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Momoiro Clover Z's Ayaka Sasaki Performs Onstage Despite Broken Leg
posted on by Eric Stimson
The popular J-pop idol group Momoiro Clover Z (Bodacious Space Pirates, Pokémon: Black and White) performed last Sunday at the "Live Expo Tokyo 2014 Myu~Komi + presents Anime Kōhaku Uta Gassen Vol. 3," a concert commemorating the 60th anniversary of NBS, a Tokyo radio station. Unfortunately, Ayaka Sasaki, a member of the group, had cracked her left shin on the 15th. Her recovery is expected to take three weeks, but that wasn't enough to stop her from making an appearance at the concert.
Sasaki was wheeled out onto stage sitting in a chair in a cart and in her "Ārin Robo" costume. (Ārin is her nickname.) She apologized for making the audience worry and vowed to try her best to heal quickly so she could dance for her fans again. Momoiro Clover Z then performed "Z Densetsu: Owarinaki Kakumei" with secret guest Fumihiko Tachiki, a voice actor known from anime like Neon Genesis Evangelion and Tales of Symphonia. Sasaki's costar Reni Takagi teased her, calling her a "hamburg" (a Japanese variation on Salisbury steak), but promised to serve as her legs until she could dance again. After five more songs, Momoiro Clover Z (minus Sasaki) teamed up with Sphere, a band composed of voice actresses, to perform "Maji Love 1000%," the theme song to the anime Uta no Prince-sama - Maji Love 1000%. Sasaki then reappeared as Clara, the disabled girl from Heidi, and stood up after being scolded by her costars for not trying hard enough.
"Ārin Robo"
Sasaki in her Clara get-up
The event attracted 12,000 attendees and was held in Tokyo's Yoyogi National Gymnasium. It attracted a large number of other singers known for anime theme songs such as Kikuko Inoue (Oh My Goddess!), Sumire Uesaka (Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions!), Ayana Taketatsu (K-ON!), Hyadain (Nichijou - My Ordinary Life), Shintarō Asanuma (Phi-Brain - Kami no Puzzle), GRANRODEO (Kuroko's Basketball) and OLDCODEX (Free! - Iwatobi Swim Club).
Momoiro Clover Z with Sphere
