#oto kurisu

[laurelilu]

minami maito in fashionable empire (2022)

[petalstoashes]

you can only imagine the absolute downward spiral of my emotions after watching Nice Work If You Can Get It and Sorrowful Cordoba back to back

story summaries:

NWIYCGT - “cheating can help you find true love”

SC - “cheating gets you malled by a bull”

I loved both in every possible way

[fayegumi]

End of the Year Takarazuka Tag: Day 2

Never Say Goodbye: Which taidansha was the hardest for you to say goodbye to this year? This is hard. Very hard. There's been so many hard-hitting taidans this year that it makes it incredibly hard to chose.

Asazuki Kiwa

Although she's not officially taidanned yet (4 more days...) I've decided to include her since it will still be in 2022. Being both a hana and yuki fan, Kiwa was the best of both worlds, having been in both troupes for long periods of time. Also being one of the oldest musumeyaku to make top makes it something all the more special. In terms of crying, I undoubtedly cried the hardest during these yukigumi taidans (Karen's speech hurt...). Kiwa's especially. The way she speaks so truthfully on how her road as a musumeyaku wasn't a straight one, how she constantly fell and made mistakes, yet kept pushing forward just stabbed me right in the heart. It hurts that she will be gone, but my hurt most of all isn't even hurt; it's just intense admiration for such a strong woman who devoted herself for nearly 13 years to such a rigid place as Takarazuka. No one expected her to "make it" (become top musumeyaku, but this is by no means a complete measure of achievement), yet she did. She did it. She pulled through like moon still hanging there in the sky in the morning, her namesake. Congrats Kiwa, congrats on all that you've done and accomplished. You did amazing, have a great rest, and I'll always be rooting for you. Honorable mentions:

Aya Ouka: Her announcement hit the hardest. One of the first people I latched onto in yuki. I felt like she could've made so much more if the track hold her back, but I'm glad she's onto better things where she can really shine.

Then of course, are latest hana taidans Oto Kurisu and Hiryuu Tsukasa.

Although the announcement was very shocking, and by no means did the taidans not hurt. I can't help but feeling satisfied for them. I'm satisfied for both Kiwa and Ayana, of course, but I can't put into words the difference in emotions I feel, especially with Kiwa.

[lunarkyx]

Did Some Top Hat Sketches! Tho it was more Horace x Madge tbh (Oto K TT^TT) Idk why but Maiti and Oto K made their relationship a lot cuter than the 2015 version. Also, Beddini ❤️  

[beccalendsahand]

ZuCasino, Yuzuka Rei: October 2022

Long time no translations! It's been a busy year but I finally found the time to finish an interview that I really really love, I hope you are able to understand more about Rei with this sweet Q&A! ZuCasino is a current segment in Takarazuka Graph magazine where prominent otokoyaku get interviewed via a series of casino-style games and questions. October was with Yuzuka Rei. I've tried something a little different this time around where the first time an actress's name is mentioned I link her takawiki page. I've also done translation notes as I go rather than putting them all at the end. Let me know if you find this helpful or just too much. Without further ado, enjoy!

Part 1: Episode Roulette

We challenged Yuzuka Rei to play our Episode Roulette game!

(Rei has been given a roulette wheel, each section has a topic of conversation, whichever she lands on she has to answer)

A Joke That Went Wrong

Episode 1：

Alright so, this is something that happened to me today. Earlier today I went to the quick-change-station* backstage to pick up some hair products for our photo shoot. But then suddenly, our flower troupe musumeyaku from the 100th class* (Oto Kurisu, Hoshikaze Madoka and Itotsuki Yukiha) popped out of nowhere wearing Japanese biker gang outfits!!! I think they had mistaken my footsteps for those of another classmate because they jumped out in sync pulling the same funny faces as if they had known I was coming!  It was so hilarious I couldn’t stop myself from laughing at them! (laughs)

*The "quick-change-station" is an area in the wings at the Takarazuka theatres where the actresses can change between scenes, it has dressing tables and any costumes/props needed for quick changes but it's not part of the actual dressing rooms. *100th class refers to the 100th class of actresses who graduated from the Takarazuka Music School, Takarazuka is based on hierarchy, not just hierarchy within the star system but also hierarchy based on years in the company, so what class people were in at TMS is quite significant, and actresses have a strong bond with those in their troupe who they were at TMS with. When Rei refers to “another classmate” she means another girl from the 100th class. Later on in this interview, Rei will refer to one of her own “classmates”, Rei’s class was the 95th class.

Something you've been thinking about

Episode 2:

My baby nephew has been on my mind a lot! I often get sent videos of him, he’s over a year old now and has started walking and saying things that sound like words, I can’t get over how fast he’s growing. There’s quite a lot of us in the flower troupe who have nieces and nephews around the same age, so I like to know how they are doing too. Even though I haven’t met them in person, because me and the other flower troupe members are always sharing videos with each other, I feel like I’m watching over them. You know how when you were little you would get those adults who would come up to you and say “Ahh look how big you’ve grown!”? Well, I’m pretty sure I’m becoming that person!

A Special (insert here)

Episode3:

When I’m performing, I like to try and use my eyes like a camera and take pictures of everyone's faces to save to my memory. Those of the flower troupe and those of the audience. There are lots of times when I see someone's lovely sparkling smiling face and I think “Ahhh I wish I could share this with someone”. So, I want to create my own “Special SSS Seat View!”* Like, you know how when you go to theme parks you can buy photos of yourselves on the rides? It could be like that, after seeing a show you could go to Quatre Reves* and get the photos straight from my brain.

*In Japanese theatres, seats are divided by B, A, S, and sometimes SS seats too. In the Takarazuka theatres the SS seats are the middle block of the first floor at the front, so what Rei means here is that what she sees standing on stage is an even closer view than that, therefore her view would be called SSS. *Quatre Reves is the Takarazuka merchandise store, you can find them at the theatre as well as in major cities across Japan and online!

Praise someone!

