NANA MIZUKI LIVE GATE 2018 Day 1 at Nippon Budokan

Long time, no write folks. For once I have legit reasons for being so late instead of excuses, but I guess it doesn't really make a difference... since late is late. Anways, here I am with the first LIVE GATE report! The first.....of six. Ouch. I'm thinking of going for a bit of a different approach from normal for these reports as the format of LIVE GATE is pretty unique with its 7 days concept, so in all the later reports I am only going to write about the songs that were changed from previous rotations and any repeated songs during which something worth mentioning happened. Hope that's fine for everyone!

(For short format report on LIVE GATE 2017 Day 2, go [here]!)

(For short format report on LIVE GATE 2017 Day 4, go [here]!)
(For short format report on LIVE GATE 2017 Day 5, go [here]!)
(For short format report on LIVE GATE 2017 Day 6, go [here]!)
(For short format report on Live Viewing of LIVE GATE 2017 Day 7, go [here]!)



Goods

We ended up going for goods really late today, because of some ticket delivery mishaps.... long story short, they were sent back to sender and we spent the whole morning before the live today waiting and praying for the tickets to arrive on time with their redelivery. They did and after that we were able to spring into action and come have a look at the goods. It was already afternoon though so my hopes weren't high.... but I was wrong. Everything we wanted apart from the ticket file were still in stock so we got most of our goods sorted in around an hour of queuing. Lucky!! Wish it was this easy most of the time.

Inside Nippon Budoukan
Our seats tonight were the best ones from all the ones we got for LIVE GATE, so I would have really been sad if we hadn't gotten our tickets in time for today. We got to be on the magical row 7 in A-8 block, which was sooo close to the mid part of the stage.

SET LIST:

01. Vitalization

02. ROMANCERS' NEO

03. Sacred Force

MC1

04. Poison Lily

05. WAKE UP THE SOULS

06. HOT BLOOD

Cherry Boys -showcase

07. RUSH&DASH!

MC2

08. Phantasm

09. TRY AGAIN

Team Yo-Da -showcase

10. GLORIA

11. GUILTY

MC3

12. Destiny's Prelude

13. Suiren

Into the Gate -insert video

14. Ambivalence feat. Suga Shikao

MC4

15. TESTAMENT

16. Rock Ride Riot

17. STARTING NOW!

18. COSMIC LOVE

MC5

19. POWER GATE

Encore:

20. ETERNAL BLAZE

21. BRAVE PHOENIX

MC6

22. SUPER GENERATION

Outfit #1 - Biker Lady

01. Vitalization

This was such a strong opener, especially with how cool Nana was riding down to the stage on a motorcycle. The slope seemed really steep so props for her for riding the bike and singing such a crazy song at the same time. Come to think of it, it is not the first time she's done some crazy stuff during Vitalization since previously she was flying all over the place in LIVE FLIGHT for it. xD

02. ROMANCERS' NEO

Man it's been so long since I've heard this live and I still love it as much as I did back then. I have a feeling this song will be rotating, even though I would not mind at all to be listening to it every night. I used to sing this a lot in karaoke back in the day when they had the LIVE CASTLE version there, but once that was removed I haven't given this much love... I am sorry, because you are an amazing song. (T^T)

03. Sacred Force

This felt right at home after the powerful beginning brought forth by Vitalization and ROMANCERS' NEO. I really like it a lot when a live has such an amazing opening trio, just like there was for LIVE ZIPANGU as well.

MC1

Welcome to LIVE GATE! Nana talks about the motorcycle and tells us that it is a real custom Harley Davidson. She had it painted blue because of Tsubasa from Symphogear, who's always riding around with a bike as well. She has named the motorcycle Nana Davidson, of course. Nana strikes poses on the motorcycle while it is still rotating around joking about how models do that sort of thing at their photoshoots. She also mentions she last was in Nippon Budoukan for her Fan Club Event VI.

04. Poison Lily

Hell yeah!! I've been so excited to hear this live ever since I first heard it and it really did not disappoint. Nana was really into it as well making the whole thing just feel so powerful. This felt more like a "sexy" song that Nana is comfortable with than lets say GUILTY, since with this it wasn't imposed on her through clothing or dance - instead, it all oozed from her singing alone. I think this is the sort of thing I prefer, as much as I do love GUILTY.

Outfit #1 - Revamped

05. WAKE UP THE SOULS

God I had been waiting so long to hear this too. It's one of my favorites from NEOGENE CREATION and even more so now after hearing it live. Blew me away. The stage lights went crazy for this one, so from now on I will link the color yellow with this song subconsciously.

