From Salaryman to Otaku (14) Another Graduation

Maybe it wasn't that I wanted to be an idol, but that I had regrets about not being able to say a proper goodbye to everyone back then.

This is what a former member said, explaining that she had regrets about not being able to properly say goodbye to her fans because the theater I wrote about before suddenly closed without any graduation events due to COVID-19. (That girl reincarnated into another group, saw it through to graduation, and is now successfully running her own business.)

Perhaps because I also met Peko-chan at that theater, I was reminded of those words while watching Peko Nanami's graduation live and special event at Am Hall on December 27th.

This board was set up at the special event venue, and it summarizes the history from Peko-chan's debut to her graduation.

When this was completed, I felt that the fans must have thought they had done all they could, and I was thinking during the special event that perhaps the last important job of an idol is to leave good memories for the fans who supported them.

Since it was made with such care, and I was a regular for a period of time, I'll look back on it a little bit.

The early days. I was happy she debuted in Osaka, so I went quite often, including to regular shows. 'Mirai Rewrite,' which was the first song where Peko-chan got the falling chorus, remained my favorite song until the end. I managed to catch it at least once a year, so I barely survived. I was deeply moved to hear it for the first time in a year at the graduation live. I think it was the 2nd one. I lost my motivation all at once because I couldn't keep up with the management's idea of changing the group name based on the number of attendees. I reflect on my lack of capacity to take it as a joke (even thinking about it again now, it's not funny).

The middle period. A time when there were more summer festivals and such. However, the number of songs increased, and 'Mirai Rewrite' became a rare song, so I would look at Peko's setlists and aim for times when it seemed likely to be played. I have an image of it being played often in Nagoya. Also, the first show of a two-show day.

At some special event, I told her straight out that 'the songs don't resonate with me,' which is something an otaku shouldn't say, but she forgave me.

Budokan. It's strange that 'Mirai Rewrite' was here. Was it because it was a special song that they didn't do it often...? By the way, this was the first and last time I saw an idol dash to the 🚽 during a special event lol

After that, I was transferred to Tokyo, so I only showed my face at Tokyo expeditions or summer festivals, but when I caught 'Mirai Rewrite' at a joint gig I just happened to go to, she laughed and asked, 'Why are you here?'

At the graduation live, I was very happy to be able to catch 'Step Sequencer' after 'Mirai Rewrite'.

Come to think of it, my Twitter icon was chosen by Peko-chan when she was a 'wild' idol not affiliated with any agency. I've been using it ever since. Thank you. Also, when I changed my note account name to 7370, a play on 3730, I wondered if 773 meant something... but it was too crazy to ask, so I never did lol. Even though I owed her so much, I had basically 'retired' from her, only went to live shows a few times a year, and was the kind of fan who only increased the frequency of visits after her graduation was decided, so when she said, 'I'm glad you stayed,' I really felt that it showed her character. I don't know many people at the venue, but seeing more than 10 fans I hadn't seen in a long time at the final special event, all gathered from various circles, I think it's because everyone wanted to say goodbye at the end. I personally found it amusing to see a fan who greeted her with a slightly apologetic look, smiling bitterly when she mentioned the name of the idol he had switched his support to.

You weren't given any singing parts, your penlight color was changed (twice), and above all, you were burdened with the mysterious cross of having takoyaki-colored as your assigned color. Things might not have gone your way most of the time, but I truly think it's amazing that you worked so steadily and saw it through to a point where you could feel you had done everything you could. I remember well that when I brought it up around the time the line for Peko started to grow, you looked a bit shy but proud.

Thank you for all your hard work over these long years. I don't know what you'll do next, but first, please take it easy and enjoy the days where you can sleep at night without worrying about the next morning. With your mouth open (lol).