ekusudei | Entries tagged with yuzuki reon

Soooo, Chie is retiring. Now I know that LJ is dead, because I've hardly heard anyone post about it. *sigh* Don't do this! Don't make me become a Twit......

Anyway, I wonder if it's because I've been disconnected from Japanese and twitter/tumblr that I didn't hear as much mumbling about her being top star too long? She was there much longer than stars like Asako, Osa, etc., but I didn't pick up on much negativity.

Or maybe fandom has just become awesome. *grin*

I read through the reports on her press conference, thinking to translate it, but it was really the usual "I'll do my best as an otokoyaku to the end, I loved everything I did, I'm so happy, thank you everyone" type stuff. She mentioned having looked forward to the 100th anniversary and having gone through it, she thought perhaps it was time.

Chie retires and we'll be the senior-most top star. Terrifying. To be honest, I really thought we'd retire with Puck, so I'm curious to see where next year takes us....

So, I hadn't been planning to go see this one, to save money, but I had to go into Tokyo today to pick some things up. So I compromised and made a deal with myself: if there were tachimi left, I'd get one. I went in at 2 PM and sauntered up to the ticket window. There were still B-seki and an S-seki left, so they weren't selling tachimi. I ran my errands, came back at 3 PM, and got a tachimi, possibly terrifying the box office staff by my fist pump when she told me they had sold out all of the regular seats.

I've never gone into the theater so early, but they had already opened the house. I think I was the first one in, actually, as everyone else side-tracked to the bathroom and the omiyage counters, which was a bit daunting, being stared at by ALL of the ushers. XD

Takarazuka Floral Dance Scrolls -Autumn Dance- / An Officer and a Gentleman
2010, Star Troupe -- Tokyo Theater

Stars: Yuzuki Reon & Yumesaki Nene

[ TakaWiki ] [ Sanspo Stage Graph ]

Quick-quick review, because it's late and I have to work tomorrow (yuck).

Autumn Dance

I'm very glad I could see Autumn Dance, as I had been wanting to see a Japanese revue for a long time, and Kaze no Nishiki-e does NOT count. The costumes were lovely, the sets were lovely, and the dancing was lovely. Matsumoto-sensei was, as always, perfect. I did have a heart-in-throat moment when she was navigating that staircase, though, since she dances without her glasses. If you knew to look you could see her pause at the top and bottom and surreptitiously feel with her foot to make sure she had counted correctly before moving on.

No one told me there were NINJA! (I suppose this is my own fault for tending to avoid spoilers, but I would have made more of an effort to see the show if I had known.) That scene with the ladies of the night behind their windows and the ninja was just awesome in more ways than I can tell. The pole and the swords and the ladders♥ (Although, my one complaint is that while the sword dancing was lovely, the sword fighting was a bit lacking. I suppose I've gotten spoiled, measuring everything by Hamlet standards.)

Matsumoto-sensei and Suzumi Shio's dance was amazing.

I also liked Ouki Kaname and the otokoyaku with their straw hats. Yumeno Seika♥

It's been so long since I saw Hoshigumi that I had to keep doing double-takes every time I opera-glassed Kurenai Yuzuru. Yuzurun has grown up!

I loved the falling leaves♥ Autumn is my favorite season♥

.... Now I really want to watch Yume no Ukihashi again.

An Officer and a Gentleman

Somehow, despite being amused that Takarazuka was doing this adaption, and despite the sexy short haircuts, it never really called out to me. Even after watching it and genuinely enjoying many of the scenes, it hasn't gripped me.

( Read more... )

A fun show, that they worked hard to make into a good Takarazuka-style show with lots of roles for everyone, but with a storyline that suffered a bit as a result. But we can't have everything. Depending on which kind of show you favor, this may be the show for you!

And now, I am looking forward to NOVA BOSSA NOVA!!!!!

Cute Chie & Nene interview on R&J.

