Takarazuka Journal

Cinderella Rock
Moon Troupe Bow, 1998

Leads: Yamato Yuuga & Saijou Mie

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( Cast: )

( Summary: )

What I Thought:

You know, I'm not sure if I should admit this, but I actually liked this show. However, it was pretty borderline. It was my love for the actresses that kept me into it, after I started wincing at each new "comical" moment. When the lead musumeyaku character's name is Madonna Carey, you know you're in trouble. And, I, er, ah, fast-forwarded through all of the songs. Even some of Saijou Mie's, and usually I like her singing. The songs and costumes were just spectacularly awful. No, I take that back. There were a couple of redeeming costumes: Yoshizuki Eri's dresses and wraps kept me endlessly entertained, Keiju Mana's makeup and wig were spectacular, and Cydo's beat-up jumper he appeared in for the first number was cute. Ah, the first number! I liked the first number! Okay, there were a few entertaining songs in there I didn't fast-forward through. Most of them Eri-san's.

Some of the characters were pretty awesome, even under the cheap jokes. Yoshizuki Eri as the evil stepmother was a touch of brilliance. Koshino Ryuu's gay costume rental shop owner killed me. Repeatedly. As did the evil stepbrothers: Kiriya Hiromu and Kusunoki Keika. Ryuu and Keika together... oh god. I couldn't breathe for a few seconds. Yamato Yuuga's Cydo (I know, should be Sid, but the poster on the stage says "Cydo") was a cute guy, and a likable character. Pretty impressive for a ken-3, even if she did do the cyclops eyebrow thing a little too often. Mie's character, on the other hand... Well, I loved how bitchy she was, actually. It was refreshing. I wanted to cuddle poor Misato Maya in this show. It just doesn't pay to be the evil lady's footmat, darlin'. All of the band members were cute, and as I said, Keiju's makeup and wig were amazing. Shijou Rui played the little boy again. No comment on Samba-Elvis!Daddy. No comment on Guille's family, except to say that they needed to kill the taco gag. Oh, and the granny was pretty cool. Oh, I give up. I have so much love for these actresses, I can't even dislike their awful characters. *grins* Not even drunken, homeless, Santa Claus-suited Misa Noeru.

I would say... this show is LUNA-esque ridiculous. Just... very odd components all thrown together. I can see it being a secret favorite of some fans. ;)

( Whee! )

Hee, at long last, a summary for Buenos Aires no Kaze.

I love this show to absolute bits and pieces. Sexy Rika dancing the tango! Rika in leather singing angstily! What more do you need from life, really?

The dancing is great (of course! It's a Rika show!), the singing is great, the acting is great. My Sky Stage copy is the 1998 cast. Poor Tani, she was always getting the chinpira roles back then, wasn't she?

The siblings Ricardo and Lilianna are... very close. o.0 If I were ever to accuse Hankyu of inspiring perfidious thoughts, this would be the show. But Juri-pyon is amazing as Ricardo. I think this is one of my favorite roles for her, if not the favorite.

Saijou Mie is a favorite musumeyaku of mine, so I'm so glad to see her play opposite of Rika. Mmm... sparks.

I really love the minimalist sets. It makes it more gritty and intimate. *hearts theater drama city*

Also, did I mention Rika?

Icon no Yuuwaku (Tokubetsu)

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Mikhail: Asaji Saki
Tatiana: Hoshina Yuri
Leonard: Minoru Kou
Nikita: Ayaki Nao
Georgi: Natsumi You
Olga: Ema Naoki

( Criminally short summary: )

Reactions: This is the show that made me a total Asaji Saki adorer, which Elisabeth never managed. Again, her acting is just lovely, and her ballet! The scene with "Serenade" kills me every time I watch it, and I watch it quite a lot. I adore Asaji and Hoshina together. *_* Minoru Kou's Leonard was actually rather cool as well.

I summarized the plot and left out all of the great side-stories. The story and characterization is actually really good. I was impressed. Natsumi You's Georgi was completely twitchy and evil. Otowa's character actually had a scene where he spoke English to try to sell souvenirs to the American (Tatiana), and it was so realistic it had me giggling like mad. I really like Otoko (Otowa Ryou)! Despite the more serious central plot, there was also the mystery, and then several humorous sub-plots which continue to crack me up. Nikita! And the students, who had all of these songs/choruses explaining the plot which were just SO DAMN FUNNY!

"Mama!" *cracks up*

Dean (Bow)

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James Dean: Emao Yuu
Pier Angeli: Hisato Rie
Elisabeth Taylor: Akisono Mio
Natalie Wood: Miya Erika
Hedda Hopper: Mari Yuzumi
Ben: Asamiya Mayu
Elia Kazan: Itsuki Chihiro
Nicholas Ray: Ban Akira

Summary: The life of James Dean from the time he moved out to Hollywood and began his screen career, until his death. Focus on the directors and cast of his three films, as well as the love of his life. First Dean is a New York City stage actor, chosen to go to Hollywood to star in the film East of Eden. His role as Cal parallels his relationship with his own father, and Dean empathizes with the role strongly. Cue angst. Dean's manager tries to convince the entertainment writer, Hedda Hopper, to help give Dean good press to make him a star, but Dean's sullen nature and unwillingness to bow and scrape got them off to a bad start and she leaves in a huff. Nevertheless, the film is a huge success. Meanwhile, Dean has met another actress, Pier Angeli, and fallen completely in love with her. Her mother disapproves of their affair, because Dean is not a Catholic, and convinces Pier to marry Vic Damone instead.

