“namie amuro Final Tour 2018 ~Finally~” is a magnificent final concert release for Amuro Namie. You get three concerts, the final, one in her home of Okinawa and then a concert at from earlier in 2018 in Japan (depending on which version you purchase). You literally get almost 8 hours of concert footage and it’s a fitting goodbye to Japan’s Queen of Pop and a Blu-ray concert release which I highly recommend!
TITLE: namie amuro Final Tour 2018 ~Finally~ (Tokyo Dome final Concert+25th Anniversary Okinawa Live 2017 +May Final Tour 2018 Tokyo Dome Performance)
YEAR OF CONCERTS: 2017 2018
DURATION: 464 Minutes (Disc 1: 2:43:20)/(Disc 2: 2:17:50)/(Disc 3: 2:41:02)
BLU-RAY DISC INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition, Linear PCM 2.0ch
COMPANY: stella 88 inc., ON THE LINE
RELEASE DATE: August 29, 2018
Disc 1: 東京ドーム最終公演
01_ Hero
02_ Hide & Seek
03_ Do Me More
04_ Mint
05_ Baby Don’t Cry
06_ GIRL TALK
07_ NEW LOOK
08_ WHAT A FEELING
09_ Showtime
10_ Just You and I
11_ Break It
12_ Say the word
13_ Love Story
14_ SWEET 19 BLUES
15_ TRY ME 〜私を信じて〜
16_ 太陽のSEASON
17_ You’re my sunshine
18_ Get Myself Back
19_ a walk in the park
20_ Don’t wanna cry
21_ NEVER END
22_ CAN YOU CELEBRATE?
23_ Body Feels EXIT
24_ Chase the Chance
25_ Fighter
26_ In Two
27_ Do It For Love
28_ Hope (Multiangle – NAMIE AMURO×ONE PIECE「Hope」Original Live Movie)
29_ Finally
30_ How do you feel now?
(Multiangle – 「How do you feel now?」Original Live Movie)
Disc 2: 25周年沖縄ライブ
01_ TRY ME 〜私を信じて〜
02_ ハートに火をつけて
03_ 太陽のSEASON
04_ ミスターU.S.A.
05_ 愛してマスカット
06_ PARADISE TRAIN
07_ Just You and I
08_ Chit Chat
09_ Can You Feel This Love
10_ ONLY YOU
11_ You’re my sunshine
12_ a walk in the park
13_ Body Feels EXIT
14_ Chase the Chance
15_ Don’t wanna cry
16_ SWEET 19 BLUES
17_ Fight Together
18_ Damage
19_ Mint
20_ Fighter
21_ ROCK U
22_ Let’s Go
23_ Higher
24_ GO! GO! 〜夢の速さで〜
25_ Strike A Pose
26_ NEVER END
27_ Hero
Disc 3: 5月東京ドーム公演
01_Hero
02_Hide & Seek
03_Do Me More
04_Mint
05_Baby Don’t Cry
06_GIRL TALK
07_New Look
08_WHAT A FEELING
09_Showtime
10_Just You and I
11_Break It
12_Say the Word
13_Love Story
14_SWEET 19 BLUES
15_TRY ME 〜私を信じて〜
16_太陽のSEASON
17_You’re my sunshine
18_Get Myself Back
19_a walk in the park
20_Don’t wanna cry
21_NEVER END
22_CAN YOU CELEBRATE?
23_Body Feels EXIT
24_Chase the Chance
25_Fighter
26_In Two
27_Do It For Love
28_Hope
29_Finally
30_How do you feel now?
Reviewed by Dennis A. Amith
On September 16th, Amuro Namie will retire from the entertainment industry.
In November 2017, she released her final album “Finally” and in August 29th, she released her final concert release titled “namie Amuro Final Tour 2018 ~Finally~” and there are five different releases available on Blu-ray and DVD.
