#eplus streaming+

[gvenevera]

Kuroshitsuji Musical ~ 寄宿学校の秘密 (Secrets of the Boarding School) 2024 ~ VERA’S REVIEW!

Yes you read that right! I’ve had the most fateful chance to watch the very first performance of the newest Kuromyu in Hyogo last Saturday, so I figured I’ll eternalize some of my best memories here.

Before we begin: the LIVE STREAMING is available for the LAST PERFORMANCE, September 29th 2024, HERE! For only 3800 yen, you’ll get to watch it live at home, or watch it later for up to 1 week (October 6th)! Apparently you need a Japanese VPN though, if anyone knows how to navigate the site, please do share.

A few disclaimers from me:

*Anti-shippers DNI. This post barely has any shipping content at all but I don’t like people who harass others over fictional preferences. I’m a shipper, I can’t help being biased for my OTPs.

**Since photos were prohibited in the venue, I’ve included stage pictures featured in official news websites or accounts.

***This is by no means a critical review but merely a fangirl’s ramblings, and I often drew comparisons to the original stage play Kuroshitsuji Musical: Secrets of the Boarding School (2021). For reference, I suggest you watch it first! I intentionally avoided rewatching the 2021 version close to the airing date though, so my memories may not be accurate. Also my Japanese is mediocre so I apologize if there were important dialogues I didn’t catch.

Introduction

I know, sorry for the dilly-dally intro. But I’d like to first stress that ever since I started following Kuroshitsuji in my first year of university (like 9 years ago now lmao), I’ve ALWAYS dreamed to watch the stage musical live in person. When 2024’s performance was announced immediately after the last episode of the anime, I was overjoyed to see that our old cast was coming back.

And it was fate that gave me the opportunity - my scheduled work program this year was set to be in Kyoto AND during September! Needless to say, I had the Kuromyu ticket bought and reserved first, before my confirmation with the Kyoto office or my visa and plane ticket. Priorities, right?

Quick remark on the ticket process: I hit a snag right in the beginning because the ticket reservation website Eplus required a Japanese phone number to sign up. I contacted multiple people (middle school friend whose brother used to work in Japan, another who was quarter-Japanese, several dealer websites with high rate exchanges), until I settled on my roommate’s friend from high school who was currently working there. Many thanks to her and my roommate for the help!

She took care of registration for me - even so the advance sales was a LOTTERY ticket! We fortunately got the lucky draw - I saw many Japanese fans on X who were not so lucky, while others bought in bulk to sell later. Then, I used the online barcode to exchange for a paper ticket when I arrived in Japan on September 1st. That’s when I get to know my seat number - 3rd floor, 2nd row B. A very far position from the stage, but it’s alright because we’re here for the atmosphere anyway!

The performances for the first 2 days were set in Hyogo Performing Arts Center, KOBELCO grand hall. I’ve honestly never been to any kind of music performance (or even concerts) in my life, so I was blown away by the sheer size of the venue.

By 10 AM, the audience was trickling in. I was in awe of the fact that you can tell who was coming in to watch kuromyu - beautiful women dressed in black-and-white tones, many even sporting gothic lolita bows and dresses to keep up with the Victorian England theme. In fact, it felt like the whole of Ikebukuro were gathered here in this very building!

We were ushered into the hall entrance at 11 AM and let me tell you, the crowd was suffocating! In front of the theater, there was a goods section for Kuromyu merch. I’m so glad I took the time to queue up because it seems some of the merch were starting to sell out by the second day. The booth clerk looked perplex to see a non-Japanese customer here though. Here’s how the line looked like, and this was still early before most of the audiences got in:

(We’re not supposed to take any photos but I saw the warning signs too late…Here’s a view from where I was sitting on the third floor.)

I realized then as we were settling in that some ladies around me had binoculars!! Well how was I supposed to know you could bring those here, instead of trying to find those fancy opera glasses!?! Ah well, I was lucky that I’d recently had my prescription glasses updated and the seat to my left was vacant, so I could lean in to see the center better.

The Performance

While it is true that you can barely see the actors’ faces from the balcony seats, it was the grandness of the performance itself that blew me away. For the first time I could see the stage in all its entirety, all the actors dancing in synchronization, and the special effects…oh it had improved A LOT from 3 years prior!

The stage sets for Weston may look a tad “crowded” in the still photo, as compared to the original where they used white backgrounds but in reality, it blended in so prettily with the flashing stage lights. The middle section was a rotating floor and one of my memorable scenes was where Ciel and Sebastian were discussing their plans while crossing the rotating stage, to give the illusion of “strolling across the school grounds.” Sounds like a simple trick but if looked amazing from above.

On to the story itself - the execution actually barely changed from the 2021 rendition, which for me, was a relief! Now I know, some would argue a rerun should add in different elements, because who would want to see the same thing twice right? From past experiences with Kuromyu, the reruns tend to be hit or miss - different actors, different song remixes, voice changes, and so on. For this performance, I could barely tell that the cast (apart from Ciel, Sebastian and Undertaker) were all new members. Everyone got into character flawlessly!

The story of course followed the entirety of the Public School Arc. The script and choreography was almost identical to the 2021 stage musical version. If you would remember, this Kuroshitsuji arc was the first to be portrayed on stage before the anime adaptation - same as previously, they seemed to take inspiration from the manga only rather than the anime.

Some key moments from the play:

The opening sequence was again a recap of the previous arcs - Jack the Ripper (Lycoris that Blazed the Earth), Book of Circus (Noah’s Ark Circus), Book of the Atlantic (Tango on the Campania). I’ve always loved this part because you could tell they slipped in iconic themes from the past musicals.

