everyone on stage tried to do their best hip hop and I was jamming. I love FUNx8 because I love Rip Slyme but really, no one else in the audience was moving. It was Three Six Mafia performing at the Oscars… A room full of white people not knowing what the fuck to do. No one in this audience, or at least from my section, knew how to act or dance or wave their penlights. It was just like this complete awkwardness. Like… You just… Its fucking hip hop you pop pussy and you just fucking dance. Just don’t STAND there.

Subaru was having the time of his life during this song and that was amazing.

Next was Misoji Shounen. It was a bit… I don’t know. Like I expected a lot more from the audience towards this song but it seems as if I was the only one really into it? Like, I didn’t get the feeling that the people there liked the song? Everyone went crazy for Takoyaki in my Heart during Jukebox but Misoji was completely underwhelming this time around. The only time that the crowd really lost their shit was during Ryo’s and Subaru’s solo. Subaru also used this chance to remind us (again) that Gomen ne Seishun’s final episode is next Sunday.

The lights cut off for a video intermission. Maru and someone else was introducing us into the park at this point (was it Hina? Subaru? I don’t remember). These videos play out like a 20s silent film, completely with the choppy frame rate and text cards of dialogue in-between. The one thing that was consistent between each video intermission was the whole, ” Did you enjoy it? ” and ” How was it? ” If you like seeing K8 dressed up in three piece suits with long coats and top hats, then its eyecandy if not anything else.

Time for the units.

First up was Adam and Eve. I sat down and tried to block the horror from my senses. Ohkura and Yoko lipsynched the hell out of that. What I do remember was some people around me going, ” There’s kids in the audience… ”

After that was Ice Cream. I sat it out too but it mostly Yasu and Ryo were just singing into ice cream microphones then make their way towards the center stage where they share their ice cream leading to a visibly uncomfortable ‘no homo’ Ryo. When it comes to this type of fanservice, Ryo gets so tense and uncomfortable. Its like lol. Bro. Unclench.

Finally god tier unit, Marubaru, appeared on stage for Michi. People were laughing at their outfits but obviously they couldn’t comprehend how god tier this song and unit was. It was so beautiful too and the harmony and Subaru’s voice and Maru’s voice and omg flawless babies.

There was another video intermission and then Masterpiece. I swear I can’t remember anything about this performance. But they make their way to the center stage for Frozen Margarita which was mostly just Subaru yelling like a banshee but its okay because Frozen Margarita is camp to the 110th degree. Then like, they all chill out for Futatsu Te to Te and I was like ok. A lot of people like this song… I couldn’t have cared less.

At this point I was seriously getting restless. Already an hour into the concert and not a band song yet.

They performed Clover and I sat that one out too. Then it was TWL, which was like, er, ok. Again? Then randomly was Cool Magic City. I mean, I like Cool Magic City. I really do. It’s really one of those old school K8 songs that I get the fuzzies listening to but… like… I already heard this at 8EST. I don’t understand what was the purpose of bringing this song back into the set list since Kanjanism wasn’t a best of album? I don’t know. I like it but I just thought it wasn’t necessary.

Then, randomly, Hina’s solo, Ai Love You. Which I thought was awkward. Not the song, because I’m all for King and shit,  but because everyone got to do their album units a few songs back and then suddenly we have Hina’s solo. Then, considering Hina’s solo was used to segway into the member’s solo… It makes sense? I don’t know. I think Hina really got shafted here since he didn’t get to perform a unit song. Since this whole concert seemed to be recycling a lot of old songs anyway why couldn’t they just bring back Yo na yo na yo night or fucking, idk, that terrible Yokohina unit from 8uppers.

Ohkura was up for his Butterfly I Loved solo. They played old footage against his performance and it was like, ” Awww, back when he was desperate for attention because he definitely aint hustling like he is in them videos on the screen ”

Ai igai nan demo nai was next. A classic solo from Ryo it was completely underwhelming. For that, shit, I’d rather listen to fucking Scarecrow cause Ai igai nande mo nai aint shit without him gyrating while taking off his clothes.

Same with Yoko’s fantastic music. I love fantastic music. I got like all the stupid fancams from 47. I got the shit ripped on my ipod. Like, 2007 and me and Yoko and that fucking song was like OT3 okay. I actually got excited for this but then he cuts the song short and doesn’t even do fucking ippai oppai which is the whole fucking point of this goddamn song WHY???????

Subaru owned with Revolver. Its great seeing him in his own element though him in that small corner behind the Takoyaki Orchestra was like, well, shit, okay. Can’t see you but its okay I can look at the monitor and cry over your beautiful long forgotten grease ball hair. I don’t like Revolver as a Subaru solo but at this point, considering there hasn’t been a single fucking band song yet I fucking sucked that shit up like a dry sponge.

Then there was Yasu’s Aiiro, which was great cause that’s my number one favorite solo from him but then like he just decided to gyrate on stage and not play his fucking guitar which at that point why even bother with the guitar. I get it people like Yasu being all cool and sexy but… Like… IDK. It just doesn’t do it for me.

Maru got on stage with Wanshan Ropin which was a cute throwback. I had fun with it. At that point I pretty much gave in that this was going to be the course of this segment and Maru is cute regardless so I can’t be angry at him cause being angry at Maru is impossible.

