On this day, July 22nd, in 2018, I had just arrived home from a study abroad in England. I was sporting a fresh tan and a new wardrobe of chic London summer clothes. I settled in my bed that had been sorely missed, and... I went absolutely bonkers on Nico's first ever limited birthday box. Last year, these limited boxes had 200 cards in them, but I bit the bullet and went all out. It was more than worth it! God knows I'd thrown a lot more funds at other unsuccessful scouting ventures (looking at you, Yoshiko...) but I got her zodiac themed birthday card in the second to last pull from that box. I was overjoyed.

364 days later, I am awoken by a 10 AM alarm on July 21st, I log in to School Idol Festival, and I'm greeted by Nico's beautiful smiling face!! I was extremely excited and very cozy in my bed, much like the previous year. I had the funds prepared to go absolutely all out if need be. But luckily... I didn't have to. I've noticed that Nico has been very generous to many people this year, and I'm honored to be one of the lucky ones. I actually got her flower themed birthday card with my free gems that I managed to scrounge up between Yoshiko's birthday and now. Amazing!! Now the real festivities can begin!!!

I work in a grocery store, and I was checking the bakery to see if we had any carrot cake by the slice for sale (someone on the phone asked about it), and I spied a cute, pastel colored flowery decorated mini cake in the display case, and a sudden idea struck me: why not celebrate Nico day with a proper birthday cake?! I told my coworker to watch the front desk and ran off to get not only the cake but some pink candles as well. Mission successful. This is also the first time I got my Nico nendoroid out of her box to play with! It was a lot of fun to pick which pose I wanted and to set up the spot to take the picture. I haven't eaten any of the cake yet, but I did taste the frosting, and it's a delicious buttercream!!!!

I started cosplaying when I was about 14 years old, and this was not my first Love Live cosplay, but it was my first Nico cosplay! I spent a lot of time deciding which costume to get... I debated on getting one of her UR card costumes, but what ultimately made the decision for me was how iconic Snow Halation is to the Love Live franchise... and also how cute Nico looks in her stage costume for it!!! I debuted this cosplay as a comic convention in Chicago, and I just so happened to find a vendor selling... a Snow Halation Nico nesoberi!!!!!! I had to have her and snatched her up on the spot. She hangs out with my other nesoberis on my bed, and I often find myself patting their heads. They're so soft and huggable!!! One day I'll have one nesoberi of every girl and some alts of my best girls and favorites! A girl can dream.

Really, this is self explanatory. I have too many Nico URs to fit them all on one team, so a collage of my tri-color Nico teams it is!! This is a representation of the time and effort I've put into School Idol Festival and into collecting Nico cards!!! Some of these I waited a looooooong time in order to get them from the seal shop (waited 2 years for Little Devil Nico), and others were very lucky scouts both from gems and blue tickets!!! I don't have a fully complete album (and I am so awe-inspired by those of you out there who do... that's incredible), but my Nico collection is certainly one that I hope inspires other Nico fans as well!! I have enough love for her for all of us!!!!!!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE #1 IDOL OF EVERYONE'S HEART! ❤❤❤

Edit: I finally had a piece of the birthday cake and it was delicious!!!!!!!!

NicoFanAwards2019 矢澤にこ生誕祭2019