PLAYZONE [August 3]
So as far as I can tell Playzone people were like, "This summer's gonna be the last time we EVER perform Playzone in Aoyama!" and then like four days into it Tsubasa was like, "HA no, actually we're gonna do one more in January trollolol."
Maaaaybe Higashiyama wants to be involved in the official last one, so they tacked on an extra one for him? is my theory.
Anyway!
Sunday was magical. I saw the show with my friend R, who is outgoing and easily excited and adorably enthusiastic about Yara, which means she's more than willing to cheer when the spirit moves her, and to share in reactions and ridiculous furitsuke (during "ズッコケ男道" we were happily doing all the choreography). She's awesome and I love seeing things with her. ♡
We balloted together under the T&T fan club and we wound up perilously close to the stage and right on the aisle, which allowed for all manner of high fives from a number of dancers, including Kosshi, Fuku-chan, Noeru, three Travis Japan boys, and someone else. What was his name?
Tsusomething.
Eh, it'll come to me.
1) DIAMOND EYES
All righty, let the fun of remembering things begin!
I~~~~
don't remember this number! :D
These guys were there, and they were dancing, and it was good.
/qualityreporting
2) Venus
Shockingly, I remember this one! :D
First of all, holy neon eye violence, those costumes. I was profoundly amused to see someone as finicky and judgmental about flamboyant stage costumes as Tsubasa strolling onstage in a color that must resemble what orange soda looks like through the eyes of someone on acid. It definitely entertained me, though, so I suppose it did its job as a performance piece. XD
Once you've been to a T&T con, or even after just learning the choreography to "Venus," it's very, very difficult not to do it when you're listening to the song. Thus, when Tsubasa and Yuma started to sing, I kept losing the beat while I was clapping, so I gave up after five tries. My friend R grinned at me and we did the "Venus" furitsuke together instead, and I noticed more and more people throughout the theater doing the same throughout the song.
I'm glad I gave up on the decorum, too, because while Tsubasa was singing, he was looking around at the audience and he happened to see me. We made glancing eye contact and he smiled, and while I was processing that, I got the congratulatory "interaction with your idol!" smack on the arm from R. He's a big endorser of fans doing furitsuke (except at his solo cons when he seemed to be hoping that his fans would, like, mosh or something, I don't...I don't know with him XD), so I think it pleased him to see so many people getting enthusiastic with the hand dancing.
"Venus" wasn't too exciting dance-wise, but I'm not really picky as long as Tsubasa's onstage. He could sit in silence with his shirt off (or on, I'll be honest) for four minutes and I'd say, "Excellent job, well selected, bravo indeed."
Therefore, awesome start to the show! :D If you don't count the opening song I don't remember! :D
...Which I shan't! :D/
3) お祭り忍者
I was disappointed to see this one on the set list because a) I don't like it and b) I was hoping for a reprisal of "Charge," because "Chaaaarrrrrrggggge." Or "水の帰る場所" again. Anything but Bondage Octopus.
With that said, though, I actually liked this version slightly more than last time. Maybe it's because I was seeing PZ with R, who's such an adorable Yara fan I was getting contact affection for him from her all afternoon. XD There was one point, I forget which song, when Yara appeared onstage and she let out this delighted shriek, and you could see Yara smile all surprised and pleased. I may ship it. ...No, I totally ship it. XD
Anyway, the number is a little different this time around. Instead of Bondage Octopus, we got Spider Pimp. In the original number, there were some stretchy yellow strings fixed to a band around his waist, and he wore a white outfit with blood-red stains streaking along his arms and legs. In the new version, the costume is the same, but the stretchy strings have been replaced with LED lighting, so it looks more like a spider's web. And the dancers still run around doing his wizardly bidding, so...I don't know, this number is bizarre. XD Definitely amusing enough to be entertaining, though.
4) FUNKY FLUSHIN'
5) A • RA • SHI
6) 情熱☆熱風せれなーで
I was really hoping Tsubasa would do "It's Bad" again like he did in January, just so it would be on a DVD, but I guess "情熱☆熱風せれなーで" was all right. Y'know, fine. It's okay. I'm cool. I'm good.
