Cleverly Disguised as a Responsible Adult

Because it was senshuraku, everyone got a penlight when they entered the theater, along with instructions to wave it during a certain part during the finale.  It was red and said “Le Rouge et le Noir.”  I love these sorts of things *g*  I was a bit surprised since I thought it only happened at a top star’s sayonara show, but I’m certainly not complaining.  Apparently the Tokyo branch of Touko’s club organized it ^^ 

Warning: Spoilers contained within! 

 

From some of the comments I had heard about this show, I was expecting it to be really bad.  Maybe it was the result of low expectations, but I enjoyed “Je t’aime” a lot.  It’s not Kimura Shinji’s best work, but at the same time it was a very fun hour and a half at the theater.

 

 

Yukigumi fans will really enjoy Je t’aime/Miroirs when it comes out on DVD.  Je t’aime isn’t the best play ever, but it was much better than I thought it would be.  Miroirs is a really great revue that I recommend for everyone.  Regardless, both halves demonstrate how strong yukigumi is right now.  Now please look at the pretty mirrors while I go steal Kimu for tsuki.

…what?

In closing, I think you guys know by now where my loyalties lie in tsukigumi.  Despite that, I thought that Hollywood Lover was definitely the better of the two tsukigumi shows that came to the Nippon Seinenkan this January.  Just uh, don’t tell the Kiriyan cultists that I said that -_-;;;;

Yuuhi fans, you definitely need this one.  Tsukigumi fans, I highly recommend it.  Even if you’re not a particularly big fan of either, I still really recommend Hollywood Lover.  Really, I can’t think of any complaints.

Warning: Here be some spoilers.

So I saw this show once about a week ago.  At the time I was really tired and honestly, probably over-hyped.  I was also coming down with a cold.  The result is that I didn't enjoy it very much, which was pretty disappointing since I'm such a big tsukigumi fan and had been looking forward to this so much.

I decided to give the show another chance.  Well, not like I couldn't since I already had bought tickets, but you get the idea.  I'm happy to say that while Mahoroba/Magician no Yuutsu is not my Favorite Show Ever, I had a much more positive experience.

So, continuing down the stack of unwatched DVDs, I finally finished sora's Phantom last night.  Like BeruBara 2001 I wasn't really getting into it when I started watching, but by the time I finished last night I decided it was a really well done show.


I think there has been speculation that if Phantom is done again, tsuki will get it.  I'm not sure where this logic comes from, but I feel the need to comment anyway.  I don't see Asako getting another western musical after "Me and My Girl" after she retires, but I may be wrong.  Regardless, I think she'd be a great Phantom.  I think you all know by now how I feel about Kiriyan being cast in just about any interesting lead role.  Vocally, I'm not sure if Ai-chan or Nene (who seem to be the candidates for the next tsuki top musumeyaku) are quite strong enough.  Personally I'm rooting for Mihoko to stay around after Asa leaves.  I think she could definitely pull off Christine.  If this show was done with Kiriyan in the lead, I could see Yuuhi as a really good Carierre.  And of course, if tsuki did Phantom in the next few years Taki-san would play Carlotta yet again.  Is there any kind of precedent for a sienne playing the same role three times?

I’m typing this up on my computer at work where I don’t have anything to do at the moment.  As a result, I’m extra rambly Becca today :D

I saw the VHS of soragumi Elisabeth on sale at Takarazuka-an for about 2000 yen and decided to pick it up.  I’m glad I did.  Rereading what I wrote about everyone below may make it sound like I was lukewarm about this show, but I actually really really liked it.  In any case…

Honestly, I’m not sure if there’s a bad version of Elisabeth out there.  I’ve now seen three (sora, tsuki, and yuki 07), and they’ve all been really cool shows.  I think to some extent it’s just a matter of who you like.  However, I think it’s getting more difficult to do Elisabeth lately due to getting compared to everyone else who has done the role in the past.  For example, even if you have a decent voice, you get blasted for not being Zunko.  Unlike Berubara, every honkouen production of Elisabeth has ended up on DVD.  This definitely isn’t a bad thing, but…  Ah well.  I have a feeling few people will complain if there’s another production of Elisabeth in a few years.  I certainly won’t.  I’d love to see Kiriyan’s Death.  (Yes, I realize that I want to see Kiriyan in just about every major role in Takarazuka canon).  Sadly this one probably won’t happen.  Even if there’s another production of Elisabeth before she retires, it won’t be tsukigumi.

...why is it that I started out writing about soragumi Elisabeth and ended up writing about Kiriyan?

So I ended back up at Elisabeth again today with hanamichi_2510 and mizukusa.  A couple of quick notes:

-This show's popularity is insane.  I got on the first train of the morning and got to the theater at 6:15.  Already the B-seki were almost completely gone.  I'd say by about 7, 7:15ish all of the tachimi were gone as well.  This was on a Monday.  When I went to see Secret Hunter on a one-show weekday, not even all of the B-seki were taken by the time the box office opened at ten.

-Komu was at the show today.  Apparently hanamichi_2510 discovered this when she saw her walking down the street.  It was funny to watch all of the fans on the second floor (where we were sitting) try to spot Komu during intermission.  During Kitsch, Lucheni announced that they had a very special guest: his sempai, Asami Hikaru.  There was lots of cheering.  Apparently Ooura Mizuki was there as well, although I didn't actually see her.  After the show Komu exited through the artists' door.  She was wearing otokoyaku-esque clothing (well, insofar as she was wearing pants).

-Tonami was crying during Watashi Dake Ni.  I love this girl.

-Speaking of love: Lucheni-watching.  Today not only did Kimu laugh at the single mother brought before Frantz-Joseph, but she gave a small wave goodbye when she was dragged off.  She was also all over Madeleine and feeling up Madame Wolf.  She normally does this a lot, but I think mizukusa agreed that she was getting into it more than usual.

Okay, I had to get up at 4 this morning in order to make it to the theater.  Time for bed!

Okay, need to start moving.  Coming up in part three: Becca visits the Salon de Takarazuka museum.

There are it seems still a few tickets left for the final performance on Friday.  The temptation to call in sick to work is...highly, highly, tempting, but unfortunately it would make me feel like an ass and I'd rather be on my school's good side.  Luckily for me I'm going back Thursday ^_^

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