The Energy 8

[ekusudei]

The Energy 8

Star - The Rose of Versailles: Matobu Sei & Koto Marie
Moon - Great Pirates: Yamato Yuuga & Kanou Chika
Snow - Burning Love: Sou Kazuho & Konno Mahiru
Cosmos - Castel Mirage: Tsubaki Hiroka & Ayano Kanami

The Rose of Versailles
[ TakaWiki ]

I can keep this short and sweet by saying... I didn't watch it. ^^; Really not in the mood for Berubara lately. But I did watch the speech at the end. Un-chan was as completely and terribly goofy as ever. Oh my god. She must be terribly, terribly shy. I hope her speeches are still as adorable, but I suspect she's gotten used to them by now.

Great Pirates
[ TakaWiki ]

This was really, really a fun show to watch, particularly as a Tsukigumi fan. So many familiar upperclassmen faces -- and so many members who are gone now, which made it a little sad too. I still haven't seen the Grand Theater version of this show, just the tour, so that's all I have to compare this with.

I have to say, Tani and Chika-chan weren't at their best in this show, and they didn't have great chemistry together. But Chika was a very sweet Elaine, and you could just tell that Tani was having a lot of fun with Emilio. This was her sixth, and last, shinko lead, and her acting really fit the outrageousness of the show's premise (noble boy becomes pirate for revenge).

They didn't show enough of the villains' scenes! And I'm not just saying this because I couldn't pick out Masaki, I swear. I wanted to see more of evil Hokushou Kairi too. She looked good in that get-up. It was nice, though, to see so many musumeyaku whom I miss in good parts, like Shiina Aoi and Saijou Mie. Not enough of Mihou Aya as Seagull! Shijou Rui was still in her otokoyaku stage, and made a terribly, terribly cute little pirate boy. I spotted Shirosaki Ai quite a lot too, though she didn't have a speaking role. Ryouga Haruhi made a great Kidd. <3

Tani's speech was rambly, and some of the seito were trying to hide their laughs. But she also had some cute things to say which made the audience laugh.

Overall, a really fun show to see because of its nostalgia factor, but the surprise of this tape was actually...

Ai Moeru
[ TakaWiki ]

*gurgle* Well. That was unexpected. Many moons ago, bunretsu asked me how I could not love Sou Kazuho. I was lukewarm, because something about her put me off. But, well. Then I saw her perform in "Black Lizard", and I admitted that she was growing on me. And now this. Soh, sweetie, you can rule me any day. ♥ Soh's Fu Sa was, well, forgive the cliche, burning. Earnest and noble and in love to the point that he would throw all that away, and his kingdom, for his love. I died several times.

You've all heard me praise Konno Mahiru to the skies before, and she was just as superb here. I liked her Sei Shi. No matter how stupid she might have been, I liked her. And I admired her in the end, whereas usually these self-sacrificing female types make me want to stab myself in the eye. This probably had a lot to do with her chemistry with Soh. *sizzle* And with Otozuki Kei, whom I fear might be growing on me as well. Oh, I did love her villainous Han Rei.

Others of note included Amase Izuru, still in her otokoyaku stage, and I really wanted to just pick her up and cuddle her and cuddle her, and cuddle her, except that she was just slightly too sexy for that. Her final scene with her little brother Sao Kurama (Go Yuu) was love. But, geez, talk about getting off to a running start! Kurama really is the apple of the company's eye, isn't she? *slightly jealous for her Masaki* Moving on, Shirahane Yuri played En Ka, and this, too, was love. Because what is better than a court dancer who hides knives in her fans?

The ending reminded me of the end of Emperor, although it was also different at the same time. Does this make any sense? It does to me. Palace burning down about your ears, lover dead, grand emotional moment on the throne platform....

Sou's speech was breathless, but painfully sincere. <3s

So, yeah. Wow. I think I need to go watch that again.

But first, a complaint! Why did no one tell me that...

Castel Mirage
[ TakaWiki ]

...Castel Mirage is all about the mafia? You Soragumi girls have been sorely lax! ♥_♥ S-s-suits! Tsubaki Hiroka in suits! Ryouga Haruhi in suits! Hanamiya Airi in suits! Kazu Ryouka in suits! Tsukioka Nanao in suits! Everyone in suits! ♥♥♥

And there is Russian Roulette. And it, too is love.

.... Oh, I need to say more? Well, let's see. [Insert usual complaint here about every soragumisei I ever loved retiring early.] I suspected I might like Tsubaki Hiroka in a lead role. ♥ I was right. She had a voice. Given a few more years, that voice might have rivaled Osa's in shear otokoyaku-knock-you-down volume and presence. And Kanamin sang a song. She sang it Very Well. I was impressed. I think I have finally gotten over the trauma of her singing in R&J'99 and may admit that she sings Very Well. And she said things like "I'm glad I'm your first woman" and "Give me a kiss? A good night kiss." And Hanamiya Airi was her usual sharp self. I could see her as a Hollywood crooner. And, oh, hey! There's Fuu-chan. Oops, there she goes again. That didn't last long. This show taught me an appreciation of Yume Daiki, who is, of course, retired. Yuumi Hiro and Toki Irisu were looming about in the background. I didn't pick out any other babies because my eyes tended to stay glued to Yuuka. I think I fell in love a bit. But... suit--- fedora-- voice. And then there was Yuuka and Ahi fighting over a girl. This, too, was Love.

I... can't remember a thing she said in her speech. Good god, I have it bad.

So, yes. Must hunt down full versions of Ai Moeru and Castel Mirage shinkos. ASAP.

[I'll come back and edit this post when I watch the Berubara.]