UlasanAnime.com – The final stop of the 6th Live Tour for THE IDOLM@STER MILLION LIVE took place at the Saitama Super Arena in September. This tour, unlike Million 3rd, spanned a considerable period from April to late September, transitioning from Spring through Summer and concluding on the second day of Autumn, marking a notably long duration.
Prior to the SSA event, the author was only able to attend the Fukuoka stop in June. This experience, however, significantly shaped their perspective. It’s reasonable to assume that many attendees, even if they didn’t make it to every stop, live-viewed at least some of the performances. Attending the SSA, the tour’s largest venue, represented a significant commitment, both in securing tickets through lotteries or other means and in the personal effort involved.
Producers from all over Japan converged for this major event. Many undertook considerable travel, even from the furthest reaches of the country. The author recalls seeing tweets from individuals in Okinawa, attempting to trade local delicacies for tickets, highlighting the dedication of the fanbase.
Despite a somewhat jaded personal outlook, the author found the 6th SSA live to be highly enjoyable. Reflecting on Day 2, they described the experience as leaving a sweet aftertaste, akin to Tokugawa Matsuri, with Suwa Ayaka’s appearance from the elevated stage marking the end of the illumination festival.
Both Day 1 and Day 2 followed a similar format: each subunit performed a segment of their Angel/Princess/Fairy stop sets, interspersed with collaboration and guest songs, alongside covers. During the three non-Kanto stops, each unit had more dedicated time, with the final third of each day reserved for covers and solos. For SSA, however, almost all solo performances were omitted. New content included the TB songs and several new covers.
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From the perspective of simply enjoying the songs, the author found the event to be satisfactory. However, the format felt somewhat disjointed, as the audience anticipated the performances of key songs, such as EScape’s “LOST,” which perfectly aligned with their group concept, or the energetic mix of “Art Needs Heart Beats” for Jelly Pop Beans. While the choices for groups like Charlotte Charlotte and D/Zeal, and their new covers for SSA, were less predictable, the author felt that the groups on Day 1 were somewhat less engaging as a result.
The author attributes a certain “limp malaise-y” feeling towards the SSA event to the overall approach to the tour. It felt less like a cohesive live tour and more like four distinct shows that were geographically dispersed, necessitating the Tokyo audience’s travel for the final event. This contrasted with the 3rd tour, where attending remote venues was challenging due to smaller capacities, which in turn fostered a more intimate and distinct experience compared to the larger Million shows. The author notes that the Makuhari stop of the 3rd tour felt more self-contained and less like a summary, unlike the 6th SSA, which might explain the extended time it took to compile this recap.
In terms of practical experiences, the author managed to attend a Kayafesh event on Saturday, described as a “bad costpa sake festival with seiyuu content.” This was a welcome opportunity to indulge in sake and enjoy the company of voice actors, marking their first sake festival in Japan. Additionally, they extended their stay by an extra day to celebrate Takagi Miyu’s birthday event, enjoying the company of local friends. The remaining time was spent on routine activities.
The recent update to the splash screen for Theater Days, featuring a new quintet, makes this post timely. For the flower project, the author used the same shop as for the 5th live’s flower stand, with significant assistance from Miri. Financially, the project broke even, similar to the previous year. However, a greater push was needed due to a lower suggested donation and increased costs. No pin badges were produced this time. The author expresses immense gratitude to everyone involved.
Reflecting on the live performance again evokes a peculiar feeling. While the hype surrounding the 6th live was less intense than the 5th, the live itself was considered superior. The author appreciated the return of the tap dancers for a memorable encore performance from Sendai, which made them look forward to both that and the slightly grander SSA version. Other positive elements for the 6th live included the streams of short videos promoting the live, merchandise, and Blu-rays, though their overall impact on engagement is debatable. Nevertheless, the promotion of the costume book was deemed effective.
The author humorously suggests that simply stating the costume book “smells good” would likely ensure its commercial success.
Set lists for the event are available at Day 1 and Day 2.
Given the time elapsed since the live, the author will highlight the key moments in a bulleted list:
Day 1
- The author’s team, Hanabi, finally appeared with their wonderful outfits. While the more casual attire was acceptable, it contrasted with Yuiton’s near-game version.
- “Born On Dream” was described as a fun, slower, and more festive take on a Matsuri solo.
- “Fruity Love” was considered a bit of a “cheat” as it marked the return of Chaki after her hiatus.
- “Big Bang Volleyball” set the tone for the TB songs. Reina had a quick backstage outfit change, one of six throughout the event. The author had mixed feelings about the TB songs being integrated into the set list without much fanfare, despite their appropriate placement.
- Rurukyan and Cleasky’s performances were perceived as somewhat monotonous but served as pleasant appetizers.
- The excitement truly began with “Jelly Pop Beans.” The author was glad that “Art Needs Heart Beats” was performed, calling it a clutch song, similar to its rendition in Fukuoka.
- “Twinkle Rhythm” was found to be more hilarious than cool, arguably setting the tone for D/Zeal’s performance. Without acoustic covers, D/Zeal felt more conventional, but the larger venue suited their two songs well.
- “Souzou wa Hajimari no Kaze o Tsurete” was deemed necessary, as the live lacked a significant hype song during a pivotal moment, although its inclusion and the accompanying composition were appreciated.
- The performance of “Thank You” was overwhelming, with “Kiramekirari” being arguably the most hype song of Day 1.
Day 2
- Day 2, by default, aligned more with the author’s preferences, a bias acknowledged in the context of video game journalism.
- The author enjoyed all the groups performing on Day 2. Even Star Elements had songs that elicited excitement, and the author anticipates the release of their Blu-rays.
- While the “Get LOL” song might not have been a standout, “Piko Piko Aliens” was described as immensely fun.
- Day 2 also lacked a definitive climax, but the author felt that “Festa Illumination” provided a fitting conclusion, working exceptionally well for them.
- The author wished that “White Vows” had been performed earlier and “Last Actress” saved for last, considering “Last Actress” a certified banger and likely the best song from Million in the past year.
- Following the Fukuoka performance, the author felt emotional about “LOST.” It’s considered possibly the best reboot of an older IM@S song within Million, though Merry also presents a strong contender, notably involving Shiho. While EScape wasn’t initially favored during the event, the group’s style proved to be a perfect fit for the author and grew on them significantly.
- Grac&e Noctern delivered as expected, offering a slightly shorter but still good theatrical experience.
- The author was too overwhelmed during Charlotte*Charlotte to fully absorb everything, but found it to be a great performance. The two songs in a live format had a distinct EDM vibe and were cool. Unfortunately, the author’s seating position limited their view of intricate dance moves and stage details.
- Star Elements offered a similar experience, though the author admitted to being less invested in them.
- “Festa Illumination” was a highlight, providing a wonderful and, in the author’s opinion, a saving conclusion to the live. The inclusion of a joke involving the illuminated light outfits was also noted.
In conclusion, the 6th SSA live served as a good wrap-up to the tour, though it felt somewhat shallow in its current form. The tour was a comprehensive product, and missing parts of it, or only being able to attend SSA and Fukuoka, was a drawback. With this in mind, the announcement of the 7th live, scheduled for a single weekend, is welcomed. However, even as Theater Days enters its third year, the author feels a sense of plateauing and weariness, suggesting a need for strategic pivoting and acknowledging the potential for such changes.
