Update + Buying goods

These last couple of weeks have been so hard!

My laptop broke (twice) so I am currently using my friend's iPad, which I am really not used to.
On top of that I got sick (twice) and still am.

As a further disappointment, I didn't manage to get a single ticket for the Takarazuka show The Stars, which I wanted to watch really badly. It will be held at the Takarazuka Grand Theater on the 21st and 22nd of December and all top stars from all troupes will take part in it. As it's a once in a year opportunity to see them all at once, I did expect it to be difficult to get the tickets... but I didn't expect them to be sold out the minute the sale begun.
What pisses me off most (please forgive my vocabulary, but saying it makes me angry wouldn't fully convey the extent of my irritation) is that some tickets have been put up for auction at incredibly high prices. How can fans do that to other fans? I'm sure that I am not the only one who has been cut off by this unfairness... but hey, nothing can be done about it. Ruthless people can be found everywhere, that's the truth, no matter how sad it is.

I was actually planning to post some nice screenshots of the Legend of the Galactic Heroes, but since my laptop's dead, I am not able to do that as of now.
So I had to think of another topic. Actually, a comment to my previous post helped me get an idea: how to buy Takarazuka goods?

Well, I suppose that not everybody reads the comments to my posts, so it might be a good idea to write a post about it.

For those of you who live outside Japan, there are two options that I know of: ask a friend who is/goes to Japan to buy it for your or use a shopping service.
Unfortunately I cannot find the website of the shopping service I used to rely on when I was living in Europe, sorry. But I do know it was called TS associates. They have always been very kind and efficient.
At any rate, many shopping services that deal with Japanese products can be found online, so you might want to try asking them if they can provide Takarazuka goods.
Of course, the inconvenient of using a shopping service is that prices will inevitably be higher than the actual price of the goods.
If you are interested in Takarazuka magasines, such as Takarazuka Graph and Le Cinq, I suggest you to have a look at cd japan's magasine subscription services. I used to subscribe to Takarazuka Graph through them and I was pleased with their service.

If you are lucky enough to live in Japan (or to travel to Japan) more options are available.
First of all, you can visit the official Quatre Reves shops. If you do, I advise you to bring with you only a set amount of money... I ended up spending a lot more than I planned when I went there!
There are several Quatre Reves shops: one in Tkarazuka-shi, two in Tokyo, one in Osaka, one in Nagoya and one in Fukuoka.
You can find the full addresses here: http://tca-pictures.com/quatre/shop/
At Quatre Reves shops you can buy all sorts of goods: from CDs and DVDs to postcards and posters, from show-related official goods to top-star official goods and more.

If you are too lazy to go to one of these shops (which, let me tell you, would be a shame) orifice so e reason you cannot go there (which would be a great pity), then it is also possible to buy goods online through the tca website. Usually you need a Japanese credit card in order to buy goods from Japanese websites, but luckily the tca website also accepts foreign credit cards. So, potentially, it is possible to use this website from abroad, but the problem is that I believe they do not accept foreign shipping addresses (correct me if I'm wrong... I'd be very glad to be wrong!)
The website is as follows: http://www.tca-pictures.net/I have ordered some goods from them before and the service was great!

Of course the website is in Japanese, so it might be a problem if you don't know the language.
If you need help, please don't hesitate to contact me!


One more thing: if there is any topic which interests you, please let me know!
Of course I myself still have much to learn about Zuka, but I would be glad to help as much as I can ;)

Now I must bid you good night... I fear that my fever might rise again!
Thanks for reading! <3

P.S. Please forgive me if the format's weird or if there are weird misspellings... I am really not used to using an iPad!

LEGEND OF THE GALACTIC HEROES @TAKARAZUKA

It's been over two months since I last posted something and it feels like a horribly long time.

Honestly, I do have a good excuse for the delay: I have left my job and moved to Kyoto, where I am going to be studying for a while. Moving and saying goodbye to everybody has taken up quite a lot of my time. Now I have almost finished settling in my new apartment, and I can start breathing again.

As you probably already know, Kyoto is pretty close to Takarazuka - of course this is not the main reason why I have chosen to come here, but it has certainly had a degree of influence on my choice of city.

And here come the relevant news: on Friday I have been to the Grand Theater to watch the Legend of the Galactic Heroes!