Perfect Black: the main theme, and my favorite from this stage! I’m so happy to have heard it live! *swoons* Thank god they didn’t do anything weird to remix it. The whole cast dancing together was beautiful! However I thought 2021 did it better with the dramatic light focus on Sebastian during the chorus drop.

Ciel’s Earl of Phantomhive outfit was changed from the glittery blue suit to a blue-green checkered coat this year. (I’d have bought his Earl photoshoot set if I knew it beforehand) Yana-sensei later tweeted that she was the one to re-design it, to better match Eito. Then Eito Konishi himself replied, saying he was honored to play as Ciel Phantomhive, to which Yana-sensei praised his singing and called him “Eito-bocchan” …boy was he fanboying hard over that. He’s one of us!!

Arrival at Weston: I don’t have a comment on the P4 in particular, they were all straightforward from the manga. I think I like Redmond’s character the most here, he looked very pretty with the side-ponytail and while he was a show-off still, he wasn’t as annoying or arrogant as I somehow expected.

A notable interaction: Violet forcing Greenhill to pose for him at the swan gazebo. Greenhill’s actor really looked strained trying to keep an upside down bridge pose (Edward was supporting his back, but kept getting distracted). When he broke the pose and got up, Violet hit him over the head with his sketchbook so hard that the thump echoed through the hall.

As for the Prefect’s Fags: Edward and Cheslock were giving off some suspiciously gay rivals-to-lovers vibes over here. Which I kinda vibed with, I hope they kept the energy into the Blue Cult Arc!

One important thing: they kept the ALL the Fag lines! Which in Japanese accent also kinda sounded like them repeatedly calling each other “Fućk”. Oh how I wish the anime had kept those!

Soma Asman Kadar: now this guy deserves an ovation just for himself. Not only did he kill the role, he was also the funniest! Soma’s song was greatly improved and lengthened with catchier music and dancing - when his troupe “arrived” at Weston, he even dragged Ciel and Clayton to join in. I can’t do it justice, you have GOT to see those two English gentlemen crack the Indian dance moves! His pestering of Maurice Cole was hilarious and he kept exasperating Ciel out of his character, their chemistry was wonderful. I really didn’t expect to get hooked by Soma in this arc out of all people! Too bad Agni wasn’t here.

Maurice Cole’s miniarc - Flawless. Sometimes I wonder if he was an easy character to play just because his character trait is so extremely over-the-top lol.

The library kabedon scene and sebaciel burning Purple House scene didn’t exist. Another scene cut off from the last musical was where Clayton and the Blue House kids were congratulating Ciel on his fag duties and Sebastian took the chance to blend in with them. Sadly that was one of my favorite adlibs.

Ciel’s dream sequence: this was originally in the 2021 musical. After a talk with Macmillain made him revisit his past trauma, Ciel “dreamed” of the cultists, and Sebastian’s close call with Undertaker in BotA. I actually forgot about this part when I watched it in theater - the highlight was sebaciel reenacting the scene in BotA where they reached for each other, the enactment surprisingly gave me the impression of Ciel’s “worry” over Sebastian’s “vulnerability” here. Unlike the 2021 version though, Undertaker didn’t pull Ciel into a bridal carry or referenced the R!Ciel wake-up scene as clearly.

The second half after the break was the long-awaited Cricket Match. Like the previous version, there was no scene of Ciel jumping into Master Michaelis’ arms, but I think they just couldn’t fit that one into the sequence. The cricket songs were mostly the same as the original - with an improvement being them cutting out Red House’s random beauty pageant contest. It actually felt like the cricket match went by faster this time, which was a win in my book. I’ve heard people complain of Kuromyu 2021 being a “Prince of Cricket” musical, hence the bad reviews back then.

The laxative meat pie scene was hilarious. From Sebastian faking it as a student complete with Red House’s uniform, to the team’s diarrhea horrors. Redmond stole the show again, as he was going to help Harcourt in the middle of the field, but tragedy struck which made him deadpan: “Oh. Someone get Harcourt.” Then immediately left the stage lol. The Blue House kids lifted Harcourt out.

The Green vs Purple house battle was the same as last time. I always felt bad to see Cheslock being the only Purple kid doing his best because without any support member cast while Violet was sitting in the grass. But this time, he gave Cheslock a tree sculpture of his bust as a good-job reward! Good for them.

Lastly Green vs Blue. They incorporated the rotating stage again in the last batting when Greenhill accidentally hit Ciel. The end of the match cut straight to the Thames Boat Ride, then they did the Blue House cheering scene after. Sebastian finally got to do his signature bridal carry, awww.

Midnight tea party: the setting was even more beautiful than last time. Undertaker letting his hair fall from his hat was iconic as usual. I was impressed with Master Agares’ fight scenes because his actor looked quite older than his 2021 predecessor. I always liked how they did Derrick Arden’s death in the musical, it felt more anguished from the P4 POV while in the anime, it just felt like a gruesome horror scene.

Final musical number was Ciel-Sebastian-Undertaker chorus during their fight in the garden. Music and choreography seemed to be similar, EXCEPT they somehow changed the iconic “Your life is my priority” scene!!! 2021’s version had me hold my breath as Sebastian had his arm possessively hooked around Ciel and took off his glove with his teeth (seriously, you have to see it yourself). This time they had Sebastian and Ciel reenact the scene on the highest stage instead of front and center, and I didn’t feel as much suspense nor was there any glove-removal from what I could see. It was also a weird placement because they were so far away, and Undertaker should’ve been the one on the top as he did his goodbye pose holding the moon.

