#end of the year takarazuka tag

[fayegumi]

End of the Year Takarazuka Tag: Day 5

Wings of the Heart: Favourite fandom memory (this could be a fun stream experience, going to the theatre with friends, all collectively freaking out about something together, anything really!)

An easy one! Sort of...

I could go and say, "being able to meet some of you guys irl and do so many fun things!" But I guess that might be too general... I'll be a bit more specific in a second, but first I just wanted to thank everyone I've met through Takarazuka, in person or not. All of you have made Takarazuka something that I enjoy and look forward to on a more personal level. In person, being able to meet-up, browse QR and Taka-an, just chat... it's one of the things I look forward to the most. Online, just talking with everyone, making predictions, memes, everything. It's such a blessing to be apart of this fandom and I'm thankful every day for how welcoming everyone has been!

But to go ahead and pick *one* (because I think it's hilarious)

That time I went to see Gatsby live with @beccalendsahand ! We each made a Chinatsu and Michiru deco (Me Michiru, Her Chinatsu) and basically took them on a little "date" so-to-speak.

Then, a few weeks later, Michiru was announced as the musumeyaku lead for Chinatu's show, Elpidio!

I know it doesn't seem too special saying it out loud, but to me, I was so excited for my two Tsuki favs to have a lead together, and that outing to see Gatsby with Becca was such a blast, then later being able to add a fun to joke on how we manifested the whims of hank to make the perfect combi, just adds another level of special to it for me.

(Also Elpidio was amazing)

Thank you to everyone for always being so kind, I hope to make plenty more memories in the future!

[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!

[beccalendsahand]

End of Year Takarazuka Tag 2022

Last year I created a 14 question Takarazuka tag, and I thought it would be fun to bring it back for 2022! You can do this tag however you please, I know some people did it on twitter and as a daily tag, others posted it all at once, there are no rules it's just a fun way to talk about the things you loved this year! Please tag it #endofyearzukatag2022 so we can look at each others and a link back to this post so people can find the questions and have a go themselves! The questions are basically the same as last year but I did add an extra question!

1. Sumire no Hana: Did you find a new favourite this year? (Either someone who has entered the company this year or someone who has been in the company a while but you have only just become a fan, or both!) Optional bonus question for those that did the tag last year: Who did you put this question in 2021, are you still following them and how have they grown as an actor/person in 2022?

2. Never Say Goodbye: Which taidansha was the hardest for you to say goodbye to this year?

3. Material Girl: Favourite piece of merch (most treasured Takarazuka thing you have bought yourself this year, OR if you didn’t buy anything this year, a piece of merch that is on your wish list)

4. Mon Paris: Did you discover a new fav show that was not from this year? (This can be any fav show that you saw for the first time this year that was released before 2022)

5. Wings of the Heart: Favourite fandom memory (this could be a fun stream experience, going to the theatre with friends, all collectively freaking out about something together, anything really!)

6. Where is God (kami wa dokoni): What Hankyu announcement shocked you the most this year?

7. The Final Dance (Saigo no Dansu): What was your favourite duedan of the year?

8. My Everlasting Dream: What show have you rewatched the most this year?

9. Fascinating Rhythm: What zuka song has been stuck in your head all year?

10. Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend: What was your favourite costume(s) of the year?

11. Cool Beast!!: what was the most ridiculous costume(s) your saw this year

12. Greatest Moment: A special moment on stage that stayed with you

And finally, the big ones:

13. Musical: What was your favourite musical (one act or two act or both you want!) of the year?

14. Revue: What was your favourite revue of the year?

[rivalsforlife]

Hannah @musicalpancakes77 tagged me in one of these fic memes:

RULES: Make a new post with the names of all the files in your WIP folder, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. Let people send you an ask with the title that most intrigues them, and then post a little snippet or tell them something about it! Then tag as many people as you have WIPs.

I'm going to cheat a bit because a) I don't think I've worked on an AA fic for over a year b) my in-progress AA fics folder has uhhhh 56 documents. which is too much. so I'm only going to include things that have more than just plotting + a scene because that is the majority of what's in that folder, orrr anything where I might have something to say about it. with again the caveat that these things can be up to six years old (and six years abandoned).

Not all of these are AA (which is obvious for a couple of them). I am only actively working on one of these things.

Please don't judge my naming system.

-

April 3rd

awkward mom lunches

Bad End AU / continuing to embarrass myself

Conflicts of Interest

Cruise Murdership

dadworth epic

Deep Dark Secrets 2

DL-6 20 Year Anniversary

faraskye fic

Fey Family Drama

Franmaya week 2021

IWAA

Lawsbians

Lawyers being bad at undercover operations

Lawyers being terrible at law and at feelings

Lawyers investigating and being bad at it

maedhros vs the line of luthien

Miles Ahead

Narumitsu 20 Year Anniversary (of the class trial)

Narumitsu over the years

Nrmt week 2021

PLVSAA AU

PLVSAA AU ALT

ray/kate time

Sigh. THIEF AU

spirit quest

superhero project

takarazuka musical threequel

Telepathic Soulmate AU

The Long Run

-

I am not tagging "as many people as I have wips" that's just going to get weird. but if anybody hasn't been tagged yet and wants to do it go for it!!

[raphaelly]

End of Year Zuka Tag 2023 Part 2

3. Never Say Goodbye: Which taidansha did you find the hardest for you to say goodbye to this year? 

Timewise, the first one has to be Kazumi Shou's taidan... she was one of hanagumi's best singers, both mature and cool on stage, and she brought something truly special by her presence alone. Her taidan role in Singing Loverbirds was perfect though and her funny and touching dynamic with Hoshikaze Madoka was imo the highlight of the show!

The second one was Arisa Hitomi's, I was wishing she'd stay forever 😭 Unparalleled voice, amazing acting, and a genuinely sweet personality, it's just impossible not to love Kuracchi. She was one of those non top musumes the company allowed to shine and she truly felt like a star. To hear her sing that solo as Marie Antoinette in 1789 made me a tear up for real...

