Today was the first class since our Live, and it was so much fun!!
As happens a lot, some of the Pop kids were leaving as I was going in, but this time I knew them, so I could say hi to them all, and tell them otsukaresama! It was nice.
When I walked into the lesson room, Anna-san was there, wearing the loose (-ish) red tan-top tan windpants and red sneakers she had worn that day when the reporter woman came, so at first I was afraid she might not be teaching today, but she did, of course.
First, she had us all come and sit down. She told us that they had gotten back so many of the polls that had been on the table for guests at the Live to write, and they were all full of praise. She also said that she had invited some executives to the Live: The presidents of Amuse (who canceled a meeting to come), Sony Music, etc, who all said that it was amazing, Pop, Hyper, and Zin Rye, and told her to let them know if there was ever anything that they could do to help Love Junx. And so, according to Anna-san, we made a lot of strong allies at the Live. Anna-san said, 'It's all happened really quickly, but amazing things may happen.' As for the next Live, originally she had planned it for sometime this year�Cbut then reflected that that would be rushing things too much, so it is now scheduled for February. She told us that we may get some venue in Shinjuku (which is apparently very impressive). She said that she had thought we would do it at a smaller place, but that the Shacho had said, 'Don't even think about money. Where do you want to have it?' At this point Anna-san's okasan yelled from the back of the room. 'the Budokan!' (Which is the biggest most famous arena in Japan). Anna-san laughed, and said she didn't think we were quite there yet. 'The budokan!' Her mother yelled again. 'Alright already!' Anna-san laughed. 'Although,' She admitted. 'In 5 years, the Budokan may not be impossible.' Anyway, Apparently there is also talk of putting out the word for the concert in magazines and newspapers and tv commericals next time. As for this year, there will be a little event in October, and a Christmas Live on Dec. 20.
Then Anna-san introduced our new member ("A boy!!!" everyone clapped), Yosshi who is the older brother of one of the Pop kids. We all yoroshiku onegaishimasu'ed. Yuuta, who was sitting next to Atsushi on the bar across the mirror, practically fell off it when he found out that Yosshi was his age, 18. (I don't know why. Yosshi looks more his age than say, Atsushi does)
Then we did exercises. Atsushi taught Yosshi the exercises. They happened to be next to me, so I watched. It was very cute, Atushi is very nice. (to other boys his age. LOL)
Also, Anna-san looks fabulous in red. It really brings out the golden color of her skin.
After exercises, we did Beat. (At Anna-san's 'Next, we're going to do Beat!!' her voice rang out so clear and loud it almost echoed. It was quite impressive. LOL) Before we started, Anna-san said ' Now we're going to do Beat!' I want you all to really feel the music. If you're going to dance half-heartedly then don't dance at all. Sit out.' So we all danced our hearts out. However, I was reminded of what Buri^chan had said about the Pop kids - how a lot of them had their one little move that they did over and over. That's how I felt. LOL I really need to get some more variety.
After Beat, we did 180 degrees. It was alot of fun, but it's really hard, to go from 'guest' to 'guest' and keep doing new and interesting stuff. It's interesting how wach person reacts to you though, with facial expressions, or kind of dancing with you. Anna-san yells people's names and whoops when you come to her. LOL (i.e A-chaaaaan!!! Wooohooo!!) Speaking of which, she was right next to Atsushi and she complained afterwars that half the people had skipped them. LOL
Group Battle. Uchida-san and Odagawa-kun ended up battling together and they were great. They had such big, playful smiles on their faces as they flipped and and dogded and ducked each-other. Yosshi also did really really well. There was one part where he becked for his partner in a 'come and get me' kind of motion which was great and totally 'battle' like. We all oohed and ahhed, Anna-san especially. (I've noticed Anna-san (who kind of acts like a referee, counting so we know when the next group goes out) dances during the Battles, it's so cute.)
Then we did 'Kimari nashi no Battle' which is 'battle without rules', where you can go out whenever you want, and with as many people as you want, etc. The point of it, Anna-san said is to think in terms of what will be the most exciting and interesting. It's a 'battle of character'.
As such, I felt like lost this time, because I kept being overwhelmed by the other people who came out at the same time, the chuugakusei, and Odagawa vs. Yosshi, etc. At first we were going to have a huddle and discuss. Atsushi-kun was hanging outside the circle, so we told him to come in. He did, and stood looking at the floor with his mouth drawn in a straight line. One of the OLs asked him in he was angry. 'Un.' he nodded. the OL said he reminded her of her husband because Momo-chan (who is apparently her daughter) asks him that a lot. LOL So we decided not to consult eachother, since it was going against the point of Battles with rules. LOL
At some point we had a break. We all went out into the hall to drink our drinks and began to talk about the concert. I told them how the camera on my video kept following Atushi (Anna-san: ('Atashi ha?mitaina' 'And you're like, 'What about me??') and how all my friends and everyone think he's so hot. Anna-san chuckled and said 'His good-looks are world-wide.' The topic of Atushi being hot turned into Atushi being nice, when one of the memebers said what drew her to Atsushi, as a mother, was how gentle and good he was will all the kids, how he really had a way with them. Anna-san agreed and said that even though he's usually so cool, he secretly is really sweet.
