Movie / DVD Yossha ~Ikuzo~! in Seibu DOME (2011/12/28)

I finally finished the concerts for all the three days plus the bonus DVD. My conclusion is that I really like Min Min Min by SDN48, I finds SKE48 more interesting(Really liked the song Banzai Venus) and the Team B performances was the best throughout the concerts(Even though I'm more of a team K fanboy). The money totally worth spent.

 

I'm tracking the delivery, and it's in Chicago already going through customs! Hopefully I can get this before the weekend! Trying really hard not to watch any performances till I get the DVD. Although everyone is complaining about Day 1 so maybe I should watch that last?

 

^ Ha! Watch it in order - then it'll only get better!
Mine just arrived today (really happy it passed through customs without getting taxed). Really happy with 4 of the 5 photos I got too (just have Shihorin who I don't want). They've crammed so many DVDs into the case. The photobook is much bigger than I thought too. Off to watch Day One now!

 

Going to watch Days 1+2 since it was posted online

Could afford Day 3 only so I can watch it when it ships later this month.

 

Just watched Day One!

I really really enjoyed it! Big show!

First off - the stage setup in the Seibu Dome is really well done. Six interconnected stages means loads of space for the whole 48 franchise to get up their and spread throughout the audience and no gaps in between songs. Didn't like how there were huge gaps between the stages and the audience though. And there were some obtrusive adverts, although you could only see them throughout the Majisuka bits. The songs were split through all members - it wasn't a senbatsu overload, and everyone got decent screen time.

A couple of words on the audio. The disc gives you a choice of stereo or 5.1. Since I play my TV through my hi-fi (just 2 speakers) I opted for the stereo mix. The bass is LOUD. Switching to 5.1 leaves you no bass at all. The huge bass on the stereo mix does give you a really good concert feeling, but I was kinda worried for my neighbours. The MCs suffer from a lot of echo from that big venue. This also affects the audience chants, which lack their usual punch. I've heard before that the audience is fairly quiet this show. Which is true, but they really pick up during the singles, which is the highlight of the show by far.

The video quality is impressive as well. There are some moments where you see heat haze or possibly a slightly shaky zoomed camera. And there is some oversaturation, particularly in the daylight bits. Everything gets better in the dark - and gives the opportunity to really use some effects which make it seem like the huge concert it is. You get projections, big screens, lasers, explosions, fire, you name it. This all just happens during the singles bit though - which is outstanding.

Everyone previously hated on the setlist - but I knew what it was going in. I was just unsure why they grouped all the themes together. But it kind of worked. It was like lots of support acts building up to the 11-song non-stop singles overload, which was the big visual spectacular. The opening Majisuka skit lasted ages, and introduced all the members group by group. It was like watching a giant theater production, until they burst into 4 songs in a row. I really enjoyed it. Then was the album songs, which worked a lot better than on the album itself.

It was then turn for the sister acts - which seemed like the 3rd support act, building up from Majisuka to album, to SKE/NMB/SDN. After that Yasai Uranai was good (I'd never heard it before) and I really enjoyed the two KKS songs, they are really really strong songs. They then strangely did 3 Zenza girls songs, featuring KKS, which worked quite well actually, a build-up to the main event - 11 singles non-stop. This really felt like the heart of the concert and was really exciting, despite hearing and seeing these songs so many times before. The crowd was really fired up for once, and they brought out all the big concert special effects as I've mentioned before. Plus, all the songs were non-stop into each other and they used different sets of members for each song to keep it interesting. I really enjoyed this show the most when they utilised all the members at once, all on different stages.

(I liked hearing a bit of Dvorak's 9th symphony and just a snatch of Bach's tocatta and fugue in D minor before River). The show then took a bit of a downfall. After 17 songs non-stop, the MC now seemed out of place, whereas having more earlier in the show would have felt natural. (The whole show was really low on MCs btw). Then launching into bunch of recent b-sides to end was a bit of a downer compared to the singles, there's a reason they aren't the lead track.

Still, it was a really really good show. Haters are gonna hate. I was surprised how good the non-stop singles bit was actually - I thought the singles parts in the individual Team summer concerts got boring, but here they made it such a big outdoor concert spectacular, which was exactly what this show was meant to be.

I'm kinda left wanting more - ready to watch Day 2 tomorrow!

 

I finally watched Day 2.

It was interesting that they cut Maeda Atsuko's breakdown before the encore. It was easy enough to cut seamlessly.

Does anyone else that was there that night speak Japanese? I am curious, just a little, as to what she was saying when she lost it.

Fascinating how easily they cut that moment out. You would not even miss it if you had not been there.

 

It wouldn't be wise to freak out the fans by including those scenes where Acchan passed out and taken away. Many of the fans are young kids so it may give them bad dreams.

Besides, you'd never know unless you read about it or unless, as stated, you were there at the event when it happened.

But was the footage included in the concert's "Making of" DVD?
It looks like it may be included in the "Making of Documentary Part 2" movie based on the preview clip.

 

It wasn't on the making of at all either... That's the only reason I watched it, too. I want my drama!

