TWO TOPS TREASURE TOUR 2014
★ TWO TOPS TREASURE TOUR 2014 ☆
**NOTE: I apologize in advance for details I've missed. There are a lot of things I probably would have remembered if not for the thing that happened at the end of the very last concert. A lot of the tiny details are probably floating around in my head somewhere, so if I remember anything I'll make sure to come back and include it here in italics!
Additional Note: My only familiarity with Snowman is from Takki's stage play and the pranks T&T have played on them, so I don't know their names or much else about them. In my head, they're Snowman #1-5 and Tree, because one of them was dressed as a Christmas tree at one point. I liked him best; he's got sass. Long live Tree. ♡**MORE NOTE: Also check out lovespiral's report for more details that I missed here! ♡
Tackey & Tsubasa's last tour was their tenth anniversary tour in 2012, so it was ridiculously good news when they announced in August that they'd be holding a mini tour this December. New single, new album, new tour-the works.
Between the announcement in August and the planned time of the tour, Takki focused on TakiCHAN as usual, and Tsubasa appeared in the kabuki show GOEMON every day of October until the 23rd. Kabuki tends to have a particularly grueling schedule, even for an idol who's used to overwork, but Tsubasa danced impeccably nonetheless. On the final day he even looked and sounded happy and satisfied with the production's run. There didn't seem to be any cause for concern at all.
Then, on October 30th, to base was unexpectedly canceled. Fans worried a bit, because in the ten+ years he's done to base, that's never happened before. Then, on November 6th's episode of to base, fans were surprised to hear Takki's voice instead of Tsubasa's. He reported that due to a sudden spell of dizziness and even trouble standing, Tsubasa had been admitted to the hospital to see what was wrong with him. The following week, it was announced through the newspapers (using information directly from J&A) that Tsubasa had been diagnosed with Meniere's disease, a disorder of the inner ear that can vary in seriousness. Since then, Takki has continued to cover to base on Thursdays along with his own show Denpajou on Saturdays, and he tries every week to keep the show as it usually runs, which includes doing the show live the way Tsubasa usually does (Takki pre-records Denpajou because recording live makes him nervous).
In November, while Tsubasa was recuperating in the hospital, Takki traveled to Thailand for the first time in almost ten years to appear in a film festival. A few fans quietly speculated that Tsubasa had meant to go with him, which seemed cemented by the fact that Takki wore the same suit that appears on the cover of their album. When the previews for their ギラメラ PV were released, it seemed apparent that the staff had used stock photos from the Two Tops Treasure album photoshoot to put together a slideshow-esque PV. It's possible that T&T might have intended on filming the PV in Thailand, and their plans were complicated by Tsubasa's condition.
Next, Tsubasa missed Best Artist and FNS (scheduled as T&T events), but many fans remained optimistic that he would be able to do the five-show tour in December, that it would be his big return to the stage. In December 4th's episode of to base, Takki reported that Tsubasa had turned his full attention to preparing for the tour, and that he was looking forward to the concerts. Everything seemed tentatively positive.
Then, at 11am on December 9th, the day before T&T's first two shows in Osaka Orix Theater, a mail from the fan club arrived with a very long message for the fans. Briefly summarized, it said Tsubasa would be unable to perform in the concerts, and that Takki would complete the tour by himself. It included a note at the end offering full refunds to anyone who sent their ticket back and asked for one. It also had a message from Tsubasa himself:
"I'd like to apologize to everyone I've worried and for whom I've caused problems.
Although I intended on making a comeback for the tour, it turns out that I won't be able to perform after all.
I'm deeply sorry to all the fans who were looking forward to the tour, but from now on I will prepare for the time when I'm well enough to perform in concert with Takizawa again."
Some fans had suspected this would be the case, and the general tone of fans was heightened worry over his health. Some worried about the offer of refunds, and if the theater would wind up partially empty. In the wake of the announcement, fans sent an outpouring of encouragement to Tsubasa in the form of cards and letters and emails to his radio show.
Later, Takki would tell the fans that Tsubasa did every single rehearsal for the tour up until the day before it began. He didn't explain what exactly made them decide Tsubasa wasn't ready to perform, but he did stress that Tsubasa put in every ounce of effort to try and be there. He mentioned it a few more times over the course of the tour.
After the decision was made that Takki would perform solo and the news was sent out to the fans via the fan club, Takki went to sleep around two in the morning and woke up at four. He said he couldn't fall asleep again, too worried about how the concerts would go without Tsubasa. Even up to the moment before he went onstage, he said he had no idea what the fans' reaction would be to him performing alone, and he was incredibly anxious about it.
