KiriMari, dancing starshine

when one has a lot of things to do, one often ends up doing nothing from the to-do list, but something completely irrelevant. so here it is, the result of my 'whatever but not preparing for the exam'

as always, I use videos with my favourite one and only Top Combi, this time pairing them with a wonderful song which is 33 years old already, but still sounds fresh and unique - 'Dansing Starshine' by Momoe Yamaguchi. I used to love this song until I made a video with it love this song because of its 80s mood (composed in 1980 exactly), vividness and brightness and warmness of the melody, and of course, the wonderful voice of ms Yamaguchi. the lyrics with translation will follow very soon in a separate post, but I can say now that I believe the words and the song title itself suit the two perfectly. they were are like starshine on the stage

happy birthday to ms Suzukaze and ms Aono

the fact is, I stopped congratulating any siennes with their birthdays, since it is 面倒くさい, too troublesome, and since it has no meaning if I simply write something in my blog. if I truly wanted to congratulate any of them, I should rather send a card at least. however, yesterday's birthday added one more year to ms Suzukaze and I started thinking... 

she still agreed to voice Kenshin last year in a new OVA. I wonder if her voice changed in comparison to what was more than 15 years ago. I have yet to watch it, so I don't know. I only know that voice actors and actresses in 90s were incredibly cool, and there is no one to inherit this side of anime world now. if they decided to make the cast for the new RuroKen entirely new, how would Kenshin sound like? I cannot imagine. there is only one other seiyuu who could replace ms Suzukaze - ms Ogata, from what I have heard she was chosen to voice Kenshin in the audio-dramas. however, she belongs to the same generation. find me at least one woman in her 20s who can sound like them 20 years ago

and ms Aono is celebrating her birthday today. well, I hope she is doing well, since I lost her trace last year after 'Bad Boys'. stop. I did not even properly learn about it, and did not finish translating the article either! ohhhh >_<

something to cling to

'Eternity is like the current of a river with no end. If you have nothing to cling to, you will be taken under, never to resurface'

from 'Dance in the Vampire Bund'

after watching my own videos on YT I understood one thing. I caught myself thinking 'oh, so THIS is why I came to love them so much' - in other words, I have already forgotten that feeling. I've became estranged from them. I have already got used to the fact that this has come to the finish

Princess Mina and other vampires of her court said that vampires can live by the power of a single memory of their past. I promised myself the same, too. I wonder if I will live up to this promise

link! Moon Troupe RomiJuri closing nights ~ no traditional closing night jump...

here are Tudou links

closing night at Tokyo Theatre

closing night at Grand Theatre

they didn't jump in the end. the tradition has died... but this is hardly what troubles me most

while reading lots of blog posts and just short messages of fans who saw the performance I understood one thing. no matter what troupe the person may support, Snow performance is usually considered the best, or shares the victory with Star, or sometimes vice versa - Star wins, but Moon never pierced even a single heart. no one names it the most gorgeous, no one says only good words about it, and if there are any strong impressions of the new Moon, then they are expressed with only one word - 'cute'. Moon is young, Moon is inexperienced, and therefore - Moon is cute. Moon's appeal is 'I will gradually grow to become a full-fledged troupe so please support me'

these are not my words, this is how people react, but I can swear I thought the same while watching these two videos. clumsy gestures, clumsy greeting from the Top, clumsy final... I have to confess I was much more negative in my expectations, in other words - they sing much better than I expected, they act much better (except for Miya-san...), they behave much better... but the feeling they give is much worse than I expected. I don't know this troupe. Moon is still radiant but no longer warm. Moon is strange to me. 'tis no longer my Moon, the Moon I used to know. this doesn't apply exclusively to the last 2 years, I do speak in general

this is in no way a pessimistic post about how I give up on Moon and Takarazuka in general. I only have to state that it will probably take a little longer for me to understand and accept the new Moon. I thought I became more flexible with years and I ceased to cling to what I liked once and stubbornly refuse to change anything. apparently I failed to do so

since July I haven't translated even a single article. though I made a video and scanned two magazines in August I almost forgot about the very existence of Takarazuka. I've even forgotten to check the August and September calendar wallpapers. once, watching one of the clips I made, I noticed one thing. even if I go to see Kiriya-sama's concert, even if I go to see her next musical, even if by some chance I get to see a performance with Aono-sama, this Top Combi is no longer there... better to say, that's not exactly the problem. what's crucial - I miss them. I want to see them again together on the stage of Takarazuka. and I never will

I thought I overcame this feeling, but 'tis still inside me. 'tis not that I constantly think 'oh why they retired, I haven't had enough!' - no, I never indulge myself into thinking so. however, after proper self-analysis (which lasted several seconds) I understood that what discouraged me that much is that particular feeling. the second time in my life when I felt an absolute bliss is already in the past and chances that I will have more are almost invisible. the moment I was striving for is already in the past and I have nothing else to strive for. I thought 'twould be different because there are so many other things to do, but this is the truth  I've realised only a week ago

...Ryuu-sama names RomiJuri an 'appropriate' musical for the new Moon Troupe. I wonder if she really thinks so...

KiriMari story. one more vid by me

I wanted to make a 'story' this time, actually this is not a story, but since I included scenes from musicals mostly (not revue dance scenes) I decided to call it as such

the song is gorgeous and one of my favourites among Tamura-sama's works and among all songs I've ever heard in my life. it's called 'Naked love'

musicals used are 'Algiers no Otoko', 'Gypsy Baron' and the intro dance from it, 'My love lies over the mountains', 'Scarlet Pimpernel' and 'STUDIO54'. 'Yukariko' is yet to be watched so I didn't include it

economical Takarazuka management ~ again

if one ever wondered what is the fur coat Aono-sama wears in the 'Edward VIII' and 'Misty Station' programme

then I can say I noticed one thing in 'Studio 54'

my humble opinion on 'The Man from Algiers' ~ it's been a year, huh?

