#sakuragi minato

[berserkerbarbie]

Cast of Xcalibur by Cosmos Troupe 2023

[yuzukahibiscus]

SEWATCH (95th Class) – 2016 Archives

From 2010, Takarazuka GRAPH has a corner for introducing classmates (douki) in our colour pages. 95th class is the 6th edition and we now disclose excerpts of writer Seo Yuria (Seocchi) and her classmates.

~ Taken from August 2021 GRAPH.

JANUARY – Seo Yuria X Manaki Reika

To celebrate our first issue, the guest is...Manaki Reika of Moon Troupe ☽ It's Chapi~♡ Ah, she's an angel ♡ She's full of clarity....Let'Sewatch the mystery of this angel descending to earth!!!!

~About the theme of our cosplay~

Seocchi: Everyone already knows about the beauty and cuteness of Chapi, so I thought what if we showed a different side of Chapi~

Chapi: No, not at all. But because it's the New Year issue, aren't we wearing these for the New Year?

Seocchi: We thought, "Year of the...Monkey, right? OH!" (LOL) What do you think about becoming a monkey (LOL)?

Chapi: Since I was born, I've been told that I look like a monkey, so it's an honour to be a monkey [for this corner].

Both: (exploding in laughter).

Chapi: My mother used to say, "I thought I gave birth to a monkey" (LOL).

Seocchi: Well, you could say you returned to your roots. What a new feeling (LOL).

Chapi: Yes, that's right. My ears are also "far away from each other" (and while saying that, Chapi flapped her hands beside her ears).

Seocchi: That's cute (LOL).

FEBRUARY – Seo Yuria X Rei Makoto

The guest for this month is the Super Boy, our Rei Makoto of Star Troupe ☆ It's Coto-chan~ (Coto)☆

~About the theme of our cosplay~

Seocchi: I thought would it be possible to show a side of Co-chan that everyone hasn't seen before~ and the result of constant frustration and thinking, I've decided that we should wear the Takarazuka Music School uniforms!!

Coto: First, I need to find my uniform~

Seocchi: Yeah (LOL). How do you feel? Actually.

Coto: No I mean, it's nostalgic.

Seocchi: I remembered that the two of us used to sit side by side whle having lessons.

Coto: That's when both of us were fighting the urge to sleep away.

Seocchi: A time that we were scolded almost every day, but the days where we were very determined.

MARCH – Seo Yuria X Reimi Urara

Now, the guest this time is Reimi Urara-sama of Cosmos Troupe, it's Yuuri!! Let'Sewatch at the mystery of this flawless beautiful girl!!!

~About the theme of our cosplay~

Seocchi: While both of us are thinking a lot about what to do, we heard Zun-chan (Sakuragi Minato) having her interview nearby on "What is your dream if you didn't enter Takarazuka!?".

Urara: We heard her answer, "I'm not sure if this is what I really want to do, but maybe the admirable flight attendants?"...

Seocchi: That's why everyone can see this wonderful Reimi Urara-sama!! (Thanks Zun-chan~♡)

Urara: I hope we can show that relationship between the pilot and the flight attendant (LOL).

Seocchi: There's some story between us... (LOL)

Urara: (LOL). That's fun!

APRIL – Seo Yuria X Tsukishiro Kanato

The guest this month is – remarkable! Tsukishiro Kanato of Snow Troupe!! It's Usshi (Reiko)✨ Wow~ So pretty...She's already beautiful, so let'Sewatch if we could show a mysteriously different look of Tsukishiro Kanato-sama.

~About the theme of our cosplay~

Seocchi: After much thinking...

Reiko: We revived as the anime of "Shonen Ashibe"!! Well, I like Goma-chan. No, not just that, I like seals (LOL).

Seocchi: That's why, Usshi wore a seal costume and searched for various pictures, and found this really cute seal costume, and asked me "how do you think"?

Reiko: No, it's because I said, I want to be a more real seal!!

Seocchi: She seriously ordered this full costume (LOL). How do you feel wearing it?

Reiko: When I actually wear the costume, I can feel it looks fluffier than how Goma-chan was like, (LOL), but I'm really satisfied!!

Seocchi: That's great~ It's a great success that it made Usshi satisfied!

MAY – Seo Yuria X Minami Maito

The fifth guest is Flower Trouope otokoyaku Minami Maito (Maiti) ❀ I wanto see~!! Let'Sewatch the stunning muscles of this girl!!!

~About the theme of our cosplay~

Seocchi: If we talk about Minami, it's muscles!! That's why I immediately think of the muscleman Superman, and we had a meeting over this photoshoot [concept] (LOL).

Maiti: What!? Is my image really like that? I thought (LOL).

Seocchi: No, when we first met, you were skinny!! Then after the summer of being a primary course student (yokasei), I was so shocked (LOL).

Maiti: Right, right, when I came back my uniform seems stiff [from the muscles] (LOL).

Seocchi: I thought, what did Minami do in the summer!!!!! I remember everyone being crazy over it (LOL). That image is too strong, you definitely need to be Superman this time!

Maiti: But, this costume seems too buff (LOL). This is too exaggerated!! Look at the texture of these muscles (LOL)!!!!

Seocchi: How do you feel actually wearing it?

Maiti: No, but it seems easy to turn on the switch to get into character with this kind of costume (LOL).

Seocchi: (LOL). That's great!!

Maiti: Like that "I'm a hero!" kind of vibe. (LOL)

Seocchi: If you feel good about it, you should wear this under your rehearsal clothes next time, and when something happens, you can remove those clothes to reveal yourself as Superman!! Then it would be great!! (LOL)

Maiti: I got it!! If that's necessary, I'll give Seocchi (Seo) a call! Believe in me!!

