NANA MIZUKI LIVE ZIPANGU 2017 13本目 at Saitama!

I only took 2 weeks for this report! Whoaaaa! Such an improvement from the usual. Then again, this was my favorite from all the LIVE ZIPANGU concerts I went to and once you read the report you'll know why. It felt really special for a handful of reasons and I am really glad I got to experience it. This night really made ZIPANGU become one of my favorite lives so far.

(For report on LIVE ZIPANGU 2017 11本目 at Niigata, go [here]!)

(For report on LIVE ZIPANGU 2017 千秋楽 at Saitama, go [here]!)

Goods

I repeated my mistake of times past and once again underestimated the cold of Saitama. Figured that surely it couldn't be too bad in March, but nope was wrong. The queuing seemed to also be one of those times when things didn't run as smoothly so I got to spend A LOT of time standing about freezing to death. Definitely my favorite past time. Forgot to mention in my previous post that the smartphone cover had sold out, so was hoping to get it today... but nope, on that too. Sold out AGAIN (It's okay, I got it through the fan club later). 

So, I didn't realize this at Niigata, but Nana had actually done a sort of "the calligraphy of today" thing for each concert during LIVE ZIPANGU. As in, she did the calligraphy herself. Today's was "umasugiru" which can be either taken as "too good" or "too delicious". Going by Nana's fondness for food though, I would go with delicious.

Inside Saitama Super Arena

So today's seats were a lot better than I had anticipated. We were almost right beside middle stage!! Haven't been this close in a while so it was super exciting. And thennnn, the opening movie! You can find the description for it in my previous report.

SET LIST:

01. WILD EYES

02. Hatsu Koi

03. Junketsu Paradox

MC1

04. BRACELET

05. Tears' Night

06. ETERNAL BLAZE

Cherry Boys -Showcase

07. STAND UP!

08. Clutch!!

MC2

09. STORIES

10. ALONE ARROWS

11. Eden

Team Yo-Da -Showcase

12. Please Download

13. Lovely Fruit

MC3

14. SUPER GENERATION

15. TWIST&TIGER

Onanadori -movie

16. Hime Murasaki

17. Etsuraku Camellia

MC4

18. Mysterion

19. SCARLET KNIGHT

20. UNLIMITED BEAT

MC5

21. Meguri au subete ni

Encore:

22. RODEO COWGIRL

23. Young Alive!

MC6

24. Zettaiteki Koufukuron

25. Hana wa Saku

26. STARTING NOW

Outfit #1 - Traditional Kimono

01. WILD EYES

Nana was revealed from inside a giant peach (momo) just like how Momotaro was born. It was a nice touch as it made me look back fondly on the previous Zachou Kouen.

02. Hatsu Koi

The grandeur of this song was really amazing today as well - albeit in a different way than in the small venue of Niigata. There, it had instantly moved through you as it made it's way through the small space, but here it instead surrounded you. It was really, really cool.

03. Junketsu Paradox

The last of the powerful opener trio!! I kinda wish I wasn't enjoying this so much, because it makes the songs pass so much quicker. (>-< )

MC1

Nana wishes us all welcome and then starts listing  all kinds of sevens related to ZIPANGU and tonight (such as 2017, the tour starting on 7.1., it being her 7th time in SSA - the first one being LIVE FORMULA and the previous LIVE THEATER).  She teases that maybe something special will happen tonight...?

Outfit #1 - Revamped

04. BRACELET

Tonight this didn't seem so out of place after all the Japanesey starter songs, I guess because I knew it was coming. I even got goosebumps from the opening tunes. I have to say I like how this whole tour actually feels a bit more mature than the summer tours that tend to be upbeat.

05. Tears' Night

Tonight's wintery song. This kinda fit the flow better than Crystal Letter I feel. I can never really get enough of that powerful instrumental bit in this song. 

06. ETERNAL BLAZE

Blaze it!! I was so glad that the Cheribo intros were coming after this because I was so into jumping along to EtaBure that I could really use a bit of a breather afterwards.

Cherry Boys -Showcase

Nothing really to add here. Same stuff as what I wrote about in my Niigata report - Cheribos having they own Japanesey fun, which was a pleasure to watch. 

Outfit #2 - Uniform Dress

07. STAND UP!

For this song Nana appeared on the middle stage, right beside us! I can't help but think that because she saw our foreign faces, she spent less time facing our way during the song. xD I'm probably just imagining it though. Also, noticed that during the line :

「理想の大人」になれる日を未だに追いかけている
("Risou no otona" ni nareru hi wo  ima dani oikaketeiru /
 I am still chasing the day I can become "the ideal adult")

Nana said 「理想の自分」( "risou no jibun" / "the ideal me") instead. I kinda like when this kind of stuff happens, especially when it isn't just another part of the song that she happens to sing in an incorrect verse but something original. It makes me think about WHY it happened. Did it reflect Nana's current feelings somehow? Of course we'll never know for sure.

08. Clutch!!

Somehow I enjoyed Clutch!! more tonight than I have before, maybe it was because I was so into it before I actually realized it was Clutch!!. Not that I mind though, I like it when songs grow on me, even if it takes a very long time to happen.

