Morning Musume '16 to be main guest at Anime Matsuri in Texas!

[Amped]

after lunch, members and staff surprised Ogata Haruna and Makino Maria with dessert and sang Happy Birthday. Ogata said they got to see the Morning Musume billboard too.

http://ameblo.jp/mm-12ki/entry-12134052807.html

[Denki]

It makes sense that they had more audience in Houston than in New York. New York was kinda of a risk since it was coming from UF's wallet, so they had to start of small. In here, they were paid to perform there (which that room was huge) and was open to everyone (fans and non-fans).

I'm glad those of you went had a great time. It seemed like a better experience than NY, even though the actual convention is meh.

[AyuHikaru]

I HAVE TO TELL YOU A STORY ABOUT THE BIGGER GUY IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS PHOTO. He's there because of me and another Harunan fan! We were all standing in the dealers room line of the first day, getting ready to go into the room and RUN toward the Momusu booth. Me and him didn't know each other but both of us has different Harunan microfibers and bonded over our Oshi. There was a guy between us, that guy above, and he started asking a bunch of questions about why our microfibers are relevant and why we were here for that "Japanese group." So we sat there for like an hour explaining to him the fandom, the girls, and what it all meant since he was only there for the anime. He eventually picked out Miki and Mizuki, stating he kinda liked them best and asked us if he could follow us to the MM booth to try for a raffle ticket. We said sure and he stood in line with me, the other Harunan fan, and all my friends while we told him about the group and showed him videos on our phones. By the end of the raffle he also had his friend with a Superpass come over and told him to get an autograph too. I feel bad for his friend, he was so confused as to why his pal was suddenly into these idols .
Honestly, I thought that line was the last we would see of him, but it was really fun explaining EVERYTHING to this guy... but it wasn't! He went to Hello!Disco BY HIMSELF on Friday, not knowing anything about the girls and mingling around trying to learn. Then went to the Superpass autograph session with his friends Superpass instead of doing the raffle. He told me all about it when he caught me in line for the concert. He began to Oshi Miki REALLY hard at that point and said that she was his favorite autograph.
The best thing, he said, was that every line he stood in for Momusu, every event he attended, he asked a ton of questions and the Fandom answered every one of them. They didn't know him at all, but the fandom treated him like he had always been in it, being super nice and chill to him.

Because of that, Morning Musume now has a new die hard fan.

[Amped]

Opening Ceremony


Q&A


credit belovedyuu

no one asked Mizuki a question

[AyuHikaru]

My babies are hoommee

[Amped]

Morning Musume. '16 arrived home safely in Japan today
http://ameblo.jp/morningmusume-9ki/entr ... 83876.html
http://ameblo.jp/morningmusume-9ki/entr ... 92223.html
http://ameblo.jp/morningmusume-10ki/ent ... 75681.html
http://ameblo.jp/morningmusume-10ki/ent ... 77071.html

[Chibs]

you should have come it was great

[Shoujo Q]

Had a total blast this weekend. I feel it also helped that I hung out with an amazing group of people who I've slowly gotten to know over the years. Like, each trip I got to know them more and more and then finally this one we all sort of connected. Hello!Disco really helped to solidify that bond for sure. Next time can't come soon enough.

The concert was amazing. J-Melo was there recording as well so I'm sure you'll see us all being goofy soon. (As well as Hello!Station and maybe other places as well.) Aika and staff had camera's out a lot of the times.


Unlike everyone else I only got into one of the two autograph sessions. I never know what to say to them so I resort to being pretty shy. I did tell Zukki I loved her though. I also gave a general gift to Mizuki for all of Morning Musume as well as handmade bags for Zukki and Sakura. After Zukki freaked out Aika started following behind me with the camera since she noticed I had a 2nd bag, which I gave to Sakura and she filmed her reaction and interviewed her about it. Not sure if that'll end up anywhere but if it does, I'd love to hear what she said. I gave all the girls separate photos to sign. The best reaction came from Masaki because all I had for her to sign was an L photo of her from her debut pre-Pyoko. She was chattering up a storm to Duu and when I got to Duu she intently watched to see what photo I was going to give her. When I pulled out one of Haruka's Pinups from the latest tour she face planted on the table in such a dramatic fashion and Duu laughed at her. OHaru asked (or I assume she asked me) if I got her photo in Japan. It wasn't my photo, but I was going to deny her, I had been to Japan. Just not at that particular time to get the A5 I was getting signed. (A little white lie doesn't hurt every now and then.) Maria was cute, she was shocked when I pulled out a Pinup from her first tour. After signing she held it up and waved her hand over it. "Dry, Dry" She said. Miki I spoke to the most and told her the pinup I gave her was my favorite, which is true because she was doing the Usa-chan peace and I love that pose. Everyone else was pretty standard.

After the 2nd autograph session we went out to lunch and then a few of us headed to NASA Space Center.

And thus begins the best part of this entire trip. (Convention sucked, Hello!Disco awesome (especially with Aika showed up), Concert was amazing, Autograph memorable, but this one, this takes the whole cake for me.)

