Hakata IriDe, 8/18 - 8/19
Tuesday, August 18th
10:45AM standby; got there 5 minutes early and there was like no one waiting around the corner. So I went up to the line and Masako staff told me where to stand and asked if anyone else was coming ("I think it's just me," I said, because I-san had gone home the previous evening). After a little while the Dai-chan fan from the day before came out, but there was no one there for Chii-chan yet (late standby again :P)
A nice Masako lady next to me made conversation. She asked me where I was from and I said "Osaka... er, is where I'm living, but I'm from America ^^;;;" (omg what a "turning Japanese" moment.) She asked if I'd be in Hakata for much longer and I said I was leaving the next day. She said nice things like "Alice-chan is cute, isn't she~ But she's 色っぽい ("sexy" seems too strong in English) in this show" and I agreed and said it's the role I've always been waiting for, etc. That's as far as we got before we had to crouch and stopped talking.
Micchan and Masako came at the same time; Micchan was on "our" side of the stage door again. She had on a black T-shirt emblazoned with a picture of a pistol in white ^^;;; And her daihyou was carrying a Doutor bag for her (Doutor = one of the big non-Starbucks coffee chain stores here in Japan) X3 Masako complained about the heat again XDD;;
Dai-chan ♥ Jeans rolled up to show off her ankles ♥ And decorative rips a good way up both legs X3 ♥
Alice-chan came at 10:55-ish. Blue dress with thin, vertical blue and white stripes (from the BaraAme ochakai?), and the straw hat with the blue band. I rushed through handing her my postcard and saying I'd gotten it from the art museum next door and did she have fun yesterday? And she said yes. I told her I was seeing both shows and "gambatte" etc and as she was about to leave some lady in the gallery was like "Um! This is from O___-san!" and handed her a white bag (from Hankyuu Department store, I think). And of course Alice-chan was surprised but said thank you, and the clubs in line were like >__<;;;
Before we could pull out of the line we had to crouch for Juma-chu (who, I note belatedly, had been scandalously baring her shoulders the day before :P) and a musumeyaku, I believe. Once again we crossed the street for no apparent reason, because then Dai-chan club, Sumika's daihyou and I just went back across at the corner ^^;;;
First show: I had bought an extra (non-club) ticket that morning or the day before; it was the back of the second floor and the neighboring old ladies were very interested in me. On the plus side they gave me candy; on the minus side they were kind of chatty during the revue (both are things I have come to expect from old Japanese ladies).
Second show: was the show they filmed.
I was close enough to the aisle that depending on the camera angle I may or may not be visible when Ban-san comes through the audience.
Also, in the third row -- aka 10 seats away from me, across the aisle -- Ume-chan and Tacchin. *_____________* Suzushiro Marina was in the next row right in front of them.
Ume-chan. Glasses. Hair in a short, dark bob and bangs. A multicolored dress whose base color was turquoise, I can't describe it but oh. So chic.
Tacchin. Black dress with one of those high-cut jackets that's just there to cover your shoulders, in beige.
Can't remember Chiwawa-chan, sorry T_____T;;;
Demachi.
Ten-chan came zooming out again 30 minutes after the show ended... But this time the gallery was going photo-happy and she actually slowed to let people take her picture. Eventually she rounded the corner, but the daihyous watching seemed concerned about the picture-takers stopping to talk to her or something, so they sent Sumika's daihyou to look down the street. She went down to watch and didn't come back, so after a while Chii-chan's and Dai-chan's daihyous went down too and they ALL stared @_______@ God, I wish I knew what had happened (my theory is that Ten-chan was just talking to people farther up than she was supposed to be by unspoken club rules)... Eventually Masako's and Micchan's daihyous had to call them back when it was time to go inside the stage door.
When Ume-chan left with Tacchin, there were many exclamations from the gallery and Ume-chan waved cutely to them ♥ ♥ ♥
Akkii came out and talked to her one (two?) fan(s) for a long time ♥
Masako was like "it's a little cooler this evening" and her fans were like what >__<;; but I agreed with her (silently ;)
Yuuhi: baggy cargo pants and boots ♥
Masako's and Micchan's clubs had snuck off when it was appropriate for them to stand up... But Yuuhi Company totally broke up as Ecchan and other people were still coming out D:<
Chii-chan came out at the same time as Alice-chan. Both of them walked past us because they were expecting their clubs to be farther down ^^;; (it was just 88th clubs left at that point?)
