Visiting Japanese (Weeaboo) Events in Jakarta
I was... or honestly, I didn't quite sure if I was or I am still a Japanese culture-related fan or at some point, it's easier to say it as weeaboo.
Now I rarely watch anime. It was too long ago since I was a massive Tokusatsu fan. I didn't listen to J-Pop or such that thing on a daily basis again. Hell, I even missed Makoto Shinkai's new masterpiece, Weathering With You. Yet, it didn't stop me to attend the third Japanese/Anime-related events since my time here. And I safely say that I'm not that weird as I thought.
Now I rarely watch anime. It was too long ago since I was a massive Tokusatsu fan. I didn't listen to J-Pop or such that thing on a daily basis again. Hell, I even missed Makoto Shinkai's new masterpiece, Weathering With You. Yet, it didn't stop me to attend the third Japanese/Anime-related events since my time here. And I safely say that I'm not that weird as I thought.
Rolling back to Sunday 23rd June, the first event, Ennichisai Blok M.
My old college friend invited me there. Yet she came late like an hour. So I and the other friend who both came early decided to look around and wait for her. The event was the same as the Japanese Literature students held at my university every year. The difference was it way more massive. They got many stands. Foods, beverages, snacks, games, merchs, and of course cosplayers.
I saw many things that I never saw back there. And it was buzzing right to my nerves. Many months ago my life was quite flat (or pathetic) and just for this day, by standing in the middle of people who mind their own business, I was extremely happy. Because I could see some 'people' for the first time since I arrived here.
So I enjoyed the event very very much. Bought random foods and beverages. Losing too much money for a goddamn shooting game. I wanted to take pictures with some cosplayers but only got one. And it wasn't my (old) waifus, kawaii female charas or general anime dude. It was a goddamn Umbrella Corp soldier. I mean, I love Resident Evil and I hope that I found out more RE cosplayers yet it just the Umbrella Corp soldier. No Leon, no Chris, no Jill, and of course also no Ada Wong...
Another bright side came later when the infamous girl group in Indonesia called JKT48 appeared at the main stage to perform. And I immediately went to the main stage for them. For the record, I was a Wota back there in the early life of this group. I cheered the Gen 1 with Melody, Cigul, Shanju, Ayana (the last girl left from the 1st gen), Nabilah, and may more. But it just took two years to fully understand that what I did back there was... quite stupid. You know, listening to their crunchy songs, buying merchs, occasionally doing wotagei at gathering events, and probably the stupidest one, arguing with random people over the internet when someone insulted the group or one of my (our) oshimen.
So when I saw the new, fresh girls on the stage and doing whatever their predecessors did back there, it was just a nostalgic scene that I didn't know, I missed it. They played brand new songs which of course I didn't know. So I just randomly jumping, singing, chanting and nodding just to blend with the others. But when they sang Aitakatta as their first song and Heavy Rotation before the last song, I went back to that high school mode and of course, singing, chanting, and jumping like a mad man. Yes, I didn't know that I missed them that much.
Jumping to the end of the event, the closing performance performed by a DJ. The lad played and remixed some of the anime songs and some others. It was the peak of the event. All of the crowds was jumping, singing, and head-banging all along with the songs. Probably one of my best nights since I arrived here. The lack of that was I didn't know enough all the songs. I just sang half and the rest just gaped. Still, what a joyful night tho.
So the second event, Saturday, 7th September, JakJapan Matsuri.
Again, my friend invited me and my other friend. And again, she came late. The other friend also came late. They showed up an hour later and just giggling for apologies...
So, it was 3 pm and we missed so many (good) performances. We just listened to Hiroaki Kato before some boring presentation and that Japanese traditional ritual, lifting the mini temple called Mikoshi. After that, we went around the event.
The event wasn't like Ennichisai. When Enni was a loud, kinda wild event, this one was the chill one. I'd also say that was a family-friendly one. You wouldn't see a borderline hot cosplayer. Rarely seen some brat who shouted randomly all around the location. It was the event that you would let your parents went there too.