06. HOT BLOOD
I hadn't been very convinced by this song till now, but as always, hearing Nana singing it in person changed my mind once again. The chorus isn't anything special but the rest of the song is really superb. It was all of course topped off with an amazing Kenny guitar solo at the end.

Cherry Boys -showcase

The theme this time is cops with the Cheribos playing each others instruments. Kado-D played a little bit of DISCOTHEQUE on the sax. Itaruvich played drums. Tom-kun blew us away with his Etsuraku Camellia on guitar even though he couldn't remember the name of the song himself. Yutapon played Ai no Hoshi on the piano. Cho-san played acoustic guitar. Fire played bass. Martin did some rapping, but started late. Kenny showed us his "amazing" violin skills.... so in other words he was pretending to play while Kado-D actually played for him. Ryutan did some dancing with Team Yo-Da.

Outfit #2 - Casual Checkers

07. RUSH&DASH!

Took a moment for my brain to register that this was RUSH&DASH, but regardless I was enjoying it from the moment it began. It served as a nice relaxing picker upper after the more epic inclined beginning.

MC2

Nana gives us some explanations regarding different gate related ideas she had for the live. The stage is the [Golden Gate Bridge] and then there is also a normal gate where she rode out with the motorcycle. She also explains why the Cheribo intro video also fits with the theme (because everything has been thought out to fit!). She explains that Sakuradamon (sakuranbo = cherry, mon = gate) can be used to mean the police. I presume it is because the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department is close to the Imperial Palace gate of the same name (Sakuradamon). Nana then proceeds to scold Tom-kun for not remembering the name of her song. She is like "cough, it's Etsuraku Camellia!!" then she goes to tease Martin about his rapping mishap. Nana also talks about HOT BLOOD and mentions the quiz she had regarding the kanji used in it on her website a while ago. Nana says she loves kanji and coming up with her own meanings. She was reading the screenplay for the new Basilisk when coming up with the ones for HOT BLOOD so that they'd be suitable for the themes of the anime.

08. Phantasm
Suddenly, most of the lights went off and Nana starts with the opening monologue. Whoa, so atmospheric. This song has slowly been growing on me and tied itself around my soul these past months, so hearing it now really worked as some kind of release of many pent up emotions. Really brought tears to my eyes out of the blue thanks to how it was delivered. Thanks Nana for letting me unwind in little moments like this.

09. TRY AGAIN

Well, this was as surprise! Couldn't even recognize it at first since I don't really listen to TRY AGAIN regularly, but maybe I ought to now that I got the live treatment for it.

Team Yo-Da -showcase

The Team Yo-Da intro this time was made up to be like a dance audition, narrated by some amazing over the top English. In the end though, all members of Team Yo-Da were announced winners of the audition and everything ended happily ever after.

Outfit #3 - I don't even..

10. GLORIA
This was a bit of an unexpected song as a dance song, since Nana already sang it in her second shrine live (出雲大社御奉納公演〜月花之宴〜) without any dancing. While most of the time I feel that Nana's choreographs have become much better in recent years, GLORIA was actually very reminiscent of the old awkward ones... and the awkward outfit did not help with this either. orz All the awkwardness aside, it was kinda catchy though and I still find myself repeating some of the moves when I listen to the song at home.

11. GUILTY

Hah, just when I thought about this earlier! What can I say this really is my GUILTY-pleasure... ahahahaa... I really love this dance. Though, that outfit... >< but but it's GUILTY! Such mixed feelings w. Honestly though, I am really happy to have this make a return so soon, because usually the ones I like the most somehow disappear after being featured once (I am looking at you HIGH STEPPER). (^-^;;)

MC3

Mawatte! Can't actually remember who did the "mou ikkai" with her today. Nana talks about her endeavors around the change of the year and her exercising. Mentions those huge dumbbells she was lifting in one of her [blog posts]. She tells a story about some bag she bought and how it stained her black pants white (I kinda missed what it was, @flying_mug reckons it was white magnesium powder) and she was trying to hide it in the Shinkansen only to notice it had spread further than she expected. She also walked A LOT of stairs, was it 35 floors worth according to the health care app she had on the phone. Nana talks about the new Basilisk again and how she made new songs for it, then says the next song is for this movie that came out last year.

12. Destiny's Prelude
This worked a lot better for me live, once again. It really was the weaker release for me when this and TESTAMENT came out despite this being a Nanoha song, so I am glad to have it redeemed in my eyes like this. That outfit tho (I am gonna say this in like every song till she changes to the next one.. sorry.. I am scarred)... feels like a weird match for a heartfelt song. xD

13. Suiren
Suiren didn't really blow me away instantly when the PV came out and I was kind of wondering if it really was a worthy successor to Hime Murasaki, but after hearing this I was speechless (I know, me changing my mind after lives is getting old but bear with me). The falling sakura petals during the last chorus really were the perfect ending for this.