We end the story with Sebastian recapping the aftermath with Weston’s students, and finally sebaciel’s conversation back at the manor. Again, Ciel reiterates that Sebastian is the only one who could never lie nor betray his trust. Perfect Black came on as an outro, and I got chills when Sebastian ended the last verse on a raised note!

The curtain call was the experience I’d waited for. Somehow I only realized just then that the actors would do the full call during their finale performance, which was what we got to see in the recordings! That day, after the cast bowed twice, the exit announcement immediately came on but guess what? The audience, including myself, kept clapping all the way through the announcement, it went for so long that the cast actually came out to take another bow! As they returned on stage, most of us also stood up for a standing ovation - according to twitter this doesn’t seem to be a regular occurrence outside of the finale. It felt like a truly wholesome “welcome back” for the troupe and for Kuromyu, especially after the rather harsh criticisms from the previous stage (due to major cast and style changes, even I took a while to bring myself to watch it) and the long break due to the COVID years.

Overall summary

Kuroshitsuji Musical 2024 was a faithful rerun of its predecessor. They succeeded with the musical numbers, new cast, overall adaptation of the story. The settings, props and special effects were wonderfully upgraded. The original cast carried the show: Eito Konishi’s singing felt greatly improved and I thought he carried himself as more mature than his last performance as Ciel. Sebastian’s Toshiki Tateishi had a mesmerizing voice the more I listened to him, he never went out of breath even while dancing or fighting - truly vocals fit for the troupe leader. Kandai Ueda did well as his own Undertaker too, even with Undertaker’s peculiar accent.

My few complaints: I felt like the P4 cast (bar Redmond) could do to have more distinction in their tones and movements. It felt hard to distinguish who was talking at times. The performance seemed to have a faster pacing this time around, and you get less absorbed in certain conversations between the characters, so I wished they’d added in slow scenes here and there. And of course I miss the signature sebaciel moments that I’ve mentioned - granted, this manga arc had always been my least favored because of the lack of sebaciel interactions anyway! So I’d say they did the best with the source material.

While I enjoyed seeing my favorite production performed live with the music blasting through my eardrums, it was the atmosphere that truly made the experience for me. Sitting in the 4-storeys grand hall full of some 2000 Kuroshitsuji fans really pulled me back in time, especially during the standing ovation. I’m so happy to see my favorite series so loved after all these years. I’m sure Yana-sensei could feel it too.

I wish a successful performance for the cast going forward to Tokyo, and hopeful for many more musicals to come!

[madnesswithmadhu]

HOLOFES 6 ANNOUNCED!!! *CHEERS*

BTW TO ANYONE WHO CANT STREAM ON EPLUS... U CAN ALWAYS GET LIVE TICKETS AT SPWN!!!! THEY WORK PERFECT IN ALL COUNTRIES (BASED SPWN, BETA EPLUS)

AHHH IM SO EXCITED TO SEE HER LIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[gairofkami]

Magia day news translation (with google translate) :

"Magia Day 2024" event with an audience to be held! It has been decided that "Magia Day 2024" will be held with an audience.

We will bring you the latest information on "Puella Magi Madoka Magica Magia Exedra" with a stellar cast of guests. Details are as follows.

[Summary] ◆Event title: "Magia Day 2024" ◆Cast: Akari Komiyama (role: Namae), Aoi Yuki (role: Kaname Madoka), Kaori Mizuhashi (role: Tomoe Mami), Eri Kitamura (role: Miki Sayaka), Ai Nonaka (role: Sakura Kyoko), Emiri Kato (role: Kyubey), Momo Asakura (role: Tamaki Iroha), Sora Amamiya (role: Nanami Yachiyo), Shiina Natsukawa (role: Yui Tsuruno) MC: Haruka Mori ※Titles omitted, in no particular order ◆Date and time: Sunday, August 25, 2024, doors open at 16:45, performance begins at 17:30 ※Doors and performance times may change due to circumstances. ◆Ticket price: All seats reserved ￥3,000 (tax included) ◆Venue: Yurakucho Asahi Hall ◆Inquiries regarding the performance: Hot Stuff Promotion 050-5211-6077 (Weekdays 12:00-18:00) ◆Inquiries regarding tickets: ePlus FAQ https://support-qa.eplus.jp/ (PC and smartphone compatible)

[Ticket advance lottery reception]

■ Reception period: 21:00, Tuesday, July 2, 2024 to 23:59, Monday, July 15, 2024

■ Reception URL: https://eplus.jp/magia-exedra-0825/ (PC and smartphone compatible)

■ Winner notification: 13:00, Friday, July 19, 2024 -

■ Payment period (only if you win): 13:00, Friday, July 19, 2024 to 21:00, Tuesday, July 23, 2024

Registration as an e+ (eplus) member (free) is required for reception.

・Please apply at the reception-only URL above during the reception period. Applications can be made from PCs and smartphones.

If you choose to receive electronic tickets, you can only apply from smartphones.

・Up to two tickets can be applied for per person. ・This is a pre-order (lottery system). It is not first-come, first-served, so please apply at a time that is convenient for you during the application period. ・Winners and seats will be determined by lottery from among those who apply during the period, not on a first-come, first-served basis. ・Seat designation is not possible. Please check the ticket face. ・Application details can only be changed or cancelled during the application period. Please note that changes or cancellations (declining purchase) after winning will not be accepted. ・Winners must make payment within the payment period. Please note that if payment is not confirmed, your win will be invalid. ・Please set your email filter settings to receive emails from "@eplus.co.jp". ・We will also send you emails notifying you of the lottery results, but you must check the results yourself by checking "Application Status Inquiry" from the start of the result confirmation period. ・Please check the fees for payment and ticket issuance at the time of application. ・Reselling purchased tickets (including listing on online auction sites, buying and selling at prices higher than the retail price, etc.) and any attempt to do so is a violation of the contract. Please note that tickets that have been resold will be invalid and you will be denied entry.

