2016: My Top 5 Best Moments

Tomorrow, 2016 will end and a new year beckons. This year has no shortage of awesome memories. Amazingly, though there alot of heartbreaking ones, it kinda didnt have that big effect on me unlike last year. Here I am listing the best that 2016 has offered!

5) Shibuya 2.5D! Unearthing hidden idol gems!

Smoking and pizza-eating BPM15Q!

2.5D is one of the few mini idol venues I've attended. Then, they held a Pikarin's birthday event. The main reason for being there was BPM15Q. And my God, it was AWESOME! BPM15Q stayed true to their word, because they incorporates the 'Ewah Ewah' chants from last year's Moshi Moshi Nippon event to their songs. Rinahamu and nicamoq remembered the whole lot of us, because she remarked 'Shingapooru?". Sadly, BPM15Q is renamed CY8ER now but Rinahamu will still be part of the group. Nicamoq stopped her DJ activities though.

CY8ER website: http://icigostyle.com/cy8er

Photo from Appare Harajuku official website

2.5D was also the place that I've stumbled upon Appare Harajuku! They're an idol group which modelled after harajuku fashion and styles. I loved their music and it incorporates the EDM elements prevalent in harajuku music scene. And Yunomi has a hand in some of their music most notably Appare Sunny Days. I set my sights on Risa-rin and made her my fave member.

Appare Harajuku: http://appare-harajuku.jp/

4) IDOLIDGE @ Taiwan - Meeting Mai Kotone and Mirai

This event was well documented in my blogpost (read here!). That event was held concurrently with Tokyo Girls Style concert, and it was my very first trip to Taiwan. Taiwan indeed is a wonderful country with loads of interesting sights, great food, interesting people and of course IDOLS. One of my main purpose of this trip was Mai Kotone. After experiencing DREAMSCAPE live, I just have to be involved. Furthermore that will be one of the few occasions I'll see her perform solo before she starts performing full time with her new group Momoiro Kakumei. Some of the groups invited weren't just the run of the mill kinds. We have POP (before they changed their lineup and name to GANG PARADE), Yufu Terashima, linQ (although its 5 members), You Kikkawa, Hakata Reboot and many more. One of the best moments was meeting Ami Himesaki again. She was surprised when told her about her mini performance Singapore. Sweet girl, would love to meet her again!

amihime goods at Idolidge

Also met with Taiwan's local idol Julili Julila Mirai Coro Corony XIII. She noticed we're foreigners and spoke to us in English. Found out she works in meido cafe and one of the rare few invited by TGU to attend a special stage in TIF. There was also a chance encounter with her in Shibuya 2.5D. However Mirai has stopped all idol and meido activities since September this year, we're considered lucky to at least see her before that.

Gonna miss ya lots Mirai

Mai Kotone Official twitter: https://twitter.com/kotonemai0824

3) Tokyo Idol Festival 2016

Squad assemble! Also this year will be the last year we pose in front of Gundam

Also another event which I detailed extensively in this post > TIF Day 1 & TIF Day 2
Without a doubt, TIF is the main event of the year. This time over 3 days, I can time my schedule nicely and able to juggle both buppans and performance. However, I felt that this might be the last TIF I be attending as the harsh summer sun is really too much. Guess will try @JAM next time.

2) Niji No Conquistadors - お前が一番! Nemoto! And 3 Countries Yet Again!

Photo from TIF main page

Again, Triangle Dreamer becomes the most heard idol song! Been hearing it like more than 10x this year! And again, Nijicon becomes the group that I meet in 3 different countries!

First encounter was in Japan. And the first member I met. and also my favourite: Nemoto Nagi! It was a mini live / appreciation event in HMV Books Shibuya. Nemo-chan just won the Sakidol Survival event organized by Young Jump magazine, and was there to sign the Young Jump magazine and also have 2-shot opportunity among other things. If you are curious what Sakidol event is, well... just watch the below video:

Upon meeting, Nemo-chan was elated, so much that she fell to the floor expressing her happiness. You can also re-order a CD at the venue and you'll get a ticket. And its 5 tickets for a cheki with sign. Ouch my wallet... Alternatively, you can buy the Young Jump magazine for around 500Y and get Nemo to sign. That moment with Nemo was the best, and I kinda held the line as we kinda talked alot.

Nemo autographed YJ book!

During TIF, I went to most of the Nijicon stages. There is one performance in the Hot Stage that I somehow got strangled by pinchikes while reciting the gachikoi. Other than that, its just sit back relax and enjoy the performances. And listening to their signature song Triangle Dreamer. During the meet and greet, made use of the opportunity to have a cheki with Nonota, Emiri and of course Nemo-chan. And the number of tickets for cheki? If you're a foreigner: 2!

The 5 members together with Shiromori Sawa!

Next country is Thailand and it was for Anime Festival Asia. This time 5 members attended. It was pure fun to mingle around with the Thai fans at their performances in AFA and also Animate. You can read about the experience here! > AFATH

Nijicon members at AFA SG

Lastly, 3 members attended for AFA's Singapore leg. This time, in order to take photos with them, we have to queue outside the Canon booth and they'll print it on the spot. Only gripe is that they're in cosplay instead of their original costume. Ended the whole Nijicon experience with a 2-shot handphone photo with Nonota.

More about my AFA SG experience here! > AFASG

1) Akishibu Project - My Idol Group for 2016

Photo from official Akishibu Project website

Ever since my chance encounter last year and also an episode which VICE featured them, Akishibu Project became my favourite idol group for 2016. Most notably member Yue Miyatani! I could write a post dedicated to her, but that'll be next time. The group's special blend of mixing elements of Akihabara and Shibuya hits well with me. The good thing I liked about this group is their interaction with fans. I dont expect much as long there's some semblance of interactivity but this group remembered their fans! Its evident when they had a skype session and when I visited them in Shibuya few months after. Some even remembered my name!

That fateful moment of nailing Yuechi's towel!

Japan Expo Thailand! They will return for next year's edition too!

That skype encounter with 3 members of AKSB!

During their CD release event, they were promoting their then latest songs Setsunatsuri and Summer Summer.  I wanted to take a group cheki but somehow didnt, mainly due to my limited understanding of the Japanese language. With one wasted ticket, I went ahead with a 2-shot cheki instead. Armed with my limited Japanese vocabulary, I had a great time catching up with Yuechi again. Also opt to have a cheki with Hinahi since she also remarked that I'm a Yuechi fan. How did the members
know?? OMG.

Pretty Yuechi! Photo from Tokyo Idol Net.

As it stands, my cheki book still left lots more pages to complete. And yes, I remembered that goal I made end of last year too: To "graduate" after completing book. In all, I collected 38 chekis and I got like 80 more slots to go? GULP.


With that I wish all my readers and those who visit a

Happy and Prosperous New Year! May 2017 be awesome and spectacular too!