Anime Expo 2010 and AKB48, RSP, SOPHIA...

やっぱり日本語でしゃべることがあんまりすきじゃない．．．

めちゃ恥ずかしかった(T^T)

BUT! I suppose these things take time..."まだまだだね"

One day, I'll be able to speak with more confidence!~

Even in English, I find myself stuttering often when I try to speak and struggling to find the words I need to say.

Perhaps now I'm not very fluent in any language. Or was I ever able to speak clearly? (笑)

However, as Mitsuru Matsuoka (松岡充) from SOPHIA confessed during his concert, even without speaking the same language, we can all still communicate and understand one another. If that's really so, then I hope that all the Guests of Honors I met could understand my feelings of happiness and excitement. We were all so starstruck that I can only guess we looked like a couple of idiots gaping at the Japanese celebrities.

Mitsuru Matsuoka and us

AKB48 Day 1: Red Carpet

The Guest of Honor I was most excited to see this year was by far AKB48

<3

I had bought a ticket to see their concert on the first day of AX and made sure I made it to their panel and autograph session on time. Ever since I had known AKB would be at Anime Expo, I've been so excited I haven't been thinking of anything else. Unfortunately, there were many other people like me there...but on the bright side, I had a chance to meet other AKB fans such as myself.

AKB48 seemed to be the most popular group at Anime Expo. It had been my first time watching one of their concerts, and of course, meeting a few of the members. The concert was such a great experience!, (even if only 16 of the 48 were there to perform). I had so much fun waving my glowsticks and trying to remember all the cheers! The encore was a nice addition to it all, as well.

Here is a list of the songs they performed, in order:

1 - River
2 - Aitakatta (会いたかった)
3 - Iiwake Maybe (言い訳Maybe)

Intro
4 - Kuroi Tenshi
5 - Seifuku Resistance
6 - Bird - Takamina, Rie (Mariko), Sasshi (Maimai)
7 - Heart Gata Virus - Haruna, Ami (Nozomi) , Mocchi (Maimai)
8 - Blue rose - Sayaka, Sae, Yuko, Miichan

MC
9 - Boku no Taiyo (僕の太陽)
10 - BINGO! (English version)
11 - Oogoe Diamond (大声ダイヤモンド)(English version)
MC
12 - Sakura no Shiori (桜の栞)

ENCORE
13 - Namida surprise! (涙サプイズ！)
14 - Ponytail to Shushu (ポニーテールとシュシュ)
15 - Hikouki Gumo

Here is a list of the 16 girls chosen to perform in L.A.:

Team A members Asuka Kuramochi, Haruna Kojima, Rino Sashihara, Aki Takajo, Minami Takahashi, Atsuko Maeda, Ami Maeda; Team K members Sayaka Akimoto, Tomomi Itano, Yuko Oshima, Erena Ono, Moeno Nito, Reina Fujie, Minami Minegishi, Sae Miyazawa; and Team B member Rie Kitahara.

(Should I type all this in Japanese as well?) Perhaps.

concert pics from msn jp

The next day after the concert, AKB48 were having their panel in the morning, where fans, such as us, were allowed to ask questions. Unfortunately, only 8 of the girls were there to attend since the other 8 had left America the night before. My sister, Sean, and I all went up and decided to ask a question. Right after the panel ended, everyone from the room sprinted all the way across the convention center to line up for the autograph session in exhibit hall. We were yelled out for running, and when we reached the booth, security was being extremely uptight about fans. We were finally allowed to line up, and then we stood there patiently, waiting for the girls from AKB to show up. The girls from AKB were only there to sign for an hour, so only a small fraction of the fans waiting in line were able to get their autographs. Luckily for us though, (and thanks to our sprinting efforts), we were part of that small percentage. It was certainly a happy day for us!

Over the next few days, we continued our mission of collecting autographs from some of the other Guests of Honors we were eager to meet, especially RSP. Before coming to AX, I was not aware of the fact they were attending, so I was surprised to see them there, but overjoyed when I realized they were staying for all the 4 days. I managed to get their autograph twice, and bid them farewell as they were leaving on the final day. As for SOPHIA, my sister and I were not very familiar with the band, but after seeing their concert, I can honestly say that they had completely won us over. What an entertaining group! Especially their vocalist...

meow

concert picture from anime expo forums

Overall, Anime Expo 2010 was the best year they've had in a few, in my opinion! Besides the wonderful GoHs present this year, (AKB!!! and etc), another plus was the usage of Nokia theater, Nokia Plaza, and best of all, Club Nokia, (which is 10x better than that ballroom at the JW Mariott), and the Japanese DJs, too! The cosplayers this year were on a completely different level, and the convention center was packed with people all weekend

long. I met a lot of people this year while meeting up

with older friends from previous years. Of course, there were also a few things going on this year that some people weren't happy about, but we won't get to that section...

However, I am pretty upset to know that this year was Raven's last year here. It feels as if he's been here and a part of AX forever. What will the dances be like without him?? Hopefully though, we'll still be able to see him somewhere in the future.

Did I also mention? I never cosplay, but this year I wore my Japanese school uniform when I could. Some people found it amusing, after all...

AX really is the best!! Even though I had to miss out on it last year, (being in Japan and all), I was satisfied with this year's and I can't wait to see the next!

P.S.

A couple of days ago, I happened to be reading something from the blog of Sashihara Rino (指原莉乃) that made me laugh:

"ロサンゼルスって、エスカレーターは左右どちらかに寄るルールが無いんですよ"

This is true!! I was pleased that someone other than myself had found this important enough to point out, ...even though I'm sure many other visitors in America from Asia have noticed this as well...

P.P.S.

In the future, I hope I'll be motivated to write and post more on my blog.

And originally, I intended to post this blog up over a week ago, but some last minute complications made that impossible.