4. Material Girl: Favourite piece of merch (most treasured Takarazuka thing you have bought yourself this year, OR if you didn’t buy anything this year, a piece of merch that is on your wish list)

I have very little merch dfjhv but this year was the first year I bought stills and bromides from QR! It took more than 2 months to arrive lmao but I'm still so happy to have all these high quality pics of my faves. And for christmas I treated myself to Madoka's photobook, it should hopefully be on its way now 👀

5. Mon Paris: Did you discover a new fav show that was not from this year? (This can be any fav show that you saw for the first time this year that was released before 2022)

I must have discovered a bunch of older shows but the one that stood out to me the most was Never Say Goodbye (2006). The Spanish Civil War and fascism at large are difficult topics, especially for a company like Takarazuka that doesn't have the best track record when it comes to handling these issues with care when so much revolves around making siennes look cool, no matter what they play. But NSG felt spot on for me. Without making any sienne play any fascist, it managed to portray the importance of resistance against fascism while still showing the difficulties of organising armed resistance without (too much) infighting. Also Wildhorn has never not made a banger, all the songs slap.

6. Wings of the Heart: Favourite fandom memory (this could be a fun stream experience, going to the theatre with friends, all collectively freaking out about something together, anything really!)

Most probably the first (and only so far) international-friendly livestream we've had on BeyondLive for James Bond. The excitment was palpable lol and personally I was so happy to have any "official" subs at all, even if of so-so quality. They gave us some top tier memes and memories, plus the general emotions of seing Makaze Suzuho and Jun Hana taidan (my first top combi taidan!), I was happy to be a fan that day and to have this community.

7. The Final Dance (Saigo no Dansu): What was your favourite duedan of the year?

Frozen Holiday, hands down. Ayakaze Sakina and Yumeshiro Aya, and other pairs, dancing while Howl's Moving Castle's theme plays in the background, it feels magical. And with the news of saki taidanning on the next GT, it's now even more important to me.

[mizusjawline]

End of Year Zuka Tag 2023

So, the end of year zuka prompt list has crossed my dash and this sounds fun! I can't wait to see everyone else's contributions as well as watching my contributions change over the years!

For myself, I'd like to kickstart by talking about how my relationship to zuka has changed over the course of the year. Although I'd discovered zuka abt a year and a half ago, I've only really started getting into it this year. Getting into zuka has been......a complicated ride for me, closely intwined with the ups and downs of my mental health. I have never had a more intense fandom experience, one that has taken so much out of me, nor one that has been so rewarding.

When I look back on old diary entries, I am shocked by how critically and scathingly I wrote about zuka. Sentences like: "I need to stop watching Takarzuka", or, "It'll rott my brain and kill all my braincells", "The otokoyaku are unconvincing", "tacky and tasteless".

It breaks my heart to read that these old entries are full of self loathing for the simple act of loving something. I hated myself so much for being fascinated by zuka and I hated zuka for entrancing me. A pang goes out for one-year-ago-me, who, in such a difficult time of her life, had discovered something so wonderful and had not been able to respond in any way other than distrust and self hatred.

At the time, when I discovered zuka, I'd never seen anything like it. There is nothing more sparkly or more unashamedly over the top and glamorous than zuka. Nothing that has a greater ability to whisk me away into a world of dreams and cotton candy, ostrich feathers and happy endings. I was completely overwhelmed.

And yet, despite my hostile feelings, I could not stop watching it. "Takarazuka came to me in a time of crisis and knocked me into even more of a crisis. I had found a guiding light for myself. But at the time, my eyes were so accustomed to the pitch blackness, I was almost blinded by its brightness."

Then came my two months stay at a mental health ward. Slowly, I stopped feeling ashamed for loving zuka. Times at the clinic were often rough. Digging up old trauma was often painful. And being able to watch Takarazuka was an indispensable source of comfort. Prompted by my therapy, I started asking myself questions: "why do I hate myself?", "why do I hate myself for loving things?".

For me, learning to love things without feeling ashamed for it is a learning process that will take me many years. But thanks to Takarzuka , I'm already on a good road. Zuka has become an old friend and traveling companion to me, whom I love with all my heart.

My parents raised me to hate anything that lay outside the family comfort zone. And lemme tell you that zuka lies. Waaaaaaaaay outside the family comfort zone. I admire the courage it took one-year-ago me to stick to and continue watching it, despite the negativity it triggered inside her. Being a zuka fan did not come easy for me and I had to fight tooth and claw so that I can now watch it with warmth, passion and joy.

For me, to love Takarazuka is the ultimate act of rebellion against a world that wanted me to hate it. I am a Takarazuka fan. And I am very proud of that.

[littleragondin]

On Repeat Tag Game

I was tagged by @bengiyo and @troubled-mind to put my repeat playlist on Spotify on shuffle and list the first 10 songs. Thank you both! ⸜( *ˊᵕˋ* )⸝

As always it's a little bit all over the place, but here are my 10!

aeseaes - Carrion Comfort

I have liked all aeseaes songs I have heard so far. This one I heard for the first time as I was re-reading Abarat by Clive Barker, where the villain (who fascinated me as a teen) is called Christopher Carrion, and the song has been haunting me since. Also I can't resist some cannibalism imagery.

Luther Vandross - Your Secret Love

Haha okay, so maybe I listened to this one on loop while I was working on my Love in Translation's gifset. I just really, really like this song - I am a sucker for love songs, and he is so, so good at it. Plus, what a voice...

안예은 Ahn Ye Eun - 홍련 (紅蓮) HONGRYEON

Alright, I discovered Ahn Ye Eun (kinda) literally two days ago thanks to @petrichoraline and I already have three songs of hers in the on repeat (the other 2 are Trumpet Creeper and Changgwi). She has an incredible voice, her instrumentals are so rich, and I adore how she plays around with horror themes and traditional myths. I am a little obsessed. (I'd recommend going down the comms a little, someone translated the lyrics and gave a few notes)

Debout sur le zinc - La déclaration

That's my favorite song of theirs and one of my favorite love song period. It's very sweet, but my favorite is the ending verse where he says. "It's a bit of a declaration [of love] even if I know that you're not/ the remedy nor the solution, just a splint on my arm/that small thing linking us to others when we don't do well/an ultimate language of survival that put the world back on its axis" - recognizing that love won't heal him entirely but is still necessary for him to survive.

Jonathan Hultén - Where Devils Weep

I cannot for the life of me remember how I found this one, but the sorrowful music with those, in the end, hopeful lyrics have been a pick me up the past week.

Déportivo - Les Bières Aujourd'hui S'ouvrent Manuellement

Deportivo is a french rock band from my teen years, so this cover is a bit of a throwback. This is a quietly sad song about a man realizing that his long term relationship has run its course - "It will always be a mystery to me/how the body get used to it/when love dies slowly". It talk about the very mundane things (his partner turning their back at him when they go to bed, the clicking of their spoon the only sound between them as they dine) that made him realize they are not in love anymore.