It has been my first time watching a Takarazuka live, and let me tell you: it's an incredible experience.

I know it sounds obvious, but it truly is so much better than what one can gather from the DVDs that I am at a loss for words strong enough to describe it.

What really is astonishing is that I believe the singing sounds even better live.

It was my first time not only at the Grand Theater, but also in Takarazuka, and I have found both the theater and the city very pretty.

The theater doesn't look that great from the outside, but the inside is actually really nice. I expected it to be a lot more over-the-top, but it isn't. It's elegant and... well, very grand indeed.

But the important part is the show... and I have no clue about how to start.

It has been an amasing, dream-like experience.

To be frank, at first I was a bit sceptical when I heard that they would make a Takarazuka based on a sci-fi story. I must also say that I was particularly displeased as it is Kaname's first show as top star (and as you have certainly already guessed, she is my absolute favourite 'sienne). Nevertheless, I decided to give it a shot - curiosity won against my disbelieving side. I am glad it did.

The plot was actually pretty interesting and a lot deeper than I thought -if any fan of the anime reads this, I sincerely apologise: I did thing that it would be just meaningless flying and killing, but I am ready to confess that I was utterly wrong.

The setting was fabulous. They found some very original ways to make the audience feel the movement of the spaceships and to make it credible. Of course, the fight scenes were just a minor part of the show, but those were the scenes that I worried most about. They were magnificent. The truly great thing is that they were also different from anything I had ever seen before.

I don't wish to spoiler too much, but just try imagining screens, laser lights and steam...

...then mix all this with some terrific costumes. They were similar to those in the anime, but with a Zuka touch to them which made them breathtaking. There was the right amount of glitter, the right amount of  swishing capes (only one, actually, but still, it was the right amount), the right amount of stern military uniforms.

Let's not forget the music, which was perfection. There were some really nice tunes, and, as I stated earlier, the voices of the actresses were even better than what I expected. And let me tell you: my expectations were really high on that score.

I was left speechless by the fact that all the voices blended together so well.

I am afraid that this isn't a very complete review of the show, but as I said, I am afraid to spoiler too much.

Let me just add a couple of things:

1. I hope that they will make a sequel... it's not just that it would be nice, I believe that the show actually needs it in order to feel complete.

2. I feel that a huge CONGRATULATIONS must be said to all of soragumi: the new troupe is stronger than I could have ever imagined.

I am also very pleased with Misaki Rion, even though I would have loved for her to have a bit more of space within the show. But anyway, I can now safely say that she's not only gorgeous, she's also an excellent 'sienne.

There would still be so much more to say, but I'm afraid that I might bore you. Besides, it's really late here and I haven't been sleeping much of late due to jetlag.

I might write another post adding details later on, but I can't promise it.

What I am sure I will do, is to publish the pictures of all the goods I have bought :D

As for now, please have a look at the pics of the theater and its surroundings.

There is also a photo of Kaname... though I am aware that it is impossible to recognise her and that the photo is blurred. I shall post it all the same, because it's the only proof I have that I saw her leave the theater ;)

I am sorry for the quality of the photos, I didn't have my best camera on me. I hope you enjoy them anyway!

Cheers!

Higher than the Sky of Paris

Two friends of mine got married in Paris on Saturday the 18th.

For anybody who is not from there (such as myself), a wedding in Paris sounds like the most glamorous event ever. Honestly, it was really nice.

The church was gorgeous (église Saint-Étienne-du-Mont) and both of my friends were really well dressed - he looked like a 19th century gentleman, and there is nothing I like better!

The dinner was awesome as well. The location was the Pavillon Royal in the Bois de Boulogne: doesn't just the sound of it give you frissons of excitement?

Traveling to Paris is glamorous, and doing so by train adds to its old-fashioned appeal... besides, at least from where I live, it is cheaper than going by plane.

Once the means of transportation had been chosen, my next concern was what to do to kill time on my way there.

I tend to sleep on trains and planes, I fall asleep the instant I sit down, but when going to Paris one has to keep an air of dignity (sleeping on the train with my head twisted at an odd angle and my mouth wide open would have definitely ruined the air of glamour surrounding my journey).

I quickly found an excellent option to slumber: watching a Takarazuka. It's always an excellent option to almost anything, I believe.