Both: (exploding in laughter).

JUNE – Seo Yuria X Misaki Rion

This month we have our princess from Cosmos Troupe 💕 Let'Sewatch at Misaki Rion (Mirion)~ 👀

~About the theme of our cosplay~

Seocchi: We decided easily this time.

Mirion: Yes, yes, I asked Seocchi "Can I be a nurse?"

Seocchi: Surely, I also wish to see how Kumi-chan (Misaki) is as a nurse (LOL).

Mirion: Since I was young', I've admired nurse so I thought, "Nurses are good!!" and decided on the theme quickly.

Seocchi: How does it feel? To be a nurse.

Mirion: I'm very satisfied because it feels my wish is fulfilled! Holding onto the syringe, I felt it was fun to feel how it is for a nurse (LOL). (I also enjoyed seeing Kumi-chan's look as a nurse!!)

Seocchi: I'm also excited because I want to play as a doctor!!!!

Mirion: You seem to really like the stethoscope (LOL).

Seocchi: Yes (LOL). This feels like "The Dangerous Love of the Doctor and the Nurse" (LOL). I hope everyone could feel happy seeing this photo and imagining various situations!

JULY – Seo Yuria X Kizuki Yuuma

This month, let'Sewatch at the mysterious Mayupon, or Kizuki Yuuma of Moon Troupe, who is so inclusive and gentle towards others~✨

~About the theme of our cosplay~

Seocchi: This time, I hope it'd be great to do a concept of boys' friendship that I could do only with Myaupon.

Mayupon: Right!! We talked about, let's make this look manly as possible!

Seocchi: So, we told the edtors we wanted to do something like [the movie] "Umizaru", and we didn't think we'd have these costumes handmade!!

Both: Thank you so much!!!!!!

Seocchi: How does it feel wearing these?

Mayupon: Yes, this is so fun ♪ Of course, we wear various kinds of costumes on stage, but this feels totally different!!!

Seocchi: That's right. This feel like "Real Men's" kind of feeling (LOL)! And with that, we'd be happy if this lets everyone realise Mayupon's new charms!!

AUGUST – Seo Yuria X Hinami Fuu

This month, we have our princess from Star Troupe✨✨✨ Let'Sewatch the mysterious Fuu-chan, or Hinami Fuu!

~About the theme of our cosplay~

Seocchi: We always talk about tropical countries ☼✨

Fuu-chan: Right! We never knew we would love tropical countries so much ✨

Seocchi: If there's a chance, I always thought I should go to the Sebu in Philippines with Fuu-chan and Matsuko (Renju Kouki) ☼

Fuu-chan: Right!!! My first overseas vacation was at Sebu, and it was really exciting✨✨✨

Seocchi: Every day would be so fun✨ So we decided to wear something we would in these tropical countries! How does the photoshoot feel for Fuu-chan?

Fuu-chan: Well, fun✨ Wearing the aloha shirts, holding on to the ukuleles immediately!!!

Seocchi: Yes✨✨ It's as if we could see the sun in front of us ☼

SEPTEMBER – Seo Yuria X Sakuragi Minato

This month, let'Sewatch the mysterious Zun-chan, or Sakuragi Minato of Cosmos Troupe, who always flashes the wonderful child smile ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨

~About the theme of our cosplay~

Zun: About sommelier, it's just a Style we simply want to do!!!

Seocchi: No, no matter how we say it, this look great.

Zun: Yes (LOL). It's just black, so it may look plain~ Which is why we also used wine bottles and glasses.

Seocchi: I think this makes it look really stylish!!

Zun: I hope to wear this costume one day on stage.

Seocchi: It was fun to feel like a sommelier even for a short while~♫

OCTOBER – Seo Yuria X Asami Jun

This month, let'Sewatch the mysterious Asami Jun of Moon Troupe or Aasa✨✨ Truly from her name, she is beautiful from the morning~ (*Asa 朝 = morning; Mi 美 = beauty)

~About the theme of our cosplay~

Seocchi: I asked you, what do we want to do?

Aasa: We thought about our similarities...

Both: We have a strong visual!!!!

Aasa: Then, we decided on doing [the manga series] "Thermae Romae" and on the day when we wore the costumes, and tried the first photo, and we chekced to find out??????????????

Both: We have a weak visual!!!! (LOL)

Aasa: This is an emergency situation 💦 She quickly came to the dressing room of Moon Troupe since we were performing (LOL).

Seocchi: Yes, I went to Aasa's makeup table and both of us desperately wanted to make up for it.

Aasa: We started putting more makeup! (LOL)

Seocchi: How did you feel wearing this?

Aasa: It feels comfortable and it makes me feel really good! As if, this was how I would be like in my past life (LOL).

Seocchi: You're not wrong! Have you worn this type of costume on stage before?

Aasa: Nope, this is my first time! Also it was fun to use different small props for the photoshoot✨

NOVEMBER – Seo Yuria X Hoshino Anri

This month let'Sewatch the mysterious Hoshino Anri of Snow Troupe, or Hiroko ❅

~About the theme of our cosplay~

Seocchi: This time, both of us thought over quite a lot. Then Hiroko suggested, "Should we do baseball [concept]?"

Hiroko: Yes! If you turn on the television, you can see the rankings of Se Ring or Pa Ring, [Hiroshima Toyo] Carp and [Fukuoka] Softbank [Hawks] would be the top positions respectively, and they are baseball leagues of our hometown, so we wore their jerseys✨

Seocchi: Well, I believe when this [October] issue, Carp would definitely win by then!

