Author Archives: kittychan

Sena Jun – Words for the Day: Chapter 2

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This photo and essay book was written by Moon Troupe Top Star Sena Jun and published during promotions for the 2008 show ME AND MY GIRL, where Top Musumeyaku Ayano Kanami retired. It’s very charming and occasionally emotional.

Some chapters are very short, or contain only pictures, and thus are combined.

The book also featured dual Japanese and English chapter titles, which were not always the same. Where these differ, both are included, with the translation of the Japanese title following in brackets. (For example, Chapter 8 is That time [The era of Asa and Osako])

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Former Takarazuka otokoyaku star Nanami Hiroki releasing her 3rd album “FIVESTAR”

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This article about Nanami Hiroki’s new album was published by TOKYOweb on June 29, 2021. The original article was written by Yamagishi Toshiyuki [estimated name reading] and can be found here (archive link here).

Please note that at time of translating the album was still unreleased, so some context was not available.

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Takarazuka Revue Star Troupe performance Manon opens in Bow Hall – Revival after 20 years

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This article about the Star Trip revival of Manon was published by Mainichi Digital on July 1, 2021. The original article was written by Suizu Satoko [estimated name reading] and can be found here (archive link here).

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Sena Jun – Words for the Day: Prologue & Chapter 1

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This photo and essay book was written by Moon Troupe Top Star Sena Jun and published during promotions for the 2008 show ME AND MY GIRL, where Top Musumeyaku Ayano Kanami retired. It’s very charming and occasionally emotional.

Some chapters are very short, or contain only pictures, and thus are combined.

The book also featured dual Japanese and English chapter titles, which were not always the same. Where these differ, both are included, with the translation of the Japanese title following in brackets. (For example, Chapter 8 is That time [The era of Asa and Osako])

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Takarazuka’s 107th class debuts – top-ranked musumeyaku Shiraki Hana moved, “This is the grand stage I’ve always yearned for”

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This article about the debut of the 107th class was published in Sponichi Annex on June 26th, 2021. The original article can be found here (archive link here).

Please note that at time of first posting I have not seen the show or the rockette dance, so I do not have full context for what is being described.

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Time to Soar! #7 – Ashizawa Jin interview with Aizuki Hikaru

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Ashizawa Jin is an illustrator/columnist who seems to have worked for GRAPH since the 1960s (yes, you read that right). His interview column generally gets a new title every year but has been fairly consistent format-wise in recent years. I’m giving him his own tag in the Staff category since he is one of the few interview conductors to be credited by name in the publications.

This interview with Aizuki Hikaru was published in the June 2017 issue of GRAPH (while she was still a Cosmos Troupe member) and seems to have been recorded during the production of Chateau de la Reine/VIVA! FESTA!.

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Blossoming Takarazuka: Passionately with all my power – Aya Ouka (Snow Troupe)

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This edition of Tokyo Shinbun’s column on Takarazuka features Aya Ouka, talking about her current performance in fff – fortississimo. The original column was written by Yamagishi Toshiyuki (estimated name reading) and was published here on March 18, 2021. (Archive link here.)

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days: Sakuragi Minato (April 2017)

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days was a photo feature in GRAPH where performers created a journal or blog-style timeline of photos with captions. Sakuragi’s covers the end of 2016, featuring her performances of L’Aigle Aux Deux Tetes in Yokohama, the Takarazuka Special, and rehearsals for Chateau de la Reine/Viva! Festa!.

(Please note that there are brief references to weight/body image in this feature.)

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Talk DX: Romeo et Juliette (2011)

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This talk, recorded towards the end of the Takarazuka run of Snow Troupe’s 2011 Romeo et Juliette production, features Otozuki Kei, Sagiri Seina, and Misuzu Aki. It was published in the March 2011 issue of GRAPH.

(Note that while this production is known for the March 11 earthquake occurring in the middle of it, it is not referenced in this talk as it was recorded around a month before and published likely a few days before or after.)

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