Kage ana : Miyawaki Sakura M01 - Sakura, Minna de Tabeta M02 - Kimi no Koto ga Suki yaken M03 - Hatsukoi Butterfly M04 - Hayaokuri Calendar M05 - Kibouteki Refrain (Sakura center) MC : Miyawaki Sakura (Shige stoped by a security staff ) M06 - Mammoth (Sakura + Team H) M07 - Natsu no Mae (Sakura + Team KIV) M08 - Soramimi Rock (Sakura + Team TII) MC - Sakaguchi Riko, Akiyoshi Yuka, Toyonaga Aki, Fushigami Mai M09 - Boku no Omoi ga Itsuka Niji ni Naru Made (Myawaki Sakura, Matsuoka Hana, Tanaka Miku) M10 - Yume wo Miteiru Aida (Miyawaki Sakura, Yabuki Nako) Video Message - Honda Hitomi M11 - Seifuku no Bambi (Miyawaki Sakura, Unjo Hirona, Watanabe Akari, Takemoto Kurumi, Ishibashi Ibuki, Mizukami Rimika, Kamijima Kaede) M12 - Kurumi to Dialogue M13 - LOVE TRIP M14 - Jiwaru DAYS (Miyawaki Sakura singing, Matsuoka Natsumi, Motomora Aoi) M15 - Sayonara no Imi (Miyawaki Sakura, Ueno Haruka, Akiyoshi Yuka, Sakaguchi Riko, Kojina Yui, Kumazawa Serina, Shimono Yuki, Imada Mina, Fuchigami Mai, Tashima Meru) M16 - Omoide no Hotondo (Miyawaki Sakura, Murashige Anna) M17 - Yuuhi wo Miteiru ka? (Miyawaki Sakura, Imada Mina, Matsuoka Natsumi, Kumazawa Serina, Shimono Yuki, Motomura Aoi, Murashige Anna) MC M18 - Kanojo (Miyawaki Sakura) M19 - Yume de Kiss me! (Miyawaki Sakura) Video messages - Nakanishi Chiyori, Tanaka Natsumi, Fukagawa Maiko, Ueki Nao, Wakatabe Haruka, Ota Aika M20 - Suki! Suki! Skip! M21 - Shekarashika! M22 - Wink wa 3kai M23 - Melon Juice M24 - Otona Ressha (Kodama Haruka) M25 - 12 Byou (Miyawaki sakura, Sashihara Rino, Kodama Haruka) MC M26 - Saiko Ka Yo Video - History of 10 years of Miyawaki Sakura Main show ends EN01 - Anata ga Itekura ga Kara (Miyawaki Sakura) MC - Miyawaki Sakura EN02 - Omoide ni Suru ni wa Mada Haya Sugiru (Miyawaki Sakura) EN03 - Kimi wa Melody MC EN04 - Sakura, Minna de Tabeta Concert ends Kage ana - Tanaka Miku
This gradcon brings back the lineup which made me once liked HKT more than AKB, with the likes of Sasshi, Sakura, Haruppi, Nakomiku in the group, which lasted until late 2018 when Sakura and Nako went to Korea (even Haruppi was already on hiatus before then). And then Sasshi graduated, and AKB became my #1 group again, but this concert brings back that feel again, I'm so happy to see this. The only graduated members appearing in this concert are Sasshi and Haruppi, but I guess that's more than enough to please me. Overall, I like the setlist, especially when the concert started and ended with my favorite HKT song. I thought it would have NO WAY MAN since it's also one of the songs centered by Sakura, but I'm glad she didn't forget the very underrated song which is Kimi wa Melody. By the way, don't forget the full version of "Omoide ni Suru ni wa Mada Hayasugiru" will be released on Youtube in like an hour from now, it's a nice song.
The concert was beautiful I wasn't too fond of the setlist at the beginning, but the choice was of course very nostalgic and to be expected. They really had me from Yume wo Miteiru Aida onwards (omg, Nakos expression) and Sayonara no Imi totally killed me. It's my alltime favourite 48/46 song, so this was basically the perfect combination for me to be really emotional x.x Also, SakuShige duet ... It was hard to see them cry, but overall a very nice choice. Shige was wonderful in this concert, so heartwarmingly emotional and still the funniest and loudest member on stage keeping the mood going! I also thought of how Sakura once talked about the differences between Korea and Japan and that she was at first surprised by how casually the Korean members told family members "I love you". And today, in the MC after Yume wo Miteiru Aida, she said "I love you" to Nako. x) I was expecting Sasshi to appear, since she was not part of the video messages (well, and her legs were perfectly visible during Otona Ressha lol). I was not expecting Haruppi. I really thought, she was just done with all this, so her appearance was another beautiful surprise for me. And wow, she was wonderful and radiant and seemed to have so much fun on stage, like she had never really been gone! 12Byou was a real pleasure to watch. (Also, there was a very cute moment of Sakura and Shige interacting with Kurutan, which I'm very thankful for.) A lot of nice stuff and cute interactions happened here, but these were the points that really left a big impression on me. =)
A digest video from Oricon News: if the video does not show watch the video here And one from ModelPress: (Mod edit: removed dead video link)
wow, those digests are gorgeous. I really love the muted pastel colour scheme of this concert, very different from the usual HKT aesthetic and very Sakura. She looks just beautiful here too.
One thing I was wondering about afterwards was, all the former members in the VTR were actually at the Venue and they were allowed Backstage (as shown on pictures). So why not bring them on stage as well for the last Song? Not a huge issue, but would have been nice to see them as well.
