Non-Stop!!

Oct. 12th, 2009 08:42 pm
ekusudei: (Yuuhi - The Last Party)
Non-Stop!!
Moon Troupe 1997, Bow Hall

[ TakaWiki ]

Lead: Kuze Seika

Cast: Misa Noeru (Senka), Natsukawa Yura, Yoshizuki Eri, Juri Sakiho, Takashou Mizuki, Hoshino Hitomi, Mahoroba Yuu, Jouka Azuki, Naruse Kouki, Oozora Yuuhi, Minashiro Hikari, Mizu Natsuki, Mizusawa Hazuki, Yamato Yuuga, Hanase Mizuka, Saijou Mie, Kanou Chika

Summary:

Act I

Aspiring actor Lover Brightman attends auditions for a music company and just makes it in. There he endures strict training from very odd teachers, is used to help a promising classmate, and eventually loses his girlfriend. He looses his innocent confidence, but is re-inspired by his ever helpful theater spirit boy and eventually makes it.

Act II

Lover Brightman performs. Eventually, his spirit comes to lead him off, as he will join the theater spirits.

What I Thought:

More a revue-show type performance, with the paper-thin plot only there to string together the musical numbers. The theater spirits and the idea of the candle/lantern on stage were completely re-used by Fujii-Sensei when he did Touko's "A Bientot" last year.

The cast was great, and very nostalgic. Kuze Seika was... adorable. Also, snooty rocker Mizu Natsuki (ken-5) was worth any amount of pain. Hanase Mizuka was her cute self. I approved of Sakiho Juri and Yoshizuki Eri being Kuze Seika's main back-ups in a lot of numbers. (And Juri and Hoshino Hitomi were hilarious as the teachers.) Yamato Yuuga in that costume was.... ahahah. The duet dance between Natsukawa Yura and Non-chan was hot. Non-chan singing a Japanese version of "Bohemian Rhapsody" was.... unusual. The tuxedo number and the bit with the musumeyaku in the pink things was both hot and hilarious.

But the show was thrown in between the Takarazuka and Tokyo runs of Non-chan's farewell show, and you could tell they didn't have much time to practice. The choreography was much too difficult for the amount of time that they did have, and it shows. Also, the costumes suffer from late-90s Takarazuka Revue fashionitis. On the other hand, there is a costume which... which... which really cannot be described. It must be experienced. And I thought I had seen them all.....

Over-all, a must see for fans of late-90s Tsukigumi, or late-90s craziness. Otherwise, you can probably give it a miss.
ekusudei: (play without words)
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.

ExpandGreat Pirates )

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

ExpandAi Moeru )

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

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

ExpandCastel Mirage )

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.]
ekusudei: (play without words)
Beware! It's the Return of the Old Review Format! (Just 'cause.)

I kinda felt like Rika looked after I finished this show...


The Blue Sky of Provence
Moon Troupe Drama City, 1999

Leads: Shibuki Jun & Mihara Shiho

[ TakaWiki Page ]

ExpandCast: )

ExpandSummary: (Here there be spoilers) )

What I Thought:

This isn't my favorite Rika show by a long shot. It's not a bad show; it's just not the kind of setting and plot that really appeals to me. In a way, the complete depression of this show reminds me of the early 70s shounen ai manga like "Kaze to Ki no Uta", and I never really got into those either. How much depression and schoolboy angst do you need? I was surprised, because compared to the many copies of "Buenos Aires no Kaze", this video is relatively rare in auctions. But I guess it calls out more to the Japanese fans. Heck, maybe a lot of you would really love this show too.

I was also terribly disappointed that they had all this vocal talent and didn't take advantage of it. Mihara Shiho didn't get a single solo, and only one duet with Rika; a rather lack-luster song. Similarly, Hatsukaze Midori didn't get a solo either, only one really obnoxious song with the other schoolboys at the very beginning. The songs themselves were mostly reworked Sondheim, and while not performed badly, weren't really that great either.

Expandread more (Here there be spoilers as well) )

ExpandHehe )
ekusudei: (Default)
Winter Garten
Star Troupe Bow Hall, 2002

Double-Lead: Asazumi Kei and Matobu Sei

[ TakaWiki ]

1/2 off video until Feb. 28th: [ TCA Pictures Store ] [ Takarazuka Video ]

ExpandCast: )

ExpandSummary: Am I anywhere close, Cate? )

ExpandWhat I Thought: )

It's not out on DVD, and once the video sale is over, the video won't be available in the Takarazuka stores anymore. So if it seems like something you'd like, buy it while you can! *cuddles own half-off video* Though, at the rate they're going, maybe it'll get released on DVD if when Un-chan becomes a top star. ;)

ExpandPics! )
ekusudei: (Default)
Doing the review for Slapstick reminded me of a similarly titled Tsukigumi show that I don't think I've ever written up a review for. This is A Crime. So I'm rectifying that.

Practical Joke
Moon Troupe Drama City, 2001

The story of a man who works behind the scenes of 1960s Hollywood to keep the movie world's secrets secret.

[ TakaWiki ]

ExpandCast )

ExpandSummary: )

What I Thought...

... Can be summarized very easily. This show is informally known as Expand That Show Where Kiriyan is Hotter Than Anyone Has a Right to Be, and Yet Incredibly Sweet, and Mami Gives Us a Strip Show Standing on Her Couch. )

Jen says: Three thumbs up!
ekusudei: (Default)
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?

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