But of course, the show had to be chosen carefully. I came across one that fit perfectly the profile that I wanted my journey to have: "Higher than the Sky of Paris". Could any show fit any better?

*MIGHT CONTAIN SPOILERS*

"Higher than the Sky of Paris" is a comedy about two swindlers who meet Gustave Eiffel.

It was enacted by the Moon troupe in 2007.

The main actresses were Sena Jun, Oozora Yuuhi, Kiriya Hiromu and Ayano Kanami: Sena Jun and Ayano Kanami were top stars at that time, Oozora Yuuhi and Kiriya Hiromu are the current top stars of Cosmos and Moon troupe (though both of them are going to retire soon).

Seeing these great actresses on the same stage is definitely worthwhile.

They are really different one from another, but they all are equally talented.

I guess you could say that "Higher than the Sky of Paris" is not your typical Takarazuka - or at least, it's not the most popular kind of Takarazuka.

It is not my favourite kind of story either, but I must admit that it was entertaining.

In this show, you will not find great romance or intense, dramatic scenes, but it is definitely worth watching if you feel like having a laugh.

The plot is rather simple yet unexpected (two swindlers helping Gustave Eiffel to build the famous Tour Eiffel, isn't that unexpected?) and interesting.

It gives room to quite a few funny, and in some cases moving, moments.

I like the fact that the swindlers, Armand and Georges Jacquet (Sena Jun and Oozora Yuuhi) at first seem to be rather ruthless, though silly, but prove to be quite sensitive (and even dumber than they seemed) as the story goes on.

One thing that I didn't really like is that most of it was acted out, but not sang.

There were two main songs plus a few other little tunes, but nothing extraordinary. Catchy, though, very catchy. I kept singing over and over the main songs for a couple of days.

It honestly is a pity that there were not more songs, because all of the actresses are really great singers - especially Kiriya Hiromu, her voice is amasing.

Despite the fact that there was not enough music for my taste, they acted so well that I didn't get bored at all. The three main characters were great.

I especially liked Georges Jacquet (Oozora Yuuhi) and Gustave Eiffel (Kiriya Hiromu), the first for its funny stupidity, the second because of its awkwardness. It was really effective.

I had already seen Oozora Yuuhi in some other performances, but never in this kind of role. She did a lot better than I thought she would. Since I was used to see her in more serious roles (such as my beloved Sora in "Shangri-la") I honestly didn't expect much from this character... but I loved it. She performed really well: the tone of her voice, her facial expression and her movements, they all were really convincing.

As for Kiriya Hiromu, I must admit her looks don't really appeal to me so I had not watched any show starring her yet. Unexpectedly, her dishevelled Eiffel was great. She really looked like some kind of mad scientist and the way she stuttered was really funny. Besides, as I said before, I was really impressed with her voice, probably the best out of the three main characters.

Sena Jun was, of course, really good. I had only watched her in "Elisabeth" before so I couldn't really imagine what she would be like as Armand Jacquet - a character so different from Der Tod! I was pleased, though I liked her better as Der Tod... but I guess that's because "Elizabeth" is closer to my taste.

Ayano Kanami's character, the flower-girl Mimi, didn't really stand out much. She didn't have a lot of importance for the main stream of the plot, though she was essential for the development of a few side scenes that were both moving and funny.

Anyway, she's cute and her voice is good, but there's not much more to say about her performance, I think.

I believe it's also worth mentioning Izumo Aya's performance. I had already seen her in some shows ( I mainly recall her in "Phantom" and "The Rose of Versailles") and I have always liked her very much. She's really skilled and her voice is simply awesome.

Overall, it was a really refreshing show.

The songs and dances that were performed before the beginning of the story (which actually startled me... aren't this kind of scenes usually played at the end of the show?) were nice. The song "Champagne" was a bit stereotypical (it does seem like Japanese people often associate France with Champagne, romance and glamour, doesn't it?) and the fact that the couple dance was a Pasodoble confirmed the fact that sometimes Japanese people really have a confused idea of what Europe is like - what's a Pasodoble got to do with France??

Anyway, it's not one of my favourite shows but, as I said earlier, it is worth watching if what you're looking for is a show that will make you laugh.

Besides, the quality of the performance is high, so I do not regret watching it at all :)

Welcome to the world of Takarazuka!

