43 replies to this topic

[turbos86]

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New guide/thread coming soon, since too much problem with this one.
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Introduction

The purpose of this guide is to make the best of our time at the Morning Musume concert in Anime Expo. If you have ever watched a H!P concert on DVD, you will know that the girls loves to get the crowd involve, and it should be no different in LA. We want to show them that they have fans here and what better way than to get in on the action. You might think that this is only for fans who are way over the top, or it's only for guys with no life. The truth is, everyone who's a fan in Japan does this, no matter the age or gender, why can't we do it too? "Why not just scream our heads off randomly? That's how we show support in America." Reason is, Morning Musume's songs won't be any fun this way. Screaming randomly at a rock concert is fine since it's meant for it, but at a MM concert, not so good. You want to show your support and let the girls perform at the same time. Doing wotagei and chants that matches the music allows performers and audience to interact and bring a whole new level of excitement. "But I'll never learn it in time, it's too hard, I rather not, I'm going to see them already, isn't that showing support?" This is the exact reason why this guide was made. All the wotagei and chants are carefully broken down and explained in this guide, a perfect way for anyone to learn from scratch. Those who are already familiar with wotagei and chanting can use this guide as a reference or practice material. Performing wotagei at concerts is not a requirement, but chanting is a bare minimum. In fact, proper wotagei are not done during concerts anymore due to space restriction and how newer songs are composed. So simplified wotagei with chants is the new norm at H!P concerts. I hope everyone can at least take a little time to understand the chants for the popular songs. It seriously isn't that hard to do, it's all about having a good time after all. If after reading all this you are still not convinced, then I hope you will try to follow the crowd at the very least. Can you imagine no one in the audience wants to do anything but to just stand there and watch? That would suck! I hope everyone going to this concert can show some efforts and try to get involve in the concert, even if it's just waving around a glow stick.

* Actually, I'm hoping Morning Musume's concert at Anime Expo this time won't turn out like the SOS Brigade's one during Anime Expo 2007. Here's a video of how pathetic the crowd was: *


Terminology

I will be using various type of terms throughout this guide. Let's begin with the basics.


[Basic terms]

Wota (ヲタ): Devoted idol fans. Wota is pronounced O-TA, short for Otaku. オ (O) and ヲ (Wo) are both pronounced "O" in Japanese, but Idol Otakus use ヲ to distinguish themselves from regular Otakus.
Wotagei (ヲタ芸): Wota performance, the act of fan dance and cheers. Click here for more information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wota
Wotagei-shi (ヲタ芸師): Wotagei performer, one who does Wotagei.
Furimane (振りマネ): The act of copying the performers on stage, move for move.
Ouen call (応援コール): AKA chants, where fans calls out the name of the performer or yells out other cheering sounds.
Wolverine (ウルヴァリン): Derived from the X-men character, it is when one puts glow sticks in between his/her fingers while holding a fist. Dancing while doing a Wolverine is very dangerous, as often glow sticks will fly out of one's hand and hit another member of the audience. Please try to keep your glow sticks in your pockets when doing wotagei.

Guntank (ガンダンク): Derived from a Mobile suit in Gundam (A tank with a humanoid torso), it means only the upper body is free to perform Wotagei, usually due to being seated or in a crowded situations.

Oshi Jump: Jumping up and pointing to your favorite member when she is singing and sometimes maybe even during MC segments (but not recommended).


[Common Wotagei moves]

Kecha (ケチャ): Under arm, forward swinging worship hand motion.
Matrix (マトリックス): Derived from the Matrix movie, when Neo leans backward while he dodges bullets fired by an agent during the helipad fight scene.

Mawari (マワリ): Spinning on a spot, hopping up and down, while arms are raised in the air clapping.
OAD: AKA, Over Action Dolphin. An exaggerated form of over head clapping.
PPPH: Pan Pa-Pan Hyu, a four beat clap and jump move.
Romeo (ロミオ): A single hand, over head worship hand motion derived from Romeo and Juliet, where Romeo kneels down reaching out for Juliet.

Romance (ロマンス): Side way arm pointing motion in the sequence of Left, Right, Left, Left, Right, Left, Right, Right, and so on.
Rozario (ロザリオ): Forming a cross with both arms, it means to swear allegiance to the performers on stage.

* I know it's hard to imagine what these moves look like from my poor descriptions, so here's a video!
*

As mention above in the introduction, doing wotagei and chants at concerts are not the same as doing it at home or at a karaoke box. With concerts being too crowded and newer songs leaning more toward furimane, it has cause wotagei moves at concerts to be simplified. The following are major differences between proper wotagei and the simplified concert version.