[General sale] ■Application period: Saturday, July 27, 2024, 10:00- ■Application URL: https://eplus.jp/magia-exedra-0825/ (PC and smartphone compatible)

*You will need to register as an e+ (eplus) member (free of charge) to apply. *You can apply for up to two tickets per person. *General sale will be on a first-come, first-served basis. If the planned number of tickets is reached, applications will close. *Payment by credit card only. *Tickets will be issued from 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 20, 2024. *Please note that we will not accept any refunds, seat transfers, or complaints after purchase.

[LIVE STREAMING] This event will be streamed live on YouTube. ■Streaming date and time: Scheduled for Sunday, August 25, 2024 from 17:30 ■Streaming channel: Official YouTube channel for "Puella Magi Madoka Magica Magia Exedra" (https://www.youtube.com/@madoka_exedra) *The URL for watching the program will be announced later on the official Twitter account for "Puella Magi Madoka Magica Magia Exedra" (@madoka_exedra). *You can watch the archive for a certain period of time after the program ends. *You can watch the YouTube Live broadcast for free, but you will be responsible for any communication and packet charges for internet connection.

[ATEENTION] *The latest information on this event will be announced on the official website (https://madoka-exedra.com/) and the official X (@madoka_exedra) from time to time. *There is no cloakroom at the venue. Please note that we cannot store your luggage. *Preschool children are not allowed to enter. *If you are using a wheelchair, please contact the following office after purchasing your ticket.

Hot Stuff Promotion 050-5211-6077 (Weekdays 12:00-18:00)

*For the purpose of this performance, there will be camera equipment in the venue. In addition, there is a possibility that you may be captured on the live camera. Please be aware of this in advance.

*You will be asked to confirm your identity when you enter the venue on the day. For details, please see [About identity confirmation] below.

[About identity confirmation]

To prevent resale, we ask for your cooperation in confirming the identity of the visitor (the person who applied) and accompanying person when entering the venue.

★For those who purchased electronic tickets Go to "Sma Ticket" from the "Ticket" tab at the bottom of the ePlus app and present the admission screen and your ID to the staff.

*You will not be able to enter with a screenshot of the ticket.

*If you have purchased two electronic tickets, please distribute the tickets to your accompanying person in advance. *For details on electronic tickets, click here (https://eplus.jp/sf/guide/spticket)

★For those who purchased paper tickets Please bring your pre-issued ticket and identification.

[Prohibition on resale for profit] Tickets cannot be sold or transferred to third parties, including friends and family, for profit. The name entered at the time of application will be printed on the ticket. When purchasing, please make sure to purchase under the name of the person attending and the name of the person accompanying you. We are not responsible for any troubles related to tickets obtained by other than the official purchase method.

On the day of the performance, please be sure to bring a "ticket" with your name on it and a "photo ID" that can verify that your name is the same as the name on the ticket. If you do not bring your "ticket" or "identification", or if it is lost, stolen, or incomplete, you will be denied entry for any reason. In that case, we will not refund the ticket or cover transportation costs. Thank you for your understanding. *We will check the ID of the purchaser and accompanying person at the time of entry. Please be sure to bring your ID. *If there is a discrepancy in the confirmation, you may have to wait for a while for the confirmation.

[About ID] Please bring the ID of the purchaser and accompanying person registered at the time of application.

If you do not bring your "ticket" or "ID", or if it is lost, stolen, or incomplete, you will be denied entry for any reason.

In that case, we will not refund the ticket or cover transportation costs. Please note in advance.

*If we cannot confirm that the "purchaser" and "company registered at the time of purchase" are the same as the "attendee", or if we find that they have been resold or transferred, you will be denied entry.

*We are not responsible for any troubles related to tickets obtained through methods other than the official purchase method. *If there is a discrepancy in the confirmation, you may have to wait for a while for the confirmation. *Please note that it may be very crowded just before the start of the show due to identity verification, and you may not be able to enter the venue in time for the show, so please enter the venue early.

〇Identification accepted for admission to this show (copies/handwritten/expired/unusable items are not accepted) You can be verified with one item. ① Passport ② Driver's license ③ Student ID ④ My Number card (with photo) ⑤ Disability certificate ⑥ Residence card ⑦ Special permanent resident certificate ⑧ Basic resident registration card

*When using your My Number card as identification, please only present the front (the side with your photo). Please be careful not to present the back (the side with your personal number printed on it). Please note that the back of your My Number card will not be seen when verifying your identity. *Your personal number notification card (a paper card with your personal number printed on it and no photo) cannot be used as identification. If you do not have any of the above ① to ⑧, we will verify your identity using the following method [A] or [B]. [A]: Please bring two "official documents" [B]: Please bring one "official document" and one or more "items with your name printed on them" (you will not be allowed to enter with only one official document) One document is not acceptable. Two of the following are required for verification. [Insurance card, copy of resident's certificate, certified copy of family register, extract of family register, seal registration certificate, pension book] *Please bring all official documents in the same state as when they were officially issued. Also, resident's certificate, certified copy of family register, and extract of family register must have been issued within six months. One document is not acceptable. In addition to the above, one other official document is required for verification. [Employee ID cards, student ID cards without a photo, credit cards, cash cards, medical cards, commuter passes]

*Utility bills (electricity/water, etc.) and various mail items are not accepted, even if your name is printed on them.

