Aran Kei – Aran: Message from Asami Hikaru

This book is a memoir of Aran Kei’s time as a member of Takarazuka, as well as her post-Takarazuka career and memories of her childhood. It was published in 2010 to commemorate the 20th year of her stage career. It also features messages from Takarazuka classmates and other colleagues and theatre artists she has worked with.

Paragraph breaks have been added for ease of reading in English.

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Talk DX – The Rose of Versailles 2001 (Cosmos Troupe – Wao Youka and Ayaki Nao)

Talk DX is a GRAPH talk feature with the otokoyaku leads of a recent Grand Theatre show. This one, which was recorded towards the end of the Takarazuka run of The Rose of Versailles 2001: Fersen and Marie Antoinette, was published in the July 2001 issue, when the show was being performed in Tokyo.

Ayaki was in Senka at the time, and they also spend some time discussing her previous show with Cosmos Troupe, Nostalgia Across the Sea.

An outtake photo from the back of the magazine is also included.

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Aran Kei – Aran: Chapter 2 – My goal! To be a Takarasienne!

This book is a memoir of Aran Kei’s time as a member of Takarazuka, as well as her post-Takarazuka career and memories of her childhood. It was published in 2010 to commemorate the 20th year of her stage career. It also features messages from Takarazuka classmates and other colleagues and theatre artists she has worked with.

Some paragraph breaks are added for ease of reading in English.

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I was told “You’re too small for an otokoyaku”… – Asumi Rio speaks about her time in Takarazuka and post-retirement

Additional interview content with Asumi Rio, published by anan on January 8, 2021. In this portion, Asumi talks about her experience of the difference between being an otokoyaku and an actress, and her time on the set of morning drama Ochoyan. The original feature, written by Mochizuki Risa [estimated reading] can be found here. (Archive link here.)

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Asumi Rio challenged again with musical The Poe Clan – ‘I was uncertain at first’

Asumi’s first post-Takarazuka stage performance, the co-ed revival of Koike Shuuichiro’s The Poe Clan, opened today (January 11th, 2021) in Japan. Asumi did this promotional interview with anan on January 7, 2021. The original interview, written by Mochizuki Risa [estimated reading] can be found here. (Archive link here.)

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Blossoming Takarazuka: Full speed ahead to being ‘An intense otokoyaku’ – Akatsuki Chisei (Moon Troupe)

This edition of Tokyo Shinbun’s column on Takarazuka features Akatsuki Chisei, talking about her current performance in Frenesie a Pigalle and WELCOME TO TAKARAZUKA. The original column was written by Yamagishi Toshiyuki (estimated name reading) and was published here on November 26, 2020. (Archive link here.)

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Aran Kei – Aran: Chapter 1 – “One day I’ll fly away from here!” – What I swore in my heart during my childhood

This book is a memoir of Aran Kei’s time as a member of Takarazuka, as well as her post-Takarazuka career and memories of her childhood. It was published in 2010 to commemorate the 20th year of her stage career. It also features messages from Takarazuka classmates and other colleagues and theatre artists she has worked with.

Some paragraph breaks have been added for ease of reading in English.

Continue reading