Then with did Beat de Onigokko, which Anna-san said 'We usally do at the beginning of class, but I thought I'd try it now that you're all tired out.' And the first oni (it) was... 'Atushi!!' No one clapped. I felt bad, so I clapped. LOL Which made one of the obsasans think I liked Atushi LOL I was just trying to give the poor boy some reaction, since everyone was so silent. The song was 'House of Love', which caused me problems at first, because I kept starting to do the dance for it. LOL I guess that means it's in my body now. During Onigokko Anna-san tagged Yosshi, which was nice, cuz he's the new member etc. I was the Oni for the first time. It's hard to dance and concentrate of tagging someone both at once, LOL.
Lastly we did Free Dancing (I'm not quite sure how this is different from Beat, but oh well). the song was a thumping dance re-mix of 'Lady Marmalade'. It was alot of fun, and I sang a lot as well. I looked over to see Anna-san (on the other side of the room ) was singing as well. For some reason, it made me feel so connected to her. Like we were communicating. Maybe because it was english and I knew only she and I understood the words and could sing it. Her dancing was very cute and cool too. I wished I was not all the way across the room from her so I could sing and dance with her.
Then we did cool down, where Anna-san told us to breath deeply, and roll our heads slowly. For some reason, this was quite sexy to me this class. Something about her voice, giving soft commands, and the deep breathing and being very tired and worn out from dancing, but it was rather gentlely erotic, if I may be so bold. Not to mention that Anna-san looked very hot (no pun intended), all out of breath, with her hair damp, which provoked a fleeting naughty thought about Anna-san probably looking this way after more...amorous exercise, should we say. (will anyone still believe that my thoughts are pure and innocent? Because they really are. Really.)
Then Anna-san gathered us all over again to tell us that there would be an official video of the concert, which will be on sale sometime this month, and to remind us that there is a picnic at Yoyogi for Pop and all the Hyper members who can make it. She also thanked us profusely (and Anna-san's profuse thanks is so moving because it's so sincere) for helping out with the Pop kids backstage during the Live. It was a huge help, she said, and she had actually refrained from asking us because she knew we'd all be so busy with our own stuff, so she was really thankful and happy that we'd done it on our own. She bowed to us. We all bowed back.
Then class was over.
However. Anna-san and some members, (esp the Chuugakusei) and Atushsi and Yuuta were all gathered in a corner. I went over to investigate. It turned out that they were looking at ISSA (the lead vocal of Da Pump, and former BB member and student under Anna-san) 's solo photo book that came out today. (One of the chuugakusei had bought it.). What should be in Issa's photo book tha they were looking at but....Issa in a Fundoushi. That tiny cloth thong thing that Japanese men where for Festivals. Oh my. In other words, Issa basically nekkid. Anna-san was very very interested in this, and kept pointing at his crotch (in the bulky fabric) and wondering 'So, how much of that do you think is really his...?', and touching the photo on his thighs and and pelvis, 'That's pretty impressive that all this is shaved. Wow.' We wondered just how much was shaved. She flipped thru the pages, which also had a back view (basically showing all of Issa's nekkid butt), and other poses, continuing to point and touch, provoking squeaks from the chuugakusei that she was touching it too much. LOL Anna-san commented that Issa's body wasn't bad, but that that it wasn't particularly toned or anything. She asked Atushi if he would do this. He said he might. Yuuta said he would never. As good as nekkid and yet ever more disturbing because of the fundoshi and headband (hachimaki) Issa had a two tatoos, a gothic writing tatoo of his initials (or something) on his chest, and a tribal band on his ankle. These are the exact tatoos that Yuuta has (although his is his name). So of course Anna-san and Yuuta himself complained that Issa was copying him. LOL Then came the pictures of Issa dressed as a woman. Anna-san said she looked like his older sister, Chami. But then we drifted back to the Issa in the fundoushi, in all it's horrible fascination. Finally Yuuta said he wanted to see the beginning, so she passed the book to him. Then came a nightmare inducing (as if the fundoshi wasn't nightmarish enough, accoridng to Anna-san and echoed by all of us 'I'm gonna see that in my dreams tonight) picture of Issa in a space suit (with a cod-piece like thing emphasizing the crouch, provoking more laughter and musings and touching from Anna-san and chastising protests from the chuugakusei), complete with an....Indian cheif feather head dress. Oh god. I burst out, '(amerika-jin toshite....) As an American, I have a huge problem with this headress. No...just, no...' Anna-san laughed, and said 'It's the 'As an American' said in Japanese that really gets me.' After a while, we had finished flipping though the book, and retreated to the locker rooms, where we continued to chat about photobooks etc. Anna-san said that Atushi was a narcissist so he would probably do a photobook like that. LOL Today Anna-san had on white panties and a yellow bra which was very pretty. She chatted with everyone as she changed, so I got to to look at her belly and whatnot. She put on white hip-hugger pants (pretty. ahh for tanned hips peaking out) and a tan flowered shirt. She looked so beautiful. She is so beautiful.