We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause you, but we appreciate your understanding and cooperation.

[rz-jocelyn]

[NEWS] Jakkotai: After Talks have been Announced for the "Jakkotai" Stage

CAST

Sato Ryuji as Rinzo

Nichika Akutsu as Mizuno Heima

Hashimoto Shohei as Surume

Koyanagi Shin as Uemon

Hirose Tomoki as Himeji

Ranma Yuu as Tekona

Takeru Funaki (NORD) as Uranami

Takeno Ruri as Takeha

Imata Taira as Ogata Tadamasa

Kobayashi Ikuma as Nagafukumaru

Matsumoto Naoya as Kotetsu

Moridai as Gomadara

Nakamura Seijirou as Hiiro

Teruma as Tademaru Genan

Tamaki Yuki as Tatara

STORY DESCRIPTION

Jakkotai, the group that used as a sacrificial pawn, has been tasked with the mission of "rescuing a kidnapped Shogunate official".

Their destination is an isolated island with many mysteries in the middle of the ocean. What are the Toyogami and Koyogami that are enshrined there!?

Through the island's queen, Tekona, and her islanders, a shocking truth is uncovered!

The hidden past of Surume, a member of Jakkotai, is also revealed!?

The craziest assassin, Tatara, makes an appearance, and the crew is also attacked by pirates… What fate awaits Rinzo and the members of Jakkotai!?

PERFORMANCES WITH AFTER TALKS FEATURING SATO RYUJI

Tokyo

18.00 (Japan time) on August 15, 2024: Sato Ryuji, Nichika Akutsu, Koyanagi Shin, Tomoki Hirose

18.00 (Japan time) on August 23, 2024: Sato Ryuji, Ranma Yuu, Moridai, Nakamura Seijirou

Osaka

18.00 (Japan time) on August 31, 2024: Sato Ryuji, Koyanagi Shin, Teruma

Aichi

13.00 (Japan time) on September 04, 2024: Sato Ryuji, Hashimoto Shohei, Ranma Yuu, Mouri Nobuhiro

Ishikawa

17.00 (Japan time) on September 07, 2024: Sato Ryuji, Nichika Akutsu, Koyanagi Shin, Tomoki Hirose

TICKET INFORMATION AND LINKS

To purchase tickets to attend the "Jakkotai" Stage, please refer to the links below.

Lawson Ticket: HERE

Ticket Pia: HERE

Eplus: HERE

"JAKKOTAI" MOVIE

The "Jakkotai" movie is currently available for streaming online. For more information on how to watch the movie, please refer to this link: HERE

[jpopstreaming]

BAND-MAID: 10th Anniversary Finale Live Stream Worldwide

n a thrilling announcement for rock enthusiasts around the globe, BAND-MAID, the dynamic Japanese rock band, is set to globally live stream their final performance of the 'BAND-MAID 10TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR'. This much-anticipated event will take place on November 26th, 2023, at the Yokohama Arena in Kanagawa, marking a significant milestone in the band's illustrious career.

https://l-tike.com/st1/band-maid-os-yokohama

The 'BAND-MAID 10TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR' commenced in March this year, commemorating a decade since the formation of this enigmatic band. Throughout the tour, BAND-MAID has left an indelible mark on the global music scene. Their journey included remarkable appearances at major American music festivals such as 'Welcome to Rockville', 'Sonic Temple', and 'POINTFEST'. In a historic moment for the band, they performed at 'Lollapalooza' in Chicago this August, becoming the first Japanese band to grace its stage since X JAPAN, 13 years prior.

Fans from all corners of the world have the opportunity to witness this grand finale, as the Yokohama Arena performance will be accessible through a live broadcast. Tickets for the live stream are currently available through Lawson Ticket, Ticket Pia, and Eplus, ensuring that international audiences can partake in this monumental event.

The enthusiasm and anticipation for BAND-MAID's tour finale are palpable. The band, known for their powerful performances and unique blend of traditional maid attire with hard-hitting rock music, is expected to deliver a show that encapsulates the energy and passion of their decade-long journey in the music industry. This live stream event is not just a concert; it's a celebration of perseverance, artistic evolution, and the unbreakable bond between BAND-MAID and their fans worldwide. As November 26th approaches, rock aficionados across the globe eagerly await what promises to be an unforgettable experience, bringing the spirit and heart of Japanese rock to a global audience.

[tsuminiochiiru]

SUMMER L△KE "Hot OH ~ !! Lake Kawaguchi !!" ~ Day1 ~ Streaming

SUMMER L△KE “Hot OH ~ !! Lake Kawaguchi !!” ~ Day1 ~ Streaming

https://twitter.com/GR_staff/status/1550435500045090822 The first day of the summer shows will be streamed on eplus, with an archive available for several days. Details Event: SUMMER L△KE “Hot OH ~ !! Lake Kawaguchi !!” ~ Day1 ~ StreamingDate/Time: 07/30/2022 @ 17:00~19:30Archive: 07/30/2022 (shortly after the live finishes)~08/05/2022 @ 23:59 JSTStreaming site: eplus streaming +Tickets:…

[putschki1969]

HI, you wrote about e+ streaming a while ago, and I just wanted to ask: can I, a foreigner, access their streams outside of Japan? I have a proxy helping me with purchasing the ticket I want, but we can't tell if I'd be able to access it as someone living outside the country. Thanks!

Hello there!

Sorry for the late reply. I was busy traveling.

Yes, absolutely, you can access all of their streams as a foreigner. There’s no regional restriction whatsoever. The main issue with e+ is actually setting up an account and paying for tickets. If your proxy can handle those things then you should be fine!