Habsburg no Houken / BOLERO
Star Troupe Tokyo Performance, 11AM March 14th

Stars: Yuzuki Reon / Yumesaki Nene

[ Taka Wiki ] [ Sumire Style Graph ] [ Novel Summaries ]

Habsburg no Houken

"Habsburg" was, in many ways, simply a vehicle to allow Chie to sing lots and lots of powerful, angsty songs on the ginkyo. If you like Chie singing powerfully while dressed all in black, this would be the show for you.

I do.

I absolutely melted in my seat through most of it.

( Habsburg no Houken )

Hm, not going to summarize the plot, as the TakaWiki and novel summaries do that quite thoroughly enough. But it wasn't a terrible one, all things considered. I enjoyed the music enormously (beautiful score) with the ironic exception of Levay's theme song, which was rather boring. I loved the costumes and the staging.

All said, I think I would recommend it, although a know many people who saw it didn't care for it. Its major lack is the fact that it doesn't give many people (even the star-tracked ones) a lot to do, and so isn't very Takarazuka-esque. If that sort of thing doesn't bother you, you might enjoy it quite a bit. :)

BOLERO

I don't have the programme, so this is going to be rather haphazard impressions rather than anything useful. I enjoyed it, but it was much more laid-back than I was expecting, and following a musical with such a dark mood, I expected something with a bit more... crack? It took forever for the disco ball to come out. ;)

It had a lot of very beautiful classically-inspired dance numbers, though! And the otokoyaku suits and tuxedo scenes were love as well, and Kaname made a recovery here in hotness quotient. ;)

Not sure we needed the voice-overs about doves and searching for lost-loves and whatever. I think this was a revue that might have benefited from not trying to be so coherent. XD

OMG, the gold-whatever costumes and EVERYONE IN HOSHIGUMI has boobs. Terrifying.

There wasn't a lift in the final pair dance. What was the two-hop about, really? XD

I wasn't hallucinating, Tomomin was in a leotard during the animal scenes, wasn't she? <3

Final verdict: I WANT TO SEE HABSBURG AGAIN. *sigh*

The Legend of the Great King and Four Gods Ver.II
2009 Star Troupe
Tokyo Performance

Leads: Yuzuki Reon & Yumesaki Nene

Substitutes, due to influenza and injuries.

[ TakaWiki ] [ Sanspo Stage Graph ]

Summary:
Do people actually need a summary of this show still? Let me know if you do, otherwise I'm just going to be lazy.

+ + +

So. The curtain went down at the end of act I and I turned to Charlotte and shook my fist. "Damnit, he fixed it! I didn't want to like it!"

(Er, not that I didn't want to enjoy the show, and not that I didn't want Hoshigumi to have a good show, but I really liked having a show I could complain about without reserve.)

( Just about every major problem I had with Hanagumi's 'Legend' was fixed in the re-write. )

+ + +

So far as the performances went...

( Read more... )

...I love Hoshigumi. I probably follow more of its young otokoyaku stars right now than any other troupe. I thought the principles did a solid, entertaining job. But I couldn't help leaving the theater wishing that I could have this script and Hanagumi's cast. *sigh*

Still, if you're thinking of buying one of the versions and have no preferences either way, I think I'd have to recommend ver.II. The script didn't make me hit myself in the forehead multiple times, and the videos were cool. ;)

My Dear New Orleans / a bientôt
Star Troupe Tokyo Performance, 2009

Top Stars: Aran Kei & Toono Asuka

[ TakaWiki ] [ Sanspo Stage Graph ]

My Dear New Orleans

( Summary: )

What I Thought:

I wasn't sure how I would react to this musical. On the one hand, just about everyone I knew who had seen it cried through the entire thing. But on the other hand, I don't tend to cry easily during musicals...

( Yep, here be spoilers too )

~*~*~

a bientôt

I wasn't expecting to like this one much, I'll admit. I'm not keen on the traditional French revues, and the initial description sounded rather.... Well, but in the end there were certainly enough interesting scenes in there to make a happy Jen!