Another video intermission. This time with Ryo and Yasu. I can remember vividly because I had hopes that the next song set would be a band set but I was let down really hard and yeah…

First was Bansou. It was a great but, like, I… I never imagined Bansou with them just standing on a revolving stage with microphones. /sigh

Next was Zou. Again. Yeah. /sigh

I mean there’s nothing wrong. I was rockin but still like… Its… Why? The question is why didn’t K8 want to take the challenge or why did they decide to just literally like turn every song into a dance number. If they’re just gonna stand on stage and sing the fucking song then they might as well put fucking instruments in their hands and stand on stage. Shit. Can’t seem them anyway goddamnit, might as well play some stupid instruments.

Then, King of Otoko.

There was another throw back school melody with Wahaha, Sukiyanen Osaka, Kanfuu Fighting and Aoppana which was fun. Then Hesomagari before Yu. I really don’t like Yu but the audience fucking LOVES Yu. I guess Japanese people like annoying music like Yu.

Finally, the final moment of the concert. At this point I was really like tired because I did not expect to just be standing and watching people dance..sort of… on stage for two hours.  The band finally appears and, usually, at every K8 con when there’s a band set its always either Ohkura, Maru, Yasu, or Ryo that opens up the session. But this time things changed. Hina opens up the band session on the keyboards, followed by Yoko on the trumpet, and then Maru on Bass.

Everyone joins in afterwards, with Subaru on the harmonica which was like. BRUUUUUUUUUH YOU PLAY THAT SHIT SO GOOD WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT??????? 

Yeah.

Doya Gao Jinsei was played and this… honestly was the best fucking performance of the night. Like. Hands down I don’t give a fuck. It was amazing. And it was literally at them. There was no one in the orchestra pit at all and I was just like. Wow. You guys. This is what I like to see. I like to see this. THIS is Kanjani to me. Like, for two hours these guys were just like there but not there but then here… like the band session… like you can see they were really fucking enjoying it.

That jam session at the end was like. Wow. This is it. This is amazing.

Afterwards was Itta jyanai ka and then LIFE before the concert ended. Itta jyanai ka was clipped from the bridge.

For the encore, they came back for Omoidama, Mugendai, Zukkoke Otoko Michi. Encore #2 was Eightopop. They left the stage and then the concert officially ended.

For the MC, there was talks mostly about how Yoko and Subaru saw a Nube ad while riding on some bikes at the gym. Like, they just ran into each other at the gym but didn’t talk or anything like that. Then segued into who actually saw the final episode and who didn’t… To there being a Xmas live, when was the last time they had one, then a Xmas exchange during the live which Subaru and Ryo were like fuck no and then Maru was like why and they were just like naw and then a party and then Yoko was bitching why its always gotta be me and at my place and Ryo was like because you’re like the fucking oldest and the leader-type dude so why the hell not and yeah. That’s all I could remember.

There were a lot of guests at the performance tonight. The Gomen ne Seishun students were there on the balcony VIP seats and then near the batter’s pit was all of Johnny’s West doing their job observations. From where I was at, I couldn’t see any of it.

Overall, Kanjanism just felt severely lacking. There was a whole bunch of nothing and a lot of old rehashed songs which could have been replaced with actual songs from the album. Even though we heard half the singles on Kanjanism during Jukebox… They were still Kanjanism songs. Using old ass songs heard over and over again as apart of the main setlist was just a waste of time. If K8 wanted to really put emphasis on their old hits, then they could have just done a huge giant melody.

The last time K8 did something like this was during 47… But that made more sense. They really didn’t have many songs and KJ2 Dai Dassou was not necessarily a huge music hit. It had great singles but the album songs weren’t necessarily easy songs to sing to. So they did a melody. But it worked in its own way considering the situation.

But 8 years later, over 25 singles, 5 albums and we’re still fucking singing songs from 2006? We’re still singing TWL? We’re still singing Musekinin Hero? As main concert tracks? Kanjanism had ER2, Kokoro Sora Moyou, and Hibiki that they decided not to perform. They could have performed those songs instead of the rehash they decided to sing at Tokyo.

8EST worked because 8EST was a best of album. It made sense to sing old songs because there was no original songs to sing. Kanjanism was an album with original songs and… they still spent half the concert singing old songs and random B-sides that some people probably forgot even existed. It seemed as if K8 was afraid to even bring the band back. Like… I don’t understand what the responses were like during the 10sai survery… But Kanjanism seems to treat the whole band image as if its like the thing that should not even be mentioned in the same room.

I never wanted to read a concert pamphlet as badly as this one cause I just want answers as to why this concert was planned like this. Its a huge disappointment.

And yes, I know. Kanjani8 is not just a band, but they’re also not just a boyband. They’re a mixture of both. They’re 50% of one and another 50% of the other. Its a nice balance and mix. They’re not ARASHI and I don’t understand what they’re doing here. Are they trying to complete with ARASHI?

I mean, for 5 years they’ve been with this whole band shit. Like… Full front main stage band shit. And this time… like… nothing. Not even Misetekure. 

They’ve performed that fucking song at EVERY concert since like… FTO. A damn near decade and this time? Not even a Misetekure. Yes, they didn’t perform it at Jukebox, but they had West Side. So it seemed like that would be the replacement but nothing. Nothinggggg.

IDK.

Like, I’m conflicted. Really, I am. Because to me, this doesn’t represent Kanjani8 no matter how much they wanna sell that koolaid.