The Real Zebos – Puttin' On the Ritz

Tons of covers of this song exist (I do love Taco's version from like 1982 I think). This one came up in the spotify recs and it clicked for me. Love the singer's voice, and it feels fresh without losing it's original vibe.

Simon & Garfunkel - America

I have slowly been working my way through Simon & Garfunkel's discography over the last few months -because all their songs I grew up with I love. But since I discovered this one, it's a go to when I feel down and I need something for comfort (there is something that makes me feel heard in "Katie I'm lost I said though I knew she was sleeping. I'm empty and aching and I don't know why").

เงา (SHADOW) - LAZYLOXY

Guess what show I'm excited for!!!!! Joke aside, I put Lazyloxy's opening for Rakdiao on loop for weeks when I watched that show, so the moment this came out spotify stuffed it under my nose and I really like it!

Elisabeth (2005) - Marktplatz in Wien (Milch)

Like last year, October somehow means I start putting the 2005 live recording in Vienna of Elisabeth on repeat. I love musicals, and I have a special relationship to this one (it's the musical that got me into Takarazuka and my first German musical). This song always scratches the itch perfectly so I listen to it even more than the rest of the album (all songs with Lucheni are top tiers for me)

If you feel like doing it, I will tag @petrichoraline, @sparklyeyedhimbo, @scienceoftheidiot, @howdydowdy, and @iguessitsjustme !

[lunarharp]

long romantic baddy comic which i guess is like a retelling of some stuff from pocky’s POV idk. had a lot of fun making it :) cw character death bc yeah

[kittychan-sings-enka]

made this while working on the economics project from hell

you’re welcome

i might fine-tune it a bit and reupload later but right now it’s 4 am and i want validation ;A;

(music: ‘Bara wa Utsukushiku Chiru’ metal cover by Kamijo)

[fayegumi]

End of the Year Takarazuka Tag: Day 8

My Everlasting Dream: What show have you rewatched the most this year?

Golden Desert

I've watched this show 5 times this year. Do I love this show? Yes. Am I ashamed? Maybe.

Bonus!

Alice's Lover

Since I subbed it, I've ended up streaming it so many times. I've watched it a total of... 4 times this year? I think?

Not complaining since I worked so hard on the subs, and it's a show I love a lot!

Mirio and Chapi are so cute together... Mirio's 5th wife ♡( ◡‿◡ )

Other shows I've watched a ton this year are: The Poe Clan (most rewatched of all time), Sekkasho, Spring Snow, Me and My Girl 2016

[beccalendsahand]

End of Year Takarazuka Tag 2023

That's right it's back baby! Year 3! I thought it would be nice to share some positivity in the fandom so I have updated the tag for 2023, largely the same but I have tweaked a couple questions.

As always you can do this tag how you like, you can do it as one question per day, as one big post, you name it! Also, feel free to do this on twitter and instagram, basically do what you like!

Please tag it #endofyearzukatag2023 so we can look at each others, and link back to this post so more people can find it! Thank you!

1. Sumire no Hana: Did you find a new favourite this year? (Either someone who has entered the company this year or someone who has been in the company a while but you have only just become a fan, or both!) Optional bonus question for those that did the tag last year: Who did you put this question in 2022, are you still following them and how have they grown as an actor/person in 2023?

2. Ai sore wa... : Tell us about your number one! What's been your favourite role of theirs this year?

3. Never Say Goodbye: Which taidansha was the hardest for you to say goodbye to this year?

4. Material Girl: Favourite piece of merch (most treasured Takarazuka thing you have bought yourself this year, OR if you didn’t buy anything this year, a piece of merch that is on your wish list)

5. Mon Paris: Did you discover a new fav show that was not from this year? (This can be any fav show that you saw for the first time this year that was released before 2022)

6. Wings of the Heart: Favourite fandom memory (this could be a fun stream experience, going to the theatre with friends, all collectively freaking out about something together, anything really!)

7. The Final Dance (Saigo no Dansu): What was your favourite duedan of the year?

8. My Everlasting Dream: What show have you rewatched the most this year?

9. Fascinating Rhythm: What zuka song has been stuck in your head all year?

10. Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend: What was your favourite costume(s) of the year?

11. Cool Beast!!: what was the most ridiculous costume(s) your saw this year?

12. Greatest Moment: A special moment on stage that stayed with you

And finally, the big ones:

13. Musical: What was your favourite musical (one act or two act or both you want!) of the year?

14. Revue: What was your favourite revue of the year?

BONUS: The Diamond: "A Play is great, but coupled with a Show: that's divine." Finding a performance with both an amazing revue AND an amazing one-act show is very very difficult. Was there a show this year that did this for you? If so, bestow it the highest honor, The Diamond Award:

[christinescarf]

I posted 400 times in 2021

36 posts created (9%)

364 posts reblogged (91%)

For every post I created, I reblogged 10.1 posts.

I added 62 tags in 2021

#not phantom - 14 posts

#phantom of the opera - 13 posts

#phantom west end - 7 posts

#phantom broadway - 6 posts

#raoulstine - 6 posts

#elisabeth - 4 posts

#love never dies - 4 posts

#takarazuka - 3 posts

#elisabeth das musical - 3 posts

#hadestown - 2 posts

Longest Tag: 131 characters

#but i feel like it's the perfect balance between old and new elisabeth - and making death heinrich heine-like is a wonderful choice

My Top Posts in 2021

#5

i’m not the first to say it, but 

James Gant supremacy

11 notes • Posted 2021-09-25 16:41:59 GMT

#4

funnily enough this is also why Love Never Dies is a complete disaster

15 notes • Posted 2021-12-06 14:03:52 GMT

#3

back on my "overanalyzing POTO" bullshit, because I can, but how beautiful is the lyric "share each day with me, each night, each morning" in "All I Ask of You", especially since Christine sang "all I want is freedom, a world with no more night" just moments before?

it's so stunning, because:

1. Christine has come to terms with the fact that there will always be night, and she cannot escape it, BUT

2. her and Raoul can face the night together. no matter what, she'll share the pain with someone she TRUSTS and LOVES, and he will always be there for her.

Raoul isn't Christine's escape from the night. he won't always provide daylight. but he will make sure she'll make it through the night. and that's the most important thing about their relationship.

and why I believe Love Never Dies never happened.

