=LOVE (イコールラブ, イコラブ, ikorabu, eqlove)

'Natsumatope' Oba Hana Ver. MV:


if the video does not show watch the video here

 

'Natsumatope' Otani Emiri Ver. MV:


if the video does not show watch the video here

 

performance of Natsumatope on Buzz Rhythm 02 (230721)

https://48idol.me/video/754192

 

'Natsumatope' Takiwaki Shoko Ver. MV:


if the video does not show watch the video here

 

'Natsumatope' Otoshima Risa Ver. MV:


if the video does not show watch the video here

 

Sorry if this has been posted already but Naatan's drama is now available on Disney+ with English subs, internationally (I can at least confirm for the UK):

 

Sasaki Maika appointed as Kyobijin Award Ambassador

Clip

Source

 

Ikonoijoy Museum with Iori and Anna plus Hana:


if the video does not show watch the video here

'Natsumatope' Sasaki Maika Ver. MV:


if the video does not show watch the video here

EDIT: Single release press conference:


if the video does not show watch the video here

 

'Natsumatope' Takamatsu Hitomi Ver. MV:


if the video does not show watch the video here

 

'Natsumatope' Noguchi Iori Ver. MV:


if the video does not show watch the video here

 

IKONOIJOY 2023 “Water & Bubbles Party”


Lots of fun, water & Bubbles

Interesting stuff announced !

Spoiler: Announcements

IkoNoiJoy Puzzle Game
More details due to appear on homepage.

Special Guests appeared !!!


=LOVE - Today is your Trigger - The Movie

Lots of bubbles .. no really ... RELEASE THE BUBBLES !!



Hana's fear is right !

 

Spoiler: YouTube Trailer

if the video does not show watch the video here

 

The =LOVE 6th ANNIVERSARY PREMIUM CONCERT will be held at Saitama Super Arena on 10/18 & 19:
https://equal-love.jp/news/detail/7011

Also the Ikonoijoy Big Thanksgiving Festival will be held from 9/12 to 9/18 at the at Shinagawa Prince Hotel Stellar Ball:
https://equal-love.jp/news/detail/7012

There'll be something different each day including an 'Otani Emiri Women-only Talk Show' on 9/13 and a 'Morohashi Sana Solo Concert' on 9/14, plus other events TBA.

 

wow, that's huge! 37k capacity and and on weekdays! if they manage to sell them out then next step is their final dream - Tokyo Dome...

 

Wow, really good
Finger cross no member wants to leave! Please
So happy for them

 

I hate to be a buzzkill but there's quite a range of capacities at Saitama Super Arena depending on the layout: https://www.saitama-arena.co.jp/e/facility/ , the 37000 is for the full venue with a stage right in the middle of the crowd which they wouldn't use, there's a stadium set up for 30000, but I think they'd probably be using one of the arena layouts, either end stage 1 or 2, with capacities at 12500 or 16000. It's a great achievement to be performing there (particularly for hometown girl Hana), but they're still some distance from Tokyo Dome. Though perhaps for the first time if the members squint a little they can see it on the horizon.

 

=LOVE and =/ME were invited to CDTV Live Live Festival!
they will perform on September 16th

https://www.tbs.co.jp/cdtv_livelive/



===============

IkoNoiJoy2023 on today's Mezamashi TV

https://video.twimg.com/ext_tw_video/1685771304262332416/pu/vid/1280x720/2827NcsOOOZ-qATz.mp4

 

Press conference commemorating the release of "Natsumatope" (premieres at 20:00 JST today):


if the video does not show watch the video here

A short talk video from JOYSOUND "What song makes you happy to sing at karaoke?":


if the video does not show watch the video here

 

I'm way less upset now about returning from Japan on the 20th!

If anyone has experience with buying =LOVE concert tickets, any advice on how it works would be appreciated. I've never been to Japan before so this would also be my first time buying a concert ticket

 

Nothing is ever simple in Japan but it definitely CAN be done - however as my explanation is quite long I'll put it in the spoiler:

Spoiler

I've only ever been to one =LOVE concert and that was back in 2018. That used a service called Tixplus (https://tixplus.jp/) and it's still the one used today. However I had some much more recent experience of using that service back in April this year for the SKE48 Theater show I attended.

Firstly I'd advise joining the official =LOVE FC to be able to apply for the first sales round of tickets. The URL is https://sp.equal-love.jp but it'll only work on mobile devices.

Secondly create an account on Tixplus. (You'll also be able to apply for SKE48 Theater tickets with it as I did if you're visiting Nagoya.) Unlike many Japanese services you can enter a foreign phone number when you create your account and then you can simply go ahead and apply for tickets.

The tickets will be e-tickets and this is where the problems start. You'll need to download and install the Tixplus app and even though you link it to your account you'll still need to verify it by SMS. This is where I'm not 100% sure if you have to have a JP mobile number in order to do this. I definitely did in 2018 but I drew a blank trying to find if it's still required in 2023, opinion I've seen appears to be uncertain.

For other events I wanted to use other services which definitely did require a JP phone number (Rakuten and Ticket Pia) so I had a JP SIM card anyway (I bought it in the UK from a company called Mobal which you register on arrival in Japan or you can buy one at the airports, they're about 4000-5000 JPY for basic use for a month). Therefore I just simply used that number in Japan to register the Tixplus app. Maybe you can use a foreign number with the app but I just can't find out for certain.

However basically I'd recommend just applying now and then worry about phone numbers later - as I said you can easily buy a SIM in Japan if required.

I hope that helps and please DM me for any other info.

EDIT: I've just remembered the SKE Theater application page at Tixplus and that says that a JP phone number is definitely required:
https://tixplus.jp/feature/ske48_theater_ticket/

When =LOVE tickets go on sale maybe the application page for that will also confirm either way.