 ...after the classes finished - 12-50 as usual - I left Meric Japanese Language School where I was studying and hurried to the subway. as my friend Sae-san told me there wasn't much time I preferred to run, but that was a bad decision - I dropped my walkman which has the screen glass on the very top with no protection and got it broken. as I never bothered to replace the glass, 'tis still the same now. when I arrived at Umeda I had to count carefully the staircases and escalators because our meeting point wasn't too easy to find for me who could not get used to new places even after spending a month in Osaka. needless to say, I was successful. having bought some snacks we took the train to Takarazuka and arrived there in a blink of an eye. the road from the station to the Theatre was very beautiful in summer, though I wished I could visit it in March when sakura trees bloom, as Sae-san told me that 'hanamichi' is all bestrewed with the flower petals. the interior of the Theatre seemed to be bigger than the building when looked at from the outside. the halls and the shops were all cute and crowded. we proceeded to the seats. though 'twas balcony and our seats were #2 and #3, left edge, I could observe the stage pretty well. so, the curtain raised...

I tried several times to recall why I was so delighted after seeing the performance. well, here's the reason

vivid colours of the costumes, moving decorations in the backstage, perfect steady loud low and a bit husky voice of Kiriya-sama, perfect synchro of the dancers (well ok this particular screencap is not a good proof) - and probably this particular lift marked the beginning of my love of lifts?

KiriMari duet song. perfection again. if 'tis KiriMari than an average lovers' song becomes special. I would be really mad for the fact that Moon is playing this tragedy, if not for KiriMari who create a fresh image of the main characters which is impossible to mistake for anything else

Koshino-sama and Hanase-sama were of course inimitable. recognizing Ayahoshi-san was much more difficult. I mean, after seeing her like this - a capricious young child - one wouldn't think she can sing the song from 'Notre Dame de Paris' scene of 'Dance Romanesque'. at least I wouldn't

'ai wa doko ni iru' is just an average Top Musumeyaku character's song, but 'twas really good to hear it from Aono-sama. this very song made me understand that Aono-sama is not as plain as I was afraid she might be when I only looked at her photos and knew nothing else

the scene of preparations for the party in Paris gave me the first impression of the 'many-members-having-fun-on-the-stage' thing. now that I see it for the second time I can't help wondering to myself... is it strange that for me seeing Japanese portraying French waiters and maids - and moreover being pretty credible - is not strange?

Hanahi-san as Annabelle was too credible. so credible that I started doubting whether she was credible or not. sounds like nonsense but this is what I thought

one more surprise - Seijou-san as Michelieu with... a gigolo aura? I mean, she was an personification of the courtesy- and gallantry-covered onslaught that are one of the main MOE points about Takarazuka in my mind

otokoyaku group sing Julien about the downtown of Paris where there are a lot of nice girls. again. actresses on the stage singing as if they were real young men willing to have some adult fun - note strange, at all! ^o^

Aono-sama's dance in the golden outfit in the nightclub is perhaps one of the most beautiful dance I've ever seen. and the golden glitter suits her so much *____*

Hihou-san is a great surprise again. her voice, to be precise. I am a bad judge in terms of person's appearance, but her low voice is really unexpected after you look at the cute smiling face of hers on some photo

hard to admit, but Morie's charm was a bit hard to notice this time. to be precise, I didn't remember much about her after the first time I saw her on stage, but surely this time I can pay more attention to her as I don't have to dissipate my attention to many things. now I can understand those who love her deeply. perhaps, this is the image of hers that is the most natural and attracts the fans

finally, Mirio as Henri. if I could see her in this image more... so gentle that she almost radiated peach-coloured light around her... does it sound strange? but I really was able to see it during the scene where Annabelle heard the conversation between Julien and Elizabeth - how she lifted Hanahi-san, how she looked at her, how she touched her,  how she sang after... I melted. well of course that does not mean I justify her Henri who, in the end, killed a human being
and Masao as Jacques. guys, how can you like villains like this? I mean, Masao created a villain with no slightest trace of mercy or a chance for redemption. she was too credible. this is why I have such an image of hers - capable of playing 'true' villains. having this Jacques as my first impression of Masao I truly cannot understand those who see her differently
well and the final dialogue of Julien and Sabine - if someone doubts there were no real love between those two, I don't know what real love is. who were those two, Julien and  Sabine or KiriMari?
my love towards this Combi might seem to have its roots in a mere coincidence, but this love hasn't died yet, and perhaps won't. why do I love them so much? maybe I love how Aono-sama grasped Kiriya-sama's back? maybe I love how Kiriya-sama holds Aono-sama's head?

maybe I love this look of Kiriya-sama with her eyes cast down or closed, and a tense smile on her face? maybe I love how Aono-sama can express so much hope and happiness with her face, though there is not anything special on it?

...and the curtain falls down. even now I consider this ending too abrupt. even now though I know how it ends, I have that feeling again - 'that's it?'

conclusion
I cannot be unbiased, can I? taking into account 'twas the first Takarazuka performance I saw, and the first Takarazuka performance I saw live. let me put it this way: play itself - not one of my favourites, but the performance... *____*

I have to thank once more the people who upload these things

BTW the Tudou links are
part 1
part 2

link! excerpt from 'Misty Station'

perfection... perfection, perfection, perfection! Otokoyaku Stair Dance, Top Combi Duet Dance, 'Final Countdown' covered by Ryuu-sama and Kiriya-sama, ’My Way' covered by Kiriya-sama and Sawaki Rizu-chan, and of course - the wonderful orchestra accompanying every move of theirs...

is there anything else on this Earth you could wish for?

I am already hitting the wall with my head. WHERE'S THE REST???

ok I know I just have to purchase a disc myself. but you know, the excerpt exists already! it means that someone should have the whole revue! am I wrong? o.O

http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/1gLpyrL-D0Q/
I just wondered what the old versions sound like. actually Elvis did not impress me much - sorry, fans! Sinatra-san's manner seems just a bit more suitable to me ^^`

economical Takarazuka management ~ what a waste!

while photoshopping the 'Algiers no Otoko' and 'Dance Romanesque' programme I noticed an interesting photo

well, I do include all the pages which do concern Zuka even a little bit, such as ads with Takarazuka Theatres Buildings, or Nono-san advertising some Ikeda bank deposit (?)... and I do include the pages with performances schedule. so

this is the Top Combi portrait from the 'Kamen no Otoko' section of the schedule

and suddenly I remembered an Aono-sama photo from SP. of course, searching for it in my folder with several thousands images is a waste of time so I made two screenshots myself. unfortunately I failed to capture a moment where the skirt can be seen clearly, but this is enough, I think

the jewelry and the hat (or how is it called in English?) are different

well, usually I am particularly bad at memorizing anything I see, including faces, clothes, etc. - maybe, if not for my love towards SP, I would never notice such a thing. but I did. I am surprised with myself... and even more with Zuka. on the other hand, of course, this dress was only used in one scene, and 'twould be a waste to never use it again since 'tis beautiful. perhaps this is the famous もったいない philosophy which I only support

the only thing bothering me is - did they alter the dress for Yumesaki-san's figure? not that this bothers me much, simply interested a bit

my humble opinion on 'Dance Romanesque' by Moon (2011) ~ my first...

