In Royal Straight Flush!!, there is a scene where the top five line up on the ginkyo to call out their "catchphrases" as if in a ranger series. Here are the catchphrases and their translations.

~*~

Saou Kurama: "Your voice gives me power. It's the element of courage. Ten of spades!"--"Kimi no koe ga pawa wo kureru. Sore ha yuuki no eremento, supedo no ten!"--「君の声がパワーをくれる。それは勇気のエレメント、スペードの10」

Misuzu Aki: "A gentle twinkle in the depths of the acute gaze. Cool-gentle. Knave of spades!"--"Reirina manazashi no oku ni yasashisa no hikari. Kuru jentoru, supedo no jakku!"--「怜悧なまなざしの奥に優しさの光、クールジェントル、スペードのJ」

Maihane Mimi: "Catch it, the angel-heart of smile! Queen of spades!"--"Uketomete! Hohoemi no enjeru hato, supedo no kuin!"--「受け止めて！微笑みのエンジェルハート、スペードのQ！」

Sagiri Seina: "No one can extinguish the flame of passion. Fire-storm. King of spades !"--"Jounetsu no honoo ha dare nimo keseya shinai. Faiya sutomu, supedo no kingu!"--「情熱の炎は誰にも消せやしない。ファイヤーストーム、スペードのK」

Otozuki Kei: "Dancing in the snow and singing in the snow. Shining-star of justice. Ace of spades!"--"Yuki ni mai, yuki ni utau. Seigi no shainingu suta, supedo no esu!"--「雪に舞い、雪に歌う、正義のシャイニングスター、スペードのA！」

Otozuki Kei: "The five of us make..."--"Gonin sorotte,"--「五人揃って！」

All: "...the dream-five! Royal Straight Flush!!"--"Dorimu faibu! Roiyaru sutoreito furasshu!!"--「ドリームファイブ！ロイヤルストレートフラッシュ!!」

In case of a sponsored performance (for example by JCB), instead of "The five of us make...the dream-five!", it's:

Otozuki Kei: "Today's performance sponsored by..."--"Kyou no kashikiri,"--「今日の貸切、」

All: "JCB! Royal Straight Flush!!"--"Jeisibi! Roiyaru sutoreito furasshu!!"--「JCB！ロイヤルストレートフラッシュ!!」

~*~

Chie san (Yuzuki Reon), Sayumi san (Kurenai Yuzuru) and Nene chan (Yumesaki Nene) were watching the 11 o'clock show on 9/10 (Sat) in the third row. I was sitting one row in front of them, so I could hear them laugh aloud at the "ranger series performance." :) I bet that Sayumi san got new ideas for her "Kurenai Five." :P

Ohisashiburi. It's been quite a long time since I've posted here... I'm still deeply obsessed with the fandom ;)

Here are some epoch-making lines from Nijinsky.

( Cut for (May-Be) Spoilers )

I went to Mura to see the shonichi of hoshi gumi and saw . . . five performances (i.e. all the performances) in three days ^_^;.

The Treasure Sword of Habsburg was not as good as the original novel--I managed to finish reading it two days prior to the shonichi ^_^;--but Chie san (Yuzuki Reon) was kakkoii and Nene chan (Yumesaki Nene) beautiful.

I was pleasantly surprised that Shiiran (Ichijou Azusa) got a full-length duel scene with Chie san. Miya chan (Miya Rurika)'s role was not as attention-drawing as Shiiran's, with only one or two somber costumes ;_;, but she, after all, is the lead in shinkou! Kimuchi (Aomi Rima) is fairly good-treated; she has many parts to play, and she also gets to sing a short solo.

As to BOLERO, my favorite part is the otokoyaku gunbu danced in tales. The arrangement of the music (Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565, Johann Sebastian Bach) is superb! I also like the way the rosen-otokoyaku, at the beginning of the scene, line up in tandem on the ookaidan--Rika san (Ouki Kaname) is in the front and Makaze (Makaze Suzuho) is the rearmost person--which reminds me of the beauty of a Golden Bridge made by Corum.

( To Chie san's Kindness )

Nikkansports.com has posted an article on Nene chan (Yumesaki Nene). Yay for almost-no-makeup. :)

Oh, my God, Shiiran!!! (@_@)

Because almost half a year is over....

( Let There Be Shows )

We still--rather than only--have half a year left, right? ;)

An interview with Chie (Yuzuki Reon) and Nene (Yumesaki Nene) appeared in a magazine called Engeki Premiere. I like Chie's calm smile on the last page of the article. F-locked scans will follow ;).

Title: Engeki Premiere No. 2
Subtitle: Seibundo Mook
Editor: Engeki Premiere editorial desk
Book size: A4
Number of pages: 136
Price (tax inclusive): JPY1,680
ISBN: 978-4-416-80961-7

Hankyu Travel International Co., Ltd. announced Yumesaki Nene to be its new face. She will be the sixth poster girl taking over for Shirahane Yuri starting June 1, 2009 :).

The press release (PDF) can be found here.

The hoshigumisei seem to have received the script for the first act of Taiou Shijinki last Thursday :). Rather late, because the shuugoubi was on Wednesday May 6, but Ikeko must be busy also working on tsukigumi's Elisabeth.

From what I heard, there will be no "legendary part" which was in hanagumi's version, but infant roles, though they are not listed in the dramatis personae :).

Hoshi gumi shinjin kouen cast has been updated.

