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stormychu · 7 years

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2016 ♡

time for another lengthy end of year post.

in terms of fandom, this year has truly been a wild ride. i got into so many fandoms and also began to fall out of others. i mean, in general i feel like i’ve become distant from fandoms but it’s become more of me admiring them for who they are, respecting them, and loving them and their music. i honestly don’t feel like i’m not part of the fandom anymore because they’re like a “home” for me to go back to when i feel down and that itself is something i’m so genuinely grateful for.

i’ve met so many new friends, met online friends in real life, and even lost some friends. but with all of these things, i grew as a person. i’ve come to realize an important concept: that it doesn’t matter how many friends or followers you have. the most important thing is knowing who your true friends are and who will be by your side when you truly need them to be. because i’ve been there for many friends but some of those friends aren’t beside me anymore. however, there are friends that will always be picking you up when you fall and holding your hand through all the struggles in your life. those are the friends that truly are important and they do matter, so cherish them. i’ve learned that it’s okay to have a small amount of friends as long as they’re friends that will stick with you through both the good times and the bad. if they’ve seen you at your worst and your best, then they’re friends you can rely on. i’ve had to learn this the hard way, but i do know that i am blessed and i have such amazing friends at this moment that i can really call my close friends and depend on. i’ve stressed a lot about friendships this year but i’m glad that all of that has passed. i know 2017 will also have those situations in store for me but now i know how to face them. i know that no matter what happens, i’ll still have friends that will always be there for me.

on a personal note, this year wasn’t the best of years for me. the year started out pretty horribly and i had tons of family issues. but things began to clear up and i was able to go to korea, taiwan, and singapore. during that time, i had time to really think things through and it made me feel so much better about everything. after i got back, i started school at UCLA and it was the toughest quarter of school i’ve dealt with. through all the hardships, i was able to work hard and overcome it and i made so many friends at school who really pushed me and helped me through all of it. so i’m seriously grateful for them. as the year came to an end, i was able to realize a lot of things about life in general. i don’t know if it’s because i just turned 22, but i’ve become more aware of everything and i feel more responsible. there are a lot of things i regret doing and not doing this year but it just means that there are room for mistakes to learn from them and improve. i’ve acquired many goals that i want to achieve and i’ve found many new reasons to keep looking forward to my future. it’s not easy to keep smiling through all the awful things in life, but i have the courage to try.

i want to talk a bit about my main fandoms and experiences this year.

嵐 /

i feel like arashi is really “home” to me. i haven’t watched an arashi show in four years and i can’t stay up for their performances all the time, but every time i see them laughing and dancing on stage it puts a smile on my face. to me, they’re a group that i’m really proud to call one of my faves and they never fail to make me happy. that’s what i really love about them. even if they don’t try to make others happy, they do. i think they’re truly just beautiful people inside and out and i hope one day they can understand how much love and joy they bring to others. the amount of times sakurai sho has made me smile this year is ridiculous and i’m blessed to live in a world in which he exists. i really love him a lot (although the shourie is nonexistent) and i hope i can meet him one day.

NEWS /

i am so proud of NEWS and this was truly their year. tour after album after tour, they did so much together this year and i’m so happy for them. they seem much more comfortable as four and it completes me when i see them laughing and having fun together. they’re honestly just dorks but when they perform they’re amazing and i won’t forget all the shokura performances they did this year with string arrangements. white and QUARTETTO were both phenomenal and i’m still crying about yonjuushi and hoshi wo mezashita orchestral versions. i love NEWS so much and i really hope i can go see them soon.

LDH /

i got into LDH in jan/feb of this year and i can’t even begin to explain how much it has ruined and bettered my life. it’s still so confusing for me and i don’t know how to explain the company to my friends but every single group and unit has brought me happiness and i’m thankful to know each and every one of them. it’s really funny because i used to watch kouhaku and see exile and be like “who are these people and why are there so many of them” and now i’m getting jailed every time they have a stage lol. during the span of six months i got into every single group of LDH and i am now just mad at hiro for a variety of things but i am really grateful for this company and these groups because they are extremely talented and beautiful and i really hope they get the recognition that they deserve.

the rampage /

i've never been into a group before their debut before so the rmpg are really special to me. they'll be debuting in 24 days and i'm so proud of them. they've worked so hard to get to where they are and they're finally going to be their own official group. i still remember seeing them perform at high & low the live and they were so, so good. they are so talented. i really wish the best for them and i hope they'll remain together for a long, long time. the bias crisis is so real when it comes to the rampage and i hope i can settle it by the time next year is over. haha.