MC2

Nana is so proud of her outfit and gladly answered our mawatte! -calls. For the mou Ikkai she gets Martin to join her. She then proceeds to make fun of his rapping. She asks what he has done so far this year and he's like "I've slept". He's been very sho ene (using just a little energy). Nana talks about Okinawa and how they went whale watching. Nana's impersonation of the air sprouting out of their backs was priceless. She then explains the special corner of ZIPANGU and lists the previous pairings and songs for the duets. Tonight is Kado-D's turn and the song is STORIES. Kado-D tells that his family is not here tonight (Nana asked), because of a fever but his kid told everyone to say "papa ganbatte" (=dad do your best) so of course we do.

09. STORIES

While I was really excited to hear a violin solo this time (being a violinist myself), it's a bit of a shame that it was STORIES again for this corner as that's what I also heard in Niigata with Kenny. Anyways! I think Kado-D was a bit nervous as he sounded a bit off key in the beginning, but he soon got past it and man it was so goooddddddd. I really wish this song would have gone on forever.

10. ALONE ARROWS

I was really looking forward to hearing this again and as expected, it sounded super intense in a big venue like SSA. Really happy to get to experience it on both ends of the venue size spectrum, since this song ended up being such a pleasant surprise live.

11. Eden

I'm glad that Eden was permanently on the setlist instead of rotating, since I haven't heard this song enough many times live yet. I guess it'll become one of those songs that we only really hear during winter lives, if we do hear it.

Team Yo-Da -Showcase

Same stuff as in my previous report, with the addition of a bunch more Team Yo-Da members with their own Japanesey twists that I sadly don't remember. 

Outfit #3 - Idol Dress

12. Please Download

This song still didn't redeem itself for me. Even my fiancé who actually liked Please Download a lot when listening to it from the album, unlike me, had to admit that it kinda feels flat live - it just doesn't have the excitement and punch that most dance songs do. Hope it won't show up too often in the lives that follow after ZIPANGU. Unless you happen to really like it, then I will wish for it to show up for you!

13. Lovely Fruit

Oooh, Lovely Fruit!! For this song, Nana once again came on the middle stage! It was really awesome to get to see this so close up, even if most of the time she was facing some other direction.

MC3

For this, Nana's still on middle stage! She talks about the idol corner thing and again jokes about how old she is already. She talks about her seiyuu kouhai (3 of them?) and how they sing her songs... She says she could have that kind of group herself any time with other "onee-san" like Yui Horie. She also mentions that Yo-Da's Mika is getting married and if I recall correctly she bumped into something related to that in Okinawa...? I could be wrong though. xD

14. SUPER GENERATION

Today was once again SUPER GENERATION's turn. Would have liked more variety here, but guess that will be happening tomorrow. :3 I can't be too greedy....

15. TWIST&TIGER

Seeing Nana singing this with more Team Yo-Da dancing on the stage tonight really had me hyped for the musical that was to come (more on that later once I get as far as my musical reports...). I honestly can't get enough of how much fun they're having on stage - so glad they can do this stuff for a living. 

Onanadori -movie

For the description of this, please check out the Niigata report! The most important part is Gennosuke-samaaaaaa!! <3

Outfit #4 - Classy Visual Kei

16. Hime Murasaki

Nana showed up on stage elevated between two enormous wings. It wasn't a a thing to ride around on this time like it usually is, but these wings were so huge and beautiful that it was magnificent in its own way. Also as an added bonus, Aniki appeared! I'm so happy that Hime Murasaki got the extra Aniki oomph to it, as it's such a powerful and emotional song.

17. Etsuraku Camellia

I was really looking forward to seeing this and the beautiful Team Yo-Da behind paper doors choreography again. It was of course in grander scale than in Niigata, since there were more dancers now in this big venue. It is ideas like this that really made me fall in love with LIVE ZIPANGU and I don't think I have felt so giddy at a live since LIVE FLIGHT.

Outfit #4 - Revamp

MC4

Nana talks about the wings. They are apparently really heavy (2.7 tons) and they definitely look it too. She says how she feels like the Sachiko-sama of the seiyuu world. [Sachiko-sama] is an enka singer who has the tendency to pull similar kind of shenanigans during her performances. She also mentions Gennosuke again and the possibility of a new Basilisk (which has been confirmed now btw), which she finds very odd since all the characters are dead. A lot of Team Mizuki are Basilisk fans. She tells how back in the day when Nana did the recording for Basilisk the rest of the cast were her super senpais. They did some sort of "test" for her. Sugita was there too and said he'd kill her or something if she messes up..? xD Aniki is here!

18. Mysterion

I love this song way more than I should (it honestly feels like a bit of a guilty pleasure) and am really reveling in getting to hear it multiple times during this tour. I always thought that it is a great example of Nana's talented voice use with the quick alternating between high and low notes in the chorus.