I've been impressed with Takki before, always by his professionalism and his devotion and work ethic. He really does embody everything his job demands, and in a situation like Tsubasa's, he's exactly the kind of person you'd want supporting you. Still, I can't imagine how difficult it must have been for him to not only help support Tsubasa through this, but also have to comfort fans by putting on an enjoyable concert on his own. I always believed Takki is amazing, but I admire him even more now.
On December 10th, the atmosphere among fans was heavy with Tsubasa's impending absence. We waited outside the theater with other fans to buy goods, then found benches in the park to wait on. No one had any idea what Takki would do. Would it be a Takki-style solo concert? Would he sing Tsubasa's solos? Would he sing their new songs alone? But what would he do about Tsubasa's vocals? Would he say anything about Tsubasa's condition? He had to say something, right? He'd been keeping us as informed as he could all this time-he had to say something, right? While fans queued up and bought goods, my friends and I sat in the park outside the theater and speculated, trying to ignore the glum weight that had settled in each of us.
Some fans had worried that in consideration of his absence, Tsubasa's uchiwa and clear file would be pulled from the merchandise booth, but I was relieved to see his uchiwa hanging alongside Takki's, and his clearfile sitting in the case alongside Takki's. That, at least, was going to stay the same.
When time came to go inside, the typical hum of chatter from the fans sounded more restless than excited. Some seemed almost to dread what waited inside, while others had their best determined smiles on. I was stuck in between those two states of mind. I knew whatever I'd see inside would hurt, but I wanted to give Takki as much support and encouragement as I could. He's worked so hard to keep the fans as informed as he can while protecting Tsubasa's privacy, and to fulfill all their unit obligations professionally and cheerfully. Even though he's been able do all this with a smile, he's only human, and we all knew he must be even more disappointed to be alone onstage than we'd be to see him alone.
My friends and I walked into the theater and immediately the sight of the sets and lighting set off a sharp ache. Two shields flanked the stage, featuring the tour's five emblazoned Ts (Tackey & Tsubasa Two Tops Treasure). Various shades of blue and pink lights poured over the audience. The whole ambiance, which would have normally been breathtaking, just emphasized the presence it would lack. Everyone seemed to be holding their breaths.
I think it was then I started to feel grateful that no one was pretending Tsubasa that had never intended to be there. I suspect that would have felt worse, as if his presence were so easy to ignore that they could just remove his goods and displace him from our minds. I started to relax a little, and I thanked Takki silently for his habitual consideration. I had the feeling he and the staff had decided it was the best choice, and I decided to trust that the show would be as good as it could possibly be under the circumstances. Throughout the night, that faith grew steadily stronger.
- OSAKA: Afternoon/Evening -
★ Pre-show
The タキツバ call began as usual, but more subdued. Many fans sat and clapped rather than stand, seemingly uneasy about calling Tsubasa's name when we all knew he wouldn't be there. Others cheered louder, maybe to show support even though he wouldn't be answering the call.
While the house lights were still on, a suited staff member I didn't recognize took to the stage with a microphone. For a brief moment, I had the insane premonition that he would say something like, "Takki's not really up to it either, but thank you for buying goods and not refunding your tickets. Please let yourselves out in an orderly fashion and make sure not to stain the seats with your tears."
Of course, my brain was just being an asshole.
A spotlight fixed on him, and the fans fell quiet. He apologized sheepishly for interrupting the T&T call and began with the announcement we all knew was coming. Paraphrased: "Thank you for coming to the show today. As you may or may not know, Imai Tsubasa will be unable to perform in the tour this time. You may be wondering what kind of atmosphere you're going to experience during the concerts, and there's been a lot of discussion about what our best options were. In regards to Tsubasa's vocals, we've decided that Takizawa can't do them as well." He paused for the inevitable laughter, and a lot of it sounded relieved to hear some levity. The staff member smiled a little. "So, we're going to use Tsubasa-kun's prerecorded tracks alongside Takizawa's live vocals."
A surprised murmur went through the audience.
The lights dimmed as the staff member continued with general remarks apologizing for the convenience, and then the house lights abruptly came back on. The audience chuckled and the staff member smiled wryly, hesitated, and said, "Sorry about that," which got another muted laugh.
When he left the stage, the lights dimmed once more.
★ Message
A screen lowered over the stage and an instrumental version of 僕のそばには星がある started to play. A message from Tsubasa in white lettering on a black background scrolled up. In essence, it was the same as the fan club message. All the same sentiments apologizing for the trouble he'd caused and promising to be back someday. There was also a part asking fans to give Takizawa their support and encouragement. Following that was a message from Takki, but I'll have to apologize now because I didn't read it either time I saw it (in the afternoon and evening shows). Tsubasa's message combined with the slightly mournful music had me crying both times.
00. Treasure Hunting
I was surprised to learn that T&T had an instrumental track kicking off their album. I love it, and I think it's gorgeous. It sounds like it was plucked from a movie soundtrack, and according to the list of credits inside the album jacket, they used professional musicians (trumpet player, violinist, etc.). I was impressed they'd gone to that length for an entirely instrumental track.
As the music began to play, members of Snowman took their places onstage in beams of red light while dark blues and purples coated the rest of the stage. When the track built up to a steady crescendo, a white light appeared upstage and Takki walked up the back stairs onto a raised platform. The sight of him alone stung, but something soothed some of the ache:
He was standing on stage right, leaving the space beside him very prominently empty.
01. ギラメラ (Giramera)
From the very first note of the song, Takki put everything he had into making this number energetic and enthusiastic. I'd come into the theater expecting it, but actually seeing Takki throw every ounce of effort into the show hit me hard. Fans seemed to react to it as well, waving to him encouragingly with their penlights.
Sure enough, Takki seemed to be singing his parts live alongside Tsubasa's prerecorded vocals.
What stood out immediately was the staging. He constantly stuck to one side of the stage, followed closely by a vigilant spotlight. Beside him, a separate spotlight tracked an invisible presence.
02. ラブ・スパイラル (Love Spiral)
03. 抱夏-ダキナツ- (Dakinatsu)
抱夏 was probably the strongest of the initial reminders that Tsubasa wasn't there, as a screen lowered behind Takki and the 抱夏 PV began to play. At the first sight of Tsubasa's face, many fans around me put their hands over their mouths or seemed to fight back tears.
Aaand this is approximately where I started crying.
04. We Are the T&T
During their 10th Anniversary Tour, T&T removed 愛してるぜT&T from their setlist and replaced it with this fast-paced number where they both talk as fast as they can about each other's accomplishments and the nicknames they're known by and whatnot. When news about Two Tops Treasure was released, fans found out that Tsubasa wrote it.
Takki stood center stage while Tsubasa's voice enthusiastically listed all the things Takki's done (his stage plays, for example) and then called him "Hachiouji's Prince, the Prince of Johnny's, the Prince everyone loves." He didn't mime as much as he might have if Tsubasa were there, but he seemed to do his best to make his expressions a little comical.
Then, he climbed one of the staircases set up in a V and paused halfway up. The spotlight fixed on the empty center stage, bright blue, and Takki launched into introducing Tsubasa. He listed World Wing and flamenco and all the things Tsubasa's known for, and when it came time to call out his name, the fans shouted even louder.
★ Battle Call/MC
My only complaint about the 10th Anniversary Tour (apart from there being no DVD of it) was the lack of the Battle Call. I understood them wanting to shift things around a bit, but I missed it. They're encouraging battle, and I enjoy watching Takki have mock tantrums when he loses. I was a little worried back in 2012 that the Battle Call corner had been retired.
BUT IT HAS NOT.
AFTERNOON
Takki did his signature prompting signal (Karate Chop Action Takki) and our side of the theater shouted Takki's name. He smiled, seemingly pleased, and crossed the stage to the empty spotlight Tsubasa should have been standing in.
Fans murmured. What were we supposed to do? Would Takki win by default? I felt slightly indignant on Tsubasa's behalf, even though Tsubasa would absolutely have cheated if he had been in Takki's position.
Then Takki mimed surprise at the confusion and repeated the same gesture. A mixed call came back to him.
One Thousand People: "TAKKI!"
One Thousand People: "TSUBASA!"
Five Hundred People: "TSU-TA-SA?"
Takki made a little grimace and shook his head, crossing the stage back to us. Immediately, his expression shifted to one of his more charming, adorable smiles, and we laughed. He did his prompting gesture again and we yelled his name louder. He nodded happily and returned to the other side. This time, the fans bellowed Tsubasa's name, and Takki made an affronted face as if to say, "Oi! Me!"
From that point on, the fans carried on the tradition of cheering Tsubasa's name louder and louder until Takki inevitably gave up. He smiled, a little self-consciously, and lifted his microphone to make his opening remarks.
He took a tentative breath and said, "How should I do this?" with a small sheepish smile.
A sense of relief filled the audience, completely shifting the atmosphere. Just acknowledging that this was hard for him made us feel on more equal footing with him. He continued, "What kind of tone should I have?" He explained that he'd lost a lot of sleep the night before worrying about the concert. He thanked the staff for all their support, and apologized to the fans again that Tsubasa wasn't there.
What stands out in my memory about his opening speech is that he was frank with us. He didn't pretend everything was awesome, which we all would have seen through.
At one point, Takki seemed to trail off and have trouble composing himself, so a few fans shouted, "頑張れ！" Takki laughed self-consciously and said, "I am! I'm trying as hard as I can!"
He asked us to please give him our support, and he'd try his best to give us something resembling the concert we would have seen if Tsubasa were there. We cheered for him as he headed off backstage to get ready for the next number.
EVENING
This time, there was no confusion over how to handle the battle call. Some of us had seen the first show, but more people had probably read reports of the first show and knew what to expect. Takki looked thrilled by the immediate calling of Tsubasa's name and applauded before he went to the other side to get his own cheer.
A few rounds in, he singled out a man in the front row and gestured for him to call out his name. The man obliged, yelling, "TAKKI!"
Takki made a face at him and yelled, "TSUBASA!" back.
The audience laughed and clapped.
Then Takki gestured for the man to call his name again, and the man again shouted, "TAKKI!"
Takki stamped the stage and yelled, "TSUBASA!" back.
The next time the man started to shout, "TA-" Takki balled his fists up and bellowed, "TSUBASA!" as loud as he could.
The audience laughed and cheered.
This time, Takki's speech was much more relaxed and composed. He confessed that he'd only gotten two hours of sleep the night before, kept awake by concerns about how the tour would go.
Then he brought up Tsubasa, and everyone went a little quieter. "I've been talking to him by phone and texting every day," he said, and laughed sheepishly when fans cheered.
"Shush with that," he said. "We're not a couple." Then, grinning, he lifted his hand to the side of his face in the well-known gesture that means "gay" and said, "We're not like this," he shifted his hand to the other side quickly and added, "We're like this." Later on, our Japanese friends were amused to point out that both gestures mean the same thing.
Takki continued, "I want to protect T&T, and I want to protect Tsubasa."
05. ココロウルオシテク (Kokoro Uruoshiku)
Takki stuck to the same staging, moving from one side of the stage to the other. Ostensibly, Tsubasa would have switched sides with him. Tsubasa's shield lit up in blue while his vocal track played, and Takki waved to fans from his pink platform.
06. 灼熱の律動 (Shakunetsu no Ritsudo)
This is probably one of the songs Tsubasa would have enjoyed most, because it's easily the most Latin-based track on the album. Plus it has Spanish in the lyrics. The staging for this one involved two chairs seated side by side in the center of the stage, so again Tsubasa's absence was emphasized.
07. 雨が虹に変われば (Ame ga Niji ni Kawareba)
08. ビバビバモーレ (Viva Viva More)
09. パピプペヤッポAlright! (Pa Pi Pu Pe Yappo Alright!)
10. queen of R
11. Number One! Only One!
12. 山手線外回り (Yamanote-sen Soto Mawari)
13. ねぇ (Ne)
On to base one week, Takki said he'd asked Tsubasa what song he wanted to hear on the show and Tsubasa picked ねぇ. Takki then explained that when they first recorded the song, it held special meaning for them, but considering how their circumstances have changed, so has the meaning of the song.
I'm guessing he means lyrics like this:
ほら足もとを見て
遠くばかり見つめてるから 小さな石ころにつまづく
だから焦らないでゆっくり行こうHere, look at your feet
When you're looking far into the distance, you may trip on pebbles
So don't be impatient and go slowly
And
振り返ることばかりしては 未来に不安を感じてた
だけど信じてる 一人じゃないから
流してきた涙の分だけ乗り越えてきた
生きてる証しを胸に刻みながら
Looking over your shoulder made you feel anxious about the futureBut you overcame every tear you shed
Because you believed that you're not alone
While you engraved the proof that you're alive in your heart
(I used Shinitakashi's site as a base for the translation.)
The song ended up being one of the most touching parts of every concert, and during some performances, Takki would turn and sing to the spotlight beside him.
★ Main MC
AFTERNOON
He had Snowman tell T&T-related stories as well as their favorite T&T songs from the tour. My favorite story (and sadly the only one I remember) was one Snowman who said after Countdown last year, he sent Tsubasa a message wishing him a happy new year. Two minutes later, Tsubasa responded and invited him out for lunch.
"He did?" Takki said, eyes wide.
Snowman nodded.
"I didn't know that!" Takki said, blinking.
Snowman tilted his head. "You're not much of a Tsubasa fan, are you?"
The audience laughed and Takki took a few menacing steps forward with his eyes narrowed. Snowman backed off, grinning, and continued his story, telling everyone that Tsubasa was a very kind and generous senpai to him.
Takki shook his head, apparently making a mental note to whine to Tsubasa about this later.
When he had them each tell their favorite T&T song (because making your kouhai nervous is a time-honored ritual), Snowman #3 couldn't come up with anything because he was on the far end and he hadn't prepared more than one song in his head, so he panicked when Takki told him he couldn't choose a song that had already been mentioned.
He said, "Uhhhh," long enough that Takki laughed and dismissed them all from the stage so he could move on with the concert and introduce "Heartful Voice." Snowman #3, however, wasn't finished. He hung back onstage after everyone else had gone and went, "Um."
Takki laughed. "Yes?"
"I just. I wanted to. Um. No, never mind."
"What? Will you get offstage?" Takki laughed, waving.
Snowman #3 blinked. "Oh, yeah, sure. Just, I wanted to-"
"GO," Takki insisted, grinning in exasperation.
Snowman #3 nodded and bolted, leaving Takki to sigh at the ceiling in a tiny moment to himself that had the audience chuckling.
14. Heartful Voice
15. 愛 Check it! (Ai Check It!)
Snowman covered this song, and they did a good job with it.
16. REAL DX
17. 夢物語 (Yume Monogatari)
It was around here that I noticed Takki starting to get emotionally frayed. Running two concerts on two hours of sleep must have been brutal enough, then add onto that the stress and worry he must have been feeling. In the afternoon show, he spent most of the medley from 夢物語 to 愛はタカラモノ leaning his head back and blinking hard, but by the evening show he must have been much more tired, and it was starting to show how much effort he was putting into looking and sounding cheerful.
Honestly, I'm glad that side of him showed. He's been so upbeat and perfectly composed all this time, I'm glad he was able to let some of his fissures show. I've always liked the imperfect sides of Takki best, and it was nice to see him missing Tsubasa just like the rest of us. It drove home for me how brave he was to do the tour alone.
18. Venus
19. Ho! サマー (Ho! Summer)
20. 愛はタカラモノ (Ai wa Takaramono)
21. Luv the Shangri-la
22. 僕のそばには星がある (Boku no Soba ni wa Hoshi ga Aru)
EVENING
Takki stopped singing. It was immediately following Tsubasa's verse, I think, and so Takki got through part of his first line and then broke off. When I looked at him, his head was bent and he was quiet while the music continued. Some fans shouted his name and encouragement and a few lines later, Takki clearly steeled himself and continued singing in a slightly hoarse voice.
23. Journey Journey〜ボクラノミライ〜 (Journey Journey~Boku no Mirai)
ENCORE
24. Hey Now!
Details in the Yokohama section with photo!
25. コイゴコロHUNTER (Koi Gokoro HUNTER)
The dance for this is ridiculous and possibly my favorite T&T dance ever because it's ridiculous. At some point during the concert, Takki said, "You'll have to wait for Tsubasa to recover to get new choreography. I swear I'm not being lazy, I just...can't do it as well as he can."
So for "コイゴコロHUNTER" we got - zombie arms. It was amazing and ridiculous and I strongly approve and hope Tsubasa doesn't change it because ZOMBIE ARMS. For a song called "Love Hunter."
When the second encore finished, the fans kept up the Takitsuba call, and Takki eventually returned in the same tour sweatshirt he'd been wearing for "Hey Now!" and "コイゴコロHUNTER." He thanked us sincerely and apologized again for the change in plans.
Then, he tugged the zipper of his sweatshirt down and revealed a black shirt emblazoned with Tsubasa's name in one large white kanji. The fans simultaneously either burst out crying or cheering. Or both.
During both the afternoon and evening shows, he gave the kanji some affectionate fondling with a content smile.
He said, "I want to protect T&T, but I also want to protect Tsubasa, too."
As he prepared to leave the stage, he gave us his most sincere smile and said, "Thank you so much for your enthusiasm today, really. I was so nervous about how this would go, but you all really saved me. Thank you!" He left the stage repeating, "助けた！本当に助けた！"
- YOKOHAMA 13th: Evening -
The atmosphere of Yokohama's first show was very, very different. Osaka's Orix Theater is miniscule by comparison, so right away there was more of an expansive feeling in Yokohama. The sets were larger, and Tsubasa's absence was even more marked by the presence of empty gondolas and lifts and carts all bearing his signature blue at some point. Again, I'm glad they didn't try to erase him. It hurt to see those empty set pieces, but it would have hurt more not to see them, I think.
The guests this time were Tsuka-chan (ABC-Z) and Yamapi!
Evidently, Tsuka-chan rode on the train like a person and sent Takki a text message before the show to the effect of, "WHOA THERE ARE T&T FANS EVERYWHERE, TAKKI."
He was really, really energetic and cute. From the stage, Takki greeted Tsuka-chan first and Tsuka-chan stood up and bellowed back his side of the conversation. At one point, Takki laughed, "You're so loud it's like you're onstage with me." Tsuka-chan beamed and looked supremely pleased with himself.
Yamapi was slightly more subdued. Still, when Takki introduced him, and the audience finished cheering, Yamapi stood up, cupped his hands around his mouth, and yelled, "I LOVE YOU, TAKKI."
Takki grinned and said, "I love you too."
I'd like to see this happen again at a concert Tsubasa is actually part of.
Takki continued on to make a few glowing comments about how handsome and wonderful Yamapi is and Favorite Son smiled.
Shortly thereafter, Takki said that he and Tsubasa wanted to consider some new projects in the future. A national tour, for one, and maybe some other things. He asked the audience for suggestions.
Many (like me) shouted things like a movie or a TV show, and then (apparently of his own volition), Takki said, "Onsen?"
He pondered that onstage for a while. The following day, he told us that he and his manager had discussed the idea in the car back to their hotel. Takki said, "Could we really do that?" and told us that, "When you give us suggestions, they can actually become reality simply because it's an idea we like and just haven't thought of ourselves."
Onsen show, please! :D
Also, he said something really sweet during the MC: "Tsubasa can't be here to speak for himself, but I've known him so long now that we don't need to speak to understand each other. I understand the way he feels, and I know he's doing his best. He's very brave." ♡
That's the "コイゴコロHUNTER" zombie choreography, by the by. Isn't it majestic?
- YOKOHAMA 14th: Afternoon -
This was the concert Johnny attended, which explained the shift in tone. Takki hardly brought up Tsubasa at all, and he seemed much more composed in general.
We assumed he was just getting used to the solo style of the tour, but then lovespiral leaned over and said, "There's someone in the guest box who looks just like Johnny." We were sitting almost directly across from the booth, so I lifted my binoculars and sure enough, there was Johnny.
The guest booth was filled with (presumably) high-ranking company staff, none of whom had any kind of con good. That sounds like an obvious detail (they were all in suits and black and gold towels don't really match with business professional wear), but it made a huge difference whenever the stage or house lights went down and the arena lit up with the glow of white penlights. Glowing box, glowing box, glowing box, gaping void, glowing box, etc. It just amused me to see.
There are any number of reasons Johnny was there, I figure: from a business standpoint he might have wanted to see how Snowman perform, or maybe he wanted to make sure Takki was doing well enough without Tsubasa (which would explain why Takki didn't talk as much about him that time), and most importantly, I'd bet Johnny was concerned on a personal level. The man has always favored Takki and he still gives Tsubasa New Year's money, so I imagine he's fairly invested in their wellbeing.
During the evening show, Takki told everyone that Johnny had visited. Apparently Johnny told him and Snowman backstage, "YOU talk too much [during the MC]."
Since it was during the MC that I untied my souvenir balloon to let the air out and investigate Mysterious Maybe Johnny in the guest box, I think he has a point. XD When it's T&T with 4U, they could talk for hours and I'd be riveted, but Snowman are pretty fresh and still developing their senses of humor, so they don't keep my attention for very long.
That being said, Tree:
That moment up there is from "Hey Now!" For those who have seen T&T's 10th Anniversary Event DVD (not to be confused with the tour DVD that doesn't exist), you'll know "Hey Now!" has become T&T's time to flirt onstage. More than they usually do.
So during "Hey Now!" there was an obvious gap. They'd cut the crazy dance from "夢物語" because they probably couldn't bring themselves to do it without Tsubasa present, so I figured Takki'd just sing the song straight through. Then Tree approached Takki and mimed the lyrics to the song (indicating his pinky for the line about destiny). He put his hand out for Takki's, Takki dramatically took his hand, and then flung Tree to the stage. In Osaka he walked away from Tree with a bit of a smirking frown at the audience, waving his hand dismissively. Fans cheered, because we like violence against trees, apparently.
- YOKOHAMA 14th: Evening -
During the MC, Takki started off by saying, "I have to admit...my contacts are messed up right now. I can't see more than arm's-length in front of me." He called out Tree, who jogged out looking spooked.
Takki asked him for his eye drops and the Snowman ran backstage and came back with a hot pink compact mirror and a slim container. "Not that one!" Takki laughed.
The Snowman rushed back and got the right container. The mirror, however, he'd gotten right.
Takki thanked the Snowman and gestured to the main stage. "Talk about Countdown while I do this, please." As he turned to the stage stairs, the Snowman squeaked, "Really? Me? By myself?"
Takki waved his arm expansively and set his eye drops and mirror down on the stairs.
"But-?" Snowman panicked.
Takki laughed and waved at him some more. "I seriously can't see anything right now, just do the thing."
The Snowman listed the groups appearing at Countdown and then turned to Takki and said, "Tackey & Tsubasa too, right?"
Takki continued with his back turned.
"Er, yes," Snowman said, "Tackey & Tsubasa too."
When Takki finished, he turned around and said, "Okay, you're done," in an authoritative tone that had Tree sighing with relief and running backstage again. I like Tree. XD
Then Takki introduced the guests. He gestured up to Travis Japan, and three of them stood up (I'm pretty sure there are more in that group from watching Playzone, but Junior groups are always changing and I'm least familiar with Travis Japan, so maybe there're only three members now?)
Next, Takki introduced Yuma. Yuma stood up and yelled, "TAKKI!" and then, "I LOVE YOU!"
Takki smiled and said, "Yuma's cute. All his senpai think he's adorable."
Yuma nodded happily as he sat down.
Takki laughed, "'Yes'?" Then, apparently remembering to be fair, he added something like, "Of course all the kouhai are cute."
Yuma wrapped an arm around Travis, who was sitting next to him, and Travis smiled. He was recording video or taking photos with his camera and Takki laughed, "Is he taking photos?"
He was. XD Or video. I was amused. I saw a tweet at some point later on that said, "Ahh, it must be nice to be Travis. Not just for the photos, mind you."
Takki waved to Stacy and Travis and called out in English, "I want you. I need you. This is a pen." That is, apparently, the extent of Takki's foreign language skills apart from the foreign lyrics in his songs. Maybe. XD
When the show ended, Snowman filed offstage, giving Takki high fives as they left. The Christmas Tree Snowman gave Takki a huge hug as usual and Takki said something to him for a long while before letting go. Tree nodded like he'd given him directions and then ran offstage to carry out whatever Takki'd asked him to do.
Then Takki returned alone to the center of the stage. He paused with his hand over the zipper of his sweatshirt, giving the audience an unreadable expression. I'd hoped for some big reveal, like a phone call from Tsubasa, or maybe just a brief appearance. But the concert had gone by completely normally and so I was trying to convince myself not to be disappointed if the show just ended this way.
Then Takki tugged the zipper down and revealed:
A black shirt. Full black. No Tsubasa kanji.
He mimed surprise and a kind of, "Why on earth would my shirt be blank? Where did that roving kanji wander off to?" expression.
I was already Saline Falls from "ねぇ" and "僕星," but when I realized that this might actually mean Tsubasa there in person, I started tearing up again. This time from joy.
Takki waved his hands down and I hesitated, prepared to sit down. Instead, the music lowered to almost nothing, and then Takki mouthed his own name. The audience caught on quickly, falling immediately into the Takitsuba Call.
"TAKKI!"
Clap clap.
"TSUBASA!"
Clap clap.
"TAKKI!"
Clap clap.
"TSUBASA!"
Clap clap.
This was around when people started to cry hysterically.
Takki walked down the center runway, encouraging people to make the call even louder. Some people had trouble making coherent sound because of the crying.
Finally, after a good twenty or thirty seconds, the call was louder than ever and Takki finally yelled, "IMAI TSUBASA!" He gestured grandly to the back of the stage and Tsubasa walked out with a small, quiet smile, carrying a microphone.
All around, Tsubasa's fans burst out crying at the sight of him. And not surprisingly, Tsubasa looked as though he'd been crying, too. He walked down the ramp to where Takki was standing waiting for him and hugged him tight.
The cheer when they hugged was amazing.
He and Takki walked to the center stage and Tsubasa lifted his mic. In essence, this was what he said:
[ "I'd like to take a moment to apologize and to say thank you. I'm very sorry for all the inconvenience and worry I've caused. I honestly can't say thank you enough to the people who've helped me through this.