While all will come with the “namie amuro Final Tour 2018 ~Finally~ at Tokyo Dome (Final Performance)” and the “namie amuro 25th ANNIVERSARY LIVE in OKINAWA” concert from 2017, the third performance (2018) depends on the version you are purchasing. The third disc features performances at Tokyo Dome, Nagoya Dome, Sapporo Dome, Fukuoka Yahoo! Aid Dome or Kyocera Dome Osaka. And if you want the complete Amuro Namie experience, fans will more than likely purchase all five versions being released.
Amuro Namie’s final concert Blu-ray/DVD release “namie amuro Final Tour 2018 – Finally~” sold 1.09 million copies in the first few days of its release according to Oricon and I was pleased to receive my copy the day after the release and it took my awhile to watch the three concerts and let things sink in.
I have reviewed numerous Amuro Namie concerts and my first for Neo-Tokyo 2099 was back in 1996 for “AMURO NAMIE FIRST ANNIVERSARY: 1996 LIVE AT MARINE STADIUM”.
I’ve seen numerous Amuro Namie concerts and literally grew up with her music and it’s surreal to think that that we will not be hearing any more music from the Queen of Hip-Pop, nor will there be any more concerts.
I watched her when she was in her teens all the way up to her ’40s and there are few Japanese music artists that have been able to transcend generation to generation and still sell out concerts and have top selling album and singles.
In America, we have seen Madonna and Janet Jackson stay relevant and Madonna is still performing in her ’60s and Janet Jackson in her ’50s.
Amuro Namie is going out while on top at the age of 40. It’s her decision, she’s sticking with it and she has no regrets.
While many fans are saddened, one can’t help but be appreciative of what she has given to fans. Numerous albums, over 65 singles, many music collaborations and numerous concert releases.
But for long-time fans, one can be truly appreciative, especially if you stood with Amuro Namie through the ups and downs.
The version of “namie amuro Final Tour 2018 ~Finally~” is the Tokyo Dome version and comes with three Thank You stickers and a code for Play Pass (to watch it digitally on your mobile phone).
Having watched the three concerts on Blu-ray, each give a different vibe. It’s important to note that the concert doesn’t have many MC portions, most of them are right at the end with Amuro Namie thanking the audience.
The first concert is her final performance and you see Amuro Namie throughout the years from when she first started to now and this got the audience in tears right off the bat. Then the countdown with Amuro Namie performing “Hero”.
Because there are two Tokyo Dome concerts, the final concert and the other from May 2018, while the setlists are different, they are filmed differently.
The final concert features an audience reception that was very much into the concert from beginning to end. They also made sure to put cameras all over Tokyo Dome, may it be close up, overhead, way in the back. Heck, there are concerts on top of the background dancers. That’s how elaborate this camera setup was for the final concert. If anything, stage production staff really wanted to make sure the concert footage was immersive and showing the sheer scope of how the audience was into this concert.
Also, they did a good job at capturing the audience on the final concert. In fact, there are time in concerts where they film an audience and the reactions aren’t that good, well in this concert, they chose the best audience reactions. So, that was awesome! The excitement can be heard and seen and the use of the rear video screen and glowing, lighted stairs, overall lighting was fantastic. The stage production staff really went all out for this final concert and I really like that!
For example, for “a walk in the park”, I liked how they showed. 1997 Amuro Namie (20-years-old), 2012 Amuro Namie (34-years-old) and then 2018 Amuro Namie (40-years-old) performing. Each time 1997 Amuro Namie showed up on the video screen, the audience would go crazy. Some of her dancers have been with her for the longest time as well, so it’s cool to hear the audience go wild during this performance and seeing all of them from the past to the present.
Also, I recommend for people to watch the multi-angle because you will get to see the “One Piece” anime collaboration with Amuro Namie in animated form hanging out with the Straw Hat Pirates. A very cool anime short!
For the multi-angle of “How do you feel now?”, the video is like a 25th year anniversary tribute showcasing Amuro Namie throughout the years, from clips from past music videos and concerts but also behind-the-scenes footage and more.