Then I chatted with people outside. I ended up walking to the station with tomoko-san, Anna-san, her mother, Atsushi and Yuuta. I had thoguth they were taking the bus and rushed after them so I might have a chance of catching the faster train home only to find out they were walking. Tomoko-san and I started talking about Issa and his fundoshi. Anna-san joined in for a moment, and her mom asked me if I'd had fun at the Live, but gradually tomoko-san and I ended up walking by ourselves, ahead of the others, because they were all so slow. LOL I was very proud of myself for being able to just walk and have fun with tomoko-san and not look back longingly at Anna-san-tachi and wish I was with them or at least behind them so I could watch them. tomoko-san and I continued on the Fundoshi Issa vein for the entire 15 minute walk. It was hysterical, we kept cracking up. (especially the image of Issa wearing that to bed, and being his girlfriend. LOL) At some point I must find a picture of Fundoshi Issa and post of link to spread the disturbingness LOL.
I had a really good class today. I definately feel more connected and friendly with all the members, and I felt like I could let myself out more,personality wise, and not just hang back so much. I also was able to dance really freely and really enjoy it, even if I did the same moves the whole time. LOL And I did feel like I was a bit more independent of Anna-san. Like's she's not all I have anymore in class. Although I still love and adore and respect and idolize her just as much as ever. I think I'm just less dependent now.

 
SATURDAY
Well, today was the last day of rehearsal before the actual live (we have a bunch or rehearsal tomorrow too before the Live of course), and the first rehearsal with the Pop kids.
I had never had a class with the Pop kids (of course) and had only really seen little bits of the end of their classes, so it was very interesting to see them. There are so many kids in the class, from really little kids to some who are actually in their 20's (although for the most part they look younger - is that part of Down's Syndrome? I really don't know anything about it, really.) As could be expected with so many little kids, they seem to require a lot of baby-sitting. The smallest kids were forever running out onto the stage (at one point pervoking the introduction...'Taitoru (title) ha....----kun abunai!' as a little kid carreened through the stage. LOL) A couple of the older girls started crying. Anna-san went over and comforted them. I have to say, Anna-san is perfect for working with all these kids. She's so bright and energetic. She always has a huge smile for them, and is always ready to go out and dance away with them. It's really amazing, given the percentage of time Anna-san smiles, and how brightly she smiles that her smile is still so genuine and loving. She really has more energy and a bigger heart than maybe anyone I know. It was really heart-warming to watch her with all of the kids. Maiko-san is the same way, she's so sweet and warm. I find it hard to believe that they haven't always been working with the Pop kids. Even Cool!Atsushi gets a big smile on his face when he's dancing with the kids, as does Yuuta. At first, just watching the kids perform, I didn't really see what the big fuss was about them, but later, when we all danced together for the ending, and after rehearsal was over, and so many of them came up to me, a gaijin who they had never met before, with huge grins to shake my hand, or clasp it or give me a high five and all say 'Ganbatte!'...it hit me. Why Anna-san is always saying it's so refreshing to work with them, and that thing she wrote in the L.J News vol. 2 about how meeting the Pop kids changed her. Because they are just so pure and loving, and honest to themselves and their feelings. For example, the reason that one of the girls started crying was because she was mad at Ogawa-kun, who plays the boy that 'dumps' Anna-san in the Seigi no Mikata song, because he was treating Anna-san meanly. The kids definately give us Hyper students a lot of power and energy as well, because they're just having fun, dancing their hearts out, without and shyness or embaressment.
Today we went through the entire live: All of our songs, and all of the Pop class. And, to everyone's joy, especially one of the OLs and me (who kept squealing and squeezing eachother's arms with joy throughout it), we got to sit and watch the Zin-Rye rehearsal too. It was amazing. In so many ways. First of all the perfomances themselves were absolutely incredible, as always. First the Zin Rye boys did a dance, with rap, and then Atsushi and Yuuta did their dance they had been practicing on Wed. They are amazing, they are just so good. Then Atsushi did a dance with Yuu, one of the boys fron Pop. Basically he did dance moves, and Yuu copied them, which is pretty amazing, because his dance moves are really hard. Then Maiko-san came out (OL and I squeezed each other). She sung a fast R&B-ish song that I recognized from somewhere, while Atsushi and Yuuta danced backup. As always, Maiko-san dancing was so sexy. As I thought the first time I saw her live, Maiko is just really...innately sexual [when she performs]. And of course her voice is amazing as always. She's just so cool. So much so that I almost whispered outloud 'Maiko-san, you are so f---king cool!' during the song. Then she sang a ballad, Shining Star, the one I saw her perform at the BB live in Jan 2002. If I had been in front, instead of behind them (so I could have seen her face) I think I might have cried, because I was thinking about everything, how I cried so hard when I first found out she had quit Actor's, and how I had thought I would never hear her sing again, and here she was, in front (literally LOL) of me, still singing, and so happy. Then she sang another song, with all three Boys (they might have rapped during it) a more peppy song, and at one point she turned around, and I saw her smile, that joyful smile she gets when she's singing or dancing, the one that drew me to her in the very beginning. It made me so happy. Watching them, I decided that I love Zin-Rye so much. I'll support them no matter what happens. They are just amazing.
Not only were the performances themselves amazing, but a few other things as well. There were no microphones, and the BGM was really loud,so you couldn't always hear the members singing or rapping (their came in and out of hearing range). However, there were stretches where you could hear Maiko-san pretty well, which is pretty impressive, because it means she has amazing projection skills.