Episode 4

I want to praise everyone on this earth! I think none of us expected this fight (covid) to go on for so long, but even without an end in sight, we have all carried on, one day at a time. There are probably people out there who feel a loss in confidence, and aren’t able to fight on…So I feel like we and the audience are like “comrades” living through this era of great change together. 

There is a lot of pain right now but the fact that everyone keeps going and doing there best is amazing!

Part 2: Card Game

(Rei has been given 2 decks of cards with words written on the back, deck 1 has an adjective, deck 2 has a type of person. She must take one from each deck, name a person that relates and give us an anecdote about them.)

Deck 1: Cute, Passionate, Must-See, Respected, Bizarre

Deck 2: Upperclassmen, Underclassman, Teacher, Classmate, Flower Troupe Member

Passionate Underclassman*

The “Fashionable Empire” Rockettes

When I was watching the rehearsals for the Rockette number I found myself thinking “wow they really are the picture of youth!”. They are all just so energetic and have a high awareness of the space and each other, you can tell they are thinking about how to make the dance the most effective, they are such promising underclassmen. It was a Rockette dance delivered with so much confidence!

*Underclassmen generally refer to actresses who have been in the company 7 years or less.

(Fashionable Empire, 2022) Cute Classmate

Kizuki Yuuma

We were reunited for the first time in forever in the musical “Top Hat”, it was funny though because she’s a senka member now, so everyone was treating her incredibly politely which she seemed quite humbled by (laughs). On stage, she had an immense stage presence in her dandy-style costume, and her character had a high tolerance for people's behavior, but in the wings and in the rehearsal rooms she would bow more than anyone else! I found it very cute how she would suddenly get smaller and smaller and smaller*. Her embarrassment was in huge contrast to how much she helped us throughout the show, in the way she would speak to the underclassmen and the wonderful insight she gave us into her thoughts on the performing arts. It was just so adorable to me, I remember thinking “You don’t have to make yourself so small!!” (laughs).

*In Japanese culture it's common to lower yourself when speaking in order to show respect for someone higher in age or status than you. So what Rei means here by Kizuki getting smaller and smaller is that she was probably bowing her head and bowing with her whole body so often to everyone that she was getting smaller and smaller, which is quite a funny image when you consider how she usually towers above every other actress. Kizuki recently transferred from the Moon Troupe to Senka (a troupe made up of superior members who guest star in different troupes) so there's no need for her to be lowering herself when she is actually higher ranked than everyone else, but she's not quite used to all the politeness and respectful language the actresses are giving to her yet, so she still feels a little embarrassed and finds herself doing it back to them. 

(Top Hat, 2022) (from left to right: Minami Maito, Kizuki Yuuma, Yuzuka Rei) Must-See Flower Troupe Member

Mikaze Maira

She's been Kumicho (Troupe Leader) * for half a year now and she looks after us all by giving us positive encouragement and strengthening the troupe morale. I think she makes it easy for us to all unite and move towards the same goal together by guiding us, not only in the arts but in our emotions as well. Please pay attention to our Kumicho who is full of charm and positivity! *The Kumicho (Troupe Leader) is the oldest member of the troupe, it is her duty to support the troupe and basically make sure everyone is okay, she is usually the first port of call when an actress is struggling with things like stage fright or other worries. Mikaze transferred to Flower Troupe from the Cosmos Troupe with current Flower Troupe Top Musumeyaku Hoshikaze Madoka in 2021, and took over from Takashou Mizuki as Kumicho in 2022

(The Fascination, 2022)

Part 3: Dice Game

(Rei has been given a white dice and a black dice, similar to the last game, whatever number she lands on has an assigned word, white dice adjectives, black dice nouns, the difference this time is whatever she gets she has to perform!)

White dice: 1. Cool 2. Sexy 3. Powerful 4. Flirty 5. Sweet 6. Dynamic

Black dice: 1. Face 2. Flying kiss 3. Wink 4. Pose 5. Back pose 6. Kabe-don

Part 4: Big wins at the Zucasino Question Corner

1. If you are already doing well would you place another bet? I think I usually stop myself when I start thinking about going all in on something. So rather than taking another big bet, I’m the type of person who quits while they are ahead.

2. Are you daring? Or cautious? Tenma Michiru once surprised me by saying “I used to think you were a cautious person, but actually you don’t care at all!”, her idea of the difference between daring and cautious people sounded quite black and white to me. It’s true though that I do just go for it when making decisions. For example, after deciding to move house I moved the next week, and the time between me discovering Takarazuka and enrolling at the Music School was very short.  Timing and chance of course had a lot to do with it, but I do think that when it comes down to those life-changing decisions I get this feeling of intuition to just go with my gut, maybe that's when I become daring.

3. How do you spend big money? For the last 3 years, we haven’t been able to do any trips or go out for any meals together as a troupe, so I’d like to hold a big event where the current troupe members and those who have left the troupe from 2020 onwards all go on a gorgeous trip to Hawaii together! There are so many places I want to go explore so maybe it could be a 3-4 day long trip where we can do our own thing, and then we could plan some kind of special event to do all together during our stay! The girls who have only been in Takarazuka for 1 to 3 years and those who have joined the flower troupe from other troupes like Hitoko-chan (Towaki Sea) have not experienced our dinner entertainment tradition yet, and many of the upperclassmen are itching to perform again so, I think we should put on a banquet and have a good time! Other things I’d like to spend big money on would be buying a holiday home for my parents and maybe starting my own business. Maybe something to do with children's education, something that mothers would appreciate….But I need to know how to spend money wisely first, time to study up!

4. Are you lucky? Or unlucky? I think I’m a lucky person, I’m very happy! Every now and again there are moments where I look at my life and think how happy I am that I am able to make art with the people I love. I may not be lucky enough to win in raffles or lotteries (laughs), but I’m overwhelmingly blessed to live a life surrounded by the many things that I love.

5. What is the luckiest moment you’ve experienced in your life? Entering Takarazuka was a big moment for me, both a lucky and a happy moment (laughs). Not only did I get to be a part of something I love but I met so many lovely people and learnt all sorts of things! Takarazuka has taught me so much, not just about the performing arts, but about being a person as well, I think if I hadn’t joined Takarazuka I would be completely different to who I am today.

