UlasanAnime.com – The 10th anniversary concert for Good Smile Company’s Nendoroid felt like a comfortable event for casual attendees, yet it was, in reality, the third day of CG 3rd Live.
[What I went to, What I expected, What I got]
Good Smile Company kindly provided an English translation of the event website, so you can refer to this link for the official details.
This marked my first visit to Makuhari Messe, an experience I had been anticipating since my plans for ML2nd fell through last year. My excitement wasn’t solely due to it being a memorable venue for eventing Producers, but also its proximity to a Costco. I had a strong desire to visit a Japanese Costco, and I was curious if my Costco membership would be valid internationally.
Unfortunately, time constraints prevented me from exploring the Costco in depth. Its multi-floor warehouse structure, complete with large escalators designed to accommodate Costco shopping carts, suggested a significant time commitment. Being a Saturday, it was understandably crowded. Instead, after enjoying some food court fare that tasted remarkably similar to their American counterparts, we headed to the IM@S pop-up store located in the adjacent Aeon mall.
For those planning a visit to Makuhari Messe this year, both locations are excellent stops, situated about a 20-minute walk away. There’s even a bus service from the Keiyo JR station to Aeon, but the walk itself is pleasant with wide paths and overpasses.
Within the event venue, a section of the hall was open to the public, showcasing Nendo 10th anniversary props. This included a large sign made from Nendoroid boxes and a display of photo contest submissions. Attendees could also participate in an on-site voting process. We also caught glimpses of Mikudayo making an appearance, alongside Wooser and another Nendoroid mascot character. This was likely a perk of arriving just before the doors opened.
Ah, the delightful terror of it all.
In essence, Nendo 10th was more of a live concert featuring popular acts, with some performances that seemed less directly connected to Nendoroids. For instance, the connection between Prizmmy and Nendoroids remained unclear to me. The true idol moments, however, reinforced my appreciation for the Nendoroid event concept, primarily due to its inherently cartoony nature. It wouldn’t have been the same if May’n, who collects Nendoroids and even has her own, or the WUG members and Trident weren’t expressing their desires for more figures for their respective groups. The obvious tie-in moments, with music and dance styles distinct from the other performers, highlighted the specific reason for my attendance.
However, I couldn’t be certain if this sentiment was shared by the audience, which appeared to be largely composed of producers. It felt as though half of the Makuhari Event Hall was prepared for 2nd Side, a readiness I did not entirely share.
Let’s move on to the setlist, which is available on the Japanese side of the Nendo 10th site. My seat was on the right side, towards the front and a few rows up on the third level. While not the best seat, it offered a decent view of the stage and the entire venue.
May’n:
01. ??????座????九?? Don’t be late
02. ??????????darlin?
03. ??????????のな??
04. ?????????????
05. Chase the world
I had drifted away from following May’n’s music since the Macross Frontier era. Nevertheless, witnessing her solo performances and seeing her in person confirmed that her shows are highly enjoyable. It was a good opportunity to reconnect with her music at a 10th-anniversary live event. I recognized four of these songs, with three being very familiar.
At some point, I don’t recall if it was before or after May’n’s set, Wasshi appeared to host some segments, bringing his characteristic charm and discussing Nendoroids. Following May’n’s performance, they had a brief interaction on stage while the crew dismantled the live band setup to prepare for the next act.
Earlier in the event, all the guests came on stage for a collective greeting and to offer congratulations for the 10th anniversary. In hindsight, this was likely done because not everyone could be on stage at the end, necessitating an earlier group talk. Thanks for being there, YRYR.
Prizmmy?? & Prism??Box
06. I Just Wanna Be With You ?仮?と???の???で?
07. LOVE TROOPER
08. ?????????
09. Jumpin?! Dancin?!
I had done some research prior to the live, so I watched at least the promotional video for “I Just Wanna Be With You,” or at least as much of the song as I could tolerate. “Jumpin?! Dancin?!” was the only track I had a slight affinity for.
A distinct “kids troupe” vibe emerged once Prism Box took the stage, with older members interacting with younger ones. The audience was polite but clearly not as engaged with these performers.
During and after their set, they had a brief MC segment, and Wasshi also made a short appearance before the girl group bowed and exited the stage.
Between acts, there was a talk segment where one representative from each group presented something. My memory is rather poor regarding the specifics of who presented what and when, so I will summarize the content collectively. One round involved each group’s representative presenting a custom-drawn face for a Nendoroid of their group. This segment featured Yoppi, Fuurin, a member from Trident, and Baum. The audience voted for the winner, and I distinctly recall Baum’s entry being exceptionally high quality, comparable to TOSHINO KYOKO level. Trident’s contribution resembled Golgo 13, while both Yoppi and Fuurin presented beautiful facial designs.
Another segment showcased each group’s representative displaying photos of their Nendoroids in various poses. May’n’s submission was quite impressive, depicting a concert between her Nendoroid and Nendoroid Sheryl, with numerous other Nendoroids in attendance. I can’t recall the details of the IM@S or Nanamori submissions, or any others, except for the absence of a Wake Up, Girls! (WUG) submission, as WUG’s performance was scheduled for later. I believe Hibiku was part of this segment.
The other MC segments between performances consisted of voice-over announcements for multiple-choice quiz questions, with the audience cheering to select their answers.
Returning to Prizmmy, I suspect their reduced number of performers was due to child labor laws.
Regardless, there was a segment before the next act, which truly energized the crowd.
Nanamori Gorakubu:
10. ????ち??ち??ち??!???????????ぷ??っち??!!!
11. ??????!??????????????????
12. ???????????????????????大?件
This felt like a déjà vu experience from the previous spring when I attended P’s Live 02, which featured a similar yet distinct performance. The audience was engaged, the songs were high-energy, and everyone seemed to appreciate this laid-back yuri unit. The S3 opening song likely had the easiest calls, but the first opening song offered the best balance for audience participation.
I wondered how many people left at this point to catch the YRYR nama later that evening. It’s possible not many did. During their segment, I showed my support for Tsuda’s colors.
The crowd was highly enthusiastic. This performance would have been a better opener than Prizmmy, and perhaps even better than May’n, as one might expect.
Trident:
13. Blue Snow
14. Blue Sky
15. Blue Destiny
16. ???????????????Finale??
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I am quite certain a standard quiz segment took place between Gorakubu and Trident. Maimai had to change into her TriPri costume after this, and the two groups immediately highlighted this fact at the start.
Trident currently occupies a unique position, existing in a transitional phase between their final performances and their emerging marketing success. Their strategy appears to be to go out while they are at their peak. I recall either Nu or Maimai mentioning that the Makuhari Messe Event Hall would be their largest performance venue to date, surpassing even Anisama (for now). They are truly a “hipster seiyuu” group.
And their performance was every bit as good as I had anticipated. It wasn’t just their singing, dancing, or the quality of the music that powered this dance-heavy set. Hibiku possesses exceptional talent! It’s unsurprising that she’s now pursuing a solo career. Or perhaps my view of her legs from the side was too captivating. Regardless, if you had any doubts about which live performance to see on April 3rd, make Trident’s final live your top choice. They would undoubtedly excel in a live house format. (Although, personally, I might still lean towards Fukuoka due to the stellar quality of the ML3rd tour so far.)
I also believe there was another segment here, which did not feature Wake Up, Girls!.
Wake Up, Girls!:
17. 7 Girls War
18. ??女交??
19. Beyond the Bottom
20. ?????????
21. ???????！
I appreciated how each act since YRYR performed an additional song, as receiving five songs from them is always a treat. Around this point, the more dedicated fans (DDs) became more active around me, with some performing mixes and others shouting “Nanaminn” or similar phrases. In other words, the typical KSDD behavior.
The inclusion of “Hare Hare Yukai” was something I partially expected, given the Nendoroid theme and WUG’s reputation for cover songs, especially those related to Yamakan. It was still a pleasant surprise to see them perform this while wearing their BTB outfits. This was also my primary WUG event during this Asia trip, so I was pleased to witness a significant portion of their performances.
The screens behind the stage displayed enhanced visuals, featuring graphics of the corresponding Nendoroid figures during specific songs. This was helpful in case attendees were unaware of the Haruhi Nendoroid or the entire series. Speaking of which, a booklet listing all Nendoroids released up to WF 2016w was included as part of the live event package, in addition to the advertised Nendoroid carrier. Quite neat, wouldn’t you agree?
As a side note, I wore my WUG hoodie to the event, which led to me being identified as a WUG fan during the live. Such is the way of things. Perhaps this convention season, I’ll place Hackadoll #1 in the Nendoroid carrier. Incidentally, during WUG’s MC segment, Myu did mention the Hackadoll #1 Nendoroid, so perhaps that counts as 1.5 WUG members who have had a Nendoroid.
Wouldn’t a HaNaYaMaTa Nendoroid line be absolutely precious?
Milky Holmes:
22. ????????！???な?!!
23. ????????UP??
24. ????????????????!
25. ?????！?????大??
26. ???????の????
I am by no means a dedicated Milky Holmes fan, but I do acknowledge their contributions. However, I can’t say I truly appreciate them, as they tend to rub me the wrong way for reasons I can’t quite articulate. I did wave Izumisama’s colors during this segment. It helped that I knew about two of their songs, which is better than knowing none.
There were definitely some devoted Milky Holmes fans who departed after their set. Unfortunately, they missed the final MC with MMRN.
This wasn’t even my first time seeing them perform live; I just can’t recall when. But for what it’s worth, they provide good entertainment.
IDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls
Triad Primus:
27. Trancing Pulse
28. 2nd SIDE
29. Never say never
30. ???荷 -????-
31. Star!!
Yes, there was a talk segment between Milky Holmes and IDOLM@STER. My memory is a bit hazy on the details, but it made sense given Maimai’s costume and hair change, which was necessary.
For those unfamiliar, IDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls (CG) holds significant importance, especially after their 2015 anime series. The franchise has experienced substantial marketing efforts, and producer fandom has reached an all-time high since the 2014 movie push and the 2015 10th-anniversary promotions. CG 3rd was exceptionally hyped due to the anime and related activities, with Starlight Stage serving as the platform that sustained this momentum, representing the primary way most people in Japan engage with the franchise today.
If you’ve watched Dereani, you’ll be familiar with Triad Primus. What you might not know is that it’s highly unusual for IDOLM@STER guests to be listed in a lineup by their sub-unit name. Until Cinderella Girls, this practice was virtually nonexistent. Triad Primus is arguably the most sought-after sub-unit within CG, with a rich backstory that took a turn during CG 2nd and culminated during the anime.
Notably, Triad Primus was not even present at CG3rd.
Therefore, for many CG Producers, Triad Primus performing is a monumental event, arguably positioning them as the headliners, especially at a live event that will not receive a home video release.
The performance itself was excellent. As expected, they kicked off with “Trancing Pulse.” All members utilized microphone stands and performed arm movements reminiscent of the anime. The choreography was somewhat simplified but retained similarities to the anime version, making it less complex than the routines seen in Starlight Stage.
I was surprisingly oblivious to the fact that the members would perform solos. I suppose my limited concert gear capacity was a factor, and it would have felt odd to represent Million Live at a CG event, so I only had a couple of lights and a UO light for “Rainbow Bridge” during “2nd Side.”
Nebaneba was as professional as ever. It was a pleasure to be able to shout for Fuurin. I also happened to have my Shiburin light, so that was there as well.
Maimai’s solo performance was quite good, and this bonus CG coverage reminded me of “2nd.” What a contrast to Trident, LOL.
As for “Star!!,” it was business as usual even at this point for me.
Encore:
33. ??????
35. ????? A GO GO
34. ?????????????
32. ????！??????
For the encore, we called out for about two minutes until Wasshi returned to the stage to deliver some obligatory remarks, announcing that it would be a medley and encouraging further calls from the audience.
The encore performances were enjoyable, though not a seamless medley. The performers entered the stage one after another. Trident’s inclusion was particularly noteworthy, perhaps because Maimai had to quickly transition from her previous performance, and it was a song we had hoped to hear during their set but hadn’t. The songs were presented in shortened versions.
A final MC and lineup followed the medley. It sparked a desire to see a Trident x TriPri collaboration. Isn’t that essentially an IDOLM@STER x Hibiku collaboration?
That essentially concluded the event. The live performance began at 5 PM on a Saturday at Makuhari Messe, leaving limited time for the concert itself and the subsequent journey back from Chiba, which most attendees had to undertake. Some of us had even traveled from Sendai for the morning merchandise sale (buppan), making for a rather hectic day. It was an eventful and fulfilling day.
In that sense, the Nendo 10th Live was akin to a Nendoroid itself; individually, it might not be extraordinary, but it complemented other activities well, ultimately creating a positive experience. Much like those intricate dioramas