though I mentioned 'Dance Romanesque' several times (oh, didn't I?), I have never written down all I feel about this wonderful 'show spectacle'. and I should!

the reason why I watched it again today is that I stumbled upon an article about 'Algiers' and 'Dance' and translated it. no, this is not the reason... after translating I decided to check the spelling of names on TakaWiki, and while doing this - I read that Aono-sama was absent during one of the scenes in 'Dance'. I have read it for many times, but 'tis only today that I realized that she was absent exactly when I went to see the performance. no, better to say, I happened to go there when she was absent, yes

of course I did not notice any change. I didn't even know that Aono-sama should have been there, eh? whatever

after realizing this fact I decided to check what scene exactly 'twas. and after checking - I could not stop. I felt really bad after 'Hakushaku' and I had to allow myself have some medicine to drive that poison out of my body. therefore I watched the whole revue, yes

the curtain rises. the introduction. Masao sings. musumeyaku-san dance. Kiriya-sama appears. I see the same setting, the same dresses, everything is all right. I don't feel anything strange... and then the music suddenly changes. the rhythm becomes stronger. Kiriya-sama runs downstage. I recognize the title theme song. otokoyaku-san run up to the stage

心に響け、熱い歌 - ring in the heart, the hot song

and me is already struggling with tears

my love. my first. my Romanesque, that stole my Takarazuka innocence

心に刻め、その祈り -  carve it onto your heart, that prayer

and those beautiful ladies dance with smiles on their faces, which almost physically warm me

未来の自分を失わないで - don't lose your future self

the tension rises

この一瞬を永久に変える - this instant is turned into eternity

and ladies regroup into a triangle lead by Kiriya-sama

Ah~ - needs no translation

and then...
DANCE!

this revue is, perhaps, created to be the closest to the mere mortals - I mean, siennes invaded the audience. literally. including the balconies. I can imagine what it feels like when Aono-sama gives you a 'low five' running across the hall

Kiriya-sama's solo number did not impress me much, but it had a very typical 'shabadaba' in the end, and of course - Kiriya-sama winking before she disappears is... *___*

the scene about the '(un)inhabited mansion' is not among my favourites. a bit boring, I might say, if not for the soft image of Masao which contrasts a lot with her Jacques

the loose reflection of 'Notre Dame' is also a very strange thing, but there are a lot of good points in it. splendid acting of Kiriya-sama in an unusual role, and of course - Ayahoshi-san's singing. one of the best songs I ever heard in Zuka revue parts. also, the following battle is accompanied with one of the most wonderful background instrumental works. I really, really, really pay respect to the composer, the orchestra and the guitarist(s?)

well, lifting Kiriya-sama to the ceiling with white wings (they were moving, BTW) is a bit too much... too experimental... well, though this seemed strange to me, I cannot be against it. more diversity is never to the worse

as the programme says, this scene uses several pieces from 'Mask 41' OST. they are 'Kyoko's Dilemma', 'Cerca De Ti' and 'Fight with Dream'
then, the K-POP scene. guys... where's the K-POP itself? I am no specialist, but I have been told much about K-POP bands and I watched a bit of PVs and concert performances due to several friends and acquaintances of mine being fans of K-POP boys-bands. so, this number is a bit week for me, by the same token the music and the vocals were not really impressing. the dancing is much better, though, combining typical Zuka movements with -POP ones

the next part is a standard Zuka dancing number which has nothing special about it, but allows the spectators to enjoy some points that Zuka is famous for. namely - hot Latin background music, Kiriya-sama's singing in the same manner, Aono-sama representing musumeyaku charm, and a splendid synchronicity of movements which matches the music so perfectly that you quite forget they are real people dancing on the stage. also, a good scene for Morie and Magee who were overly cute

the Mirio's cover of 'Puttin' on the Ritz' is funny. really funny, because of both the music and her Engrish

row cancan rockette dance is very cute. and I consider myself to be lucky to see it the very first time I watched a Revue

Top Combi dance would be really good... if not for the fact that I dislike the song 'Sunny' in the original and the instrumental version is not much better

the all-troupe number is indescribable... I have no words to express how much I love it. the white costumes, the golden background, the expressive music, and the general concept were absolutely perfect and memorable. it might seem stupid, IDK, but I love when there are a lot of people together. it creates an image of unity and warmness

and this particular jump - to be precise, two of them - is simply GORGEOUS

 the following Masao's song reveals how warm and soft her timbre can be. the dance accompanied by the instrumental version of the song, where musumeyaku-san move as if they were made of water, is also a splendid number. I have watched many revues - of Moon, of course - but I cannot recall anything like this
and then, Stairdance. actually, I have never heard any of Yuzu's songs, though I might have heard their name. still, I wasn't aware of the original song until November when suddenly I saw a trailer of Yuzu's concert on a huge screen on a building somewhere in Shibuya (or I don't remember where), and suddenly I recognized the song. my dear friend, Sae-san, told me - 'you see? 'tis Yuzu'

needless to say, Kiriya-sama's strong low voice is superb, so is the orchestra arrangement. the song is completely different. however, the original is nice, too
the next Top Combi dance is among my favourites. first, I came to realize that this blue suits Aono-sama greatly. second, their movements are perfect. third - I cannot recall what music there was in the original performance. 'twas replaced in the vid, so I am somehow frustrated that I could not memorize this beautiful number to the utmost. I should have. I really should. if not for my poor memory...
at least I should thank TakaWiki again. they wrote a hint that implies that the scene is called 'we're all alone' - am I wrong? well, the scene is not called like this, but the song used was obviously Boz Scaggs' one of this name. I don't know why the Japanese love it so much - it played a big part in Takeuchi Naoko's 'Rain Kiss' and meseems I have heard something about it later. also, this vid is from his concert in Japan. I listened to it then, when I read the manga, and didn't like it at all. can't get what's so special about him

 then, the parade

 

the gorgeous parade starting with beautiful voice of Hazaki Mana-san. her high notes were really impressing, but the following main theme overwhelmed me again...
the curtain falls. in the dancing figures of Moon Troupe members I see the characteristic image of Takarazuka and, strangely, I recall watching 'Sakura Taisen Katsudou Shashin', the full-length movie for the first time

it rings in my head. 'tis carved in my heart. the moment it ended turned into eternity and did not let me lose my future self
oh I should pay more attention to the theme songs lyrics, shouldn't I?