Honestly speaking, it was a boring event. I didn't know it was me or we just came lately, but still. Except for the decent food, nothing impressed me more than Ennichisai.
So we just had dinner there. We sat a little bit outside the event, right in front of the entrance of GBK Stadium. And suddenly, we forgot about the event and just chat along the night. We ended up just hear some of anime songs (and I still didn't know half of them), Japanese songs, and even Indonesian songs from far away while we talked.
It was a good event. A very neat and well ordered one. But, it really didn't work on me and left me boring all night long.
The third event, Sunday, 17th November, Jiyuu Matsuri.
I saw many things that I never saw back there. And it was buzzing right to my nerves. Many months ago my life was quite flat (or pathetic) and just for this day, by standing in the middle of people who mind their own business, I was extremely happy. Because I could see some 'people' for the first time since I arrived here.
So I enjoyed the event very very much. Bought random foods and beverages. Losing too much money for a goddamn shooting game. I wanted to take pictures with some cosplayers but only got one. And it wasn't my (old) waifus, kawaii female charas or general anime dude. It was a goddamn Umbrella Corp soldier. I mean, I love Resident Evil and I hope that I found out more RE cosplayers yet it just the Umbrella Corp soldier. No Leon, no Chris, no Jill, and of course also no Ada Wong...
Another bright side came later when the infamous girl group in Indonesia called JKT48 appeared at the main stage to perform. And I immediately went to the main stage for them. For the record, I was a Wota back there in the early life of this group. I cheered the Gen 1 with Melody, Cigul, Shanju, Ayana (the last girl left from the 1st gen), Nabilah, and may more. But it just took two years to fully understand that what I did back there was... quite stupid. You know, listening to their crunchy songs, buying merchs, occasionally doing wotagei at gathering events, and probably the stupidest one, arguing with random people over the internet when someone insulted the group or one of my (our) oshimen.
So when I saw the new, fresh girls on the stage and doing whatever their predecessors did back there, it was just a nostalgic scene that I didn't know, I missed it. They played brand new songs which of course I didn't know. So I just randomly jumping, singing, chanting and nodding just to blend with the others. But when they sang Aitakatta as their first song and Heavy Rotation before the last song, I went back to that high school mode and of course, singing, chanting, and jumping like a mad man. Yes, I didn't know that I missed them that much.
Jumping to the end of the event, the closing performance performed by a DJ. The lad played and remixed some of the anime songs and some others. It was the peak of the event. All of the crowds was jumping, singing, and head-banging all along with the songs. Probably one of my best nights since I arrived here. The lack of that was I didn't know enough all the songs. I just sang half and the rest just gaped. Still, what a joyful night tho.
 |
| Before the DJ Lad dropped it. |
So the second event, Saturday, 7th September, JakJapan Matsuri.
Again, my friend invited me and my other friend. And again, she came late. The other friend also came late. They showed up an hour later and just giggling for apologies...
So, it was 3 pm and we missed so many (good) performances. We just listened to Hiroaki Kato before some boring presentation and that Japanese traditional ritual, lifting the mini temple called Mikoshi. After that, we went around the event.
The event wasn't like Ennichisai. When Enni was a loud, kinda wild event, this one was the chill one. I'd also say that was a family-friendly one. You wouldn't see a borderline hot cosplayer. Rarely seen some brat who shouted randomly all around the location. It was the event that you would let your parents went there too.
Honestly speaking, it was a boring event. I didn't know it was me or we just came lately, but still. Except for the decent food, nothing impressed me more than Ennichisai.
So we just had dinner there. We sat a little bit outside the event, right in front of the entrance of GBK Stadium. And suddenly, we forgot about the event and just chat along the night. We ended up just hear some of anime songs (and I still didn't know half of them), Japanese songs, and even Indonesian songs from far away while we talked.
It was a good event. A very neat and well ordered one. But, it really didn't work on me and left me boring all night long.
 |
| The ladies who always made me waiting and Bima X Man, I missed Tokusatsu... |
The third event, Sunday, 17th November, Jiyuu Matsuri.
