Cleverly Disguised as a Responsible Adult

...is anyone really surprised?

I have mixed feelings on this one.  I feel like Asako overstayed her time and I hated the fact that the company never gave her a new partner after Mihoko, but there are also performances of hers that I really love (Ernest and Love and Me and My Girl, namely).  Also, I got into fandom in January of 2007.  From the top stars of that time, only Mizu is left o.O

Whew, what a crazy year for retirements.

I think I've hit a new low.

Last night as I was browsing for information about Asuka's photo book, I actually couldn't remember if I had read a particular bit of information in regards to this book or if it had just dreamed it.

This certain piece of information was that Asuka and Tonami were going to have a collaborative sayonara photo book, and it was going to kind of be like a second part of Mon Bijoux, except for Mihoko couldn't be in it because she already retired.

As it turns out, I dreamed this and Asuka's sayonara photo book will only be about Asuka. But I was very confused for a moment!

Even without the dreamed-up Tonami content, I want to buy this book. Except for I also want to buy Touko's sayonara book too. >.> Obviously I need to sell a kidney.

(And er, obviously the above is a joke. I think -_-;)

I'm hoping that Tonami and Ume-chan also get sayonara photo books <3

Okay, now that I have that particular bit of drama out of the way, I went to see MiiMai on Sunday! 

 

 

Before the show I was talking to a tsukigumi fan friend of mine.  She said that there are some shows that she dreads having to see multiple times, but this isn’t one of them and that she was smiling the entire way through.  I agree completely.  If you have the opportunity, I really recommend seeing this one, regardless of whether or not you’re a fan of tsukigumi or any of the Takarasiennes involved.

This is not okay.  I knew something bad was going to happen when MiiMai rehearsals started, I just didn't know what.  This. Is. Not. Okay.

And what the heck will be happening with top musumeyaku for the next few show?!

But...but...Mihoko... *sob*

And if the page gets updated later today to show that anyone else is retiring, I may resort to throwing things.

*goes back to sobbing*

Please remind me to never complain about the lack of news again.  I give you full permission to whack me if that's the case. 

I...wasn't exactly expecting this.  I'm pouting because I love my tsukigumi otokoyaku trio.  My love for Yuuhi and Asako tends to get overshadowed by my love for Kiriyan, but that doesn't mean I don't love those two.  And the idea of Yuuhi leaving and Asako and Mihoko eventually retiring...I worry about the void that it would leave.  *sigh* And with Sueko-san and Eri-san gone... Kiriyan is my favorite part of tsukigumi.  But she's one of many parts, and I worry about what will happen to the troupe if too many of those parts are taken away.

Is this possibly good for Yuuhi's career, however?  Even being a 2.5-bante, she was always stuck behind Kiriyan.  Is she now being moved into position as Un-chan's eventual successor?  ETA: The word on the street seems to be that Yuuhi is being moved as an upperclassmen and not as part of the star track.  This makes sense, and honestly, I'd rather see her stick around longer in another troupe than retire.  From what I understand, upperclassmen negotiate their contracts year to year.  I think if Yuuhi truly, truly, didn't want to be in hanagumi, she would have retired instead.

Also, if Asako retires and Kiriyan becomes top, who becomes the nibante and sanbante of tsukigumi?  Ahi and Sonoka?  If they're going to be moving in people from other troupes, can we possibly steal Kaname?  Or can we have Micchan back?

*wanders off, head still spinning*

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've finally gotten some free time to watch Zuka, so I guess tonight is catch up night.

• ( Rambly thoughts on the actresses )

I feel mixed on this one overall, most of which I'm realizing in retrospect had to do with the script.  But this is my tsukigumi, so I'm definitely glad that I saw it.  I hope I don't sound too negative, cause these guys really are awesome.  I guess I'm just being critical of what I like.

Tonight I discovered that the SkyStage website has transcripts of SkyStage's NOW ON STAGE, and I was bored enough to see what kind of damage I can do.  I decided to tackle first portion of the ParisSora interview, which involves Sena Jun, Ayano Kanami, and Oozora Yuuhi.

I feel okay about the first half of this, but not really about the second half where Yuuhi and Asako are giving Mihoko a hard time.  I worry that if my Japanese teachers ever see any of this they're going to cry to think that their school produced someone who translates as crappily as me :/  *grumblegrumble* I really miss Sherif-sensei having office hours where I could possibly bug her about something like this.  Although I think kozuki said in a response to a different post that she'd take a look at some stuff *puppy eyes*

You can find the original Japanese here.