Chie the stage fairy♥ Mirrors♥ Chie and Haya♥ Kitty-chan's Kansai-ben♥ MORE gangster Shii (with extra, bonus, HOT, scowling Yuzurun. God, the faces she was making). THANK YOU, FUJII-SENSEI.

I really loved the scene where Asuka came on, wistful and sad for being too late to see Touko in her glory days, and then Chie Fairy used his magic to bring the theater to life again, and Touko back. Pair dance of love♥

And... the rest kind of fades from my memory already. XD Sorry.

~*~*~

Final count: Great musical, revue show with some scenes which will probably become legend in certain circles, and love. Lots and lots of Hoshigumi love.

Much love to Anna for agreeing to do this with me, even though she was terrified of it.<3 I hope she'll forgive me for posting it while she's sleeping, but this is the point in my week where I actually have time to breathe *grin*. I did the odds and she did the evens. I hope everyone enjoys it -- I think the warmth of hoshigumi is a wonderful thing, and it really shows here.... even if they do tease poor Kazu too much.

Star Troupe Otokoyaku Round-Table Discussion

from The Takarazuka IV: Star Troupe (2008)

Translated by Jen & Anna

( I. About Hoshigumi Rehearsal Clothes )

( II. Dressing Well in Costumes )

( III. Stage Makeup )

( IV. The Behavior of an Otokoyaku )

( V. The Black Tuxedo Brigade )

( VI. When Star Troupe Otokoyaku Get Fired Up )

( notes )

Current Mood: sleepy

Okay, I'm going to do this properly. I kept waiting for that next time I saw the show, and the next time never happened, and it looks like it'll be a long while before I see the DVD, so... forgive me my opinions and huge blank spaces, I haven't had another shot at things I wanted to double-check.

The Scarlet Pimpernel
Star Troupe, 2008

Stars: Aran Kei & Toono Asuka

[ TakaWiki ] [ Stage Graph ]

Going into it I really had no idea what the show was about. I think about a week before I saw it was when someone kindly told me that a pimpernel was a flower, not a bird. Yes. So now you know where I was coming from.

( What I Thought: )

.... So, overall? PERFECT show for Hoshigumi. A good show for Takarazuka in that there are lots and lots of minor parts to stick all the stars in, with a decent amount of stage time, and more get a chance to develop personality than in a lot of shows. Some great, funny moments, some very good songs, some kick-ass staging, some lovely costumes.... It really doesn't get better than this. Just... if you have a Javert fetish, beware. You may find yourself latching on to Chauvelin, and you may forget the other 90% of the show.....

Also... there's this Sword Dance........

kirakira_sora got in there first, so I'd already started this one by the time anyone else commented. ;) We'll see where the count is tomorrow before I start anything else. Good night, all!

Talk Deluxe: The Scarlet Pimpernel
Aran Kei x Yuzuki Reon
from GRAPH, October 2008

Aran: Continuing on from the last Grand Theater show, this time I've got another role which has Chie (Yuzuki) rolling in the palm of my hand, but Chie is very, very light. She's easy to roll (laughs).

( Read more... )

Mmm, groggy... I had an adventure yesterday. I hope I won't be stealing Elise's thunder by posting first, but I have a hard time keeping things in my head, so I'd better post now before I forget♥

Elise and one of her club friends managed to wrangle me a ticket to Yuzuki Reon's ochakai yesterday. Because it was a Sunday, I was off work, so I ignored my bank account and said, "YESPLEASE". Unfortunately, that was the final blow to my hopes to see The Pimp live again, but that's okay. I'll console myself somehow. ;)

( Beware the run-on sentences of doom. )

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 )

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

( Ai Moeru )

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 )

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.]