Now that I've seen it, better luck next concert series? After watching this one I wasn't too impressed... not that I had high hopes or expectations. I know it wasn't geared for me, but still.

 

It was okay, nothing special. I liked the one they did in 2010 in Yokohama better. I feel like that setlist + crowd was better. But like RocketStarLauncher says this one isn't for me.

 

Right. Just watched Day Two!

Thoughts: Not as good as Day One. Maybe it wasn't the joy of watching it after such a long wait. And maybe its because I'd seen the stage setups and theatrics already (I'd deliberately avoided seeing any pictures of the stage since the concert until I got the DVDs, thats quite a long time...)

Anyway, compared to Day 1's start, where all the members gradually came out in a huge Majisuka skit. Having just Acchan on stage wasn't very exciting. Especially as it was followed up by just Tomochin (and her dancers) and then all the sub-units. The sub-units were okay, and so were the Team performances, nothing that great though. Best bit was the Team A MC where they did their own versions of the Team B and K songs. The SKE/NMB/SDN was mostly the same as yesterday. I still enjoyed seeing ALL of SKE48 on that middle stage being lifted high above the crowd. And it was better that ALL of SDN48 were there, not just the senbatsu.

Yesterday, the whole singles set was amazing. Today, it really only hit me about halfway through, when River started. From then on it was epic, all the fire/water/laser etc effects and lots of members at once. When exactly did Acchan faint? Yuko looked like a sweat-box throughout Flying Get but Acchan just looked ill. But did last till the end of the song, then was the encore break...

The Majisuka MC was nowhere near as epic and grand as Day One's. The songs were good though as its great having 100+ members on stage at once and utilising all the space of the Dome (oh, and Mayu's prancing about wasn't as good either, I really liked her opening the show on Day One). After that, having 1 hour with only 2 songs is a bit wrong. Shoujotachi Jo is better suited to an opener than a closer, although the 2nd half was good with 100+ members spread all throughout the Dome again.

It was weird seeing Oba Mina being made captain given recent events. She didn't make a speech...
It was funny seeing the scared looks on all the girls faces whenever Takamina was handed a letter (because we now know nothing scary was announced). Abe Maria looked so lost and emotionless at her promotion. In comparison to Annin, who broke down. Ahh, Annin... Was glad Maria finally shed a couple of tears later, after Takamina cried. They could have done with ended like a ballad like Koko ni ita Koto as per Day One at the end too.

Oh well, I'll watch Day Three tomorrow!

 

Day Three thoughts:

Much better than Day Two. Not sure if better than Day One. I liked it a lot!
Acchan seemed much happier than the previous two days. She was beaming. And when she beams, all48 seems to shine a little brighter.

Opening was strong, good way to introduce all the girls coming to school, made great use of the set. Shoujotachi Jo is a great opener, and High School Days is the 2nd best song on the album. Nice that they mixed up the sub-group/solo songs and the album tracks. The Team performances were all better than yesterday as well. Team A's MC was great.

Still love all SKE48 on the raised centre stage. No SDN today. The singles was really strong again today - as good (or better) than day one's. The encore was the best out of the three days as well. Aitakatta with all members was a great ending. Still love how Takamina takes off her shoes to run about.

Well, that's it from me - no more huge post clogging up this thread

 

http://www.tokyohive.com/2012/01/oricon ... uary-16th/

It appears that Namie DVD is outselling (last week) AKB DVD despite the fact that it was released earlier. Hm...

 

It's not a fair comparison since Namie is a singer/solo artist and AKB is an idol group.

Besides, Namie's DVD is pretty good, too

 

Is Namies release a $230 box set too?

 

^
Namie's Live DVD only costs around 62 USD, but it was only one disc and if you were lucky, then you got the limited stuff.

Still AKB's Special Box set came in second is huge considering the cost of the set, and the digest edition also came in the fifth place.

 

I believe this week and next week may be slow sales weeks on the Oricon due to the holidays. You may likely see some small sales numbers at the #1 spots.

 

I watched all 3 concerts + the making DVD and think that the third one is the best, even if there is a boring period after the first song.

But I loved the Team B perforemances on Day 1&2, even if I'm not a fan

Sound quality of the concerts is great - in Stereo! The 5.1 mix sounds so boring compared to it. Maybe they will release it on BD someday with a proper 5.1 Track?

But one question: Why did they cut out the complete Janken-thing on Day 3? There is nothing of it, just the board in the background
Watched the whole making-of and waited for it -_-

 

I'm not sure if this question has been asked before:
For anyone who have watched the DVDs, is the digest edition the same as the one aired by NHK?
Thanks

 

Forgot to mention LIVE Acchan and LIVE Tomochin and LIVE DiVA.

Live DiVA was amazing. I was like 'omfg live!!!' they sound GREAT live.

 

Finally, my 3rd day DVD order arrived. Gonna rip it to loop and watch it for a few days

Saw both day 1 & 2 concerts and a clip of day 3 and am glad I bought just the 3rd day DVD as it was the best one, IMHO, better songs and performances.

I got Acchan's picture

Edit:
Thanks to those that mentioned the "live" singing... I watched and listened carefully... IT WAS LIVE [rock]