The other thing that was amazing was Anna-san. I think I've mentioned how Anna-san is while we perform. She always has this huge smile, makes eye contacts, dances 'with' us. Anna-san watching Zin-Rye was completely different. She had an expression on her face that I had never seen. It was actually pretty hard for me to read, which is suprising, because Anna-san's emotions always show right on her face. I asked the OL about it, and she said 'Yeah, when it comes to Zin Rye, she's deadly serious.' Anna-san's face was very very serious. It was also almost sad, and I swear that during Maiko-san's ballad, she was almost crying. She wiped her eyes a little. Also, she put her fingers on the bridge of her nose between her eyes, so she might have had a stress head ache too.^^; At any rate, she watched their whole performance with a deadly serious face, liquid eyes, and her brows drawn together. It was a completely different thing that watching us. These were her members, that she had watched for so long (in Maiko-san's case for 11 years -half Maiko's life), who talent she knew. Who want to debut now. I bet she was thinking 'Is this the best they can do? Can they give more than this?'. This was definately the chief instructor Anna-san, the Anna-san who is Zin-Rye's director.
After Zin Rye was done, I looked of Anna-san, but she seemed to have disappeared. Then she appeared right in front of us, saying 'It's time for United.' So we all gathered on the 'stage', Hyper, Pop and Zin Rye, and sang United. I danced for part of it with this Pop boy next to me, it was a lot of fun.
Then Anna-san had everyone sit down. She gave [the Pop Kids] a pep talk about how they should look after the smaller kids, and help them if they were crying or trying to go on stage, and how to be careful the way they had been today, not to hurt anyone by accident when they were dancing. Then she said (to all of us); 'You've all worked very hard for tomorrow. Very hard. Now, tomorrow, I just want you to have fun. It doesn't matter if things are a mess, or if you make a mistake, I just want you all to enjoy yourselves tomorrow. Let's all join together and become a team.' Then we did a yell. (led by Namio) 'Fight!'Namio yelled. We all yelled 'OOOOOHHH!!!!'. In energy and enthusiasm, we don't lose even to BB! (or in numbers either, apparently there are 150 students in Love Junx)
After rehearsal was over, we hung around for a bit and saw Namio and Yuu practicing, and Anna-san giving them advice.
Later, I was wondering around the hallway waiting for people to go to lunch with. I wondered over to where Marilyn and Anna-san, Maiko-san, Keito, Anna-san's mother were. Marilyn was talking to Maiko-san and Maiko-san hugged her. I was very very jealous. I felt kind of out of place, the way I do a lot of times at Hyper when I'm with a more closed group, the ex-Actors people when they're all together, or the Pichi Morning girls (Ai, Marilyn, Kaori) when they're all together. Anna-san was sitting down and doing her make up, so I watched her pencil her eyebrows. (Yes, I could happily just sit there watching Anna-san put on her makeup. Which is kind of sad, I suppose, and yet true.) Then I got a glimpse of Anna-san the daughter, because her mother wanted to do something she was against, so Anna-san drawing together her newly lined brows, kept saying, 'Ii! Ii kara! Mama, ii kara! Sonna koto iwanaide!' (No! No, don't bother! Mama, just leave it! Don't say that!') in the universal annoyed daughter tone, which actually carries much more weight when you're the head of whatever your mom is making suggestions about. LOL
I ate lunch with Fukuda-san, Eiko-san, Otagawa-kun and Uchida-san, it was a lot of fun, actually.
During lunch, Anna-san and Maiko-san and Keito(and I think Namio) ate together, and I watched them laughing and talking so animatedly. It was cute. It also hurt me alittle though. Because I wish I could be sitting their with them. Lately the ex-Actor's group hurts me a little, watching them all together, or with other people (for example, how Anna-san came over (with Maiko) to see the handmade shirts that Marilyn had made, and talk to her, or how she is basically the only student that Yuuta will talk to.)
When we went outside, and were negoitating the pouring rain (there was a huge rainstorm today), Anna-san, Maiko-san, Keito, Atsushi and Yuuta came out. I actually found myself wishing they hadn't, because...I never know what to do around them, like I said before, and it hurts me so much because I wish I could be a member of their group. It's not just Anna-san, who I'm actually a bit better at dealing normally, or Maiko-san, but I realized that I can't deal with Atushi and Yuuta as normal people. I could never talk to them as normal boys, because there's this wall of respect and awe there. Also with Maiko and Anna-san to some extent, I love both of them so much and I want them to like me so much that it impairs my interactions with them. I just can't deal with them easily or casually. So in a way, it hurts me to be near them, because they don't turn my way, they don't talk to me, they don't hug me. (they do sometimes, of course, but not lately)
I would give anything. Anything. for Anna-san, for Maiko-san to love me. To single me out and talk to me, like a friend. To be close to them.
On a lighter, slashier note, Atushi (who was wearing a pink sleeveless button down shirt. Only Atsushi could still look really hot and masculine in a pink shirt.) and Yuuta didn't have and umbrella, so after many protestations of 'Ii desu yo!' (We're ok!) They borrowed an umbrella from Fukuda-san. So they shared an umbrella.In Japan, there's a word for sharing umbrellas. It's generally only something lover's do.
