June 2020. Sick of rotting in the NSC WL, I decided, quite on a whim, to join another contest. The idea had already crossed my mind a few times in the past, but no country was either free or interesting enough for me to commit to. Regions didn't even seem appealing, despite the additional freedom they gave. What made me change my mind ? Eh, I dunno, probably a discussion with
@Ana Raquel about Asian greatness.
Anyway, at some point I got the brilliant idea that, if I couldn't get Japan, I can still do a road trip around the country. I swear, I didn't understand why I and others didn't think of it sooner.
The number of entries per region was quickly decided, I didn't want to linger too much as I had other plans ready. Four it is, enough to showcase some pretty different things, and enough to push me to make hard choices. I wanted to try displaying different styles, while still keeping true to myself. That's when the hard part comes in, as finding songs that I liked enough to send and found interesting to show you all was a hassle for some regions. I guess that's where I shout out my biggest thanks to
@Uto without whom half of this lineup wouldn't have been what it ended up being.
Two years, a win, and many NQ later, it's time for a little retrospective.
I wanted to say that Kyushu is the region I like the least, as at that point that I had no idea what I was doing, but looking back at it now I am... quite fond of it ? It was mainly pop/rock oriented, which fits me a lot actually. Anyway, I was just a baby getting a taste of my first NQs, it was still fun nonetheless.
Best result :
Anly - Taiyo ni Warae | 14th (SF), 61pts
Worst result :
FLiP - Bat Boy! Bat Girl! | 23th (SF), 38pts
Shikoku is maybe the region I'm the most salty about. When I started I said I didn't care much about results, and it stayed true all along, but it didn't prevent me from being quite disappointed when some of them didn't make it. And the fact I got my first Q wand top 5 with a song I scouted for in a rush because another version of the intended one had been sent an edition prior didn't ease the feeling. But well, that's all fair game, it was probably my most diverse line-up, it didn't work, never mind !
Best result :
Kanho Yakushiji - Gyakuonjinshu | 5th (GF), 140pts
Worst result :
Eve - Inochi no Tabekata | 23rd (SF), 32pts
Chugoku has two of my favorite entries
Seeing Respect in the final totally made my day as I wrote it off as sure NQ. Then I discovered Perfume, and their hot track FLASH that I was glad to see win the NF and get another great result. All in all, this is my most successful region with 3Q (without a PQ). Thank you !
Best result : Perfume - FLASH | 4th (GF), 141pts
Worst result : woltanative - Ameilo Rhythm | 20th (SF), 47pts
Kansai was
robbed.
Best result :
Galneryus - Angel of Starvation | 19th (SF), 47pts
Worst result :
Eve - Inochi no Tabekata | 23rd (SF), 32pts
Another region I liked a lot. At that point I had the confirmation that if I wanted to do well I had to either send folk tunes or very fast paced tracks. But YoiYoi KoKon is a bop so who am I complaining to.
Best result :
REOL - YoiYoi KoKon | 4th (GF), 138pts
Worst result :
Mahoroba - SAZARASHI | 16th (SF), 52pts
My dear Kanto. I can safely say it is one of my favorites, if not my favorite line-up of the whole tour. I got my win, the one I secretly hoped to get during these two years, and that was granted to me with a song that I
didn't expect to do that well. A win that allowed me to make my ridiculous hosting idea a reality and gave me the opportunity to send a song that is personal to me as a PQ. Thank you Kanto
Best result :
Ado - Odo | 1st (GF), 181pts
Worst result :
yahyel - TAO | 13th (SF), 55pts
The first two entries were locked on the moment I decided to go along with this tour. Sora ni Utaeba has a special place in my heart, being my favorite opening from MHA anime, which I watched for the first time during lockdown and is now one of my favorite manga. Plus it always warms my heart a lot. Princess had been shown to me by Ana during a plug night, and I instantly shortlisted it because it was so out of the box and so uptempo I was instantly drown to it.
Best result :
Himekami - Sennen no Inori | 20th (GF), 93pts
Worst result :
amazarashi - Sora ni Utaeba | 25th (SF), 18pts
After two Q I thought that I could finally do a Grand Slam and bring all four of them to the final, but my hopes were stomped out pretty quickly. I am quite satisfied with the line-up, it probably is the most diverse with Shikoku, I wanted to end on this note as it was one of my main goals when I started playing in WV.
Best result :
Rinne Yoshida - crafty | 19th (GF), 90pts
Worst result :
PAMPAS FIELDS NOISE FOUND art - Aura | 21st (SF), 26pts
The full playlist
