Mrs. GREEN APPLE played the last shows of their ZENJIN MITO TO IM/MUTABLE stadium tour on July 4 and 5 at Tokyo’s MUFG Stadium (the National Stadium).
The tour consisted of a total of six shows: four shows at MUFG Stadium, in April and July, and two shows in Osaka’s Yanmar Stadium Nagai in May. This made them the first band ever to put on four shows at MUFG Stadium (the National Stadium). The two shows at Yanmar Stadium Nagai and the two July shows at MUFG Stadium (the National Stadium) were exclusive shows, limited to members of the “Ringo Jam” fan club.
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ZENJIN MITO is Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s series of self-produced concerts, which the band began in 2014. The scale of the ZENJIN MITO shows has grown gradually since their first performance, and this was the first time for it to take the form of a stadium tour with four performances at the National Stadium. “ZENJIN MITO” is Japanese for “unprecedented,” and this tour was, indeed, an unprecedented feat.
On the day of the July 4 Tokyo show, the high temperature was 27°C. The skies were covered by thick clouds, but the fears of potential rain did not manifest, and a cool breeze cut through the muggy air, making it a pleasant day. The stadium thronged with people—men and women, young and old alike. Many people came with children, a testament to Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s broad listener base.
One minute before the show, a countdown appeared on-screen. The JAM’S (the name of Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s fans) shouted along, counting down, “10, 9,…0!” and then the show began. A dynamic computer-generated video depicted the great outdoors, with soaring birds and galloping animals such as giraffes, elephants, and lions. A tremendous cheer rose from the audience when Motoki Ohmori (vocals and guitar), Hiloto Wakai (guitar), and Ryoka Fujisawa (keyboards) appeared. The opening song was “Magic.” The JAM’S sang along to the powerful song, with its bright melody, and the performance was livened with colorful lighting and fireworks. You could tell Ohmori was loving it up on stage, calling out to the crowd, “ZENJIN! Are you ready to have fun? Can you hear us? Can you feel our love?!”
“Magic” was followed by “I’m invincible” and “Stardom.” Then Ohmori spoke to the crowd again. “Welcome to ZENJIN MITO TO IM/MUTABLE! Today, the National Stadium is reserved just for you fan club members!” Wakai hyped up the audience, shouting “JAMS, can I hear you get even louder!?” and Fujisawa joined in, saying “I’ve been looking forward to seeing you all! Are you ready for some fun?!” You could feel the connection between the band and the fans. Mrs. GREEN APPLE then performed songs from various stages of their history. During their performance of “StaRt,” which they released when making their major label debut in 2015, the audience joined in, singing the chorus and clapping their hands. Then there was “Avoid Note,” with its intricate and distinctive guitar riffs. “Apollodorus” showed off the band’s musical potential, including everything from delicate piano playing to energetic, soaring parts. During their performance of “familie,” Ohmori asked, “Are you guys alright with me going to the back?” Then he took to the runway that circled the arena, and the audience was united as one as he sang the lyrics “The place where your heart is always welcome/Your beloved familie.”
In “Carrying Happiness,” the band’s performance overflowed with joy, and then each member played a solo. Wakai’s guitar solo was straight out of the hard rock and heavy rock vein, while Fujisawa played a classical melody on flute. Ohmori did an acoustic performance of “BFF,” leading into a phrase from “Variety,” which they’d revealed in their 10th anniversary debut show. As he sang “I’m waiting for you, here,” he pointed at the crowd, an image that made a particularly deep impression.
As the evening darkened, the band began “ANTENNA,” which started with sound effects like a transmission from space, speckled with noise. The venue glowed red from light sticks during “KUSUSHIKI,” followed by “Loneliness,” featuring a sharp guitar solo by Wakai, and then the band put on a performance of “Dear,” dedicated to the cherished people in one’s life. Ohmori shouted “I love you!” and the venue was engulfed in loud cheering. The message of “Bokuno Koto” is that even if your efforts are unrewarded—even if you experience failure—the road you travelled was a beautiful one, and this heartfelt message rang through the stadium, carried by Ohmori’s overwhelming vocal skills.
The band continued with “Naniwo Naniwo” and “Lilac,” the pinnacle of Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s distinctive brand of guitar rock. Standout moments included the massive chorus during the line “Remember the blue of those days,” and the shouts of surprise and joy from the crowd when the band played “lulu.,” a new song released in January of this year. Ohmori expressed his gratitude to the audience, saying “Playing four shows at the National Stadium is amazing. And we owe it all to our JAM’S!” He went on to talk about their song “Brand New,” the Japanese version of the theme song for Spider-man: Brand New Day, and the new album they were currently working on.
The show began rapidly climbing to its climax with “Ao To Natsu.” In “Columbus,” Wakai and Fujisawa walked the runway, and then, when Ohmori shouted “ZENJIN! Let’s keep in going forever, together!” the band launched into “GOOD DAY,” filling the stadium with joyous vibes. The band closed with “Darling.” The song resounded with a message of struggle and setbacks and the light that lay beyond them. The hearts of the 70,000 JAMS in the audience soared, and everyone was profoundly moved. Toward the end of the song, the National Stadium was ringed by countless fireworks, finishing the set with an astounding spectacle. The massive chorus of the entire audience made for a powerful ending.
For their encore, Mrs. GREEN APPLE played two of their earlier songs, “CONFLICT” and “Wind and Town.” Ohmori spoke to the crowd, saying “We started Phase 3 by appreciating the value of where we are, but we still want to explore new horizons. Will you come along with us?” Then the band played their final song of the show, “Que Sera Sera,” the biggest sing-along of the evening.
Following the show, drones assembled to light up the sky with the words “Ringo Jam 10th” and the Mrs. GREEN APPLE logo. Of course, while this cutting-edge technological performance was wonderful, the heart of the show was in the music itself. Lyrics with a heartfelt, universal message. A pop-inspired sound that transcended genres. The voices and instruments of the members. These all connected directly with the audience, and that’s what made ZENJIN MITO TO IM/MUTABLE so meaningful.
—This article by Tomoyuki Mori first appeared on Billboard Japan