- Mawari replaces Romance due to limitation of space.
- Mawari itself is simplified so that there is no spinning involved. Simply jump up and clap your hands in the air, facing the stage.
- PPPH simplified version is just standing and chanting during the first three beat (PPP) and then finishing with a Jump on the forth beat (H).
- High difficulty wotagei such as Matrix are not performed at all during concerts.

For the Anime Expo concert, calling out chants and doing simplified wotagei is more than enough.


[Ouen calls]

Role call: Simply yell the name of the person singing. Mostly first names or nicknames are used during these chants.
- Takahashi Ai - Ai-Chan (Pronounced Ai-Jyan)
- Niigaki Risa - Gaki-san (Pronounced Gak-san)
- Kamei Eri - Eri / Eririn
- Michishige Sayumi - Sayu / Sayumin
- Tanaka Reina - Reina
- Kusumi Koharu - Koharu
- Mitsui Aika - Aika
- JunJun - JunJun
- LinLin - LinLin
Extended role call: Extended version of the normal role call, usually done during PPPH. Example: MIIIIII~YABI
L-O-V-E LOVELY ___: Variation of role call. Example: L-O-V-E LOVELY RISAKO!
FU WA FU WA: Sound effect in the midst of Mawari, which sometimes could indicate a change in spinning direction.
FU FU: Sound effect in between lyrics. (Can also sound like: HU HU)
Oi: Sound effect in between lyrics.
Urya Oi: The chant that is usually done together with OAD.


Going to the concert

Here's a list of essential items for attending a H!P concert.

- Your ticket, we can't get in without one now, can we?
- Bottled water, AX allows unopened pet bottles inside concerts.
- Towel, you will be sweating a lot.
- Glow sticks, especially if you are not planning to Wotagei.


[Glow sticks and other props]

Each Morning Musume member has her own official color.
- Takahashi Ai - Yellow
- Niigaki Risa - Green
- Kamei Eri - Orange
- Michishige Sayumi - Pink
- Tanaka Reina - Light blue
- Kusumi Koharu - Red
- Mittsui Aika - Purple
- JunJun - Navy blue
- LinLin - Turquoise
You are only obligated to hold up glow sticks that represent the members that you like.
Please be responsible with your glow sticks and not throw them at other people or leave it on the ground during or after the concert.

For other items such as signs and pom poms, please check with AX to make sure it is allowed into the concert.
If you have a large bag or backpack, you can either leave it with the bag check or on your seat (since you'll be standing up cheering the whole time anyways).


[Settling down to your seat]

After you have entered the concert hall and have settled down, it is time to begin preparation for the concert.
Begin by doing light stretches and warm ups if you plan to perform Wotagei.
Take note of how much room is available to you so you do not disturb or hit your neighbors by accident. (Note that Morning Musume will be performing inside a hall instead of a theater at AX, tightly packed temporary seating is to be expected. Doing Guntank or resorting to only chanting might be the only option in this case.)
This should also be a good time to take out your glow sticks and light them up. Don't worry, they will last longer than the concert.


[Concert ethics]

- Be polite and courteous to staff and other members of the audience. Please try not to swear, it's not a heavy metal concert.
- Obey all rules outlined by the organizers.
- Give proper response when performers on stage are interacting with the audience.
- Cheer loudly during fast upbeat songs, but be quiet during slow ballad songs (such as: Ame no Furanai Hoshi de wa Aisenai Darou or Yowamushi), so everyone in the audience can listen to the song clearly. Waving your hands/glow sticks in the air to the beat during ballad songs is recommended.
- Try not to yell or scream when people on stage are speaking, wait until they are finish with their sentence/speech.
- Asking for encore the Japanese way: An-Ko-Ru. Repeat this word in a consecutive manner until performers return on stage.


Wotagei & Chant instructions

PLEASE REFER TO THE NEW THREAD:
Preparation for Anime Expo 2009 + Morning Musume Concert!


A final word

Please feel free to ask in this thread if you have any questions regarding Wotagei and chanting, and I will try my best to answer you. However, I am also still trying to get familiar with it myself, so please bare with me.

Also, I want to say thanks to everyone who took time to read all of this, thanks to all the staff here at H!O, and special thanks to sferris and gordokaba for technical advices.

[Tuhis Winston]

At the Klubhouse, the discussion of wotagei came up regarding the upcoming AKB show in Paris. Personally I think that wotagei is slightly retarded and should not be done in non-JPN shows. Why? Because I think ( or would like to) that most western fans are not wota, but sane concert goers.

At the very least, you should invent something of your own, not just repeating the same wotagei moves learnt from concert DVDs. They have seen it enough times already.

[turbos86]

^ Thanks for your opinion, but that's not the purpose of this thread. I've already explained my reasoning to the points you have brought up in my introduction.

If anyone else have questions or suggestions to improve this guide, please post here and let me know.

