Takarazuka Journal

So why, exactly, do I love this show so much? I've been re-watching it lately while doing the timing for the subtitles, and I've been puzzling over this.

It's one of the first few Takarazuka shows I bought, which might have something to do with it, but I bought Michelangelo at the same time, and I had a virulent reaction to that one. So I don't think it has to do with the timing. I think it just happens to be one of those magical coincidences where the story and the entire cast just fit together perfectly. Yukigumi's '99 Nova Bossa Nova, Ernest in Love, Guys and Dolls, and The Black Lizard are the other four shows that gave me this same visceral recognition of: YES.

It's also quirky and different, which appeals to me more now, now that I've seen so many mass-produced Daigekijou shows. It opens with three young otokoyaku entertaining the entering audience by "playing" the mandolins off to the side of the stage, then it goes into one of the prettiest modern dance pieces I've ever seen, courtesy of Sha-sensei. Her touch is so very apparent throughout the larger dance numbers in the show <3. And only then do we segue into the awesomeness which is a 1960s "English country house"-esque murder mystery.

I also love the uniqueness of Kouju and Nagisa's top combi. They always had a more adult, down-to-earth feel to them that appealed to me. Here it's played out in full, with a Silver Screen Age feel to Kouju's Joey that reminded me instantly of cynical romanticists played by Cary Grant and Humphrey Bogart. For once, the top otokoyaku's character is ambivalent. Is he the villain of this piece? Or the hero? And for once, the top musumeyaku is neither innocent teenager nor seductress. She's a married woman who has made certain decisions in her life that she now regrets.

Add in an amazing ensemble cast, utilized in full, and you have something magical. Every time I re-watch this show I'm so pleased again and again that they managed to somehow find a way to incorporate the rather large number of retiring "young stars", as well as the senka members. Gaichi as the jealous husband, Sono-chan (Akisono Mio) as his flirtatious wife, Nettan (Yumeki Noa) as the ever-energetic chief manager of the resort, Asazumi Kei as one of the chief suspects and the sweetest young man in love you ever did meet, Narumi Jun as the ever-eager side-kick investigator. And Misa Noeru and Suzuka Teru as the pair of gossiping old maids who keep the rumors flowing.

Not to mention, of course, the cast that wasn't retiring: Touko in my absolute favorite of her roles, now-and-forever, that of the seemingly-cynical (but actually a romantic), all-business, intimidating police detective Mira, Un-chan as the spoiled young son of a politician with his sullen, teenage eye on other people's wives, Ume-chan as his sister, Kanou Chika, Yuuho Satoru, and Chie as over-exuberant managerial staff, Sendo Kaho as the most implicated yet most unlikely of suspects, Chigu (Miki Chigusa) and Asamine Hikari as a most unlikely (and most hilarious) couple.... And the list goes on.

It doesn't hurt that I really enjoy the tone of the music for this musical as well... in general very soft songs, but not all. A good showcase for some very powerful singers that Hoshigumi used to have.

A good mix of suspense and sorrow and comedy, that touches on some darker things like contemplating suicide without (I think), over-dwelling or over-dramaticizing them. And an ending that I absolutely adore, but won't give away because you really should watch it through at least once without knowing whodunnit.


...And it doesn't hurt that Babylon remains one of my all-time favorite revues, either.


PS - All right, I give you that it does have one major weakness, i.e. - the boat scene. However, I always seem to be at odds with people over things like the Berubara pegasus, so I'm sure there's someone out there who found this to be the greatest part of the show. ^^;

Never Say Goodbye
Cosmos Troupe, 2006

Leads: Wao Youka, Hanafusa Mari

[ TakaWiki ] [ ENAK Sumire Style Photo Album ]
[ TCA Pictures Store ] [ Takarazuka Video ]

( What I Thought: )

[ TakaWiki Page ]

Apparently, Sky Stage enjoys cutting up 80s performances? I watched Ai Areba Inochi wa Eien ni -Napolean and Josephine- the other night. There were two songs (half the opening, and the staircase), and one dance. A 2:30 show cut to 1:15. Pain. Sadness. Imagine, please, a typical insipid, angst-ridden, overblown Takarazuka show... without singing and dancing. And also a lead musumeyaku on a sugar high who apparently was trying to get her lines out as fast as possible so that she could move on. And Takashio Tomoe in some truly horrible costumes with so much shoulder padding that she had no neck. I cried, I really did.

( WARNING: Watching this show may make you cry (for all the wrong reasons) )

And I couldn't even pick Ishi-chan out of the hatsubutai! The one thing that would have soothed my pain....

A Tale of Two Cities

This is the 1985 Moon Troupe production, not the '03 Flower Troupe Bow Hall.

[ TakaWiki Page ]

Cast:
Sydney Carton - Daichi Mao
Charles Darnay - Tsurugi Miyuki
Lucie Manette - Kuroki Hitomi
Jarvis Lorry - Asazuki Mario
Dr. Manette - Natori Rei
Marquis Evrémonde -　Koyanagi Hizuru
Defarge - Hoshihara Misao
Terese (Madame Defarge) - Ariake Jun
[more cast]

Summary: Almost exactly the same as the Bow Hall version, except shorter (because of the revue), and with slightly more explanatory scenes between the minor characters (the Evrémonde family servants, Evrémonde, etc) and a few different songs. Also, DeFarge was much less likable in this version. I like the opening in the tavern in the storm much better than the one in the park they had for this version.

Reaction: My favorite pub scene was kept, the one between Sydney and Charles! Yay! And the drunken scene with Sydney and Lucie! Yay!

Ahem... otherwise, this was probably not a great choice as the first show to see Daichi Mao in. Because really, how can a completely unknown cast stand up to Sena Jun and Co.? I really enjoyed Daichi, but I would have liked to have seen her dance. Beggars can't be choosers, however, and I'm really happy I got to see her in action at all. Her baby face kept throwing me off at first, but I was really digging her by the end of the show.

The blue eye-shadow of the 80s really is as scary as I've been warned...

It was cool to see some of the current Senka ladies playing younger parts.

Note: This was Mao's final performance in Takarazuka.

So, let's see if I can actually write something comprehensive and useful this time (following sanalith's good example), instead of just babbling.

Bara no Fuin ~Vampire Requiem~
Seal of Roses

[ TakaWiki Page ]

Shop Pages
[ TCA Pictures ] [ Takarazuka Video ]

( So, the review! )

So, overall? The over-arcing story line was... really bizarre. It is a vampire story, so we're not going for total believability here, but there were just some very weird lose ends. I was really disappointed with the first bit in the Valley of the Roses. France and Berlin I loved. The conclusion was so-so, except for all the times Rika shouted "Jennifer!" Eheh. I love Moon Troupe under Rika, everyone falls into their parts really well, and they relax and have fun with these crazy scripts they're given. They wouldn't be half as much fun if we couldn't see how much they're enjoying themselves.