translation. an article about 'The Man from Algiers' and 'Dance Romanesque'

after watching 'Hakushaku to Yousei' I was pretty sure I better keep a distance from everybody - I was afraid I might kill someone. as I am certainly spitting poison. my whole body is intoxicated with sugarish shoujo. 'tis a rare case for me, to feel THIS bad after shoujo. the last time was, perhaps, when I read Saitou Chiho's and Higuri Yuu's works
I needed something to occupy myself with, and at the same time - something soothing. and what can be better than translating another article about Moon Troupe in such a case?

Takarazuka Revue Moon Troupe Performance -  'The Man from Algiers' and 'Dance Romanesque' - first day interview
link
Musical Roman 'The Man from Algiers'
Author: Shibata Yukihiro. Director: Oono Takuji

This is a revival of a play that was first performed in n 1974 with Ootori Ran playing the main role, and performed again in 1983 starring Mine Saori.
It tells us about a young man with ambitions who wants to climb up the road of success so much that he even uses the girls who gave their hearts to him. Youth is only half sparkling, the reverse side of it brings a cruel shadow with it. This performance attracts us to the described man.
Three girls who make their way through a sad destiny. A splendid work that portrays the dramatic lives of young people, burning with hopes.
Show Spectacle 'Dance Romanesque'
Director: Nakamura Satoru
'Romanesque' has a meaning of something like 'with refined taste' and 'passionate'. 'Dance turns a single moment into eternity' - with this theme laid as a basis, the group dancing filled with youthfulness and liveliness, dances with stories, composed of dances of different styles, this show is overflown with passion and energetic movement.

Report
On September 16th, 2011, an opening day interview was held.
Kiriya Hiromu
I am grateful you all gathered here on such a hot day.
As for Moon Troupe, though we have been delivering happy ending stories for a long time, now we offer a very tragic story, but this play is overflown with Shibata Yukihiro's (author) roman, and the show will be refreshing and interesting, so the performance will be a characteristic Takarazuka double feature. We will do our best in delivering it to you until October 16th, so we would like to count on your support.
Aono Yuki
The play will be a tragedy, and the show will be enjoyable. With the present power of Moon Troupe we will put all our might into the performance, so we would like to count on your support.


The impression of members of Moon Troupe energetically dancing from the very beginning of 'The Man from Algiers' to the very end of 'Dance Romanesque' is very strong, but isn't there some scene that you particularly like?

Kiriya Hiromu
The opening of 'The Man from Algiers' is the first modern thing in a long time for Moon Troupe, so we were wearing suits and dresses that are easy to move in, and this is a thing I have done many times in my underclassman era, but this time I play a character who is a glittering with ambition carnivorous man (the words may sound a bit old... *laughs*), which is the first time in a while, and I particularly like the dance in the prologue of the play.

Aono Yuki
There is a very adult-like dance in the show I am honoured to dance, where I wear a white dress with spangles, and since this is the first duet dance with such a feeling, though it is a challenge, I will do my best to cope with it.

Kiriya Hiromu
And there are also different kinds of wigs.

Aono Yuki
I use four kinds of them.


What are the interesting points of the musical in your opinion?

Kiriya Hiromu
The show starts in a very energetic way, with high tension, and then a lot of scenes follow which have a story in them, but I hope the audience will have a feeling of satisfaction after a scene of Notre Dame de Paris, as if they had seen all the acts, and I will be glad if they feel the drama. Though in a show it is always necessary to deliver the dances and the songs with energy, this time we enter the fourth piece, and I hope we can deliver every single scene with its deep contents.

Aono Yuki
In the musical ms Kiriya plays a man overflown with ambitions and all, but there are 3 girls who are involved with him, so the interesting point is that he is such an attractive man...

Kiriya Hiromu
A concealed pressure? (laugs)

Aono Yuki
No, not like that (laughs), just the male roles are greatly portrayed. Also, there is a difference between the scenes in Algiers and in Paris, so I think the audience will be able to feel the image of those days.
_____
notes

1. I have no idea what is meant by ４作目 which I translated as 'the fourth piece'. really, who 'we' and what is the fourth? I might be stupid but I am at a loss...
2. I want a video of this. guess I have something to occupy myself with from now on... searching for interview videos... MB 'tis in some of the cafe breaks? or something...

my little thoughts on the new Moon Troupe

this is kind of a challenge for me - to accept the new Moon Troupe. I ought to

however I could think of it, the fact that I joined the Zuka world when Kiriya-sama was there is an accident, and probably, every change can seem unbearable at first. maybe, Sena-sama fans were not able to accept Kiriya-sama, too. well, maybe not, but at least, Moon Troupe changed drastically in 2010, didn't it? and it has always been like this. probably...

so, accepting the new Moon is a challenge - not a problem anymore, but a challenge I will gladly cope with. you know what? I can see already the new image of Moon which will sooner or later prevail over the gloomy repetitions that Moon is going to perform

I hope, it will prevail - the shiny Moon that we see on the last photo from the RomiJuri article. I see a great mobility there, I see a combination of classic and modern, but there the energy of Moon remains the same - the gold, the yellow and orange

Let the Flower be delicate, let the Star be sophisticated, let the Snow be affected and Cosmos - original. Let Moon preserve its warmness

the only strange felling I have is that... though obviously I was attracted to Takarazuka due to the fact that women there play male characters (not only by this fact, but 'twas the MAIN point. I doubt there are people who were attracted for purely another reason), now that I think of Moon, I see Manaki-sama first