[fr0d0b0ls0n]

I wonder if people could dance wotagei in the anime-expo hall, but at least chanting exactly like an usual concert is a must if america's fans wanna do a good impression to the girls. And is pretty easy to do, after listening a few concerts you'll chant automatically...

[Dran]

Nice guide, turbos. Now I wish I were going to AX to do wotagei with everyone.

I could have been doing it for Buono! but, alas, things rarely turn out as planned in my world.

[PunkgambitPR]

...At the very least, you should invent something of your own, not just repeating the same wotagei moves learnt from concert DVDs. They have seen it enough times already.

I think in a way tuhis is right... but my opinion is more regarding on the fact that Americans* don't go to concert and do that type of things... I'm Puertorrican and from the Latino point of view the most we gonna do is sing the song with the group, don't get me wrong i will love to do a show like that, but other people won't want to do it. And from what i have seen and been told from my cousin that live in NY, CT and Penn we are pretty sure us citizens won't do that.

* Whole continent no only USA

P.S. and with the flu problem most of the Mexican fans won't be able to attend, and they are some hardcore fans.

[Dran]

To go and simply sing along is a pretty passive way to enjoy a concert. I mean, like Turbos said you wouldn't go all out and jump and scream (that would be like raving at a heavy metal gig - you just don't do it), but the fans should take a more active role in supporting their idols. It doesn't matter where you are, you rave at a disco/dance gig and you mosh at a metal gig. Logic therefore says that you wotagei at a J-Idol concert, regardless of wether it's what "Americans do" or not.

The blog Hello!Wota says "Americans are not wota!" for this reason. And I can think of no greater insult for a H!P fan than to have his or her degree of fandom challanged.

So read this guide, folks, and get out there and perform wotagei for your favourite girls. They expect it. We expect it.

[X5-2000]

Awesome guide!

I agree with Dran, and I don't understand why people always say "We can't just do what they do in Japan. Let's do something original to leave an impression”

I think seeing people care enough to wotagei outside of Japan is unique enough to leave an impression.

[Panty Quest VII]

Lol i think i would rather like to do Chants like this at Japanese concerts but for AX i think doing our own things would be more exciting for MM

but seeing wotagei at AX will be rather amusing i guess you could say?

[CDevil]

Thanks a lot for writing all of that turbos86, it was an interesting read! While I agree with the people who say we should come up with something different, I definitely don't have a problem with people sticking to what's already tried and tested, it makes things a lot easier (and I'm sure people would still do it even if the majority disagreed). However, I'm not sure if this is just me, but I find that doing a lot of those wotagei moves would go against the very concert ethics you've outlined in your post. I'd be pretty pissed off if I paid loads of money to go and see Morning musume and then had my experience ruined by having to stand behind someone who was jumping around and waving their arms in the air, especially if it's going to be all flat seating in a hot and stuffy venue. There are other ways wota can show their support while still making it enjoyable for those who just want to appreciate the experience. For example, in the AKB48 theatre (which is also a very tight spaced area with flat seating for most of it), the only wotagei moves I witnessed were furimane, ouen calls and romeo along with the normal chants and fist pumping. It was a very fun experience and only doing those moves made it as unobtrusive as possible for others. So in other words, I don't think it would be a good idea to do a lot of those wotagei moves, and I also don't agree with the idea that we should do them just because they expect it. I'd say the only reason why they expect it is because it's been forced upon them by the wota. I'm sure they'd be just as happy if we gave them a reception that was more like one a normal artist/group would receive (i.e. random cheering) and less like an idol group's. It might be a once in a lifetime opportunity for them, and they're not gonna get it in Japan. Of course I still think the chants are a must.

The only other very minor problem I'd have would be with the "an-ko-ru" encore. "Encore" is a french word defined in the English language, so I don't see why we should pronounce it the Japanese way, especially when their pronunciation is wrong. I was at a JRock concert a few years ago, and the audience tried and failed at saying it the Japanese way. It sounded like "Uncle Ray" and was cringeworthy But as long as everyone pronounces it correctly (either the western or Japanese way) I'm sure it will be fine.

[Shirow]

Awesome guide, I'll be sure to use it as a future reference

[ShikyoxYaiba]

MM, I won't be doing wotagei, but chants and such are a must. Anyone know where I can get some orange glowsticks? And yellow for that matter? I don't think green would be hard to find... (I gotta support my top three.) Or would it be better just to hold one color?

I'm gonna go and rewatch the recent concert songs and get these chants down~

[PunkgambitPR]

MM, I won't be doing wotagei, but chants and such are a must. Anyone know where I can get some orange glowsticks? And yellow for that matter? I don't think green would be hard to find... (I gotta support my top three.) Or would it be better just to hold one color?