[pinkbowsandprettyprose]

now that the smewthie event has come and gone, I’m doing some digging into this Japan-only stream on the 28th … and they really have it locked down

anyone who can figure out how to register for the eplus streaming account for the event is a legend because I am a bit stumped on how to get past this thing with american credentials

I just realllyyyy hope they make a good amount of the new anime updates available for the rest of us outside of the event + someone who accesses it is able to report out on what the first 3 eps are like in terms of plot structure, the differences between the old and new anime, etc etc because I have .. low confidence we’ll get a leaked version of the event

[fencer-x]

Hello. I found your post while looking for info on Sasamiya stage show. I had been looking for info on how to get access to the livestream on July 31 but found out that to register for the e-plus site I need a Japanese phone number and the show isn't streamed for overseas audience. But you mentioned the possibility of international audience watching the stream. Would you mind sharing how I might do that? Thank you so much.

Hi!

So, it is NOT a hassle-free process by any stretch, but it has been done before. Here's some words of wisdom from a member of SasaMyaascord who did it before (note that this was for the Live Reading stream via Pia, but ePlus is just another ticketing website, so the process should be similar):

i went through a middleman, who bought the ticket on a burner account that i was successfully able to log in to. it did require a call to access the ticket purchase info, but when i went onto pia's "cloak" website (which is what they use to actually give you the link to the live stream) it worked just fine even without phone authentication. i got the link to the stream and was able to watch it without any issue! only thing i would say is that the link you get supposedly only works for one device, so if you do ever plan on doing something similar, i would keep that in mind. i was fully prepared to have to contact the middleman to authenticate for me or for it to just blow up in my face/ip block me so i was pleasantly surprised that it didn't give me much trouble i did not use a vpn even! (mostly because i was scared it might change my ip at some point and i'd be forced to re-authenticate)

So essentially you need to contact your middleman service of choice and see if they do Japanese phone verification (this user's service was based in Korea, so it probably won't work for English-speakers lol). However, it seems that once they got through the hurdle of GETTING the account, everything else was smooth sailing.

If despite the above guidance you're still unable to figure something out, then I'd just encourage people to definitely join the SasaMyaascord, for reasons ;)

[mono-blogs-art]

Where is the siegfelt play being streamed if I may ask?

Hello! As is detailed in the link in the tweet I posted, Edel Delight will be streamed via eplus, like previous streams have been (same as #3 Growth for example). The link is here!

This is a paid stream btw. It's basically like purchasing a theater ticket to a stage show that's being live-recorded and streamed. I had 2 tickets for Growth and really enjoyed it - apart from a few weird camera angle decisions the camera crew is pretty good at capturing the action (similar to the more edited early stageplays). The mic quality is usually a bit wonky when it's live, but that's just something you'll have to bear with. Overall, I can really recommend getting a ticket if you love the stageplays like I do.

For Edel Delight there are 3 performances that will be streamed, two of them (the first and last) are multi-angle which just means there are multiple cameras following the action and they'll switch between them depending on what happens on stage. I definitely recommend multi-angle.

And just FYI, I know the eplus website only lists a limited list of countries that have access but in my experience this is bogus lmao. I live in Switzerland, which has never been on the list (the only European country listed is UK) and as of now I've always been able to access it, you just gotta pick a country from the list so you can get to the paying screen. But once you get the actual streaming link, it seems as if where you live doesn't matter. However, there is usually a test video that eplus provides to test if the stream works for you before you pay - make sure to check that first. If you have any other questions about the eplus process feel free to DM me!

Personally I'm gonna get a ticket for the last performance!

[yamamuragaku]

IDOLiSH7 LIVE BEYOND “Op. 7″ Serial Code Distribution & Paid Rerun Audition

Serial codes will be distributed for the ticket application of IDOLiSH7 LIVE BEYOND “Op. 7″ from 12/17 (Fri) 18:00 - 12/21 (Tue) 11:59. You can get up to 5 codes by fulfilling the following conditions:

Log in to the app during the serial code distribution period

Get rank 50

Get rank 300

Have a card from the sets SSR/UR [ShuffleTalk 2021] and UR [Anniversary 2021] of an IDOLiSH7 member

Pull in the IDOLiSH7 LIVE BEYOND “Op. 7″ paid audition

From 12/17 (Fri) 18:00 - 12/21 (Tue) 11:59, there will be a paid 11-pull that’s only available once, guarantees 10 R+ & 1 SSR+, includes the sets UR [WiSH VOYAGE], UR [THE POLiCY], and SSR [DiSCOVER THE FUTURE], and comes with an Op.7 Commemorative Badge.

Note: This post is for informative purposes and I won’t cover the ticket application process. These serial codes are not supposed to be transferred or sold or your application or ticket may become invalidated.

Edit: Here is some more context for this event. ⬇️ 

It is for an in-person concert in Japan, so please consider the current travel restrictions before applying to go. The ticketing process is done through a service called eplus, which is highly restrictive, requiring possibly a Japanese phone number or credit card to register to pay. Furthermore, each of these codes are tied to a single account, so I do not recommend giving them away, as it may invalidate someone’s application if they’re applying codes from different accounts. Even if they get a ticket, they may be asked to show the account on their device to prove it’s theirs at the venue. However, there may be live viewing or streaming options for this concert in the future so please keep an eye out for that.

[hanarumi]

Sakata's New Album And One Man Live Tour

Sakata announced his 4th solo album, 'Steal your heart' to be released!!! All songs are newly written, more information to come later on! The cover art was drawn by RAHWIA!