BTOB /

i really love btob. they are definitely my favourite kpop group. they're so adorable and dorky and on top of that, they sing with so much power and emotion. their lyrics are so nice and they give me strength and i love that about them. the albums they've released this year have uplifted and encouraged me, not just by the songs but how they've performed them and how much feeling and emotion they have expressed. i hope the best for them always.

JWEST /

johnny's west have truly blessed my 2016. they've made me laugh countless times and smile when i really needed it. i love them so much. they're just a group of precious people who love to make others laugh and feel better and that's what makes them so admirable and lovely. i hope to go to their concert soon so i can cry about ham vocals and have an existential crisis in real life that i always have when i hear his voice. i won't get over the fact that they were the first JE group to get an official twitter this year.

KO series /

i need to stop myself from writing an essay. there is so much i need to rant about. this series is honestly the best and worst thing that has ever happened to me. my goal was to finish remember before the year was over and i achieved my goal but i am just so confused. with 8 dramas and counting, it's quite a handful. but i'm grateful that cynthia got me into this series because it has given me both laughs and tears. i love the series so much and i think nothing can really come close, and not because it's better but because it's so different. i can honestly go on about this forever. there are tons of plot holes and otps and unrequited love pairings but despite all of that, it's really something that i consider special to me. it has introduced me to so many actors and actresses and allowed me to immerse myself more into taiwanese dramas. it's quite long but if anyone wants a series recommendation, here you go.

spexial /

i don't even know where to begin with sx. this year has been a rollercoaster of emotions for me with them and i just. i have a lot of mixed feelings that i can't really express. but all i do know is that i'm happy if they're happy. if they're comfortable then i feel comfortable too. i lowkey think they might add new members this year too but it really doesn't matter because as long as they're ok with it and they stick together through everything, they will continue forward with their talents and hard work. their album boyz on fire is probably my favourite album of theirs and i appreciate all their efforts that they put into everything. honestly, i remember everything - the lights, the stage, the music blasting from the speakers, and my heart pounding as if it was going to explode. i remember zihong's smile as he appeared on stage while dancing super style as ot10. i remember pets and zihong's expressions as they stood there. i remember my tears that poured down my face when i saw weijin in real life, singing his solo. i remember being there, feeling like everything was a dream and that it was so surreal. it was really something else. i remember everything. and i'm so blessed to have had the opportunity to see them live. because they are so talented and they just look like they're having so much fun with whatever they do. to be able to see them in real life after years of watching them behind a computer screen.. after following them since almost their debut and seeing them grow and work hard to improve themselves... it was really something i can't express in words. i hope i can see them one day with all my friends who love sx.

high & low /

if i had to describe my year in 3 words, it would be high and low. so what happened was.. in september of 2015 camille told me that yuki would be in a new delinquent drama called high & low. so i was like ok i'm going to watch this for yuki. i watched the first episode and i was like what is going on. and then i watched until episode 3 to see cobra vs yoshiki's fight scene and then i was like i love yuki... and then i stopped watching for a few months because i wasn't really interested in it. then in jan/feb of this year, i started watching it again so i could finish it. and as soon as i continued it, i noticed gunchan and i was like why is this guy so attractive. and then i finished the first season and i just completely fell in love with it. the characters, the storyline, the aesthetics, the cinematography, and everything. i was just fascinated by it because i never saw a delinquent drama like this before. i saw that no one had subbed it, so i started to sub it. when i finished the first season, the second one came out while i was in korea and i subbed that in korea as well. then camille and i found out about the concert being held in the summer. i thought that this would be the only time they would have this concert so we both went all out and bought plane tickets, reserved our airbnb, and bought concert tickets. we also put together an international fan board project so that the members would be able to read messages from fans all over the world. we spent a week in japan and went to two days of high & low the live and honestly, i can't even begin to describe that concert.

it was the biggest production i've seen in my life and their budget must've been so high for that concert. it was surreal enough to just see all of LDH live but seeing them live with that amount of stage movement and special effects going on was something else. i did cry and scream a lot and at that time i was just really out of it. it was just. i had been so invested in high & low and LDH all year and for me to see them in real life after months of being into each and every group was just mindblowing. i was really blessed for that opportunity and for it to work out. it was such an amazing experience and i hope they have the live again someday. now that high & low the red rain is in theaters, high & low the movie and road to high & low are being released this month, and high & low the movie 2 and high & low the movie 3 will premiere this year.. there's a lot of work to be done but i'm excited to sub all the movies and cry about this franchise all over again. it was truly the highlight of my year.

