UlasanAnime.com – The IDOLM@STER recently held a two-day live event, the Hotch Potch Festival, where the 765Pro All Stars and the Million Stars collaborated in spectacular live performances. This article aims to delve into and dissect the multifaceted aspects of this event, drawing from the official site’s information and personal reflections. While not deeply entrenched in the series’ lore, the author intends to offer a unique perspective on the festival’s significance.
The core concept of Hotch Potch Festival, as presented in the live pamphlet and during the MC segments, is likened to a “nabe” (hot pot). In this culinary metaphor, various “ingredients” – the idols and their performances – are brought together. Some ingredients synergize perfectly, while others might not, and some could even clash. The underlying idea is that if the “nabe” is ultimately delicious, then all the ingredients, regardless of their individual nature, play a crucial role in enhancing the overall experience.
Out of the 52 idols from Million Live and the original 765Pro, 48 were present at the festival. Notable absences included Tanechan, Ibuibu (who was in Okinawa for Everying’s final tour), Matsuda Arisa’s Rietion, and the beloved baseball tomboy, represented by UK-Mrs. Trunks. Tanechan’s continued absence suggests that certain unit performances, such as Jireha, Blue Symphony, and Thank You @ Budokan, are likely out of the question for future events.
On paper, this joint live performance between Million Stars and 765Pro All Stars seemed to be a continuation of what was previously done at IM@S Taiwan. This implied a setlist featuring 765Pro classics and some Million Live songs that originally included 765Pro idols. Additionally, fans anticipated a new song, “ToP!!!!!!!!!!!!!”, and exciting collaborations.
In hindsight, the event delivered exactly that, but in ways that exceeded expectations. Few could have predicted performances like “Ai LIKE Hamburger,” “Merry,” or “Honey Heartbeat.” Similarly, surprises like “Sweet Sweet Soul,” “Kyouki Ranbu,” and the unexpected guitar solo by Aimi were certainly not on everyone’s bingo card.
https://twitter.com/kz161/status/917065994882789376
Before diving deeper, the setlist for both days, comprising 25 songs each, is available here, along with information on the last time these songs were performed in an IM@S event. “Merry” was last performed at IM@S 5th, a staggering seven years prior. “Smile Taisou” followed closely, last performed during the 6th live. Personal favorites like “Little Match Girl” and “Hamburger” were last performed at the Festival of Winter and the 8th live, over 1700 and 1400 days ago, respectively. This factor alone generated immense excitement.
The surprise element was palpable, but the fact that the audience’s IM@S bucket list was being checked off added another layer of emotional impact. The significance of certain songs, like hearing “Curtain Call” again (last performed at the 10th live), or realizing that Hasegawa Akiko and Kugimiya Rie were the only original singers, and from 765Pro, to have performed “99 Nights” was profound.
The overarching feeling from Hotch Potch Festival was one of “pushing” and “continuity,” emphasizing Million Live’s integration with 765Pros. This perspective might be influenced by cynicism or the observation that the IM@S Taiwan setlist was a “best of” for both Million and 765Pro, with a few specific nods to Million Ps seeking 765Pro crossovers. While appropriate for an international event, a domestic show offered numerous possibilities. The “hotch potch” approach seemed inevitable. A notable gap was the absence of 765Pros performing their assigned Million songs in the way Million Ps might have preferred, such as a rendition of “Eternal Harmony” by 5p. Instead, the show featured many top Million sets, allowing the Million idols to perform some excellent 765Pro songs, which they could have also done during their solo Million Live shows.
This is not to say the outcome was undesirable; the author would have been content regardless of the specific song choices. If anything, the real “problem” was the show’s duration of approximately four hours each day – a testament to the desire for more. A few songs could have been added to enhance the conclusion, but logistical constraints likely prevented this. Some songs were also unavailable due to the absence of certain performers, and there simply wasn’t enough time to include every desired track. Every iteration of this idol game’s live events necessitates saving some content for the future and making compromises.
https://twitter.com/zattppe/status/917013810744922112
The author’s seats for both days were in the front arena section, albeit to the side. On day one, the seat was stage left in B10. On day two, it was stage right in A1. This proximity allowed for close-up views, though stage-side lights, monitors, and extension cameras sometimes obstructed parts of the view. However, the author notes that there are few truly bad seats at Budokan. The primary drawback of these side seats was that the performers the author wanted to see were often on the opposite side. Suwa, for instance, was frequently in the center-right, making her somewhat difficult to see during regular lineups, especially when the angle caused others to obstruct the view of those to their left. The same occurred with Mocho on day one, though the angle was less severe. Conversely, performers on the author’s side were consistently visible, and even those in the center were generally easy to see, despite minor angle distortions. These close-up side views also offered an excellent perspective of the performers’ legs, which somewhat compensated for the lack of a full stage view, a perspective that will hopefully be captured in the upcoming Blu-ray release.
The author will highlight key moments for each day, omitting the overwhelming nostalgia triggered by hearing classic 765Pro songs, which brought back memories of binge-listening to IM@S music while immersing themselves in the fandom. The familiarity with these songs made the live performance even more special.
The setlists for day 1 and day 2 are available via imas db: day 1 and day 2, linked again for additional information.
The usual pre-live announcements were made by Shacho and Kotori, joined this time by Aoba-kun, creating a charming kouhai/senpai dynamic. On day 2, Aoba delivered the warning messages, with fans using light blue and white colors for her, matching her outfit.
You might also be interested in : Jupiter’s Event
HOTCHPOTHC FESTIV@L!!?DAY1??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????…?????? #idolmaster #imas_ml #???? pic.twitter.com/5EQ7CnEF8F
— ???????????????????? (@imas_lantis) October 7, 2017
Day 1, Song 1: “Welcome” – The author held back initially but found it enjoyable. They heard some fans doing the “daisuki da” calls. It served as a quick hype-builder, setting the stage for what was to come.
