I write this just as after Aimi announced that she will take a roughly 2-month break from work activity to treat a chronic health condition, so let me start this by wishing her a speedy and complete recovery. During the final MC segment on day two, Aimi jokingly gave us her æ„› as she is christened, so the rest of us (including those also on stage at the time) joked that she is now just 美 (her stage name is 愛美 as written in Japanese). She said we can return it on White Day (or something). But, now, I wonder what she was thinking when she said that! I guess there’s the archive stream I can review.
So despite the gasp of hope we had late last year, the Omicron variant shut down Japan’s borders yet again and inside the country cases has exploded to new heights just late last week. None of that means anything compared to the power of æ„›, as in Japan’s take on Valentine’s Day. Million Live has its big number live as a Valentine’s Day event, a first, which is really just a regular concert with a Valentine Day’s theme.
So, here are thoughts about Million Live 8th. You can still watch it until the end of the week here (paid stream).
Actress and singer Sayaka Kanda was found dead on Dec. 18 at the hotel she was staying at in Sapporo. The circumstances as far as I am aware of come down to these twoarticles. Since it is an ongoing investigation, I’ll refrain from inferring from the fairly well-known set of circumstances surrounding her. It’s kind of on brand that ANN just namedrops Sayaka’s parents without any footnote–Seiko Matsuda is one of the most popular Japanese idol ever, and Sayaka’s relationship with her star-lit parents had been turbulent (and public). But first, I want to extend my condolences to her family and all her friends, colleagues, and fans…especially the fans of her characters. Well, as one of those, I’m writing this to cope, partly.
Sayaka Kanda was a geinokai royalty, who most recently got on my radar from her work in Idoly Pride. Recently she was on a live stream to celebrate Mana’s birthday–the “ghost” character who were later on implemented into the mobile game. It’s not the first time I’ve seen or known her, but as I don’t follow Sayaka’s musical roles, it’s the first time I’ve seen her perform in character as such. Well, yes, also Idoly Pride staff put her name on the little chocolate name plaque on Mana’s birthday cake, because she was Sayaka Kanda, she was somebody?
It turns out Sayaka played a lot of roles in other pop culture notables even before 2021. Her biggest role might had been Frozen’s Anna in the Japanese dub, but she nerded out in Danganronpa, who she provided a character voice to as well as sang a song for as TRUSTRICK. Like others of her age, she was into vocaloids, which you can see her covers on her Youtube channel. Her music career went along these routes, probably because she had an affinity to it?
Needless to say, Sayaka was a talented, multi-role sort of a performer. But, the reality is, does it matter? Personally, I am emotionally hit by waking up to this news today–a tragedy that a popular 35-year-old dying is bad enough, but that she played a character I like in Idoly Pride means this character fundamentally will now also be impacted. It’s a reminder when people passes away, it creates a figurative hole in the world bigger than the size of that person’s direct impact. All of this hit on me is for an IP that’s almost a year old. It only took a year for me to attach so strongly to someone who plays a character I like. It’s really about the distance in your head, and there are few ways to shrink that faster than doing that idol routine.
I’m not sure if I can still play or look at Idoly Pride the same way. I don’t know how the cast feel about Sayaka’s passing, but I hope the best for them. As a fan and player I just hope the management of the game do her contribution justice and do so respectfully.
Me? I’ll probably continue to put off that newsletter, LOL. I have some post ideas lined up and I just want to throw them up as soon as I can.
One giant postscript that I should’ve added last post is the stuff that happened in 2020 after the world went into shutdown mode in the early days of the pandemic. Well, regarding anime music at least, there were a lot of online collabs in 2020 that are worth remembering and calling out as a result of musicians and similar types who lost gigs from the shutdown and had to make do with online and remote stuff, some free, because what else are we going to do other than Animal Crossing?
This better serves as its own post to remember what happened anyway, so a list. Also, I am not going to remember all the ones worth highlighting so any help in the comments is a great add.
The Seatbelt online project was pretty rocking, and the online Tanabata stream was really frigging good. I can’t understate how good that was. Like, that is once-a-decade level good. In addition to the big show (which has other YK stuff), there were a bunch of Youtube releases of re-recorded songs from the show. I even bought this vinyl, lol.
YOASOBI struck gold late 2019/2020 and Yori ni Kakeru was the third or second-most covered song in anisong-world, in 2020. I don’t know:
The First Take did fill a void in 2020 when we were void of the usual variety shows and live performance footage, so check out their channel. Even if they started in 2019, 2020 was a good year for what they do.
Then there are things like Yamamura Hibiku’s covers, which is in line with what indie artists do, pandemic or not. Maybe the song choice?
If you watched Kurocon, it was quite the covid event and we brought marble to our first show! They had been doing a lot on Youtube during the year. Micco from marble has her own covers during the lockdown here. Acoustic sets from some of their hits are on their official channel.
Koori no Torikago – Amamiya Sora (Kimi to Boku no Saigo no Senjou, Aruiwa Sekai ga Hajimaru Seisen ED)
Other mentionables:
Fascinate – Velvet Rose (IDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls) – Technically 2019 even though the CD came out in 2020. I just didn’t know about this song until 2020. Would have put it up in the previous section otherwise.
WOW WAR TONIGHT ~Toki ni wa Okose yo Movement~ – Mizuki Nana, RACHELL (D4DJ First Mix) – This cover is historic. Also I love the DJ WILDPARTY reference animation, it feels just like the real thing.
Kimi ni Aeta Hi – Itou Miku, Kito Akari (Adachi And Shimamura OP) – A proper seiyuu duet.
Parade d’amour – Opera Seria Kiramekiza (IDOLM@STER Million Live) – Managed to channel chills for me the same the way as Generations 04.
Hyakka wa Gekka ni Chirinuru wo – Hanasakuya (IDOLM@STER Million Live) – Appropriately time froze for me in that January weekend, and maybe for the rest of Million Live kingdom.
Kiseki no Kane (Taisho 29 ver.) – Shin Teikoku Kagekidan (Shin Sakura Taisen) – This song still has so much over me 10+ years later.
PS. Some more music.
Waver – Tadokoro Azusa – The title track of her self-produced album technically isn’t released until 2021/01/27 but it’s good!
Hana no Ame – Ueda Reina – I am tickled pink by this art project. Or her earlier album.
Wahl – Roselia – Nice album.
Sky Full of Magic – Lapis Re:Light – Generally a lot of fun, all the songs. Wish it included the Sky songs though.
Delicious Smile – Wataten 5 – Special image album from Wataten and it’s a great bright holiday spot in a dreary year.
PPS. I’m ready to put Database back on the list, but is NHK?
