2chan says

2chan says: To wota who have been to all theaters, which is the best?

9 Comments

Japanese wota on 2ch give their own experience and advice about their favorite 48-group theater venues.  Which group has the best and worst theater?

Hi there. Welcome to “2chan says.” I will be attempting to translate selected threads from Japanese message board 2chan (aka, 2ch or 2channel), purely for interest and entertainment purposes (and for translation practice). The opinions expressed here belong to the anonymous Japanese internet at large, and do not necessarily reflect the view of akbzine; plus, this page could be riddled with translation errors anyway. Proceed at your own risk, fine reader!

Translation notes: There is frequent references to “levels”, inclines, etc. This is referring to how seats in a theater or venue will tend to be elevated upward so that people in the back can see (i.e. the further back the seat, the higher it should be); hope this makes sense.

2: 47の素敵な(空)＠＼(^o^)／ (ﾌﾞｰｲﾓ MMdd-2YwT) 2016/01/21(木) 23:10:42.92 ID:56rJP4nFM.net

You can see things the easiest in HKT48’s theater.

3: 47の素敵な(dion軍)＠＼(^o^)／ (ﾜｯﾁｮｲW 7a2b-uj8w) 2016/01/21(木) 23:14:59.16 ID:WS+BO0mT0.net

HKT’s theater is far.

5: 47の素敵な(地図に無い島)＠＼(^o^)／ (ｱｳｱｳ Sa69-2YwT) 2016/01/21(木) 23:21:13.84 ID:1u+gofsga.net

If you are just looking for the best view, definitely HKT’s theater.  But because of the theater’s longish shape, if you sit in the back, it sucks because it feels really far away. Plus that protrusion in the middle can get in the way.  The lobby is pretty spacious, so waiting around is relatively comfortable.

NMB’s theater also has a good view.  There is no standing space, and you get a good view even if you are in the back row.  But overall, the place feels really old, and the seats show all types of wear and tear. It sucks sitting in those.

SKE’s theater has bad elevation, so it is hard to see. The lobby is also a really tight space, so waiting there is not so comfortable.

As for AKB’s theater, the front row is really close to the stage, so that is good.  But, not matter what anyone says, the two pillars really get in the way, and it is painful because there are so few seats.  But even if you are standing, you can get really close, and it is easy to see things.

NGT’s theater is the worst.  There are really not a lot a lot of seats, so more people are standing than sitting.  There are pillars that are even bigger than the ones in AKB’s theater, so it gets in the way.

However, they do put monitors on the pillars.  The theater is still new, so sitting in the seats feels really good.  The lobby is really tiny like SKE’s theater, so it is similarly tiring when having to wait.

24: 47の素敵な(pc?)＠＼(^o^)／ (ﾜｯﾁｮｲ 5966-mtV1) 2016/01/22(金) 00:04:58.08 ID:/9Z5fKW30.net

>>5: I’ve only ever been to the HKT theater, so this is really helpful. That lobby is the most spacious, is it?  I still felt uncomfortable waiting there though.

6: 47の素敵な(奈良県)＠＼(^o^)／ (ﾜｯﾁｮｲ b123-phJq) 2016/01/21(木) 23:39:19.51 ID:R5TW9Iyi0.net

If you look at the facilities itself, SKE is the nicest looking.  The real unexpected thing is that they have 16 LCD panels.

SKE’s theater also has the largest capacity (they publicly say that 300 people can fit, but when they put that temporary stage protrusion for the Ramune Kouen, it went down to 270 or so?).  But if HKT didn’t have the protrusion, they would probably be able to fit the most people, probably around 350 or so.

I’ve never been to NGT, so I do not know.

8: 47の素敵な(台湾)＠＼(^o^)／ (ﾜｯﾁｮｲW 805f-2YwT) 2016/01/21(木) 23:45:40.11 ID:hmeSk7+D0.net

NMB’s seats are pretty comfortable. There is no standing space, and the front row seats are really close to the stage.  Compared to a deserted island, it is spacious.