Hiroko: Softbank too! Because they are so powerful!! If Carp wins, wouldn't that be since then 25 years since their last win?

Seocchi: Amazing! Hiroko knows so much! (LOL) When both teams win, let's celebrate together!

Both: Let's do this!!!

Seocchi: How does it feel wearing this uniform?

Hiroko: No, before wearing it I was already thrilled. I was even more excited to wear it! I was jumping around just thinking of it before Seocchi came! (LOL)

Seocchi: Ahaha (LOL). So cute.... 💦but I missed your moment💦

Hiroko: (LOL)

Seocchi: As expected, won't seeing these uniforms make your heart race? Because we've always seen these uniforms!!

Hiroko: Yes! We saw them before, and now we're wearing them ✨

Seocchi: The photoshoot was fun. But for our hats....

Hiroko: Instead of holding onto them, we were holding on the baseball bats instead (LOL).

Seocchi: Because we felt it would be awkward with our hands empty.

Hiroko: We're not used to that (LOL).

DECEMBER – Seo Yuria X Yuzuka Rei

This month we have Yuzuka Rei of Flower Troupe to grace the last edition✨ Let'Sewatch the mysterious Rei-chan 👀✨

~About the theme of our cosplay~

Seocchi: The costumes for today are really surreal! (LOL)

Rei: Really! When I wore it, this was more surreal than I imagined (LOL). It's Christmas when we talk about December, which is why we dressed up like that.

Seocchi: Right! I was thinking if I should do Santa or the reindeer, but she said, "But Santa Claus won't look as funny, right?" (LOL) As expected✨

Rei: (LOL). So we featured supporting characters! But I was surprised because I was surprised because I couldn't do many poses with these costumes (LOL).

Seocchi: Right! That's something we missed out💦 Because [trees and snowman] give off inanimate vibes (Iaughs).

Rei: Even if we act a lot into it, our faces...

Seocchi: Becomes emotionless (LOL).

Rei: It's rare that it was difficult to smile [in this costume] (LOL). Which by the way, I read this corner every month! But I thought, "She doesn't call me a lot....will this end without me...." (LOL).

Seocchi: Really.... (erupts into laughter). So you felt anxious over it, I'm sorry!

Rei: Nah, but this was great fun–♪

[ladies-and-jennes]

(video from n.sorara.531 on Instagram)

Something was in that water in Takarazuka Music School in 2009. 3 top stars, 2 senka and 2 nibante all at the same time. 95th class is the backbone of Takarazuka Revue right now (and my heart)

[drowningparty]

PAGAD（パガド）～世紀の奇術師カリオストロ～ / Sky Fantasy!

Serika Toa and Sakuragi Minato

[hyep-drawing]

Lemon couple🍋

[birbankie]

Monochrome portraits of some lovely ocs~

[zukadiary]

Kazuki Sora taidan diary 〜 2024.2.11

(also kind of a Boiled Doyle on the Toil Trail / Frozen Holiday write up)

I've now woken up eight times in a world where Kazuka Sora is an OG (changing that number daily, as I've been trying to write this for six days), and the sense of having somehow slipped into a severely incorrect timeline is getting progressively stronger. Coupled bizarrely with that is deep, deep gratitude that, despite everything that's happened in the last four years, and especially in the last five months, she got a gut-wrenchingly, absolutely devastatingly beautiful taidan. I can't say perfect, because perfect would have been after a well deserved top star run. But barring that, I never dreamed it would get this close.

Long post incoming.

I have to set the stage...

Once upon a time in 2013, Asaka Manato, then nibante in Ouki Kaname's Soragumi, got her turn starring in Brilliant Dreams +NEXT, a multi-part Sky Stage series where you got to like, do some stuff of your choice with other people in your troupe. She decided to recreate some of her favorite revue choreography, and a friend alerted me that one episode was dedicated to the infamous Rosso scene from Takarazuka's Dream Kingdom (which, as you can see in the linked post, completely short circuited noob me from a decade ago). Maasama was still a good 2+ years from winning me over at the time, and I think I reluctantly watched it with some level of offense that she touched a Komu thing. As I'm sitting in front of my computer rolling my eyes, out comes this tiny thing in capri pants, mismatched socks, suspenders, and thick glasses: ken-4 Kazuki Sora, here to report on the situation in the rehearsal room.

She spent her airtime cracking jokes, tripping on her tongue, riding on Susshi's shoulders, and generally acting like Soragumi's annoying kid brother. I thought she was funny.

Another friend told me she thought she was tracked. I absolutely did not believe her.

Then, against a fair amount of adversity, she got the 100th anniversary Rose of Versailles shinko lead, and my eyes widened a bit. The next time I found myself in Japan, I was gifted a 9th row seat to what coincidentally happened to be her first ginkyou crossing in PHOENIX Takarazuka! I'd been spending the show curiously scanning the stage for her, and when I witnessed the gap between reporter and performer, my jaw hit the floor.

Afterwards, my kangeki companion asked if I was interested in anyone in the troupe. I said Kazuki Sora. She recoiled and said "but she's so short."

