One account I follow nowadays is this page called “Hey DJ” which is related to the D4DJ franchise. There, they don’t just post D4DJ memes and stuff, they also cover other titles such as BanG Dream! and recently Girls Band Cry.
As far as I can recall, that’s where I learned more about one of those moments which led me to today’s post. I got spoilers for BanG Dream! It’s MyGO!!!!!, and you’ve been warned.
The moment I saw the clip where ex-CRYCHIC Soyo Nagaski, now with MyGO!!!!!, goes kaput after performing that one specific CRYCHIC song as MyGO!!!!!. Zooming out, that moment happened on Episode 7 of the BanG Dream! It’s MyGO!!!!! anime.
My first appreciation with “Why did we play Haruhikage” as a meme was with the Chinese audience singing the song. Who wondered MyGO!!!!! will be an actual hit in China after all.
I was specifically looking for specific clips of cosplayers in China reenacting scenes from that anime, and not just this one from the beloved Hey DJ Facebook page. (I need help.)
From my observation, you’ll know if your BanG Dream! anime have reached a peak levels especially when a song you play triggers a reenactment, like this one below.
I spent way too much time looking for the reactions from watch parties and stage performances, and just as I was about to give up, it showed up, thank goodness.
They also released a tool where anyone can make posters using some of their assets to promote the movie, and the Twitter tag was full of good art and memes.
Segway: Am I a stranger to Bandori?
No, not really. I know that the idea for the whole BanG Dream! franchise started with THE iDOLM@STER (sauce).
![[Eng Sub] The Performance that Sparked Bandori | Aimi Before Bandori (Part 5)](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/KpYr_3RHr8M/hqdefault.jpg)
This is just one part of EiEn Subs’ documentary on Aimi, go watch the playlist to understand more about Aimi before Bandori and fill the gaps about her history.
Before Kasumi Toyama, even before Julia, I already knew Aimi from LIVE for LIFE ~Ookamitachi no Yoru~, the opening theme to Ben-To.
…and before most of you got to know Bandori, I was already playing Konomama, Zutto. (Not knowing that that exact song is the ED theme for Weiss Schwarz Portable) The lady didn’t know the impact she brought to my life.
If there’s any chance that Aimi visits the Philippines, I would heavily love to meet her in person and ask her what she thinks of the song that left a lasting impression in me.
I do not know every single one of you reading this if you knew Aimi during her solo singer days, her iM@S days, as Millaarc Cranstoun or Carla Vargas. In this house, we love and respect leaders past and present. I describe Aimi as a pioneering leader despite all odds.
The whole point of this post was to talk about Bushiroad Expo 2024 Manila held on the weekend of October 12-13 at Ayala Malls Trinoma (Triangle North of Manila).
The Expo featured Bushiroad’s intellectual properties, primarily the games it publishes under its Bushiroad Games brand, trading card games like Shadowverse, Weiss Schwarz, CardfightII Vanguard, figures, its BanG Dream! media mix as well as its Yumenokessho AI singing synthesizer.
A Bushiroad Expo experience won’t be complete without guests: For Manila, Bushiroad got Kris aka DifferentFight and voice actress Rin Tateishi (Chihaya Anon in BanG Dream! It’s MyGO!!!!!).
When the guests were first announced, this popped up:
When I looked up what Anon Tokyo is, I get directed to this website which I think was set up as a joke (it must be, that isn’t what I wanted to find out about Anon Tokyo first). I found out what Anon Tokyo is, but I ended up riding along the Anon Manila gag and it was ok.
Kapag hindi ako nakakakita ng cosplayers na pwede kong picturan ay nanghihina ako, so I am thankful to the cosplayers who went to the event, including the Merm4id crew. (Also watch my interview with Ai Negishi, the voice of Dalia Matsuyama at TOYCON 2024)
Rin Tateishi’s segment happened and we are all standing by at the stage area to know what’s the latest. While photography was not allowed, I got my notes ready:
- This is Rin Tateishi’s first time in the Philippines. “I’m very happy to visit Manila and meet you guys!”
- It’s getting a bit colder in Japan, but when Rincharo arrived in Manila, she was surprised to feel the warm weather.
- The audience was hyped watching a clip from MyGO!!!!!
- New bands in 2023: Ave Mujica and Mugendai Newtype (Yumemita). (I have to talk about Yumemita on NewsDrop soon, because we overlooked this group who debuted first as VTubers).
- Rincharo’s opinion on the It’s MyGO!!!!! anime: It’s emotionally fulfilling. In the anime, the band resolves their conflicts and move forward together.
- The character of Chihaya Anon is different from Rincharo, she says. She’s the type of person who gets pulled along, in contrast to Anon who keeps the band together.
- More news out of Garupa (BanG Dream! Girls Band Party, the mobile game): 7th year anniversary celebration is set, and now MyGO!!!!!’s songs will be added to the English version of the app. Here are other schedules for the EN gamers:
- October 7 to 15: A step to the WORLD
- October 17 to 28: Galaxy Wedding
- October 30 to November 10: No Music? Yes Summer!
- Starting from the end of October 2024, a 6.5th anniversary campaign will be set, which includes the following campaigns:
- Free 10 play a day gacha
- Celebration login
- Medal gift camp
- Item exchange
- 5-star member guaranteed gacha
- Special miracle ticket sales
- Star discounts
- Premium item set
- Social media campaign and more
- If not for the poor internet connection, select audience members could have played with Rincharo. “Muzukashii kamo shiranai.” However, she looks forward to do it in the future.
- Rincharo said dried mangoes are one of her favorites. Due to regulations, you can’t just carry fruits like Cebu mangoes (y’all forgot the ones from Guimaras, smh) from other countries into Japan.
- Audience members were allowed to send gifts to Rincharo, so one of them bought dried mangoes for her.)
- The one who cosplayed Anon (named Kaya) suggested Polvoron and Yema as souvenirs.
- Capping off Saturday’s talk session, Rincharo always wondered about the fandom in the Philippines, and she’s happy to see everyone appear to support the BanG Dream! game and the anime.
- An autograph signing session happened afterwards. Then we got to watch It’s MyGO!!!!! the moment after.
By this time, I have only watched two episodes of the MyGO!!!!! anime, and it’s already done as we speak. That gives me more time to watch the full 13-episode series, and I hope I can appreciate it beyond the memes. The Ave Mujica anime will air next year, so I still have time to understand why people watch the Raging Teenage Hormones-induced series.
*Some notes about Day 2: I wasn’t present that day, but seeing a MyGO!!!!! cosplay group is a blessing, more so the moment when Episode 7 was screened and they did what I’d like to see:
Bless these cosplayers, for them, this is serious business.