Q Meme

From happy_riceball

Post to your blog:
1. What have you been up to in the last year or two?
2. What is the last Takarazuka show you saw and what did you think of it?
3. What was your favorite Takarazuka show of 2013?
4. What actress surprised you the most in 2013?
5. What do you think about the 100th anniversary so far?
6. What troupe you do think will win the Sports Day Festival? (And what troupe will you be rooting for regardless?)
7. What shows do you want for 2015?

1. What have you been up to in the last year or two?

Attempting another master's degree program, this time in education. May possibly actually finish the thesis this time. We'll see.

2. What is the last Takarazuka show you saw and what did you think of it?

Er. Um. I... don't remember? The last review in this blog is Lupin / Fantastic Energy!, so that's probably it. Which was... in March. I fail as a Zuka fan these days. I liked them, but wasn't as blown away as I hoped to be.

3. What was your favorite Takarazuka show of 2013?

Tsukigumo no Miko, definitely. It surprised me with how much I loved it, had some great dance numbers and some absolutely understated dramatical scenes that just broke my heart.

4. What actress surprised you the most in 2013?

Er. Um. Probably Sumiki Sayoto in WmW, but largely because I hadn't known her at all before seeing her in this, and quite liked her. Then Kano Maria for similar reasons, so I was happy to learn about her promotion to top musumeyaku.

5. What do you think about the 100th anniversary so far?

Not much. I hoped for more classic revivals, to be honest, but it is a business, and they do have to cater to their audience, so *shrugs*.

6. What troupe you do think will win the Sports Day Festival? (And what troupe will you be rooting for regardless?)

So, I'm sitting here feeling awful because I can't even remember who won the last two sports festivals. My hazy memory says Tsuki in '04 and maybe it was Yuki (or Hoshi?) in '94?

Anyway, Tsuki and Hoshi are going to be in the middle of and just finishing major runs, so I suspect they're going to be run-down and exhausted. Now, Flower is going to be in rehearsals for Tokyo, but may have had a bit more of a rest. So, used to working together, having a chance to practice some events because they'll be in town.... Similarly, Cosmos will be towards the beginning of their own rehearsals for their November Grand Theater show. Snow will be in town rehearsing smaller runs, maybe. Hm. I feel like Cosmos and Flower will be full of pride and will be loosing some major members, so they'll be pulling together and emotions will be running high. So my bet is on one of them.

Of course I'll be rooting for Tsuki♥

7. What shows do you want for 2015?

I'm actually pretty thrilled for the line-up so far. For our spring Grand Theater I would really, really like to get another made-for-us show. NOT one taking place on a ship. No more.

I'm curious how no Nippon Seinenkan is going to affect the smaller productions planned for next year. The Akasaka ACT Theater is a little bigger... will they lean on tried-and-true shows and bigger stars to keep the theater filled?

Lupin III

THIS!!!