33 notes • Posted 2021-09-25 17:15:20 GMT

#2

real talk, I'm so glad that, for once, both Broadway and West End has Raouls that just feel real and not like an afterthought. while I could rave about Rhys and his acting for days, John deserves just as much credit. incredibly comforting and caring, he makes the line "there is no Phantom of the Opera" so valid, because for once it's so soft that it's an unmistakable attempt to comfort. with a boy like that, how can you look the other way.

38 notes • Posted 2021-11-15 13:54:35 GMT

#1

just a Thought, but I'm so glad that Rhys Whitfield and Lucy St Louis exist to perpetuate the Raoulstine agenda, and that Rhys Whitfield is such an intelligent Raoul in general, because I have only ever seen Steve Barton pause and look at the Phantom post-Final Lair with a "my god, should we help this man" look, before he hears the mob and realizes his first priority is Christine. but for a second he considers it, he considers either taking him with them or offering a hand, or just thanking him for the one bit of kindness, and it's just so..........Good

82 notes • Posted 2021-09-21 18:16:49 GMT

Get your Tumblr 2021 Year in Review →

holy shit--of course me gushing over Raoul gets the most likes

[margridarnauds]

ronan & olympe for the ship opinions? (also please let your previous anon know that they're the funniest person in the world and i love them)

So…interesting thing, there. And something I’ve been increasingly thinking about as I think back on my last few years of fandom, my evolving feelings towards M/F shipping, and how fandom, as a whole, treats M/F ships. I’m going to apologize in advance for the length since I KNOW you didn’t sign on for 1.5k words of reminiscence. 

Also: BEAGLE ANON, YOU’RE THE FUNNIEST PERSON IN THE WORLD. 

When I first started out with 1789, in about 2015 or so, I was actually pro-Ronan/Olympe. Like, I wanted NOTHING more than fix-it fics where they retired to the country and had babies. I listened to La Guerre Pour se Plaire for HOURS, getting caught in the gothic atmosphere and the passionate, conflicted lyrics. But, at the time, the overall fandom environment was…well. Not conducive to it. And I was young, and I wasn’t strong in my opinions yet, so I stood back and kept it to myself. I think that might be part of why I ended up backing away from 1789 when I did. Yeah, I liked it, but I didn’t have a strong sense of community, and most of the attention, at that time, was in the Mozart, L’Opera fandom, and I wasn’t a major picture there. I attended streams, yeah, but I wasn’t a CONTENT creator, and it was easy for me to fade into the background, I think. Maybe because I was too afraid to be a content creator, back then, because that would involve possibly expressing my own opinions. I accepted that Ronan/Olympe was No bad, terrible, awful based on that desire to fit in, because it was so much EASIER. Just like I accepted that French 1789 was a disaster, that MOR was much better, and that, really, it wasn’t worth the effort. Just an inferior musical. (The problem, of course, was that I NEVER liked MOR as well as I liked 1789. Maybe it’s better put together, but I don’t ENJOY it as much, and imo it drags quite a bit at a few places, a problem shared by its German counterpart.) 

I came back to 1789 around…2017, with the European Musicals Streaming event, with the Takarazuka one totally stealing my heart, specifically Lazare/Ronan. Suddenly, I was IN, and I was creating content. Yeah, most of the French musicals fandom didn’t give a flying fuck that I was creating content, with most of my support coming from my friends and Takarazuka fans, but I was CREATING CONTENT, for the first time since I joined fandom. I was finally starting to figure out my way in fandom, finally starting to get noticed. In 2018……..for reasons I won’t give out, at least publicly, there was a massive rift in the old French musicals fandom, a lot of bridges got burned, and, naturally, I was far enough from the fire. But this DID give me a shot at carving out my own 1789 experience, for once, without them hanging over my shoulder. I do think that the reason why the 1789 fandom’s as strong as it is now is because of that rift, because it left a sort of power vacuum. Suddenly, there was a space for other French musicals, and we didn’t have to worry about the constant comparison to MOR. BUT. Keep in mind. 2-3 years ago, the overwhelming consensus on Ronan was pure, unadulterated hatred. There were a few Ronan content creators in an already small pool, but the general consensus was that Lazare was better in every way and Ronan was a terrible protagonist.  (I know fully well that some old members of the French musicals fandom, to this day, won’t engage with Ronan content. At all. And I can say this as openly as I do because I KNOW they don’t follow me.) As a Peyronan shipper, I was in an awkward place, especially as time went on and I realized that I actually did like the little shit. One half of my OTP was absolutely beloved, one half was hated, and, while there was definitely some content on the Tumblr side of things (I definitely did NOT single-handedly invent the ship out of thin air, I don’t take credit for it, and I’m grateful to everyone who kind of. Took me in), the fan fiction side of things still tended to lean Ronan/Olympe. If, today, it seems like the fandom consensus is Ronan/Lazare, that’s because I fought tooth and nail to get my own place in the fandom. 

I…suppose you could say that I justified my place in the fandom by tossing Ronan/Olympe under the bus. It was easier, that way. It meant that I could forge alliances with anyone who wanted Solène/Olympe instead, though I was still on dangerous ground since I still wanted precious Lazare with Ronan, and, of course, the show would be better without Ronan. (You’ll note that the VERY FIRST fic I ever published on AO3 was Solène/Olympe. Why? Because I knew it would be a safe option to test the waters. That. And I really did just write it the night before my GRE.) But, at least I wasn’t a Ronan/Olympe shipper, right? I was safely gay. (Biphobia, thy name is fandom.) When I talked about Ronan, I talked about him as gay, I talked shit about Ronan/Olympe whenever I had the chance. All properly tagged, of course, in the proper channels. I’ve never been the sort to actively hurt someone who DID ship it, I just took pains to not associate myself with the Icky Het Ship. When I talked about Ronan, I talked about him as GAY, VERY GAY, not a hint of bisexuality to him. Because if he was bi, that might mean that Ronan/Olympe had a leg to stand on, you see? You’ll note that, to this day, I almost never acknowledge Ronan/Olympe as a thing that HAPPENED in any given fic continuities, because it was so much easier if he simply fell into Lazare’s arms instead. Wiping that little spot clean. And. Well. Here I am. About 5 years after I first got into 1789. And, looking back, I wonder if it was REALLY that bad, or if I just nodded my head because it was easy at the time, since it’s only been in the last year that I really, really began to develop my own spine. (Honestly, props to Marie Antoinette the Musical and, specifically, Morléans as a ship for that one.) For the most part, I’m proud of how far the fandom’s come in the last five years, and I’m proud of the work that I, individually, have done to help get it there, whether it was streams, gifs, or fanfics. But sometimes, I do worry that anyone coming in who ships Ronan/Olympe, like I used to…might feel out of place, and I never want to treat them like I was treated back in the day. 