Into the Gate -insert video
All this gate stuff and Nana in her trench coat reaaaaally make me think of Darker than Black and reminds me of how bitter I am of not getting more seasons of Kirihara Misaki badassery. It was funny seeing Nana listening to POWER GATE on her mp3 player enjoying a cup of coffee until the mysterious gate she was keeping an eye on seemed to announce a new entity's arrival. Nana rushes to check on the gate and an aura appears.... what's going to happen....?

Outfit #4 - Elegant Blue

14. Ambivalence feat. Suga Shikao

At first I was filled with disappointment seeing Nana just appear on the stage normally instead of some flashy entrance, but then the gate doors opened and Suga Shikao walked out making it clear what the "surprise" of LIVE GATE was going to be. I haven't really listened to Suga-san sing otherwise, so I was quite impressed how well him and Nana fit together for Ambivalence. Somehow the song was just as chill as what Suga-san seemed like as a person. Such a pleasure to listen to when duet songs fit the voices of both parties.

MC4

Nana talks about her guest, Suga-san. Since Budoukan is too small to be riding around on something, this was the solution she came up with - sing with a huge tall guy instead of riding something huge! They talk about Suga Fes and how Nana was there to sing some songs. Suga says that ETERNAL BLAZE is not made to be sung by humans, but that Ambivalence was way more suitable because it didn't have any crazy shifts in rhythm and melody.

15. TESTAMENT
Just like all the other Symphogear songs so far, TESTAMENT is absolute fire live. I really love these songs also for how involving they are of the audience. It really gets you so pumped up and makes it really feel like these songs are definitely in their natural habitat experienced like this.

16. Rock Ride Riot

I heard Nana practicing this during queuing for goods this morning and I had been so stoked to get to hear it tonight as it is hands down my favorite song from NEOGENE CREATION... so I was a bit disappointed that it had been made into a towel song. The towel'ing kinda ate into the impact of the song and I would have wished it had received the same spotlight as WAKE UP THE SOULS where I could just have the song tear my soul apart from the inside.

Outfit #4 - Revamped

17. STARTING NOW!
I really like how STARTING NOW! has become like a main stay at concerts ever since its release. I guess it is not only me who has really been enjoying the involvement the choruses bring. Looks like along with it comes the time to unwind from all the high tension songs that we've been getting non-stop since the Team Yo-Da showcase.

18. COSMIC LOVE

Didn't think I would be hearing this so soon again after LIVE GALAXY, but here we are. Feels like a bit of an odd choice for a more rock flavored live, but I guess it was chosen because it fits the gate theme with her singing about opening a door.

MC5

Time for the last song! And of course it had to be this one, because of the theme of the live.

19. POWER GATE

Since this was basically the name song of this live, Nana wanted the singing together at the end to keep going longer so instead of just doing the usual "okay all the guys now" "all the girls now" thing, she also went for something random, namely what everyone ate for breakfast. xD So first up is the people who ate Japanese style breakfast. Then I think it was people who just ate some rice, though I am not sure. Then the people who ate bread. And then fried... something? And last of course, the people who ate nothing at all.

Encore call!
The first night was over before I knew it. So nice knowing that for once there are still plenty more to come.

Outfit #5 - Encore

20. ETERNAL BLAZE

As expected, this had to make an appearance before the day is over. I guess it was a good thing we got a bit of a break from being all pumped up before this came up, otherwise people's bodies might have been hitting the floor. xD Since we were so close to the stage this time, I could really feel the flames burning my sweaty face.

21. BRAVE PHOENIX

Wasn't expecting this, but I'll take it! I'm forever going to be reminded of Nana singing this in the middle of the rain during LIVE PARK and just that alone gives me some extra shivers listening to it. I am also appreciating it because the subject matter is kinda fitting with what I am thinking about right now in my life.

MC6

Shassu! Nana mentions the smile-gang batsu geemu episode and how she had to eat a bug. She started from the bottom half of the bug and ended with the face looking at her. There was also some announcement regarding something Mishi-P told her, not sure what it was but it wasn't anything too big I think. Then she says she had to end with this song since it is the first one she wrote and composed, which opened many doors for her. So of course it was going to be...

22. SUPER GENERATION
This was pretty much a given since there's hardly a live where we don't get SUPER GENERATION. I have to say I would have wanted the last song of the encore to be more of a surprise, though I shouldn't really complain since the concert as a whole has been very solid tonight. Wonder what the rest of LIVE GATE will bring?