She (the red one in the previous photo) invited us again. This time, she didn't late at all. In fact, she already there by an hour before we arrived. Because this time, she was with her ONE OK ROCK community.
So when we arrived, she and the community already banging hard with ONE OK ROCK songs played at the stage. Unfortunately, we separated too far away. She was at the frontline and we just enjoyed the show from back there.
In the last two events, I didn't see many bands. But this time, most of the performers were bands. And most of them rocking the scene. After the ONE OK ROCK cover band, here came the band who lead vocal was a female. And dang, they nailed it. They played so many rock-ish idol and anime songs. This time, I totally had no idea what songs they played since most of them were new anime songs and old idol songs. And once again, I randomly jumping, singing, chanting and nodding just to blend with the others. Yet still a fun scene out there.
The stands were less than both of the previous events. But they were just good enough as them. This time, I kinda burned some money. Mainly not for foods, but for some merchandise. I bought some keychains, pins, and a notebook. I didn't know why at the previous events I left with empty-handed. Even when I attended the old Japanese Literature students event, I always bought some pins. And this time I bought some for the old tradition's sake.
Unfortunately, we didn't stay until the finish. Because of this time the place kinda far. And we should go home at least an hour early. But we still watched one band before went back home.
So they called themselves as HoneybeaT (yes, it stylized like that). They wore flashy, bright costumes. The vocalist brought melodica to the stage. They got two extras backing vocalists. And surprisingly when they started, like their name, their beat was as sweet as a jar of honey.
They played mostly their own songs and a cover of Crayon Sinchan anime opening. I still didn't know their song but they grooved just fine. Since I realized they were a jazz band, I shouted so loud. Requested they played Plastic Love from Mariya Takeuchi. But I was too far away again and ended up nothing. They were the best band according to me.
It was as good as Ennichisai but in a smaller place and a smaller crowd.
So all the events were fun. So much fun in fact. It was better, bigger, nicer and weeaboo-er than before.
And all of it leads to one conclusion. I thought that I was a freak, weird Japanese/Anime/Tokusatsu enthusiast. After all of this, guess what, I am pretty normal...
So when we arrived, she and the community already banging hard with ONE OK ROCK songs played at the stage. Unfortunately, we separated too far away. She was at the frontline and we just enjoyed the show from back there.
In the last two events, I didn't see many bands. But this time, most of the performers were bands. And most of them rocking the scene. After the ONE OK ROCK cover band, here came the band who lead vocal was a female. And dang, they nailed it. They played so many rock-ish idol and anime songs. This time, I totally had no idea what songs they played since most of them were new anime songs and old idol songs. And once again, I randomly jumping, singing, chanting and nodding just to blend with the others. Yet still a fun scene out there.
The stands were less than both of the previous events. But they were just good enough as them. This time, I kinda burned some money. Mainly not for foods, but for some merchandise. I bought some keychains, pins, and a notebook. I didn't know why at the previous events I left with empty-handed. Even when I attended the old Japanese Literature students event, I always bought some pins. And this time I bought some for the old tradition's sake.
Unfortunately, we didn't stay until the finish. Because of this time the place kinda far. And we should go home at least an hour early. But we still watched one band before went back home.
So they called themselves as HoneybeaT (yes, it stylized like that). They wore flashy, bright costumes. The vocalist brought melodica to the stage. They got two extras backing vocalists. And surprisingly when they started, like their name, their beat was as sweet as a jar of honey.
They played mostly their own songs and a cover of Crayon Sinchan anime opening. I still didn't know their song but they grooved just fine. Since I realized they were a jazz band, I shouted so loud. Requested they played Plastic Love from Mariya Takeuchi. But I was too far away again and ended up nothing. They were the best band according to me.
It was as good as Ennichisai but in a smaller place and a smaller crowd.
 |
| Onee-chan was rocking so hard desu~ |
So all the events were fun. So much fun in fact. It was better, bigger, nicer and weeaboo-er than before.
And all of it leads to one conclusion. I thought that I was a freak, weird Japanese/Anime/Tokusatsu enthusiast. After all of this, guess what, I am pretty normal...
Comments
Post a Comment