***

Something that I noticed during this taidan trip is that covid-era fans met a wildly different Sora than I know. Growing up in 2010s Soragumi was uniquely rough. I'm not even talking about ::hand waves:: the present circumstances and what may or may not have lead up to them; I mean they persisted with a level of star saturation through the dawn of the pandemic that had kinda crazy consequences for the otokoyaku track. Not only was the track itself overcrowded, but the troupe also held onto a number of non-tracked upperclassmen to whom they seemed unwaveringly committed to casting in juicy roles. I remember when things seemed so untenable that Soragumi fans were universally on pins and needles waiting for what felt like an inevitable big transfer out, and I remember freezing in shock on the side of the road when instead they transferred Serika Toa in.

Here's some analysis for perspective:

Kiki is the third oldest top of all time, and spent more time as nibante alone than Tamaki Ryou took to get from debut to top.

Lord knows how long Soragumi will be in this state of flux, but if they come out of it and Kiki gets a normal number of shows, AND Sakuragi Minato is next, Zun could immediately overtake Kiki for third place

Speaking of Zun, her first two-city lead was in 2020. Looking at her top star douki, Rei Makoto's and Yuzuka Rei's were in 2017, and Tsukishiro Kanato's was in 2018.

Rukaze Hikaru's first bow lead was in 2019, two years later than her other tracked douki, Akatsuki Chisei (four if you count A-EN).

Slightly more invisible but just as devastating, the lessened exposure on stage between leads has likely resulted in lower fan club numbers and less overall popularity.

...and back to Sora. Hundreds of us filled Hibiya Park this past weekend, but Sora spent her early Takarazuka career so buried that, despite being a triple threat on stage and an utter delight off, her fan base was small enough that at ken-7 they let me, not yet even a club member, accompany my friend to demachi where I became the third attendee. For years, Sora was, frustratingly, an in-person only watch. I'd go to Japan, memorize her positions, miss the rest of the show for following her with my opera glasses, and pop in the DVD at home only to find her always just off screen. A Motion was one of the most fun times I've had in a Takarazuka theater, and on the DVD during my favorite Sora SOLO, the camera is on Sorahane Riku wordlessly dancing.

I was floored when she got Anita. I was livid that she could give THAT PERFORMANCE and immediately afterwards be cast as an ensemble soldier in Red River (although she was so good in Citrus Breeze that after 5 years of deluding myself that I "couldn't betray my beloved Yukigumi like that" ((ironic, right?)) I finally caved and joined club). I stress dreamed multiple times about the impending bow announcement before she got Hustle Mates. I cried when she finally came down the stairs between two musumeyaku in Ocean's Eleven at ken-10, in which she played Linus, a role that felt like a big break even though it had previously always gone to ken-6s. FINALLY, the massive Ocean's taidan relieved a little pressure, and I felt a tangible thrill when suddenly she was all over the Aqua Vitae shonichi digest, something that had never happened before.

That's where we left off in February 2020, when the Diamond Princess docked in Yokohama, and my therapist didn't know what I was talking about when I said I was giving myself a stomachache watching live case numbers ahead of my scheduled trip, and I canceled my flight, and I put my freshly printed pack of homemade Suleiman postcards under my bed, and I didn't see her for 4 years 4 months and 3 days.

***

It's hard to talk about Sora's taidan announcement and not come off as biased and overly dramatic, given that she's my girl. But in 11 years of countless taidan announcements, I've never come close to being as blindsided by one as I was with hers. The vibe I've gotten is that fans, siennes, and patrons alike were all properly shocked.

I'd spent the better part of a decade internally screaming for Takarazuka to act like they recognize her undeniable talent. Frustratingly, it finally started happening during covid. While I was living under the impression that Hustle Mates was a genuine miracle, she got an unimaginable second lead... then, thanks to the breathing room in her new Yukigumi home, a third... and then a fourth. Having been burned for so long, I've always firmly been team I-don't-think-Sora-is-going-to-make-top, but despite that, I was actually starting to believe it could—dare I say would—happen. I wasn't even certain the people murmuring on twitter that she might leapfrog Aasa were completely delusional. I went into Hyperbolic Chart, my looooong awaited reunion, excited to assess Kasumi Sana as her potential future partner. I enthusiastically bought all her postcards for future writing, because the last time I'd seen her, she, at ken-10, didn't have postcards.

Two days after that I found myself again frozen in shock on the side of the road.

Two days after that.... yeah.

***

Somehow, despite 11 years of knowing how this works, of weathering various taidans with friends, of crying in bathrooms until they started cleaning the theater at taidans that weren't even technically mine, I was also completely blindsided by the taidan experience itself.

Part of it was definitely the time skip, from years of intimate Sora fandom to nothing to a couple of A-seki (she's the it girl now!) for a lead I wouldn't have chosen with a troupe I barely recognize anymore to bye, she's gone. Part of it was being thrown back into this after 4+ years of pandemic-dulled emotions, followed by the exhaustion of Takarazuka's crisis era. Part of it was lowered expectations from the largely uninspired and under funded lineup of forgettable shows churned out by tired directors of dubious morality. Part of it was the disaster-shortened Mura run, the self-preserving dissociation fueled by the pain and disbelief that there was a dinner show and I wasn't at it, followed by a month and a half stretch of work so busy it was still going while I sat at the ANA gate for my 1am flight.

But I got here and squeezed into one of those red seats and then all at once I was an unsealed vacuum, cracked wide open, and Doyle and Frozen Holiday rushed in and filled the airless void till it burst.

Boiled Doyle on the Toil Trail

I've been down on Yukigumi.