I confirmed with Alice-chan that Ume-chan had come to see the show. I also told her that that day was my last time seeing it, and she thanked me for coming from far away, but I told her I'd do iri one more time the next morning. (She wasn't wearing a hat and part of her hair was pulled into a bun ♥ So pretty ♥)
And she remembered to wave at the corner, just for me ♥ Dai-chan's fans were like "kyaaa~ kawaiiii~~ ♥ ♥" But then they fretted about what to do if we all left them alone before their girl had come out... Fortunately Dai-chan wasn't far behind ♥
One fan had maybe seen it for the first time? And said of the drag number, "you've become beautiful" and Dai-chan immediately teased her about "what do you mean 'become' :P"... But then she turned around and deflected it, saying she's been told she looks like a Filipino drag queen XD XD XDDDDD;;;; (That reminds me, not totally related but Masako's fans call her onnayaku "Sumire-chan" X3 ♥) Dai-chan's fans asked her if she had to make-up her arms from the beginning of the revue even under her otokoyaku costumes (such a good question! o_o) and she said yes actually she does, so by the time it's the chuuzume some of it has rubbed off, and she doesn't have time to fix it.
In case it's not obvious, I love being able to hear these conversations >:D ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
We 88th clubs snuck out of the line just before BonBon and Kyanon came out. Someone on the corner possibly met BonBon with a gift? BonBon had on silver hoop earrings big enough for me to notice from a few feet away X3 and maybe those ripped-up jeans again ;)
Near the stoplight, one person was talking with Riku and there were two for Monchi -- one of them was a lady I've seen pretty regularly in the Mura gallery. I'll skip the part where I jealously invented stories about her >.>;;; and instead focus on Monchi's "jean overalls with the straps hanging down" style. ;P
Alice-chan was actually still waiting at the corner, so I nodded to her and scooted off... then lurked. >.> <.< Dai-chan crossed the street with her daihyou, but the rest waited until the light changed again before crossing and getting into a taxi (Chii-chan, Alice-chan & BonBon?) This was actually the second time this happened... but I seem to have not recorded the first time... Oh wait I did. It was the 7th; I failed at lurking because Alice-chan saw me again before crossing the street; she and Chii-chan ushered some others into a taxi before catching one themselves (possibly with a third person).
That night I suffered a very painful bout of I'm Leaving Hakata Tomorrow Blues, and my tears were not abated by Harada-san's いつもありがとうございます when she sent me the standby time, on top of Alice-chan having thanked me at demachi ;________; ♥ ♥ ♥
Wednesday, August 19th
10:45AM standby -- the last time, and I finally got there more than 10 minutes early ^^;;; Monchi (in sunglasses X3) crossed the street to meet someone exactly as I was walking by. I never saw her go in, so I remained convinced and she was talking to her fan for like half an hour ^^;;; But when I passed that way again a little after 11AM, they were gone.
Only one Masako fan and a couple of non-club loiterers were about. I took up position and watched as more Masako fans showed up, then the male Sumika fan I'd seen before, then a Chii-chan fan. At 10:40 Masako staff ushered us all into the line. I might have tried to make nice with the Sumika fan -- he was talking with the Chii-chan fan -- but then a Dai-chan fan came in to separate us further.
After 5 minutes past standby we finally crouched, but I didn't know for who at first. It was Ban-san and SIX ladies!!! They came up to the door with her because they are a kickass Senka club and can do that 8D Afterward they walked off in front of Yuuhi's club.
Micchan must've gone in early again, because after Masako and Yuuhi went in and their clubs left, I had to man the front.
Not long after (almost dead on 11AM) Alice-chan came. Teal / dark green plaid-y dress, the white lace hat and butterfly shoes. I told her I was really going home this time and she thanked me for being there as much as I had, and I told her 千秋楽まで頑張って下さい and that was about it. She went in with a couple of others (Rena was one of them?)
I otsukare'd the other clubs and excused myself from the line just as Ebi-chan came around the corner. Confirmed that Monchi was NOT still there talking with her fan (^^;;;), passed TamaTama, Kyanon & Aiko-chan(?) and a few others, saw Dai-chan coming up the other side of the street with her daihyou...
