To those upset about the venue for Aqours Finale Live

Aqours will be performing at Belluna Dome on June 21st and 22nd for their Finale LoveLive!. This will be their last performance as a group of nine.

I really didn't want to have to write this, but in the wake of the venue announcement some people have been expressing their disappointment for Aqours' Finale not taking place in Tokyo Dome in ways that are simply unacceptable.

I must state this in the most unambiguous terms:

It is NOT okay to attack, insult, or blame other LoveLive! groups, seiyuu, or staff over Aqours' Finale Live's venue.#

Anyone who does this is not a fan of Aqours.

From Zero to One, and from One to Something Beyond...#

The nine members of Aqours have worked tirelessly for the last nine years, against doubt and by exceeding all expectations, to prove that they were as worthy of bearing the torch of the LoveLive! franchise. Their success was never guaranteed. At the time of µ's Final LoveLive! in 2016, a large portion of fans of this franchise accused LoveLive! Staff of killing µ's to promote Aqours and deemed Aqours unworthy as a group before they really had a chance to start. Their struggle wasn't just to prove themselves in an industry surrounded by competition outside of LoveLive!, but to prove to fans of a franchise they themselves loved that they deserved to be there. They started from zero, and turned that zero into a one. They turned that one into two, two into ten, and ten into one hundred.

Despite the hate they received, and the hardships they faced, the nine members of Aqours were determined to carry LoveLive! forward. They brought the franchise to new heights and created a space where new groups could flourish and coexist alongside them, filled with their beloved kouhai who were all once fans themselves. Some of whom were fans from an open audition, with no past experience or agency connections. Aqours created an environment for them to thrive together, to create amazing music, stunning performances, and weave wonderful stories together.

On January 31st, 2020, Aqours had a live stream consisting of Anchan, Arisha and Rikako in which they discussed the 2020 LoveLive! Fes among other topics. One of the letters was from a fan of µ's, who said at the time of Aqours' inception they were unable to listen to their music or give Aqours a chance. But after watching Fes they realized they were wrong all those years. They saw the love and care Aqours held for LoveLive! and realized that no, they weren't stealing their group away or ruining the franchise. This fan promised to support Aqours from then on, even if they were arriving a little late. Rikako started to cry; she said those were the words that every one of them had been wishing to hear for five years.

The story of Aqours has always been about overcoming hardships, connecting people together, and searching for the shining light that exists within all of us. Do not lose sight of that.

The End of an Era#

I wanted to see Aqours perform in Tokyo Dome more than anyone else. I've been following Aqours since their inception. I was fortunate enough to attend Aqours 4th Live in Tokyo Dome back in 2018. I know how much it means to see them perform on that stage. I know how much it matters to Aqours to perform on that stage. In that moment, I swore to myself then and there that I would never miss another Aqours live in Tokyo Dome. The pandemic made me break that promise. I thought I had one more shot with Finale. Turns out, it wasn't meant to be.

Trust me, I'm sad too. I hoped that when the time came for Aqours sail into the sunshine, it would be on their highest note. With their 6L Dome Tour no longer a real possibility, I hoped we could create the greatest two-day live at Tokyo Dome to send them out with a bang.

Aqours always talked about trying to make it to ten years, an incredible feat for a seiyuu idol group. While activities have slowed drastically since the pandemic, they're going to accomplish their goal.

It wouldn't be right to postpone the live past June just to pick a particular venue, or to hold it early and rob Aqours of acheiving their goal. Aqours has decided that this is their time to say goodbye (in a sense), to end this era and pass the LoveLive! torch on completely to their incredibly talented and beloved kouhais in Nijigasaki, Liella!, and Hasunosora.

Coming Home#

There's no venue more fitting of acheiving that goal in than Belluna Dome. Aqours considers it to be their second home. Just as Numazu is and will always will be their home, Belluna Dome is their home. So for their swan-song to take place there, with thirty-thousand of their closest fans cheering their hearts out for their beloved Aqours, a venue that has hosted four of their previous six numbered lives is a fitting location to conclude their story.

I will not defend Belluna Dome as a venue. It's an objectively bad venue for acoustics and lighting, and it's inconvenient to get to. But it's filled with memories Aqours and their fans made together over the last decade. It's full of stories, smiles, and tears. It's full of breathtaking performances and melodies that make the heart soar. We'll be there to celebrate Aqours as their no.10, as they perform on their Eternal Stage. And there's no place I'd rather be.