I am surprised about that too, cause in graduation this year i saw mostly all graduated members came stage to perform. Like for miichan all 1st gen and 2nd gen came, for jurina all 1st gen, some 2nd gen and some other ske graduated members came. Then why for sakura management didnt do that? they were there but didnt perform on stage, is weird..
Any chance this concert gets released on DVD/BD? I don't think there would be a way for me to see this otherwise.
Natsumikan tweeted a photo of herself and other grads backstage with Sakura: https://twitter.com/mikanchiyan723/status/1406246075145457672 The photo includes two former HKT members now with other 48 groups - Chori (who was included in the VTR) and Tani Marika (who wasn't). Why they didn't appear on stage when they were there at the venue does seem rather strange. It's available outside Japan on ZAIKO until 6/26: https://zaiko.io/event/339887 The price is 3,900 JPY but it's HD quality video and it has live English subtitling of MCs (not always accurate but generally pretty good). One more digest video, this time from JIJI PRESS: (Mod edit: removed dead video link)
It was wonderful seeing Haruppi and Sasshi again. I'm glad that the three of them were at least able to be together for one of their send offs. Of course I don't know, but maybe if they come on stage that brings issues like compensation in to play?
Sakura's graduation concert was amazing! I watched and here are some opinions: First of all, the stage looked very pretty. The little pink touches went well with the theme of the concert (flowers, bouquet, sakura etc.). I'm glad that there was an audience, it definitely makes a difference! The intro to the concert was cute with Sakura's video where she's lip-syncing to the overture. She looks so pretty there with all the pink For the first group songs that were performed, I really love Kibouteki Refrain... it made me so happy to see Sakura perform this song again after so many years, it reminded me of good times ;w; and I also really loved the outfits during the first part! it looks so pretty with the pastel colors and flowers, and Sakura's costume being different than others but in a simple way, her costume is so pretty. Actually through the whole concert, the clothes were very nice in general, I read that they worked with Osare Company, they did a great job! I think I remember Sakura saying that she likes the song Mammoth so I'm not surprised that it was performed! The video that was played on the screen before the performance of Mammoth was really good, with all the past cuts of Sakura in cool performances, loved it *-* also, I like that they performed Natsu no Mae, brings back good memories ;w; The MC parts were fun in general, Murashige was crazy as usual LOL and I also liked the MC where they show old pictures of Sakura with members and talked about it. Sakura and Nako's duet was nice, Yume wo Miteiru Aida is a pretty song. Seifuku no Bambi unit had the perfect line-up for me! Sakura with Nappi *-* and all the other promising new gens including another favorite of mine Kaede, and everyone else that I also really like (Kurumi, Rimika, Ibuki, Akari). Perfect Kurumi to Dialogue, one of my favorite songs, Sakura has great taste! She was so cool in this and in Love Trip too! (I see this song in a different way ever since the Yukirin center version ^^ love it). Jiwaru Days was a surprise, since it's Sasshi's graduation single, it was nice that Sakura performed it... Sayonara no Imi was a surprise too, good song for a graduation concert. Omoide no Hotondo duet, not the first time Sakura and Murashige perform this, it was very touching, and I'm glad that they were singing live for this because we could hear the real emotions in their voices and it made it much more meaningful ;_; I think Sakura mentioned in her radio that Murashige prepared a longer speech but at the time, she forgot. Probably too much emotion aw. Yuuhi wo Miteiru ka? with 1st gens was very nice, especially at the end when they were in circle ;w; Beautiful! Sakura's solo stages for Kanojo and Yume de Kiss Me were very nice! These songs are very "idol"-style and she looked like the perfect idol when performing them! *-* The next part with HKT songs, it was full of energy, loved it! All the songs were so fun. and then! Haruppi being here for Otona Ressha and Sasshi being here for 12 Byou, this was amazing! it felt like seeing the original HKT again after such a long time ;w; Seeing Sakura-Haruppi pair, and Sakura-Sasshi-Haruppi trio, so many memories! and they look really good and performed so well (also these are my 2 favorite HKT songs >.<). LOVED IT!!! The MC after that was touching, and when Sasshi and Sakura cried because Sakura said sorry for not being able to attend Sasshi's graduation concert... sigh, this whole thing still bothers me -_-... the girls obviously feel hurt and regretful about it... :/ the Saiko ka Yo live after was awesome I really wanted Sasshi and Haruppi to appear in the concert so I'm so happy that it happened! The video of 10 years of Sakura's career was really good and beautiful. The fact that she performed Anata ga Ite Kureta Kara, I really love this song, it's so touching... and it has a special meaning in the lyrics, I'm really happy that she performed it for HKT. The performance of her graduation song Omoide ni Suru ni wa Mada Haya Sugiru was beautiful and I have to say, this is one of my favorite 48G graduation song, it's really good! and lastly Kimi wa Melody, ahh I love this song Just like Kibouteki Refrain, Kimi wa Melody brings back so many good memories of the best years for Sakura in 48G. Sakura's final speech was beautiful and she really took time to say everything, to thank everyone, she didn't forget anything. and her final talk with members was touching too, with tears again. Her graduation dress was beautiful. Everything was done very well. The concert ended with the same song as the concert started with, Sakura, Minna de Tabeta, I love this song too (and back when it was released, I always though it should have been Sakura center, I mean just for the title alone LOL I think even herself, she really likes this song) This was a great graduation concert, everything went perfectly. Sakura can be proud of this, and the HKT members all did an amazing work too. I can tell that there was a lot of preparation. Even all the members' handwritten messages or special videos appearing on screen during performances, it was very nice. Good job to everyone involved! and lastly, congratulations Sakura for your graduation from HKT48