At the station, Keito and Maiko-san were there. While Maiko-san was getting her ticket, I taped her other shoulders. She laughed and said 'A-chan, bare bare desu yo!' (A-chan., that was obvious!) and I laughed, and said 'Aww, really?'. My quota of Maiko-san interaction was rather unsatisfying, because I provoked it. Sorry if this has somehow gotten ratherneedy (?) and depressing. I really do know that everyone's really busy, and there are so many people involved with this that no one really has time to be interested in me (or maybe anyone else either). That's probably the reason or all this, because Maiko-san at least, used to talk with me and hug me and come up to me.
And I really am excited about tomorrow's Live. I hope it goes really well, and we're all able to just have a really good time, us and the audiance.
Oh, Keito sent me another e-mail,saying that tomorrow was the day! And wishing me a good night sleep

 
BREAK THE WALL!!!!!!

Well, it's over, the first LOVE JUNX live! It was so much fun!

I got there pretty early, and ran into Marilyn who told me where our dressing room was. I went to the dressing room, and talked with everyone, etc. Then at 1, we all went down to the stage. When we got there, the members of Zin-Rye were practicing, complete with lights and mics and everything. I started to get a little nervous, because it was all so professional. A real stage, with real lights and a rows and rows of seats for the audiance. But we got to watch Zin-Rye perform their entire show. So I got to see my Maiko-san dance, and hear her sing, from a seat in the audiance just as if it was the real show. She is just so amazing. It was so absolutely cool, Maiko-san dancing sexy and cool, beneath the flashing lights, her voice, that voice, so strong and clear, loving every minute of it, and loving her audiance as well. It was my Maiko-san. The Maiko-san I fell in love with at the BB WAVES concert in Yokohama. As I watched her during her second song, the same ballad I had heard her sing at the BB concert in January of last year, her strong, powerful, long notes washing over me, her smile, her eyes, her gentle heart, her love being sent with her whole body, her voice, her face, I remembered that day when I had first found out that she had quit Actor's, and how I had cried and cried,thinking that she and her voice and everything she stood for was gone forever, and here she was in front of me, singing, that feeling of joy overflowing from her, and I started to cry. Really cry, put my face in my hands crying. I was just so moved by it. I was just so happy.
The last song, which is called Sheba, I think is a Zin-Rye original song. It was the only song they actually introduced, and as far as I could tell, the lyrics were about them. I think they boys mentioned 'Zin-Rye' (which once again means flash lightening) and 'piercing through' in the rap, and there was a line during Maiko-san's singing part of it that said 'Atsuku nurehajimeru hada de inochi no imi wo motomeru.' (We're searching for the meaning of live through heated skin, growing wet.) Me, being a pervie, as San would say. LOL first thought 'woo, that's pretty sexual' but then when I listened to the song a second time (from the wings backstage during the actually performance) I realized.....hot wet skin.....they mean from sweating....from dancing. She's singing about how they're searching for the meaning of living through dance!
After they finished rehearsal, Anna-san came up on the stage. She was wearing black windpants, a black spandex tanktop, a black hip-pack, with who's knows what in it, and a white towel around her neck, and looking very very in her element. This was the quintessential Anna-san. The chief instructor and back-stage director of all of BB's concerts, and now of Love Junx. This was the Anna-san I had seen on TV in the behind the scenes BB concert clip, this was the Anna-san from the B.B manga. I was really struck at how at home she was up there on the stage, giving Maiko-san and the others suggestions, or asking them questions, talking to the light-man, and the sound-man etc (with Maiko-san holding the mic to her mouth, because hers wouldn't turn on LOL after a bit she got another one), and throwing around words like anten (when the stage blacks out before the start of a number, so people can get into their places), and the number of mics to make 'live' (i.e making sure they are turned on) for each section, and a whole bunch of other words I had to ask the meaning of from Tomoko-san who was sitting next to me, all technical stage terms, which rolled off Anna-san's tongue with such ease and familiarity. It also hit me at how Atsushi, Yuuta, Namio, and Maiko-san were all so at home as well, communicating with the light and sound men as well, and giving suggestions, requests, etc. They went through just checking the lights and sound for each song, which consisted of performing the first bit until Anna-san and them were satisfied that things were all set (which varied for each song, sometimes they didn't even have to finish the intro). It was pretty amazing, because they performed just like it was the real thing, right up until they gave the OK sign. Oh, Maiko-san was wearing a blue low-rise hip hugger sweat-suit, unzipped to show a white shirt and all her necklaces, and looked very J-Lo like, and very cool.
Finally, when Zin-Rye was finished with all their checks, Anna-san told us it was time for our rehearsal.
The rehearsal was very exciting and make me nervous. Because it was our first time to practice on the actual stage, with the lights and everything, and it looked so professional, and it really hit me that we were going to have a Live. A real Live. The rehearsal went pretty well, and it seemed to be over pretty quickly. We went through all the songs, and things went pretty much without a hitch. I don't have much to say about the rehearsal, because it seemed to fly by. When rehearsal was over, Anna-san had us sit down again and told us that after this would be the real thing, and she wanted everyone to promise her to be careful, and to listen to what the staff said (this was for the little Pop kids, of course), and then she said, 'Also, I want to you promise to have fun!! No matter what happens, even if you make a mistake, just give it everything you've got and enjoy yourselves!'