Yukigumi has been my home troupe for the vast majority of my fandom. I had the fancy Swarovski crystal Yukigumi bag charms, the whole Yukigumi getup from Sports Day '14, Yukigumi albums, Yukigumi chopsticks, etc etc etc. I literally didn't join Sora club for years because I couldn't imagine being pulled out of Yukigumi. But while I was locked out of the country, the march of time took my favorite top star and the vast majority of my emotional support upperclassmen. The pandemic spit Yukigumi out in a state that just made me reeeeeeeeally sad. So I stopped watching them. That's the exact moment they picked to put Sora there.

I hate to admit it, but I still haven't totally caught up on her Yukigumi time.

Which is probably the main reason this show caught me SO off guard... even having watched AND enjoyed the Mura livestream. Sora is best watched in person, after all.

Doyle—a silly take on Arthur Conan Doyle's life, and how he used a magic pen to write Sherlock Holmes by accident, thus setting into motion a runaway series of events—is not only a fun and joyful show, it's a masterpiece of casting. The top 4 were at their absolute peak, and it was a thrill to watch.

I've been watching Ayakaze Sakina since her shinjin kouen days, and my write-ups over the years probably betray my rollercoaster hot and cold journey through her career. I really liked Doyle as a lead for her though. She essentially plays a big idiot wifeguy with a dream, an imaginary best friend, and little conviction; she was very funny and charming. If you were one of the lucky few who managed to see On the 20th Century, think that guy but earnestly the main character vs. dude with main character syndrome. The older I get, the more I have a soft spot for shows where the top combi has "ecstatically celebrating at least their tenth wedding anniversary" energy, and this was one of those.

...Thanks in large part to Yumeshiro Aya, who is absolutely everything. She may be boosted by consistently reminding me of Shirahane Yuri since her partial lead in the 103s Bunkasai, but she also has a very particular type of girlboss energy that I don't feel like I've seen in quite a while. It isn't wearing the proverbial pants energy (a la early TamaChapi), but it is overwhelming I got this energy. I find her to be the absolute embodiment of a top musumeyaku, in that she understands the assignment (making the top star better), while perching on the edge of the backseat just enough that she doesn't overpower Saki, but she's still a knockout in her own right. She probably exudes an extra dose of this energy as Louisa Doyle, who plays a very similar role in her husband's life and writing career. I could not be more thrilled that Aya isn't retiring yet.

Asami Jun plays the aforementioned imaginary friend/magic pen-generated apparition, who happens to be Sherlock Holmes. Some people I've talked to seem a little disappointed in her stage time, but I really felt like this was also peak Aasa. She seems to have broken through a layer of ceiling and gotten really comfortable leaning into her c***y unique energy, which, though I can picture it being polarizing, really does it for me. I sure as hell have never seen an interpretation of Sherlock Holmes REMOTELY like Aasa's, but I was enjoying the Aasa of it all so much that I really didn't care.

When I saw that Sora was playing the editor of Strand Magazine, I was somewhat disappointedly imagining a role like Lestrade (not to invoke another Sherlock), the sort of there-but-not character that has dominated her Takarazuka career since she started getting named roles. My first surprise was how good of a role this was in general, and then how well suited it was to her. She gets to be aloof and handsome, but also incredibly upbeat and funny at times. Her little coworkers at her utterly failing magazine are obsessed with her (which is the mood of the century), and there is a cute little meta moment where Doyle threatens to stop writing Sherlock and Sora tries to quit her job, only to be restrained physically by said coworkers (which is the mood of the moment). Everything from the set of her off-gray permed wig to her 4 or so different plaid suits to her opening solo number was absolutely perfect (not as perfect as it was gonna be later!!!!!).

FROZEN HOLIDAY

It's weird watching a Christmas show in February

I rapidly stopped caring

Speaking of rollercoasters of hot and cold, Noguchi used to be my most hated revue director, hands down. Circa 2017-18, after being deeply personally burned by Super Voyager (and deeply personally confused by Beautiful Garden), the tension I felt while awaiting show announcements hoping I wouldn't have to watch another Noguchi was intense. Noguchi revues being something people covet nowadays still feels unfamiliar, but I count myself among people.

He turned it around for me with the Takarazuka equivalent of winning the grocery store ingredients episode of Project Runway: Delicieux, a covid-budget masterpiece of public domain music and foam macarons (incidentally, also a goodbye to Sora of sorts, as it was her last Soragumi revue). I officially owe him my life after what he did for her in Frozen Holiday.

Firstly, going into my 11th year of watching live Yukigumi, I've never seen Saki shine brighter. While ostensibly a Christmas spectacular, Frozen Holiday was also meant to celebrate Yukigumi's 100th anniversary. Despite the aforementioned rollercoaster, I'm so glad that the top star for the anniversary was someone who has not spent a day outside of Yukigumi in her sienne life, who I've been watching since before my first trip to Japan. And I think the joy of it really showed on her. Aya was an angel, so visually perfect in her snow queen dress that I believed she was destined to be top musumeyaku of Yukigumi from birth. Aasa continued to out-Aasa herself; the wave of feral energy she set off during the first livestream was well earned.

But... remember the disembodied arm just off the TV screen? The utter SHOCK I experienced when they treated her like a friggin' nibante...

Nanami Hiroki, who pulled top star numbers and probably had double our last day crowd at her average Hoshigumi ochakai, and Miya Rurika, who needed a simulcast for her last ochakai, didn't even get the final revue treatment that Sora did.

The disbelief that they did so good by her, the disbelief that I missed the transition, the disbelief that she was really leaving, shattered me.