Do I ship it? Not really. That ship’s sailed for me (I didn’t mean to make that a pun but here we are). I’m fairly firmly Lazare/Ronan and Solène/Olympe (though I’m not as firmly pro-the latter as the former, simply because I REALLY don’t have as much material to go off of there.) Not just because of the old pressure, but just because…looking at it in, say, the French cast…there’s really no chemistry there. At all. The Takarazuka Olympe looks mildly terrified to be in Ronan’s presence at any given moment. I DO actually kind of like it in the Toho production, especially with Teppei Koike and Sayaka Kanda, since the two of them fit together SO naturally and their voices are like two pieces of the same puzzle, but I’m not sure it’s something I’d particularly want to create content for. In fact, when I tried to write Ronan/Lazare/Olympe as an OT3, my HARDEST dynamic to write and justify was Ronan/Olympe. I do think that “La Guerre Pour se Plaire” is a stunning song, musically, it’s probably one of my favorite French musical songs. I do kind of tend to see Ronan as gay, simply because Takarazuka Ronan in particular is………..forceful, to the point that I can see him forcing himself to believe he’s in love with Olympe in order to distract himself from Lazare. I feel like the French cast, while arguably realistic in it showing Ronan/Olympe’s relationship having problems, also shows a couple that, really, beyond the physical attraction, couldn’t have made it work had both of them survived. And I feel like fandom, back in the day, was far too willing to take Olympe’s side over Ronan’s in that dispute, ignoring how Olympe’s own relationship to her side of the conflict is…kind of toxic to her. And while Ronan went about it in an ass-backward way (“I will kill your friends and family! To remind you of my love!”)……..he did make some Points. And Toho Ronan/Olympe, particularly Teppei/Sayaka, are more two kids in love who just want to give it a shot. (Kato Kazuki/Nene Yumesaki were more….forceful, manly hero/prim and proper governess with a spine of steel. Which is OKAY, but not really personally as interesting to me.) I do give the Toho credit for really, really making me see that, okay, it might not be for me, but it CAN work on stage. Mostly. (I still hate that forced kiss.) 

 I will say that there are times where I find myself writing Lazare rather similarly to Olympe in terms of him going through the same feelings of guilt, shame, and duty, and I’m just like “....hm. What have I really changed? Did I just substitute Lazare’s face for Olympe because it was easier? Or copied the existing dynamic and pasted a dude’s face over Olympe’s?” (I do think that there are definitely DIFFERENCES to Olympe VS Lazare, it’s just...eerie in those individual moments.) I do think, at the end of the day, the story of forbidden love during the French Revolution....we’ve HAD it before, in the La Revolution Française musical, and in my opinion it does work best as a queer narrative. And, unfortunately, Ronan/Olympe just...isn’t developed particularly well enough on stage to justify it as an EPIC ROMANCE. 

Overall, I think that I’m fairly settled in my ways at this point, but I also don’t hate it to the extent that I once did. It’ll never be my favorite, I can’t really see them getting married and having kids, and, frankly, the relationship just isn’t as interesting to me as the alternatives since we’ve SEEN it played out on screen, and I can’t really see myself making content for it or really engaging with it in any meaningful way outside of reblogging gifsets/reading fics, but like. I don’t HATE it anymore. I’m neutral to its existence. And, when it comes down to it, I have read fic/engaged in content for it, because, at this point, it’s STILL part of my favorite musical. If I could have done things differently….maybe I would have stayed with it more, for longer. Maybe I’d have written that happy country babyfic (you know. In 18th century France. Where raising babies in the country was so painless). Maybe I’d have gone over to Peyronan earlier and not looked back. Maybe I would have written Ronan more consciously as a bisexual man instead of a gay man. Who knows? Maybe I’m just a tired bitch these days and so am hyper-dissecting everything. But I definitely never want anyone coming into the fandom to think there isn’t a place for them just because they ship Ronan/Olympe. 

[zukalations]

88th Class Ties

This round-robin style talk with all the 92nd class members was published in the May 2017 issue of GRAPH, as part of a series on the more senior classes (those who have been in the company 10 years of more).

In case the tags don’t cooperate, the participants are: Kouzuki Ruu, Asaka Manato, Kagetsu Miyako, Sahana Mako, Kurenai Yuzuru, Hoshou Dai, Yugiri Rai

Kozuki Ruu, Kagetsu Miyako, and Sahana Mako are the only participants still current at time of posting, and Sahana will retire at the conclusion of Snow Troupe’s 2020 show Once Upon A Time In America.

88th Class Ties

Start!

Moon Troupe, Kozuki Ruu

“Alright, I’ll start this off~! Oh, I got Maa-kun (Asaka)!”

Asaka Manato is…

Calm and collected, yet flexible Ever since we were Lower Students she’s been calm and collected, and I’ve never seen her mess up, or seen her cry. But, when we all would get together to goof around, she’d join in, that kind of feeling. In any case, she’s really clever. Also, although she’s the younger one, she has an older-brotherly feeling of ‘Everything will be okay!’, and she’s a really reliable person.

A big eater Although her appearance hasn’t changed at all up to now, I seem to have an image of her eating a lot more in the past… I remember that she wouldn’t be affected by whatever went on around her at all and just steadily kept eating at her own pace… (laughs).

So fast at remembering choreography! Ever since she was a lower student she’s been able to memorize the choreography so quickly! It was the same way in things like Takarazuka Special, and recently when I asked her ‘So how do you learn the choreography?’ she told me ‘I don’t know, I just kind of look at the choreographer and my body moves’, so I wasn’t able to comprehend it at all (laughs). I think she comes by it naturally!

Cosmos Troupe, Asaka Manato

“Ahaha! (laughs) Did I say that about the choreography? I’m terrible, aren’t I! As for being a big eater, I must have been going through my growth spurt back then~ Also, saying I’m clever is going too far! But, Ruu-chan (Kouzuki), thank you!”

Kagetsu Miyako is…

Unchangingly a cute little creature She’s always been just like a little squirrel. Even as her seniority has increased that hasn’t changed at all, so no matter when I look at her I think ‘She’s so cute~’. As for her personality, she’s really laid-back but also has a bit of a mysterious side to her. I want to have a mysterious side, so I’m jealous of that part (laughs).

