My Encounter with OBV (Our Beloved Vivian) at the Tokyo Game Show on Sunday, September 22, 2002

By Keiji

The Tokyo Game Show was held in a huge domed hall the size of about 7 football fields. Gamania had a very large display area with a stage and about 50 laptops to play their game Eternal Chaos plus 2 or 3 other games. I played the game for a while and managed to run my characters allover the map and kill off several packs of marauding wolves and large snail like creatures. I think I got killed one time, maybe because I attacked some innocent bystanders! Just experimenting, folks! I thought Vivian might been online from backstage. I kept looking for her name on one of the characters but she didn't appear as I found out later there were two reasons for this.

Vivian's Arrival and the reason She Wasn't Online

There were events scheduled hourly on the stage from the opening at 10:00. Vivian was scheduled to appear at 2:00 but of course her fans were gathered in front of the stage well before hand and sat through the various presentations and performances. .

I was hoping expecting Vivian to be wearing on of the Gamania costumes especially that tres sexy two-piece white number with her belly button and the tall wrap around boots. But no. Vivian was wearing a stunning long-sleeved high round necked black frilly dress with a short, layered shirt with 3 or 4 accents of hot pink fabric showing from one of the layers. (hard to describe) On her feet, spike heeled short black boots. And oh yes, those legs! Black fish net stockings!

What Vivian Did

The main event was Vivian being interviewed by the comedy duo about Eternal Chaos. After they chatted for a while they showed a promotional clip of the game in action that had been running all day. During the screening Vivian wasn't paying attention at all! She was looking around and waving to her fans flashing smiles and V-signs. Later they screened the Taiwan CM following which Vivian giggled and said she was hazukashi (embarrassed or self conscious) - about seeing herself! (Amazing!) Vivian said the advertising in Taiwan and Japan is a different style and coloring. Vivian responded happily to everybody all around the stage - especially to the fans she recognized in the audience - kids and women and lots of guys ? including one foreign gentlemen of an undisclosed age. He waved to Vivian and caught her eye. She gave him a very nice smile but no wave. He was very pleased and wondered if she recognized him from last year's d.e.p concert.

Following the screenings Vivian was asked to play the game on a laptop that had been specially set up on the stage. You can see a picture of Vivian at the computer with microphone in hand. That look of concentration you see on Vivian's face is also a look of consternation. (Ohhh, this was not a good idea!) Vivian had never played the Japanese version of the game ? only the Chinese version! (Doesn't anybody believe in rehearsals? I was crying inside). This was the other reason Vivian wasn't on line. Vivian struggled on valiantly. She didn't get flustered. She kept her cool. She managed to move her character around a bit - she ran it through a forest and then flew it across a lake. Originally Vivian's laptop screen was on the big screen but after a while it was replaced with Vivian's face at the computer. After about 5 minutes, cool determined Vivian gave up and returned to chatting like nothing had happened. What should have been one of the highlights of the show unfortunately fell very, very flat. Vivian said a few closing words and skipped merrily of the stage just the was she had come in.

Vivian's Photo Op and Interviews

Vivian came back on stage for interviews and a photo op but only media and few fans were allowed on stage. Vivian was totally surrounded. I could hardly see her from the floor. Vivian's pictures in Gallery are from the photo op.

Backstage

Of course before the event I checked out the backstage area to figure out were Vivian would be after the event. After Vivian's first appearance I went to the back area where I saw a group of invited fans go into Vivian's room. Not her ?dressing room? because Vivian arrived and left in her stage attire. They were with Vivian for about 15 minutes or so. Outside Vivian's door there were 4 or 5 big Gamania staffers standing round.

One More Event

Vivian came back on stage yet again to award the high scoring player of the day his prize- a digital camera. One of the models you can see behind Vivian used the camera to take a picture of Vivian and the young winner. He looked pretty pleased. A few more words, a couple of waves, a bow and Vivian was off the stage.

OK, Here's How We Wrap up our Encounter with OBV

By the time I got around to the back of the stage Vivian was already leaving. She was in the center of a tight phalanx of Gamania staffers and friends. I couldn't believe my eyes! OMG. Vivian was right there in front of me - walking on the same level as me. On the ground! What to do? What to do? What else? I fell in with the escort crowd and walked Vivian to the door! I did! I can't believe it. Some of the others in the group looked a little oddly at me but I smiled back and carried on. I was just an arm's length behind Vivian the whole distance. Vivian is a long limbed slight little Angel ? she isn't very big at all- but she is a brisk walker and the crowd moved along quickly through the door around the corner into the wide hallway to one of the side entrances. Vivian was chatting away with people in the group especially with a little girl in her father's arms on the other side from me. Vivian never turned my way and it seemed really rude to intrude on the situation. I probably should have- it would have been perfectly normal I suppose. But I had no paper or pen handy and I didn't want to rummage around in my bag ? I thought that might look threatening. So I just played it real cool and timid and let Vivian slip away to her big gray van that was waiting for her and her entourage.