I mean, of course I love Masao and Mirio, I did and I will, but Reika-chan seems to be an essence of the current Moon. she is the one who will shine brightly and represent the Moon in my eyes. she is the one I feel the closest to - even Ryuu-sama and Asumi-sama seem farther - just a bit

my only prayer is - Manaki-sama, please, become a strong Top. no, become THE strong Top Musumeyaku that Moon is famous for, like spectators of 'Scarlet Pimpernel' said about Aono-sama, which Kiriya-sama mentioned. become a strong Top Musumeyaku that kouhai can rely on and sempai can be proud of. please create a wonderful Triple Combi with Ryuu-sama and Asumi-sama

BTW... will the Top Combi dance be performed with Asumi-sama or Ryuu-sama on the days when Romeo is played by Asumi-sama? I wonder... o___O

KiriMari, my beloved Top Combi

it took me 3 days to make this masterpiece. how did I manage to finish it so fast? I am a magicia~n!

well, actually it took me 3 days to complete the technical part. the first day was dedicated to exploring capacities of Sony Vegas Pro 11.06-something. the second day was dedicated to making the vid itself. and the third day was dedicated to adjusting, and adjusting, and adjusting again

first, there were problems with Vegas-san decoding my avis. therefore, I had already made the whole video but then I had to REmake it because most parts had 'white' frames, which I thought to be simply mistakes of displaying the preview. then I had to RErender the vid because the first version consisted of Takarasquares. erm, I mean, the quality of the vid itself was poor. then I had to RErender it again because I had forgotten to increase the volume of the music. and finally, I discovered that the timing of the vid in Vegas-san was NOT the same as in the resulting vid

finally!

however, creating the vid itself is not a hard thing to do if you have a proper image of it in your head. and I did

it happened on the 25th of April. in the morning I put on my favourite shirt, opened my new lipstick, (the colour of which I chose so that it would be close to that of Kiriya-sama on the cover of the 2012 calendar!) and attached to my neck my lucky (as it turned out) Kiriya-sama pendant. during the first half of my way to the university I already listened to 'all you need is love' and other gorgeous songs from the album 'Grace' by Tamura Naomi-sama. when I got on the bus, 'kirai ni naretara ii' started. while listening to the first half of the song, I simply enjoyed it (well, not simply - I enjoyed it a lot!) - but then I realized WHAT some parts of the song resemble so much... Top Combi duet dance! namely, 'Dance Romanesque' and 'Misty Station' ones, when the stage was covered with artificial mist

therefore, my work was simply to match the vids with the song. well, of course I did not imagine the whole song, and the part of this creation was impromptu...

another point is that, though I usually criticize vids where the visual component has nothing to do with the song and the lyrics, this time I did not make an entirely matching video. the reason is simple - this is not a song that creates a story (like 'ano hi no futari wa mou inai' by Tamura-sama, or See-Saw's 'seijaku...'). this song does not even describe what is going on in the vid. instead, it describes what is going on in the author's soul - and my soul, too - realizing that the person he or she loves so much has been a little estranged, and perhaps is going away, but still he/she loves him/her and while wishing to be able to hate him/her, cannot do this. this is a song that I could sing, not the characters of my vid

but still

my favourite moments - including both moments I did as I wanted and moments I made unintentionally good - are

0-20 - when Aono-sama turns around. I inserted this part because here she appears and approaches Kiriya-sama, but then I noticed how her movements suit 'suki naraba' melody

0-44 - on DE of 'kienaide' is just a lucky moment, but

0-46 - is the best of the best of the best. this moment was perhaps the one I had the first, when I thought like 'oh, this part reminds me of Top Combi dance so much' - so smooth, silent, in a slight darkness and with mist on the floor

1-18, 2-23 and 2-33 - well, when Tamura-sama sings such a 'stringy' note, I could not help inserting something like this

1-24 and 1-31 - are one of the few moments adjusted to the lyrics

3-00 - is simply a moment I adore! and it popped up exactly when I needed something like this. the same goes for

3-05 and 3-17 - somehow, a collection of near-romantic moments? I did not make it intentionally, but the lyrics of those moments are 'suki naraba' and 'itoshisha ni' respectively...

3-27 - the same turning round, which I think to be quite suitable again

3-38 - well, here the drums seemed to be good when Kiriya-sama steps on the floor

3-43 - is simply one of my favourite moments of all the KiriMari duet dances

from 4-14 starts the series of lifts. and lifts are my favourite phenomena in Top Combi duet dances. just. so. IDK... magnificent... beautiful... and just @$!#)*_)!*$#$!!!

well. meseems, I am speaking too much about this humble attempt to make a nice vid. hope fans will enjoy

translation. an article about farewell address of the Moon Top Combi

original article

Farewell address
On the closing night of Moon Troupe Tokyo Takarazuka Theatre performance 'Edward VIII' and 'Misty station' after the farewell show of Kiriya Hiromu 8 retiring actresses made their farewell address.
The address of Kiriya Hiromu
I have been honoured with support of many people until this day, just as now, on the closing night. Admiring the gallant and radiant retreating figures of those who retire, I was trying to imagine a thing I could not imagine - what it would be like, when I stand here. My present state of mind is loneliness because I won't stand with all the Moon Troupe in the Tokyo Takarazuka Theatre once again, and I won't wear the uniform hakama of Takarazuka once again, but we have finished this month of 'Edward VIII' and 'Misty Station' with two Senior Members and all the Moon Troupe being full of energy, and I am pleased and happy that I was honoured to perform my farewell show which is like a treasure box, and now I feel like I could jump. Not jumping yet (laughs). Meeting with Takarazuka Revue during my life, and having been able to live to my fullest as Takarazuka Revue's Kiriya Hiromu - even if the clock were turned back, I would choose the same path (a burst of applause in the audience). From tomorrow on, I will depart on a journey to an adventurous stage to search for a new dream. I hope the feelings from the bottom of my heart will reach all of the people who came to the audience, and a lot of people outside the Theatre who kindly watched over me. Thank you for these 18 years.
The address of Aono Yuki

I believe in destiny. It is because, when I met with Takarazuka, I was well acquainted neither with singing, nor with dancing, nor with acting, I only wanted to enter here, so I was determined to take the entrance exams. This challenge that I faced suddenly had serious hurdles, and I finally passed only on the fourth time. After many years here passed by, I looked into what I wrote in the primary school on the topic 'My dream of the future' - it is 'I want to perform on stage'. It was a dream that had no reasons, and a dream that I have completely forgotten about. Still, now I am standing here, on the stage. This is why I believe that the meeting with Takarazuka is my destiny. I love Takarazuka. I love being female role player. With these feelings today, I feel with all my heart that I was able to come on this day thanks to all the people who kindly watched over me. Saying simply 'thank you' is not enough. Aono Yuki will depart to the new destiny - gallantly, straight ahead, and manly (a burst of applause in the audience). Thank you for there 8 years.