- Rurika (Miya Rurika) will be nibante.
- Shiiran (Ichijou Azusa) will play Tomomin (Yumeno Seika) 's role.
- Nene chan (Yumesaki Nene) got Miho Keiko san's role as she had wanted*.
- Nene chan's role will be played by Mariya (Kitori Mariya).
- Kimuchi (Aomi Rima) will play Sayumi (Kurenai Yuzuru) 's role.

* Nene chan was hoping to get Miho Keiko san's role and when everybody asked her, "but don't you have to sing a difficult song?!", she replied, "there is no song in the play for her because she will be singing in the revue." ;)

Congratulations, Rurika and Nene chan; I still hope Shiiran's role is a good one. :)

Saturday, January 24, 11 a.m.:

Mihoko (Ayano Kanami) and Ruirui (Shijou Rui) came to see Moon Troupe's Floating Bridge of Dreams / Apasionado!!. They were sitting in the seats number 40 and 41 in the second row. Mihoko was wearing a knitted off-white dress with a matching cap and was carrying a leopard-print-patterned bag. Her nails were decorated with shiny pink-based nail art. She seemed to be acquainted with the two pairs in the third row sitting right behind her and was greeting them friendly. Mihoko was pretty as usual and Ruirui beautiful.

I was sitting diagonally behind Mihoko and could enjoy a great share of the love she was receiving from the tsukigumisei:

(  To the Dialogue Without Words Between Asako and Mihoko )

Role/Cast/Shinko Cast
Joey B./Aran Kei/Makaze Suzuho
Louise Duane (Lulu)/Toono Asuka/ Aono Yuki

I *do* like her; I really *do*. But on the other hand, I wish I could have seen Ichijo Azusa and Miya Rurika play ichibante and nibante roles. * sniffles*

I nicked this from kalen9. ;)

( Let There Be Shows )

Happy New Year to everyone (*^_^*) !

Tuesday, September 2, 2008:

Last Tuesday was Shinjin Kouen. The three leading actresses were all quite immature but they had significantly improved since the shinkou in Takarazuka, which I had seen on Sky Stage. Despite the clumsy performance, the show was very touching, just as a shinkou should be. :)

My seat happened to be next to the parents of Yuzuru Kurenai and when Sayumi delivered her speech, they were wiping their eyes, which moved me, too, to tears. (;_;)

Here is the usual "daily special" for those who are intersted.

( Percy's stylish outfit for Chauvelin: Not really spoilers but cut by way of precaution. )

During the weekend, I've seen some more Pimpernel. Here are the "daily specials" for those who are interested. You can find the first part and explanation here.

( Percy's stylish outfit for Chauvelin: Not really spoilers but cut by way of precaution. )

There have been eight performances of The Scarlet Pimpernel at Tokyo Takarazuka Theater since the first day and I've seen six of them...! I'm surprised at myself that I can't get enough of the show. The more I see it, the more I like it.

Here are Kei Aran's "daily specials" for those who are interested.

( Percy's stylish outfit for Chauvelin: Not really spoilers but cut by way of precaution. )

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Last Sunday, I went to see hana gumi (Love and Death in Arabia/Red Hot Sea). To be honest, I liked neither the play nor the show very much: The play had far too little plot (well, I expect *some* plot, *some*) and in the show, the kuro nuri was far too dark and there were hardly any costume that made the performers look at least as kakkoii or kawaii as they are.

But I was happy to see that the young otokoyaku such as Manato Asaka (*1) were as kirakira as usual, and contented myself with having at last seen the legendary thumbs-up-dance that the tsuki gumi sei were cracking up about when I had a chance to talk to them during Me and My Girl. This is the dance performed by Sei Matobu and the cavalrymen at the Bedouin campsite, and it seems to be very famous among the Takarasiennes because as soon as it was choreographed, everybody told their contemporaries what a silly dance they will be performing in their next hana gumi show. :D

(*1) I also saw the shinjin kouen on Tuesday, July 29. I like Manato Asaka and think very highly of her, but every time I see her shinko, I can't help wondering if I ever saw a Takarasienne as resplendent as Maa kun who, at the same time, is as poor at acting *and* dancing *and* singing as her. (^_^; But I do like her. *repeats*

Saturday, July 19-Monday, July 21

Last Friday, I suddenly decided I wanted to see The Scarlet Pimpernel and headed for mura on Saturday, taking advantage of the three-day weekend--although I didn't have a single ticket. I ended up watching TSP, Singing in the Rain, and Junjou, all of which were excellent; I'm really glad I went. When they play TSP in Tokyo, I'll definitely be around Hibiya almost every weekend. :)

I'll be going to Hakata to see Me and My Girl on the weekend of Saturday, August 2 and Sunday, August 3. Yay!

From Sanspo website: [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8], & [9]

Bonus: Taki-san

Sunday, July 6, 2008

So Mihoko retired. Her last performance was outstanding. She was actually living as Sally. I had the feeling I have not, for a long time, seen her smile as heartily as during the last show of "Me and My Girl."

The long day, which had began with iri-machi, followed by the last show and de-machi, was concluded with the farewell party held at Tokyo Kaikan, where most of the tsuki gumi Takarasiennes showed up to congratulate her.

Here, I would like to introduce some of the farewell greetings:

( To the comments of Asako, Ahi, and Sonoka )

Mihoko san, otsukare sama deshita!