6. A moment you’ve betted on In the early stages of joining the Takarazuka Music School you have to make the decision of whether to become an otokoyaku or a musumeyaku. But at the time I was still getting used to it all, I was kind of drowning, overwhelmed by everything, and so I completely forgot that I needed to decide…And before I knew it, we were all lined up about to make our decision! Everyone in turn saying “musumeyaku!” or “otokoyaku!” down the line! My height at the time meant that I was on the threshold between musumeyaku and otokoyaku, and so I was worrying and worrying like “Ahh which do I choose?!”. But then I heard the person before me say “Otokoyaku!” and in a spur of the moment decision I went “Yeah!” and said I wanted to be an otokoyaku. I guess you could say that was a bet? I wonder what would have happened if I had chosen to be a musumeyaku instead. I would have had to use completely different muscles, so my shoulders probably wouldn’t have broadened like they have now…Choosing to be an otokoyaku was a big turning point in my life.

7. A moment that was a close shave! The time when I was still a junior in the company and decided to climb Mt.Rokko by myself on my day off. It was a nice day despite it being winter, and so after enjoying the mountain to my heart's content I strolled back to the bus stop, only to discover the buses had already finished for the day! Looking around frantically I realised there was not a single soul to be seen, I was all alone, it was getting cold and windy and the sun was starting to set… After standing around in the cold for about 20 minutes, just as I started to worry for my life, a cyclist came speeding down the road towards me. But he passed by so fast there was nothing I could do to get his attention, but then he came back and gave me a ride to the cable car! I was one step away from ending up being a news story. I hope that man is doing well…

8. Something you want to protect with all your life The number one thing i want to protect is everyone's smiles. Maybe it's unrealistic to ask for, but I don’t want anyone's smiles to be clouded by anything, not those of the troupe, not those of the audience, or anyone I meet. Everyone is working so hard every day, the people who look after the company so that we are able to perform, the people who come to the theatre, the doctors and nurses who continue to fight to save lives, everyone, so their smiles must be protected. We are forced to endure a lot which can make our hearts feel heavy, but it's for that very reason that I want to be able to capture the smiles of the audience with my “Yuzuka Camera Lense”! No matter your birth, upbringing, age, or gender, people from all walks of life come to the theatre, lose themselves in the story being told and laugh and cry together in that shared space. How amazing is that? I’m so grateful to get to have that experience and so I want to continue to protect it.

Part 5: My Treasure

Illustrations from manga artists I have been fortunate enough to get to be a part of several plays based on famous manga, and have been gifted original illustrations from their creators. Yamato Waki who made “Haikara-san: Here Comes Miss Modern”, Hagio Moto who made “The Poe Clan” and Kamio Yoko who made “Hana Yori Dango/Boys Over Flowers” . Even now whenever I look at the pictures they drew for me I have a deep feeling of amazement of just how great their work is.

My beloved dog, Noir He’s so intelligent that it’s like he’s a human trapped inside a dogs body and at any moment he’s going to start talking to me. He is in tune to so many things and keeps at juuuust the right distance from me, all traits that would make me want to marry him if I could, he’s so cute!

Letters I’ve received from flower troupe members There is a custom in Takarazuka where you give “Pre-Raku Cards”* to those who have looked after you during the performance. I’ve kept all the ones I have received so far. It just makes me so happy that in these letters the actresses get to share with me thoughts and feelings that they don’t normally get to say to me. 

*Senshuuraku is japanese theatre speak for the final performance of a show, it is usually shortened to “Raku” by both fans and actors. “Pre-Raku Cards” or “Maeraku Cards” is a short hand for “Mae Senshuuraku cards” or “The night before closing night cards”. Celebratory messages from fans My album full of birthday cards, top star anniversary messages and other milestones is my number one most precious treasure. “No matter how far the distance may be, my heart will be your side…” This is a line from the song “An oath made on the wind” from “Haikara-san: Here Comes Miss Modern”. During the initial period of the pandemic, these words would often come to mind and they became a phrase which is now very close to my heart. The underclassmen who couldn’t perform the show quoted this line in a video they made during the theatre shutdown, it really cheered me up at that time.

Videos and photos from the flower troupe During the last performance cancellations, I was sent many videos of things like funny little updates, and people singing whilst playing the ukulele. Performance cancellations are so hard, but if we hadn’t of had them then these exchanges would never have happened..

Video title: “I will become the wind” Misora Maru Ukulele Version Picture: Flower Troupe Love Picture Caption: “Flower Troupe Love” Will never end!

Behind the Scenes!

Thank you for reading! For more Takarazuka translations click here

[yuzukahibiscus]

Doing the End of Year Zuka Tag 2022!

Jumping on the bandwagon to do @beccalendsahand​‘s End of Year Tag which you could find here! Let’s get straight right into it! (Yes, I’ll be doing all on a whim!)

1. Sumire no Hana – new favourite

Yūki Daiya from Flower Troupe! So it took me Minami Maito’s CAST side-A to finally realise this rising sienne. Her cuteness-to-coolness gap jumped so wide it blew my mind for a 102th. Like I think this collage shows it, she’s going to do this “impatient boyfriend setting” but she just laughs shyly when the camera cuts off. She surprises me like popping a balloon, the motion is quick but it gives a strong impact. I’m not going to even talk about the mere 9 minutes I get to see her in the newcomers’ performance of “Years of Pilgrimage: The Wandering Soul of Franz Liszt” and how I was disappointed we never got to see it. I really want to see more of her, and I’ll track back earlier in Hanagumi just to try and find her! (See: Sante, 2017)

Bonus question: I talked about noticing Hozumi Mahiro from Flower Troupe! Still am watching her and very happy that she got her first bow hall lead, I got the Junjou still and bromide as a commemoration :D

2. Never Say Goodbye – hardest Taidansha (graduate) to say goodbye

Hiryuu Tsukasa, Wakakusa Moeka, Oto Kurisu and Serina Ei from Flower Troupe. Because I watched my first Flower Troupe livestream in Hong Kong which was saying goodbye to them. It feels very different to see them going down the stairs in the big screen of our local theatre and listening to their words. It really feels unreal and I wasn’t able to believe it until they had Instagrams. Of course, to prepare myself for the taidansha it really was watching back their previous performances and enjoying their presence. I’m glad to see that they’re all thriving in their post-Takarazuka life and am always happy to see their photos :)

3. Material girl – favourite merch

It’s a tie between getting Yuzuka Rei’s 2nd official goods – the photo holder! And also the mini crown from Fashionable Empire national tour!