I'm gonna go and rewatch the recent concert songs and get these chants down~

I plan to make an order of glowstick maybe today or tomorrow night to bring to AX, i let you know if a made the order...that is gonna be my gift to H!O members for the concert. Then i post info so i can give them to the members at AX.

[Zorr]

^
^I'm wondering the same as you, where would we get the glowsticks when we are over there? I'm wondering if people will sell them at the convention centre maybe?

I doubt I will do the wotagei moves myself, not because I dissagree with them, just because I'm a little too self concious. I might end up doing some of the chants though, I know quite a few from watching the concert DVD's and even then I find it hard not to chant out loud. I think when I'm actually there it will be hard to resist chanting, at least at some parts.

[sanrio]

impressive!!

im not going but i got a lesson to learn

[PunkgambitPR]

I plan to order from 50 to a 100 glows sticks depending on the weight, i don't want to have problem with my bags at the airport, about the color i don't think i have a way to select them since i plan to buy them on assortment packs, but as soon as i got more info i let you people know...and as i said before it will be gift... we can't have a MM concert without glows sticks.

[burnt glitter]

Thanks for the guide, turbos! Very awesome. I've favorited the wotagei instruction video, I've always wondered what the different moves were called!

While I think it would be really cool to learn wotagei for the concert, I think mostly what I'll be doing is doing the dance moves and chanting with glowsticks. I might do some simplified wotagei moves from what I know from watching concerts, that should be fun Thanks again for this guide!

[sakurazaki]

Thanks for the guide, I'm sure it'll be helpful.

One thing I am worried about though...is if I'll be able to see with everyone jumping around. Considering I'm very short, I don't think I'd like it if I had so many people blocking my view. I'm not saying that I don't think this is a cool idea (it really is D:), I'm just concerned for those who might not be able to see in front of them, let alone the girls up on stage. especially if the seating might be flat. >;

And...I want to know where I can get glowsticks as well! ;3

[turbos86]

@ Dran, Thank you! You said what was on my mind. I hope more people can be more open minded like you.

@ PunkgambitPR, I understand what you mean, so that's why I wrote this guide. I'm hoping to at least motivate some people to do some cheering and chanting. Why go to a concert to just stand around, get into it! The H1N1 flu epidemic is really a big blow to the Mexican fans. We could really use them and their enthusiasm at AX to stir up the crowd.

Regarding glow sticks, that's awesome you are buying so many to help out other fans, props to you! I'm still looking at where to buy them for myself, as the local selection is sub-par, I'll probably order online.

@ CDevil, I have already noted in the various parts of the guide that I understand it's not feasible to do full on wotagei at concerts and that it can be distracting to other members of the audience. However, waving your arms and chanting to the songs should pose no problems. You say that Morning Musume will be happy with just a normal reception, but I beg to differ. Tell me why Morning Musume shouts "HAI HAI HAI HAI" with the crowd during concerts? They want the audience to join in, it's just that simple. If you didn't watch the video of Anime Expo from two years ago that I've posted in the guide introduction, here it is again: It's a video of the SOS Brigade, including Hirano Aya, a big time Japanese seiyuu, performing their famous Suzumi Haruhi song at AX2007. The crowd that time was DEAD during the whole song, and that's a song they all know and love! Watching that video really have me fearing how dead the crowd this year will be. If this is what you call an "American reception", then I rather have wotas jumping and cheering to get the crowd excited, even if they block my view of the stage.

About the encore calls, I put that info down because at the Hangry & Angry concert at Sakura-con in Seattle, there was confusion about this.

@ sakurazaki, About the jumping, from the reaction I'm getting so far in this thread, and from what I've read on Jpopmusic, you don't have to worry. I'm almost certain that less than 10% of the crowd will be showing any form of physical support at this concert (but that doesn't stop me from trying to get more people to get involved by making this guide). A simple way to counter the view blocking problem is the jump yourself =P

Try your local dollar stores or even Walmart for glow sticks.

@ All you critics, In no way am I forcing anyone to follow my guide, more like I'm hoping this will stimulate more people to show physical support. It's totally up to the individual to decide if he/she wants to do anything I've mention in this thread or not. Bottom line is, a dead audience is like having NO audience, so please, do something, ANYTHING! And if after all this, my message is still not getting across to you, then I hope you will have fun standing around staring at the stage with your arms crossed in front of your chest for an hour and a half.

@ Everyone else, Thanks for the support, I hope we can all have fun and have the time of our life at this concert.

[plusQ]

I'd have to be stone cold drunk to even consider trying to do a Wotagei dance. But thank you so much for the color codes for the glow sticks. I wasn't sure what Aika, or JunJun's were.

I want to know the same thing about glow sticks but at a reasonable price? I know there will be some available since it's 4th of July, but I'm not going to be running around LA trying to find some the day before. D:

I hope signs are aloud into the concert. I have big plans. If not then I'll be a sad panda.