It's always been my dream since I was a little girl to visit it and I knew I'd probably never get another chance. I grew up watching shows about space travel and I wanted to be an astronaut and go to space camp. I'm a NASA geek for sure. So after the 2nd Autograph we went and poked around for a bit. But I wanted to go on the tram ride like super bad. So, me and my friend Andrew went by ourselves. (I'd also like to point out we were the only two out of our group that never got a 2nd autograph). We met up with another small group of wota. We all went around and ended at Rocket park. I went in and started taking pictures but then Andrew stopped me and said "They are here". I didn't know what he meant but then I saw her. Iikubo Haruna was standing off in the distance coming out of the Saturn IV building. I told him, it wasn't her at first because why would I of all people, be that lucky? We were JUST joking about them coming to the Space Center not 10 minutes ago. But then Zukki came out of the building followed by Ayumi. (I feel like either Akane or OHaru were there but my brain just can't place them). I started to panic. Pure absolute panic and excitement. Now, you need to realize. I'm living my dream standing at the NASA space center. I'm already on a major high. Couple that with the fact that a quarter of Morning Musume are standing in front of me in the distance. I was freaking the F* out. Andrew ran to tell the others. (Turns out they already knew, figures.) And I, trying to remain cool calm and collected, tried to blend in with the few other tourists that made up out group and continue to take pictures and try to ignore the girls as they went about their business. One of their managers was with them and I didn't want to look like I was stalking the girls. I'd just come from the convention, still in my Sakura shirt and wristband. Andrew had come back at this point and this is where everything just fell apart. He was wearing his Berryz Sakura Con T-shirt and they noticed it. I heard Berryz Koubo and I knew they spotted us. Trying to remain cool calm and collected I asked Andrew to take my photo with the giant ass rocket standing behind me. No sooner had the words left my mouth than did the group of them come over. They introduced themselves as Morning Musume '16 and commented on Andrew's shirt. Then they noticed mine.

Then in the most surreal experience of my life. They gestured and asked if they wanted to take our pictures. Not even realizing what I was doing I handed over my phone to Ayumi and she ran back and took our photo. She asked me if it was okay (I didn't even care if it came out like crap, a member of Morning Musume had my phone in her hand.) I said yes and thanked her. We said out goodbye's and left to go into the Saturn IV building. Still freaking out. We gained our composure, still a few tourists around after all. And then no sooner had we done that then Mizuki and Eripon walked by. (THE REST WERE ALL STILL INSIDE THE BUILDING!) So I tried to go back to being cool clam and collected and continued to take (probably the worst) pictures. Soon enough Masaki appeared around the giant rocket with one of the staff with camera (Their manager maybe?). And then we realized they were all on the other side of the rocket. So we moved to the other side and that's when Haruka, and Sakura with Miki showed up and left. Thinking I was finally safe I started to relax. But no, there was still one more Musume and she was coming right at me with Phillipe and his camera. Feeling like a deer caught in the headlight, instead of running away I ducked and covered like a bomb just got shot at me. All Maria did was look back at me and say, "Sorry" with a smile. After that we tried to regain what little we had left, took a few more pictures and left. There was only 1 tram left to get back to the main center so we booked it to get in. Little did we realize the stragglers of Morning Musume (Miki and her wheelchair) were on it. The other half of Musume had already gone.

We got back into the building, met up with the other few people we were hanging out with and shared our story. The other 5 from earlier were already gone at this point (I think? I didn't see them again.) Andrew went and talked to Phillipe I think about how we didn't plan to be there all "stalkerish". Sakura came walking by with Miki in her wheelchair. I waved like an idiot, said Hi. (I get totally introverted around them...)

After that I decide it's time for me to go to the gift shop because, 1. I needed to get things for my family and 2. I wanted something for myself. xD
I probably should have realized they would also be doing this. Which they were. AND Phillipe AND the other Camera guy AND Aika. I was beside myself. I tried everything in my power to ignore them, But they were just wandering around everywhere. It was the weirdest feeling in the world to shop with every member of Morning Musume around you. I buttoned up my shirt to hide my Sakura shirt, didn't want to make it took awkward, they were still filming every now and then after all. And tried my very best to get everything I needed to get. When I went to go pay. Who was there but Eripon at the other register. And then Haruna showed up behind me. So crazy. After that I went out to the others who had realized that Morning Musume were in the gift shop and just sort of left me to my own devices. Seriously, my brain was beyond crispy at that point so naturally I wouldn't have realized they went into the gift shop.

Anyway after that the girls left and upon inspection of my phone I found a little surprise. My camera had recording in photos, the entire experience. It starts with the hand off of the phone, climaxes with bottom half shots of the girls and ends with a photo of me and Andrew standing in front of the rocket.

This ends my best memory of my life. I'm never ever going to erase those photos. Ever. I'm going to probably go to CVS and develop them.

[boinsie]

I think you already know, with how much I've been liking all your Facebook-ery, but in in case it's not been clear: So happy for you.

[TotallyUncool]

Yay!!! That sounds like such a wonderful experience!