In addition to general prominence throughout the revue, she gets a whole white-clad taidan number, complete with lyrics designed to blind her fans with saltwater, and one of the best bits of dancing I've seen out of her. After a seemingly impossible quick change, she rejoins the troupe for a very chuuzume-esque anniversary number (assuming the Christmas kyakusekiori is the real chuuzume), and that might actually be my favorite bit of dancing in the whole show. She co-leads the Noguchi-signature boyband number with Aasa, which I forgive because it's them and it's also T.M. REVOLUTION. She even gets a spotlight moment alone with Saki during the kuroenbi. And through all of it, she was so, so good. Good does not even begin to describe Kazuki Sora.

I felt like I cried for 48 hours straight.

***

I didn't manage to get myself actually into the theater for senshuuraku, but I did end up with two Hibiya cinema tickets. When I tried to pass one off onto one of the fellow jilted Sora Club members trying her luck outside of Chanter, I got pounced on by an old lady while those in their white wear were moaning about the cinema not being good enough. I was too tired and nervous to tell her I'd prefer to sit next to someone in club, so she got it. She and I ended up crying the hardest of everyone in the cinema by far. Thanks, old lady <3.

***

One thing that struck me was how desperately, frightfully grateful I was that Sora retired from Yukigumi. Sure, if she hadn't, her taidan would have probably just been canceled... but I don't even mean that. The anniversary aspect of Frozen Holiday was beautiful, and filled me with a joy and nostalgia I wasn't prepared for. It was my first kyakusekiori since 2019, and after Sora ran by me, I was blessed to find myself next to Kujou Asu, someone I adore enough to be in her club in an alternate universe. It was my first iride since 2019, and I had the privilege of seeing off one of my favorite musumeyaku, Sara Anna, as well. The way the troupe members talked about Sora, and what she gave them, and how thrilled they were that she joined them, made my heart swell. As genuinely mad as I was when they broke up KikiSora, I could see that Yukigumi gave her the space to blossom.

The farewell dinner was even entirely gluten free by complete accident, down to the fancy manju omiyage with mountain yam flour dough.

***

Five onsen dips, a massive weeb shopping spree a lifetime in the making, and one extremely bizarre Komu show later, I'm on the plane home, finally not crying on command.

But not having a runaway fave for the first time in ten years feels really desolate. I miss her so much.

[berserkerbarbie]

Casino Royale -My Name's Bond- by Cosmos Troupe 2023

💜 💜 💜 Kiki & Zun 💜 💜 💜

[zungumi]

WIP Translations

or, keeping myself honest so i actually finish something else this year

EDIT since apparently there are more people who do not remember old tumblr layouts than i expected: my subs are located at zungumi dot tumblr dot com slash shows, stop asking me where i'm hiding them LMFAO

(if it isn't obvious, my biases lean towards 💜 sakuragi minato 💜, asaka manato, makaze suzuho, kurenai yuzuru, and ayabuki mao. there are a trillion other siennes i adore but these are currently the ones that make the brain go brrr enough to crack open subtitle edit.)

already in progress:

• utakata no koi (hoshi, 2018)

• partial time travel (sora, 2017)

have script/cc/lyrics:

• miroirs (yuki, 2008)

• shakespeare (sora, 2016)

• portrait of the heir (sora, 2015)

• viva! festa! (sora, 2017)

• classical bijoux (sora, 2017)

• nice guy!! (sora, 2019)

• celebrity (hoshi, 2012)

• capricciosa!! (sora, 2022)

• 1789 (tsuki, 2015)

• bow hall shakespeare series (1999)

script wishlist under the cut

"some of these are already translated," you may be saying! i know, but the autism demands i tl my faves myself so i can dissect them thoroughly. forgive me, i just won't post those unless people specifically request them.

looking for script/cc/lyrics:

• the eagle with two heads (sora, 2016)

• toward a day in the sun (hoshi, 2013)

• golden desert (hana, 2017)

• je t'aime (yuki, 2008)

• the seven of the house of god (senka/tsuki, 2017)

• don juan (yuki, 2016)

• amour de 99! (sora, 2013)

• jean louis fargeon (hoshi, 2012)

there are no scripts for these but i will keep dreaming:

• silver rose chronicle (yuki, 2007)

• lancelot (hoshi, 2011)

• cult wine (sora, 2022)

• pale kiss (hana, 2008)

• code hero (hana, 2010)

• bund/neon (hana, 2010)

[ladies-and-jennes]

All my faves from 95th in these pictures I want to cry. I LOVE YOU

[lovelyllamasblog]

EAH VA/Seiyuus Part 2

For @sayuricorner's AU. Link to Part 1 here.

Same rules as my previous post, but I decided to look into more Japanese VA/Seiyuu's for this one. I also found a link for the Latin America VAs that I'll drop here because I had the hardest time finding Prudence and Charlotte's English VA (Erin Fitzgerald voices both of them) for some reason and they list both the English and LA VAs there.

Again this will be long so it's under the cut. Enjoy!

Alistair Wonderland/Liddell

Hirose Daisuke: Tenma Tsukasa (Project Sekai), Leonhard von Granzreich (Oushitsu Kyoushi Heine), Ikaruga Misumi (A3! Act! Addict! Actors!)