4. Mon Paris – new show not from this year

Immortal Thorns! (Not linking it because there’s a 2003 version by Haruno Sumire from Flower Troupe and Aizuki Hikaru from Star Troupe in the 2018 version, still Cosmos then.) Watched this show at first for a podcast interview with two mutuals and to do cross-comparison between both versions and I loved our critique and commentary with it. It was a valuable experience :)

I have posted quite some Aichan translations on this Tumblr and it’s all because of this show! Changed my life and I am paying attention to Aichan now! Thanks to the mutual who kindly recommended me shows and we talked lots about it! She’s very careful with what to portray and never fails to perform those roles, except she serves!! Real well! The Aichan phase was watching back more Cosmos Troupe and Star Troupe at the same time haha, so that was nice :)

(At the same time, was gifted some Aichan merch by another mutual. I have my first non-Rei bromide thanks to them lol!!)

5. Wings of the Heart – favourite fandom memory

Finally going to cinema livestreams in Hong Kong!!! 2021 wasn’t a chance because of (1) my exams and (2) the pandemic. My first experience was watching Snow Troupe’s “Yumesuke”/“Sensational” and my second was watching Flower Troupe’s “Years of Pilgrimage”/ “Fashionable Empire”. I even mailed our second livestream photos to Rei, hope she receives them well!!! :)

6. Where is God? – shocking Hankyu announcement

Taidan announcements of two Top Musumeyakus – Asazuki Kiwa from Snow Troupe and Jun Hana from Cosmos Troupe!

Ever since Hana Yuuki’s taidan, I was wary how Top Musumeyakus sometimes don’t have a long Takarazuka career, and recently a plausible trend of 27 months or so...? I don’t know math, but I do know that these two musumeyakus are talented and shine in their own way, it surprises me that they announced taidan this year...

I’ve been watching Kiwa as she went from Flower Troupe to Snow Troupe and in various performances. So you could say I was more familiar with her. From her newcomers’ performance with Rei in “New Genji’s Tale” to “Masquerade Hotel”, to also seeing her in cinemas for “Yumesuke”. I finally understood how it felt shocking when you literally watched her the day before and it was announced the next day... 3 days left, but I hope Kiwa can do well till Tokyo Senshuuraku!

Jun Hana’s a different story. I wasn’t much of a Cosmos Troupe fan but I was easily drawn to her despite not seeing too much of her performances. I’ve seen her Irene Adler in “Sherlock Holmes” and love her portrayal with it. I’ve seen more of her actually in some short bangumis, where she just smiled a lot and was really cheerful! She’s a floofball of joy and often had so great and adorable reactions that also made Yurika (Makaze Suzuho) and Kiki (Serika Toa) laugh. Watched some small clips of her impersonation in “Fly With Me” concert and she really made the effort! Will be sad to see her go in “Casino Royale” but I certainly respect that she wanted to leave with Yurika, and show off those earrings! <3

7. The Final Dance – favourite duedan?

Top Hat duedan! Because it is “Let’s Face the Music and Dance” but in a Latin way? I don’t know, it’s very chic to me. And I remember it’s Rei single-handedly carrying Madoka in spins so like, that’s a plus point like, wow. (I’m not too great at describing duedans, forgive me <3)

8. My Everlasting Dream – most rewatched show

Even though I haven’t watched for the past month, it should be “Years of Pilgrimage”? Yeah, that one.

I remembered preparing a lot beforehand this performance – reading some articles about Liszt, listening to Liszt’s pieces, making a powerpoint over it, recording a podcast episode after it, translating and subbing it, which definitely took many rewatches.

9. Fascinating Rhythm – zuka song stuck in mind

I don’t have one that stays through the whole year, but since I’m translating “Love Burns in Firenze”, I have to say the ominous “Oh Firenze” (おおフィレンツェ). I remember Rei was saying, “I love how the underclassmen are so lively and performing that scene so well!” But the celebration vibe and the tragic things happening at the same time – the irony and juxtaposition of it is uncanny. It makes me pull my hair. As much as the Flower Troupe members are working their heart for it, their enthusiasm makes it even more laughable in the circumstances of Firenze.

10. Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend – favourite costume?

If I could, I would say Rei, because she’s a walking closet but last year I cheated and chose 2, so I’ll do so the same this year LOL (not choose 2, I mean I’ll cheat).

I’ll nominate the finale costumes for the Top Stars for the following performances (because I’m not really a person that is selective on costumes, all of them are so good!)

Flower Troupe – Rei in Fashionable Empire (this was previously worn by Maa-sama (Asaka Manato) in Classical Bijoux”)

Moon Troupe – Tsukishiro Kanato in Full Swing

Snow Troupe – Ayakaze Sakina in Soukyuu no Subaru

Star Troupe  – Rei Makoto in Gran Cantante

Cosmos Troupe  – Yurika in Capricciosa

11. Cool Beast!! – ridiculous costume

Not ridiculous but cute. This is also someone I’ve been watching and recently picked up on more due to mutual’s recommendations. Seo Yuria from Star Troupe’s horse costume in Gran Cantante, haha!

12. Greatest Moment – special moment on stage

Yuzuka Rei and Minami Maito’s “Hotspring of Love” in Fashionable Empire – dubbed by their douki, Hinami Fuu.

