Yes, I'm late (as always) to pop in here and update everyone on my thoughts.

Tanabata brought a slew of announcements. Really, if I'm honest it's like Hankyu peeked into my brain and decided to reward me for my solid dedication and financial support of their business for almost 10 years. Almost all of these announcements could be tied up they're with a purple ribbon and labeled "to Alex love Hankyu".

Number one, of course, being Makaze Suzuho and Hoshikaze Madoka are being made the top conbi of Soragumi. Makaze and Madoka 😳💕 It happened guys. I've somehow found myself in love with a musumeyaku, and a soon to be top one at that. I am over the moon that we weren't transferred somewhere or sent into Demi-top purgatory or some other Hankyu-fuckery. So Happy. She made it, and she made it in our troupe

✨💜 She's the first cosmos top musumeyaku to have originated in cosmos troupe 💜✨

In addition to that they shuffled Serika Toa from Hana to Sora. Which leaves her at the same rank, but gives her some opportunity to grow and flex her muscles. She's been getting such boring roles under Mirio that this move will only be better for her. She hit the level up button recently, but it's not showing as much in grand theatre productions. Not a lot of growth opportunity in the type of roles and productions that Mirio have been choosing.

If I'm honest though, I think this was mostly a move to throwing Aizuki Hikaru off the star track without losing as much face. She wasn't given the nibante title only to have it stripped away. This is clean and nice...so to speak. I'm a little bummed for Ai-chan personally, but also a little relieved she won't be shouldering a burden she's not ready to.

Personally, I'm thrilled with it all. Like, straight up, clap my hands in glee at this whole situation level of thrilled. Makaze and Kiki are just so well matched physically. Soragumi is dangerous now, but bring in Kiki? *fans self* Not to mention that their personality and how they present them self to the public they are totally different. Kiki is hyper aware of how she presents herself, and Makaze has this "that's cool bro. Whatever" vibe to her that I think will make watching them interesting.

We also see Amairo Mineri get transferred to Cosmos too. She's Madoka Douki and I fell in love with her princess eyes during the 2016 New Years countdown show. Voice like an angel, I'm excited to get to see her more frequently and really see what she can do.

All in all it was a lovely Tanabata. I so appreciate when things I want to remember line up with holidays. Last time I saw Tomu in Takarazuka? April 1st, start of the new year full Sakura blooming. The date Madoka was announced a Top Star? Tanabata 🎋

I'm happy. Even if I'm not going to be here in Japan to see it.

The show announcements just keep coming and I've been crap about writing my thoughts down. So here's a round up post!

❄️Snow ❄️
Revolutionary Maximilien Robespierre / SUPER VOYAGE! Daimon debuts at the grand theatre with a play and a show. Which makes me think the company is banking on her being the one to bring home the bacon for a bit. Which wouldn't surprise me, Chigi was the best selling top star they had in the docket and with her gone, and Maakun leaving and the Sora top remaining yet unknown... it's anyone's game. Mirio has never quite lived up to her hype of being the best seller. Which honestly, might partially be due to show choices. Especially this last one which is a hot mess. HOT MESS GUYS. Lord I am so ready to not to have to ever watch it again.

⭐️Star⭐️
Beni and Airi (Benri) will be doing Berlin, My Love. Nazis. Whoooo boy. If we could not that would be GREAT. But here we are again. Sorry, passing that until I can see it on skystage for free. Shout out to poor Kai fans who with the release of the poster image featuring Koto looking like a old time Nerdy Journalist are def gonna end up as a Nazi. Sorry guys.

Speaking of Beni, she gets the Taiwan tour in late 2018. Which means she won't be a short and sweet run despite literally everyone assuming that's what her run would be. Get it girl? I guess? I am curious as to what her next show will be. Will it be comedy? Or will she try and pretend she's a serious actress again?

🌷Flower🌷
Hanagumi has the horror that is Yamataikoku paired with the (predictably amazing) show Santé right now. Sadly, even a Daisuke themed show about WINE isn't good enough to wipe out 1h40m of awful.

After that ends they are split in half. Mirio will be doing Hanna's Florist and Yuzuka Rei will be doing "Haikara-san ga tooru" which I've started reading and I am highly enjoying. 12/10 on picking my type of crack here guys. I see what you are doing, and I like it.