Atsushi Abe: Kukai Souma (Shugo Chara), Touma Kamijo (A Certain Magical Index/Scientific Railgun), Takeru Nakashima (Haikyuu 2)

Takuma Terashima: Touma Amagase (The Idolmaster SideM), Shiroe (Log Horizon), Otoya Ittoki (Uta no Prince-sama)

Bunny Blanc

Rikako Aida: Riko Sakurauchi (Love Live! Sunshine!!), Iyo Sakuraba (Pop Team Epic), Yuna Tachiki (Those Snow White Notes)

Akina: Azusawa Kohane (Project Sekai), Oona Aya (Girls Und Panzer), Karakuri Hitoha and Futaba (Tokyo 7th Sisters)

Minako Kotobuki: Vert FarBreton (Dog Days), Tsumugi Kotobuki (K-On!), Karina Lyle/Blue Rose (Tiger & Bunny)

Kitty Cheshire

Mikako Komatsu: Neko/Miyabi Ameno (K Project), Kotori Mizuki (Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal), Ito Suzuno (Pretty Rhythm: Rainbow Live)

Emiri Kato: Blair (Soul Eater), Momoko Akatsutsumi/Hyper Blossom (Powerpuff Girls Z), Kagami Hiiragi (Lucky Star)

Sumire Uesaka: Sharu (Dog Days), Yuni/Cure Cosmo (Star Twinkle Pretty Cure), Konomi Kasahara (Iwa Kakeru! Climbing Girls)

Ginger Breadhouse

Machico: Kusanagi Nene (Project Sekai), Fumino Sayuki (Magia Record), Misaki Ayane (KiraKira Pretty Cure A La Mode)

Aoi Yuki: Ichigo Amano (Yumeiro Pâtissière), Koto Yumeno (Onegai My Melody), Madoka Kaname (Puella Magi Madoka Magica)

Minami Takahashi: Megumi Tadokoro (Food Wars!), Sora Kazesawa/Rin Oikawa (Aikatsu!), Aone Shikimiya (Re:Stage! Dream Days♪)

Courtly Jester

Mayumi Shintari: Nonon Jakuzure (Kill la Kill), Wendy (Black Butler: Book of Circus), Miss Shamour (Go! Princess Pretty Cure)

Misato Fukuten (Misato Sakuragi): Patty Lowell (Devil May Cry), Kurumu Kurono (Rosario + Vampire), Himiko Toga (MHA/BNHA)

Kikuko Inoue: Shizuna Minamoto (Negima! Magister Negi Magi!), Belldandy (Ah! My Goddess), Lust (FullMetal Alchemist Brotherhood)

Chase Redford

Gou Inoue: Kaisar Lidfard (Shingeki no Bahamut: Genesis), Kieth Goodman/Sky High (Tiger & Bunny), Stain (MHA/BNHA)

Kazuhiko Inoue: Kakashi Hatake (Naruto), Günter von Christ (Kyou Kara Maoh!), Daryun (Arslan Senki)

Takahiro Sakurai: Kouichi Kouno (Cardcaptor Sakura), Fakir (Princess Tutu), Suzaku Kururugi (Code Geass)

Jillian Beanstalk

Ayana Taketatsu: Azusa Nakano (K-On!), Vanilla (Yumeiro Pâtissière), Eclair Martinozzi (Dog Days)

Shizuka Ishigami: Nao Kashiwagi (Your Lie in April), Ikumi Mito (Food Wars!), Ayaka Uehara (How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift?)

Sumire Uesaka: Sharu (Dog Days), Yuni/Cure Cosmo (Star Twinkle Pretty Cure), Konomi Kasahara (Iwa Kakeru! Climbing Girls)

Cedar Wood

Machico: Kusanagi Nene (Project Sekai), Fumino Sayuki (Magia Record), Misaki Ayane (KiraKira Pretty Cure A La Mode)

Mai Aizawa: Natsumi Murakami (Negima!), Ayano Minegishi (Lucky Star), Rie Nishina (Clannad (After Story))

Himika Akanya: Laala Manaka (PriPara), Ritsuka Tachibana (Dance with Devils), Zircon (Land of the Lustrous)

Rosabella Beauty

Chiaki Omigawa: Maka Albarn (Soul Eater), Valkyrie (Luck & Logic), Naomi Tanizaki (Mob Psycho 100)

Mariya Ise: Yuka Kano (Onegai My Melody), Urara Kasugano/Cure Lemonade (Yes! Pretty Cure 5), Levy McGarden/Romeo Conbolt (Fairy Tail)

Aina Aiba: Tokoha Anjou (Cardfight!! Vanguard G: NEXT/Z), Yukina Minato (BanG Dream!), Claudine Saijou (Revenue Starlight:RE LIVE)

Prudence Step

Saori Hayami: Razette, Burupya, Taijo, etc. (07 - Ghost), Miki Arai (Say "I Love You"), Yumeko Jabami (Kakegurui - Compulsive Gambler)

Ami Koshimizu: Ryuko Matoi (Kill la Kill), Kallen Stadfeld (Code Geass), Leonmichelli Galette des Rois (Dog Days)

Aoi Koga: Sora Kaneshiro (Angel's 3 Piece), Paimon (Genshin Impact), Kaguya Shinomiya (Kaguya-sama: Love is War)

Charlotte Step

Rie Kugimiya: Alphonse Elric (FullMetal Alchemist), Kagura (Gin Tama), Nagi Sanzenin (Hayate the Combat Butler)

Yui Horie: Eri Sawachika (School Rumble), Fiena (Orphan), Honey Kisaragi (Re: Cutie Honey (OVA 2004)

Chinatsu Akasaki: Nanami Akasaki (Sacred Seven), Akane Hino (The Idolmaster Cinderella Girls), Alice Nakiri (Food Wars!)