And the end of my Tales from Hakata must be placed in the next report, which will be Julie's Love Affair with Ten-chan. お楽しみに～ X3
10:45AM standby; got there 5 minutes early and there was like no one waiting around the corner. So I went up to the line and Masako staff told me where to stand and asked if anyone else was coming ("I think it's just me," I said, because I-san had gone home the previous evening). After a little while the Dai-chan fan from the day before came out, but there was no one there for Chii-chan yet (late standby again :P)
A nice Masako lady next to me made conversation. She asked me where I was from and I said "Osaka... er, is where I'm living, but I'm from America ^^;;;" (omg what a "turning Japanese" moment.) She asked if I'd be in Hakata for much longer and I said I was leaving the next day. She said nice things like "Alice-chan is cute, isn't she~ But she's 色っぽい ("sexy" seems too strong in English) in this show" and I agreed and said it's the role I've always been waiting for, etc. That's as far as we got before we had to crouch and stopped talking.
Micchan and Masako came at the same time; Micchan was on "our" side of the stage door again. She had on a black T-shirt emblazoned with a picture of a pistol in white ^^;;; And her daihyou was carrying a Doutor bag for her (Doutor = one of the big non-Starbucks coffee chain stores here in Japan) X3 Masako complained about the heat again XDD;;
Dai-chan ♥ Jeans rolled up to show off her ankles ♥ And decorative rips a good way up both legs X3 ♥
Alice-chan came at 10:55-ish. Blue dress with thin, vertical blue and white stripes (from the BaraAme ochakai?), and the straw hat with the blue band. I rushed through handing her my postcard and saying I'd gotten it from the art museum next door and did she have fun yesterday? And she said yes. I told her I was seeing both shows and "gambatte" etc and as she was about to leave some lady in the gallery was like "Um! This is from O___-san!" and handed her a white bag (from Hankyuu Department store, I think). And of course Alice-chan was surprised but said thank you, and the clubs in line were like >__<;;;
Before we could pull out of the line we had to crouch for Juma-chu (who, I note belatedly, had been scandalously baring her shoulders the day before :P) and a musumeyaku, I believe. Once again we crossed the street for no apparent reason, because then Dai-chan club, Sumika's daihyou and I just went back across at the corner ^^;;;
First show: I had bought an extra (non-club) ticket that morning or the day before; it was the back of the second floor and the neighboring old ladies were very interested in me. On the plus side they gave me candy; on the minus side they were kind of chatty during the revue (both are things I have come to expect from old Japanese ladies).
Second show: was the show they filmed.
I was close enough to the aisle that depending on the camera angle I may or may not be visible when Ban-san comes through the audience.
Also, in the third row -- aka 10 seats away from me, across the aisle -- Ume-chan and Tacchin. *_____________* Suzushiro Marina was in the next row right in front of them.
Ume-chan. Glasses. Hair in a short, dark bob and bangs. A multicolored dress whose base color was turquoise, I can't describe it but oh. So chic.
Tacchin. Black dress with one of those high-cut jackets that's just there to cover your shoulders, in beige.
Can't remember Chiwawa-chan, sorry T_____T;;;
Demachi.
Ten-chan came zooming out again 30 minutes after the show ended... But this time the gallery was going photo-happy and she actually slowed to let people take her picture. Eventually she rounded the corner, but the daihyous watching seemed concerned about the picture-takers stopping to talk to her or something, so they sent Sumika's daihyou to look down the street. She went down to watch and didn't come back, so after a while Chii-chan's and Dai-chan's daihyous went down too and they ALL stared @_______@ God, I wish I knew what had happened (my theory is that Ten-chan was just talking to people farther up than she was supposed to be by unspoken club rules)... Eventually Masako's and Micchan's daihyous had to call them back when it was time to go inside the stage door.
When Ume-chan left with Tacchin, there were many exclamations from the gallery and Ume-chan waved cutely to them ♥ ♥ ♥
Akkii came out and talked to her one (two?) fan(s) for a long time ♥
Masako was like "it's a little cooler this evening" and her fans were like what >__<;; but I agreed with her (silently ;)
Yuuhi: baggy cargo pants and boots ♥
Masako's and Micchan's clubs had snuck off when it was appropriate for them to stand up... But Yuuhi Company totally broke up as Ecchan and other people were still coming out D:<
Chii-chan came out at the same time as Alice-chan. Both of them walked past us because they were expecting their clubs to be farther down ^^;; (it was just 88th clubs left at that point?)