...
TSUBASA WHYYYYYY.
Ahem. Okay. Cool. Good.
At this point, I'm just gonna hope that there is a DVD and it will have "It's Bad" on it so that my poor deprived heart will heal and I can stop whining about "It's Bad."
Until then, I will be strong and whine on.
He danced more this time, he showed off his body a great deal, which I enjoyed, and he existed onstage. Thus:
Excellent job, well selected, bravo indeed.
7) としちゃんメドレー
Disco! Dancing! Mannequin ladies!
I want Yara's sparkly DJ headphones!
8) One Way Boy
4U!!!!!!!!!!
FEEL THE BRUTAL FORCE OF MY GENERAL AFFECTION FOR AND DEVOTION TO THE SPLENDOR THAT IS 4U.
As a fan of 4U being sexy, I really love this song. I did my very best not to bob in my seat out of respect to the person behind me but ohhhh was it challenging.
Rockin' toniiiight~
9) ズッコケ男道
Yuma remains adorable!
R and I got high fives from some of Travis Japan. At one point, I put my hand out without checking to see who was running down the aisle behind me (way more exciting that way) and the dancer took my hand and held it all gentle-like, and then he bolted off to the stage.
I blinked at his back, didn't recognize any of the back of him, and leaned close to R to ask, "Who was that?"
"Noeru!"
Back onstage, Noeru smiled at me and I smiled and waved back.
From henceforth of now at this time, I like that kid. Noeru's good people. Thank you for holding my hand, kind lad.
10) 愛なんだ
11) うわさのキッス
The danger of rehashing songs from previous performances is that I end up missing Akkun.
BRING ME THE ROLLER SKATING SHARKMAN.
12) 君だけに
Beautiful song. Tsubasa's there. Excellent job, well selected, bravo indeed.
13) What's your name?
Veeeeeeery nice choreography. Tsubasa's hot. Excellent job, well selected, bravo indeed.
INTERMISSION
14) アンダルシアに憧れて
Fabulous dancing. Tsubasa's there. Excellent job, well selected, I think I can start acronymizing this. EJ, WS, BI.
15) ＄１０
THIS.
The scrim rolls down. A movie begins.
The dancers are divided into two gangs, and they're all like, "You're in RED," and, "You're NOT," and then they start fighting. Suddenly! A wild Tsubasa appears in his Andalucia costume and bellows, "STOP!" in English.
He strolls across the walkway and down the stairs while everyone is frozen in some kind of reverential deference like he's the mob boss of adorable dancing people.
(I proudly admit that I nearly swallowed my tongue trying not to laugh.)
Because while he is doing his intimidating meandering, he is West Side Story snapping.
Finally, after causing my lungs some permanent internal damage, he pauses at the bottom right hand of the screen and snaps, "Dance."
They all dance.
Of course I should admit that Tsubasa does, in fact, terrify me in person, but from a distance, I can giggle safely.
16) 愛されるより 愛したい
17) 愛・革命
A moment of silence for the golden chariot.
In its place, more dancing! Also, Tsubasa's vest was loose and popped open at the end and he was pretty much bare-chested for the whole last thirty seconds of the number.
EJ, WS, BI.
18) ロマンチックタイム
This American-accented woman's voice rings out into the darkness, "Tomoyu~ki, it's time to wake up~" and immediately I try not to laugh and R squeaks with Feeling. I grin at her and she grins back and then BAM, Yara behind us.
R's totally joyful face as he stumbled down the aisle in his Beatles wig and massive glasses was brutally adorable.
I think that might've been the number she shrieked in, now that I think about it. XD
Yara goes through a makeover onstage, complete with barber's chair and huge white apron to cover him while they spun him around. Super, super cute. Definitely his best number this time.
SKIT
This. Was. Hilarious. I love Yara. XD
So here's how it goes: "Romantic Time" ends and the house lights are out and Yara's like, "I'M LOCKED IN WITH YOU PEOPLE TURN THE LIGHT ON LEMME OUT LEMME OUT," and then the spotlight swivels around, glides right over him, and Yara shouts, "HERE. HERE. I'M HERE."