Along with the album, he's also holding a one man live tour!!! He will be performing in 6 venues across the country, the ticket price is 5000 yen (tax included), an extra 600 yen is required for drink.

Application for early ticket reception is open from 7th April to 12th April 23:59 JST, you can apply here: https://eplus.jp/sf/s/page/irg/sakata_syh_saisoku

I'm not sure if you already know what this is, basically you can apply and they will randomly pick those who can get the tickets. Usually the seating you get from this lottery is better than those from buying directly. It also guarantees the tickets as compare to having to compete with others for spots, in case tickets are sold out too fast. You need an eplus account in order to apply, and creating an eplus account requires a JP mobile number. As of now I'm still unsure as to how to acquire a ticket as a foreigner and I'm looking around for help, so unfortunately I am unable to provide assistance for this ;~;

Extra stuff:

In the stream yesterday, when he announced his new album, the slide had '3rd solo album' written instead of 4th www Sakata said that the staff must have made a mistaken, but also he didn't check it www He said it's missing 1 (１枚たりない, 'ichi mai tarinai') and sang 'Tarinai~' from the you know what song HAHA

Anyway that's all for the post, when there's more info I will be sure to post it too~

[chibimyumi]

So it is possible to join Yuta's fan club even if you aren't in Japan?

Dear Anon,

Yes, it is possible to become Furukawa’s FC member without living in Japan.

You do need a Japanese address, but you don’t need to ever set foot in Japan. All you need to do is apply for an address at Blackship (it’s for free.) Once you have your Japanese address, you can sign up for Furukawa’s FC.

Some people not living in Japan have shown interest in joining the FC, and I promised I’d be happy to help any Furukawa fan to become a member! Before you do decide to become a member though, there are a few things you need to know.

The yearly FC membership fee is 5100JPY at this moment

There is a one time 1050JPY entrance fee (it’s only for the very first time you join. If you renew membership this fee won’t be charged)

and a one time 720JPY payment fee. You pay this payment fee every time you renew membership.

So the FIRST time you join, it’s 6870JPY per year. If you renew your membership, it’ll be 5820JPY per year. This price is considerably lower than FC membership from other stars! (Please don’t ask me how much that is in your currency... I’ve received asks about that before =v= please Google it yourself.)

A Credit Card is REQUIRED. No Paypal etc.

If you do join, you’ll firstly receive your own Membership card PLUS a pocket mirror (which I sadly can’t find...so I can’t show you either TT^TT)

Though it is cheap, it is still money. So before you join, there are things that should be included in your consideration. Below is a chart I made to show what services the FC gives, and whether or not you can enjoy them.

✔: You can enjoy it fully

✘: You cannot enjoy it at all

△: Technically you have access... but you will need google translate.

1. Speaks for itself: you can join the pre-sales of tickets and get the best seats.

2. You will be able to attend Furukawa’s live events with fellow FC members.

3. Since corona time Furukawa has started live-streams. He really likes streams because it gives access to people who might have limitations otherwise, so this will likely stay in future too post-corona time. Some events are for free (such as his birthday event) while others are paid events. The last event (11th of January) for example was a paid event of 3500JPY per ticket. These tickets are usually sold through TicketPia or ePlus+, and they only accept JP credit cards. BUT, I know off somebody who can help you with that. (More about this later)

4. Every 6 months (ish) the FC will publish an exclusive magazine. This initiative was started in 2019, so in total there are 4 right now. This magazine is filled with pictures, behind-the-scenes pictures, exclusive interviews (like the one that contained this information), Q&A session with Furukawa (which are in Japanese though...). BUT! These magazines are 70% pictures, so you’ll at least enjoy 70% of it without knowing any Japanese.

5. Every late December the FC will send all members a New Year Greeting card. It’s just one card with a message by Furukawa wishing you a happy new year. (I blurred the face because it’s FC exclusive material. You’ll obviously receive a non-pixelated photo of him)

6. The Staff Blog is updated semi-regularly, but they always have the best pictures that are FC exclusive. The text in these blog-updates are nice, but they’re not essential to your life. The language is usually fairly simple, so it should be google-translatable.

7. Yutter is Furukawa’s “Twitter” (Yuta + Twitter) wherein he personally “tweets”. These posts never have pictures. The language is fairly simple, so it should be google-translatable too.

8. Semi-regularly Furukawa uploads video messages. His language is simple, but unless you can transcribe them, they’re of course very hard to google-translate. It’s always a feast to see him speak to you though. His messages are just cute, but usually don’t contain essential information.

9. Besides the KenON shop Furukawa also has his own FC exclusive shop. These products are all hand-designed by Furukawa himself.

10. Sometimes there will be Q&As, and before the start message prompts will be sent: All FC members can send him questions, and through lottery Furukawa will then answer about up to 40-something of them. We’re currently with 9000+ ish members......so you do need to be very lucky though. I got mine answered once! Furukawa’s English is abominable... so you do need to send him the question in Japanese (through Google translate if you can’t write Japanese.)

I hope this helps! If you do want to join, sign up for Blackship and let me know. If you don’t know any Japanese, I’ll help you fill out the application form. (Please don’t Anon me then though, otherwise I can’t help you.)

[rz-jocelyn]

[TRANSLATION] The Brow Beat: Ryuji on the Making of the Music Video for "LOVE LETTER"

To watch the full music video for "LOVE LETTER", please refer to this link: HERE

The Concept of the Music Video

Ryuji: Here's the thing, as a fight song that gives cheer and support, "LOVE LETTER" is meant for the audience. But, when I'm creating songs, of course, it's for everyone, but there is a part [of me] that writes songs to encourage myself. That's why, how do I put it……When we sing in the live house, everyone listens to us, but in reverse, when the audience sings, I'm also watching them, and it is based on this concept that I created the MV.