I confirmed with Alice-chan that Ume-chan had come to see the show. I also told her that that day was my last time seeing it, and she thanked me for coming from far away, but I told her I'd do iri one more time the next morning. (She wasn't wearing a hat and part of her hair was pulled into a bun ♥ So pretty ♥)
And she remembered to wave at the corner, just for me ♥ Dai-chan's fans were like "kyaaa~ kawaiiii~~ ♥ ♥" But then they fretted about what to do if we all left them alone before their girl had come out... Fortunately Dai-chan wasn't far behind ♥
One fan had maybe seen it for the first time? And said of the drag number, "you've become beautiful" and Dai-chan immediately teased her about "what do you mean 'become' :P"... But then she turned around and deflected it, saying she's been told she looks like a Filipino drag queen XD XD XDDDDD;;;; (That reminds me, not totally related but Masako's fans call her onnayaku "Sumire-chan" X3 ♥) Dai-chan's fans asked her if she had to make-up her arms from the beginning of the revue even under her otokoyaku costumes (such a good question! o_o) and she said yes actually she does, so by the time it's the chuuzume some of it has rubbed off, and she doesn't have time to fix it.
In case it's not obvious, I love being able to hear these conversations >:D ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
We 88th clubs snuck out of the line just before BonBon and Kyanon came out. Someone on the corner possibly met BonBon with a gift? BonBon had on silver hoop earrings big enough for me to notice from a few feet away X3 and maybe those ripped-up jeans again ;)
Near the stoplight, one person was talking with Riku and there were two for Monchi -- one of them was a lady I've seen pretty regularly in the Mura gallery. I'll skip the part where I jealously invented stories about her >.>;;; and instead focus on Monchi's "jean overalls with the straps hanging down" style. ;P
Alice-chan was actually still waiting at the corner, so I nodded to her and scooted off... then lurked. >.> <.< Dai-chan crossed the street with her daihyou, but the rest waited until the light changed again before crossing and getting into a taxi (Chii-chan, Alice-chan & BonBon?) This was actually the second time this happened... but I seem to have not recorded the first time... Oh wait I did. It was the 7th; I failed at lurking because Alice-chan saw me again before crossing the street; she and Chii-chan ushered some others into a taxi before catching one themselves (possibly with a third person).
That night I suffered a very painful bout of I'm Leaving Hakata Tomorrow Blues, and my tears were not abated by Harada-san's いつもありがとうございます when she sent me the standby time, on top of Alice-chan having thanked me at demachi ;________; ♥ ♥ ♥
Wednesday, August 19th
10:45AM standby -- the last time, and I finally got there more than 10 minutes early ^^;;; Monchi (in sunglasses X3) crossed the street to meet someone exactly as I was walking by. I never saw her go in, so I remained convinced and she was talking to her fan for like half an hour ^^;;; But when I passed that way again a little after 11AM, they were gone.
Only one Masako fan and a couple of non-club loiterers were about. I took up position and watched as more Masako fans showed up, then the male Sumika fan I'd seen before, then a Chii-chan fan. At 10:40 Masako staff ushered us all into the line. I might have tried to make nice with the Sumika fan -- he was talking with the Chii-chan fan -- but then a Dai-chan fan came in to separate us further.
After 5 minutes past standby we finally crouched, but I didn't know for who at first. It was Ban-san and SIX ladies!!! They came up to the door with her because they are a kickass Senka club and can do that 8D Afterward they walked off in front of Yuuhi's club.
Micchan must've gone in early again, because after Masako and Yuuhi went in and their clubs left, I had to man the front.
Not long after (almost dead on 11AM) Alice-chan came. Teal / dark green plaid-y dress, the white lace hat and butterfly shoes. I told her I was really going home this time and she thanked me for being there as much as I had, and I told her 千秋楽まで頑張って下さい and that was about it. She went in with a couple of others (Rena was one of them?)
I otsukare'd the other clubs and excused myself from the line just as Ebi-chan came around the corner. Confirmed that Monchi was NOT still there talking with her fan (^^;;;), passed TamaTama, Kyanon & Aiko-chan(?) and a few others, saw Dai-chan coming up the other side of the street with her daihyou...
And the end of my Tales from Hakata must be placed in the next report, which will be Julie's Love Affair with Ten-chan. お楽しみに～ X3