9: 47の素敵な(家)＠＼(^o^)／ (ﾜｯﾁｮｲ 16da-phJq) 2016/01/21(木) 23:46:32.28 ID:AJRpuu7y0.net

AKB48’s theater is definitely a little “questionable” (´・ω・｀)

10: 47の素敵な(庭)＠＼(^o^)／ (ｱｳｱｳ Sa69-2YwT) 2016/01/21(木) 23:46:39.77 ID:RdDLX/A8a.net

If you have to wait, NMB’s is the worst.

15: 47の素敵な(やわらか銀行)＠＼(^o^)／ (ﾜｯﾁｮｲ 53ae-phJq) 2016/01/21(木) 23:49:50.44 ID:a6/4CGaW0.net

>>10: If you really think it is bad, you can just go at the last minute. If you’ve really got balls, there are also people who cut in line too.

11: 47の素敵な(台湾)＠＼(^o^)／ (ﾜｯﾁｮｲW 805f-2YwT) 2016/01/21(木) 23:46:41.83 ID:hmeSk7+D0.net

Sakae (SKE) is the worst when you’re in the standing space.  Because the floor level doesn’t rise very much towards the back or sides, if you’re not in the middle, you really can’t see anything.

35: 47の素敵な(pc?)＠＼(^o^)／ (ﾜｯﾁｮｲ 5966-mtV1) 2016/01/22(金) 00:17:05.79 ID:/9Z5fKW30.net

>>11: If you make a request to the management, they might do something about it!  HKT had something similar, and they remodeled.  I am honestly surprised at Manager Ozaki’s speed at getting things done.

14: 47の素敵な(新疆ウイグル自治区)＠＼(^o^)／ (ﾌﾘｯﾃﾙ MM43-2YwT) 2016/01/21(木) 23:49:05.92 ID:8jmTRA1BM.net

I like NMB because there is no standing space. When you have the experience of not having to stand, you never want to stand and watch again!

16: 47の素敵な(奈良県)＠＼(^o^)／ (ﾜｯﾁｮｲ b123-phJq) 2016/01/21(木) 23:50:20.17 ID:R5TW9Iyi0.net

For NMB, there is a little bit of a slope, but it also has the lowest capacity.  It is really tough because they have to use the emergency exit staircase when waiting in line.

There is only assigned seating, so when reading in the QR codes for the seats, there isn’t any lottery of some sort, and everyone goes into the theater in order.

When you are on the waiting list, you have to wait in a line that goes out into the emergency exit staircase; so if you are waiting in line, manage to get all the way to the top of the stairs, and then are not able to get in (and you can only watch via monitor), it feels like a punishment game.

NMB was also the slowest at updating their ticket sales systems.  Even up until fall of 2013, they were still using hand stamps and wrist bands.

18: 47の素敵な(pc?)＠＼(^o^)／ (ﾜｯﾁｮｲ 59f1-uTjU) 2016/01/21(木) 23:53:40.85 ID:nWT04H8p0.net

I do not mind being in the standing space, but you really have to be in the front line of the standing area.

If I did not know whether or not I’d have to stand beforehand, I really would not want to go.

19: 47の素敵な(SB-iPhone)＠＼(^o^)／ (ｻｻｸｯﾃﾛ Sp81-uj8w) 2016/01/21(木) 23:55:16.61 ID:Lnf3HrFmp.net

In order of personal preference: NMB, HKT, AKB, and SKE.  I have not been to NGT yet.

After a long journey, I feel most at ease in the NMB theater.  There is no possibility of having to stand, and you can generally figure out positions before hand.

The standing space at the SKE theater is just a pit of despair…

20: 47の素敵な(庭)＠＼(^o^)／ (ｱｳｱｳ Sa69-2YwT) 2016/01/21(木) 23:58:32.70 ID:RdDLX/A8a.net

I have not visited Niigata, but I heard it is pretty bad, so I am hesitant.

21: 47の素敵な(奈良県)＠＼(^o^)／ (ﾜｯﾁｮｲ b123-phJq) 2016/01/21(木) 23:58:47.70 ID:R5TW9Iyi0.net

http://ticket.akb48-group.com/home/management_notice.php?seqNo=04641&ev=NGT01

NGT is just too “original”.  They made a whole announcement just about tickets.

