Cleverly Disguised as a Responsible Adult

It's always a little weird watching revues in their touring/Chunichi/etc. versions.  I like how lower ranked people get bigger parts, but it's hard for the troupe not to feel like it's at half power simply because of it being cut in half number-wise.

( My thoughts under the cut )

To be completely honest, for all that I am excited that Kiriyan has become top, she hasn't become top of the troupe that I fell in love with three years ago.  There are still people I love in tsukigumi, but the truth is I still feel the loss of many people I love (Eri-san, Sueko, Taki-san, Mihoko, Yuuhi, Ai-chan, etc).

At the same time I've waited a while for Kiriyan to be top, and I *want* to like her tsukigumi.  I don't want to be so caught up in retirements and politics that I can't enjoy things any more.  

Anyway, I still have Yukariko to watch, and I plan on buying Scarlet Pimpernel when it comes out <3

Has anyone seen a complete set list for Asako's sayonara show?  One of the news sites listed the songs that Asako sang, but didn't mention anything about the other taidansha.

I'll admit that I'm particularly interested in whether or not the girl in the icon got anything <3

ETA: One more thing, as long as I'm posting.

So I'll be seeing seeing soragumi's Casablanca for the first time about two and a half weeks from now.  Shonichi is this Friday.  Can I request that if anyone on my f-list is going to post images/reviews etc., that it be done behind a cut?  I'm trying hard not to spoil myself before I see the show <3

ETA 2: A friend of mine is saying she doesn't think Ai-chan got anything.  This makes me exceedingly grumpy.

The complete cast came out today. 

Senka: Todoroki Yuu

Hanagumi: Asaka Manato, Shirahana Remi, Nozomi Fuuto

Yuki: Mizu Natsuki, Aihara Mika, Ayabuki Mao, Otozuki Kei, Ayana Oto, Ozuki Tooma, Sagiri Seina, Saou Kurama, Daigo Seshiru, Ootsuki Sayu, Renjou Makoto, Karyou Shizuru, Manaka Ayu

Hoshi: Yuzuki Reon, Yumesaki Nene, Suzumi Shio, Ayami Haya, Ouki Kaname, Yumeno Seika, Kurenai Yuzuru, Aono Yuki, Makaze Suzuho

Sora: Oozora Yuuhi, Nono Sumika, Yuumi Hiro, Ranju Tomu, Toki Irisu, Hanakage Arisu, Harukaze Misato, Houshou Dai, Hasami Yuuya, Nagina Ruumi, Junya Chitose, Aihana Chisaki, Nanami Hiroki

Chorus: Otohana Yuri (Hoshi), Toumi Sarasa (Yuki), Nanase Ririko (Sora), Mikage Rin (Sora), Kanon Mai (Sora), Fujisaki Eri (Sora), Hanasato Mana (Sora), Momochi Ito (Sora), Matsukaze Akira (Sora), Hoshibuki Ayato (Sora), Fuuma Kakeru

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-I'm really excited to see that Kai-chan (Nanami Hiroki) is in the regular soragumi cast.  I don't think she's the top star track type, but the company has been paying attention to her and that makes me very happy <3

-Had tsukigumi been around for this one, it would have been funny to maybe see Asako try to do a one-woman Elisabeth ;)  Ah well.

-Looking at the hoshigumi lineup, I think I finally see why everyone is complaining about them being so young ^^; (For a while I was jealous that they at least have upperclassmen to play the mother/father type roles.  In comparison, tsukigumi right now has Hanase Mizuka, an 81st, as its oldest musumeyaku...)

-As much as I'm glad that sora will be appearing in the TCA special this year (it's been a while!!), I feel bad for Yuuhi, Sumika, Tomu, and Micchan (and I here I was trying to make an entire post without mentioning her ^^;) who have to rehearse for the TCA special, the buyoukai, AND perform in Casablanca T_______T  But they've at least had a decent amount of time off between Ooeyama Kaden/Phoenix Wright and the start of Casablanca rehearsals <3

...Exactly how crazy have we (and the siennes we fangirl) become when getting two weeks off after months of non-stop rehearsing/performing seems reasonable? -_-;

...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'm embarrassed to say that I had my copy of How to Succeed for a little over a year before I actually watched it >.>
 
( Some thoughts under the cut )So in short, you really should try to track down a copy.  But you can't have mine :P *clings*

...*wanders off to scheme about possible casting for a future production*

M-san tells me that Asako and Mihoko went to see Kiriyan in K Collection.  I get the impression that the three of them bonded when they all went on the MiiMai tour to Britain <3

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It's not too long until Elisabeth rehearsals start up.  After all is said and done, I'm really interested in seeing how the rest of the roles are cast.  I know it was somewhat controversial not to include any senka members, but it does provide some interesting opportunities for the rest of tsukigumi.

I want Toshi to be a black angel <3

Also, something I haven't heard discussed...will Kacha be in the shinko at all?  On one hand she was just at the point where it looked like she would be getting leads in sora, and it seems unfair to deprive her of at least a shot at roles like Lucheni, etc (I'd er...be a bit worried about her health if they gave her Death).  On the other, I'm sure she's under a ridiculous amount of pressure as it is -_-;;

I officially can't tell where tsukigumi is going these days.  On an up note, Asako's 2009 Theater Drama City show itself looks kind of interesting.  Would it be a special project a la Wataru's Across concert?  And what the heck is a ショーアクト anyway?

I guess I'm more confused as to where Kiriyan fits into all of this.  The other project tsukigumi has going on at that time is a 17 day Bow Hall show.  Unless they really couldn't book anything in Tokyo, it seems unlikely that they would give Kiriyan a Bow that didn't have a corresponding Seinenkan run.

Basically, I'm scared that they're going to pull Kiriyan out of tsuki and make her Touko's replacement.  I have nothing against hoshigumi, but I'd hate to see Kiriyan pulled out and thrown into a troupe she doesn't know with so little warning.  I feel like the best new-top transitions are when the new star gets to spend some time with troupe before assuming the top position (like Yuu-san in hanagumi, etc).  I'm sure there are exceptions, but the transition doesn't seem to go as smoothly when a new top is thrown in without any time to get settled into their new troupe (like how Kashi never performed in soragumi before becoming top there).

Then again, maybe I'm interpreting this all wrong.  Also, given that tsuki still doesn't have a new top musumeyaku, I'm not entirely convinced that Asako is going to stick around later than 2009.

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.

I went back to A-"R"ex last night and I thought I would post my impressions from the second time around.

 

 

So for the last few years I believe that Wao and Osa have had the biggest fan clubs in Takarazuka.  After Osa retires, who has the next biggest fan club?

I'm guessing that it has to be Asako, Touko, or Mizu, but I'm not sure which one.  I'm not very good at estimating club size.  Any thoughts?

In other news: Ganbarre, hanagumi!