I was truly looking forward to these concerts, but I wasn't able to recover enough in time. I want to thank Takizawa first of all. Also, to our kouhai and staff, I'm incredibly grateful to you as well. Also, to everyone at the agency, my manager, my doctor, and my mother, thank you.
Honestly, battling this illness has taken a toll on my heart. But your feelings of warmth have supported me. Thank you so much. If I can, I want to repay you. I want to have another concert here in Yokohama, for starters. I also want to participate in Countdown, then Playzone.
Most of all, I want to face this disease with patience and grace." ]
He started to cry somewhere in the middle, and fans shouted encouragement that seemed to both make him feel better and also make him cry more. All the while, Takki stood a few steps behind him and watched him with a warm, proud smile.
After they walked back to the main stage, Takki ran off to the side stage and called for one of the carts. "Quickly, quickly!" he urged, beaming.
Tsubasa made as if to follow him, but when he realized what Takki was doing, he held his spot, looking shy. The audience laughed warmly and he ducked his head, sheepish. He gave some more waves to the fans again, shifting his weight. He looked a little overwhelmed, so fans all around the arena kept shouting his name encouragingly.
When the cart arrived, he walked over to join Takki, who stood out of the way and gave a little bow before gesturing for Tsubasa to board first. Tsubasa smiled and stepped on board, then Takki followed him and handed Tsubasa a tour towel, presumably because Takki's known Tsubasa for almost twenty years and he knew it was likely he'd cry again.
The stage crew slowly began to push the cart around the circumference of the arena, giving Tsubasa ample time to wave to fans both in the center and in the stands. Beside him, Takki stood close, leaning on the rail for most of the time and mainly just watching Tsubasa like the rest of us. He kept a close eye on Tsubasa the whole time.
For the most part, Tsubasa did his level best to wave to as many people as he could. He's very shy by nature, so I thought it was sweet that he was trying to make eye contact with so many people in an off-stage context. There was a small terrifying moment when the cart made a turn and wobbled. A good 96% of the audience prepared to catch him and Tsubasa looked slightly panicked, but then the cart continued on safely, so he laughed a little sheepishly and the fans relaxed.
As they they passed the guest box, Tsubasa greeted the members of his Playzone family. He blew a kiss to Stacy, and she blew one back. Travis made an X gesture with his arms and Tsubasa kind of did it back, so I'm guessing that's some private joke between them. I didn't see it for myself because I wasn't using my binoculars, but according to a fan report, Yuma was crying. ♡
Back on stage, he said, "ただいま," with a small smile and the fans shouted back, "お帰り！"
As he bowed, his hood fell over his head, so he smiled and plucked it back.
Takki said, "よかったね、皆さん," and through waterfalls of saline, fans shouted, "YES IT IS よかった. IT IS VERY よかった." Later, lovespiral made the point that Takki was probably just as much talking to himself as he was to us. ♡
Then it was sadly time for them to leave, which gave them time for one of their favorite games:
Tug of War.
[Matsuri DVD, 2010]
The game Tsubasa always wins. Like every game they play.
I swear Takki's a golden retriever puppy in disguise. "Play with me~!"
Uchimata!basa
This time, however, Tsubasa let Takki win!
At the very last second, Tsubasa let Takki pull him to his exit, and he gave one last wave to the fans with the smile seen in the photo above before Takki tugged him completely backstage.
The audience applauded, and fans were polite enough not to clap for an encore.
After the concert, we agreed that in addition to Tsubasa's sorely missed presence, the biggest missing piece from the tour was Takki's giddy smile. He was in solo/senpai mode for most of the tour, so all the teasing and private jokes and whining and laughing were much more subdued. Which just made his fifteen minutes with Tsubasa at the end stand out all the more. I'm glad there are photos, too, because I couldn't look away from Tsubasa at all, and it would have been a shame not to see that smile on Takki. ♡
Takki doesn't exaggerate when he says he's Tsubasa's biggest fan. ♡
Before they left the stage, Takki said to Tsubasa, "Next time, it'll definitely be both of us, right?" and Tsubasa nodded, smiling back at him.
In all, the tour was deeply moving on several levels. First, that Takki did them at all made me incredibly grateful to him. We all knew all along that Takki would always be there, even if Tsubasa couldn't be, but I didn't realize how comforted I'd feel by his presence until I was actually in the theater. Second, Tsubasa's appearance. He's clearly been grappling with this, and I can only hope that he continues to face it with the grace and patience he talked about. With Takki to support him, I think he'll have a strong foundation to lean on when he needs it.★♥♡♥★