I've probably gushed too many times about this here and in profile posts, and people are probably starting to dismiss me and think I've gone a bit off the deep end, but this experience was just such a wonderful one. I really want to make it clear to anyone who worked on this or contributed to it who might be reading how much their efforts are appreciated.
This concert was the first time where everyone in the world could go see Miku together. And I find that a really meaningful and powerful thing after the past year we've all experienced.
The inclusion of Digital Stars as a preshow was a wonderful move. It provided a place for audiences to get excited, and it also really brought things back to the fans. This culture and this event is something that we, the fans, created, directly or indirectly, and it's a worldwide phenomenon, just like the pandemic has been a worldwide trial. And with this, we had the chance to come together, as a global community, and celebrate our continued global connection. (Uber-successful) fans led our preshow, and they did so from their clubs or from their homes around the world. So as fans watched, they not only heard their music, they saw their culture and their global comrades.
I really loved the intro to the concert itself, as well. I was more composed while I was watching, but I can't put it into words without tearing up. It's always meaningful to see the Cryptonloids appear. But after the images of the semi-quiet/empty streets that seem to have been waiting for a long time (which makes me remember how long I've been waiting--something like a year and seven months--and the delays and disappointments, and maybe even pressures I haven't acknowledged, in between), seeing the colored lights come down from the sky and the Cryptonloids appear in the sky over Sapporo...well, it's an overstatement, but maybe it's something like when people saw one of the first clear days after the Dust Bowl in my country.
As to the concert proper, I loved the setlist, with its old favorites and many new entries. The visual effects, both for the characters themselves and the stage, were spectacular. It took a little while to get used to them, having watched Mirai for years, but I came to laud the character models and how realistic and amazingly detailed and expressive they are--I loved all the nuances and subtle expressions they were given during their performances, as well as how well they and the band members seemed to fit into the same space and play off of each other as though they were on one performance team. The stage effects were similarly impressive. The third song was AMAZING, with Miku dancing between a torrent of lightning bolts during the hard rock/metal guitar parts. As a backer and a fan, the concert vastly exceeded my hopes for what would be possible in an online venue.
I loved the message at the end, too. No matter how far apart we are, we are still connected. And Miku's English was quite good throughout.
I would still love to go to an in-person concert, but the online format offered advantages also. Not only did it make attending easier and open the doors to many more people, but it also let me attend "with" friends from distant places and chat with them during the preshow. That probably wouldn't have happened for me in real life, and it enormously enhanced the experience. To be honest, I think it might not be entirely fair to compare this online format directly to an in-person concert. They're similar, but they're also different enough and offer distinct advantages/disadvantages such that directly comparing them is a bit unjust, as your preference will cause you to dismiss really weighty positive considerations on the opposite side no matter which you prefer. While I would never, ever want to turn down a chance to attend an in-person concert (I still want to go someday! :) ), I'd also be very proud to show anyone Hatsune Miku Expo 2021 Online as an example of what the people in this community do and what we're about/what our values are.
In closing, I'd just really like to reiterate my thanks to CFM, the Digital Stars staff and guest DJs, all the other companies who worked on/supported the concert and its sub events/etc., as well as all the backers who supported it and all the fans who attended and helped each other have a good time. Thank you all so very much.