The Energy 7

Star - Revolt of a Gallant Poet: Matobu Sei & Emi Kurara
Snow - In Search of El Dorado: Otozuki Kei & Konno Mahiru
Cosmos - The Rose of Versailles: Tsukifune Sarara & Miwa Asahi
Flower - Michelangelo: Ranju Tomu & Sawaki Kurumi

My VCR mysteriously repaired itself! Quick, time to get my last bunch of videos onto DVD! ;) I thought this would be an interesting watch because it contained one show I'd never seen, one I liked quite a lot, and two I really didn't care for. Would the adorable younger casts change my impressions of the shows themselves?

One thing I did notice, and would like to complain about (What? Me? Complain about something? Heaven forbid.) was the fact that in general only the lead musumeyaku role made the cut to be included in the cast lists in the little booklet that came with the video, and generally 12-15 roles were listed for each show. No love, Hankyu, no love.

( Revolt of a Gallant Poet )

( In Search of El Dorado )

( The Rose of Versailles )

( Michelangelo )

Hallelujah Go! Go!
Star Troupe Bow Hall, 2007

Leads: Yuzuki Reon & Hizuki Hana

[ Takawiki ] [ Takarazuka Precious Review (photos) ]

( Summary: Beware spoilers not in the wiki summary )

What I Thought:

I can't hope to reach the glory and adorableness of

arlecchinic's review, so I'll fall back on bullet points. ;D

+ Loved the disco music. Loved the disco dancing (particularly the big group numbers -- I could watch that opening over and over and... oh. I have) and loved Ema Naoki singing a disco medley.
+ Loved all silly group songs involving Miki Chigusa
+ Kawai Mizuho's shadow solos killed me. Every time. Where has that woman been hiding a voice like that?!
+ Loved Ema Naoki just in general, actually. She's so cool, even in a silly-looking afro and genormous glasses.
+ Yuzuki Reon was born to play a disco dancer from the 70s.
+ Ayaka Rei... woah. Was expecting to like her, but wasn't expecting to end up absolutely loving her and her character.
+ Loved Chigu's outfits. *g* Oh lord, there are no words.
+ The mini revue finale was love. Dance, dance! And they gave such a lovely number to Chiga Teruko.
+ Chie and Hizuki Hana made excellent partners.

- The collars on those leisure suits weren't nearly big enough. ;p
- The dialogue got really preachy at times, and I started just fast-forwarding through large chunks. Not really unusual in a Takarazuka show, I know, but just once, just once...
- The solo songs, particularly the angsty ones, were a little... boring. More fast disco dancing, please!
- The weird bits at the beginning and the end with Dennis Jr. marrying a woman who looks exactly like his mother were... unnecessary. Really.

* Ume. Hm. She managed to make Brenda a likable character, and I particularly liked her "mysterious girl" bits at the beginning. But there was something so very... I don't know. I can't even figure out what exactly it was. Not Hizuki Hana-like enough?
* Kazu Ryouka is adorable and love. But Brian is a flat pancake. :/ Still, she's pretty when she angsts over her best friend's girl! I did like that whole bit. They were so cute together.
* Chiga-san's speech at the end had me tearing up completely. I can't even begin to imagine what it must be like to leave Takarazuka after over forty years.

All in all, I loved it! Hoshigumi underclassmen, if my heart wasn't already won, it is now. See, I knew there was a reason I loved Hoshigumi. <3 Takarazuka, I have reached the firm decision that you need more disco shows.

Oh, yes, before I forget. There's this translation I did a week or so ago, if anyone missed it on the wiki. Because it's Aoike Yasuko and Takarazuka (Could there possibly be any better combination?) and I have been on pin-tops waiting for more news on this show for ten months.

Saitou-S is such a fanboy. I knew it.

Current Mood: excited

A little belated, but:

Press conference for Dancin' Crazy. I am very amused that Rika has decided to ~~grovel~~ fangirl, where others did not.

( As, for example: )

---

And Kazahana finally caught up with Rika to get her picture, since she missed her on her last photo-taking spree.

---

The Kean poster was unveiled along with the news conference for it. Trust the media queen to get the media blitz. ;)

Takarazuka Official Website
Takarazuka Precious 1 2
Enak Sumire Style
Sanspo

---

And why am I not shocked at all that it's Yumiko done up like a vampire, even though according to the show summary it's Otsuki Sayu who will be playing the bloodsucker? *amused*

A little belated, but:

Press conference for Dancin' Crazy. I am very amused that Rika has decided to ~~grovel~~ fangirl, where others did not.

I've been playing with shinko information on the Wiki. There were a lot that were added, but never back-linked (tsk! at whoever did that ;)), and a lot that were simply not added in yet. Interesting(?) facts include:

* Recent winners for most shinko leads include Yuzuki Reon (5), and Yamato Yuuga (6) among the otokoyaku, and Konno Mahiru (7) among the musumeyaku.
* Asami Hikaru, I'm fairly certain, never had a shinko lead. There's none listed in her sayonara issue of GRAPH, and I haven't seen any listed anywhere while searching the internet. She also never had a real lead in any other production before she became a top star either, I think. I'm not so certain of this, but while she had a double-top show with Naruse Kouki (Say It Again, '99) and a lead female role opposite Wataru (Tsukiyou no Utagoe, '00), and a switched-role lead in Gaisenmon ('00), none of those were a lead just for her. Wow. The New Senka really did a number to the top star system in-troupe, didn't it? I knew she became a top early, but it never hit me how early....
* Sena Jun only had one shinko lead. This makes me feel better about Rika's two. XD

And, yeah, I'll just stop there. ;) Time to work my way back some more.

Too Short a Time to Fall in Love / Neo-Dandyism!
Star Troupe, 2006

Top Stars: Kozuki Wataru & Shirahane Yuri

[ TakaWiki ] [ Enak Sumire Style Stage Graph ] [ TCA Pictures Store ]

Too Short a Time to Fall in Love:

Hm. Entertaining and cute, with lots of funny scenes and lots of sweet scenes. I liked the show; the musical numbers were catchy and entertaining (that life-jacket song? Priceless). And yet somehow it didn't completely click with me. I guess I'm always expecting to be blown away by sayonara kouen.

( Read more... )

Neo-Dandyism!:

Oh, so much love! So very, very much love. Enough echoes of the original Dandyism to make me grin, yet enough completely original things to make this show belong to Hoshigumi. And love, as always, for Sha Tamae's choreography.

( Read more... )

I really, really recommend getting the DVD. But I'm one of those loonies who buys things for the revue. ;)

Profile

ekusudei

Navigation

January 2020

S	M	T	W	T	F	S
			1	2	3	4
5	6	7	8	9	10	11
12	13	14	15	16	17	18
19	20	21	22	23	24	25
26	27	28	29	30	31

In-Journal Links

External Links

Syndicate

Page Summary

Style Credit

Base style: Heads Up by momijizuakmori
Theme: Gibbous by zaluzianskya and skylark_photos

Expand Cut Tags

Page generated Aug. 31st, 2025 01:41 am

Takarazuka Journal

Entries tagged with yuzuki reon

Chie Retiring

Takarazuka Floral Dance Scrolls -Autumn Dance- / An Officer and a Gentleman

(no subject)

(no subject)

Habsburg no Houken / BOLERO

The Legend of the Great King and Four Gods Ver.II

My Dear New Orleans / a bientôt

Star Troupe Otokoyaku Round-Table Discussion

The Scarlet Pimpernel

Talk Deluxe: The Scarlet Pimpernel

Yuzuki Reon Tokyo Ochakai "The Scarlet Pimpernel" (09/28)

The Energy 8

The Energy 7

Hallelujah Go! Go!

Star Troupe "El Halcon -The Hawk-" / "Revue Orchids -Stars of Orchids-" Press Conference

Rika <3 ... and some other people