yamada yuki /

this year truly made me realize why yuki is my all time favourite actor. in the beginning, i loved him mainly because of his role as kinchan, but now that i look back on this year and the projects he's been in.. it's not just for his acting. it's because he's such a beautiful person that really inspires and encourages people to be as kind and sincere as he is. when i think about his acting, it's just.. he's so earnest and he works so hard. he's been working so hard since the beginning of his career and now that he's made it so far he's working even harder to get to where he wants to be. the message he wrote after 6 years of working in the acting industry really touched my heart that i was genuinely crying when i was translating it. his words are so lovely and he is such an inspiring person. it's not even that he's my favourite actor, i think he's really my overall in general favourite person. along with sho. he's so loving and considerate and i really hope i can meet him one day and just be like "i hope you know how amazing you are." he's reached out to so many people and i've received so much strength from him and i really love him so much. he puts so much emotion into every role he takes on and he's not afraid of a challenge. his role as yoshiki was phenomenal and i can't believe that he had a transition from kinchan to yoshiki. it's just. wow.

my favourite album of this year has to be the high & low soundtrack hands down. it's such a variety of different genres put together that works so well together. when i listen to all the tracks, i can play the scenes in my head. there's just such a perfect combination of different styles of music that flows so well together. it was on repeat for such a long time. i think that's why when i watched the live, it was that much more emotional for me. because the songs are so good and the live was so good and it was just so overwhelming.

as for my favourite song of the year, it has to be miles away by arashi from their are you happy? album. okay, let me tell you about this song.. it should've been its own separate single with an instrumental. it is magnificent and glorious and all things beautiful. the harmonies, the background music, the adlibs, the instruments, everything about this song is just magical and i will never not feel tears in my eyes when i listen to it. it's the very reason why arashi's music touches my heart. the song itself is so powerful and strong, yet so soft and calming. it's such a beautiful blend of sounds and tones that really just. i love it so much. it's so good.

basically, this year wasn't so great but at the same time it was incredible. i learned a lot, realized a lot, grew a lot, laughed a lot, cried a lot, and smiled a lot. and being able to do all of those things makes me really thankful to be alive. because although things were hard i was able to overcome them and become the person i am today. i hope to keep doing those things and prosper even more in 2017.

as for my new years resolutions, i have too many to list. i want to get things done and not regret not trying hard enough. i want to try as hard as i can so that i can feel more accomplished. if my study abroad works out and i end up going to tokyo for a year, i want to do my best so i can get used to life there and also fulfill my goals. i hope i can meet more friends and make more memories. i want to perfect my japanese and master my chinese and start on my french and tagalog and take things slowly but steadily. i want to become more positive and work hard to save money so i can have a good time in japan in the summer. i want to keep moving forward. i also want to get into more fandoms (although im ruined enough already).

i hope everyone is happy and healthy in 2017! thanks for sticking with me this year through all the rants and screaming and crying over fictional characters and idols and otps and whatnot. if we already talk, hopefully we can talk more next year. and if we don't talk, hopefully we can start talking! i love u guys!! happy new year!

#personal #happy new year guys!#i will probably make a comeback on tumblr this year #maybe lol

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stormychu · 8 years

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HiGH&LOW THE LIVE Tokyo Dome Concert Report (9.7/9.8)

this is a concert report of HiGH&LOW THE LIVE in Tokyo Dome on 9/7 - 9/8. do not read if you don't want to be spoiled!

