I MET TAKAMINA TODAY!!!
I went to the handshake event at Saitama Super Arena and got to meet my oshimen Takamina; I'm still freaking out
So I got there and waited outside the stadium to get in for about an hour or so, then I finally got in, where I gave a woman my ticket and got a numbered ticket (I was in the 12000s...) and another with a seat number. So I sat at my seat, which was a floor seat and only behind the A group, which was fenced off and only people who got there REALLY early I think were allowed there.
So after watching an hour or so of Nemousu TV on the big screens, a guy comes out and talks, then leaves, and suddenly the lights dim and it's "overture"! All the members came out and they performed Heavy Rotation! Then Yuko talked a little and they sang Flying Get and Oogoe Diamond. Then they talked some more and got questions from the audience and Takamina did some silly stuff. After Takamina talked about the "Dareka no Tame ni..." project, and then they performed that song. Then we saw on the big screens an announcement about the new album mentioned in the last post that comes out 8/15, and that there will be another single after the senbatsu one and then another janken tournament (as expected).
So the members left and eventually after they took some pictures with the crowds behind them, they started calling numbers, with 1-500 first to go to the handshake area. Since I was in the 12000s I knew I'd be waiting awhile, but I went to get a corndog and ran into my friend and she swapped her number with me because she went yesterday's event too, so I was now 4000-something. So a tiny bit later they called my group and I went to the area. It was a bunch of gated lines with a sign in front with the girl's number and name. I chose Takamina, who was 7, and was surprised that only like 25 people were in front of me. By the time it was my turn (minutes later), there was NO ONE in Yukirin's, Sasshi's, or Kojiharu's (lol) lines. Tomochin had twice as many as Takamina however, and Acchan and Yuko's were just out of this world long.
So I got into the little area and could see Takamina behind a white counter. One of the guys from OJS48 asked to see my hands, then cleared me to go, and I walked toward her and shook her hand! I said (in Japanese) "Nice to meet you! I'm a Takamina oshi!..." and already I was getting pushed away for the next person. You literally have like 2 actual seconds. But as I was being pushed away I was trying to stay "I'm always supporting you!" but forgot the word for support because I was so nervous. The word is "ouen" but I could only get "o..." out and she gave me a slightly confused sideways glance and said "ouen?", and I said "OUEN SHITEIMASU!" It was so cute that she helped me, and she gave me an extra three or four seconds while a new person was in front of her and I was pushed away just to let me finish, which I thought was really sweet. She seemed a little exhausted and not her usual cheery self, but was still very nice. AHHHHHHH I CAN'T EVEN BELIEVE IT! Sorry for the super long post, but I figure you guys might appreciate the story, especially if you've never been to an event before.
EDIT: Oops, totally forgot to mention Kitarie getting a birthday cake, and everyone in the crowd singing Happy Birthday to her in English. Cute moment. Folowing that, 6 kenkyuusei were promoted to regular member status. I know what they look like but I forget all their names because I just don't care much about the kenkyuus. Good for them though! Three were like uncontrollably crying, while the others were remarkably composed
