A Dream come True @Hiroshima

As soon as the super bass sound electrified shivers across my whole body, I could no longer figure whether this dream-come-true was real or not.
*
I was quite privileged to be able to join Perfume on their JPN Tour in Hiroshima (their hometown). In the Hiroshima Green Arena on March 31st, 2012, I experienced for the first time the true joy of realizing that a dream, a wish has been fulfilled, enhancing my admiration for not only Perfume, but also for life. From the stage works such as the lasers, the lighting to the friendly, supportive atmosphere fermented by the fans, the concert itself speaks of many slogans: highly technologically advanced,  intensely choreographed dances, casual and lighthearted MC's, the often heard "kawaii" remarks, and most of all heartwarming and touching.  The appreciation that the three constantly displayed throughout the concert constantly reminded me of how even after quite a few years of success, they still managed to uphold a sincere attitude, motivating me to someday reach that stage.
*
The moment I heard the split seconds of the effervescent instrumental intro of  Dream Fighter for their first encore, tears of disbelief and gratitude flooded the corners of my eyes; the song that intrigued me into them, and the song's lyrics that I respond strongly to were finally to be performed in front of my flesh, live instead of through a screen. Feeling as if I were in a virtual world, witnessing a virtual event, the salty water droplets proved my experience to be authentic.  These couple drops of tears, like that of any others physically, marked a change in my history. I say, I was thoroughly touched. Thank you, Perfume.
*
That night as I crawled into the hotel bed, I thanked the world not for what it gave, but for what it was.

Another Day

Bringing up Perfume in my previous post  triggered another memory of mine; a once used to be daily routine that remains memorable to me. I used to drop by a convenient store near my house every day to pick up some cold beverages during summer, and yet it wasn't the icy beverages that made me feel delighted, but rather the cheery store keeper. With a white plump face, rosy cheeks, and a school girl bob hair cut, she smiled enthusiastically as each customer approached the counter for check out. This wasn't just for a day, in fact, it lasted until the moment I never saw her again. Where she has gone wonders me, however, what matters is her attitude to others. There she was happily serving strangers she has never met before, without bias or prejudice, while keeping the utmost sunny smile that didn't ever seem to dwindle away. Seeing this every day intrigued me to understand as to how and why some people are able to do so. As of now, I still haven't reached a conclusion, but those precious smiles certainly made my days and warmed my heart.

Perfume - Dream Fighters

top to bottom : A~chan (あ～ちゃん), Kashiyuka ((かしゆか) , Nocchi (のっち)

I refer to my favorite artist of all times, Perfume, as Dream Fighters, not only because it was a single release of theirs, but also represent who they are. For those who don't know them, they are a Japanese techno pop unit formed in 2000 (when they were still middle schoolers) that didn't achieve national fame until their CM song "Polyrhythm" for NHK Recycling campaign in 2007. This song is now also part of the Cars 2 official sound track (indeed a proud moment for us fans.) What I admire most about them is their appreciative attitude towards others helping them; they simply do not take any small achievement of theirs for granted. For each single release, album release to their concerts, they put full effort into creating a beautiful creation of art, music, and performance; the team effort and bond that they have created together have mastered them to become as one, and even perfected them to become part of each stage they perform at. Of course, reaching their techno pop status in Japanese music industry wasn't an easy task, but with their tenacious attitudes, they manged to pull themselves through eight years of low profile and even separation from parents. This perhaps is the reason they drop tears of joy for each major concert they have held. I simply don't take joy in seeing others cry, but seeing the hard work they have put up with, moves my heart as I reach a new level of love for them. I sometimes wonder what it is like to cry tears of joy instead of sadness; I simply have taken too many things for granted in my life, and therefore I look up to them (despite the fact that they're only 22). Artists like them aren't easy to find these days. I truly have to say "Thank you" to them for the inspiration that they have brought to me and all other fans. 

Thank you, Perfume

This is my absolute favorite song of Perfume's: Dream Fighter

Their hit song, Polyrhythm; this performance in Tokyo Dome is simply one of the best yet