It has been days (or weeks) since the previous post. Many things happened, and to be honest, I’m becoming lazier and lazier and nearly feel unwilling to write some new bullshits here. Little by little, I realize the convenience of Twitter and Instagram. However, I still believe that keeping on writing something is beneficial and necessary, there may be just a few people that would come and read my words though.
Many things happened for this duration. On the 25th of July, I went and visited CP26. For this short trip, honestly, my principal targeted place is Touhou Only (THO), which is included in the CP26 exhibition, and I did have a good time there. I bought some CDs, which are produced by those musical fan clubs of Touhou. Then I took part in a series of activities, including some live shows from some famous musical fan clubs and a video hook-up with Zun himself. Especially the latter one, for me, it’s definitely a historical moment. Zun is undoubtedly an amiable man. He and his colleagues played some amusing games with us, making the atmosphere felt enthusiastic and joyous. After that, I felt even more love him (and, of course, his works and his career). However, after that grand carnival, I can’t stop throwing myself into meditation. How is the Touhou Project going to be if Zun could not keep on making new games and new books anymore? How is this fantastic world will be in the future? I cannot say. To be honest, I don’t think making Touhou quite commercialized is a good situation, although it may bring Zun and those fan clubs the profits and make them survive (or even make them richer). In China, we got an ACG website called Bilibili. Exclusively it was for those people who love ACG things before, and even its second video is a collection of Erin Yagokoro. But now… yep, it’s still alive, and it’s even more extensive than before that it was even listed in Nasdaq years ago, but it’s absolutely changed nowadays and looks like its top managers are trying hard to transform it like a Chinese-version YouTube or Tiktok. In this case, there are signs that this company wants to “de-anime-ized” its products. Well, it is capitalism, huh?
Zun Meme, made from the photo of Zun in THO (2020, Shanghai), by me
Official Reimu Hakurei cosplay in THO (2020, Shanghai), shot by me (this pic has authorized by the cosplayer)
Then from 15:00 to 22:00 of the 26th of July, I took part in the THO Music Live in Shanghai. This Live can incredibly make me high, especially when there came a band called DualInsomiNa, whose music genre is Metal Core. Nevertheless, in this Live there were appeared not only this band but some other stars. There were Chinese bands, and also some Japanese groups (the pity is that it’s hard for me to recall their names. I just remember a club called 石鹸屋). Of course, because of the COVID-19, those Japanese bands couldn’t really appear in Shanghai. They showed themselves in the same way as Zun — by a video hook-up. But for me, and nearly all those fanatical crowds, we didn’t care if they were really here or not. They could actually see us, and we also could instantly show our passion, that’s enough.
I passed a unforgettable night.
After the Live ended, I bought some souvenirs and CDs. For I actually had had shopping a lot in the CP26 market, I only bought a few things, such as some memorable CDs, a T-shirt, some logo badges, etc. When I was going to leave, I found that the staff of this Live was selling some big foam boards, with figures of Touhou characters on them. It was just like a silent rush. After just a moment of hesitation, there were only three boards left: Doremy Sweet, Mamizou Hutatsuiwa, and Aunn Komano. I saw that, and I wanted Doremy, but I failed: it has been sold just when I was going to go forward. I felt lost for this result. I gave up and called a taxi to go home.
But you know, the luck is unpredictable. When I was watching my smartphone, waiting for the taxi, I heard one of the staff’s voice. That’s a young man, who was shouting if someone bought this board, the staff here could arrange for all the groups to sign on it. I raised my sight and saw a young man with a foam board, which was the only one left, with Aunn Komano on it (poor Aunn…). He kept shouting, even tried to persuade a guy who wore like Reimu, but no one wanted to buy it. At that moment, I realized the chance was coming. I rapidly grabbed a young lady and asked her if they could express the board to my home once I bought it, for the board’s too big that I couldn’t bring it on the train. After a transient discussion, they agreed. So, that’s the story about how I get Aunn Komano home at the same price as other board, but with the signatures of 6 musical groups and the organizer on it. However, this board undoubtedly is too big that I have no idea where I can put it in my house.
Aunn Komano’s figure board with 7 signatures, shot by me
But whatever, she’s sooooo adorable, and I love her.