[HiGH&LOW THE LIVE Tokyo Dome 9/7 - 9/8 Concert Report]

So I attended HiGH&LOW THE LIVE at Tokyo Dome on 9/7 and 9/8. First of all, this was something me and Camille (@kiirohimesama) were talking about for a long time after I started watching HiGH&LOW. It was already almost halfway through the year and they weren't announcing the dates for the tour so we were getting really anxious. They ended up announcing dates for the summer and we ended up deciding on going in September. We balloted with Camille's EXFamily membership and we found out we hit for the 8th. We were originally planning to go for two days since we'd be flying all the way to Japan and we might as well watch it twice. A few weeks before the concert, we bought another ticket which was a lot more expensive and were confirmed for the 7th. It really was a dream come true because I had just gotten into LDH back in January. It's been nine months but I'm already in so deep and I feel like my life just had a 360 degree turn. It didn't even hit me when we were on the plane to Japan, it hit me when we were standing in front of Tokyo Dome. We held up the fan board we created for the international fan base and took a picture and then I realized that I was going to be seeing LDH live. The fact that I would be seeing everyone who I was absorbed into for the past (almost) year was just surreal. I still can't describe what I felt when we were standing outside that dome. I actually started crying before the concert because my friends were sending me messages like "I'm so happy for you" and "Enjoy it to the fullest". It was really a beautiful feeling. It was just knowing that all the translating I did and all the work I put into spreading this project really helped made me feel so great and accomplished. It was like seeing everything come to life after seeing it on a laptop screen for the past nine months. All I can say about it is that it was unbelievable. I felt excited but at the same time I felt like I was dreaming. There is nothing that can compare to what I was feeling sitting in that seat looking down at that stage.

What I really loved about the stage and the concert itself is that it truly portrayed the essence of HiGH&LOW. They did sing some songs that weren't part of the HiGH&LOW soundtrack and were some of the groups' popular songs, but they still captured the heart of the HiGH&LOW and the atmosphere still felt like a HiGH&LOW concert. There was really so much going on that when the DVD comes out I'm praying they have split screens or something. I didn't know where to look because there was something happening on every part of the stage. I feel like it was a good idea to have everything cluttered everywhere because then the audience will be able to choose what they want to look at. The concert was really so intense and legit and it was certainly a stage that hasn't been done before. It felt more like a HiGH&LOW parade than a concert, if you ask me. There was a motorbike team, EXILE professional gym, a bunch of dancers, a taiko team, and hundreds of staff members. It was really something. For each song, the stage was set up differently and portrayed the image of HiGH&LOW that went along with that particular song. I also liked how the stage wasn't set and was moved by staff members so they could shape it however they wanted. Everything about the stage positioning was so creative. I've seen so many concerts before but this concert was probably the most memorable so far for me. It wasn't just high tech, it was really just one of the best shows I've ever watched. I could feel that each performance was carefully planned out with so much attention to details. I did read the setlist before attending so I knew that each group would be singing some other songs that weren't their songs for the soundtrack so I thought the flow wouldn't work too well but it worked perfectly. Everything about the concert was just on point.

Now I'll write about each performance.

[Motorbike and Car Opening] When the concert started, the lights dimmed and the audience was cheering. The motorbike team and also a car/racing team came out and did stunts. I feel like this was a good opening because it portrayed the "motorbike/car" idea of HiGH&LOW, since it is a main visual of the series. Their stunts were really impressive.

[HiGH&LOW Intro Video] They showed an intro video for HiGH&LOW. They also played a video afterwards which introduced each group of EXILE TRIBE and other performing groups.

[EXILE TRIBE - HIGHER GROUND] The first song they sang was HIGHER GROUND. I really, really like this song so I was super excited but I did start crying when the music started. As soon as EXILE TRIBE were on stage dancing, I truly felt it. It was just so surreal seeing all of them. They wore sparkly red jackets. Naoki went shirtless from the beginning, but I wasn't surprised. There were black balloons that said "HiGH&LOW THE LIVE" on them that were raised high almost to the ceiling that carried flags for each of the groups within EXILE TRIBE. There were also blimps flying near the ceiling that said HiGH&LOW THE LIVE. There was a dance break in the middle of the song. I felt like this was the perfect opening song. It was truly exciting.

[HiGH&LOW Gang Intro Video] After the song ended, they showed a video introducing all the gangs. I screamed so loud when Yuki appeared on screen. Also, I became certified Cobra trash. They also showed some scenes from the movie. (which I'm watching today) In the video they mentioned that there were all these gangs of SWORD, but everything started with MUGEN. Then the JSB logo appeared on screen and the audience went insane.

[J Soul Brothers - Mugen Road] Sandaime came out wearing casual clothes with flames on them. I almost lost my voice screaming for Gunchan. There were flag wavers everywhere and honestly, there were so many flags for this concert I really hope those flag wavers got paid enough. Hearing Omi's voice in real life was just... unreal.

