A woman in her thirties driven crazy by her favorite idol | TABOO NIGHT XXXX Review
I had given up on talking about it because I lack the vocabulary to do it justice, but can I please talk about “Taboo Night”…?
Even if you say no, I’m going to talk about it.
Taboo Night refers to “Uta no Prince-sama The Movie | TABOO | NIGHT | XXXX”. I went to see this. No, to be precise, I have seen it 5 times so far.
Oh, wait, wait. There is a perfectly good reason why I’ve seen it 5 times. I’ll write about it later, so just wait.
Although Taboo Night is called a movie, it is a live concert. In other words, watching Taboo Night means going to a live viewing of the live tour “TABOO NIGHT XXXX” by the idol group
QUARTET NIGHT (hereinafter referred to as QuartNight) that appears in “Uta no Prince-sama” (hereinafter referred to as UtaPri). Even though it’s a movie theater, we are actually at a live viewing venue.
You might not understand what I’m saying, but that’s what it is.
I would love to talk about what was good and how, point by point, but I always lose my vocabulary when it comes to my favorite idol. Still, I want to preserve this excitement… well, thinking about it in my head won’t get me anywhere, so I’ll just write it down to organize my memories.
I will write my impressions below, but I should state in advance that although I am a fan of UtaPri, I am quite a casual fan. Please forgive me for the fact that my understanding of the work and each character is not very high, as I have not played the games.
Also, when I watch a movie, I like to be surprised the first time, so I am basically the type who does almost no preparation for any work. For this movie, I went in with only vague information like “it seems the motif is a
phantom thief…?” and knowledge from the trailers shown when I went to see other movies, so there might be parts where you think I should have looked it up beforehand.
If you can forgive me for that, please continue.
First of all, starting right off the bat with a solo song (medley) was unexpected, and from this point on, various things were turned upside down.
Because until now, both the movies and the live concerts always started with a flashy group song as a rule.
By the way, the footage of the first song from the movie released in 2022 is here
The opening medley, which far exceeded those expectations, featured the phantom thief role singing and dancing while skillfully involving the security guards to captivate the fans. The security guard roles served as backup dancers supporting the phantom thief's performance, and I'm happy that I could watch the four of them the whole time.
Even after that, the members of Quartet Night played various characters while singing and dancing. At first glance, I was confused, thinking, "W-what is happening...?" but then I remembered that this sense of confusion is what UtaPri is all about.
UtaPri always goes beyond our understanding. Right?
In any case, I cannot help but admire the start that lived up to the concept of challenging taboos. No, I have to keep my head up, otherwise I can't see the screen, so I will keep it up.
...Wait. If I go on like this, the pacing is going to be terrible. From here on, I will summarize by character.
| Reiji Kotobuki
First, let's start with Reiji Kotobuki, who was the first in the medley. He is the one in the center of the main visual. His image color is green. Reiji is... well, he's just Reiji, isn't he... I don't know what I'm saying. Let me write this properly. First, from the very beginning, there was generous
fan service. He appeared dashingly from the audience seats, smiling and waving while rushing down to the stage. Of course the venue would go wild if he did that at the start. Right? And then, his facial expressions, skillfully switching between playfulness and intensity. He is just so much of an idol.
Even though the content was almost like a musical, where they performed while playing roles, Taboo Night is ultimately a live concert. Even while acting on stage, Reiji makes sure not to leave the audience behind by talking to them, saying things like, "Hey? Don't you think so?" Even if you say that's just the script, I want to believe it's Reiji's idol spirit. He is the man who can calm you down when you're feeling tense. That is the man named Reiji Kotobuki. As expected, this man is cunning. I'm going to fall for him like this.
| Ranmaru Kurosaki
Next, Ranmaru Kurosaki. He is my absolute favorite. His image color is wine red.
By the way, I always say that I like red, but it is by no means because of Ranmaru Kurosaki. It just happened that his image color was wine red when I started liking him. That's all. That the color I happen to like is his image color, I believe this is destiny.
Even so, his high notes and high kicks are... just too cool, aren't they...?? No, I'm sorry, I can't find any words other than that I love him, I love him... The performance of kicking the mic stand, the slightly raspy low-tone rap, the husky high-tone long notes, the way he hypes up the audience... everything I wanted to see from Kurosaki was there. Thank you so much.
Kurosaki-san is known for his wild and rock-and-roll heat, but I felt like he had a lot of gentle expressions this time. I want to believe it's not just my imagination. If I'm being honest, I love the moments when his usually sharp gaze softens... I've lost count of how many times my heart was pierced by his relaxed expression as he smiled with his eyes slightly narrowed at the camera. I felt like covering my eyes many times. But I endured it because I wouldn't be able to see if I covered them. It's the best. I love him.
| Mikaze | Ai
Yes. Next is Ai Mikaze. His image color, which gives a neutral impression, is lavender. As always, his face is just so cute. He's cute even just when he blinks... I didn't know what to do when a beam shot out of his finger though.
Since he is an android, it is not strange for a beam to shoot out of his finger.
As always, the beauty of his high notes in his singing shone through, and the way he danced everything from sharp moves to elegant ones in a way that was uniquely Ai Mikaze is something I can only describe as masterful (I think the motion capture dancer is truly amazing).
Especially in his solo song "Am I a fairy or...?", combined with his costume, he was just like a fairy. The coexistence of cute and cool...This is Ai Mikaze indeed....