After this Dean decides to take a break from film, but director Nicholas Ray convinces him to return to LA to work on Rebel Without a Cause. After that, his last film is the western, Giant. Shortly after they finish filming the movie, the fatal crash occurs.

Reactions: Emao Yuu is my second favorite broody 'sienne (after Yuuhi). She is always and forever burned into my brain now as "that 'sienne who looks ridiculously hot in sweaters." She was perfect for broody, moody James Dean. There wasn't a huge amount of chemistry with Hisato Rie (Pier Angeli), but I did really enjoy their numbers together. And Bun-chan in dorky horn-rims is love.

The rest of the cast also did a nice job, and I was impressed by the amount and variety of important musumeyaku roles. Also, Hiro's Elia Kazan was such a father-figure for Dean. Got me all teary-eyed. ;)

Side-track: I like the new features in Graph this year. *joy*

Elisabeth (Cosmos, 1998)

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I think I may have reached a temporary Elisabeth saturation point. I didn't enjoy this one half as much as I probably should have. So this is going to be the world's shallowest excuse for a review, and I suspect it's going to get me into trouble.

( Read more... )

Randomly: I thought I was hallucinating when I saw Sararan pop out of the crowd of townspeople every once and a while, but I checked the cast list and she was in there! Was everyone in Soragumi in 1998?

Also, I have to admit, it was pretty cool to see Zunko, Takako, Wataru, and Komu all dancing together in the "Yami ga Hirogaru" otokoyaku dance during the finale.

..... Every time I think I'm getting used to the absolute random bizarreness which is Takarazuka revue... I am shown my place. Where else can you find James Dean, "Mac the Knife", "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer", a cancan line complete with bloomers, and "Ave Maria" all in one show?

This special was done on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day of 1998, and I laughed so, so hard. Sometimes this was appropriate, sometimes that wasn't quite their intention. The first act was a re-hash of parts of "This is Takarazuka!" which was shown in Hong Kong (that year?). Lots of fun stuff, including a tap number that I LOVED. Also, a really, really unusually high amount of the songs were sung in English. Unfortunately. I think most of us know the words to "The Loco Motion" pretty well, right? Well, I couldn't understand a single word that poor woman was singing.

I have to say, after hearing so much about how Zunko's ears stick out, I was rather disappointed. I didn't think they stuck out at all. XD

I called this first act the "Kozuki Wataru Show", because she seemed to be in just about everything. I did like this version of "Cést Si Bon".

I was scarred for life when the cancan girls came out, and the lead dancer was Asami Hikaru. I will never again think she's too feminine-looking to be an otokoyaku. *shivers* Scary! She did get her revenge though, when she came out in "Enter the Dragon" as one of three Bruce Lees.

My absolute favorite section was the one with the blues, jazz, and tap numbers. However... During the blues number, they kept giving us close-up butt shots of poor Wataru. Not Wao, just Wataru. 0.o

Did I mention enough yet how much I loved the tap number? They need more tap in Zuka.

The second act had a variety of stuff from Flower, Star, Cosmos, and Moon, as well as conversations with the higher-ranking stars. Also, a video for Snow Troupe, which was off being productive somewhere else. Actually, the Moon stuff is separate at the end of the tape, because the main tape is the show on the 25th, and they did the show on the 24th. My utter, utter love for Moon Troupe is returned. The last section was a medly of Christmas carols and songs.

I finally understand why Mizu associates red with James Dean. Emao Yuu is COOL!!

Star's MC corner was mostly talking about how cool the new theater is. Minoru Kou was off practicing for a Theater Drama City production, so Star Troupe had someone wear a mask of her face.

Flower Troupe's MC had Aika Mire macking on the musumeyaku. She also got another flower from the audience, so I'm wondering if this was a tradition for her?

Moon Troupe! I think Makoto Tsubasa (Mami's) stage presence is really dynamic. She's comfortable up there. She doesn't like giving up the spotlight, though. The kumichou were supposed to be the ones running the MC, but she kept interrupting to add things, and talk over other people (like poor Gaichi). Still, I LOVE her. She's just too cool. And Moon Troupe....!

Shiomi "Crap Yarouze!" Maho said something, and Tani pulled out a fan and whapped her over the head. Who knew she had secret desires of being a slap-stick comedian?

Mami was totally mocking this other move that Rika was doing, and it was really cute! Rika also started talking about "Sae-chan" before she caught herself and said "Ayaki Nao", so I guess they got to know each other well in Senka?

Now, when you think "White Christmas", do you think electric guitar and sparkly yellow outfits? No, me neither. But listening to Rika, Wao, and Emao Yuu singing in English totally made my day.