19. SCARLET KNIGHT

The familiar opening bell toll sent me flying into a state of great excitement, but also confusion. I had been keeping tabs on the song rotations for LIVE ZIPANGU and this surely hadn't been a part of it. I couldn't make sense out of it -why would she sing this tonight?- until Itaruvich appeared.... and then it hit me. It hit me really hard. Let me explain.

I am sure all of you have had the pleasure of hearing the undisputed best rendition of SCARLET KNIGHT Nana has ever sang live, namely the [a capella version] she sang at LIVE THEATER. The choir accompanying her was lead by Itaruvich's lovely wife, Eri. I actually mentioned stumbling onto her English blog in my [LIVE THEATER report]. What you might not have heard, however, is that she had been fighting an unforgiving illness for a long time and sadly passed away around Christmas in 2016. Itaruvich hadn't participated in LIVE ZIPANGU so far, most likely due to the unbearable grief he must be dealing with.

So SCARLET KNIGHT popping up and Itaruvich showing up for that particular song tonight (not to mention this being the same venue, Saitama Super Arena, as for LIVE THEATER) must mean that this was all a beautifully thought out tribute to his late wife. I was really touched that Nana managed to find a way to honor her memory in such a grand way without taking away the privacy of Itaruvich's grief, as talking about it and explaining it to all of us during an MC would have done. She did it for him and him alone - it was not meant for us to make the connection.

I felt so sad after realizing all this. May Eri rest in peace and know that she is loved. Itaruvich is even holding a [memorial concert] for his wife now a year after her passing.

20. UNLIMITED BEAT

I'm glad something like this followed the heart-wrenching SCARLET KNIGHT so I could drag myself out of the deep pit of feels. It is pretty much an undisputed fact now that nothing can get you as fired up as a Nana Symphogear song live. They just ooze so much energy and fire.

MC5

Now Nana goes to bug Itaruvich. I kinda wondered if they were going to talk about his wife after all, but they were just up to their usual pun shenanigans. So, he makes a pun about the English in "Saitama Super Arena", which I can't recall now properly.  Nana then talks about the upcoming Nanoha movie, Nanoha: Reflection, and how the recording for it is next week. It'll be a new chapter in Fate's life, as so far Nana has played her as a very young girl and then suddenly a grownup. This time it'll be between the two extremes as Fate will be a 5th grader in primary school. She does the usual talk about Beautiful as well, about her bangs and the PV. Then it's time for the last song, which is for all of us.

21. Meguri au subete ni

It was time for some self-reflection once again as the live rendition of this is so powerful. You just really want to say yes when she tells you to face everything head on. I wish I could jump start myself like this every day, I feel I'd get a lot more shit done.. :3

Encore call!

Sniff... so sad that we are already so close to the end. (T^T)

Outfit #5 - Encore

22. RODEO COWGIRL

Time to lighten up the mood a bit with this live's towel song. Still can't say I am a huge fan of it, but still fun nonetheless. More fun tonight actually, since Nana went around on a traditional looking cart pulled by some oxen.

23. Young Alive!

This was a surprise! An extra song she didn't sing in Niigata! :o Bring it!! Wasn't expecting Young Alive! at all, but it felt very welcome to keep this night going a bit longer. :3

MC6

Shassu! Again Nana mentions the777th smile-gang and how it's almost to 800th now! Nana thanks everyone for listening to this obaka (silly) radio show of hers and Misato's. She mentions some of her achievements so far and how perhaps next it will be time for LIVE WORLD where she goes around the world? Considering how Nana has a tendency to make all her dreams a reality, I wouldn't be too surprised if this does end up happening in the future. Next song is for all of us, of course. It always makes Nana tear up.

24. Zettaiteki Koufukuron

It was really nice to get to hear this together with my fiancé. I got to thinking that how the simple repetitive nature of the whole song radiates a very raw form of feelings of love. Like, it's really hard to express that to someone, so in your awkwardness you maybe hope that if you repeat it a few times the magnitude of your feelings can get across to the other person. 

Bonus MC

Today is the 6th anniversary of the great earthquake. Nana talks of her feelings about wanting to do something. She mentions how she did something with her friend Mika-chan back then and last year  she released the anime star version of Hana wa Saku with Yamadera-san. So just tonight as a special thing she would like to sing it for us.

25. Hana wa Saku

This is turning out to be such a night of feelings. It was clear that Nana was still feeling the sorrow for all the victims of the great earthquake and she put that all into singing this song now. It was amazing to hear Nana sing all of it herself, as the recording had her paired up with Yamadera Koiichi.

26. STARTING NOW

After the heavy overload of feels, it was nice to get a bit of a cheering up at the very end. Tonight had given me a lot to think about and mull over in my head, so shaking it up here by jumping up like crazy felt very refreshing. 

Afterwards, Nana was doing her usual rounds from one end of the stage to the other in order to bid farewell to everyone. When she started making her way to the middle stage that we were close to, my fiancé suggested we'd make a heart with our hands together by each of us making one half of it. He figured that it could be something that'll catch Nana's attention.So we did that when she was waving in our direction and she answered our <3 with a <3!! Wahhhh, so happy!