 The lights turn off so quickly and I was often frustrated but now I know from their douki that they need privacy in their hotspring, and I fully respect it ;) (I am still thinking which of the 3 bromides from Takarazuka Grand Theatre, Tokyo Takarazuka Theatre or National Tour should I purchase)

13. Musical

I’ve already explained but “Years of Pilgrimage”. 

I’m a pianist and I couldn’t compare myself to the musician difficulties because I’m not a professional one but like somehow I sympathise and empathise with the history of Liszt and the complexities he dealt with. Not saying that I have those, but I surely understood how competition constantly comes from others but also within yourself. And sometimes, it could be dangerous pushing yourself too much to boundaries you can’t reach. So Rei playing as Liszt means a lot to me, more than her playing the piano (which was my 6. Shocking Hankyu Announcement last year) but also how in-depth she went in for the character.

There certainly isn’t that historical revolution and aristocratic vs artistes class struggle in current times, but that comparison stays constant and rings closest to home for me.

14. Revue

“Fashionable Empire” because I do agree with Rei, I do love the “MOMENT” scene and the badass finale scene.

"MOMENT” scene is where everyone just have fun. Gonna quote the lyrics here and you’ll see why I like it.

I suddenly think about the bygone days I can only stand at this moment Now Looking back, all of these are a fantasy The wind blows them away

To the people wandering in the generations There's nothing that won’t change Even though I know it, my heart longs for A promise that will never change

When Today becomes Tomorrow It’s normal that everything will become the Past Still, we become too lonely about that I don’t want those to disappear

Maybe tomorrow, this thought Will be blown to the far ends to wherever Vanishing

Now at this time You’re not alone Open your eyes There’s friends next to your side We can talk about anything and speak like fools It’s casual but I’m happy with my friends Everyone walks alone but Meeting you here

In this time that’s passed We walk, hand in hand Living together and looking forward to Tomorrow Because no one will know about Tomorrow Living Now with no regrets Let’s smile and walk together

From Past to Future, and the Present that connects Let’s live on

That we can live in the same time (Can live) Because of this Moment, this is a miracle In the same place Understanding each other’s thoughts Nothing can ever replace that In this moment (We believe) Let’s walk together (To Tomorrow) I won’t know (But) In this time Let’s live in this time Now (Let’s live on in this time)

No words, JUST LOOK AT HOW COOL THEY ARE.

Anyway 13 and 14 is just like: I have to give it for the only GT production of Flower Troupe!

[nyarashi]

end of year zuka tag!!

so extremely late to do this so I’m just doing it all in one post!!

1) sumire no hana - new favorite

I became a fan in late 2021 so almost all of my current favorite siennes are ones I fell in love with this year… for actresses already in the theatre id definitely say I become such a huge fan of towaki sea!! she is such an incredible singer and is able to be such a wonderful otokoyaku and an enchanting onnayaku. as for new girls, I’ve been keeping my eye on shiragiri tsubaki!

2) never say goodbye - hardest to say goodbye to

100% oto kurisu, she was such a standout in hanagumi and it was never a dull moment when she was on stage. She’s such an amazing performer and singer. I’m so glad she’s on Instagram now and I’m so excited for her future projects!

3) material girl - favorite merchandise

I was able to go to quartre reves and takarazuka an for the first time this year since i was in japan, so I think my favorite pieces of merch are all the bromides I was able to buy! going to the stores in person was such an amazing experience I’m so grateful for. I think my most treasured though is my yuzuka rei clear card, she’s been to so many places with me!

4) mon paris - new favorite show not from this year

2004 phantom!!! idk how I found it but I’m so glad I did. wao youka is just so incredible…. her portrayal of erik is maybe one of the best performances I’ve ever seen tbh… I’m so obsessed with her voice. her acting as well is so fantastic, the scene where christine is singing to erik trying to convince him to take his mask off is a work of art. you can see all the emotions erik is feeling so clearly, you see this hope in his eyes as christine continues to sing. also the way wao youka is styled in the show is so dated but i think it fits so well. she has these very prominent shoulder pads that look a little silly at first but I’ve grown to love it so much. I love the other versions of the show (esp 2018) but 2004 hold such a special place in my heart.

5) wings of the heart - favorite fandom memory

I had so many fun streaming experiences this year! I’m so lucky to have had the time to attend as many as it did. I think maybe the most impactful fandom moment was just walking around the tokyo takarazuka theatre and seeing all the other people taking pictures with and gushing about posters outside. such a crazy feeling as an international fan to see that so many other people share the same love you do

6) where is god - shocking hankyu announcement

maitis senka transfer and yurika + kano taidan!! for yurika and kano I guess it makes sense, but I feel like having any top star retire is surprising to me. yurika has been the only face of soragumi I’ve known, so it’s going to feel strange having a new top star but I’m so excited to see who it’s going to be. maitis senka transfer is a bit puzzling to me but I know she’s going to be amazing in whatever she does next.

7) the final dance - favorite duedan

saki and kiwas duedan in soukyuu no subaru. I was able to see the show in person which I think made it so much more powerful. I could feel their connection much better. I swear I was tearing up watching it. the reality of kiwas taidan hit me like a bus during it, and I felt so honored to be able to see one of their last dances together

8) my everlasting dream - most rewatched show

it’s a revue but probably beautiful garden! I put on shows a lot in the background while doing work and beautiful garden was this years top pick. I love the music so much and so many of my favorite siennes are in it! I love flower theme so much and the costumes especially!! purple and pink are my favorite colors and this revue has so much of them

9) fascinating rhythm - song that got stuck in my head

continuing the last one a bit, the theme song of beautiful garden got stuck in my head so often. especially senna ayase’s part! it’s such a catchy theme!! and the performance of it is so lovely

10) diamonds are a girls best friend - favorite costumes

such a difficult question because I really love the costumes of takarazuka, especially ones with frills and ruffles… there’s just so many to chose from. I think I’m going to say all of the costumes from genroku baroque rock. I love Japanese traditional clothing and it combined with takarazuka’s flair was such a treat. I love madoka’s costume during lucky koi koi. it’s so detailed and I love the way it moves. all the different patterns on it make me want to look at it forever.