Then we had an hour of free time until the doors would open. I went and got a drink from the jidouhanbaiki with one of the OLs, and went back to our dressing room. Our dressing room was about as far away as it could be LOL. It was on the 2nd floor, and the very last room in a long hall way. We went back to the room, and changed into our first costume. A lot of people had pretty amazing hair and make up, like Tomoko-san, who had gotten her hair done at a salon, in a fancy half ponytail with lots of little twists, and the obasans, who had really heavy stage makeup. So we all changed, and then brought our other costumes down and placed them backstage, because we wouldn't have time to go back to our insanely far dressing room. Then we all kind of sat there, or walked around in the corrider (which had sits and tables) that the backstage doors openned out into. I chatted with people, and played with some of the Pop kids, and wandered around a little. People said that I was really calm, but it just hadn't really hit me yet that we were actually going to perform soon.
At one point, Anna-san appeared. And I kind of did a double take, because she looked...well, really hot. Really hot. She was wearing her black windbreaker pants, but she had changed her shirt, and she was wearing a black mesh tank top over a black bra. (She also had on that little diamond cross necklace she's been wearing lately. Her hair was done up with gel, so it looked rather wet. (I noticed today that it's grown a lot since she cut it, it almost touches her shoulders now). I commented to Uchida-san how Anna-san looked so cool, and he said 'She looks like a member of MAX'. One of the OLs said that Anna-san could pull anything off, and looked cool in no matter what she wore.
Then Anna-san asked tomoko-san to be the representative of Hyper and do an interview. Tomoko-san was very suprised, and didn't seem too happy about it, but she got up and gave the short interview to the guy with the big camera. Then Anna-san had some of the Pop Kids answer questions from the guy (It was all stuff like, How do you feel? Are you looking forward to this Live? etc. I think it'll be used in the official video of the concert, which I assume they're making because they were even filming Zin-Rye's rehearsal)
At one point Anna-san said that I looked kawaii in my costume, and I was very happy.
Also at one point, Maiko-san appeared. Her hair was down (well, half of it was up), and it was all curled into loose, luxurious curls, with long strands on the side of her face. She looked so beautiful. I told her she looked so pretty, and she said arigatou! Then I hugged her, and told her to ganbatte! And that I had cried during her ballad, to which she said 'Uso. Honto?' (no way. really?) but then she was talked to by someone else, so I wandered off. She gave a lot of hugs today, to people like Marilyn, and the OLs, etc. But when she might have hugged me, she kept getting interupted (see below).
So anyway, Anna-san and Maiko-san (as well as the Zin-Rye Boyz, as the program called them) rushed around and were generally very busy. There was some commotion when the chuugakusei spotted gaijin, and rushed to tell me. Of course it was all of my ryuugakusei. I snuck a peak at them to find that they were all in the front row! This made me a bit flustered. Then the staff came and told us we had 10 minutes, so we all gathered in our respective wings. Then I started to get nervous. But I had just hugged Maiko-san, so it made me happy. However I was still really nervous, and sure that I would forget the dance steps once we got out on stage.
5 minutes to. The Pop kids were sheparded into the wing. Then finally...
Anna-san's powerful MC came strong and clear over the loud speakers, welcoming everyone to the very first LOVE JUNX Live! 'Mickey' began to play. Group by group, she called out introductions, and finally....'HYPER!!!' We all filed out, and began to dance. The opening, and Run DMC went off without a hitch. By some miracle, even when I could see all of the people I knew right in front, I really was able to not worry about the steps (I guess they're in my body now) and just have fun, and enjoy. As we were going off stage, Brittany and the other's yelled 'Wooo! ADRIENNE!!' as loud as possible. I was a bit embaressed, and Momo-chan said 'Uwa, A-chan no tomodachi sugoi ne!' (Wow, you're friends are amazing!). They continued to be loud and enthusiastic throughout the Live, much to everyone's amazement and delight. LOL
I rushed with the other's to change into my next costume, which began the saga of changing right outside the Zin-Rye dressing room, which meant that one of the Boyz was always walking by right when I was taking of a piece of clothing. I complained to Emi about it, but she said that she thought they didn't care, because they had seen so many BB girls change for so long. LOL I didn't really care, because I wasn't really showing anything, but I didn't want them to think I was some barbaric American who whipped off my clothes in public.LOL
After all the group dances were done, it was time for house of love. This also went well, I was able to remember all the parts I hadn't before, and it was a lot of fun dancing the free style bits with Ai-chan next to me, as we smiled and danced together. Then we all headed back to change into our school uniforms for Seigi no Mikata, as the Pop Live was going on. It was so hot, and I was so sweaty, it was really hard to change into my heavy winter sailor suit. LOL Emi and I had decided that we would go out and run in from the audiance, like we were late. So we waited in the aisles, and then when the song began, we ran onto the stage. Anna-san had said it was fine as long as we were all on stage by the kiritsu! bowing part, so I had to run really fast to make it in time, which resulted in me completely collided and flipping over one of the OLs. Apparently no one really noticed though. And hopefully if they did, they just thought it was part of the comedy. (Anna-san had introduced the song as a comedy number where we showed that with Hyper, anything goes!) Anna-san, and Maiko-san and Namio-kun were great. Anna-san had on these big glasses, and her sailor suit Maiko-san had an apron and a ladle with which she beat Namio, who was wearing glasses and a suit. They were so funny. It was a lot of fun. They all the pop kids came out and we all danced around. Anna-san announded that there would be a 10 minute break before the special guest live. I was seized with a fear that my friends would htink it was the end and leave, but they didn't.