25: 47の素敵な(地図に無い島)＠＼(^o^)／ (ｱｳｱｳ Sa69-2YwT) 2016/01/22(金) 00:05:38.33 ID:rBEGng2da.net

It is really too bad that Niigata does not use physical tickets.  When I went there, it was during the birthday event, so I have something to commemorate the occasion, but otherwise you really get nothing.

By the way, here is the proof that I have been to every theater:

AKB48 tickets

26: 47の素敵な(大阪府)＠＼(^o^)／ (ﾜｯﾁｮｲW 6baf-ECi0) 2016/01/22(金) 00:07:46.13 ID:xuFo4RGG0.net

NMB’s emergency staircase during the summertime is a tragic and miserable hell.  Usually I restraint myself from going during the summer.  But if I am also too slow when my number gets called…

28: 47の素敵な(東京都)＠＼(^o^)／ (ﾜｯﾁｮｲ 835a-phJq) 2016/01/22(金) 00:09:32.14 ID:0kGfSBz20.net

>>26: This! The place where you wait for cancellations is on the 6th floor!! As soon as I am up there, I am covered in sweat.

30: 47の素敵な(pc?)＠＼(^o^)／ (ﾜｯﾁｮｲ 59f1-uTjU) 2016/01/22(金) 00:13:26.84 ID:eesCJY5h0.net

The NMB stairway is pretty narrow, and there some stupid people who try to force their way in.  You don’t have to try so hard to get in front…

Then they just stick to you until getting inside.  It makes me wanna say, “You wanna wait now, dumbass?”

But anyway, that’s when I slowly back away…

29: 47の素敵な(dion軍)＠＼(^o^)／ (ﾜｯﾁｮｲW 8f2b-UVvq) 2016/01/22(金) 00:13:08.42 ID:zRGJvK420.net

The SKE stage is far. If the AKB theater did not have those pillars, it would be good.

32: 47の素敵な(東京都)＠＼(^o^)／ (ﾜｯﾁｮｲ 835a-phJq) 2016/01/22(金) 00:15:28.78 ID:0kGfSBz20.net

The one I have been to the most, and if you include the lobby, is HKT’s theater.

Before they put up some space between the front row and stage, the closeness of the front stage at AKB’s theater was amazing.

I really wish they would add some properly leveled seating at the SKE theater (including the standing area).

For NMB, past the 4th row, the levels/heights are pretty good, and you can see easily.

For NGT, everything (including the staff’s attitude) – I have only heard bad things.

More entries in the “2chan says” series:

Author: yuki

  • Derek Vasconi

    wow, you would think management would’ve done everything possible to make NGT’s theater the best, considering all the years of hearing what wota’s have to say about the other sister theaters. Such a shame…

    • yuki

      Yes, I have to agree with you here. Their manager seemed to be doing an excellent job, and their social media presence was honestly pretty great (that is just my opinion, however).

  • Payuyu Fortyeight

    thanks for your hardwork as always! translating these takes effort! 😀 now we foreign fans have an idea of what it’s like to wait in a queue in each theater and what it’s like inside

    and hopefully management address problems in the theater i’m surprised that fans don’t say anything (except for HKT which was voted as the best theater cos people said somethin)

  • DXTakamina

    Talking about my own experience now but, for me the most comfertable one was the one in Hakata. The lobby was really spacious and going into the stage itself was not that tiring. I kinda was lucky tho if you take a look at my ticket. Speaking of which, Hawkstown mall is a nice place to hang out once you get your ticket tho.

    • yuki

      Thank you for sharing!

  • 35mmView

    Considering akimoto makes millions and they pay most of the girls very little why do they skimp on venue rental!!! Makes no sense to me other than being money hungry and not really caring about the fans. I mean worn out chairs…please!!!

    If the wotas found out they could possibly destroy AKB and no one would blame them..

    • yuki

      I certainly understand your point, and it would not be the first time management would be skimping on quality and making a killing. Case in point: the 10th anniversary medals are ~ $120 USD, and they look to be made of cheap metals like zinc.

  • Probably those are the articles who makes this site one of a kind. Great value.

    • yuki

      Thank you for your kind words — I will certainly keep contributing if I can.