Speaking of Haikara-san, the cast list is still not out. It's been like... heading towards week two I think? It's highly suspicious and the internet has been abuzz with rumors of transfers. I'm pretty sure they are gonna drop on Friday along with new top announcements and such. Yah, very excited for the new batch of fans to freak out at their first giant list of transfers :)

Then hana is lined up to do Poe no Ichizoku. Which is based off a manga by Moto Hagio. A two act Koike adaptation, defying the rumors of Mirio departure early next year. Although, honestly I wouldn't completely discard the concept yet. Eugh. I am not particularly keen on a two act Koike show for hanagumi, but I'll take what I can get. God give strength to the cast because lord knows despite it being his dream production for the last 30 years he probably hasn't been working on the script in all that time.

While I'm not excited it does help that T is totally into this show. Refers to it as her 'bible'. Her enthusiasm is (as always) catching.

🔮Cosmos🔮

Cosmos is a big ??? Parisai wrapped up yesterday and shuugoubi is coming on Tomorrow( July 6th). I'm assuming we'll see top announcements on Friday. I've been counting down for about three weeks now. It's an easier thing to fixate on than my own life.

Will Urara retire tomorrow? Will Makaze take her? Will Makaze take Madoka? Will Miyaruri be transferred in for the most awkward 20th anniversary of soragumi ever? WE WILL SOON KNOW.

🌙Moon🌙

Jeans for All is currently hip deep in rehearsal. Chisei mentioned in the blurb from rehearsal that they just finished up Act I. Twitter then proceeded to blow up with "WHAT?! GUYS THE SHOW OPENS SOON?!" Which made me laugh, Koike remains Koike. Some things will never change. Two hours late with half a script, Starbucks and the general agreeability of two week old gym socks.

yo

Writer/Director: Saitou Yoshimasa
Cast: Serika Toa, Hozuki An, Asazuki Kiwa, and Oto Kurisu


Saitou: This is Serika-kun’s second lead and her first lead in Tokyo so I feel a sense of joy and responsibility in serving as the head of this production. Now, Serika is really blooming, and I want her to be even larger so I created this show to show everyone a side of Serika that you’ve never seen before. As you can see from the poster, the characters in the play are a lot, aren’t they.
( Read more... )

Flower Troupe Report
Reporter Nana Kurara

( Read more... )

“I want to show how I've matured” Cosmos Troupe | Hoshikaze Madoka

Playing the heroine role in Cosmos Troupe’s shinjin kouen performance of Elisabeth (August 9th, Takarazuka Grand Theatre) is Hoshikaze Madoka, a musumeyaku in her third year with the Revue. “I’m aware that I'm not a great singer, but I want to show that I'm doing my best and that I've grown up a little,” she said with enthusiasm.

This is Hoshikaze’s second shinjin kouen heroine role, in addition to her heroine roles in both a Bow Hall show and a Umeda Arts Theatre Drama City show. At first glance, it seems she is sailing smoothly forward but she revealed, “I’m really inexperienced so my feelings of wanting to work hard rush ahead of me but my ability can’t quite follow In the rehearsals, it seems like every day I run into something I can't do, and frustration and troubles keep popping up.”

From her mother's influence she’s been a Takarazuka fan since she could remember. Even now she says watching the CS premium broadcast Takarazuka channel at home is her favorite way to relax. “Even on my days off, I don’t want to be far from Takarazuka,” she said.

In the main show, Hoshikaze plays the young crown prince Rudolf. It's a character who hungers for his mother's love and in his shadow of solitude chooses death, “From growing up until arriving at the decision of suicide, I provide the backdrop, so I really want to create an intensity.” Being blessed with these chances, she is steadily maturing.

Mainichi Newspaper. Osaka Evening Edition. (original article)

As expected Nozomi Fuuto and Maaya Kiho were announced the next top stars of Snow Troupe. It's not suprising in the least, but it is still delightful. Congratulations are due to both of them.

I'm not as keen on their debut show as I am on the pair of them. I mean, In the Amber Hued Rain... really? I mean, it is Daimon so this very hanagumi show is not a surprise, but meh. I know the cream of the crop in terms of plays never are really chosen for national tour (looking at you Valencia... looking at you), but whatever. I'm also grumpy on behalf of all the poor Chigi fans who are watching their new top stars tour with their actresses taidan revue with a cheap attempt at rebranding. I see you hankyu.. and I do not approve.

That being said, I'm sure their Grand Theatre debut will be something worth both of their vocal talents. A lot of rumblings about Phantom, which I could get behind. It hasn't been out of the cupboard since Tomu's debut.

I'm not huge into yukigumi these days, but damn, that taidan list. Hugs all around to everyone involved. I'm sure their last show will be worthy of their talents