During the 10 minute break, Maiko-san appeared in her costume. She looked so gorgeous! She was wearing the black satin cargo-pants she'd worn that one day, and a very low cut black top with bell sleeves with slits in the shoulders. The Boyz were also all in black. Yuuta's black shirt had one long sleeve and one sleeveless sleeve. Only he could have pulled it off. He looked very hot, with his almost chin legnth hair waving over one eye. Atushi had on a tight black tank top and looked handsome as always. Namio had on a black shirt and a black paper-boy hat.
I was able to watch the Zin Rye live from the wings. I'm glad I did, because I was given the best slash moment ever. Right before they went out to do their dance, Atushi and Yuuta shared a long, tight hug.
I was so happy! And, slashiness aside, it was really moving, to see how close they really are, and how much trust they have in eachother. Especially because boys are never very physical, especially Japanese boys, and this wasn't a 'manly' pat-pat hug, it was a real, bodies pressed together hug. During their dance, Atsushi landed right on the edge of the stage, causing all of us watching to gasp, even Maiko-san who was waiting for her enterance in the wings, who looked at us and gasped 'Abunai! Giri giri!' (Yikes! That was so close!).
At the beginning of the Zin Rye live, I noticed a girl dancing a bit with a Pop boy, presumably to keep him from going on stage. They I realized it was Anna-san, and that the bou ewas Yuu, the one who had his dance with Namio. After Yuu went out on stage, Anna-san stayed and watched from wings, a big smile of her face. She looked so beautiful, in white terry cloth sweat pants and the blue Love Junx shirt. (I decided that everone looks good in blue, because both Anna-san and Maiko look great in it). So for a while I stood and watched her, that tiny waist, that beautiful hour-glass shaped back of hers clad in the tight L.J t-shirt, and I jusy felt such an outpouring of love towards her. In that moment, I really felt how precious she was to me, with a keeness that was painful.
After Zin-Rye's live was over, Maiko-san called us all out, and United began. We all sang and danced our hearts out, and I made sure to sing to my ryugakusei and Nakagawa-san. Yuuta happened to be near me, and at one point I looked over, and he had such a bright smile on his face. United ended and we all bowed.
then, amazingly, we heard shouts of 'Encore!!' The audiance was giving us an encore!!! I looked over at Maiko-san, who was near me, and whispered 'Do we have anything for an encore?' I guess everyone was thinking the same thing, because Anna-san's MC came on: 'Well, they want an encore, what are we gonna do everyone?' Then she announced that we would do one more song, 'Dekai Uchuu ni ai ga aru' (which is a Morning Musume song that some of the Pop kids danced to.) However, she said 'We're going to make you in the audiance take responsiblity for this encore, In order to become one with us, I want you all to stand up, and dance with us!' And the audiance did. They stood up, and waved their arms with us. It was really moving. Afterwards, Anna-san talked a bit about Love Junx and everything, and then had us thank all of the lighting etc staff. Then we all went off stage, waving and yelling. I really did feel that during the last song, and the encore, we really did become one.
After, we all got back on stage for a group photo, which took a really long time to do LOL, and partially consisted of Anna-san walking around the group looking quite worried. After we finally took the photo, it tunred out that one of the Pop kids, a 1st grader named Misa, was missing, so Anna-san asked everyone to let her know if they found her. (She was found a few minutes later, thank goodness). After the photo, I ran over to my ryuugakusei who were all standing there, and hugged them and thanked them for coming. They all said they had a good time. Nakagawa-san said that Anna-san was sugoi, and that she had expected a larger person, but that she was small, and yet so amazing. (Yay). Of the Boyz, Brittany said 'Those boys sure can dance' Kinoko-chan said that Maiko-san had an amazing voice. And best of all, everyone said that they had had a really good time. Nakagawa-san hugged me and said I had looked so happy. She also said that Okumura-san (who had had to leave a bit earlier and couldn't wait for me) had been really moved, and cried a couple of times.
Then I went back to get my stuff and change. Maiko-san was there, and a bunch of people got tearful hugs from Maiko-san, but just as I would probably have gotten mine (since we were all in a circle) we realized that one lone Pop kid was dancing on the stage, so Maiko-san ran off to retrieve him. At one point a bunch of people came backstage. I don't know who they were, a bunch of official important people, I guess, because Anna-san bowed to them, and thanked them deeply, with her sincere, gratitude smile, the one where her brows draw together.. (one of the guys was the guy who arranged the music (I guess for that Sheba song) who talked to Maiko-san for a moment, something I didn't catch about her image and the Boyz, I think.

After we had all said a thousands Otsukaresama!s I made my way with the OLs to the place where we were having the After party. (none of the ex-Actor's people came, they all had seemed very very busy.) We all sat around a big table and ate. Fukuda-san gave a little speech, and then it turned into all of us giving speeches.
Ai said that of course she really loves Anna-san, but that at the self-scheduled rehearsal on Tues (The one I couldnt go to cuz I was sick, which seems to have been so amazing) she had really got the feeling that everyone was trying so hard to make things work, and to cooperate with eachother, even without Anna-san there, and how she had really felt that that was what Love Junx was about, that we're doing this all not for Anna-san's sake, but because we all really want to, for ourselves, that we want this to be something we all make together.
