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Translation into Japanese

It was simply magic, the two nights at Budokan. Everything that you remotely 
wished for happened, and in the best atmosphere that is least pretentious, yet 
most loud and high in emotions and performance. 

Seiko is really really back. She has come out of the shadow. Naturally, the 
crowd, the Seiko+Fans distinctive atmosphere is here again.

Everyone even those at the standing seats right behind at the 3Floor were 
roaring bravo and enjoying every bit of it. It was a pity that it was not 
recorded in video. It was without doubt the magical night of all of Seiko's 
best magical nights. Even fans of the 80s, of 90s  and non-fans are calling it 
their Best one or easily the Best Three. 

The show was a rare 3hrs. I have already a month ago, talked about the fabulous 
selection and the order of the songs delivered, I will not say any more here. 
The highs of the show was
- it was the show ie Seiko herself that brought out the fantastic response from 
the crowd. We have seen how in most of the 90% of the shows before, that it was 
usually the crowd the crazy fans that would go building up the mood. But this 
time clearly it was her performance that brought the crowd out of the closet in 
both the Budokan nights, even right from the beginning of the show.

- Thoughout the entire show, we could see all the staff (stage crew) at the 
sides singing and dancing the entire show. Magnificant sight. I wished it was 
recorded... at the end we had the costume bearers...a bear, a bird and I can't 
remember one more ... fun time for the crew as well.
 
- Request song, "Watashidake no Tenshi Angel". I never thought I would ever 
hear this song sung live again. Unlike other shows where Seiko sang a phrase or 
two of some of the most remote songs (which of all people you would not expect 
Seiko to remember and she did and surprise the crowd of course), she did not do 
so at the Budokan. But there was something even more priceless. She entertained 
a request for "Angel" and teased the fan for thinking that she might have 
forgotten the lyrics. (The lyrics was returned to the fan after the show 
apparently.) Seiko sang to the awesome keyboard & drums and lightings impromtu 
arrangement, One full verse and one full chorus, to her daughter who was on 
stage and who surprise all of us as she burst into tears. Seiko then said to 
Sayaka, almost not intentionally and softly "hey come on now, buckle yourself 
up". In the Japanese culture, it is almost understandable that many would think 
the song is just too mushy, but it was beautiful last night. 

- One guy from the farthest end was screaming his lungs out to Seiko a few 
times, but Seiko could just not catch his words. Then assertively telling 
another fan to hold on, she gave that fan one more chance and asked him to 
repeat.  Sure enough his hoarse voice was inaudible. But then suddenly Seiko 
understood and burst into laughters. The fan was asking Seiko "what about your 
marriage plans?" We had not had this a long time and Seiko then took the 
opportunity to talk about her setbacks in the first and the second. She said 
that she felt it was a real embarrssment to have walked down the aisle twice in 
a full wedding gown and that it would be for a long time to come before she 
does that again. She has intended that she would have Sayaka wear the wedding 
gown first before herself. Of course the fans were telling her otherwise and 
made her promise to let us know if there would be any change of plans. :p I 
sensed the fans all want Seiko to be in love.   

- Double encore. (This means an extra one after the usual first. Rarely do we 
have one.) The double encore was almost natural. The crowd refused to move and 
Seiko came out and sang "Kagayaita Kisetsue Tabitatou". On the first Budokan 
night, she had the whole crowd rocking the entire hall with AkaiSweetPea, and 
Kagayaita. She did the same again last night. The crowd moved and clapped in 
one unison from start to end. When I said the crowd I meant all the way up to 
those right at the last row. It is usually a challenge to have the 3F guys 
standing as it is so far away from the stage and there is no monitors, but 
everyone was moving away. It was a very touching sight. And when Seiko ran to 
the left or right, you could almost see all of them leaning towards where she 
stood just like in the encore of the 1992 Novellue Vague Live. When she waved, 
every one responded so automatically. At the age of 41 at our age, this is 
really special. I bet all the crowd and Seiko was just as moved by each other's responses.

- Triple encore. Now this almost never never ever happens. The crowd still 
refused to leave. Seiko came out apprearing just to thank the crowd in words, 
then she suddenly at a very serious tone said to the background BGM "...Excuse 
me, pls could you stop the music" That was so coooooool!  and she said "...I 
had very fantastic night and last night too, thanks to all of you. You were all 
so warm. Even right from the beginning of the show I could feel your warmth and 
love. (Ps. she actually broke a tear after the second song Ringoshu no Hibi, 
the biggest highlight for most). I want to sing one more song for all of you" 
and the crowd when crazy. my friend next to me whisphered to me, pls pls pls 
pls do not let it be Sound of Fire or this sort and kill the entire tour, not 
after all this.  Seiko continued "I have been wanting to sing one more song in 
the middle of the show, and I know that there is no other song than this one." 
Our hearts stopped, the entire hall was in complete silence. Seiko 
continued "This song I had always sung at the end of every concert in the 80s 
and it is Only My Love" The crowd went bersak. nuts. So did I. At the second 
encore I was only thinking and wishing how nice it would be if Seiko sang after 
Kagayaita (don't be mistaken I loved this song in lives), Only My Love. But I 
had also wished that Seiko sang the song herself and not that someone had 
requested her to do so.  The dream came true, and it could not have been more 
perfect.  Singing Only My Love in all the shows as part of the song list would 
not have that same effect. Having the song sung only because someone had 
requested it would not do much too. The night was that good that had Seiko 
naturally wanting to sing the song was just too perfect. And even though the 
crowd was singing their hearts out like never before, Seiko never left the mike 
off her. It was magical, it was touching.... we all cried out loud and in our 
hearts. I looked around me, I saw fathers and mothers with kids. I saw elderly 
people and also disabled people. I saw my peers (ie primary/secondary school 
kids when Seiko made her debut, 75% of the crowd) as well as older one (ie same 
age as Seiko when she made her debut). All of us were waving our hands and our 
paper fan (uchiwa) in unison to the song. It was magic. It was the Seiko we all 
loved, the singer we knew.... It was the magical show. Nevermind about the 
Natsumonogatari, 20th Party, I hardly even noticed that Sayaka sang 
Eversince, ... I never thought I would ever hear It's Style 95, I want you so 
bad, Ringoshu no hibi, Aoi Photograph and Only My Love and all these in the 
exact same order as it was in this year's show and in last night's finale.

It was Magic and all of us in our hearts knew "I will follow you...." forever.


I have been here since 1997. I have experienced the Seiko I respect and love 
best at Zepp and again this year's tour and the two recent Budokan nights. Even 
now I still cannot believe that this Seiko 2003 that I saw at Saitama, Nagoya, 
Oasaka, Sendai, Yokohama, Hiroshima, and Budokan and Budokan 0801 has come. It 
was really hard to believe especially after all these dinnershows and lives 
since 2000. I  have now no regrets even if I would not see any more Seiko 
lives. I did not even need to meet Seiko in person, the memory of last night's 
performance was more than I could ever ask for, forever. I was put on cloud 
nine and I know everyone at the hall was too. I know this is the best ever.

I honestly wish to say "Welcome back! Thanks for coming out to be the Star and 
Singer you really are again!! I am so glad not to have given up hope to have 
experienced last night." 

You know how sometimes you listen to one Seiko song and you automatically look 
back into your favourite Seiko (be it 80s or 90s) but which usually ends up 
being the "prime Seiko". Today when I played my CD, my flashback was this tour 
and this Seiko at Budokan. This 0801 Budokan Seiko is the benchmark of Seiko, 
the singer the Star I will forever remember Seiko by. 

This is one magical 3hour I will never forget for the rest of my life.