Sleeps with her eyes open When we were in TMS, she would really sleep a lot. But she wouldn’t close her eyes properly when she slept, so you could never tell if she was asleep or not (laughs). Nacchan (Kagetsu), do you still sleep with your eyes open~?

Suddenly turned into a great actress She’s such a great performer! What an actress! I was so moved by her in Grand Hotel, and her role of the grandmother in Spring Snow was so powerful! I was thinking ‘and that’s Nacchan…?’ I was able to talk to her in the dressing room about performing the other day, and as a senior actress she has such an amazing way of thinking about things, and she has really sharp perception. I’m so happy that the little creature from TMS became able to have such deep conversations! (laughs)

“Nacchan is so cute 💖 ”

Moon Troupe, Kagetsu Miyako

“This is really info you could only get from a classmate (laughs). But...I know I still sleep with my eyes open (laughs). I’ve always had people tell me I’m like a little animal… Maybe it’s because when I get flustered I’ll be like ‘Wa~h!’? (laughs) Being able to talk with Maa-kun after so long, we were each able to learn from each others’ experiences, so that was interesting. Above all, I’m so happy that she became Top Star!

Sahana Mako is…

Able to see things in such an incisive way She’s always been like this, but she sees things in just slightly different ways from other people. Ever since we were in the music school, I picture Kyabii as looking at things from her own point of view and laughing (laughs). Of course it wasn’t in a bad way at all. As we’ve been in the company longer we’ve gotten so close, so as we’re talking about different things, often I’ll realize ‘Oh, she must have been looking at things this way!’ and being surprised. She’s so fun!

Such a skilled actor I love Kyabii’s acting. Perhaps this is related to her unique way of looking at things, but when we were doing the Culture Festival, all she was doing was drinking something and scowling but she had a totally different atmosphere to everyone else. And now that she is bringing that to her current performances, so I really love that sense she has.

Feminine and kind I think she has an image as a really intelligent person, but she is also such a gentle and feminine person. I like that part of her too (laughs). She’s so considerate, like a really reliable older sister, and she’s also so kind, and always sees the good points in people. Basically I just love Kyabii (laughs).

Snow Troupe, Sahana Mako

“I think Natsuko (Kagetsu) is a really unique musumeyaku, so I’m really honored to hear this from her! As our seniority has increased we have gotten into the habit of talking about all kinds of things, and I wish I had something like Natsuko’s totally unique aspects that nobody else can replicate. But that spacey side of her is really healing too. We talk about anything and everything on or offstage, so our relationship has surpassed that of classmates.”

Kurenai Yuzuru is…

She has an odd way of looking at things When we were asked our reasons for deciding to try out for Takarazuka, she said “I want to paint the seats of the Grand Theatre red”. But...they’re red already.

Loves Takarazuka She’s a dyed-in-the-wool traditional Takarazuka fan. Back then [in TMS] she went and wrote in my performance notebook, where I would pour out my passion, that she loved Asazumi Kei-san. But, even though she said she really liked her, she wrote her nickname of Kayoko-san as ‘Kakoyo-san’.

Stoic in her own way Ever since she was a lower student, she would diligently practice the things she was struggling with. But since she was seeing her goal in a slightly different way to other people, it would have the opposite effect, she would end up running away with herself even further. As a result, to come all the way around she would put in even more steady work than anyone else.

Star Troupe, Kurenai Yuzuru

“Actually, at the beginning what I wanted to say was ‘I want to paint the seats scarlet [T/N: ‘kurenai’]’ but she came back at me ‘That means empty seats!’ (laughs). Running away with myself in the opposite direction… (laughs). That’s totally true! I never see what’s close to me. But, I think maybe it’s good that I’m that way (laughs). I’ve been good friends with Sahana Mako ever since we were in TMS. We would pretend we were in Masked Romanesque together and stuff (laughs).”

“Who will I get…”

Hoshou Dai is…

The top dummy of the 88th class! Our classmates always say that me and Dai-chan (Houshou) were about even in terms of being common-sense challenged, but they all say “If we had to choose, Dai-chan was the worst!” so just give up and admit it! (laughs) You’re number one!!

The calm before the storm... This was the day before a holiday, when we were Lower Students. One of the screws in her head must have come loose. She was goofing around on the train station platform, waving her hat around and cheering ‘Ya~y!’ Of course she was promptly spotted in that state by an upper student, and I’ll never forget watching her be scolded like nothing else (laughs).

More of an older sister type in TMS She was talented in Japanese Dance, so she would help you get your kimono on and look after you and such, but once we all entered the company her character totally changed. What’s with that? (laughs)

Snow Troupe, Hoshou Dai

“I don’t want to hear that from Kurenai Yuzuru! We’re equal, aren’t we? Equal! And then, that memory from TMS (laughs). That did happen, didn’t it! Why on earth did I do that, I wonder. Doing a rockette dance while twirling my hat around… Because of me, the commuter students all got horribly scolded...I’m really sorry about that!”

Yuugiri Rai is…

One of the 88th class band of goofballs Ever since we were lower students, Rai-chan (Yuugiri) and Kurenai and I would be the group goofing around (laughs). Although she has a diligent side too, she also has a lot of surprising aspects (laughs). The thing that left the biggest impression with me was when we were taking the entrance exam. During the ‘creative dance’ portion of the exam, she—she was in a volleyball club, you know—next to me she was doing a twirling serve receive (laughs).

So multi-talented! & she loves cute things! She’s so good at drawing, and really skilled at making things. When she was a junior actress she made slippers for a senior actress. She didn’t just put a simple picture on them, but she was so dedicated to making the design! That creative side of her is so cute, and it made me think she had a surprisingly feminine side to her too.

Her voice is the best!!! Ever since we were in TMS she’s had an amazing voice and such good singing skills! She did well in our classical voice class of course, but especially in popular music, her sense of rhythm was really impressive. “So that must be what it’s like to have natural talent~” I thought; it made me jealous.

Flower Troupe, Yuugiri Rai

“I did do that twirling recieve, didn’t I (laughs). Dai-chan, you see me from all different angles, don’t you. Even if you struggle at it, helping other people gives you energy, so I think picturing the other person’s happiness helped me do my best. I’ve always loved singing, so I listened to all different genres of music and learned them by ear. Daichan, do your best! I hope you will continue performing to the end with nothing to regret!!

