LIVE REVIEW | Ano Bares Every Bone in Electric Budokan Show

Last November, I first experienced what an Ano show could deliver at Toyosu Pit. The singer, now far away from her You’ll Melt More idol days, showcased everything you could want from a great J-POP show. Hard guitar riffs, killer visuals, some stellar choreography, and — most importantly — a voice filled with range. After the gig, I asked myself, “How can she top that?!” Last night’s Budokan show easily answered that question.

Hot off her sophomore album Bone Born Bomb and one day shy of her 27th birthday, Ano captivated the sold-out crowd at the legendary venue with an almost two-hour set. Unlike her Toyosu show, which had her wearing a mere t-shirt, Ano was able to show more of a pop style with her outfits. Emerging from behind the octagon screen in the center, Ano strutted her stuff in a wild winged costume, as she belted out “Chu, Tayosei.”surrounded by dancers in traditional Chinese garb. “Iinazukkyun” made for a seamless transition, with the performer dancing, singing, and waving to the cameras like a happy kid.

When “F Wonderful World” hit, Ano made her statement loud and clear: this was her stage, whether people liked it or not. “Bubble Me Face” showered the crowd with its namesake, while the dancers returned for a fun rendition of “Smile Agenai”. The moment Ano and the crowd became one was certainly during “Namida-kun, Kyo mo Ohayoo”, as the audience sang along loudly and proudly to the lyric-less refrain. This song made for the right transition for the next part of the show: the more somber set.

Reemerging after a short interlude in a blue-lighted t-shirt, Ano strummed an out-of-tune guitar for a moment, before being handed one perfectly in key. To some, this was a symbol of Ano’s past, one that was chaotic and lacking a melody. The passing of a better-sounding guitar could be seen as the moment she broke away from the darkness and brought something beautiful to the world. Performing “SWEETSIDE SUICIDE” solo, Ano showcased the rawness of her vocals alongside the sadness found within the lyrics.

Her bandmates joined in once again for the next song: “Happy Lucky Chappy.” Seated at a school desk (hers or maybe Shizuka’s), Ano strummed and sang with loud emotion as her stage rose to the heavens. It was a haunting visual, one that played to the themes of both Takopi’s Original Sin and Ano’s own bullied past. Perhaps this is why she followed with “You and Ai Heaven” and “AIDA”, two songs that don’t shy away from how broken she once was.

Thankfully, Ano’s in the right mindset now, and demonstrated just how much power she’s obtained in the third part of the set. Donning her trademark blue and an electric guitar, Ano tore through “Delete” and “Fuhen” with a wild frenzy that showed just how in-sync she was with her bandmates. But her craziest side was just about to come out, with “Nyang Oe Gokuraku Ondo” delivering a true art-pop smorgasbord of sounds and visuals.

The highlight of the night was certainly “Hone Baki☆Yuugure Diary”, as she roared with hardcore punk vocals while fire literally spewed around the stage. In that moment, Ano was in her purest element: sometimes cute, sometimes batshit insane, but always being her true self. It’s no wonder she plopped down on the ground after the song’s end, as she stared up into the rafters with the biggest smile on her face. If she wanted to end the show there, no one would’ve complained in the slightest.

Fortunately, Ano had more in her tank, as she went into “Zettai Koakuma Kode” with one of the coolest costumes of the night: a paper doll-styled dress, with white tabs unfolded. It felt appropriate that she would dive into “LoliRockyunRobo♡” after that, before stripping the outfit for the final song of the main set: “ZeZeZeZettai Seiiki”. With every shout of “destruction”, the stage once again filled with fire, with Ano’s energy fueling the crowd with excitement.

After what seemed like a ten-minute break, Ano reemerged in sequined pajamas that would’ve made Liberace jealous. Here, she premiered a new song: “Midnight Zenbu Daijoubu”, with lyrics that emphasized the singer’s current mental health: she’s okay now. After giving a long and passionate speech and thanking the crowd for “giving up on dying”, Ano ended the night with the proper exclamation note: “Past Die Future”. In that moment, she made her last statement: no matter how dark it gets, she’ll keep on fighting and moving forward.

As the last note played and the singer let out one more roar, the crowd was showered with confetti filled with hateful comments about Ano taken from social media. Taking that hate and turning it into party decorations was a strong middle finger to those who’ve tried to take her down, be it in the past or present. But even with this successful Budokan show under her belt, Ano is showing no signs of slowing down. The next tour, a new clothing line, a new music video, and — the most surprising of all — her first book were all announced in a video montage. (Odds are, a Blu-ray of the Budokan show will soon be revealed, as evident by the end credits of the performance.)

Ano’s eclectic styles were in full force at her Budokan debut. She showed her truest pop motif, her punkiest attitude, and even her most soulful side to the sold-out crowd. The legendary venue demands its performers to give it everything they’ve got; Ano did so not because of those demands, but in spite of them. For someone who was close to closing out the entire world many years ago, Ano demonstrated that she’s 1) alive, 2) kicking ass, and 3) giving no fucks whether anyone tries to stop her. Lord knows I wouldn’t!

Setlist:

Chu, Tayosei.
Iinazukkyun
F Wonderful World
Bubble Me Face
Smile Agenai
Aishiteru, Nante ne
Namida-kun, Kyo mo Ohayoo
SWEETSIDE SUICIDE
Happy Lucky Chappy
You And Ai Heaven
AIDA
Delete
Fuhen
Nyang Oe Gokuraku Ondo
Hone Baki☆Yuugure Diary
Zettai Koakuma Kode
LoliRockyunRobo♡
ZeZeZeZettai Seiiki

Encore:

Midnight Zenbu Daijoubu
Past Die Future

Photos by Masato Yokoyama, taken from Ano’s official staff Twitter.

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