link. KiriMari dance from 'The Gypsy Baron'

http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/mMgtD28g_p0/

oh look, please look at them... how adorable they are........ >______<

oh thank you, the generous person who uploaded this video with such great quality...

oh look at them closely! 

look how they hug each other so many times, how Aono-sama really keeps her fingers on the shoulders or back of Kiriya-sama, and how Kiriya-sama holds her partner like a cherished someone

look on the typical wide movements of Kiriya-sama at 3-35, and Aono-sama's liquid-like body just the next moment

look at their synchronicity at 4-10, their perfect timing which they polished every time they could, that was described in a funny manga in April Graph

look at their moving as if they were not two people, but a solid object at 4-28

look at their swirling at 4-35, with a perfectly straight leg of Aono-sama and the strength of Kiriya-sama who kept turning round and round and round, for quite a long time without any exhaustion

look how they make serious faces at 1-48, and then look how they cannot help smiling at each other at 2-02 or at 3-57. there are smiles that are required, but there are such ones that come naturally. is this not what Kouzuki Ruu-san called the ニコニコ look that made her feel むずむず and was named a もえ～ by the rest of younger siennes who participated in a 'Scarlet Pimpernel' Now on Stage?

oh, everybody has his own obsessions. and this is the obsession of mine. a perfect Top Combi, unforgettable and beautiful

translation! ~ an article about the last day of 'Edward VIII' and 'Misty Station' in Grand Theatre

 the original article

 

Takarazuka Revue Moon Troupe, the curtain has risen for the Top Combi Last Stage!

On March 3rd, the curtain has risen for the retirement performance of the Takarazuka Revue Moon Troupe Top Combi, Kiriya Hiromu and Aono Yuki.
The first part was the musical 'Edward VIII' based on the historical facts about Edward VIII, who earned great popularity among the masses and called 'Prince Charming' both at home and abroad. The musical paints both the false and the real image of him who, though loved by people, had to abdicate the throne in order to fulfill his love with an American national, Wallis Simpson.
The story starts with the funeral of Edward VIII, and then traces back the meeting of the couple. The unexpected direction of the funeral scene was quite interesting because a radio was used there, and thus seized the hearts of the spectators.
Kiriya, who played the open-hearted and possessing a modern character Crown Prince David (Edward VIII), was setting the pace of the performance with her nimble tone. Speaking of which, while looking as a man who leads free and pleasant life, the negative sides the character possessed as a person were also revealed. Thus, everyone could enjoy the splendid acting manner of Kiriya. Her partner actress, Aono, gently portrayed the changing feelings of Wallis to David, after she approached him in order to obtain a high status, and though a certain amount of loneliness and weakness was blurred in her, she finished as a strong woman with a firm heart.
Also, an indispensable supporting character was played by the Second, Ryuu Masaki. She portrayed Guy Burgess, a BBC producer, who was penetrating inside the scenes, but also narrated the story so that the spectators would not get confused. The Third, Asumi Rio, was playing the private secretary of David, who was watching over him, sometimes being harsh, but with a tender attitude, despite the fact he was twisting his secretary around his finger. While presenting her gentle image, Asumi showed both her character's strength of expressing his opinion straight to the face of the Crown Prince, and the irritation of being unable to help him.

The second part of the performance was 'Misty Station' starting with a scene which was to create a recollection of Kiriya's departure. She  played a young man Misty who embarked on an adventure with a trunk case and a map. After this a lot of dynamic scenes followed one by one. Cosmos, jungle, Arabia, enigmatic town, and a lot more - Misty is travelling around the variegated world. Among them, the scenes with Kiriya singing in the centre, surrounded by the Moon Troupe members standing in a row, and the male players dance in black tailcoats in perfect order were a grand sight. It was beautiful to the extent that a sigh would escape from the lips of spectators. Another certain thing was the duet dance of Kiriya and Aono, whose breath was perfectly matching, and there were also highlights for Ryuu, Asumi, and for those retiring like Aoki Izumi, Isshiki Ruka, and others, so the show was very enjoyable, presenting the overwhelming power of Moon Troupe.

For the last stage of the Top Star, in both works a lot of scenes and songs with farewell image were included. Do not miss the performance full of Kiriya's charm, who perfected in singing, acting, dancing, all these three skills.

 

 

 

 

 

a link! ~ common obsessions ^.^

http://ameblo.jp/ym-star/entry-11229896025.html

thanx to surfing through Tumblr, I found an interesting Japanese blog again. and the funniest thing is that apart from usual, conventional images of Takarazuka (like - 'I am fond of otokoyaku stair dance' or 'fluffy shanshans always look so cute'), there are trifles, details which are not easy to notice, but somehow there are people who share common obsessions and pay attention to similar things

in my case, 'tis... Marimo's hand O_____O

well, the post I linked to is a post describing the author's admiration towards Marimo's hand, and I cannot help signing under its contents

all the epthets are just sooo right. her way of waving is really distinguishable, the position of fingers, the general strain and direction of the hand look really beautiful

the author says that her way of opening the fingers is elegant as if she belonged to the royalty. and I cannot disagree >____<

translation. interview of the Moon Top Combi on the last day of Tokyo performance

the source article
*please PIA don't kill me for stealing your photos...*
*upd 12.04*
well, yes, I was keeping silent during the week, but I was not doing nothing! I had several classes with a lot of free (well, almost free) time, so one article is ready and the other is coming! ^___^

'Our collection'. Farewell show of Takarazuka Moon Star Top Combi, Kiriya Hiromu and Aono Yuki

On March 23rd, the curtain was raised for the Tokyo Takarazuka Moon Troupe performance of 'Edward VIII' and 'Misty Station'. This performance will be the last one for the Top Stars Kiriya Hiromu and Aono Yuki. After training on the opening day of the performance they shared their feelings with the reporters .

