Report For KOTO Live 1/7/16 @ SOLOxSOLOxSOLO@Hatsudai DOORS

On January 7th, 2016, I got a chance to go to an event called “SOLOxSOLOxSOLO@Hatsudai DOORS” which is located about 10 minutes from Shinjuku station if you use the Keio New Line. Like the event title says, it took place on an underground stage called Hatsudai DOORS.

1月7日2016年、私は京王新線で新宿駅から10分の初台で「SOLOxSOLOxSOLO@初台DOORS」というイベント行かせてもらいました。イベント名のとおり、会場は初台DOORSという地下にあるステージでした。

This particular event had 10 acts and the girls that were there all performed solo (once again referenced in the event name). There were different types of performers present and the audience was mixed with fans or “wotas” of different idols. Like my previous experience with a KOTO live at Daikanyama LOOP, the wotas switched around depending on who was performing. This meant that when it was time for KOTO’s stage, all the KOTO wotas or the “Kotora’s/Koto-ler’s” moved forward. It’s actually quite nice because the current performer’s wotas also lead the crowd and if you came to see a certain act, you can get up close to see them perform. This actually really helps me particularly as I am 4’11” and always have a hard time seeing when it comes to bigger concerts. It really makes you realize that the wota are courteous and friendly to each other even if they support different idols.

このイベントは10人のアイドルがソロでライブするという形でした。（それもイベント名のとおり）色々なアイドルとそのアイドルのファンがいて、前に行ったKOTOちゃんの代官山LOOPさんでのライブと同じで、アイドルが入れ替わるごとにヲタたちも入れ替わってました。KOTOちゃんのライブのときは「ことらー」さん（KOTOちゃんファン）がしっかりと前に準備してました。一人だけの応援にきたファンたちにはいいことで、ちゃんと好きなアイドルの出番になるとちゃんと見えるのです！私の身長は150cm以下でチビなので、大きなコンサートだと見えないのですが…こういう会場で会うファンたちはとても親切で他のアイドルのファンでも仲良くって心地良かったです。

Shortly after the previous set finished (Which was an artist named SAWA, someone that collaborates and composes some of KOTO’s music.) KOTO skipped onto the stage to say hi to the crowd. She greeted everyone and had small talk before starting her live. Unlike the big idol concerts I’ve experienced before, it was actually possible for the fans to respond to her MC and have a conversation with her while she was on the stage.

前のアイドルさんのセットが終わり（そのアイドルさんがKOTOちゃんと仲良くってコラボをしているSAWAさんでした）、KOTOちゃんが軽いスキップで挨拶しながらステージに登場しました。大きなアイドルコンサートと違って、MC中はステージ上のアイドルたちと会話が可能なのです。

After a short MC, she quickly jumped into her 20 minute set. She started out with “17Android”, which is different from most of her songs because it was composed by the idol and composer, SAWA who was mentioned earlier. Owing to its origins, it’s more of a pop song with hints of electro sound. By comparison KOTO’s songs are usually much heavier in the electronic sounds. This song was made in time for her 17th birthday live, “KOTO Oneman~Genjitsutouhi na seventeen~ which she held last year on 9/25/15. The crowd warmed up as they danced along to her sharp moves and cute sweet voice. Even from a slight distance, I felt overwhelmed by the strong performance and the impact was still as much as when I saw her up close before.

