April 6, 2019 – A hot and humid April evening, was the setting of the highly anticipated, first major concert of idol group MNL48. Dubbed “Living the Dream”, the event was touted as the penultimate showcase of the group’s first generation, showing their development in the year since they became official members.













The event is a first for a lot of things: the first full-set J-pop concert by a single group, the first event that Japanese idol groups (three of them) fronted, the first concert of a J-idol group in a proper concert venue, and the first full concert by a member of the 48-group. On top of that, there is a real sense of urgency on the part of the group to show what they can do for their fans in a major stage. A display of their talent and the skills they learned after a year on the job.

But there is also another major reason: the concert was technically the final major event of the first generation leading to the General Elections on April 27, 2019. An election made controversial by the introduction of the elimination of members who will not rank. Indeed, there were many reminders of the coming day of doom everywhere: flyers and postcards promoting the members and appealing for votes and reminding the fans of the batch that started it all, who they hoping to save.

In the concert press-conference, the director GB Sampedro emphasized that they will be following the example of standard AKB48 concerts “with a Filipino flavor”. I doubt anyone – including me – really understood what he was saying. But thinking about it, the concert, while undeniably 48 group in form, did contain Filipino elements. The extensive use of VTRs and dramatic intros are all staples of concerts by local artists.

The concert set-list goes as follows:

FA01 Sokubaku Kanojo

FA02 7 Bridge

FA03 Fairy Tales

VTR00 Message – from new General Manager (Soukantoku) Mion Mukaichi

M00 OVERTURE

M01 Aitakatta

M02 PARTY ga Hajimaru yo

MC01 General Introduction – All Members VTR1 – Congratulations and well wishes from SGO48 and BNK48

M03 Manila48

VTR2 – Team MII – “Members’ thoughts, goals, etc.”

M04 First Rabbit

MC02 Member Introductions – Team MII

M05 Labrador Retriever

VTR3 – Team NIV – “Sino ang…?” (Who is….?)

M06 1, 2, 3, 4! Yoroshiku!

MC 03 Member Introductions – Team NIV

M07 Palusot Ko’y Maybe (Iiwake Maybe)

VTR4 – Team L – “Where can you see yourself 10 years later.”

M08 Umiindak na Saya (Skirt Hirari)

MC04 Member Introductions – Team L

M09 Igai ni Mango

VTR5 – “Retrospect and the Future”

M10 Amazing Grace – Gospel subunit

VTR6 and Introduction of the Second gen candidates/Accouncement of the venue of the General Elections (Vertis Tent)

VTR7 The 3rd Single Senbatsu

M11 365 Araw ng Eroplanong Papel (365nichi no Kamihikouki)

M12 Bingo!*

M13 Heavy Rotation*

M14 Aisatsu Kara Hajimeyo – all members

VTR8 special announcement – Public relations program with the World Health Organization

MC05 Special Thanks – all members

M15 Talulot ng Sakura (Sakura no Hanabiratachi)

E01 – Placard ng Puso (Kokoro no Placard)

E02 – Pag-Ibig Fortune Cookie

*There is some confusion whether BINGO or Heavy Rotation was performed first. I couldn’t verify the info since being no longer accredited press, I do not have any footage available.

In addition to the three songs that are included in the third single, the set-list also featured five new songs and the return of one fan favorite. The crowd went wild when the first riffs of “Heavy Rotation” was played, being one of AKB48’s most popular tracks. It was last played a year ago, in the First Fan Meet, and the fans have been looking for it ever since, owing to it being a pretty good adaptation of the song.

One song in particular, “Aisatsu Kara Hajimeyo” made me very emotional. This song by AKB48 Team 8, was performed in their Market! Market! appearance way back in 2016. The auditions have just gone live, and it was also the first time I covered a Hallohallo event officially for Back2gaming.com. It was the start of what would be a long and colorful journey, watching the project come from concept to reality.

Memories of events from as far back as 2015 came flooding my head as I look on with pride at these young girls who made everything possible. So too did feelings of regret that I was not able to give them a better coverage. And there is also not a little bit of sadness with the realization that, as their media partner, ABS-CBN, is now starting to pick up the slack when it comes to promoting the group via its powerful and far-reaching news and entertainment outlets, the support of non-traditional media like us are no longer needed.

How can I forget the times when the group was being questioned and doubted from all four corners? The girls’ hard work all led them through that dark valley. Their work ethic contributing to this event’s success.

And what a resounding success “Living the Dream” was! If the aim of the concert is to “wow” the audience, then I definitely say that it is mission accomplished. MNL48 has proven to the audience what I and many of the fans have known all along: that they are high quality performing idols who belong in a major stage. Despite its tumultuous history, MNL48 knew how to deliver the goods when it mattered.

There is no question that they are an idol group despite their unorthodox origins and unheard of approach to the word “generation”. The noise surrounding their management may have been less than pleasant, but there is nothing bet general positivity from the girls. Their fans adore them to unbelievable heights, and their efforts at getting noticed may be starting to pull off. With their media partner has becoming more active in promoting them, the mainstream success that the group is dreaming for may have become a real possibility. There is still a long way ahead, but there is definitely light at the end of the tunnel.

MNL48 is a group that is truly ready to fly, and like a paper airplane, it can soar high with the right conditions. Can the fans provide the wind? Or will it be their powerful media partner? Will the second generation provide it? Or will the First Generation rediscover why the fans made them idols and realize that the answer is them all along? Everyone knows MNL48 can fly. Their fans believe they were made to fly. The question is: how high, how far, and for how long?

And so ends this little feature article about MNL48’s First Generation “Living the Dream” Concert. A fun, powerful, and historic concert that firmly establishes MNL48 at the top of the local idol food-chain. An event that is hoped will boost the group’s popularity and herald more stages to come. An event that meant emotionally more to me than I expected, given the unique privilege I was given to see the group’s growth.

All good things must come to an end, and soon we will have the General Election to occupy our minds. Soon the girls will have to face the reality of the results, just as the fans will have to face the reality of the new girls replacing the old ones. Soon I may also have to contemplate a future where I am no longer invited to cover MNL48 (if it hasn’t happened already), relegated as just another blogger writing about the group. But I guess in the end all that really matters for me, is to see MNL48 fly.