[J Soul Brothers - STORM RIDERS] After Mugen Road, they sang STORM RIDERS. I actually really love this song and it's my favourite JSB PV, but by this time my head was pounding from crying and everything was a blur. I was a mess. It actually felt like the PV because the floor of the Tokyo Dome (for the concert) was orange and there was smoke and cars that looked like they were from the PV itself were driving around.

[J Soul Brothers - FIGHTERS] This was such an exciting performance. Everything was lively and everyone got super hyped up. I haven't listened to FIGHTERS much but I really got into the song. In the middle, Naoki started playing his electric guitar.

[Dance Performance] After FIGHTERS, Sandaime walked over to thrones on stage that were set up and started changing. Naoki took off his shirt and the camera showed everything and everyone was dying. They put on red jackets and started dancing in front of the thrones. It was more of a slow dance than a fast dance, so it was really... not okay. Gunchan and Naoto started dancing on the floor doing waves and I almost cried.

[J Soul Brothers - Feel So Alive] After their dance, they sat on the thrones and Feel So Alive started. Seeing ELLY rap in real life completed me. Near the end of the song, all of them gathered on the stage and sang close to each other. Naoto and Gunchan had their arms around each other and it was adorable.

[J Soul Brothers - J.S.B. Dream] I've always wanted to see this song live but I was scared because I knew someone would always go shirtless. It ended up being Naoki, but again, I wasn't surprised. The audience was so hyped and everyone was really into it. During one of his lines, Omi winked and everyone just lost it.

[PKCZ ft. SHOKICHI - WHITEOUT] Sandaime left the stage and the lights and stage all turned white. Someone dressed like a member of White Rascals was on one of their white motorbikes and pulled a carriage-like vehicle. Keiji was dressed like ROCKY and was standing on top of it. It felt like a White Rascals parade. Right before WHITEOUT started, ROCKY said "Party Time." There were girls dancing who looked like they were from the drama (in White Rascals' episodes) The male backdancers were dressed like members of the White Rascals. There was a separate platform stage for PKCZ and SHOKICHI was singing on their stage.

[EXILE THE SECOND - One Time One Life] When the song was over, the dancers dressed like members of White Rascals walked in another direction and were facing dancers who wore suits like members of Iemura. They were standing in each others' paths, until the White Rascals dancers moved aside. The Iemura dancers walked to the middle of the stage and got into a formation. THE SECOND came out and the Iemura dancers made way for them. They were wearing suits with floral print shirts underneath. One Time One started, and scenes with Iemura were shown on screen.

[EXILE THE SECOND ft. Far East Movement - ASOBO!] THE SECOND took off their suits and revealed their floral print shirts. Far East Movement were singing on screen, and dancers carrying colored balls surrounded the stage. THE RAMPAGE and THE SECOND were dancing together and it was really cute.

[EXILE THE SECOND - HEAD BANGIN'] I loved this performance. It was so full of energy and I really like the chorus of this song. By the end of the song, everyone was shirtless except for Nesmith and SHOKICHI.

[DOBERMAN INFINITY - JUMP AROUND] DOBERMAN INFINITY was riding in cars and JUMP AROUND started playing. AKIRA also appeared lying on the hood of an old fashioned car. He was wearing a green robe with long socks and a green cap. The car drove around the dome floor and people wearing colorful robes followed it on bikes. There were also other cars driving around that were also old fashioned. The balloons changed to Oya High. Akira also had a dance break and it was spectacular.

[DOBERMAN INFINITY - Do or Die] After JUMP AROUND ended, Do or Die started playing and suddenly Gunchan, Kenchan, Taiki, Nobu, and Kanta appeared as their characters in Sannoh and began fighting people, including DOUBT. Near the end, Cobra stood in front of the leader of DOUBT and he said "I'll kill you", and won against him. There were also scenes of Sannoh fighting on screen. On the first day, I lost it at this part of the concert and I actually fell onto the floor. It was too much.

[E-Girls - STRAWBERRY SADISTIC] A video of Strawberry Milk started playing to open E-Girls' performance. After it ended, Harumi (Oshiage), Nonoka (Nonoriki), and Kaede (Shiba) appeared on pink motorbikes. They rode around the dome and stopped near the front. They were talking and then Shuuka (Naomi) came on stage as well, followed by Karen (Lala). They introduced themselves as Strawberry Milk and E-Girls gathered on stage and started singing Strawberry Sadistic. During the dubstep part, they added an additional dubstep dance break. They were all so great. There was also a pink car that drove around the dome, along with Strawberry Milk flags everywhere.