The MC segment was lengthy, featuring many idols and appearing largely scripted in the typical Million Live fashion. When it was Minami-chan’s turn, the audience behind the author erupted in cheers, highlighting her popularity.
Day 1, Song 3: “Animal Station” – The idol’s mascot hats were particularly cute, especially Chaki’s, making for a nice transition. It was later revealed that Hamzo was also wearing Nu’s hat.
Day 1, Song 4: “Kyun! Vampire Girl!” – Yunkon’s portrayal as a vampire was captivating. The capes added a nice touch, evoking memories of Wanst.
Day 1, Song 5: This was an exceptional cover of “Start Star,” performed by the actual U21.5 seiyuu idols. It evoked memories of “Romantic Now” during the 10th live.
Day 1, Song 6: “Home Sweet Friendship.” This song was unexpected but led the author to anticipate “Etahamo” on day two. The song was part of a “Blue Ranger/Red Ranger” coupling. The author felt it wasn’t a standout song for Million Live in general, but its inclusion was due to the specific performers.
Day 1, Song 7: “I Want.” The author jokingly admitted they “didn’t know they wanted SG food.” This performance highlighted Aimin’s guitar skills, which significantly enhanced the song. She also sang, adding to the performance’s appeal. Curiously, this was a song the author had heard many times before, diminishing the nostalgia factor.
Day 1, Song 10: “Ai Like Hamburger.” The author was still recovering from the impact of “Smile Taisou” when this song dropped, feeling similar to how a Million cover medley might surprise the audience. The author still performed the UO (ultra-orange) calls, expressing their fondness for hamburgers. However, it wasn’t considered as “god-tier” as the Nigo and Wakabayashi rendition.
Day 1, Song 11: “Pretty Dreamer.” All idols were present except for Fuka, and for some reason, Nao did not participate. Despite this, the performance was still highly energetic with the numerous idols involved.
??????????? pic.twitter.com/MczYyifkDl
— ???? (@tk_yuusaku) October 8, 2017
Day 1, Song 14: “KisS.” The pairing of Harami and Mocho for “KisS” was described as awesome, cute, cool, sexy, and wonderful. Mocho was on the author’s side, and they were captivated. The subtle difference in their performances, with one rolling her hip and the other not, was noted.
Day 1, Song 16: “ToP!!!!!!!!!!!!!”. The song was well-received and anticipated. The calls were somewhat scattered, with only a few participants coordinating beyond the built-in calls. The author expressed a desire to perform more “Fufuu” and “I/we can do it now” calls.
A brief MC followed the mid-section, leading into the final block, which was considered the “good part” of the show on both days. There was a short “corner” segment during the MC where Hirorin acted as host, and each team had to perform a cute action. This led to Aimin delivering a sexy line, Minami-chan getting Reina to do cute things, and Nunu performing a dogeza to Yuucha, with Nansu joining in.
???????????????????????×3????…….. pic.twitter.com/4zCNVaKKff
— ??????? (@comoruneet) October 7, 2017
??????????????????I Want??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? pic.twitter.com/xt3xFNxghR
— ?? (@aimi_sound) October 7, 2017
Day 1, Song 17: “Kiramekirari.” It had been a while since a full rendition of this song was performed. Aimin’s appearance was a surprise but a welcome one. She didn’t sing but performed the guitar solo and the choreography for the latter half of the song.
Day 1, Song 18: “Amaterasu.” During a later MC, the “train move” was mentioned, and Minamichan’s execution was noted as particularly cute. Yuucha’s participation was less visible, while Chiaking and Harami performed similarly to previous instances.
Day 1, Song 19: “Raise the Flag.” The author observed that this song clearly distinguished between Million Live fans and those less familiar with the song. Many attendees heard it for the first time, reinforcing the author’s belief that Bannam made the right decision with Hotch Potch by leveraging the presence of OG idols to promote Million Live. The author performed double UO cyclones, regretting not bringing a flag.
Day 1, Song 20: “The Live Kakumei de Show!” This was a four-player version of a high-energy song from P Meeting. The author felt it fell short of the full-cast version, setting expectations accordingly. What was more disappointing was that the four performers played it relatively straight, likely due to the pressure of not making mistakes. However, there were still notable moments, such as Chochou humorously attempting to emulate Miya’s character and delivering her lines slightly slower, and Aimin’s playful interaction with Nansu.
????????SHOW???????????????????????????? pic.twitter.com/QEw1lLBCN8
— ???????? (@nagian) October 7, 2017
Day 1, Song 21: “Beat the World.” This song was a highly anticipated highlight, especially given Todakun’s enthusiastic nature. The author had anticipated its inclusion since the cast was announced. While the MC revealed stories behind the song, the primary joy was hearing Hirorin’s powerful vocals. Her towel choreography was also impeccable, adding a “musical feel” to the day’s climactic setlist.
Day 1, Song 22: “Haruka na Mirai.” This song had previously been performed in the ML3rd bonus footage. The idols struck a card pose at the end of the song, which was a touching moment. Performing it on a larger stage meant some of the smaller nuances from the smaller stage performance were lost, making the difference amusing to observe.
Day 1, Song 25: “THE IDOLM@STER.” The author had expected “Thank You” but found this choice amusing, particularly its implication of paving the way for the next day. A significant detail was the adoption of the TW (Taiwan) formula, where the positions reset only after the second chorus. Attendees moved around the stage, with some having to rush back for the reset. The usual appeal sequences were present, with the Mocho x Harami moment being a particular highlight for the author, despite some difficulty in fully observing it due to the