宝塚の世界へようこそ！

Whether you are a "veteran" fan of Takarazuka, a new adept or even if you know nothing about this colourful world, I hope you will enjoy reading my thoughts and reviews!

There are so many different aspects to Takarazuka ("Zuka" in short) that one just never knows enough about it, and it is very difficult to decide where to start from when explaining what it is.

Honestly, when I start talking about my passion for Zuka to people, they don't really get what I find so fascinating about it and they sort of freak out.

I guess that to understand the charm of this world you need to watch some of its shows first.

Maybe you also need to have some kind of natural inclination towards androgen characters, kitsch costumes, grand atmospheres and aesthetics that don't belong to your own culture (as far as my knowledge goes, the aesthetics of Takarazuka do not really fit into Japanese aesthetics either, so it could be considered "foreign" even to them).

But first things first: what is Takarazuka?

Takarazuka is a Japanese type of theater that features musicals played only by female actresses.

Having only male actors is something that most people have heard of (think of Kabuki or even of European theater up to the XVII century), but having only female actresses is a lot more rare.

So in Takarazuka you have women playing both female (musumeyaku) and male (otokoyaku) roles.

The actresses attend a special school during two years in which they have dancing, singing and acting classes.

During that period, the stage sex of the actresses is decided according to their physical appearance, skills and (though it is not as important a factor as the others) personal preference.

Once their stage sex is decided, they will stick to it (even when they are not on stage) until they leave their troupe.

It is rather rare to have actresses play both female and male roles, but it is not unprecedented.

There are five Takarazuka troupes:

花組 - Flower troupe

雪組 - Snow troupe

星組 - Star troupe

月組 - Moon troupe

宙組 - Cosmos troupe

Actresses often switch from one troupe to another at some point, they sometimes switch between several of them during their career.

Each troupe has its own top stars: one otokoyaku and one musumeyaku.

The top stars play the lead roles in the shows of their troupe with few exceptions.

The "real" top star is only one, though: the otokoyaku top star. The otokoyaku have a higher status compared to the musumeyaku and they usually have a wider fan-base as well.

The musicals played in Takarazuka are often set abroad, mainly in Europe, and the genre is predominantly romance.

Some of them are based on famous manga (such as "The Rose of Versailles"), others on existing musicals (such as "Elisabeth" or "Romeo and Juliette") and some are original Takarazuka productions (e.g. "Never say goodbye").

The costumes are stunning, sometimes getting to a pitch of kitsch-ness that is almost unbelievable. They love sequins, rhinestones and feathers.

You might wonder now about what is there to Takarazuka that fascinates me so much.

1. The actresses are incredibly skilled. Of course, some are "better" than others and I do have my favourites and my, let's say, "not-so-favourites", but overall the level is amasingly high.

I am not a singing, dancing or acting expert, so I cannot go in detail, but my impression is that they do extremely well in all these fields.

2. The otokoyaku. Their mere existance is one good reason to watch Takarazuka. Some of them are so good at what they do that I can't get myself to think of them as women - given that their purpose is precisely to enact men, isn't that a wonderful thing?

I must say, their "male" performance is strongly stereotyped (and so is the musumeyaku's "female" performance) but still, there is some kind of "magic" to it that is difficult to put into words.

The musumeyaku are not one of the reasons I like Takarazuka, though for some people they are. Don't misunderstand me: I believe them to be excellent at what they do, but somehow I am not as impressed with them as I am with the otokoyaku.

3. I love musicals. I guess that, if I didn't, I probably could not stand Takarazuka. But, given that I am absolutely a huge fan of musicals, I really appreciate the variety of their shows: they go from comedy to drama, from sci-fi to traditional stories. Besides, they perform about 3 shows per troupe every year! One can just never get bored.

4. I loooove romance, and I like it the "old-way". Yes, even when it's cheesy.

Of course, everyone has their own reasons to like Takarazuka and I don't mean to say that your reasons for liking it should be the same as mine.

I simply hope that, if you were not sure whether to plunge into the world of Takarazuka or not, I have motivated you to go for it!

Last but not least, if you want to learn more about Takarazuka, I suggest you to visit the TakaWiki. You'll find loads of interesting information there!

P.S. The picture I have uploaded for this post is of Wao Youka, my absolute favourite otokoyaku, in the show "Phantom" (2004).