 短いMCのすぐ後に20分間のライブが始まりました。一番最初の曲は「17android」
という曲で、いつものKOTOちゃんの曲と違って、先ほど名前のあがったSAWAさんが作曲作詞した曲なのです。この曲は2015年の9月25日に彼女の17歳の生誕ライブ「KOTOワンマン～現実逃避なseventeen～」で初披露された曲で他の曲とはちがったポップなサウンドが入っていて、いつもよりピコピコが控えめな曲となってます。観客はKOTOちゃんの甘いかわいい歌声とキレのあるダンスにあわせて踊ってました。ちょっと遠めからもすごいインパクトとキレに圧倒されました！

She followed up this up with “Kirai Returns”, one of her recent works with Kissa Sasaki, her main producer that also has his own group, “Recoride”. The song is one of the six songs they have been releasing monthly starting in September 2014 and is the second release out of the six. This is also the second series of songs with him. The songs in this series are different stylistically from each release and as a fan it’s fun to see KOTO try new styles of music and also choreography. Her most recent release at the time “Omatsuri GALAXY” sounds like a Japanese festival song and has Japanese “soran” moves which are big movements which almost represent pulling and throwing things. The first release of the series has easy to mimic lyrics and a “parapara” style dance to it which was a popular dance style from the late 70s that including simple side steps with complex arm movements. Just like the other Kissa Sasaki produced songs, it has that unique retro electronic sound to it, reminiscent of a retro video game soundtrack or 8-bit music. To me, I feel that the song is a bit mellower than her other upbeat songs but that didn’t change how powerful and fast her performance was.

次はメインプロデューサーの佐々木喫茶さんの曲「きらいリターンズ」でした。佐々木喫茶さんは他には「レコライド」というグループもやっているお方です。この曲はKOTOちゃんと佐々木さんの6ヶ月間連続リリース第二弾の2曲目で、一曲一曲が違う曲調でとても面白いです。ファンからするといろんな歌い方や踊り方にチャレンジするKOTOちゃんが見れるのでありがたいのです！ライブに行った当時の新曲が「お祭りGALAXY」で本当にお祭りにいってソーラン節をみてる気分になれたり、連続リリース第二弾の一曲目はパラパラなどが入ってたり…佐々木喫茶さんの曲はいつもなんか懐かしいようなレトロな電子音が入ってて、まるでレトロなゲームのサウンドトラックを聞いてるようです。その中ではきらいリターンズはちょっと遅めな感じがするんですが、それでも彼女のパフォーマンスは強く、早くって、キレにはかわりありません。

Catching her breath after two songs in a row, she talked about the reason why she chose the first song, “17Android” for her setlist. She explained that since the composer of the song, SAWA, is also one of the idols in the event, she wanted to perform it there. Even in SAWA’s MC, she talked about how happy she was to see KOTO for the first time this year. The cutest part was when she described how KOTO came up to her saying “SAWA-san~ Please have these clothes that I can’t wear!” and the crowd laughed at their interaction that showed just how close they were.

ハードな2曲の後に息を整えながら「17android」をなぜ今日のセトリに入れたか説明してました。SAWAさんがその日のイベントに参加していたのでセトリに入れたとのことでした。二人は仲が良くって、SAWAさんのMCでも今年初めてKOTOちゃんに会えて嬉しかったことや「SAWAさん～KOTO着れないからSAWAさんなら」と服のお下がりをもらったことを話してました。観客のみなさんが仲がよさそうな話をきいて笑ってました。

SAWA herself also has a very unique voice and her songs are fun to listen to so it’s great they get to be in the same idol events and collaborate with each other. KOTO also talked about how she had made her nails new and shiny with colorful designs and pandas. After her MC, she went straight back to two upbeat songs. The third song of her set was “Valentine’s Ballerina”. My favorite parts of the choreography for this song are when she does movements like she’s making desserts for Valentine’s but since this is KOTO’s dancing, these gestures are so intense!! One of the movements is her mixing a bowl and she REALLY mixes whatever is in that bowl very well!! It always makes me giggle when I see it and that part is my favorite to watch. With that said, you have no idea how happy I was to finally see it live! Another favorite part of mine is when she does ballerina moves, showing an elegant side to her performance, then goes straight back to her signature super sharp movements.

