Thoughts on CG4th SSA

Preamble

Although I've known about imas for a while now, since first encountering Hase Yurina's version of Kosmos, Cosmos, I wouldn't say I'd truly taken an interest in it until about 2 years ago. Even then, it was only until I really got into CG that I thought to myself, "I wish I could see them live."

But I was apprehensive. Because of imas's long history, I had this impression that it was difficult to get into. As some may know, I first got into this whole 'eventing' business via LoveLive -- which I still love -- so going to an imas live was akin to a sheep jumping into a den of wolves. Of course, the idea is rather silly, when you think about it, but that's just how it felt like for me. I entertained the idea of going, but was still on the fence about seriously applying because I felt 'I wasn't worthy'.

By the time I made up my mind about going, the CD lotteries were already over, and all my general lottery entries failed. I was devastated, but at the same time, I also told myself, this is just the world's way of saying that I didn't deserve to go -- that someone else had deserved to go more than I did.

I still held out hope, thinking I could pick up tickets, but I eventually accepted that now wasn't the time. However, a friend had to drop out of going to CG4th due to some personal reasons, and somehow, I ended up getting it. It was less than a week before the live so things were quite frantic. I ended up dipping way farther into my savings than I planned to, but in my mind, I thought I would never get a better chance than this, so I took the plunge.

There are a great many friends I've made and met via ensei/flying out for events, so it was nice to see a lot of familiar faces. This is also the first time I've flown out for imas so there were also lot of new faces -- now new friends. As always, it's so much more fun to attend events when you're with other people because you can share in the experience together.

Speaking of the event, CG4th was just absolutely amazing. I only managed to get a ticket for the first day, while the second day was a live viewing, but I consider myself lucky enough to even be able to go at all, considering the circumstances.

CG4th SSA

The first day had all the new members' individual and songs. My seats were in the C6 block of the arena so I was right in the middle of the action. I didn't really know a lot of the newer members so I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but I was absolutely blown away regardless.

Definitely my highlights for day one were Tulip, Valkyria, Junjou Midnight Densetsu, Saite Jewel, Can't Stop, Radio Happy, Hanakanzashi, Hotel Moonside, and in fact. The songs were so hype and the calls from the audience were so thunderous, they would even overpower the song itself, and I really felt a sense of togetherness shouting the calls out along with them. Seeing the audience absolutely nail the seasonal changes during Hanakanzashi was really moving, and I also ended up feeling bad because I was unprepared and only managed to do two of the four... Hotel Moonside's performance was even more impressive than last year; the dancing silhouette effect, and then Iidashi coming out, along with Maou and Chissu, the three of them performing was just breathtaking. Seeing Amina doing a solo ballad of in fact right after was definitely an emotional roller coaster -- I teared up, just watching and listening. And when the intro to To my darling played, I couldn't believe it. Ayachi was someone who had never appeared in CG -- she's too big for that. But when I saw the penlights turn from orange to pink and I heard her sing, it hit me. Ayachi -- it's Ayachi!!! And when Kunochan showed up in HiFi Days, the crowd went absolutely nuts when it all happened -- I'm pretty sure I threw a muscle or two as I was cheering so hard. The songs just kept coming and coming, with the MC sessions lasting only 5-10 minutes every few songs, but at the end of each day, I didn't even realize that over four hours had already passed.

Day 2 was live viewing, which in itself was also quite nice. Unfortunately, the theater where we watched was pretty quiet, but we still had a few people shouting calls and many people cracking UOs. The setlist was great as they sang all the songs in the anime, as well as the new songs in the Future Castle section of the live. They even had STORY from the anime soundtrack. The MCs were longer as well, with everyone getting to talk and joke a lot more compared to yesterday's.

My highlights of that day were: Just as I was so excited from waving a triangle of UOs to Trancing Pulse, suddenly the intro to Koikaze plays and I'm just struck in disbelief. Is this really happening? No way. In my mind, I think I knew it would happen, but I still couldn't accept it until the penlights on the screen all turned green and Hayamin started singing like yesterday. And then when Naobou came out we all just went bonkers as they did Nocturne. After that, was Yumeiro Harmony. Right as the song ends, the cast got together for a "group photo", which then faded into an anime version of them. They all left and a montage of scenes from the anime rolled to the instrumental of Goin', and everyone sang along and did the calls -- I barely could because I was crying again. When Baum ate her homemade lemon tart in Okashi na Kuni, she was just the most adorable, and the moment Sumipe popped out as her prince, I just absolutely lost it. But definitely the greatest moment was in Memories when Ayappe and Sumipe were performing together, and then suddenly Mayayan appears from beneath the stage right at the song's bridge. Finally, LoveLaika -- no, LoveRanko -- performing together!! It was a strange as I was both screaming and tearing up, I couldn't even wave my UOs properly because I was shaking from crying so much.

Day 1 overall was more hype for me, while day 2 had more emotions going on. Day 2 also didn't play a lot of the older songs (no jewelries, just a few chara songs), and so I wasn't as excited as I would have been otherwise since I wasn't as emotionally invested in the newer songs as I am in, say, Nation Blue. But the performance and production overall absolutely blew me away, for both days.

After

The main uchiage was after SSA day 1 because many people had flights to catch right after day 2. It was my first time hanging out with primarily Ps after a live so I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but they're all a very friendly bunch. It was really nice to make more friends, as well as to spend time with many old ones. That was also the first time I'd had so much fun that we ended up staying the entire night just drinking at the izakaya 'til 5 in the morning.

Looking back, I'm very happy I was able to go. It was truly an experience. I suppose that could be said for all sorts of lives, but this imas live felt very special. As I shared in that same sense of enjoyment, being with others as you cheer the performers on, reveling in the feeling of unity... although it was my first imas live, I could feel a lot of love: The love of the fans; of the performers; of the staff... of everyone. Thanks CG, imas, to all the Ps -- I'm truly glad to have been a part of this.