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Anime Boston 2012: Haruko Momoi Concert
After the crowd from Kanako Itou left, and those waiting in line for the second act were seated, the room buzzed with excitement. The queen of Akihabara was in Boston, and she was going to be giving her best for the thousands in attendance! The crowd began chanting in unison, making cries of "Hey!" as Momoi marched onto the stage in a short pink dress.
The cheers grew louder, and glowsticks began waving about furiously, as she greeted the fans and began singing Otome wa Boku ni Koishiteru, opener to Nurse Witch Komugi. Without skipping a beat, she continued into Kujibiki Unbalance.
In contrast to Ito's concert, Momoi maintained a high-energy show, belting out a mix of hits like Romantic Summer and Wonder Momo-i, as well as covers of fan-favorite anime songs like Give a Reason from Slayers Next and God Knows from Haruhi. Even slower songs, like Yurumates theme Loosey Goosey had a bouncy, peppy feel to them as Momoi swayed and danced to the beats.
Through the concert, Momoi not only defended, but flaunted her reputation as an entertainer as she worked the room at every possible chance. Her infectious energy spread through the room, as she bounded across the stage giving calls out to the audience and pausing at the perfect moment for cameras to snap a clear shot. The crowd was happy to oblige, as they bounced, shouted, and waved glowsticks with reckless abandon. Every song received a huge pop from the crowd, and every plea to the audience was met with excited shouts.
Even as she took her bow and left the stage, the crowd buzzed with excitement, discussing their favorite songs and sharing their reactions to what they had just experienced. It was an experience that they would talk about for some time to come.
It's difficult to name a highlight to the event, though if forced to narrow things down, this writer would nominate Give a Reason or Wonder Momo-i. Since they were both higher-energy pieces, they really allowed Momoi to work within her element. Her impeccable showmanship and ability to work a room came out in these particular songs, as she encouraged and called to the crowd between verses, and managed to get even the most jaded viewer onto his feet and yelling out to her calls.