His face was beautiful the whole time and it was the best, but I personally really loved the expression he made when he looked up at us a bit craftily and said, "Do you want a kiss from me that much?" I'm too unworthy to accept a kiss.
Also, in the middle of the main song "TABOO NIGHT XXXX," which is also the title of the movie, there is a lyric that says "I'll show you (misete ageru)," and that little vocal scoop on the "mi" of "misete" (I hope you get what I mean) was so good... It was an Ai Mikaze I had never seen before....
The friend I went to watch it with said, "He's cute like a girl, but his knees are properly modeled as a boy's, and I can feel the fetish of the modeler," and I realized I still have a long way to go.
Camus
Now, here we go. The last one is Camus. His image color is light blue.
More importantly! I'm sure I'm not the only "Ignorant masses, it is time for your reward" Princess (the term for Uta no Prince-sama fans) who went Kyaaaaaa!!! at that ignorant masses line suddenly thrown into the song. (I believe in you...! My fellow Princesses!)
...To explain briefly, Camus has a dual nature. He plays the role of a thorough butler in front of fans, but behind the scenes, he is extremely cold to anyone other than those he acknowledges (this is called Count mode), that kind of character.
And since we are aware of that side of Camus, his voice actor, Tomoaki Maeno, performs a routine at live concerts and events to show Camus's dual nature (his voice changes significantly too), starting with a gentle greeting like "Greetings, ladies and gentlemen," followed by the "Do you really think I would say that, you ignorant masses!" line. This is like a staple, or rather, a fun sequence for fans.
But this time...! It was reverse-imported to the Camus side...!!
Since it was a live concert based on the premise of a "play," I calmly thought that maybe they incorporated it under the guise that the Count mode is also just acting, but that doesn't matter anymore; he actually showed us his Count mode (true self) at a live concert...!!! As one of the ignorant masses fans, I was overjoyed.
This is just my personal impression, but I think Camus was the one who showed (and charmed us with) the most sides of himself this time. It wasn't just the ignorant masses bit; he performed a wide range of songs, from wild ones to ultra-cute ones to melancholic ones.
He showed us so much without holding anything back, so, well, from now on I've decided to call him Camus "Sama".
Overall... well. While reproducing a live concert that could exist in reality, the production that could only be done in anime was definitely fun.
The massive, budget-defying sets are just the beginning; I don't even know what kind of technology they use for wall-phasing, teleportation, or giant holograms. They can even fly through the air with ease.
You might not believe me, but they do all of it.
This exquisite balance is what made me think, Ah, I'm really watching UtaPri. I believe that UtaPri is more than just 'cool!' or 'cute!'
Also, the harmonies when the four of them sing together are just the best. I could listen to them forever. Since each of the four sings a different part, every time I hear a new song, I'm amazed by the rich harmony that doesn't sound like it's coming from just four people. They are too good.
Combined with the structure that starts with solos, moves to units, and ends with the full group, I was just overflowing with the feeling that these four are the best...!
Phew... I'm getting a little tired, but let me talk for just a little longer. Actually, this is where the main part begins. (Huh?)
As I explained at the beginning, "TABOO NIGHT XXXX" is a tour-style concert.
The part that shows it's a tour-style concert is the MC during the encore.
In this concert, the four members of Quartet Night divide the areas into North, South, East, and West, and each takes charge of the main MC for one week in their respective region. Yes, that means the content changes every week.
This is one of the reasons why fans like me keep coming back.
Even if it weren't, I'd want to watch it over and over, but once an otaku has a reason to go, they will go no matter what.
And, well.
The person in charge of the 5th week was my favorite, Mr. Kurosaki, and he was amazing.
The previous three members' comments to the fans had a strong nuance of 'thank you,' and words like I love you or I love you could be taken as idol-like fan service (of course, I am well aware that they truly love us fans from the bottom of their hearts).
But! Mr. Kurosaki was just different! The temperature was different...!!!
His week is over, so I'll spoil the line...
'Stay by my side... forever.'
He said that with such straight eyes.
Was that a marriage proposal???
Wait, am I overthinking this? Or was it an auditory hallucination? Am I misinterpreting it too much? I thought that, but the girl in the seat behind me was sobbing, so I am certain that was a marriage proposal (I'm convinced).
A surprise marriage proposal is not okay. Seriously. It's bad for my heart. Kurosaki-san, I want you to reflect on this.
The impact of the proposal was so immense that I went to see it one more time (making it my 6th time in total) on Kurosaki-san's final day as the lead, and it was definitely a proposal.
For the first time in a while, I remembered that the Uta no Prince-sama series is based on an otome game. They are romanceable characters. How terrifying.
It seems that starting yesterday, the version with the 4-person MC has begun, and it has been decided that Dolby Cinema (*) screenings will start in July, so I will go at least one more time.
*What is Dolby Cinema?
Dolby Cinema® combines powerful image and sound technologies with inspired theater design to transform your visit into a completely immersive cinematic event.
If this article has made you even slightly interested in Taboo Night or Quartet Night, please at least watch the Director's Cut PV. It's about a 5-and-a-half-minute video, which is one-twelfth of the movie. The fact that you can watch this for free feels like some kind of bug.
By the way, you can hear Camus-sama's "Foolish mortals" at 3:54.
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