It swings back and lands on him, showing poor Yara tugging fruitlessly on the side door and trying to escape the theater.
Yuma shows up onstage in his "スシ食いねェ！" costume and is like, "Um, we need you for the next number, what are you doing."
Yara's like, "It's not me! It's the door! The door's locked! See?"
Yuma's like, "...Open it, then."
Then Kosshi strides out next to him and peers over the heads of the audience at Yara. "Oi, Yara-kun, where are you?"
Yara waves his whole arm at him and says, "Here, here!"
Kosshi blinks. "Stand up, would you?"
Yara glares. "I am standing."
Kosshi says, "No, no, stand up."
"I am standing!"
Yuma and Kosshi debate who should go retrieve Yara's costume, then Kosshi runs offstage. At some point, Yara gets frustrated with the lack of helping him and actually climbs the door like a wee monkey. It was pretty adorable and hilarious. R was dying.
Then Kosshi returns from backstage with Yara's costume and they hastily dress him. It was reminiscent of Akkun's bit in 2012 before they did "うわさのキッス."
In conclusion, Yara's awesome and this skit is brilliant.
On a side note, I'm amused that Tsubasa's only involvement in PZ's skits thus far is to bark, "STOP, DANCE," at people. XD
19) スシ食いねェ！
R and I found it incredibly difficult not to bounce throughout this song. We both went "EEEE" a bit at Yara's giddy little "HOW MUCH?" line.
20) フラワー
As soon as I heard the first notes, I sat bolt upright, beaming, and R tried not to laugh too hard at her friend the meerkat.
Tsubasa was alone onstage, and he started to sing with his usual excellence in tone and pitch and I beamed a little more enthusiastically because this song is awesome and Tsubasa is a splendid human being with a beautiful voice.
He exists so well.
So! After Tsubasa got about two or three lines into the song, he walked down into the audience and R started fervently yet gently whacking me on the arm. I nodded vehemently, very much aware that this would either be a moment of bliss or a moment of blisslessness that I would have to etch deep in the Book of Woe.
See, every time I've seen "Flower" performed, I've been sitting somewhere that Tsubasa doesn't walk past or he hasn't seen me because I felt too shy about putting my hand out. Shy is not a thing I really feel very often, but Tsubasa has that intimidating ~mob-boss-of-dancing-people aura~, so I suppose I shouldn't feel too surprised.
So he turns and starts to walk toward our aisle. R gasps with pure excitement and I nod vehemently again, except now I'm faced with a dramatic decision:
[ Hand out? :D? ]
or
[ ...hand in... :( ]
As he turns to walk up our aisle, I put my hand out, and then I have second thoughts. What if he doesn't want to touch strangers' hands? What if he just walks by me again? What if he doesn't see me? The shaaaaame, the aaaanguish, the miseryyyyy.
He walks a few rows up, excruciatingly close to our seats, and turns to give a high five to a girl in the opposite row. Feeling defeated and sheepish, I start to withdraw my hand rather than suffer the agony of Tsubasa walking by it completely.
Miraculously, though, as I make the decision to spare myself the thousand stabs of disappointment, I feel his palm on mine and I snap my head up in shock. He's still singing, but he's giving me this fond little sneaky smile like, "You didn't really think I'd skip you, did you?"
I beam up at him and then he leaves and R gives me the biggest smile and we have a very dignified moment of total abandon.
"DID HE REALLY JUST DO THAT?"
"YES."
"THAT'S AMAZING."
"YES."
"EEEE."
"EEEE."
"Flower" was exciting.
21) We'll Be Together
Nice ballad. Tsubasa's there. :D EJ, WS, BI.
22) ROAD TO PLAYZONE
They brought it back! Whoo!
23) Guys PLAYZONE
Deliriously wonderful as always. Tsubasa's headset was on the fritz and kept falling off him, which was frustrating him, but I was proud that he never missed a step. ♡
Also, he wasn't wearing a shirt underneath his vest, so that happened. X___X
24) LIAR
Liar is Liar. Steps, suits, etc. I like the bobbing part.