Kouzuki Ruu is…

A star student! Ever since she was in TMS she had the top grades, and she’s the leader of all of us. Ruu-chan is so reliable, just having her there lets me feel comfortable! No matter what happens, she’ll calmly be able to handle it, and she gives off such a grown-up aura.

She’s just really nice I’ve never seen her being really grumpy or irritable. My strongest image of her is her smiling gently. Ruu-chan is so nice that I’m always ending up relying on her 💖

She loves Takarazuka 💖 She’s always loved Takarazuka, and she knows so much about it, so whenever we asked her about old times she would have an answer—she’s our Professor Takarazuka! I only had superficial knowledge, so she seemed to me like she was really my senior, a powerful individual who even back then had the otokoyaku aesthetics down and a real presence as a Takarasienne (laughs).

Back to Kouzuki Ruu…

Goal!

“I’m not that nice, though~ I have really major emotional swings (laughs). I hated being called a star student ever since I was a junior actress, and I really struggled to break out of that framework… Also, I don’t know about the whole history of Takarazuka (laughs). I probably just said things based on what I knew from when I started watching Takarazuka  (laughs). But, the otokoyaku style and aesthetic hasn’t ever changed! I think Rai-chan’s strongest idea of me is from TMS, so if you looked at me now it might shatter the picture you have of me… (laughs). Thank you for saying I’m grown-up and a star student ✨ Please don’t be disillusioned by the current me either!

[ladyloveandjustice]

Summer 2018 Anime I watched ranked from weakest to strongest

I watched six anime during the Summer 2018 anime season and I’ve now written full length reviews for each of them! So here my personal rankings of what I watched from weakest to strongest. Each anime title links to my in-depth review of said series, so feel free to click! For all the reviews at once, please see my anime overview tag here.

I wouldn’t call any of the anime on this list bad, nor would I give any a blanket anti-recommendation for any of them. It’s just some of these series were weaker than others in my opinion and there’s ups and downs and things to warn for. Hope you enjoy and find it useful!

Banana Fish (episodes 1-12)

Eiji meets a seventeen-year-old gangster named Ash Lynx on a trip to New York and is quickly pulled into a world of violence and conspiracies.

When we judge this series as an adaptation, its definitely the weakest thing I watched, because the modern update of this 80s manga is almost entirely superficial and that can be quite jarring. We’re supposed to believe this is set today, but the narrative is extremely 80s and some of the conversations the characters have don’t make much sense in a modern setting. Though the story is something that’s fascinating and valuable taken in the context of its place in the history of shoujo manga, removing it from that context doesn’t do it any favors.

There’s charm to both the characters and the sweetness of the romantic relationship between Ash and Eiji, but a lot of the content is both endlessly and melodramatically tragic and also potentially triggering. Definitely be prepared for a TON of rape, csa, abuse, violence and murder if you watch this. 

Phantom in the Twilight

Bailieu Ton arrives in London expecting an exciting college life, but instead ends up on a quest to rescue her best friend who has been kidnapped by demons. She finds allies in a gang of supernatural young men who were acquainted with her magically powerful great-grandmother.

While the plot is mediocre and the animation even moreso, this series shows its value in being an otome story that has a truly awesome leading lady. Ton is dynamic, self-possessed, has a strong friendship with another girl and she kicks a TON of ass. She has a fun relationship with her squad of boy-toys and is always on equal footing with them and the few times any of them try to act controlling they are called out hard.. So if you want a reverse-harem story/paranormal romance that features a more active heroine and jettisons the more toxic tropes that pervade the genre, this is a good choice, even if the narrative itself is nothing to write home about.

My Hero Academia (episodes 52-63)

Izuku Midoriya continues his quest to become the greatest superhero and takes his hero provisional license exams.

This is probably among the weakest arcs MHA has had so far, though it still has its fair share of entertaining and worthwhile moments, not to mention one truly excellent episode. The characters introduced at the very end of the season have potential too. Mostly it was an enjoyable enough watch, but definitely didn’t live up to the high-stakes thrills of the arc before it.

Cell at Work!

Anthropomorphized cells do their best to keep the body they inhabit alive and well. 

This is an extremely cute edutainment show. It’s nothing mindblowing, and the narration can be a bit much, but if you want an adorable, fun time that teaches you a little something about the human body, this is a good choice. Also I want to marry NK Cell.

Planet With

Soya Kuroi is an amnesiac boy living with with a weird cat monster and a cheerful but mysterious girl dressed like a maid and his life gets even stranger when he’s told to jump in a giant robot and  fight the local superheroes.

These 12 episodes contained more plot and climatic moments than a lot of anime has in 50 episodes and despite the breakneck pace and huge amount of events packed in, it was extremely cohesive and solid story throughout. The characters were lovable and varied, there was a loft of thematic heft to the series exploration of pacifism and freedom vs justice and security, it was goofy and weird while also being emotional heartbreaking at times...I definitely recommend this show. It’s the full Wacky Space Mecha Anime experience in a compact package. Also, it has cool ladies.

Revue Starlight

Karen Aijou is doing her best at her Takarazuka theatre school, only for everything to change when her childhood friend Hikari suddenly transfers in. She follows Hikari down a mysterious elevator and discovers her friend is engaged in a bizarre swordfight competition to become the “Top Star”, preceeded over by a talking giraffe.

If you love Takarazuka, theatre, sword fights,lesbians, weird metaphors, Revolutionary Girl Utena and other Ikuhara work or all of the above, I definitely recommend this show.. The series surreally and smartly explores Takarazuka, show biz and adolescence with lots of creative, beautifully animated musical fight scenes and contains a lot of twists and turns along the way. While I think it could have stood to be a bit longer, more in-depth and bit stronger with its characters, it’s definitely a series that’s fun to analyze and I’ve enjoyed a lot of the discussion that’s come out of it (see some linked in my review). Strap in for a wild ride and enjoy one of the Top Stars of the season.

[chemicalperfume]

Softly - Arisa Hitomi (GRAPH 2016.05)

Part 2 of 3 of Arisa Hitomi’s birthday translations! An interview at a cafe feature.

-First off, your order please!

The seasonal fruits tart looks delicious, but I love caramel, so I think I’ll go with the caramel angel food cake! I haven’t really heard of it before, and the “No.1 in popularity” tag on the menu did it for me. *laughs* For drink... darjeeling tea, please, hot

-Do you take your tea straight?