11) cool beast!! - most ridiculous costumes

definitely not the most ridiculous, more like my favorite silly costumes are hozumi mahiro’s in top hat as beddini

12) greatest moment - special stage moment

the parade in soukyuu no subaru. being able to applaud for the actresses was such an honor to participate in. it was such a thrilling experience

13) favorite musical

genroku baroque rock! it’s very special to me for being one of the first musicals I saw. it matches my tastes very well and it’s maybe my favorite musical visually.

14) favorite revue

the fascination!!! I love this revue so much!!! pink is my favorite color so of course the costumes to me are so fantastic. especially the parade costumes… madoka’s dress is just so gorgeous. rei’s carnivorous flower is one of my favorite costumes and performances. I love the music in the revue so much too! rei singing in English and anytime hitoko sings are my favorites (of course I also love fashionable empire but I just haven’t watched it enough..)

[yaomeis]

the many faces of oto kurisu in nice work if you can get it (flower troupe, 2021)

[kitakoujitamaki]

Oto Kurisu Tamaki footage from Haikarasan (2020) Shonichi!!

more under the cut!!

[murasakinoiro]

Takarazuka Cafe Break - Oto Kurisu!!

[musumeyaku-forever]

＊・Etoiles I REALLY like・＊

➖Nanase Ririko 宙組 (most amazing voice!!)

➖Oto Kurisu 花組 (sweetest girl and a large range of vocals)

➖Senna Ayase 花組 (cuz I love her XD)

➖Katori Reira 星組 (okay sit down. This lady, HOLY SWEET MOTHER OF ZUKA! Her voice is... GODDAMN!)

[animiconz]

INTJ anime girls icons (300x300)

→ like/reblog if you use/save ♡

[beccalendsahand]

I posted 63 times in 2022

11 posts created (17%)

52 posts reblogged (83%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@lunarharp

@fayegumi

@chocopetite

@ihateornithologists

@royalavera

I tagged 58 of my posts in 2022

Only 8% of my posts had no tags

#artspiration - 40 posts

#takarazuka - 36 posts

#digital art - 19 posts

#fanart - 10 posts

#baddy - 7 posts

#takarazuka revue - 5 posts

#elisabeth - 5 posts

#elisabeth das musical - 5 posts

#yuzuka rei - 5 posts

#my translations - 4 posts

Longest Tag: 109 characters

#ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Flower Troupe Survey! The Best of Yuzuka Rei (PART 2)

The Troupe Survey is a current segment in the TakarazukaGRAPH magazine in which each month a different troupe is given a survey on their Top Star and a selection of their answers are printed in the magazine. There are 4 parts to this article: 1. The things about (Top Star) that have made a big impression on us 2. Stage: Shows or scenes which have stayed in our hearts 3. We want to see (Top Star) as a… 4. The (Top Star) Awards (The Top Star gives out special awards to troupe members)

As this article is so long I will be publishing the translation in parts! You can read part 1 here Part 2 is under the cut!

Part 2: Stage - What Shows or Scenes have remained in your heart?

1st place, 23 votes: “Boys over Flowers” (2019)

Miharu Ayu: The fight scenes she has against Sakurako (played by Oto Kurisu) and Rui (played by Seino Asuka). I always love seeing Yuzuka in fight scenes but this show was extra special because they were staged as fistfights, which is pretty rare for Takarazuka and made the otokoyaku even more masculine! Seeing her using her whole body to protect Tsukushi (played by Shoroki Mirei) really moved me.

Takasho Mizuki: Domyouji (Yuzuka)’s dance during the song Metamorphoses. I have no other words for it other than that it’s the definition of coolness.

See the full post

26 notes - Posted January 18, 2022

#4

Flower Troupe Survey! The Best of Yuzuka Rei (PART 3)

The Troupe Survey is a current segment in the TakarazukaGRAPH magazine in which each month a different troupe is given a survey on their Top Star and a selection of their answers are printed in the magazine. There are 4 parts to this article: 1. The things about (Top Star) that have made a big impression on us 2. Stage: Shows or scenes which have stayed in our hearts 3. We want to see (Top Star) as a… 4. The (Top Star) Awards (The Top Star gives out special awards to troupe members)

As this article is so long I will be publishing the translation in parts! You can read part 3 under the cut!

Part 3: We want to see Yuzuka Rei as a…

First Place, 9 votes: A Teacher

Haryu Mitsuki: In rehearsals, I often see her politely teaching Madoka (Hoshikaze Madoka, Top Musumeyaku) and giving advice to the younger actresses in a soft and gentle voice. So I think that if she was a teacher she would pick up on her students' weaknesses and kindly teach them how to overcome them! And maybe during break time, she’d play dodgeball and other games with her students?!

Tsubasa Anju: If Yuzuka was my teacher I would give it my all and study so that she would give me her praise! And I would never sleep during class (laughs).

Yuzuka’s Comment: Being a school teacher must be a very hard job to do, but maybe if I could teach something completely unrelated to the performing arts it would feel like a hobby. For example, how much I enjoyed history classes at school always depended on what period was being taught. Also, I always found it exciting how the structure of each class would change based on the period we were studying. So I think it would be fun if I could teach with some pizazz like they do in high school dramas and films.

Second Place, 8 votes: A Pilot

Hina Ririka: I’d have heart-eyes if I saw her as a handsome pilot!!! She would definitely be the number one most popular of them all!!

Serina Ei: When I saw her on the national tour pulling along her case as she walked, I thought she would definitely look amazing wearing a pilot's uniform and pulling a carry-along suitcase!!

Yuzuka’s comment: It would be cool to have an impressive job like that wouldn’t it? I’ve often thought about how wonderful it would be to speak fluent English and get to go back and forth between loads of different countries like international flight attendants do. I haven’t done anything to qualify for a job like that though! (laughs)

See the full post

27 notes - Posted February 1, 2022

#3

Toho Elisabeth 2022: Der Tod Comparision Analysis

After years of being a fan, I finally had the opportunity to see Elisabeth live for the first time this autumn. Me and a friend managed to defeat the odds and nab tickets for not just one but two dates, each with a different Der Tod (It's customary for most Toho musicals to have double, triple, or sometimes quadruple casts of its principal characters in their musicals). It was such a fantastic opportunity to see different actors' interpretations of such an iconic character, and seeing as the last Toho-beth was not filmed and previous recordings have not included every cast member, I thought I'd write up a report here for those curious!