Justine Dancer

Nanae Katou: Ahiru/Princess Tutu (Princess Tutu), Miki (Shugo Chara), Kakeru Megane (Inazuma Eleven)

Yoshino Nanjo: Eli Ayase (Love Live!), Maaya Awatsuki (A Certain Scientific Railgun), Shirabe Tsukuyomi (Senki Zesshou Symphogear)

Chinatsu Akasaki: Nanami Akasaki (Sacred Seven), Akane Hino (The Idolmaster Cinderella Girls), Chinatsu Hiyama (Welcome to the Ballroom)

Nina Thumbell

Aimi: Suiko (Cardfight!! Vanguard), Kazumi Tokiwa (Futari wa Milky Holmes/Tantei Kageki Milky Holmes TD), Kasumi Toyama (BanG Dream!)

Yui Horie: Millhiore Firianno Biscotti (Dog Days), Fiena (Orphan), Honey Kisaragi (RE: Cutie Honey (OVA 2004))

Kino Hina: Ootori Emu (Project Sekai), Fuwa (Star Twinkle Pretty Cure), Moon Rabbit Cake (Cookie Run: Kingdom)

And that is it! Thanks again for reading! Remember to show Sayuri some love too okay?

[il-giardino-del-castello]

Il databook di Slow Damage ha rivelato i kanji dei nomi dei personaggi (Svariati erano in katakana), quindi si può vedere se c'è qualche Significato Profondo/Gioco di parole! Jisho alla mano, vediamo cosa risponde.

Bene, Sakuragi vuol dire "ramo di ciliegio" ma Haruto, contrariamente a quanto pensassi, non ha il kanji di primavera ma quelli di "permanenza, lontananza, lungo tempo" e "Grande Carro" (Sicuramente ha un significato simbolico. Credo.) - che però è anche "ciotola di sakè" (!).

I cognomi Murase e Izumi, a quanto pare, hanno entrambi a che fare con l'acqua - "Torrente, fiume" da una parte, "Sorgente, fonte" dall'altra (In questo caso, poi, già "izumi" da solo vuol dire "sorgente", quindi il primo kanji è lì per bellezza-). Vista l'opposizione acqua-fuoco nella storia, suppongo stia a significare (SE NON SI FOSSE CAPITO) che Taku e Rei sono persone positive nella vita di Towa - E, come storia di per sé, che sono due personaggi positivi.

"Rei" è scritto con il kanji di "saluto, inchino, cerimonia, ringraziamento". Considerato che il primo kanji del suo cognome significa "armonia, stile giapponese, pace, addolcire", direi che il suo sia un nomen omen che indica quant'è buonobravocuteadorabile- Also, visto che è metà inglese, a sottolineare che il suo essere haafu non lo rende meno giapponese.

"Takuma", invece, è scritto con i kanji di "abile, ingegnoso" (... O ingenuo?) e-

“Vero, realtà“.

... Ssssssì. Alla N+C hanno senza dubbio un gran senso dell'umorismo. (Se invece vuol dire "vero ingenuo", N+C, wtf-)

Andando da Fujieda. "Yuzuki" non ha il kanji di "luna", come credevo, ma-

-"ramo di cedro". E "ramo" è lo stesso kanji (木) sia in Sakuragi che in Yuzuki. Sto per vomitare arcobaleni.

Allo stesso modo, pensavo che "Minato" avesse il kanji di "estate" (... Non chiedete) ma, beh, CILIEGIO E CEDRO fanno già abbastanza primavera-e-estate. No, "Minato" è scritto con il kanji di-

Okay. Dunque, fatemi capire: - Mammina ha il kanji di "sorgente", quindi qualcosa che inizia; - Papino ha il kanji di "fiume", quindi qualcosa che scorre, che continua; - Marito ha il kanji di "porto", quindi qualcosa che arriva o che parte.

E tutto a tema acqua! Credo andrò a vomitare doppi arcobaleni.

Ma cosa significa l'altro nome?

RAMO DI GLICINE! Avrà cambiato il kanji, ma tranquilli, si è adattato: invece del cedro, abbiamo il glicine, che fiorisce a marzo come i ciliegi! Ma qual è il significato del glicine, nell'hanakotoba?

Capisco il trauma di vomitare e vedere arcobaleni.

(Considerando che Towa ha il cognome di Taku, praticamente i loro cognomi diventano “qualcosa che parte” “qualcosa che continua” “qualcosa che arriva” - ripetere in eterno, come il glicine. Io non-)

Ah, "Ryou" è scritto con il kanji di "aria fresca". No, sapete, per come stiamo messi-

BONUS:

"Kei" è scritto con il kanji di "gioiello quadrato, angolo, spigolo" (Cose molto appuntite, insomma), e-

... Seriamente. Okay, Towa lo dice proprio con enfasi (MadaraME), ma non avevo collegato fosse proprio il me di occhio (目).

Mi sono accorta che non ci sono altre CG di 'sti due che NON si stanno lanciando limoni e/o sono entrambi vestiti. E no, il fatto che questo sia un interrogatorio non c’entra niente, bicos Ikuina. Avete degli hobby, uno dipinge e uno molesta gatti, andate a fare altro! Su!

Tra l’altro, a parte che la N+C sente il bisogno di mettere un personaggio di nome R×× in ogni gioco (Tranne Sweet Pool? Vabbè, tanto SP è strano.), che non sfugga che qui c’è Kei ➝ Rei ➝ Ryou. Dato che così rimaneva fuori gente, hanno provveduto con Haruto e Minato. E poi ci sono Taku e Towa - All’inizio, faticavo a ricordare chi fosse Taku e chi Towa. È una storia piena di assonanze. (!)

[yuzukahibiscus]

sakuragi minato first photo book

cool --> smile (: