Date: September 22, 2013. Location: Decks Odaiba mall
Scenes from the six-hour marathon webcast with elapsed time for each.
01:45 – the program begins with Shiki Aoki (cosplaying Akira Yamamoto) alone at the desk as the others are on the outer perimeter of the broadcast space, talking with fans who have gathered to watch.
04:20 – Everyone joins her at the desk. Present are (L to R) Momoko Miyauchi (as Makoto Harada), Shiki Aoki, Rio Nanase (as Kaoru Niimi) and Sayako Toujo (as Yuria Misaki).
13:44 – all four Yamato Girls line up for a photoshoot that lasts several minutes. 23:59 – posing continues behind the desk.
27:44 – the camera swings out of control for a moment and we get a blurry look at some of the crowd. 31:43 – Shiki Aoki presents some of the 2199 merchandise for sale, signed by the girls. (And the missing Mochi Usagi, who cosplays as Yuki.)
42:19 – the first hour is light on conversation and the girls take their turns at the mike to interact with fans and streaming comments from Nico viewers. First up is Momoko. 1:01:28 – Sayako and Rio riff for about half an hour.
1:27:53 – the prankster is pranked when the producer plays a dirty trick, handing over a card that announces Sayako as the host AND co-host of the next segment. Rio vanishes.
1:39:46 – Rio returns out of sympathy and Sayako takes a well-earned break.
2:03:29 – everyone is back after getting lunch and signing merch. 2:12:09 – time for another photo session. Mall visitors coming down the escalator get a strange story to tell their friends and families later.
2:32:27 – during a 15-minute break, the stage crew puts up drawings from past programs to entertain the viewers.
3:25:27 – the actual simulcast begins, and the first announcement in the news segment is the “Let’s Make Giant Yamato Art” campaign to enlist 10,000 fans.
3:27:55 – Rio displays the downloadable paper cutouts to provide quick-and-easy cosplay for campaign participants.
3:30:02 – A familiar name pops up again when it is announced that the English-dubbed “pilot” episode will be shown at the New York Comic Con in mid-October.
4:07:17 – Episode 25 gets underway. The girls settle on the opposite side of the desk to watch it on a monitor with the crowd behind them. Nico Nico is not licensed to broadcast any part of the episode, so the sound is cut.
4:08:23 – as the UX-01 Dimensional Sub bursts into view, the camera nearly falls over but is grabbed by a member of the stage crew. This is the most we get to see of the live audience.
4:10:38 – Amazement! Yabu finally makes good! Big round of applause from everyone watching! (Many Japanese fans identify with Yabu as the underdog in life, so this is a VERY heroic moment.)
4:11:02 – Surprise! In a meta-moment, we watch the Yamato Girls watch themselves when their commercial for the 2199 smart phone game appears.
4:11:19 – Hearty laughter and another round of applause for the stars of the moment.
4:17:30 – Shock! Dessler boards Yamato for the first time and captures Yuki!
4:19:53 – Drama! Celestela makes her last stand!
4:20:24 – Tragedy! Yuki tries to intervene and loses her gambit!
4:24:43 – Cliffhanger! Kodai’s anguished scream echoes across the universe!
4:25:19 – as the end credits roll, Rio Nanase is inconsolable. It will take her several minutes to compose herself and join the conversation again.
4:37:37 – the post-show segment gets underway, and a member of the audience cosplaying as Shinohara is invited on-camera for a moment. He can’t get off camera fast enough.
4:51:42 – the top news item is finally revealed: last week’s Episode 24 scored number 1 in the ratings for its time slot!
4:52:00 – another big round of applause! Yamato 2199 rules them all!
5:12 to 5:15 – a behind-the-scenes video is shown; three of the girls out of uniform from the previous week with the 5-meter Yamato model still on display
5:19:55 – another video from earlier today at the “Shiki Aoki art museum” there at the mall. Shiki doesn’t look thrilled.
5:26:39 – art assignment: everyone is tasked to draw their own version of Yamato seen from the front. Sayako’s version comes with sound effects (“GOGOGOGOGOGO”). 5:28:20 Momoko’s version is definitely the most creative.
5:30:50 – Rio’s version yells at people to get out of the way. 5:33:05 – Shiki’s version has whiskers to avoid bumping into things (she’s a cat person).
5:42:27 – scenes from Episode 25 are re-enacted. First up, a replay of Celesta’s final stand.
5:43:11 – Momoko does her impression of Goer’s last, defiant, futile proclamation.
5:44:58 – Sayako breaks with tradition and chooses to re-enact their commercial, starting with Rio Nanase’s “booty shot.” (Shown at right.)
5:45:46 – Rio opts to do her own stunt work. 5:57:43 – the first closing salute: Gare Gamilon!
5:58:13 – the second closing salute. 6:01:31 – the closing catch phrase: “Yamato no shokun…mata-o.” And the longest 2199 simulcast in history comes to an end.
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