Both Tods, Furukawa Yuta (Silver Tod) and Yamazaki Ikusaburo (Purple Tod) brought new and interesting things to the character that I’m really excited to discuss!

See the full post

40 notes - Posted November 10, 2022

#2

ZuCasino, Yuzuka Rei: October 2022

Long time no translations! It's been a busy year but I finally found the time to finish an interview that I really really love, I hope you are able to understand more about Rei with this sweet Q&A! ZuCasino is a current segment in Takarazuka Graph magazine where prominent otokoyaku get interviewed via a series of casino-style games and questions. October was with Yuzuka Rei. I've tried something a little different this time around where the first time an actress's name is mentioned I link her takawiki page. I've also done translation notes as I go rather than putting them all at the end. Let me know if you find this helpful or just too much. Without further ado, enjoy!

Part 1: Episode Roulette

We challenged Yuzuka Rei to play our Episode Roulette game!

(Rei has been given a roulette wheel, each section has a topic of conversation, whichever she lands on she has to answer)

See the full post

46 notes - Posted December 18, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Flower Troupe Survey! The Best of Yuzuka Rei (PART 1)

The Troupe Survey is a current segment in the TakarazukaGRAPH magazine in which each month a different troupe is given a survey on their Top Star and a selection of their answers are printed in the magazine. There are 4 parts to this article: 1. The things about (Top Star) that have made a big impression on us 2. Stage: Shows or scenes which have stayed in our hearts 3. We want to see (Top Star) as a... 4. The (Top Star) Awards (The Top Star gives out special awards to troupe members)

As this article is so long I will be publishing the translation in parts! You can read part 1 under the cut!

The Flower Troupe Survey! The Best of Yuzuka Rei

We carried out a survey asking all the members of the flower troupe questions about Rei’s charm!

Part 1: The things about Yuzuka that have made a big impression on us!

Wataru Hibiki:When she goes off-script her feelings and thoughts are naturally expressed. You can feel it in both plays and revues. I’m always secretly looking forward to the speeches she gives on the first day and the last day of a production because we get to hear her express her feelings honestly to all of us. Yuzuka’s comment:That’s something I care a lot about so I’m really happy to hear that. Even when I have things planned to say, I make sure to not forget what's most important to me when I speak.

Mikaze Maira: When she gives her name on Takarazuka Sky Stage and says “I’m the Flower Troupe’s Yuzuka Rei”. Ahh her AURA! Her NATURAL SEX APPEAL! Oh! She's...The! Cool! Beauty!!! She makes my heart beat faster (laughs).

See the full post

48 notes - Posted January 8, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[offthehananomichi]

本日4月10日は、花組シアター · ドラマシティ公演アクション ステージ 『 MY HERO 』 ( 主演 : 芹香斗亜 )の千秋楽でした 。

[zukalations]

MY HERO director roundtable talk

This feature from the March 2017 Kageki is a discussion of the then-upcoming show MY HERO, starring Serika Toa. It took place very early in the production of the show, before rehearsals started.

MY HERO director roundtable talk

Participants: Saitou Yoshimasa (director), Serika Toa, Houzuki An, Asazuki Kiwa, Oto Kurisu

Saitou: I feel a lot of happiness and also pressure in being assigned Serika-kun’s second lead show and her first lead appearance in Tokyo. Currently, Serika’s appeal is really blossoming, so I created this show in hopes of bringing her into full bloom, as it were, and showing everyone a Serika they’ve never envisioned before. As shown in the poster, her character in this show is really over the top (laughs).

Serika: So over-the top (laughs).

Saitou: It’s a show styled after a comic book, with a strong comedic element, so while the plot is very simple and easy to follow, it contains themes of friendship, love, unwavering courage, and I also wanted all four characters to grow as people over the course of the story. The character Serika-kun plays, Noah Taylor, is a top-ranking young actor. His father was a suit actor, like those who perform the action scenes in Masked Rider. Noah bears a lot of resentment towards his father, and after deciding ‘I don’t want to be an actor like my father who never showed his face,’ he became a big-time star. Personality-wise, he’s an impudent, conceited star.

Serika: (laughs)

Saitou: Supporting Noah is Terry Bennet, a stunt actor played by Chinatsu (Houzuki). Therefore, Chinatsu will also be in a mask.

Serika: Hahaha (laughs)

Houzuki: What are you laughing at (laughs)

Serika: I’m looking forward to it.

Saitou: You said it was like a high when you put the mask on, didn’t you.

Serika: It really raises the excitement level. Like ‘I’m becoming a hero!’

Saitou: In the poster photoshoot, as soon as you put the mask on you could get the poses instantly!

Houzuki: It’s not like I’m really into Power Rangers type stuff, but when I saw Kiki (Serika) in that costume I was like 'That’s so cool!!!’ I think it’ll get the audience really excited too.

Saitou: The two of them were at college together, but Noah ended up in the spotlight, while Terry was pushed into the background…they quarrel with each other intensely. But after Noah causes a scandal, he loses his film contract. While he is under orders not to cause any more trouble, he meets Hirame-chan (Asazuki), who plays Chloe Spencer, a struggling gravure idol who was formerly the 901st ranked pro tennis player in the United States.

Houzuki, Serika, Asazuki, Oto: (laughs)

Asazuki: This show Director Saitou wrote has so many characters full of individuality, and when all those characters comes together it creates great synergy - I think it’ll be a really fun show and I’m really looking forward to it.

Serika: When Kiwa-chan (Asazuki) was reading the script she was like 'Wah~’ 'So that’s it!’ and acting it out, so that was a lot of fun.