Yes! In the past I couldn’t drink tea without sugar and milk, but recently, my palate became a little more grown-up *laughs* but I still don’t drink coffee, only coffee milk *laughs*

-Apparently, you’ve been several times to this cafe before

I have! I have had tea with my classmates a few times, and most recently, all of the Snow Troupe 98ths came here to have dinner together. We often get together with my classmates and go for a meal; this place has a very relaxed atmosphere so we all enjoyed ourselves.

-Your outfit today suits the shop’s mood very much, it has a very understated colour scheme

Usually I’m all white, black, pink! But since today we are in a cafe, I thought I’d match the atmosphere with some light hues. I also gave a loose knit a try, they’re quite fashionable lately *laughs*

-You are also wearing your hair down, much unlike your usual style

In the “Rurouni Kenshin” shinjin kouen, I have the role of Takani Megumi (main actress: Daigo Seshiru), so for the sake of rehearsals, I cut my bangs straight, letting my hair down and hoping I give off a more grown-up vibe. Today I woke up early and carefully curled my bangs and the ends of my hair, but as soon as I stepped out of the house, a strong gust of wind went “woosh!”... it all got dishevelled in a blink, ahaha *laughs*

[The caramel angel food cake and darjeeling are served]

Waaa, it looks so yummy! See, it’s really doesn’t look like a cake you can find anywhere! It comes with ice cream too, I’m so happy!

-Please, enjoy your cake

It’s moist but fluffy, with a discreet sweetness. The slight bitterness of the caramel really brings out the taste too! So delicious! I feel revitalised now!

-Do you like sweets?

I love them *laughs* Cakes are a given, but I especially love adzuki, japanese sweets! I love things like the Takarazuka City delicacy “Takara Monaka” or the “nagamochi” that’s very well-known in my home area, Mie Perfecture. Recently, I even consider the type of adzuki, my tastes have become even more eclectic like that *laughs*

-Your japanese sweets always come with hot green tea, as established?

No, actually, I have them with ice tea. *laughs* I don’t get restricted by “japanese should go with japanese” kind of rules!! ...let’s say *laughs*. Actually, I’m extremely sensitive to hot food and beverages, so much that even if it’s steaming slightly, I can’t consume it. As we speak right now, I’m waiting for my tea to cool off *laughs* I know cold beverages are not good for the body, so I’ve gradually come to drink hot ones as well, but I still like cold ones better.

-How do you usually spend your days off?

I don’t stay at home much. I start at around 10 in the morning, go for some body maintenance, like for a massage or chiropractic, and then go shopping. I love clothes and earrings. Once I decide “today is a shopping day” I waltz in and out of shops endlessly *laughs* Ah, even the necklace I’m wearing right now, I bought it recently; I found it when I was out looking for clothes for today’s interview, and it was love at first sight! It has a glitter flower, it’s so cute. I bought the matching earrings too.

-Where do you always go shopping?

For Kansai, I go to Umeda. I guess I often go shopping to Sannomiya Kitaguchi or Kobe too, but it feels a little bit too grown-up for me… I actually don’t really go for tea or lunch on my own. But I’m hearing Kobe has many wonderful restaurants one can go to alone, so in the near future… or maybe in the little more distant future… I’m thinking of giving it a try *laughs* I’d like to become a proper adult *laughs*

-How about once you return home?

I’m always watching Takarazuka DVDs. I especially like watching musumeyaku “music salon” performances, so I schedule them like “today I’m going to watch this person’s, tomorrow that person’s” *laughs*. I’ve always loved sweet and bright musumeyaku such as Ayano Kanami or Nono Sumika, and I often watch their performances, but in this show’s shinjin kouen, my role is Megumi, who is a graceful adult woman. So in order to expand my range, I am watching lots of Toono Asuka’s DVDs. Even when she is playing strong women who are on equal footing with the otokoyaku, she is elegant and complements the otokoyaku even more clearly, she is truly wonderful...It made me think “I want to become like that too!”

-Even on your day off you’re all about Takarazuka

That’s not good, I know. About 6 months ago, Souno (Haruto)-san advised me: “You should clearly distinguish your ON from your OFF time. If you don’t, you will only be able to act from a limited point of view”. Souno-san also suggested “why don’t you try meditation?”, and for a moment I didn’t understand her and answered “D-do you mean I lack dedication?”[1], she was really exasperated at me *laughs*. But I took her advice to heart. Before I go to bed I imagine that I’m rearranging everything inside my head in order, one by one, and when I wake up the next morning I’m much more refreshed! I learned that “letting steam off” is extremely important.

-Is there anything you are especially into these days?

I really love Disney princesses! They’re so lovely and dreamy! I also love music. “No music, no life” is my motto *laughs* When I wake up in the morning, I always put on some music. Outside of musicals, Disney and Ghibli music, I also listen to Amuro Namie etc. I generally either listen to music or watch Takarazuka, so when my classmates talk about the news, or current trends I’m often like “?”. “Miho (Arisa) that’s not good at all you know!” they tell me, and I do realize it myself that they’re right, so I make a point to check the news on my smartphone.

-If you had a long vacation, where would you like to go?

A trip abroad would be nice, but you know, I also really love the Ise Grand Shrine. It all started when I listened to a song called “Hikari no Michi with Shikinami”[2] that Ayano-san sang at the Ise Grand Shrine’s Uji Bridge Crossing Opening Ceremony[3]. The Ise Grand Shrine’s very characteristic, completely modest, fair and graceful atmosphere was all there, turned into lyrics; I was so moved. Every time I go back to Mie now, I always make sure to visit Ise. I’d also go to Kyoto. Snow Troupe puts on a lot of shows set in Japan, so I’d go shopping for accessories around Yasaka Shrine so often, I had a regular itinerary of shops *laughs*, but I really love it so much, I’d like to visit it again.

Notes:

[1] Souno said 瞑想 (meditation), Arisa understood 迷走 (straying off course, comprised of the kanji that mean “to be lost”, and “to run”) . Both are pronounced “meisou”. Direct translation of her answer is “I do intend to keep running even if I’m lost”, but for translation purposes, I went with something that rhymes with “meditation”

[2](trans.) “The Path of Light [link]

[3] 宇治橋渡始式 (“Ujibashi Watari Hajimeshiki”) The Uji Bridge stretches over the Isuzu River and is part of Ise Grand Shrine’s Inner Shrine. It is rebuilt every 20 years along with the Inner and Outer shrines as part of a Shinto tradition and belief in renewal and rebirth. When the new bridge is complete, this ceremony is held to pray for its sturdiness and open the rebuilt bridge.