All in all, pretty good! I'm happy just seeing it twice since it's a lot of the same stuff and there are tours later this year that I'm way more invested in saving up to see, so in conclusion:
Tsubasa was there. It was good. Thank you for existing, Tsubasa. :D
Maaaaybe Higashiyama wants to be involved in the official last one, so they tacked on an extra one for him? is my theory.
Anyway!
Sunday was magical. I saw the show with my friend R, who is outgoing and easily excited and adorably enthusiastic about Yara, which means she's more than willing to cheer when the spirit moves her, and to share in reactions and ridiculous furitsuke (during "ズッコケ男道" we were happily doing all the choreography). She's awesome and I love seeing things with her. ♡
We balloted together under the T&T fan club and we wound up perilously close to the stage and right on the aisle, which allowed for all manner of high fives from a number of dancers, including Kosshi, Fuku-chan, Noeru, three Travis Japan boys, and someone else. What was his name?
Tsusomething.
Eh, it'll come to me.
1) DIAMOND EYES
All righty, let the fun of remembering things begin!
I~~~~
don't remember this number! :D
These guys were there, and they were dancing, and it was good.
/qualityreporting
2) Venus
Shockingly, I remember this one! :D
First of all, holy neon eye violence, those costumes. I was profoundly amused to see someone as finicky and judgmental about flamboyant stage costumes as Tsubasa strolling onstage in a color that must resemble what orange soda looks like through the eyes of someone on acid. It definitely entertained me, though, so I suppose it did its job as a performance piece. XD
Once you've been to a T&T con, or even after just learning the choreography to "Venus," it's very, very difficult not to do it when you're listening to the song. Thus, when Tsubasa and Yuma started to sing, I kept losing the beat while I was clapping, so I gave up after five tries. My friend R grinned at me and we did the "Venus" furitsuke together instead, and I noticed more and more people throughout the theater doing the same throughout the song.
I'm glad I gave up on the decorum, too, because while Tsubasa was singing, he was looking around at the audience and he happened to see me. We made glancing eye contact and he smiled, and while I was processing that, I got the congratulatory "interaction with your idol!" smack on the arm from R. He's a big endorser of fans doing furitsuke (except at his solo cons when he seemed to be hoping that his fans would, like, mosh or something, I don't...I don't know with him XD), so I think it pleased him to see so many people getting enthusiastic with the hand dancing.
"Venus" wasn't too exciting dance-wise, but I'm not really picky as long as Tsubasa's onstage. He could sit in silence with his shirt off (or on, I'll be honest) for four minutes and I'd say, "Excellent job, well selected, bravo indeed."
Therefore, awesome start to the show! :D If you don't count the opening song I don't remember! :D
...Which I shan't! :D/
3) お祭り忍者
I was disappointed to see this one on the set list because a) I don't like it and b) I was hoping for a reprisal of "Charge," because "Chaaaarrrrrrggggge." Or "水の帰る場所" again. Anything but Bondage Octopus.
With that said, though, I actually liked this version slightly more than last time. Maybe it's because I was seeing PZ with R, who's such an adorable Yara fan I was getting contact affection for him from her all afternoon. XD There was one point, I forget which song, when Yara appeared onstage and she let out this delighted shriek, and you could see Yara smile all surprised and pleased. I may ship it. ...No, I totally ship it. XD
Anyway, the number is a little different this time around. Instead of Bondage Octopus, we got Spider Pimp. In the original number, there were some stretchy yellow strings fixed to a band around his waist, and he wore a white outfit with blood-red stains streaking along his arms and legs. In the new version, the costume is the same, but the stretchy strings have been replaced with LED lighting, so it looks more like a spider's web. And the dancers still run around doing his wizardly bidding, so...I don't know, this number is bizarre. XD Definitely amusing enough to be entertaining, though.
4) FUNKY FLUSHIN'
5) A • RA • SHI
6) 情熱☆熱風せれなーで
I was really hoping Tsubasa would do "It's Bad" again like he did in January, just so it would be on a DVD, but I guess "情熱☆熱風せれなーで" was all right. Y'know, fine. It's okay. I'm cool. I'm good.
...
TSUBASA WHYYYYYY.
Ahem. Okay. Cool. Good.
At this point, I'm just gonna hope that there is a DVD and it will have "It's Bad" on it so that my poor deprived heart will heal and I can stop whining about "It's Bad."
Until then, I will be strong and whine on.
He danced more this time, he showed off his body a great deal, which I enjoyed, and he existed onstage. Thus:
Excellent job, well selected, bravo indeed.
7) としちゃんメドレー
Disco! Dancing! Mannequin ladies!
I want Yara's sparkly DJ headphones!
8) One Way Boy
4U!!!!!!!!!!
FEEL THE BRUTAL FORCE OF MY GENERAL AFFECTION FOR AND DEVOTION TO THE SPLENDOR THAT IS 4U.
As a fan of 4U being sexy, I really love this song. I did my very best not to bob in my seat out of respect to the person behind me but ohhhh was it challenging.
Rockin' toniiiight~
9) ズッコケ男道
Yuma remains adorable!
R and I got high fives from some of Travis Japan. At one point, I put my hand out without checking to see who was running down the aisle behind me (way more exciting that way) and the dancer took my hand and held it all gentle-like, and then he bolted off to the stage.
I blinked at his back, didn't recognize any of the back of him, and leaned close to R to ask, "Who was that?"
"Noeru!"
Back onstage, Noeru smiled at me and I smiled and waved back.
From henceforth of now at this time, I like that kid. Noeru's good people. Thank you for holding my hand, kind lad.
10) 愛なんだ
11) うわさのキッス
The danger of rehashing songs from previous performances is that I end up missing Akkun.
BRING ME THE ROLLER SKATING SHARKMAN.
12) 君だけに
Beautiful song. Tsubasa's there. Excellent job, well selected, bravo indeed.
13) What's your name?
Veeeeeeery nice choreography. Tsubasa's hot. Excellent job, well selected, bravo indeed.
INTERMISSION
14) アンダルシアに憧れて
Fabulous dancing. Tsubasa's there. Excellent job, well selected, I think I can start acronymizing this. EJ, WS, BI.
15) ＄１０
THIS.
The scrim rolls down. A movie begins.
The dancers are divided into two gangs, and they're all like, "You're in RED," and, "You're NOT," and then they start fighting. Suddenly! A wild Tsubasa appears in his Andalucia costume and bellows, "STOP!" in English.
He strolls across the walkway and down the stairs while everyone is frozen in some kind of reverential deference like he's the mob boss of adorable dancing people.
(I proudly admit that I nearly swallowed my tongue trying not to laugh.)
Because while he is doing his intimidating meandering, he is West Side Story snapping.
Finally, after causing my lungs some permanent internal damage, he pauses at the bottom right hand of the screen and snaps, "Dance."
They all dance.
Of course I should admit that Tsubasa does, in fact, terrify me in person, but from a distance, I can giggle safely.
16) 愛されるより 愛したい
17) 愛・革命
A moment of silence for the golden chariot.
In its place, more dancing! Also, Tsubasa's vest was loose and popped open at the end and he was pretty much bare-chested for the whole last thirty seconds of the number.
EJ, WS, BI.
18) ロマンチックタイム
This American-accented woman's voice rings out into the darkness, "Tomoyu~ki, it's time to wake up~" and immediately I try not to laugh and R squeaks with Feeling. I grin at her and she grins back and then BAM, Yara behind us.
R's totally joyful face as he stumbled down the aisle in his Beatles wig and massive glasses was brutally adorable.
I think that might've been the number she shrieked in, now that I think about it. XD
Yara goes through a makeover onstage, complete with barber's chair and huge white apron to cover him while they spun him around. Super, super cute. Definitely his best number this time.
SKIT
This. Was. Hilarious. I love Yara. XD
So here's how it goes: "Romantic Time" ends and the house lights are out and Yara's like, "I'M LOCKED IN WITH YOU PEOPLE TURN THE LIGHT ON LEMME OUT LEMME OUT," and then the spotlight swivels around, glides right over him, and Yara shouts, "HERE. HERE. I'M HERE."
It swings back and lands on him, showing poor Yara tugging fruitlessly on the side door and trying to escape the theater.
Yuma shows up onstage in his "スシ食いねェ！" costume and is like, "Um, we need you for the next number, what are you doing."
Yara's like, "It's not me! It's the door! The door's locked! See?"
Yuma's like, "...Open it, then."
Then Kosshi strides out next to him and peers over the heads of the audience at Yara. "Oi, Yara-kun, where are you?"
Yara waves his whole arm at him and says, "Here, here!"
Kosshi blinks. "Stand up, would you?"
Yara glares. "I am standing."
Kosshi says, "No, no, stand up."
"I am standing!"
Yuma and Kosshi debate who should go retrieve Yara's costume, then Kosshi runs offstage. At some point, Yara gets frustrated with the lack of helping him and actually climbs the door like a wee monkey. It was pretty adorable and hilarious. R was dying.
Then Kosshi returns from backstage with Yara's costume and they hastily dress him. It was reminiscent of Akkun's bit in 2012 before they did "うわさのキッス."
In conclusion, Yara's awesome and this skit is brilliant.
On a side note, I'm amused that Tsubasa's only involvement in PZ's skits thus far is to bark, "STOP, DANCE," at people. XD
19) スシ食いねェ！
R and I found it incredibly difficult not to bounce throughout this song. We both went "EEEE" a bit at Yara's giddy little "HOW MUCH?" line.
20) フラワー
As soon as I heard the first notes, I sat bolt upright, beaming, and R tried not to laugh too hard at her friend the meerkat.
Tsubasa was alone onstage, and he started to sing with his usual excellence in tone and pitch and I beamed a little more enthusiastically because this song is awesome and Tsubasa is a splendid human being with a beautiful voice.
He exists so well.
So! After Tsubasa got about two or three lines into the song, he walked down into the audience and R started fervently yet gently whacking me on the arm. I nodded vehemently, very much aware that this would either be a moment of bliss or a moment of blisslessness that I would have to etch deep in the Book of Woe.
See, every time I've seen "Flower" performed, I've been sitting somewhere that Tsubasa doesn't walk past or he hasn't seen me because I felt too shy about putting my hand out. Shy is not a thing I really feel very often, but Tsubasa has that intimidating ~mob-boss-of-dancing-people aura~, so I suppose I shouldn't feel too surprised.
So he turns and starts to walk toward our aisle. R gasps with pure excitement and I nod vehemently again, except now I'm faced with a dramatic decision:
[ Hand out? :D? ]
or
[ ...hand in... :( ]
As he turns to walk up our aisle, I put my hand out, and then I have second thoughts. What if he doesn't want to touch strangers' hands? What if he just walks by me again? What if he doesn't see me? The shaaaaame, the aaaanguish, the miseryyyyy.
He walks a few rows up, excruciatingly close to our seats, and turns to give a high five to a girl in the opposite row. Feeling defeated and sheepish, I start to withdraw my hand rather than suffer the agony of Tsubasa walking by it completely.
Miraculously, though, as I make the decision to spare myself the thousand stabs of disappointment, I feel his palm on mine and I snap my head up in shock. He's still singing, but he's giving me this fond little sneaky smile like, "You didn't really think I'd skip you, did you?"
I beam up at him and then he leaves and R gives me the biggest smile and we have a very dignified moment of total abandon.
"DID HE REALLY JUST DO THAT?"
"YES."
"THAT'S AMAZING."
"YES."
"EEEE."
"EEEE."
"Flower" was exciting.
21) We'll Be Together
Nice ballad. Tsubasa's there. :D EJ, WS, BI.
22) ROAD TO PLAYZONE
They brought it back! Whoo!
23) Guys PLAYZONE
Deliriously wonderful as always. Tsubasa's headset was on the fritz and kept falling off him, which was frustrating him, but I was proud that he never missed a step. ♡
Also, he wasn't wearing a shirt underneath his vest, so that happened. X___X
24) LIAR
Liar is Liar. Steps, suits, etc. I like the bobbing part.
All in all, pretty good! I'm happy just seeing it twice since it's a lot of the same stuff and there are tours later this year that I'm way more invested in saving up to see, so in conclusion:
Tsubasa was there. It was good. Thank you for existing, Tsubasa. :D