The performance consisted of two parts, the first being a play 'Edward VIII' describing half of the life of a real British king who was loved by his people, but who abdicated the throne after about a year of reign, the story taking place in England of the XX century, and the second part was a nostalgic show 'Misty Station' based on the motive of travelling by train. 'Edward VIII' which portrayed a 'love that cost the crown' between Edward VIII and American married woman Wallis Simpson, was a dramatic performance, though not overly romantic, but was a very Kiriya-like play showing a lot of wit and smartness, with intellectual and bright characters, which Kiriya matched so well. On the other hand, the scene with the king broadcasting his decision to abdicate the throne was overlapping with the image of Kiriya standing on the top of a kingdom called Takarazuka, who was about to embark on a journey, so the show was a very suitable one. Moreover, the show was created so that the audience would enjoy to their heart's content the charm of Kiriya as an outstanding dancer and singer, and the combination with Aono, who performed in tune with Kiriya.
During the press-conference Kiriya made a short address - 'This is the last performance for the two of us, but because of this very fact I am determined to make a performance which all the guests can enjoy here in Tokyo, not 'anyhow', but the same way as we did before.' Aono also said - 'During the rehearsal before the Tokyo performance I noticed that nothing has changed. I want to do my best and to develop myself to the very end.' About the two parts of the show Kiriya said - 'Though the traditional image of Takarazuka is a male role player standing straight and female role player clinging to him, if I think about us - we were a pair standing together and quarrelling. In reality, it is not as if before this performance Aono would give me advice, or pick up a fight like in the play *laughs*, but these characters are extremely well expressed, so it is very interesting. I want to create a performance that can be called our collection, because a very suitable work was kindly prepared for my last performance.' To that she added her passionate memories of her 18 years of enrollment in a place called Takarazuka - 'When I first attempted to enter Takarazuka, I failed, but I managed to do it the next time. During a year, I was studying hard in order to improve myself, filled with the will to become a male role player here. It is a place I devoted all my passion to, with this only feeling, to the extent that I could almost give my very life. I want to go on moving to the closing night because this feeling does not change.'
_____
translator's remarks

1. how come they almost read my mind??? the thing I noticed best in 'Edward' as well as in other musicals was that the Top Combi of Moon was completely different from the usual image - and Kiriya-sama repeats it... >___<
2. the phrase I translated as 'to perform in tune' means literally 'to adjust one's breath', and it can be applied to their Top Combi in both meanings. I chose a more general one, because it suits the text of the article better, but I remember AYAKO, the choreographer of 'Misty Station', describing Aono-sama as a magnificent and skilled dancer who really adjusted her breath to Kiriya-sama so that the Combi had very good timing and synchronicity
3. I used the usual 'male role player' and 'female role player', but Kiriya-sama used the word 'onnayaku', not 'musumeyaku'. this seems a bit strange for me, because 'tis exactly 'musumeyaku' image which implies a fragile girl standing near strong and tall man, but well, perhaps my dear Kiriya-sama is filled with a sense of justice and equity? ^.^

Memories of how this started, eh?

When yesterday my friends asked me to show them my photos, I looked on Tokyo streets, and remembered my first visit to that city
Of course I remembered my friend Sae-san and her mother. 'twas her who asked me why I got interested in Zuka
Now that I recall it, I was wrong in my answer. I told her that the first time I heard about Takarazuka was when I fell in love with Suzukaze-sama and read her biography after watching 'Rurouni Kenshin'. It was much earlier, though

The first time I heard about Zuka was when I was some 13 years old and visiting a disc shop famous for many cheap cds and dvds with anime I bought 'Sakura Taisen' the movie - partly because of a bright picture on the cover, partly because 'twas written there that the movie was created by people who created GitS, a work that everyone knew that time. After watching the movie I was simply fascinated. The song opening the movie, a song for Christmas celebration titled 'Kiseki no Kane' was the first anime song in my life that I wanted to download and listen to, apart from songs from BSSM (hope you understand what BSSM means). However, with me having access to internet for less than a year (which means both poor speed and poor skills in web-surfing) 'twas impossible - and I gave up
The song itself was Takarazuka-styled enough, but the setting was even more reminding of Takarazuka. All the girls were wearing suits and tails, and it did not seem wrong or strange to me even for a moment. When in the end of the movie the girls were performing in a play where a greater part of the characters were male, with Sakura and Rachel being kind of a princess and a warrior (if I am not mistaken) - this kind of transformation did not surprise me at all, either. However, even though I read that the plot was inspired by a really existing theatre I could not imagine that I could ever to know it more closely, so I gave up

Several years after I became a fan of Suzukaze-sama, but her seiyuu career was not a prosperous one. Then I read her biography. Of course her Takarazuka career was mentioned and of course her playing Oscar was mentioned there. Being already aware of what BeruBara is about, I was completely fascinated by the very fact that she played there, but... thinking that such a rare and old performance would never be available in the web... I gave up

A month later I watched 'Sakura Taisen' which was a randomly made decision. This time, being a more experienced searcher I was actble to find the OVAs, the series and the movie with the original voicing, and the whole collection of OST for the world of SW. 'twas the OST that made me fall in love with the style of Zuka music and Zuka performances, though the performances of SW girls were never shown from the beginning to the end, and most of the songs were never used in the anime. However, even the rare and short referrals were enough. The only thing that surprised me was a short video on YouTube where Takano-sama and Yokoyama-sama were performing as Maria and Sakura playing in a performance of the 'Imperial Revue' - there was a moment with their characters kissing and I thought it to be an unusual thing for seiyuu to do such a thing. On the other hand, I felt even more interested in Takarazuka and I wanted both to watch the musicals based on SW universe, and their origin - Takarazuka itself. Still, not believing in my own and the internet power, I gave up

A bit more than a year later, the fact that marked the start of my Takarazuka journey was my second friend, Seiko-san, asking me if I had a particular place I wanted to go to while in Osaka last summer. Never being a shy person, I mentioned Osaka Castle, Umeda Sky Building, and a random theatre. While searching for info about theatres in Osaka I read that Takarazuka is quite close to Osaka city, and 'tis pretty easy to go there. I wrote to Seiko-san - 'I would like to go to a theatre at least once, be it a traditional one - Bunraku or Kabuki or Noh, whatever. I also have a dream of visiting Takarazuka'. However my friend did not have any interest in it and she only answered me that going to Bunraku is really possible. So I went there with her. I was very happy I was able to meet with this kind of art, and realizing that asking Seiko-san to go to Takarazuka would be too much, I gave up