Aftershock

Since I have left Japan, it has been a little more than a month. As a matter of fact, just a few days again was the date of our arrival in Japan last year, March 18. (Can you imagine all the new kids arriving in Japan for the first day, not knowing what to expect, who they will meet? I worry for their sanity in the future). It certainly is unbelievable how quickly time flies by. One year already, too soon, too fun, and all gone. All there is left now are the memories...and this lovely short essay I was made to write as part of the requirements of my scholarship I received.

This is how it goes:

AFS Post Program Essay

My one year AFS experience in Japan was the most memorable event in my life. I had the chance to learn so much in one year, about the culture, language, and people of a different country. It has certainly been an unbelievable once in a lifetime opportunity that I consider myself to be fortunate to have had. I have had the opportunity to meet many new people and make lifetime friends. This AFS experience has made an incredible impact on my life and left me with many unforgettable memories.

From the beginning, I had no idea what to expect of when I arrived in Japan, a country in which I had absolutely no knowledge of their language and culture. As the year went on, I gradually became use to the lifestyle and found that I was even beginning to understand the language. Throughout the year, I worked and studied hard by applying myself to my everyday life in Japan. Although there were many incidents in when I was placed in uncomfortable situations, I considered these times as opportunities to test my strength. Through all the discrimination and mistreatment I received, I was able to overcome the obstacles in my way. Day by day, I improved and understood the true importance of my position just a little bit more than I had before. Without giving up, I have found myself in a new place in the world. I persevered through the year and the satisfaction and happiness that I have come to possess is evidence enough for my efforts.

I have learned the importance of relationships. It is due to the help and encouragement of my friends that I was able to make the most of my year in Japan. Together with my friends, we have accomplished an uncountable number of goals and enjoyed our life in Japan to the fullest. I do not believe a single day went by empty or uninteresting. My friends have contributed to the majority of my memories in Japan, such as going to Hiroshima with my AFS chapter or to Hokkaido with my schoolmates. I consider myself fortunate to have met so many great people, Japanese or from any other country, and I am also thankful for being able to have met such caring and kind people along the way who have helped me out.

Having to leave Japan was the most difficult part of the year. As well as everyone else, my only wish was to stay longer. I believe that when I grow up, I will return to Japan and until then, I hope to be able to frequently go back to visit. I have come to realize the value of all of my relationships, and I hope that I will be able to keep my relationships from Japan intact. I hope to continue to study Japanese for this sake.

All the life-changing experiences that I have been through will definitely stay with me for the rest of my life, and I will use this to my advantage. With the knowledge and wisdom that I have gained this past year, I will be sure to apply this to my life, starting now. This has been a very rewarding experience, and I have been able to learn just a bit more about myself as well as the rest of the world. I am very grateful for this wonderful opportunity from AFS.

サヨナラspeech

The following is my farewell speech, which I recited to my school during one of my final days in Japan...

私が日本で過ごした時間は、

私にとってすばらしい経験でした。

新しい言葉や文化を学んだ、だけでなく、

新しい人々と出会いがありました。

日本語の勉強は難しかったです。

一生懸命がんばりました。

友達と話すことも勉強になりましたし

様々な場所に行ったりして日本の文化を学びました。

また、クラスの皆と一緒に日本語でおこなわれる

授業はわからないところもいっぱいありましたが、

みんなと一緒だったので、楽しく勉強できました。

親切なホストスクールのおだげで、

私は楽しい生活をおくることができました。

また樟蔭で楽しく過ごしました。

学校でテニスクラブに入り、一生懸命練習しました。

また伝統的な茶道も学びました。

生徒や先生たちはみんな親切でいつでもたすけてくれました。

日本の学校は、アメリカと違います。

アメリカの学校では制服はありません。

なのでとてもおどろきました。

夏の北海道への修学旅行では、アイスクリームやカニなど

おいしいものを食べて、美しい所をたくさん訪れました。

高原学者やスキー学者でもたのしい

思い出がたくさんできました。

体育祭では、一生懸命走り、その日はとても疲れました。

文化祭では演技や出し物を見たり、クラスでお店を出しました。

アメリカでは、このようなイベントをしないので、

私には新しい経験でした。

私は日本に来て本当によかったです。

日本でのこの一年は、本当に楽しくすばらしい経験でした。

皆さん、本当にありがとうございました。

My classmates 冬組み０９－１０

Here is what is vaguely means in English...

The time that I have spent in Japan has been a great experience for me. Not only have I learned a new language and culture, but i have also made new friends in Japan. I've had a wonderful life in Japan because of my kind host school. I've been given many opportunities for which I am grateful for, such as being at Shoin. At Shoin, I have joined the tennis club and am learning about the traditional Japanese tea ceremony. The students all have been kind and welcoming towards me. My teachers as well. I have befriended many at school, and in Japan, in general.

School is a lot different in Japan than in America, so it has been interesting to learn. It had been difficult at first, but I gradually became used to this lifestyle. With everyone so willing to help, I never felt lost or unwelcomed. I've had many opportunities at Shoin, like the trip to Hokkaido, the sports festival, and the culture festival. This past year has been full of excitement and wonderful memories. At Hokkaido, I had the chance to try many delicious kinds of food and to visit many new places. During the sports festival, I had tried very hard in the races; I was exhausted by the end of the day. As for the culture festival, I enjoyed seeing the performances and events throughout the day and eating the food. These were all certainly unforgettable events during my stay in Japan, and they were all new experiences for me, since in America, those kinds of events do not exist. It was nice to be able to experiment so many new things in Japan. It has helped me come to understand Japanese culture in a better sense. Being in Japan is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I have enjoyed every moment of it. This past year has been full of wonderful experiences that have helped me learn and understand a new culture and language.

My last bento box on my last day of school