The Appearance of Sato Masahiro in the Music Video

HAKUEI: It was Ryuji who wanted to put him in [the MV]. There's no way I would say no to that, so (LOL).

Ryuji: As expected, speaking of music videos, I think that by having, not just us performing and scenes of images [that complement the band and the song], but [also] an actor acting [in an MV], it will instantly climb up a rank. That's why, even if it's just a dash of it, I wanted an element of acting. It's just that, when we had our discussion for the MV, it was 4 days before the filming, so……。To be honest, there was also the feeling that if it were him [Sato Masahiro], it would be easier to consult with him about making a sudden appearance [in the MV] (LOL).

NOTE:

[1] Sato Masahiro is a junior from Ryuji's own agency, Gekidan Himawari. In 2017, he and Ryuji co-starred in the TV drama "FIVE".

To watch "FIVE", please refer to this link: HERE

[2] Masa-kun has also appeared in other The Brow Beat music videos.

"Gunshot": HERE

"21 Grams (404 ver.)": HERE

Source(s): ( x , x )

To download/stream the digital version of "LOVE LETTER", please refer to this link here: https://lnk.to/tbb_loveletter_digital

NOTE:

[1] If clicking on the link doesn’t work, copy and paste the entire URL into the search bar.

[2] For international fans, please check the streaming/download services for the availability of the single at 12.00 midnight on May 31, 2023 in the respective time zones.

For more information on how to purchase the physical single for "LOVE LETTER", please refer to this link: HERE

To purchase tickets to attend The Brow Beat Live Tour 2023 "The Five Senses", please refer to this link to the links below.

ePlus: HERE

Lawson Ticket: HERE

Ticket Pia: HERE

The Brow Beat Official Twitter Account: HERE

The Brow Beat Official FC: HERE

The Brow Beat on YouTube: HERE

The Brow Beat on TikTok: HERE

The Brow Beat on Spotify: HERE

The Brow Beat on Apple Music: HERE

[aintnolionpridelands]

[Streaming+] Musical "Allegiance"

August 11, 2021 (Wed.) - August 17, 2021 (Tue.) Tickets available until August 15, 2021 (Sun.) 23:59

Musical "Allegiance" will be streamed globally with an after-talk show and a special backstage video!

The musical "Allegiance", which was performed at Tokyo International Forum Hall C in March 2021, has been decided to be streamed online.  This is the first performance with a Japanese cast of the Broadway musical about a Japanese-American family living in the United States during World War II. In this memorable Japanese premiere, Megumi Hamada and Naoto Kaiho, who are leading figures in the world of musicals, played the roles of a Japanese-American sister and brother, and the talented cast included Masataka Nakagauchi, Mayuko Kominami, Tsunehiko Kamijo, Tomohiko Imai, and Toru Watanabe. One day, the Japanese-Kimura family, living as Americans in the land of the free, were suddenly declared enemies of the state just because they were "Japanese-Americans" and were transported to an internment camp. Who do you pledge allegiance to and what do you believe in? The story draws people who are denied their identity, but still struggle to find hope and move forward. The Kimura family is at the mercy of the turbulent times. It is a moving story that depicts the division and rebirth of the family who stick to their beliefs. In addition to the main part of the performance, there will be an after-talk show of Megumi Hamada, Naoto Kaiho, Masataka Nakagauchi, and Mayuko Kominami, and a backstage tour video with commentary by Naoto Kaiho and the stage director.

[Regarding Streaming] Producer's Comment This work is based on the history of 120,000 people of Japanese descent who were labeled as "enemy aliens" and forced to live harsh lives in internment camps due to an executive order signed by U.S. President Roosevelt in 1942. Although it is still fresh in our minds that President Biden issued a statement in February of this year apologizing again for the Executive Order, it is also a page of history that is not widely known. In this year that marks the 80th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, we have decided to stream the stage with the sincere hope that people will feel it as their own story, as a message that can be understood even today, aiming for a world without discrimination. Furthermore, as a universal family story, the stage will be streamed not only in Japan but also overseas. At this time of the year, which also coincides with the anniversary of the end of the war, we hope that people will watch this stage that portrays the importance of freedom, peace and family bonds, and pass it on to future generations.

Comment by Megumi Hamada I am pleased to announce that "Allegiance", which was performed this spring, has been decided to be streamed online. This time, not only in Japan, but also many people overseas can watch it. I hope you will take this opportunity to enjoy it.

Comment by Naoto Kaiho "Allegiance" is a work that contains a very big theme of "division" that is still accelerating all over the world. Even if we know about it from the news, it is hard to feel it in our daily life. This work appeals to the hearts and minds of audience through the experiences of Japanese Americans during World War II, interweaving beautiful yet powerful music and spectacular dance scenes to convey such a universal theme in human society. This time, the Japanese company took over this idea and tried to create "Allegiance" that can only be expressed by Japanese creators. I hope you will enjoy it.

[Contents] about 210 minutes in total ・Main performance video (about 160 minutes) (Cast) Megumi Hamada Naoto Kaiho Masataka Nakagauchi, Mayuko Kominami Tsunehiko Kamijou, Tomohiko Imai Toru Watanabe, etc. ・After-talk show video (about 25 minutes) ・Backstage tour video (about 25 minutes) ・Comments by Megumi Hamada and Naoto Kaiho

Official Website

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The proshot video of the original Broadway production is also available on BroadwayHD all the time!