How it started
In late 2022 I was watching the Chainsaw Man anime. Episode 7 had an ending song that stopped me in my tracks, Chu, Tayousei (ちゅ、多様性。) by Ano. I had found a new artist. For about a year I listened casually, but somewhere along the way I wanted to understand what she was actually saying, so I started learning Japanese and joined her community on X.
That community changed everything. Through it I found out that Ano had once been part of an idol group called You'll Melt More!. I checked out their newest song at the time, Monmo-China!, thought it was a lot of fun, and started following the group. On X I got to see little glimpses of the members' personalities, and one of them caught my attention. Heso was often posting about working hard and doing her best, and in every performance clip I watched she looked like she was having the time of her life. She became my oshi pretty quickly.
Three years later, in November 2025, I booked my first trip to Japan. I wanted to see the country, climb a mountain, and go to live shows. I knew almost nothing about how lives worked. I had heard of chekis and I knew I wanted at least one, with Heso. That was the plan. What actually happened was something I didn't expect.
Show one: the near-miss
My first live show was Idolgrow vol.17 at BASE GRANBELL on November 3rd, 2025. I had bought my ticket online through LivePocket, and arriving there I quickly realised the staff didn't speak any English, so it was Japanese from the start. The guy at the door was a little condescending, which wasn't the warmest welcome. But once I was inside, the lineup won me over. I had never heard of any of the other acts, Ange☆Reve, NUANCE, Pupa!!, Untitled, Giga LOVE Upbeat, nicora ray ark, but they were all fun and I enjoyed every set.
Then I found out that Heso, Nerun and Raki were all sick that day and wouldn't be performing. A little gutting, but You'll Melt More! still put on a good show with the remaining members. Afterwards I went looking for the cheki booth and couldn't find it anywhere. I eventually gave up and left, assuming that maybe not every show had one.
Show two: the first cheki
Two days later I was back, this time at Shibuya Near Future Hall Tokyo. Hoping Heso would be there, however she was still sick.
Still the performances were great again, I got to see Untitled for a second time, whose fans were very kind. And I also got to see Odoro (棘) who have a great atmosphere and energy, I instantly became a fan, especially the glasses wearing Kan-chan stood out to me. They even gave me a card to come to their Christmas show, but I wouldn’t be in Japan by then so that was a bummer.
This time the cheki booths were set up right inside the live hall, impossible to miss. And something happened that set the tone for everything that followed: a fan who had spotted me using my penlight during You'll Melt More!'s set came straight over and told me I could get a free cheki if I followed all the members on X. I already did. He seemed genuinely pleased to help, and just like that I had a free cheki to spend.
I chose Makoto. She had seemed approachable from what I had seen, and my instincts were right. She was bubbly and sweet, practically bouncing while we talked, and she told me she was learning English at school, she seemed really happy to have a chance to use it. We went back and forth between Japanese and English and it felt easy and natural. I stood a little too close for the photo apparently, the photographer had to correct me, but Makoto didn't seem to mind at all. I apologised anyway.
Walking away from that cheki I already knew, I wanted one with every member.
Show three: finally, my oshi
Four days later, on the 9th of November, I checked X before heading out, Heso would be at this one. The live was at Small Worlds, and I bought my ticket at the door. On stage she was exactly like in the clips I had watched: cool, confident, charming. I really liked it.
When the show was over I made my way to the cheki booth, which was set up on a different floor. The ticket lady was patient and kind, and took the time to explain the different ticket options to me. I bought one and joined the line for Heso.
Meeting her in person was completely different from watching her on stage. She was short and cute, and up close she seemed almost shy and timid. Her voice was much softer than when she was singing, and she was really sweet. I later found out there is a word for this: “gap moe” that endearing contrast between someone's on-stage and off-stage self. It suited her perfectly. We talked a little about where I was from and I told her I had had fun. She asked me who I liked the most, and I told her she was my oshi. She looked genuinely surprised, and genuinely happy. Then the time was up and we said goodbye.
Seeing her in real life made me like her even more. From that moment my perspective shifted, to get the real idol experience, you have to meet your oshi at least once.
Show four: the duo that changed things
On the 12th I was sitting in Higo-Hosokawa Garden, a quiet park not far from Kantsuji Temple (感通寺), when a notification came through on X. Nani'n'Nerun?, the duo unit of Nani and Nerun would be performing at Maipenrai Idol Fes Vol.35 in Akabane, right where I was staying. They don't perform together often. I had to go.
The lineup that night was something else. BELLRING Shoujo Heart were excellent, though the crowd was a little strange. One fan kept bumping into me on purpose, which was weird, while another held a spot for me at the front while I waited, which was kind. Then there was Yubiningyou, who left a real impression on me. Their performance was beautiful and slightly creepy at the same time, almost otherworldly. I hadn't expected to discover new groups I genuinely liked, but it kept happening.