But I have to say this concert made me shed some tears, from seeing the final goodbye from Amuro Namie to her dancers, the audience in tears but also seeing Amuro in tears.
It was a fitting farewell for Amuro Namie and it’s a concert that I absolutely enjoyed watching!
The second concert “namie amuro 25TH ANNIVERSARY LIVE in OKINAWA” which was shot on September 16-17, 2017 at Okinawa Ginowan Seaside Park is much different than the other two discs in the fact that her anniversary concert in Okinawa has her performing a lot of her earlier hits, the concert is outdoor and for the most part, you are going to hear songs which Amuro performed when she was with the SUPER MONKEYS and you are also going to hear that old school avex Eurobeat music.
You also see video clips showcasing Amuro Namie throughout the 25 years and while Amuro is performing, the video screens behind her are showcasing video when she performed those songs for the first time.
What I enjoyed about this second disc is that it features songs which Amuro rarely performs anymore. So, this is a welcomed addition to this set.
And I also have to say the setting is absolutely gorgeous. Ginowan Seaside Park with it’s blue ocean surrounding the performance area and the clouds in the background, such a perfect setting for a concert!
So, for songs such as “Mister U.S.A.”, you will see 15-year-old Amuro Namie performing the song on the background, while 2018 Amuro is performing.
The third concert is the “namie amuro Final Tour 2018 ~Finally~ at Tokyo Dome (May Performance)”. The setlist is the same as the first disc (the final concert) but both concerts are very different.
For one, the final concert, the dancers and the audience were very emotional knowing the final concert was their last, while the May performance, even the way the concert was filmed and how they spotlight the audience was different. The third disc is pure Amuro Namie style, full of energy and just pure excitement. The cameras are tend to be fixed on Amuro and the dancers.
But the primary difference between both Tokyo Dome concerts, disc 3 focuses primarily on Amuro Namie with a few audience shots from time-to-time, while the final concert (disc 1), there are cameras all over Tokyo Dome and so the audience is featured a lot. So, you can look at it as watching the concert with the same setlist but different forms of presentation.
Picture quality on all three discs are fantastic! Certain performances are vibrant, Amuro Namie of course looks phenomenal on each of the Blu-rays.
If there was only thing that I wished for, it was that the concert was presented in 5.1 or 7.1ch versus Linear PCM 2.0 stereo. While the lossless stereo soundtrack does sound crystal clear, for the audiophiles who wanted something immersive, may need to tweak their receivers to play on all channels.
As for special features, there are none, but for the first disc, you do get the opportunities for multi-angle for “Hope” and “How do you feel now?” and those multi-angles were worth watching!
And you also get a Play Pass (a Japanese app which you can download via the Google Play or Apple App store) and stream the three concerts on your mobile phone.
Again, these are not special features, but they are welcomed additions to this three Blu-ray concert set.
Overall, “namie amuro Final Tour 2018 ~Finally~” is a magnificent final concert release for Amuro Namie. You get three concerts, the final, one in her home of Okinawa and then a concert at from earlier in 2018 in Japan (depending on which version you purchase). You literally get almost 8 hours of concert footage and it’s a fitting goodbye to Japan’s Queen of Pop and a Blu-ray concert release which I highly recommend!
More from my site
Ongaku Cafe (The ’90s): Amuro Namie – CAN YOU CELEBRATE? (February 1997)
Results of the “Amuro Namie Saisho de Saigo no MV Sousenkyo MEMORIAL MOVIE BEST 50”
Viewership for AbemaTV’s Amuro Namie special programs surpassed 5.5 million viewers
ISSA of DA PUMP pays tribute to Amuro Namie by doing “a walk in the park” choreography at the end of “U.S.A.” performance at “Music Station Ultra FES”
MAX/former SUPER MONKEY’S members NANA and REINA blogged, while MINA & LINA posted an Instagram about Amuro Namie’s retirement
Amuro Namie Official Website, Fan Club, Online Store and Facebook to end on September 30th, final message posted