#i love how he's not perfect. he genuinely loved and wanted to help verlaine; yet he handled it all wrong

[vieaccorde]

i have kind of been thinking about him strongly again since yesterday, so... would anyone like a starter from rimbaud??

[ikiyou]

Storm Bringer Stage Play Impressions

The stage play was so perfect last night!  With everything going wrong in this country, it really brings back life into life. 💞💞💓💓💖💖 Could not have been timed better.  I have a renewed desire to do everything BSD ^^

I hope everyone can enjoy watching the play!!  Support the foreign fandom by buying a ticket for the sub if you can!  This is truly unprecedented! 💕💕💕  Let's encourage them to keep doing this sort of thing and including us!!!!! 💞💞💞

This will be an impressions post rather than containing detailed spoilers - as the entire play was in Japanese, I was able to follow the main trails, wasn't too lost, but I don't have the fidelity on the detailed whys and wherefores regarding Chuuya yet.  Those will wait until I see the subbed version.

(I haven't yet finished the book - I do my own translations for accuracy and to get my info straight from the source, so I stay away from spoilers.  All translators bring something unique to the fandom and bring different flavors and impressions from works, and I like my experience and what I pass on to be authentic as well ^^)

Ok, to my impressions!!  Mild spoilers if you’ve read English book translations, heavy plot spoilers if you’ve been in the dark until now, but no details regarding Chuuya.

I gotta say - I saw the first stage play live.  Saw the second.  It's amazing to be there and see it live in the crowd, and I highly recommend it if you ever get the opportunity.  But there is NOTHING like being able to see up close and intimate all the characters’ expressions and actions like it was to see this virtually.  The quality was quite good, there was only the very occasional lag/buffer spike (which usually seemed to be at the times when I was leaning in hard to follow the story lolrip).  

All told, the fact that they not only streamed it live for foreign audiences, but will ALSO have an ENGLISH DUBBED VERSION available is not only WILD, it hopefully shows that they're becoming more aware of their expanded fanbase.  I really hope it's indications of good things to come ^^

I have only previously seen them offer occasional virtual showings of the stage plays (seemed to start during COVID), and only available to the Japanese audience (those with the ability to purchase with a Japanese credit card and address).  Only by going through a third party was it ever possible to watch.

Chuuya was amazing to watch!  His interactions with Adam, with Dazai, with Shirase.  All unique and different.  The conflict between Chuuya and Shirase stemming from Shirase's 15 betrayal, and Shirase never forgiving Chuuya and then learning the truth...finally coming to terms with the fact that Chuuya still (bizarrely) cares about him and wants to protect him.

The hilarious relationship between Adam and Chuuya! How Chuuya felt he was a hindrance and an irritation, to grudging cooperation having no other choice, to his shock and horror when Adam died, and then the genuine smile on his face when Adam came back and he went up to interact with him at the end.  I guess that means that Adam is currently alive??  God I would LOVE to see spin-off stories with Chuuya and Adam.  That relationship is so fun!!!

Shirase was hilarious XDD.  It was very interesting to see what had become of him post 15.  His interactions with Adam were also gold ^^

Verlaine was amazing.  He was like an AU version of Chuuya in terms of personality.  The tension between him and Chuuya was sooo goooood.  His ability to completely overwhelm Chuuya again and again 😁😁😁 so good!  The whump feeling OMGGGG.  Chuuya has the best most whump-inducing screams I swear 💗💗😂😂 

The moments when Verlaine decides to help Chuuya out, but then Chuuya takes the moment to turn on him as he’s the actual aggressor instead of the scientist!

And the true haunting aspect of Verlaine's Ability. The stage play has very simple effects, but god are they effective.  I had literal chills down my spine when they showed the horrific, haunting visage.  It was just such a visceral feeling, the haunting, the evil.  Very reminiscent of that moment in 15 where they showed the beast they called Arahabaki, but as if I was actually there to experience it.  Such a good moment.

There was the silly moment of Mori and Dazai's dance introduction together (I love Mori!) they have such a silly relationship here XDDD.

The moment where Mori suggests to Dazai that he and Chuuya commit double suicide when all else seems hopeless, and the look in Dazai's face XDDDD

The actor timing and special effects use for the Abilities!  Especially with Verlain’s Ability, the way he throws people around looks so realistic!  For as simple as it is, leagues and leagues beyond similar things I’ve seen in actual movies.  It was as believable as if one was watching Ability use occur in real life.

And then the 'ending credits' - the dance at the end with all the characters.  It was like Chuuya reliving the moments that had happened.  The happiness with his Mafia friends, chased by his face falling when he remembers they're gone, and the way his mouth twists and he looks up like he's trying not to cry.  The moments where he's surrounded by all the antagonists, how he wants to resist, but then having no other recourse he starts to dance with them, unable to resist fate.

It was just so good!!!

I think that's all I have to brain dump on ^^  I'll have another after I see the English sub ^^  And once I finish translating the novel, it'll be interesting to compare details ^^