[E-Girls - E.G. Summer Rider] The stage went from Strawberry Milk to everything summer in a matter of seconds. Dancers with colorful umbrellas came out and some dancers brought out trampoline-like wavy cloths with E on one and G on the other. It was all so summery and beautiful.

[E-Girls - ANNIVERSARY] After E.G. Summer Rider, they sang ANNIVERSARY. They were on the moving stages and they started throwing frisbees to the audience. All of them were so gorgeous and smiling and it was really fun and heartwarming to watch.

[Gekidan EXILE Taiko Performance] After E-Girls' performance, the members of Gekidan EXILE appeared in what looked like Daruma Ikka attire and they each stood in front of a taiko (japanese drum). They began to play the taikos and it was quite impressive. I didn't know they had taiko skills but they were REALLY good. In the middle of the performance, all of them went shirtless. I was definitely not okay.

[DJ DARUMA from PKCZ ft. GS - VOICE OF RED] This led into the VOICE OF RED performance by PKCZ. Gekidan EXILE played the taikos during their entire performance. Dancers dressed in Daruma Ikka attire were on the sides. There were even two enormous fire pits. This performance was really incredible because I feel like it truly did capture the power and meaning of Daruma Ikka and the traditional Japanese feel that they brought.

[ZEN Parkour Performance] The mood changed and ZEN came out with a bunch of other parkour performers. He started doing flips and stunts and it was mindblowing. Seeing him in real life meant so much to me because I found out about him through HiGH&LOW and honestly he has so much talent and potential. It was such an amazing performance.

[GENERATIONS - RUN THIS TOWN] This is where I totally just broke down crying. At first, I got teary eyed when the song started but a few seconds in I literally sat on the floor and cried my heart out. RUN THIS TOWN is the song that really got me into the entire soundtrack as a whole and I can say that it's my favourite song from it. I sat on the floor in a curled up position and just watched the screen. I've never been that emotional about a performance before. The motorbike team came out again with bikes that had RUDE BOYS flags. ZEN and the other performers did parkour for the entire concert, with a split screen to watch both GENE and them. There was a dance break in the middle of the song, which was longer than the original break.

[GENERATIONS - AGEHA] After RUN THIS TOWN, they sang AGEHA, which is one of my favourites from GENE. The balloons changed to GENERATIONS and near the end of the song, SEKAI came on stage. It was such an exciting performance.

[GENERATIONS - Hard Knock Days] Before this concert, I didn't really know this song but after watching the performance for two days, I fell in love with it. Everyone was dancing and singing along. Hayato was so adorable with his blonde hair... I'm still unstable.

[GENERATIONS vs THE RAMPAGE - Unbreakable] After Hard Knock Days, THE RAMPAGE joined GENERATIONS on stage and they performed Unbreakable. I was finally able to hear the vocalists of THE RAMPAGE live and honestly, all of them are so good. I liked Riku's vocals in particular, and his hair was beautiful. All of them are such great performers.

[THE RAMPAGE - FIND A WAY] I really, really, really love this song. It has to be one of my favourites from the soundtrack. The music itself is nice, the lyrics are nice, and I just love the way they sing it. I'm glad they were able to perform this, despite the fact that they haven't debuted yet. There was a long dance break in the middle of the song and I screamed my heart out for Makoto.

[ROAD TO HiGH&LOW Video] They played a video showing the background story of Noboru and the events that led up to the present. After the video ended, Machida Keita appeared dressed as Noboru and he said something really inspirational (but I forgot his exact words) and said "Forever Young at Heart".

[Imaichi Ryuji - FOREVER YOUNG AT HEART] Noboru's monologue led into Ryuji appearing in the middle of the dome. He started singing FOREVER YOUNG AT HEART. It really was such a beautiful performance. The lights, stage, colors, and his voice all blended together wonderfully.

[Aoyagi Sho - Maria] After Ryuji was done singing, he left and Aoyagi Sho appeared. He said something about Kohaku and something Tsukumo would've said. He sang Maria and it was a really moving performance. At one point I thought he was crying but I don't know if he really was or if it was his sweat. I like the part in Maria when the second verse is about to start because it gets really loud and the beat comes in and during that part the lights did a really cool thing. I can't describe it but the stage was really pretty.

[KUBO-C, P-CHO, & JAY-ED - Hell on Earth] This was actually the most memorable performance of the concert for me. It was the most powerful and dramatic performance. It was almost as if I was watching a stageplay. After Tsukumo was done singing, he walked towards where Akira (dressed as Kohaku) was standing and they looked at each other but Kohaku walked past him and Tsukumo wore a really depressed look. Kohaku walked onto the stage in the center of the dome and scenes from the drama and movie were remixed into the choir singing from the beginning of Hell on Earth. Hundreds of men dressed in black came out and surrounded the stage which he was standing on. It was almost as if he was being chased or ambushed by them. There was a lightning effect that spread throughout the entire stage floor and dramatic music was playing. Kohaku screamed and then the song began. The whole performance was filled with so much emotion, pain, and agony that Akira expressed really well.

[PKCZ ft. Seungri (VI) from BIGBANG - WE RUN DIS] After Hell on Earth, a video started playing on screen. It was the scene where Lee asks Kohaku to use Mighty Warriors to defeat SWORD, but instead Lee asked Verbal to use SAMURIZE. The members of SAMURIZE gathered on stage and WE RUN DIS started playing. Seungri sang from a recorded video onscreen.

[MC] For the MC, Chiharu (Taiki), Tetsu (Kanta), and Dan (Kenchan) appeared on opposites of the dome with Chiharu and Tetsu on one side and Kenchan on the other. They were talking about the movie and how they're so tiny on the movie poster and how they weren't famous enough. They showed a deleted scene where Chiharu, Tetsu, and Dan were fighting in the movie and after it was over they were fake crying because it was edited out. They said they should just join the Amamiya Brothers and afterwards they started doing impressions of them. It was my favourite part of the entire concert. I can't wait until the DVD comes out so all of you can watch it. They introduced the Amamiya Brothers after they finished.

[ACE OF SPADES ft. Tosaka Hiroomi - SIN] Amamiya Brothers made an entrance on their motorbikes, riding around the dome. They took off their shades and walked onto the stage which was now like a rock band stage. ACE OF SPADES were already playing music and TAKAHIRO and Omi stood in front of two mics. They began to sing SIN. I feel so blessed to have watched SIN live because it is really phenomenal and Omi truly went all out. The balloons changed to Amamiya Brothers.

[ACE OF SPADES - Louder] Omi left the stage and TAKAHIRO started singing Louder. It reminded me of when I got jailed while watching The Music Day because of the HiGH&LOW special stage. TAKAHIRO's eyeliner and dimples destroyed me. After Louder, ACE OF SPADES also performned Wild Tribe and Just Like Heaven.

[Mighty Warriors Video] After ACE OF SPADES was done, they played a video showing Funk Jungles and a phone call that was about something urgent happening in Funk Jungle.

[Naoki and Taichi Sword Fight] Naoki from J Soul Brothers and Taichi (Ryu from Mighty Warriors) had a sword fight. It was seriously epic. They are both really skilled so it was an incredible performance. They played another Mighty Warriors video right after which led to the appearance of Mighty Warriors.

[SWAY & ANARCHY - BBFL] Ice (Elly) came out sitting on a huge white hummer limo-like car. Following him was Bernie (Alan), Nine (ANARCHY), Pearl (SWAY), along with some members of THE RAMPAGE. There were dancers everywhere who looked like they were club dancers at Funk Jungle. The whole stage was lit up with a separate platform for PKCZ. The whole dome seemed like a club. Then, they went into Mighty Warriors. During one of ELLY's lines, he put his arm around Kenta (THE RAMPAGE) and sang. It was adorable.

[ANARCHY, SWAY, & CRAZYBOY - FUNK JUNGLE] After Mighty Warriors, they began chanting the beginning of FUNK JUNGLE. The actual song started afterwards and PKCZ and Verbal joined in. Everyone was really hyped up. Naoto appeared as a special guest and Alan and Naoto had a dance break together.

[DJ MAKIDAI ft. GENERATIONS and SWAY - Organ Donor ~Off Da Hook~] I didn't really know this song before this concert. I've heard it before because I saw a performance in one of their cons but it was a really great performance. I loved SWAY's rapping and his interactions with GENE.

[PKCZ ft. Tosaka Hiroomi - CHAIN BREAKER] I think CHAIN BREAKER is what really hyped up the entire dome. When Omi appeared, he started singing and literally all the fans next to me were screaming their heads off. I really like CHAIN BREAKER, and the performance was so lit. Omi is much more illegal in real life.

[J Soul Brothers - R.Y.U.S.E.I.] We didn't know Sandaime was going to sing this because it wasn't listed in the setlist so we went crazy. I've always wanted to watch this live and be a part of the audience when they sing this so I was really happy. It was such a good performance, with the stage all blue and beautiful. In the middle of the song, Verbal started rapping. It kind of threw me off but it still worked, so.

[J Soul Brothers - O.R.I.O.N.] By this time, everyone was screaming and dancing and having a blast. It was truly such a fun time, although my head was still pounding from crying. There was a Gunomi moment in this performance and it nearly killed me. Afterwards, they also briefly sang Summer Madness, which is also such a jam.

[EXILE TRIBE - Clap Your Hands] All of EXILE TRIBE came out and sang Clap Your Hands. I don't remember anything from this performance because I was jumping around and screaming and kind of all over the place. But this performance was insane... in a good way.

[EXILE THE SECOND - Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!] I was so happy they performed this. E-Girls and EXILE TRIBE were dancing and singing and they just looked like they were having so much fun. It was so great to see all of them together. I was just dramatically singing along. There were dancers who looked like they were straight from the music video. Everything felt summery and hyped up.

[EXILE TRIBE - Going Crazy] Everyone was swinging their towels for this performance. There were so many group to group interactions, it really killed me. Kenchan wiped Ryota's sweat with his towel. It was... such a performance.

[EXILE TRIBE - 24WORLD] By this time, I was really dying and feeling too much. I've always been trying to prepare for EXILE TRIBE cons because I know members always take off their shirts. Lucky for me not many people actually did take off their shirts during the concert. But this performance was all over the place. The stage was so... outstanding. There was a moment with Gunchan, Taiki, and Omi near the end and I just lost it.

[MC] After the song ended, TAKAHIRO started talking. On the second day, he told us that it was the day of the DVD recording so I was really excited about that. All the vocalists said something (I forgot because I was still resuscitating) and then TAKAHIRO and Omi talked about HiGH&LOW THE RED RAIN, which is premiering next month. Omi asked us to definitely watch it. SHOKICHI then talked about how AKIRA is now a member of THE SECOND. He went on to elaborate on THE SECOND's upcoming tour and activities. TAKAHIRO then told us that the next song would be the last. Everyone said "Ehhhh?" and he made a face and told us "Listen to your brother!" It was hilarious.

[EXILE TRIBE - HIGHER GROUND] The ending was the most exciting. Everyone who performed in the concert came out, including all the dancers. They surrounded the middle stage and the whole dome was filled. Even all the cars and vehicles that took part came out and drove around the edges. The balloons had flags of all the groups. They all sang HIGHER GROUND again and this time there were so many moments with Gunchan and Taiki. I was deceased. Each group that performed was shown on screen with their name and TAKAHIRO read out the credits for them. When all the dancers went back inside, EXILE TRIBE remained on stage and bowed. They all waved goodbye. When they walked towards the inside of the stage, they each paired up and waved or posed for the camera. They left and the lights turned back on. There was no encore but they did show a trailer for HiGH&LOW THE RED RAIN.

All in all, HiGH&LOW THE LIVE was truly one of the most creative and spectacular concerts I've seen. It was more like a stageplay or parade than an actual concert and I feel like that aspect really brought HiGH&LOW to life. It wasn't just like watching the groups sing and dance, it was so much more than that. The dancers were all themed, and each performance had its own spirit and heart. They brought everything to the table and went beyond. Now I know why they said HiGH&LOW THE LIVE's stage is something that has never been done before. I felt so grateful to be there and thankful to have seen LDH live. I was so exhausted from the flight and from walking around, but it was so worth it. Everything was worth it. I had the best eight hours of my life jumping and crying at Tokyo Dome. I wish I could've seen LDH with everyone (especially LDH fans on twitter that I've gotten so close to) but I hope one day we can make it happen. Thank you to everyone who supported and has been supporting me with the HiGH&LOW project. I need Hiro to release ROAD TO HiGH&LOW and HiGH&LOW THE MOVIE on DVD so I can work on those. I'm lowkey concerned to sub THE RED RAIN. Hope you enjoyed my concert report! Now to wait for the dvd....

#high & low #high & low the story of s.w.o.r.d.#high & low the live #i'm deceased #it was just too great and too much

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