Asazuki: Oh, stop it~

Saitou: Chloe is under an immense amount of debt. The tw of them meet at the worst dip in their fortunes, and while Chloe becomes Noah’s manager and tries to be buddies with him, she only finds him really strange jobs. (laughs)

Houzuki: That’ll be fun (laughs). I wonder what it’ll be like… (laughs)

Saitou: That culminates with the Mask*J Hero Show. There, Noah meets Oto-kun’s character Myra, a volunteer at an old people’s home. While due to an incident when she was 4 years old she lives in a wheelchair, she’s high-spirited and puts her full effort into everything. Ah, the 4-year-old Myra will also be played by Oto-kun, if you don’t mind.

Houzuki, Serika: You’ll do great~ (laughs)

Saitou: Look, your seniors have given it their seal of approval.

Oto: S-sure. (laughs)

Saitou: As Noah begins communicating with Myra, he gains courage from her, and also discovers unknown things about his father’s past.

Oto: Since I’m supposed to be giving [Serika’s character] courage, I’m going to learn as much as I can from the senior actresses and give it my all.

Saitou: An then, as Noah is falling, Terry rises to stardom and becomes more and more popular. He is sponsored by 'Smile Company’.

Serika, Houzuki, Asazuki, Oto: 'Smile Company’!?

Saitou: They have plans of their own which become clear later. The goal of this show is through the bonds of father and son, and personal clashes that develop into mutual understanding and friendship, to give the audience energy and encouragement.

Serika: I haven’t had the chance to appear in one of Director Saitou’s shows since El Halcon: The Falcon, and when I first read the plot synopsis I thought 'What? I can’t show my face?’ (laughs) But after hearing the story, I think it has a lot of fun and exciting elements to it. I’m kind of worried about whether the rehearsals starting soon will be enough (laughs).

Saitou: We’re going to be doing filming, too. The idea is to screen a 'trailer’ for Mask*J The MOVIE before the curtain rises.

Serika, Houzuki, Asazuki, Oto: Oh~! That’s so fun!

Saitou: While Noah is egotistical, he’s not completely hateful. He doesn’t consider the effects of his words or actions, and subjects Terry to a lot of verbal abuse.

Serika: (to Houzuki) Sorry about that…

Houzuki: (laughs)

Serika: Since I’ve had a string of 'nice guy’ roles for ages, I’m pretty happy about this. And since it’s an 'Action Stage’ then of course there has to be…

Saitou: There will be plenty of action.

Serika: I’m still a bit worried about the action scenes, but I’m looking forward to it.

Houzuki: Even though Kiki keeps being cast as heroes on the side of good, she has a ton of imagination and so does Director Saitou, so I’m really looking forward to seeing what kind of Kiki will appear in the show he’s created for her.

Serika: Thank you. But I’m not a hero of justice at all in the dressing room makeup area. I do nothing but meddle (laughs)

Houzuki: For sure (laughs)

Serika: In Me and My Girl, I was in a male-female couple with Chinatsu as Gerald and Jackie, but in terms of acting together as male characters…

Houzuki: We haven’t done that before so I can’t help looking forward to seeing how it turns out.

Saitou: I thought that as well, so I decided to make the two of them completely opposite character types and make them confront each other. The two musumeyaku roles are also very different; it’s nice to show a lot of contrast, I think. To finish up, why don’t we all say what we’re excited for in this show, starting with Oto-kun.

Oto: I’m nervous since this is my first time appearing in one of Director Saitou’s plays, but I’m really looking forward to it, and I hope this wonderful show will raise the spirits of everyone in the audience.

Saitou: I’m hoping you will dive in fearlessly. While you’ll have your movement ability limited by being in a wheelchair, you’ll be able to dance popularly in the finale.

Serika: Ah! There’s going to be a finale with it! Hurray!

Saitou: It’s a Takarazuka Hero Show (laughs)

Serika, Houzuki, Asazuki, Oto: (laughs)

Saitou: Then, Hirame-chan…

Asazuki: I got really excited hearing about the story, so I’m certain the audience will be really excited too. I want to make sure I do my part thoroughly even though I’m in the midst of so many different characters. I hope it will be a wonderful, fun production.

Saitou: Some of Hirame-chan’s scenes will be central to setting the tone of the show, so I’m looking forward to seeing what you’ll do with them in performance. What about you, Chinatsu?

Houzuki: I think there are a lot of things about this show that will make people think 'I want to watch that!’ so I want to work hard at making Director Saitou’s show the best it can be, as well as enjoying myself.

Saitou: I’m hoping you will be a hero who is an opposite foil to Kiki-chan’s character. Finally, Kiki-chan, go ahead.

Serika: Of course for Takarazuka, entertainment is the main point, but I think it’s best when a show isn’t just fun but also conveys some kind of message to the audience. I’ll do my best!

Saitou: I’m hoping this show will be great for Kiki-chan’s growth. I ended up writing that in my New Year’s statement for Kageki this year…

Serika: I read that (laughs)

Houzuki: She was like 'He’s advertising MY HERO!’ (laughs)

Saitou: It’s true. I hope people will enjoy the passionate drama and coming-of-age story surrounding all the heroes and heroines, starting with your four characters.

[amemurazine]

💄 CONTRIBUTOR LINEUP 💄

Without further ado, please welcome the wonderfully talented creators who will be bringing this project to life!

💋 PAGE ARTISTS 💋

Newt | Wildreamz | Blackwhitefeather | Roll | Ecorust9 | Darkbutterfly | Soul Ryu | Kinako | Pamir | Lily | Eni | Catsukun | Melo | Kairi | Sa | Kurisu Oto | Frey | Brooke | Fuunoe | Tax | Tori | Socko | Han | Bloopuoo | Cakelets Melonamilktea | B | Jessie

💋 MERCH ARTISTS 💋

Zinnabuns | Needa | Yuume | Rainy | Shizu | Minku | Celchuno

💋 WRITERS 💋

Kou | Star | @shioririn | Ixcarus | Tofu

💋 MODERATORS 💋

March | Nic | Ko | Yitsuin | Nooty | Arcee

≪ Carrd :: Twitter :: Instagram ≫