SAWAさんもとても独特な声の持ち主で曲が楽しいし、聞きやすいです。KOTOちゃんと一緒のイベントに出演できたりコラボしててファンとしてとても嬉しいです！後はおニューのネイルにパンダを入れたこととかも話してました。MCの後にすぐまたまたハードな2曲が続きました。3曲目は「バレンタインズバレリーナ」でした。私はこの曲の振付が大好きで、キレッキレにお菓子作りしてるようなところ（ボウルをもって混ぜてる振りをしたり、何かを刻んだりしてる振りをしたり）とかバレーの動きが入ってたりして…面白いし、動くがきれいだし、表情も豊かで本当に大好きな振付です！

Her fourth, and last, song was “Otokonoko-chan”. This song is my favorite song and I could tell from the hype they had for this song that it was also a favorite of the fans. Everyone excitedly got ready as they heard the intro because there is a “parapara” section in the beginning that a lot of the fans like to follow. Besides this this song also has a chorus which has fun, easy to follow choreography as well as a cute part where the fans shout “piyo piyo!” (I personally love this part because in the song there is a chick sound and I am also a huge bird lover!) I don’t know if this has anything to do with the fact that KOTO has a bird as a pet, but if it is I think that’s very cute. The fans and KOTO synced up as they danced and cheered altogether. It was the perfect hype song to end her set with. After she finished her songs she quickly told everyone to visit her at the selling booth after the event and ran off waving goodbye. The twenty minutes went by so quickly that it made you long for more, but at the same it was a satisfying set of songs to watch her perform.

その日のセットの最後の曲が「おとこのこちゃん」でした。この曲はまたまた私の大好きな曲で、すごく盛り上がる曲です。ライブでは定番の曲といってもいいぐらいほぼ毎回披露してるそうです。ファンも動きを真似たりできるので、パラパラっぽいところを一緒に踊ったり、 一緒に「ぴよぴよ！」って叫んだりします。（とくに私は鳥も大好きなので、ひよこの声みたいなのも入っててめっちゃテンションあがります）ずいぶん前の部ログでもKOTOちゃんがインコを飼ってることが書いてあって、それでぴよぴよを入れたのか、それとも佐々木喫茶さんが偶然それを歌詞したのかわかりませんが、とてもKOTOちゃんにマッチングしててかわいい曲です。最後の曲にはぴったりで盛り上がってセットは終わりました。「物販も遊びに来てね！」とファンに告知し、手を振りながら走って退場しました。20分が早すぎて物足りない気持ちにもなりましたが、セットリストが良かったので満足した気持ちにもなりました。

It’s very clear why these Kotora’s/Koto-ler’s are so passionate and try their hardest to go each one of her sets and live events. The energy in her lives is both insane and unbelievable. It’s so unbelievable that you get the feeling that you have to go see it again to make sure what you just witnessed was real! She is truly a gem within the underground idol scene and I wish I lived in Japan so I could watch her up close before she becomes bigger and begins to attract an equally bigger crowd. With her skills and charisma, I’m sure that she will gain more popularity as people find out about her and get hooked just like I was. If you have a chance to go to the Tokyo region in Japan, make sure you check KOTO’s twitter (@koccyan925) to see if she is performing anytime soon and reserve a ticket and go to as many as you can! You won’t regret it!!

なぜ「ことらー」さんたちがライブに駆けつけるのかよくわかったような気がします。セトリごとに違うし、KOTOちゃんのライブに入ってる気合が半端ないし、目で確かめないとわからないものがあります。天使を見たんじゃないかと思うぐらいかわいかったし、すべてがすごかったです。日本に住んでたら成長していって人気が上昇するKOTOちゃんをライブで見守っていたいです。きっと世間に知られたらみんな魅了されると思います！東京にいくことがある人は是非KOTOちゃんのツイッター(@koccyan925)をチェックして、ライブあるかチェックして、チケットを予約して見にいってください！絶対に後悔しません！

-Tiffany Fujii

For More Information:
Website: kotora.tokyo
Blog: ameblo.jp/hidecyobin
Twitter: @koccyan925