After reading about Takarazuka on the website describing Osaka I visited the official website of the Theatre, but the English version of it. A strange thing, but the photos of Kiriya-sama and Aono-sama seemed to be the most interesting to me. This might seem unreal, but I really got interested in Moon Troupe Top Combi simply judging by the Top photos on the English version of the official website. This fact has a perfect evidence consisting in me discussing the photos with my friend, when I first opened the page. I remember clearly how the conversation developed. My friend wrote to me and asked me what I was doing, I answered that I was searching for a theatre to go to and found Takarazuka, then my friend asked me for the link. We discussed everything there was available on the English page about the Troupes. I remember my friend saying she liked Star and Snow Tops (Yuzuki-sama and Otozuki-sama) the most, while thinking that still, it was Cosmos Top (Oozora-sama) who would make the best otokoyaku. I agreed that Oozora-sama was looking the most manly, but my primary interest was Kiriya-sama - because of her face which seemed to be so warm and also an unusual a face for a Japanese. While discussing Top Musumeyaku-san we thought Ranno-sama to be the cutest one, but while I liked Aono-sama's face a lot, my friend said she had too perfect a beauty. Imagining how great it would be if I could go to Takarazuka, that was the end of the conversation
Having no intentions of visiting the theatre I lived on spending money carelessly and freely. Until one day we went to Kyoto with Sae-san. 'twas a nice short trip for one day which could have ended in nothing, if the Hankyu Corp. was not completely aware of the power of advertisement. The posters of the upcoming 'The man from Algiers' were already on every column and every wall inside the Hankyu railway station in Kyoto. Moving through the station at 6 in the evening is always a difficult thing, everybody is coming home from work, daily business, etc. Sometimes I ended up moving in an awkward way. This time the mob made us go straight ahead, towards the column with Zuka posters. Seeing the poster I could not understand what was going on inside me. I hesitated a bit if what I thought of deserved being put into words, but, unaware of what I do, I automatically uttered 'oh, those are Takarazuka posters, aren't they?' and Sae-san's answer changed my world. She told me that those were, and that she knows about Takarazuka a lot, and that she is a fan, and that her mother had been working there for some time. We discussed how great it would be if Sae-san could take me to Takarazuka once, but realizing I still had a week to spend in Japan, I was completely sure I have no money to spare so that I could go to the Theatre. Therefore, I gave up
When I came back to the hostel, I phoned my mom as I did every evening and told her everything simply to share my feelings. My mom's answer was the second half of what changed my fate completely. She told me - no more presents, no more buying unnecessary cute things. Save money and go to the Theatre - that is what she told me. I was still hesitating. Saving 5000 yen was not an easy thing to do, and the current performance was still 'Phantom', while I remembered I did not like the movie a lot. I checked the schedule. The performance was about to end. The next one was a completely unknown to me 'The man from Algiers'. A strict prohibition on buying anything apart from the necessary foodstuff and railway tickets could really make it possible to go. This was the last straw
I mailed Sae-san asking her if it would be possible for her to take a day-off and go to the Theatre. She agreed. Soon she mailed me again saying she bought good tickets because 'twas Thursday and the performance was not a very popular thing (like BeruBara, for example). I was happy
While going to Takarazuka by train I asked Sae-san which troupe was to perform. She told me 'twas Moon but I did not match the word 'Moon' with the info I read on the website. 'twas not until the curtain rose when I realized I see the ones I wanted to see the most - Kiriya-sama, Aono-sama, and the rest of the Moon Troupe, the one I felt something special about. My happiness knew no limits. However, I could not save much more than 'twas necessary to buy the tickets, so I did not buy even the programme

Just yesterday I read someone saying that going to Takarazuka knowing nothing about it is wrong. Going to the Theatre should be a fulfillment of a dream cherished for a long time. Oh, is it so?
OK, I went there knowing nothing apart from the fact that there are Tops in each Troupe, which seemed to be a natural thing for me (someone should play the lead, why not it be people assigned to this position?)
What did I lose by doing so? Oh, pretty nothing. Did I fail to experience that special feeling of longing to be there? Was I not eager? Was I not worried? Did I miss the doubts about what it would be like? Nope. Perhaps I was even much more looking forward to it, because I wasn't expecting anything in particular, only a great day in my life
What did I gain? I went there completely unaware of the plot - so I  was able to judge the story by myself. I went there unaware of what ni-san-...-bante is - so I was able to note Masao's and Mirio's acting as outstanding and I praised them inwardly being completely unbiased. I knew nothing about revues - therefore my shock caused by the revue's beauty, sparkling, energy and mood was much stronger compared to what I could feel if I had already watched some videos. In general, I knew nothing about the theatre - so I was feeling the atmosphere keenly, acutely, almost painfully. I had no warming up, probably this means I was not a true fan - but I was not going to fall in love with it so madly, so desperately. I was not going to visit it frequently. I was not going to come back there ever. Of course, I was not going to buy the goods, watch more, read about it more. In other words, this proves that I was not simply fascinated by some performances based on a story I like (f. e. BeruBara), or that I felt interested in a particular performance/sienna/... and went to see it/her on stage. My love towards Takarazuka developed as a pure thing, being caused by Takarazuka itself, and the previous times when I heard about it were only a prologue, not the primary reason
Again, I was not expecting anything, and I gained everything. Just imagine it as a simple equation. If you expect a good performance and you see a good performance - your impression is just the same as you predicted. If you expect a poor performance and see a great performance - your impression is much stronger than you could imagine. If we take, for instance, 5 for 'excellent' and 1 for 'bad' then we can compare the first case as expecting 5 and gaining 5, and the second case as expecting 1 and gaining 5. My case was different. I was expecting 0. This does not mean I was expecting a completely bad performance, no. I was expecting nothing. And if you remember, you cannot divide by 0. My impression was not equal to what I expected, nor 'twas 5 times stronger than I expected. 'twas overwhelming. Overwhelming so that you can never compare it to anything else
Overwhelming so that for the first time in my life I could not realize what had happened just a few moments before, a few minutes before, a few hours before... and even a few days before. I was completely sane and calm. I did not jump, shout or anything. I looked as if I had not experienced anything

And nobody knew, until I wrote about this to my friend last week, nobody knew what I thought of during the parade of 'Dance Romanesque'. And what I thought was 'behave yourself. take a tissue. look, nobody else is crying...'