One of the OLs said that lately it had seemed like Anna-san had to tend to the Pop class so much that we were kind of left behind, but that things had come out really well anyway, and that in any case, she was here because of Anna-san, because she had followed Anna-san, because she loved Anna-san and thought she was an amazing person, and wanted to keep being with her.
Tomoko-san said how glad she was to have Hyper and how when she went, even though it eas tough going when she had work and what not that it made her feel better, no matter how tired or depressed she was.
Uchida-san said that he wanted to be a member of it with all of us forever.
Another of the OLs said that what Anna-san had said about all of us having so many things in our lives outside of Hyper, and that Hyper should be a place where we it was really a place where we could forget all that and just have fun, and that it really was like that, and how that was so important.
We really felt like a group. A warm, all friendly, no cliques groups, and it was so nice. I resolved to try to put away my jealousy about anyone who has any connection with Maiko-san or Anna-san, and just try to really like everyone, and treasure all of the members. Because I finally realized that no matter how much I love Anna-san and Maiko, Hyper is not just the two of them. It's everyone. All of us.
The thing about Anna-san is...she's there, and yet she's still unattainable. She's so warm and open and sincere, and yet she's so busy...it's like that one Free Time, where she wouldn't come over to you, but she'd help you if you asked for it, as sincerely and heartfelt as anything. I don't know, maybe it's just because we've been so busy for so long. Because she certainly talks more, and listens to all of us. And I think I'm just babbling now, and I've lost the point of what I was trying to say. I guess it goes back to the them that I just love Anna-san (and Maiko-san) too much, too desperately. I want too much from them.
But from this week on, it'll be a new set of lessons, without any live to practice for. So we'll see. How things are now. Because I realize that I was forgetting a lot of things up there. How Anna-san taught me the Run DMC dance all by herself, and how kind she was and how she talked to me then, how she is during lessons, and that she does listen to me when I speak, and smile at me and laugh with me at things. And Maiko-san too, how she always talks to me in her cute English, and hugs me, and makes a point of saying hi. It's just that everyone was so busy and preoccupied at the concert. I shouldn't have expected any of that then.


PEOPLE's COMMENTS

I just talked to Nakagawa-sensei and Okumura-san about the Live. They said it was wonderful, and so moving. Okumura-san said that she was so moved to see all the Pop kids dancing their hearts out, and that she got so much power and energy from them. Both of them said that Anna-san is really succeeding in her goals for Love Junx, and that they were really moved, and decided to support Love Junx not because of any explaination, but through watching them, and seeing Anna-san with the Pop kids, dancing with them, and holding them and how gentle and kind she was to all of them, and how when they had to escort some of the kids off stage, you could tell that they did it so that the kids understood, and didn't just drag them off. Nakagawa-san said that Anna-san must have so much love in her for the kids to gather around her like they do. She also said that she was so suprised when the petite, cute young woman who came out at the beginning introduced herself as Makino Anna, because she had imagined some one a lot bigger, and even more suprised when Anna-san did all the MC and everything herself 'even though she was the dance instructor.' Okumura-san said as well that Anna-san was such a wonderful person, and that it was rare to meet someone like that, and she thanked me for giving her a chance to see her, and to see Love Junx. They also said that Zin-Rye was amazing. (They both thought Atsushi was hot. LOL) Nakagawa-san said that while Maiko-san was singing she had felt that she was looking and singing at her. (This is the thing that's amazing about Maiko-san, her ability to make you feel that way) She said that Maiko-san had beautiful, really kind eyes. Okumura-san said that it was really well balanced, with all of us, and then the ten minute break, and then the Zin-Rye live, all of which were wonderful in different ways. They said again and again how moving it all was, and how amazing, to see all the Pop kids just dancing with everything they had, and to see how Anna-san was with them, and how glad they were that such a place, and such a person existed, and how they would definately go to anything else Love Junx does, even after I go home. It made me really happy to hear them say all this, that they really *understood* what Love Junx is about, and that they felt the energy and the power and everything. I guess it means that Love Junx and Anna-san really is suceeding. It also made me happy because listening to them talk, it reminded me of how I had felt after the BB WAVES concert, and it made me so happy, to think that there's still a place now that makes you feel that way.

I talked to Caroline about the live later, and she said that Maiko-san was so beautiful, and she really liked her, because she didn't have the normal Japanese girl body, but was 'volumptous'. (She agreed that Maiko-san has a Japanese J-Lo butt.) She also said that Maiko's hair was so pretty, and asked if it was all her own. (I had wondered that myself, but not gotten a chance to ask. I think that maybe the back was extensions, since I didn't think that Maiko-san's hair was that long, but then again, I haven't seen her with it down for a while I don't think.) She agreed with me about the Maiko-san's being innately sexual [when she dances]. She also said that Maiko-san's voice was so beautiful, and also confessed to thinking that Maiko-san was singing especially to/for her [and her camera]. She said that Atsushi was so cute, and hot. She was really suprised that he is only 17. So am I actually. (Yuuta is 18 btw, Namio is 23 and Maiko-san is 22). She also said that Anna-san was very cool. She is going to come and sit in on a lesson