And then Nani'n'Nerun? came on. The songs are a bit silly but you could see they were having an absolute blast up there, especially Nani. She had this huge smile that barely left her face the entire set. I hadn't quite registered it before, but standing there watching her perform, it was impossible to miss.
After the show I went to the cheki booth, and the ticket lady told me I could do a shot with both of them at the same time. I couldn't possibly say no. We spoke in Japanese. Nerun wanted to know what I had eaten that day. Nani asked where I had learned Japanese and said my intonation was good, I told her I watch a lot of anime, and she immediately lit up. She wanted to know what I was watching. One Piece, I said. She was watching it too. We both loved Chopper. She was smiling from ear to ear. Nerun leaned in at one point, bringing her face close to mine when she wanted to ask something, and told me she could tell I had been happy during the performance. She said I had a "pika pika face." I thought that was the cutest thing. My brother is a big Nerun fan but speaks no Japanese, so I translated for him, which gave me a little extra time with them both. Walking away I kept thinking about how different they were from each other and yet somehow perfect together. Nerun is naturally charming in a way that's hard to explain, she's strange in the best possible way, almost captivating. And Nani is warm and easy to talk to, and she is really beautiful, with one of the most genuine bright smiles I have ever seen. By the time I got back to my apartment I had two oshis, Nani and Heso.
Show five: three in one night
On the 15th I went to MARQUEE祭mini Vol.285 at Shibuya Spotify O-nest. I had a feeling this might be my last show, so I bought three cheki tickets and went for the remaining members I hadn't spoken to yet, plus one more with Heso.
Heso was first. She remembered me, she told me she had seen my tweets about her. It felt easier to talk to her this time, more natural. The first time I had wanted to suggest a heart pose but hadn't quite found the nerve. Now, as a slightly more experienced fan, it wasn't awkward at all. We did the heart pose, and she drew an orange heart on the photo where our hands had formed one. Really cute.
Next was Meari. She is a wonderful dancer and it shows in her performance, there's a precision and ease to how she moves on stage. Off stage she is mellow, almost model-like, but relaxed and easy to be around. She asked me who my favourite member was. I said Heso, which made her laugh. When I followed up by telling her I love every member she smiled and called me kind. Her energy is slow and unhurried, like time moves at her pace. I really liked her.
Then Raki. She was a little quiet, and for some reason the language barrier felt strongest with her, which just means I need to keep improving my Japanese. But she was warm despite that, she drew a little koala on the photo and we did a thumbs up pose together. I had seen her talking openly and comfortably with regular fans, so I think she is someone who opens up gradually over time. I would have liked more time with her.
Show six: one last time
Two days later, on the 17th, I found myself standing outside one more venue. The show had no online ticket option available to me as a foreigner, so I hadn't been able to prepare, I just showed up and hoped they would let me buy at the door. I wasn't sure I could get in. But I decided to try anyway. I'm glad I did. This was a two-man live with THE PINK MINDS, and they are amazing performers in their own right. I didn't know them going in. By the end of the night I was a fan.
At this point I had met every member at least once, but I still didn't have solo chekis with Nani and Nerun. I bought two tickets after the show. Nerun was first. She was immediately curious, she asked about my age, my brother's age, what I had eaten that day, whether McDonald's tastes the same back home, and how I had found the group in the first place. She basically drove the entire conversation herself, which made it effortless. That's just who she is. Naturally charming, full of questions, impossible not to enjoy.
Then Nani. She was smiling as always. Before I could even suggest a pose she had already started doing a heart with her hands, which was exactly what I had in mind. She asked how many shows I had been to, whether this was my last one, and what my favourite song was. I told her I loved Only You and Escape Dive, both of which they had played that night. During Only You the members point at people in the crowd while singing the title, and she had pointed at me. It's a small thing, but it's the kind of moment you only get if you actually show up. I noticed she had Pingu themed nails. She was happy I said something and immediately started making Pingu noises, which was very funny. Talking to her always felt easy and warm, and every time I walked away I liked her even more.
What I took home
All of this is proof, to me, that you can be an idol fan from home, but you will never get the full experience without going. You might fly out for your oshi and come home a DD. You might discover groups you never would have found otherwise. You might end up liking your oshi even more than before, which I genuinely didn't think was possible. All of these girls had something different to offer, and I love every one of them for it.
So if you are on the fence about going to a live show but you have the means, just go. A trip to Japan alone is something I would recommend to anyone. There is so much to do: maid cafes, temples, nature, the Pokémon Center. And if you are there anyway, live shows are far more affordable than concerts in the west, and so much more fun. You never know what might happen. I didn't.
