The Journey that Started in the Great Year of Nico
I called 2025 the Great Year of Nico. Life was tough, and nothing seemed right. But everything related to Nico seems to always fall into place one way or another. That was when realization struck me, because how dare I forget: 25 in Japanese wordplay can be read as "Nico". 2 for /ni/ and 5 for /ko/, although 5 is already read as /go/; but the point stands, hence the coined term.
We're not here to talk about the wordplay, though. As the title suggests, this is about the journey that started in the year 2025. Well, technically, talks about it was made in the late 2024, but you know, semantics, psh.
This is the Nico Website, which was later named Under the Spotlight: Tales of Nico Yazawa.
It started with a simple and engaging Nico App that the developer, Meguminnichi, first created. From quotes, to music, to images-- even Nico's birthday countdown and that simple Nico-quiz integrated there. It was a great app; promising, really.
But the real kicker was that it was not available on the phone I was using. Yes, yes, I know-- low-end device.
As a fan, I was desperate. Because I found a great app, but circumstances keep me from enjoying something I love. So, that was how the website was born:
Out of spite, because I refuse to not be able to enjoy a curated app for my beloved pink idol;
Out of love, because that's THE Nico Yazawa, the sole light in my life;
And out of sheer ambition, because I know Nico deserved more.
And because I know we could do more.
So, there I went and dragged Meguminicchi on this little journey of creating the website for Nico. I'm so glad Megumin loved Nico enough to go along with my whims at the time. And I'm also glad that it turned out to be not just a whim of mine.
This is passion; something I had even belatedly discovered myself, but I'm grateful I found it anyway.
And from this point onward, this is Our Story:
This website was born from a shared love for the no.1 Idol in the Universe, Nico Yazawa. But more than that, it was born from what she meant to us as individuals.
It was out of love–-for the light and hope she gave.
Nico was a lifeline. She was someone who kept us grounded and reminded us to smile, even during our darkest days. She helped us hold on when things felt too overwhelming to bear. Nico was also someone whom we connected to on many levels–finding comfort, closeness, and understanding through her.
It was also out of frustration and gratitude.
Frustration at how she was often reduced to comic relief, to someone disposable when she was clearly more than meets the eye.
But also gratitude for the role she played in our lives. Nico was many things over time: a parental figure, a friend, and eventually someone to protect and care for. She made life tolerable when it wasn’t, and meaningful when it felt empty.
This site exists as a tribute, a way to give back to a character who shaped the person we’ve become in our lives. It exists to honor Nico Yazawa, not simply as a character, but as a light that helped us through different chapters of our lives.
May this love reach others, especially those who need it most.